Bangkok Golden – Falls Church, VA

What's NEXT: Tucked away a strip mall is one of Falls Church’s biggest hole-in-a-walls: Bangkok Golden. This place is notorious for their lunch buffet which goes for $10-$12. Dirt Cheap! On the weekends, it opens at noon and every time I’ve been there, there have always been people waiting outside the door. There are a decent number of tables where you won’t have to wait. However, it does get packed very quickly.

The buffet selection is really what separates this place apart from other Thai/Laos restaurants. They offer rice, tom yum soup w/ mushrooms, spring rolls, a spicy papaya salad, mixed salad, drunken noodles, pad thai, lemongrass beef, mango chicken, steamed fish with lemongrass/chili paste and various dessert options. You can try a little bit of everything which is great. Exactly what I want when I visit a Thai/Laos restaurant.

Service is great and this place knows what they’re good at: Delivering authentic Thai/Laos dishes at a very affordable price. I can’t wait to go back!

5/5 Stars

Large plates of Food from Buffet

Drunken Noodes, Pad Thai, Stir Fried Chicken, and Chicken Wings

Spicy Papaya Salad and Appetizers

China Garden – Arlington, VA

What's NEXT: The number of quality Dim Sum options in the DMW is scarce. If happen to love out by Silver Spring, check out Oriental East. If you’re like me people who are closer to Northern Virginia and DC, check out China Garden. It’s your best option. Located in an office building in Rosslyn, China Garden has been a favorite among locals for years. 

On the weekends, the doors open at 11:30am and expect to get there before they open if you want to avoid waiting. They don’t take reservations and there’s always people waiting outside prior to opening. Thinking about getting there at 12:30pm and walking in without a wait? Forget about it.

China Garden has the regular fare of dim sum favorites including shu mai, shrimp balls, turnip, tripe, congee, vegetables, sesame balls etc. It’s a little expensive if you ask me ~$3.50 per dish on average, but it’s reasonable given DC prices and competition in the area.

The place is clean and service is decent for a Chinese restaurant. Expect it to be hectic if you come during Dim Sum since it’s usually a packed house.

All in all, this place will definitely satisfy your dim sum craving. Your wallet may be a little lighter than usual, but it’s worth it.

FYI - They validate your parking (free) in the parking garage!

3/5

Store Front

Dim Sum Favorites

Broccoli Vegetable Dish

Taco Bamba – Falls Church, Va

What's NEXT: Taco Bamba is led by Chef Victor Albisu, whose offering up his Mexican taco creations in Falls Church, Va. I had the urge to eat there after a long day at King’s Dominion and I was ready to devour some tacos. Each regular taco is $3, but you can get 3 for $8 which I get every time. They do offer specialty tacos at $4+.

The Menu is quite extensive with tacos featuring:

Carne Asado – Grilled Beef

Barbacoa – Shredded Beef
Carnitas – Shredded Pork Confit
Cecina – Seared Beef
Chorizo – Mexican Sausage
Enchilada – Spiced Pork
Lengua – Beef Tongue
Al Pastor – Pork and Pineapple
Tripa – Beef Small Intestine
Ting a- Stewed chicken

The tacos itself were surprisingly flavorful. I decided to order the lengua, carnitas and cecina. Each taco had heaping amounts of meat and by the end of the 3^rd taco, I was surprisingly full. Along with the chips and guacamole appetizer, I knew I couldn't fit another taco in my stomach.

There’s also a sauce bar featuring a multitude of different sauces and salsas available. I prefer what I call the “green crack sauce”. It’s a spicy blend of jalapenos, peppers, cilantro and lime. Trust me, after you've had it, you’ll understand why I call it what it is.

The service is quick and there’s barstool seating. There’s no tables,  but just enough seating for 15 customers. It’s slowing becoming a popular place among the locals for takeout or a quick meal.

Overall, Taco Bamba has fulfilled my 3 main taco criteria:

1.       The tortillas cannot break when eating

2.       Must be enough meat on each taco

3.       Affordable

4/5 Stars

Tacos and Sauces

3 Tacos for $8

Storefront

Jaleo Crystal City – Arlington, Va

Earlier this week, I was invited to a kickoff party for Jose Andres’s 11^th Annual Paella Festival (July 29^th – Aug 11^th) at Jaleo Crystal City. 

The event benefited Jose Andres’s charity, World Central Kitchen and was to promote the 2 week long festival. There were a number of paella stations set up for the event, each presenting its own types of flavors.

