Busara Thai Cuisine - McLean, VA

8143 Watson Street
McLean, VA 22102
Tel: (703) 356-0056

We've been driving past Busara for about a dozen years now, planning to eat there at some point. We've heard positive feedback from everyone we know who has eaten there. So, finally, this summer, we convened a group of about 10 friends and ventured to Busara!

Those of us, who love Thai food, have a saying that "there is no such thing as bad Thai food." And that is true of Busara, as well.  We most certainly had a great meal overall. The service was cheerful and efficient; the menu is standard with a half a dozen Daily Specials listed on an announcement board at the entrance; everyone enjoyed the food. But, as it is with anything in life, the most important thing about a dinner is the company! To this end, we had great conversation and lots of laughs over wine and food we enjoy. We could have easily had the same nice experience in any of the dozens of wonderful Thai restaurants in this area, which is to say that there wasn't anything that really stood out about Busara.

Below, we've listed most of the food we enjoyed at Busara along with photographs.

Most of the restaurants we review are either your basic ethnic dives or small Mom-and-Pop spots, so they rarely have the luxury of time to engage in social media or any interenet presence at all.  Their default approach to longevity is food excellence and a reliance on word-of-mouth and media, including food bloggers, like us. Of utmost importance is real estate - location, location, location.

Busara seems to be half-hearted in its online presence: It has a website, which is difficult to find - it doesn't come up on a google search!, and a Facebook page that has been inactive since September 2014, over a year. A simple google search produced nothing on the first page that actually led directly to this restaurant, but rather the typical popular review sites, like yelp, trip adviser, opentable, and a menu hosted on a third party site. Surprisingly, the menu that the restaurant itself provides at its host stand, and we picked up after dinner there in July, provides a website address that is actually wrong!

On occasion, such as this, when there is little information readily available online about a restaurant we are reviewing, we reach out directly to the manager / owner, let them know that we are reviewing their restaurant and ask them to kindly provide us with additional details to include in the review for our audience / the restaurant's customers.  This is exactly what we did with Busara, with some surprising results.

We easily got a hold of the manager, but whereas usually the restaurant is happy to speak with us, even briefly, in Busara's case, the manager, who did not identify himself, was quite curt and unfriendly, seemingly not interested in publicity. It is quite rare for us to experience what seemed to be almost an attempt by a restaurant manager to drive away interest.

The manager told us that there indeed is a website - www.busara.co (not busara.com, as listed on the restaurant's literature).  We informed him that - fyi - for some reason it doesn't come up on a Google search, he responded, that's because we don't use google. Huh? The website itself is actually quite snazzy, so it's a shame that it is so challenging to find. On the website itself, all social media icons are disabled!

In any case, we will not spend more time writing about a restaurant that doesn't seem to be interested in being written about.  We will say that it has a great location (perhaps the key to its success) just steps away from Tysons Mall, next to the famous landmark event destination J.R.'s Stockyards Inn, likely with a dedicated clientele among the numerous businesses in the area. It has a large parking lot, convenient for meeting for lunch or dinner.  Busara has been in this location for 20 years, which is a great achievement, and has another location at Reston Town Center open for 15 years, which we have not visited.  It has nice modern decor and a pleasant atmosphere with light background music.

Would we seek out Busara next time we want to have Thai food? Doubt it. We would rather go to Rabieng, Tara Thai, Bangkok Golden or any of the endless Thai options available in this area. However, in the Tysons area, for people who opt for the more "upscale ethnic dives," Busara is quite a good choice.

 Distinctive entrance from the restaurant's parking lot

 Specials are listed as you enter the restaurant, with a view toward two smaller dining rooms with large windows

 Two bright side rooms allow for the feel of a smaller restaurant and are light-filled

 Modern and spacious main dining room, great for business meetings, dates, family meals, or large groups.

