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May 22, 2012

Blogs / Table Talk / November-December 2010 / Wild Tomato Coming to Fruition

Dec 21, 201002:29 PMTable Talk

Wild Tomato Coming to Fruition

Bethesda’s popular Persimmon restaurant will soon have a more casual sister, Wild Tomato, due to open in about two weeks at 7945 McArthur Blvd. in Cabin John.

I got a sneak peek at the new space, still awaiting a couple inspections, and here’s the lowdown: It’s unassuming and cozy (43 seats) with dark wood tables and chairs, a small bar, and great whimsical artwork on the yellow walls. The paintings, done by John Hallsted, a local artist/personal trainer and a friend the Salvatores', remind me of the illustrations in Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs with food in unexpected places. One called “Cabbage by the Shore,” shows four gigantic cabbages nestled in grass along a bank, with a lighthouse in the background. “Desert Dreams” depicts a bunch of hot air balloons rising in the desert sky; some of them are artichokes. They add “a little bit of levity,” says Damian Salvatore of the paintings, which are also for sale. That’s the atmosphere Wild Tomato is shooting for.

“Damian and I wanted to do something more like us,” adds his wife, Stephanie. “We are the most casual people ever. I don’t even have a formal dining room. We wanted to have a really fun place.”

The fun will include old videos of surfers playing on the TV, and chalkboards posting information about local school sports. As for the food, look for appetizers to share—from fried clams to tuna tartare, peel-and-eat shrimp and piled-high nachos. Big salads will include a cobb, chopped, wedge, Greek and seared tuna nicoise; sandwiches range from meatball subs to crab cakes and braised beef, and there will be entrees such as fish tacos, pan-seared salmon, hanger steak and barbecued shrimp with dirty rice. And of course, pizza. Stephanie Salvatore also added family-size green and Caesar salads so that kids can get in their veggies.

Aside from being appropriate for a ladies or business lunch, Stephanie Salvatore says that Wild Tomato will please everyone in the family. “We have kids, and we want to go out with them and have fun,” she says. “But I don’t want to eat chicken tenders. It’s hard to find a place to have a glass of wine and a piece of fish…and have your kids like it, too.”