Paellas:

Arroz Iberico de bellota – A paella with Iberico belota ribs, sausage, and baby artichokes

Arroz Caldoso de Pollo, Conejo, y Acelgas – A soupy rice with chicken, rabbit, and swiss chard

Arroz de Verduras de Temporada – Traditional paella of summer vegetables

Fideuá Negra con Gambas – A paella of black "fideos" with head-on shrimp and calamari

Other Dishes Include:

Gazpacho

Flan

My favorites of the night were the Fideuá Negra con Gambas (shrimp) and the Arroz de Verduras de Temporada (summer vegetables). The Fideuá Negra con Gambas was great due to the texture of the black fideos and the head on tiger shrimp. The summer vegetable paella was a favorite since it had the greatest crust out of all the paellas. It was cooked thoroughly and charred to perfection, which is exactly what a paella should taste like.

I definitely need to applaud all the staff at Jaleo Crystal City. The event was run very well and everyone was having a great time. The addition of live music also added to the overall experience. I will probably having a paella craving within the next week so count me in. I’ll see you at Jaleo!

4/5 Stars

Arroz de Verduras de Temporada – Traditional paella of summer vegetables

Entrance Area

Arroz Iberico de bellota – A paella with Iberico belota ribs, sausage, and baby artichoke

Gazpacho

Fideuá Negra con Gambas – A paella of black "fideos" with head-on shrimp and calamari

UPDATE: 2013 DC Restaurant Week - August 19-25th

In case you're all waiting for the full list of DC Restaurant Week 2013 was just released!
Check out http://www.ramw.org/restaurantweek/ for a full list of restaurants!

To book a restaurant reservation, visit Open Table and check the available times.

Price Fixe 3 Course Meal:
- Lunch: $20.13
- Dinner: $35.13

Some of my Favorite Restaurants I've previously attended during DC Restaurant Week include:

1. Prime Rib DC http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-prime-rib-washington
2. Raskia West End DC http://www.yelp.com/biz/rasika-west-end-washington
3. Zaytinya DC http://www.yelp.com/biz/zaytinya-washington
4. Chima VA http://nextstopdc.blogspot.com/2013/06/chima-tysons-corner-va.html

Il Mee Korean BBQ Buffet - Annandale, VA

What’s NEXT: The Korean BBQ Buffet at Il Mee is definitely one not to miss if you’re a carnivore like me. During normal lunch and dinner hours, they offer a wide variety of hot food, sushi, and Korean food options.

DISCLAIMER: When I come here though, I’m talking about their late night 10pm-2am $12 AYCE Korean BBQ. You get all you can eat cuts of beef bugolgi, pork belly, spicy chicken and side dishes you want. They also have all the fixings such as spicy bean paste, garlic, jalapenos, lettuce, rice etc. They provide a grill for your table and you cook everything yourself. I usually add the spicy bean paste to everything to give it a little more flavor. 

If you’re more into the sides and tofu soups, I wouldn't recommend coming here. However, if you’re just really hungry and need a decent AYCE place without a long wait, definitely give Il Mee a try!

You can’t beat AYCE Korean BBQ for $12 after 10pm!

3/5 Stars

Lots of Meat Everywhere

Banchan

Sushi Yoshi – Vienna, VA

What’s NEXT: If there’s one place to get sashimi in Northern Virginia, it’s Sushi Yoshi in Vienna. This place has been a regular establishment for Japanese locals to enjoy the best chirashi deal in town and other japanese favorites.

It’s so good that I usually drive out once a month to satisfy my chirashi fix. The Chirashi Deluxe Lunch Special ($14) comes with tuna, salmon, whitefish, squid, picked radishes and more! The complex combination of flavors from the raw/cooked fish and radishes really make this dish absolutely perfect.

Every time I've been here at least half of the tables in the restaurant are ordering the special. It's no secret. Each chirashi special comes with miso soup, salad and a hefty amount of rice.

Service is great here and I would highly recommend making reservations if you’re bringing a large party. The entire restaurant serves less than 30 people. If you’re planning to go last minute like me, I would advise getting there when they open at 11:30am. I'm usually accommodated through bar seating which gives me a front row seat at the sushi chefs prepare the chirashi.

This place is truly something special and I hope every sushi/sashimi aficionado makes it here at least once.

5/5 Stars

Chirashi Deluxe Lunch Special

Kogiya - Annandale, VA

What's NEXT: Kogiya is the new kid on the block when it comes to Korean BBQ. While it’s only been open for a few months, it’s already making waves with the food community. 

Located in Annandale, VA (Korean Capital of VA), most people come here for the Grand Opening Special A for $18.99: All you can eat beef brisket, pork belly (regular, miso, spicy), and spicy chicken. The all you can eat option comes with those meats, unlimited banchan (about 10 varieties), steamed egg and tofu soup.

What separates Kogiya from a competitor such as Honey Pig is the atmosphere. We sat here for 2 hours and not once did we feel rushed by the servers. They bring out meat tray after meat tray once you’ve finished each one. In addition, since eating is more spread out, there was much better ventilation so all of your clothes didn’t smell like you’ve been eating Korean BBQ all day.

