Local

The first of the season spinach from Heritage Farm in Pennsylvania has arrived, and we're excited to offer it in our kung pao dishes (all natural chicken, and tofu and noodles).

Heritage Farm also delivered truly fresh eggs, which are tossed in pad thai dishes and unfried rice. They're also swirled into the hot and sour soup just before it's served. 

As we all know from watching the National Geographic Channel; during the winter months, farmers head into caves to hibernate, and wake up for the next growing season.

I don’t think so.

Following are a list of winter markets, featuring locally produced, meat, cheese, bakery, mushrooms, jellies and jams, pickled delights, and oftentimes local crafts and art.

Join us for our 2nd Annual Lettuce Wine & Dine You event hosted at Mon Ami Gabi. 11950 Democracy Drive, Reston, VA, and enjoy the variety of flavors that are Lettuce Entertain You® restaurants.  This special four course dinner will be held on Monday, September 26 and will feature signature dishes from Mon Ami Gabi, Community Canteen, Wildfire and Big Bowl. Executive Chefs from each restaurant will be on hand to discuss the influences behind each dish and present their own food and wine pairing.  The event begins with a reception at 6:00 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m.

Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. It’s a subject that’s near and dear to Big Bowl. Mark your calendar for Fall’s R4 Collection Day! Bring recyclable items to the Pavillion between 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM, Wednesday, September 14, 2011. On siteTurtle Wings (electronics), Secured Shred (papers and documents), and Bikes of the World (collecting bikes for those in need around the globe). For more information on acceptable items and on past R4 days, click here.

May 21 – 9:00 AM

At Big Bowl, the Summer Rolls are some of the most popular appetizers. Fresh, light, and not fried, the rolls can be made with a variety of fillings, from seafood to chicken to vegetables. Summer Rolls are called Gỏi cuốn in Vietnamese; literally “mix salad roll,” and these tasty rolls are a perfect starter or light meal on their own. Chef Oscar Huerta demonstrates how to make Big Bowl’s popular appetizer at home.

The opportunity to give the Earth one giant hug of appreciation comes around again on Saturday, March 26 for the globally celebrated Earth Hour.

As in years past, all Big Bowl locations will participate by turning off and dimming as many lights as possible from the designated Earth hour of 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.(your local time).

In honor of China's President Hu Jintao's trade mission to the U.S. and Chicago, we're offering a trade deal of our own. You'll get a complimentary fresh ginger ale in exchange for naming one of the Chicago area companies that will be a inking deal with China. For clues, click here.

The season is all about whirling (and falling) on the ice skating rink with your favorite someone, rooting on the kids or just yourself taking in the moment.

Just because the weather is getting cooler, it does not mean that our local farmers are hibernating like bears. It's true, you won't find strawberries, but it's squash season and the brussel sprouts are coming in...there is a plethora of beautiful produce available. In addition, you can find local cheeses and baked goods, local meats, eggs and poultry.
"But where are they? They are not in the usual spot." Like any sensible people, they have moved indoors.

In celebration of the new vegetarian menu at Big Bowl, Chef Keith Wood visits the Kare 11 studio in Minnesota to talk about some of the new dishes, and to demonstrate the recipe of the new Lucky 8 Vegetables with Tofu. As promised, the link to the video and recipe follows:

Events starring the city's leading chefs occur throughout the year but one of the best takes place Friday, October 15 at Macy's on State Street, the Chicago Celebrity Chefs Ball. The event is the major fundraiser for Meals on Wheels, the organization that delivers food the elderly and homebound.

Chicago's best chefs, including Big Bowl's Marc Bernard, will be offering a taste of their restaurants. There's also dancing, a casino and great cocktails. Tickets are still available at the door.

For photography student Jacob Yeung, being at the right place at the right time proved to be everything.

A Big Bowl host and carry-out staffer, Yeung accompanied Executive Marc Bernard and the team to the annual Green City Market's chefs barbecue over the summer. His job that evening: photograph the event, which would provide photos for the restaurant and practice for Yeung. Yeung is two years shy of earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in fine art photography at Columbia College.

Did you know there is an App for the Reston Town Center?

This week, Big Bowl in Reston is kicking off a new wine list with five Virginia wines headlining the roster.

There has been a major upswing in Virginia wine production in the last 40 years. With over 140 wineries, only California, Oregon, Washington and New York have more.

Reston Town Center offers a solution for disposing of unusual items, such as electronics, clothing and bicycles. Many of these items will be repurposed, and this is a great way to keep these items out of the landfill.

Wednesday, September 15 2010
1:00pm - 4:00pm

R4 Collection Day
Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.

Uncork the Fun at the Great Grapes! Wine, Arts and Food Festival! Northern Virginia's fastest growing wine festival – Great Grapes! Over 200 Wines and 20 Virginia Wineries.

Enjoy prix-fixe menus at Reston Town Center restaurants as part of Reston Restaurant Week - an local extension to DC Restaurant Week!

Who are the people at Big Bowl and what do they do? Meet them here under the Spotlight.

Who: Bobby Rogers

Alias:  Triple B for "Big Bowl Bob"

Years at Big Bowl: 10

Position: Divisional Trainer, Staff Whisperer.

What you would do if you weren't working at Big Bowl: professional tri athlete and a personal
trainer with a focus in nutrition.

A best friend may not tell the whole truth and a child might "forget" essential details, but you can always count on numbers. According to a recent tally of Big Bowl best selling new menu items, Cashew Chicken rules the roost.

Since the new menu rollout earlier this summer, Cashew Chicken is preferred about 27 percent more than the second most popular dish, Steak and Noodles. But if you dine at the Edina restaurant in Minnesota, you prefer this chicken dish 50 percent more often.

Bangkok Shrimp and Scallops comes in at No.

Summer time in the city and suburbs is synonymous with festivals practically every weekend - and usually street closings and congestion. Add road repairs and detours and you're practically housebound.

School's out for the summer but that doesn't mean learning and exploring are on vacation, too. 

Every Saturday beginning at 12:15 p.m., the Reston Museum offers guided walking tours for adults and kids. The tour reviews the early plans for Reston from the early 60s and the revolutionary concepts that impacted the planning and development of communities in America.

Enjoy the lazy, hazy days of summer in our patio seating area. Get out of the office and take a lunch or dinner break in the fresh air and sunshine. Good weather available, while it lasts!

A jewel of Northern Virgiinia, the Greater Reston Arts Center (GRACE) presents opportunities to experience and explore the visual arts through exhibitions, educational programming , the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival , and special events. GRACE programs offer rewarding experiences to explore art with innovative artists, teachers, and curators.

Join us for our 8^th year of participation!
The 20th annual Taste of Reston, produced by the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce, will be held at beautiful Reston Town Center, on Market Street, Friday and Saturday, June 18 – 19, 2010.