THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Willow Restaurant

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Willow Restaurant Restaurant Review:

By combining the talents of Kate Jansen, former owner of the Firehook Bakeries, and super-chef Tracy O'Grady, formerly of Kinkead's, you produce Willow, an Arlington destination that is crowded even at slightly off hours. Hungry and arriving without reservations? Be seated in the congenial bar area, where courteous staff members offer the full menu. Based on a somewhat seasonal approach, the menu takes a serious look at contemporary American cooking. We love the silky texture of the sweet corn chowder soup (likely to be a seasonal starter), then move on to the chopped Caesar salad, which with its lemony accents puts a new spin on an old favorite. Serious sandwiches---Willow muffaletta, smoked turkey ciabatta, organic beef hamburger---at lunchtime are replaced by a longer list of entrées in the evening. If you are not up to the hefty price tag, you can still eat well at night with one of the grilled flatbreads, like a lavash but topped with something tempting: Consider the Blue Fire, a medley of caramelized onions and blue cheese. Being familiar with Jansen's skill with sweets, you will want to sample such confections as the pumpkin-praline mousse cake or the warm apple custard tart.