Duck Rolls Appetizer - Roasted duck, green onion, cucumber wrapped in a thin spring roll skin and deep fried with a sweet sauce $7.50

 Crispy Springrolls Appetizer - Cellophane noodles, cabbage, carrots, celery and Hu-Nu mushrooms served in chef's special sauce $5.95

 Papaya Salad Appetizer - julienned green papaya, roasted peanuts, string beans and tomato mixed in a spicy lime dressing $6.95

 Soft Spring Rolls - Steamed rice flour rolls stuffed with crabmeat, port, egg and vegetables served in chef's special sauce $5.95

 Gai Sapp Kapow - Minced chicken sauteed with basil leaves, chili and garlic over jasmine rice $10.95 - for a nice twist, ASK FOR A COUPLE FRIED EGGS with this (or any!) dish

Shrimp Bikini Appetizer - Black tiger shrimp wrapped in a thin spring roll skin and deep fried, served with delicious sauce $6.95 

 A chicken curry dish, can't recall exactly which one at the time of writing this blog, but it was great, like all the other food at Busara

 Pattaya Seafood - Shrimp, squid and scallops sauteed in a roasted chili sauce with scallions, onion, mushroom and sweet basil leaves $15.95

 Spicy Garden Vegetarian Entree - Sauteed mixed fresh veggies in a spicy bean sauce $10.95

 Pad Woon Sen - Cellophane noodles stir-fried with shrimp, pork, mushrooms, egg and veggies, served with rice $12.95

Busara Drunken Noodle with Chicken - Sauteed with Basil leaves, chili and garlic, served with rice noodles $12.95

Spicy Seafood Fried Rice - Festival of seafood stir-fried with rice, basil and chili $13.95

Kazan Restaurant - Fine Turkish and Mediterranean Cuisine - McLean, VA

6813 Redmond Drive
McLean, Virginia 22101
(703) 734-1960

If you have been to Kazan before, you are most likely to say, "I love that place!"  Kazan has not disappointed in the dozen or so times we have eaten there. 

Serving diners in the McLean and surrounding areas for 30+ years (since 1980), Kazan is a family-owned and family-run gem of a dining establishment. Most reviewers (yelp, urbanspoon, tripadvisor, and elsewhere) overwhelmingly rate it positively. Zagat has rated Kazan as one of DC area's top Turkish restaurants for many years (as evident in their foyer, where they simply do not have the space to display all their accolades).  Kazan is also the deserving recipient of numerous awards for its great food and service. There's no arguing that the Uzun family has made a wonderful contribution to the Northern Virginia dining scene by providing us with consistently delicious food and consistently excellent service.  

Whether you are a first-time visitor or one of the many returning customers, you will not only get a scrumptious meal at Kazan, but also be made to feel like you are the most important diner in the place. The restaurant is rather large with two dining halls, separated by a translucent partition that provides plenty of diffused natural light. The outer dining hall gets opened up during warm weather to allow for sidewalk dining and during the colder months has ample heating.

Waiters are always knowledgeable (though not necessarily Turkish themselves, which is even more impressive) in the menu choices, including the wine list.  Respectful and efficient, the staff is most welcoming and accommodating for diners of all ages, allergies, and preferences.  

Last week, we selected Kazan for a small birthday celebration.  We ordered a variety of appetizers such as Babaganush and Hummus, and entrees, including chicken and lamb entrees.  The ones pictured here are the Lamb Doner Kebob and the Chicken Shish.  All were delicious. Entrees come with a crisp greens salad with a savory house dressing. vA steady refill of the basket with freshly-baked pita made the meal even better.  

Turkish food is known for using a mild yogurt as a base for most dishes and not using particularly pungent flavors, so those with sensitive stomachs will be well-served here, as none of the dishes are spicy (hot).  

This restaurant is one of our favorites!  It is certainly a favorite of many Northern Virginia residents, as well, and is sure to remain a staple in Turkish dining for many years to come!

   

El Tio Tex-Mex Grill and Mexican Restaurant - McLean

1433 Center Street
McLean, VA 22101
(703) 790-1910

After reading a multitude of generally positive reviews on Yelp we headed to El Tio Tex-Mex Grill in the hopes of having a good meal, and we did. El Tio is difficult to find, tucked away in a tiny strip mall on a side street running parallel to Chain Bridge Rd (near the corner of Chain Bridge and Old Dominion). Unlike its Falls Church location on the main drag (Lee Highway), there is no way to drive past the McLean El Tio and notice it. It stays busy, no doubt, due to word of mouth. The food is great and the service attentive. We were definitely made to feel welcome.

El Tio is a small restaurant with about 15 tables in all, so, when crowded, the atmosphere is cramped, hectic and can be a loud. They do not take reservations on Friday and Saturday nights, but we were seated, even though the restaurant was busy. It would have been nicer to have had a larger table for our party of 5, with wait staff rushing all around us.

