According to the National Restaurant Association, 66 percent of adults say that their favorite restaurant foods are those that provide flavors and tastes that they cannot easily duplicate in their own kitchens. At Extra Virgin restaurant, they couldn’t agree more, noting that what brings their customers back time and again, in addition to the atmosphere, is taste sensations that most people would find difficult to duplicate at home.

“When people dine out, they want something special, something out of the ordinary that that will give them a great experience,” explains Chef Scott Jenkins, the executive chef at Arlington-based Extra Virgin restaurant. “That’s exactly what we aim to do at Extra Virgin. We want them to love the ambiance and entertainment, but the food is the focus and we want to make it amazing.”

Extra Virgin’s menu offers a wide array of modern Italian food, but they have announced their top five most popular dishes as being:

As a nation, we are knee deep in debt. In fact, the average Maryland resident is carrying around $7,000 in credit card debt alone. Add in the mortgage, some car payments, and student loans, and it’s easy to see that consumers are barely hanging on. The problem, according to many financial experts, is that people are spreading their money too thin, leaving very little to save and get out of debt with.

“If you put all your earnings into your debt then you will have a difficult time ever getting ahead or saving for a decent retirement,” explains Brad Glickman, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER Professional, and President of Bernard R. Wolfe & Associates, Inc., a company specializing in offering wealth management strategies. “The good news is that it is never too late to make some changes that can have a meaningful, and lasting, impact.”