Service was great. The quality of the food was excellent given the price.

If you’re not into the buffet thing, they do offer food ala carte too. However, it’s probably more expensive in the end.

Overall, get the $18.99 Grand Opening Special A and you won’t be disappointed!

5/5 Stars

Banchan

Pork Belly

Spicy Chicken

Chasin Tails - Arlington, VA

What's NEXT: Located a few minutes from East Falls Church Metro, Chasin Tails is the new kid on the block when it comes to Louisiana style Crayfish. Opened in 2012, the restaurant focuses on Louisiana staples such as crayfish boils, gumbo, jambalaya, mac n' cheese and fried catfish.

For 3, we ordered 2 lbs of crayfish and 1 lb of shrimp. Each can get their own spice level (mild, medium, hot, or N' awlins hot) and flavor (original Cajun, lemon-pepper, garlic butter or shebang aka everything). We opted for the medium spiciness and shebang flavored crayfish and shrimp. If you're every been to Hot N' Juicy Crawfish before, it's a little bit less spicy. Overall, the crayfish were big and absolutely delicious. I would highly recommend them.

For appetizers, I would also recommend the fried green tomatoes which were great. Next time I'll need to try the Fred Gator Tails which I've heard are also amazing.

They have plenty of happy hour specials and weekday specials for dinner. Check out their latest menu here.

When it comes down to it, this place offers amazing food, a unique experience, and awesome service. Writing this review makes me want to go back for dinner tonight.

5/5 Stars

Crawfish Boil

Bar Area

Fried Gator Tails

Lime Fresh - Arlington, VA

What's NEXT: Since moving to Pentagon City, I've been to Lime at least a dozen times and it's always been a great lunch option for me. While it's not the best Mexican food you've ever had, it does it's one job: satisfy my Mexican/Salsa craving.

Besides the burritos, I go for the fajitas options which comes out sizzling on a hot plate. I mostly come here for the great options on their salsa bar though. Cilantro, limes, pineapple salsa, regular salsa, salsa verde, you name it. They also give you chips with most orders as well.

I agree with other reviewers that I wished they offer a salsa with more heat since I would say most of them are pretty mild.

All in all, a good place to come if you want a delicious and laid back meal.

3/5 Stars

Salsa Bar

Burrito and Chips

Table Seating

Lighthouse Tofu (Annandale, VA)

What's NEXT: If you like Korean style soft tofu soups (soondubu), Lighthouse Tofu is truly a great Korean food spot in Annandale, VA. 

What makes Lighthouse so great is their speedy service, great food, side dishes, and prices!
When you get there, complimentary side dishes, water and tea are brought to your table. They have a simple menu which lets you choose what type of soup you want and how spicy. On the backside of the menu, you can order noodles, rice, and BBQ items such as kalbi or bugolgi.

The food comes out piping hot on the traditional Korean bowl and is provided with raw eggs to crack into your soup. I think this is a very small, but nice touch that this restaurant has. They give you rice and more side dishes which are unlimited.

Prices for the soups during dinner are all around $10. VERY GREAT PRICES considering what you are getting.

I almost always leave this place satisfied and full. There's nothing better than enjoying a hot tofu soup on a cold night in December.

5/5 Stars

Korean Side Dishes

Seafood Pancake

Korean Style Tofu Soup

Hot Spot - Fairfax, VA

What's NEXT: Since the last time I visited Hot Spot, I've noticed a few positives changes to the restaurant which have made me bring my review to 5 stars.

The Changes are:
- Vegetable Platter to Start the Meal: Rather than picking both your starches and vegetables from the beginning, they provide you with a "variety platter". This accomplishes 2 things: Less wait time for food prep and allows people to try vegetables they've never had before. I believe they had most of the typical vegetables including enoki and shitaki mushrooms. This change benefits both the customers and the restaurant.

- Extra Spicy Broth: This was something that I thought was a major letdown when I first came. A number of my friends including me prefer a super spicy (mala) experience. There's just something about the szechuan peppercorns that can't be forgotten in a spicy broth. Having said that, they added it to the menu and it was actually quite satisfying. I'm extremely happy with this change.

- More Order Sheets: Since you order on a piece of paper listing what you want, it was challenging to continuously flag down the wait staff if you wanted another order form. This time, I was given 3 sheets when I initially sat down which allowed me to place a 2nd round of food once my 1st one game. During my last visit, we had 3 rounds of food and waited around 25 min each time.  This change makes it very easy for everyone and allows the turn of tables quicker.

Now I know a lot of people have complained by the slow service and long wait time. When my friend and I came on Friday night, the wait for 2 people at a table was an hour. The place was completely packed by 7pm. In addition, with limited staff, I bet people's drinks and food were refilled at a snail's pace. 