The bottomless chips and salsa really hit the spot while we waited for our food to arrive. The huge margaritas seemed popular with the patrons, so we ordered a few also. Despite the restaurant being busy, our server Eneida was very attentive. She also answered our questions knowledgeable and overall added to the great experience.

Everything we ordered from cheese quesadillas to taco samplers to seafood burritos to chicken chimichangas was delicious. Those who like their food a little spicy, note that there was not much heat to any of the entrees, so if you want some extra spice, you can ask and they will gladly oblige. Those who don’t like heat will enjoy the full flavor of the food. The staff seemed to be able to accommodate almost any request, even to split our large margarita into two glasses.

In an area with many great, but expensive, restaurants, El Tio offers both great food and affordable prices at about $12 per entree on average. Our margarita was the size of an entrée, that's for sure, and cost about $13.

As we were leaving, we ran into some friends who asked us “have you been here before?” Before we could even answer, they all enthusiastically pumped their thumbs in the air, saying “this place is great, we love it!” And we all agree.

j. gilbert's - McLean

6930 Old Dominion Drive
McLean, VA 22101
703.893.1034

j. gilbert's continues to be our favorite go-to brunch spot in the NoVa area. 

We know that restaurants have to weigh many factors when deciding whether and how to serve brunch to its hungry weekend clientele.  A recent article in the Washington Post's Going Out Guide outlines some aspects that can make brunch quite taxing on the staff and management of a busy restaurant.  This is why when you have a combination of a huge buffet with freshly made constantly replenishing dishes that are both delicious and varied, you just can't go wrong with j.gilbert's.

Their limitless buffet of seafood with a variety of smoked and fresh fish, their abundant comfort standards of vegetables, meats, poultry, breads and cheeses, all delicious and abundant and beautifully presented....  this is a feast and a great value.  The carving station doubles up as the omelet station and is fun, quick and efficient.  Nothing compares to their dessert station with a dozen or so choices, including a fantastic chocolate fountain with fresh fruit and marshmallows to enjoy, worth a trip to j. gilbert's just for that!  Forgot to mention waffles - prepared on request. They are fresh, crispy toasted on the outside and melt in your mouth, especially when topped with whipped butter and warm syrup, but you gotta ask for it! 

Our friends have commented about how much they love j. gilbert's mixed drinks, particularly the Manhattan.  When we have guests in town or when we want to be certain of an enjoyable experience, both in food, service and atmosphere, this is where we head first.  This can be a festive family occasion or an intimate meal shared between two friends or a couple.

We have eaten dinner here, too, but brunch is what we most highly recommend. 

The only drawback is the dim lighting in the dining room and the less than sturdy booth benches. They can stand to refurbish some of their aging furniture....  Although sitting next to the fireplace can be cozy, especially during the cold months, we always ask for the table near the window so that we can have a little more light. They only have a few tables near the window, so we recommend reservations if that's where you'd prefer to sit. 

Amoo’s House of Kebab - Wholesome Persian Food - McLean, Va - Revisited

6271 Old Dominion Dr.

McLean VA 22101 (703) 448-8500

There’s nothing certain in life but death, taxes, AND a great meal at Amoo’s House of Kebab.   So good in fact, that we’re revisiting our earlier posting to update on our experience and reinforce the notion that if you’re seeking great Persian food in Northern Virginia, look no further than Amoo’s. 

We’re not going to run the reader through the many great details of this family run Middle Eastern gem, so please refer to our earlier post on Amoo’s.  We would not be doing justice in describing our most recent visit without first mentioning the charismatic and enthusiastic host, Sebastian.  The owner’s son has the perfect mix of attentive hospitality and boundless energy that speaking with him for a few minutes proves that he is the hub of a family who thoroughly enjoy serving their food from their part of the world to their diners.  For such a young man, he understands the needs of his customers and is willing to stretch the typical kebab house with a more eclectic and energetic vibe.   

So lets get to the meal.  We started by sharing an Ash (pronounced “Ahhsh”) Soup.  Words cannot describe this amazing dish.  Served in a homemade restaurant-baked sourdough bread boule, this wonderful mix of beans, mint, yogurt, and countless other ingredients, was so plentiful, we used the remainder of the bread throughout the rest of the meal.  Sebastian highly recommended the soup and on a cold winter’s day was the perfect beginning to the meal.  We shared the soup--and that was a good thing because if ordered for one, there would be no room left for an entrée.  After the Ash, we were served two different skewered chicken dishes.   Elena had the Tandoori Chicken, a skewer of chicken cooked in a jalapeño marinade.  Bill had a Chicken Breast Fillet.  Both were served with saffron rice and grilled tomatoes.  Elena also ordered a side of Mast-o-Mousir, a creamy yogurt blended with minced shallots and seasoning - the perfect condiment for these chicken dishes.

