Northern Virginia Restaurant Blog: VA

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Fogo de Chão Brazilian Steakhouse and Salad Bar - Tysons Corner, VA

1775 Tysons Blvd, Suite 50

Tysons, VA 22102
Telephone: (703) 556-0200

Hidden away amidst tall modern office and apartment buildings in the new Tysons Corner, VA (now known simply as Tysons, VA), Fogo de Chão Brazilian Steakhouse is a new upscale eatery with high ceilings, wide open spaces and an amazingly delectable selection of meats and salads.

It is both an entertainment / business venue as well as a family restaurant that can satisfy a broad range of gastronomical preferences.

If you have never experienced the hospitality and the flavors of South Brazil's churrasco grilling, this is the place to come.

Meats are seasoned and roasted to perfection by the very same gauchos who bring them around to the tables. The salad and soup buffet that spreads as far as the eye can see, offers a colorful extensive array of traditional, as well as exotic, flavors guaranteed to inspire anyone to return for seconds and thirds.

Vegetarians will definitely be happy here with the array of options that are flavorful and welcoming.

Those whose taste buds that crave stronger flavors like jalapenos and pungent cheeses - Fogo does not shy away from those!

We could not get enough of the Chimichurri sauce that accompanies the meal, along with the warm fresh cheese rolls.

The a la carte menu has some great choices. We picked the Salmon, which was a tad too salty, but nonetheless very tasty, complementing the bed of asparagus on which it was served. The dessert is not to be missed. The chocolate mousse cake, fried plantains, and basically anything you choose from the dessert menu will not disappoint.

Keep the Caipirinhas, coming! The bartender Lisa makes a killer drink!

The overall experience at Fogo de Chao will leave you feeling like royalty. Not surprisingly, it comes with a hefty price tag. Lunch will run you about $37.00 per person. No complimentary parking, either, it's all valet. But heck, gosh almighty... don't you deserve to be pampered?

Two of the fabulous Gauchos

Open kitchen where you can watch the Gauchos work their magic

Pineapple Old Fashioned ($16.00), medley of Brazilian desserts, including fried plantain, and a medley of sauces STARRING THE MOUTHWATERING CHIMICHURRI SAUCE

A La Carte Salmon ($18) with a delicious Cucumber Mint Smash cocktail ($15) from the bar

Brazilian Lemonade ($4.75)

Stars of the awesome Fogo de Chao Tysons team: Marinho, Shannon, Lisa the Master Bartender, and Brittany our smiling waitress

Sweet ending to a top-notch meal - Chocolate Mousse Cake ($9.75) & a Cappuccino ($5.50)

Saturday, January 30, 2016

Lotus Garden - Chinese cuisine in Vienna, VA

224 Maple Avenue WEST

Vienna, VA 22180
Tel: (703) 255-9888

In a strip mall on Vienna's main drag, Lotus Garden has been a great addition to the local dining scene over the last 3 years. We came here for dinner on a Saturday evening and the place was packed - good thing we made reservations!

Both service and food were very good. Decor is simple and clean, with dim lighting, making for a cozy and intimate atmosphere. The restaurant is small, so with a full house, the noise level can be on the loud side.

The house specialty is its hand pulled noodles, and they are worth the visit. The hand pulled noodles are featured in a variety of about 25 soups in a separate menu section. The most fun is getting a front row seat to the kitchen window, where you can watch the noodles being rolled, stretched and cut, which happens about every 20-30 minutes.

In between the noodle pulling action, you can watch the entire kitchen staff at work with occasional fire flares and the general hustle and bustle of a busy kitchen. This built-in entertainment can certainly be the focus of the dining experience at Lotus Garden.

The food we ordered, pictured below, definitely fell on the mild side, and was all delicious. Juicy and plentiful portions, a great variety on the menu, and helpful staff... in short, there were no disappointments. We would return in a heartbeat.