HOWEVER, I do have a secret to share. If you sit at the bar, you'll get the BEST SERVICE EVER. 

We sat at the end of the bar and there were so many benefits. Quick and easy drink orders, refills and it was very easy to catch one of the staff since they would walk right past us to-and-from the kitchen. Everything was great and I couldn't be happier with the service.

All in all, one of my new favorite restaurants in the DMV and I'm happy they opened up right before winter!

5/5 Stars

Meat and Seafood

Ready to Eat

Chima - Tyson's Corner, VA

What's NEXT: I really wanted to love Chima and for the most part I did. But what really disappointed me was for the SERVICE. 

When you're paying this much for a dinner. you should expect top notch service, and it was non existent on this night.

I had made a reservation to celebrate an occasion for 8pm. When we finally got sat, the hostess said that she would have a waiter come by and explain how Chima worked etc. We had never been there before. After 10 minutes, NOBODY came over to our table.

I HAD TO PHYSICALLY WALK TO THE HOSTESS AND TELL HER NOBODY WAS SERVING US. 

This was the first mistake. She should have assigned a server to us immediately. 
The meat that was got was absolutely delicious, tender and divine. I really enjoyed it. 
We enjoyed filet mignon, lamb, swordfish, and numerous cuts of meat. Everything is carved table side by "Gauchos" which is awesome. 

However, towards the middle of the meal, the gauchos stopped coming around. We had our cards faced up showing that we were waiting for more meat. Literally, we didn't have another person come around for 20 minutes and I had to tell the hostess AGAIN what the issue was. I would think that with there only being 8-10 tables served that evening, there shouldn't have been a problem.

Also, there was no apology when we received our check or deduction. 

Overall, I really enjoyed the food, but the SERVICE was extremely disappointing.
Maybe I will try to come here again, but it remains very pricey.

2/5 Stars

Meat or No Meat

Cuts of Meat

Greens From the Salad Bar

Mala Tang - Arlington, VA

What's NEXT: Mala Tang is a decent place if you're looking to have a big group style dinner for hot pot. It's a great experience as each person gets their individual "hot pot" and you just order meats and veggies yourself. You get a large amount of food and you'll find yourself usually satisfied by the end. The restaurant has nice decor and pretty clean for traditional hot pot. 

However, the only thing that has prevented me from coming back is the price. Hot pot is supposed to be inexpensive and this place is way above what anyone should be paying for hot pot. 

Don't get me wrong, the food was good, but it shouldn't cost you more than $30 per person before tip. The ingredients themselves don't cost a lot of money at all. It's just veggies and basic meats. If it was more around $15-$20 per person, I think they would get more business. 

I will say that I enjoyed their appetizers, atmosphere and food a lot. But I won't be coming back because of the price. If you're looking for a better hot pot experience, try Hot Spot in Farifax, VA

3/5 Stars

Individual Hot Pot

Appetizers

Spicy Cold Noodles

Storefront

Kebob Palace - Arlington, VA

What's NEXT: I finally made it to Kebob Palace in Crystal City!

After waiting to go for almost 2 months, I finally grasp the courage to metro out to Virginia for this meal.

I had read numerous reviews (over 400) which was summarized with: expect to wait 20 min at anytime, call ahead if possible, and get the chickpeas.

I got the Palace combo  which came with 3 skewers, rice, salad, naan, and 2 sides for $20. The food was great. I would say the highlights were the tenderness of the chicken, chickpeas, sauce, and curry. I enjoyed their naan, but I do wish it was more crispy. 

Most people go for the Combo #8 which is a combination of boneless chicken, kubideh and 2 sides. If you're feeling more adventures and with a group of people, definitely try the Chicken Karahi. It comes in a large clay pot and is absolutely authentic. Just keep in mind that for the Karahi, it takes 45 minutes to prepare.

This place lived up to most of the hype and I will definitely be back. Granted, it's not the best I've ever been to, but it's still awesome. Good thing I don't live by this place or else I'd be broke. It's Open 24 hours!

5/5 Stars

Combo #8: Boneless Chicken and Kubideh

The meats

Storefront

Pho 75 - Arlington, VA

What's NEXT: This place serves up some solid Pho. The broth is rich and I understand why this place has received all the hype. It's a no thrill or frills Pho experience.

However, I know that it's called "Pho 75", but they literally don't serve any food items except Pho. No spring or summer rolls, no vermicelli bowls. This is tough if you go with a large group like we did who all did not want to get a bowl of Pho in this 90 degree heat.

If you're craving pho, it's a great deal since you can get a large for under $10. And it comes with all of the fixings (bean sprouts, mints etc).

It's a short 5 min walk from the metro but I've heard parking can be a nightmare. It's in the same parking lot as Rays Hell Burger which always brings in a lot of people.

4/5 Stars

Great large bowl of Pho

Storefront