 

The soup was so filling, we were able to take home and enjoy half our entrées the next day.  This blog continues to highly recommend Amoo’s over its abundant competitors.  We will surely be returning soon.

Amoos House of Kabob - Persian Cuisine - McLean, VA

6271 Old Dominion Dr.
McLean VA 22101
(703) 448-8500

This was an unexpectedly wonderful surprise.  Located in a small nondescript restaurant strip along with a pretty good Chinese restaurant and a dry cleaner, Amoos House of Kabob is a jewel!  If not for the Groupon, we would not have tried this place even though we drive past it often.  This is one awesome ethnic dive!!! Definitely recommend.

Décor is simple and rather cheesy.  But the food and service more than makes up for it.  The daily special – Fesenjoon – was a delicious chicken stew with just the right amount of spices, if not maybe just a bit too sweet, but definitely tasty.  It came with a healthy helping of rice.  The Koobideh (ground beef kabob) was perfectly prepared on a plate with a lettuce salad and wonderful rice. Appetizer Salad Olivieh was a delicious mixture of chicken and vegetables surrounded by fresh vegetables.  The food was truly delicious, and a testament to this fact was the constant inflow and turnover of satisfied diners, many of whom were clearly regulars. 

The owner and his daughter were delightfully welcoming hosts, offering suggestions, explaining dishes, unwrapping napkins.  Their wonderful personalities were particularly pleasant, making this dining experience something we will return to again and again.

To add to the surprise of a chance restaurant visit was that the owner happened to own a restaurant we visited in the past.  The Rose Restaurant on West Broad Street in Falls Church City became La Caraquena, which we reviewed on this blog.  When he sold it in 2007, he opened Amoos House of Kabob.  Although he looked very familiar to us, we did not put the 2 and 2 together, but he recognized Elena and reminded us of the same great meals and wonderful service we had at The Rose Restaurant.

We hope this place stays around for a long time exactly as it is because we want to try all the dishes on the menu and to enjoy the great, unimposing and warm atmosphere of Amoos House of Kabob.

Ichiban Sushi, McLean, VA

6821A Old Dominion Dr
McLean, VA 22101

(703) 448-9117

A gem for sushi lovers, Ichiban is a cozy 15-table restaurant in the heart of McLean. Since its opening 13 years ago, it has built up a loyal clientele, who are friendly with the owners, chefs and staff, and come here regularly to enjoy excellent fresh food, and be a part of a dining family "where everybody knows your name..."

This was my first time visiting Ichiban. One of the first things that struck me was how busy the place is, which is definitely a good sign. At dinner time on a weekday evening, not only were all the tables full, turning over rather quickly with a steady stream of people at the door, all the chairs at the small sushi bar were also constantly filled with customers who clearly knew what sushi is all about.

There is a standing menu, which we barely considered because the list of fresh sushi listed on the whiteboard was extensive and diverse enough to make a full meal. Our dinner included White Tuna Avocado roll, Real Crab Avocado roll, Manhattan Roll, Yellowtail Scallion roll, Spider roll, and Umagi (all with brown rice except the Umagi was with white rice) – all delicious and more than filling for 3 people. If you like avocado, this place goes heavy on avocado in most of its creations. Price was more than reasonable - about $60 (including tea and soda, but not including tip) for 3 people.

The quality of the food more than compensates for the nonexistent decor and a rather hectic ambiance. You'll be lucky to get a corner table or one near a wall for a little more privacy to enjoy your dinner, which is truly worthwhile.

We had a wonderful evening with friends and were able to relax and enjoy because we were immersed in a conversation of talking, laughing and eating great sushi. Overall, I would definitely not return here for a relaxing evening, but would definitely return to Ichiban for some good sushi! 

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UPDATE (1/28/12):  Ironically, while strolling the streets of Moscow this week, Ichiban's "twin" was found.  See pic above.

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In another sushi-related item check out:  A sushi roll in Yekaterinburg, 2.5 kilometers in length, took 15 hours to prepare

McLean 1910, McLean, VA - CLOSED

1394 Chain Bridge Road
McLean, VA 22101
(703) 356-1700

Several months ago one of us dined here with a neighbor and had an enjoyable dining experience despite the pricey menu.  So, when a Groupon came out for McLean 1910, we jumped at the chance to dine here together and save a few bucks. 

