Waterside Indigo Landing Features Flavorful Low Country Fare With Potomac Views

Washington, D.C., - Indigo Landing, the new 140-seat destination restaurant located adjacent to the Washington Sailing Marina at 1 Marina Drive in Alexandria, Virginia, will serve innovative takes on low country classics for lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch when it opens it doors on April 10, 2006.

Executive Chef Bryan Moscatello, who grew up along the Jersey shore crabbing, clamming and selling his daily catch to area chefs, spent much of this winter and last fall in Charleston, SC as did Dan Mesches, the president of Star Restaurant Group, LLC and Ralph Rosenberg, the company's director of operations. They dined throughout the low country, exploring local cuisine and southern produce. Moscatello also spent time working in the kitchen at the Peninsula Grill with Bob Carter; at Fleet Landing with Jim Epper; at Boulevard Diner with Sal Parco and at Hank's Seafood with Frank McMahon to craft the new menu for Indigo Landing.

Fresh seafood will be an integral part of the menu reflecting the restaurant's waterside location on the Potomac along with southern favorites, each given a new twist for this contemporary restaurant. Appetizer standouts include the She Crab Soup with Tobiko Swizzle Sticks and Sherry Crema, a creamy Charleston classic of jumbo lump crab and she crab roe, accented with sherry and a fried crab and tobiko-filled brique pastry; Oyster Cobb Salad with Smoked Ham Hock, Tomatoes, Romaine, Avocado and a Cucumber Vinaigrette, showcasing tender buttermilk fried oysters; Crispy Chicken Livers with Sweet Potato Pickles and Madeira Mayonnaise, Madeira-marinated chicken livers, coated with cornflake and cornbread crust, fried until golden and crispy and served with pickled sweet potatoes and Madeira aioli; and Country Fried Quail served with Butterbean Puree, Spring Vegetables and Honey Jus.

Entrees not to miss are the Shrimp & Grits with Bacon, Leeks, Oyster Mushrooms and Sage Jus; Grilled Black Group with Green Rice, Vidalia Onion Rings and Smoked Mussel Barbecue; Charleston Wreck Fish, a Wreck Bass served with smoked pork sausage in tomato broth with cabbage and summer vegetable vermicelli, and the Duck Bog, incorporating duck breast, leg confit and duck liver served with "Bog rice," a very wet, oven-baked Carolina Gold rice with duck sausage, bacon and tomatoes. Prices range from $6 to $23 at lunch and from $6 to $25 for dinner, with all major credit cards accepted.

"Our decision to focus on low country cuisine for Indigo Landing reflects the increased appreciation taking place in this country for the South's most celebrated dishes," says Dan Mesches, President of Star Restaurant Group. "We are pleased to bring the rich flavors and culinary heritage we all explored in and around Charleston to the nation's capital."

With sweeping water views, an indoor/outdoor bar with seating for 100 outdoors during temperate weather, Indigo Landing will be a culinary sanctuary unlike any in the Washington, D.C. area. Located on the historic Dangerfield Island, the dining room at Indigo Landing will be open Monday through Thursday, 11:30 AM - 10 PM, Friday and Saturday from 11:30 AM - 11:30 PM and Sunday for brunch from 10 AM - 3 PM and dinner from 4 PM - 9PM.

Indigo Landing is a creative partnership between Dan Mesches, the president of Star Restaurant Group LLC (which includes Zola, Red Sage and Spy City Cafi) and Guest Services, Inc., a major hospitality firm headquartered in Fairfax, VA. For more information about Indigo Landing, please visit the website at www.starrestaurantgroup.com or call (703) 548- 0001. For more information on Guest Services, please visit www.guestservices.com.