Bilbo Baggins, Alexandria, VA

We just returned from a long weekend trip to DC, and on our last night, we visited Bilbo Baggins with some old friends. I enjoy the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies quite a bit, but nowhere near as much as my friend Felicia. She is *obsessed*, and I had a feeling that she would take us here. John and I looked up the menu in advance just to make sure there were vegetarian options for us. I believe this restaurant has been around even before the Peter Jackson LOTR movies came out. It’s quite cozy and rustic, almost like a Hobbit’s home. On the second floor, there’s a mural that seems to be based on a old cartoon version of LOTR. And of course, there are plenty of LOTR themed dishes and cocktails on the menu. The Dark and Stormy was tempting, but I was in a beer mood. Black and Tan it is! Always fun to watch the two colors mix around in the glass. John ordered the Four Cheese pizza ($13) with mozzarella, parmesan, asiago, romano cheeses with garlic and parsley, plus three gigantic bubbles in the pizza dough. My vegetarian platter ($17) was incredibly colorful! Everything you could possibly want in a vegetarian plate. Wild mushroom polenta, yukon gold asked potatoes, roasted portabella mushroom cap, sautéed spinach, roasted butternut squash, grilled asparagus spears, steamed vegetables and sundried tomato tapenade. Some of the veggies needed a little extra salt and pepper, but overall, this veggie platter gets my stamp of approval.