Despite the beautiful wooden tabletops, the over-the-top minimalist décor gives this place a sterile feel.  The large windows seemed to open up what is a rather a small dining space with a full bar in the back behind the booths.  One nice thing about the spacing was that we felt we had some privacy at the booth which we always prefer.  In other words, other diners, that were scarce anyhow, were not breathing down our necks.   

This mid-to-upscale restaurant was named for the year the municipality of McLean was established by the founder of the Washington Post and its first editor, John R. McLean.  For many years, McLean’s Three Pigs barbeque resided in the corner lot in this McLean strip mall laced with nick-knack shops, a lighting store, a Russian store, a pharmacy and a paint store. 

Although the menu was rather limited, we appreciated the fact that McLean 1910 serves humanely-raised meats and other sustainable ingredients.  The server, Eduardo, helped us to select our food.  Our appetizers included a rich Lobster Bisque and the “1910 Salad.”  The bisque’s aroma and taste were superb.  We had to order a second (or was it the third?) plate of fresh bread to dip into the bisque—a combination that represented the best lobster roll this side of Boston.  A signature bread spread on the table was a combination of a green chimichurri sauce and a white bean sauce.  Neither of these was particularly tasty, though the presentation had an aesthetic appeal, but the rest of the food more than made up for it. 

For our entrees, we ordered the Buccatini pasta and Diver’s Scallops.  The homemade pasta was thick long tubes of spaghetti in a rich tomato-based gravy, spinach and pine nuts, as well as two slices of garlic toast.  The scallop dish was served with a green-tinted lemon caper sauce.  The five scallops sat atop a circular presentation of spinach sauté, tomato, garlic and an abundance of crunchy fennel root (perhaps they can back off on the fennel a bit).

From the bisque to the check, the attentive service, including a visit from the chef, made this an enjoyable dining experience.  Though the meal was indeed pricey, the quality of the dining experience was worthwhile.  It might be a good venue for small special occasions or special nights out rather than a regular place to visit.  It will probably be a while until we return.

Endo Sushi, McLean,VA

**CHANGED TO TAMA SUSHI**

6828 Old Dominion Dr
McLean, VA 22101

(703) 883-2001

This place came highly-recommended by our friends as a decent combination of high-quality sushi, cleanliness and affordability.  We agree.   

For a neighborhood go-to sushi place this one is a keeper.  The service was cheerful and efficient, considering we came with a relatively large group.  We enjoyed the hot saki, tempura, sushi, sashimi, and a lettuce salad with savory ginger dressing.  One item that seems set Endo Sushi apart from the others - is our friends’ favorite - the Rainbow Roll.  The Rainbow Roll resembles a California Roll and gets its name from the alternating colors of wrapped fish.  The roll is laid out on a long rectangular plate with a mayonnaise-based accent sauce, which seems to be the house specialty.    

As this was our first visit to this restaurant, Elena ordered the plentiful Bento Box to taste the variety that Endo Sushi had to offer.  Definitely worth the $27.95.  It came with a miso soup, salad, a sashimi appetizer, a nice selection of tempura shrimp and vegetable, sushi, chicken teriyaki, and tofu.  An interestingly tasty rice-wrapped ice cream (available in vanilla, green tea, red bean, and strawberry) followed the box for dessert.   Bill ordered sushi a la carte and our friends also selected a variety of tempura and sushi.  Everyone loved the green tea. 

We have been looking for a neighborhood sushi joint that doesn’t disappoint, but doesn’t break the bank, either.  This place certainly fits the bill. 

One drawback is that this place doesn't have a website, so if you want to check out the menu beforehand (especially useful if you're bringing someone who doesn't eat sushi and wants to consider available alternatives, such as teriyaki or tempura), it can't be done unless you call the restaurant.  On the one hand, who doesn't have a website in 2011? On the other hand, a Japanese menu is relatively standard, so a website may not be imperative.  

Rocco's Italian Restaurant, McLean VA

Rocco’s Italian Restaurant

1357 Chain Bridge Rd
McLean, VA 22101

(703) 821-3736

 

We have driven past Rocco’s many times, but never had a reason to try it.  On a hunch*--not really, it was a suggestion from Vicky (see her comments on our Pulcinella blog entry) -- we decided to try Rocco’s Italian Restaurant in McLean on a cold post-snow Saturday evening.  And it was COLD.  28^o  and a wind that howled through you no matter how many layers you have on.  But the warmth of this family restaurant quickly thawed the chill we experienced coming in from the parking lot.  

Everything about Rocco’s is typical and all you’d expect from this neighborhoody establishment.  The place is friendly, no frills, Chianti bottles and plastic grapes hanging off the ceiling, football game on a large flat screen TV, bumper stickers (especially the one that said, “Caps Country”) and hockey sticks on the walls overhanging the open kitchen.  The menu is standard Italian fare: appetizers from fried calamari to onion rings (they look almost alike except one is bigger than the other); entrees are a mix of New York and Chicago-style pizzas, pastas (macaroni) with sauce (gravy), and hot and cold sandwiches.  We had the cheese garlic bread appetizer that came with a ramekin of thick marinara sauce, Fettuccine Alfredo and Chicken Parmigiana entrees.  All entrees come with a generous, though mundane, garden salad.  The Mrs. J’s Rum Cake looked appetizing but we did not have room for dessert.

Service was excellent.  Camila (from Brazil) was very attentive and treated us well.  John (the young owner) was also very friendly.  

If you go here and have a few minutes, please take time to read the history of the owners’ family at the entrance.  It relays a touching story about growing up Italian in America; about family bonds; and about how immigrants can keep – or lose -- their heritage over time. 

A word to adults – this is a “family restaurant” - read: a kid-friendly place.  VERY kid-friendly (i.e.  there were A LOT of kids).   

All in all it was a great evening.  Nothing pretentious about this place, just good local Italian chow.

* "On a hunch, I took it upon myself to check out if there was any information on a '63 Pontiac Tempest stolen or abandoned recently. This computer readout confirms that two boys, who fit the defendants' description, were arrested two days ago by Sheriff Tillman in Jasper County, Georgia, for driving a stolen metallic mint green 1963 Pontiac Tempest, with a white convertible top, Michelin Model XGV tires, size 75-R-14."
                                                                      --Sheriff Farley, quoted from My Cousin Vinny

Café Taj, McLean VA

1379 Beverly Rd. (off Old Dominion Dr. in the Marketplace)

McLean, VA 22101
(703) 827-0444

Café Taj is a low-key (though not divey) restaurant with a pleasant atmosphere and tasty Indian dishes.   We were seated across from the entry door, which was a little drafty on a cold night, but it ended up being fine.   There was a party of about 14 people next to us, and all the other tables were also filled.  Although the wait staff seemed like they were new and the service was very slow, they couldn’t have been more pleasant and nice.   The meal was very good.  We tried looking up the restaurant’s menu to remember the exact names of the dishes we had, but the website was down on the night we wrote this blog.   

All in all, we enjoyed our meal.  We had several appetizers - a fried (or smoked?) cheese, skewers of meats and fried potato patties.  All were served with flavorful sauces, although the chutney was a bit too sweet and the yogurt sauce had some strange seed (caraway?).  Bill had a big salad (also with cheese) as an entrée and Elena had a chicken curry dish.  Both were very good.  This is probably not the best Indian food in the area (compared, for example, to Haandi), but it was definitely very good.    

Tachibana, McLean, VA

6715 Lowell Ave.,  
McLean, VA 22101
(703) 847-1771

Tachibana is the real deal.  Nestled in a back lot off the beaten path, Tachibana is hard to find.  But walking up the flight of stairs to the second floor establishment, entering through the doors plastered with Washingtonian, Zagat, and other top rating placards, you enter a true gem.  There is no conveyor belt, no tepanyaki or hibachi tables, no over-the-top Japanese decorations, no gimmicks-just real Japanese food.

All dinner entrees come with a 5-course selection of appetizers, soup, salads, a main course, and dessert.  We had our server select a middle of the road saki to accompany our meal which consisted of seaweed and greens salad, miso soup, a nice tempting piece of mackerel, spicy tuna roll, some ginger and vanilla ice cream and our entrees which included a sampling of sushi (see the picture above) and a seafood and vegetable tempura with rice.  All way too much to eat in one sitting.  Dining neighbors were enjoying shabu-shabu and other Japanese delicacies which we are sure to try in a subsequent visit.  Service was prompt, accommodating, and polite.

It is said that the real Tachibana experience is at the sushi bars (yes, there are two).  But, you have to get there early to find a seat with the four or five sushi chefs.  We sat at a dining table within eye-shot of the sushi bar which seemed feverously busy building an assortment of fresh sushi.  Bar or table, if you're looking for pure Japanese food, Tachibana is the place to go.

Pulcinella Ristorante, McLean, VA

6852 Old Dominion Dr.,  
McLean, VA 22101
(703) 893-7777

Judging on food alone, this place is exceptional.  Too bad dining experiences are not based on this one element.  Simply put, our night out at Pulcinella Ristorante, a local McLean Italian eatery, was nothing short of a disaster.  Interestingly, www.tripadvisor.com ranks Pulcinella’s #1 of 62 rated McLean eateries.  We must have just arrived on the wrong night, but we’ll explain further why this rating is a complete misnomer.

We both agree with a tripadvisor.com review that this is New York Italian food.  Problem is, you can’t serve NY Italian food with NY Italian restaurant attitude this far south of Delancey Street.   We found the food great but the service awful with a rude and aloof attitude.  The place was crowded and busy, which was a good sign, we thought and since they do not take reservations for two, we waited in line for about 10 minutes. Once seated, it took several tries to get someone's attention to stabilize our shaky table, give us cutlery, bread, drinks, and napkins.  A word of caution and advice--When you get your check, look it over carefully.  We noticed a wrong price (higher of course) for the seafood gumbo. When pointed out to the waiter, he argued with that the higher price was correct despite what the menu indicated. A little alcohol would have helped to get past all this, but be prepared - they serve about 3 kinds of wine and that's it - nothing else! Needless to say, we do not think we will ever return.

P.S.  We found it to be quite rare to have such a negative experience and called the owner the following week to let him know about this.  We actually thought he would be appreciative of customers' honest feedback and would assure us that if we ever return this would not happen again.  (Obviously we wanted to like this place, we really did.)  Nothing of the sort.  He was contentious and uncourteous.  Now we see from where the rest of the staff at Pulcinella get their attitudes.  

J. Gilbert’s, McLean, Virginia

6930 Old Dominion Dr, McLean, VA 22101-3816
(703) 893-1034

We write this entry with some hesitation for two reasons.  One, we ate here twice (ordinary dinner and Thanksgiving early dinner) and had diametrically opposing experiences (at least one of us did) each time.  Two, the second dining experience (Thanksgiving) was so good that we’re afraid to tout it too much for fear of it becoming too popular and we will be unable to get reservations next year.   Yea, right, like anyone listens to us or reads this blog.  :o)  When we had dinner here earlier in the year, Bill had a Ribeye steak and Elena had the Lobster Cobb Salad.  Bill liked his steak, but the Lobster Cobb Salad was extremely disappointing.  We also had the Shrimp Cocktail appetizer with huge shrimp, but very few of them.  Elena was not going to return, but we decided to give it another shot at Thanksgiving, and boy, were we glad we did!  The buffet was out of this world!  Selection was so diverse that both Bill and Elena with our different taste buds, kept going up for more.  In addition to the turkey and a ton of trimmings, there was a carving station with succulent prime rib, 3 or 4 types of fish, a chocolate fountain, and all filled to the rim with constant attention by the wait staff.   Each dish was seasoned just right and flavorful.  Our waiter was friendly and attentive.  We considered this sumptuous meal to have been a bargain for the price, and a wonderful surprise to boot that we have already spread the word about.  We liked it so much, we have decided to make it a tradition.  If you read this, please keep it to yourself – we don’t want the place to be overrun! 

Panache, McLean, Virginia

1753 Pinnacle Drive, McLean, VA 22102
(202) 293-7760

Hidden away in an office complex, Panache’s chef obviously considers each dish to be as much about presentation as about taste.  Each course came out looking and tasting very good.  Wait staff was courteous and attentive.  The dining room got crowded at dinner time.  Elena's entree was the Chilean Sea Bass and Bill had the Lobster Ravioli.  Both were good.  You can see the appetizing presentation in the photo of us at the table.  Our chosen appetizers were the house Panache salad and calamari, which were also very attractive and tasty.  We had no room for dessert, although the dessert menu looked pretty good.  They have a good cocktail and wine selection.  In Elena's opinion, this place is rather pricey with a "cool" personality, but it was great to try once.  Bill really liked the modern décor with high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows.  Bill particularly likes that Panache has an open style kitchen.  Overall, the experience was very pleasant.