Aldeerah Saudi Arabian Restaurant in Vienna, VA

262 Cedar Lane
Vienna, VA 22180
Telephone (703) 992-9994

In a quiet out-of-the-way small shopping plaza in Vienna, VA, Aldeerah shines as a one-of-a-kind restaurant in Northern Virginia. For someone whose familiarity with Middle Eastern cuisine is centered around those common in our area, such as Lebanese, Iranian, Moroccan or Israeli, this is a uniquely new experience. Aldeerah serves up a distinct taste of the Arabian Gulf, offering some dishes that are very different from the familiar flavors.

If you were not aware of Aldeerah's existence, you're not alone: the restaurant notably caters to the Saudi population in the Washington, D.C.'s suburban Northern Virginia area, with no particular penchant for accommodating "American" tastes.  The very friendly staff is happy to provide a small plate to taste an unfamiliar dish to newbies, which is highly welcome, as the menu is quite different from the typical Middle Eastern restaurants that are abundant in Northern Virginia. 

The setting is colorful and traditional. The restaurant is split in half, giving you the option to sit on floor rugs, surrounded by pillows, or, on the other side of the wall, at tables adorned by cultural reminders of Saudi Arabia, down to the salt and pepper shakers depicting a man and woman clad in native traditional Saudi garb.

We arrived with an open mind willing to try new dishes. Not ready to commit to something that could potentially result in diner's remorse, we were offered a taste of two items on the menu that we were considering, namely Jireesh and Qursan with vegetables, both pictured below. We are thankful to have been offered a taste, as neither of these appealed to us. Had we ordered them, we would not have enjoyed them.

Some of the familiar appetizers and salads, like the Samboosa, or the Tabbouleh, are available, as well as Hummus, and a few other items that one can find in other Middle Eastern restaurants. But we chose to forgo those. 

Any chicken dish you order here will come with the same roasted half-chicken served intact, roasted to perfection so that the meat falls right off the bone. We opted for the traditional Chicken Mandi dish, which has two ingredients: RICE and CHICKEN. It was deliciously prepared, though very simple. It did not not disappoint in flavor.

The ambiance was pleasant with soft Arabic music playing the background and quite a few happy patrons in both dining halls. Patrons were both families and same-gender groups, seemingly regulars. The restaurant offers silverware, though the regulars eat with their hands. There is also no alcohol served here.

The all-Indian staff was friendly and knowledgeable. We appreciated their help navigating the menu and learning from them about Saudi cuisine. We had a great dinner and a lovely experience, though unlikely to return for dinner any time soon, as nothing on the menu looked worthwhile to explore for those of us who are not lamb eaters. If do we go back, it will be on a Friday for a $14.99 lunch buffet to try a variety of options that are not typically available on the regular menu.

 Samples of Jeerah (left) and Qursan (right). Both were bland and thick.

 Aldeerah does not skimp on the traditional decor, and offers a 20% student discount Monday - Thursday.

 Groups and families are the norm in Aldeerah.

 Chicken Mandi was delicious, wonderfully complemented by a side order of Yogurt Labneh.

  Delicious Chicken Mandi falls off the bone and the rice cooked and seasoned to perfection.

Seasons 52 - A New American Restaurant - Tysons Corner Center, McLean, VA

Tysons Corner Center
7863L Tysons Corner (Lower Level)
McLean, VA 22102
Tel: (703) 288-3852

Don't ask for a basket of bread with your meal here at Seasons 52! That would defeat the purpose of having a meal under 750 calories, explained our amicable waiter.

Wonder whether this restaurant has any relation to the new 5-2 diet that everyone is talking about? This is a diet where you eat normally for 5 days a week and fast on 2 days. Would be curious if there is a connection. 

Seasons 52 has been expanding rapidly in the United States with 40+ locations today, trail blazing the healthy eating trend that has swept across some parts of the country. Its parent company Darden Restaurants Inc., which also owns Olive Garden, The Capital Grille, and Yard House, was ranked by Fortune magazine in 2011 as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For.” This may be a good thing and a bad thing in how it affects the quality of the restaurant's service.  The two servers we had were pleasant and knowledgeable about the menu. That's the good thing.  The bad thing is that servers were few and far between, obviously shorthanded, having to keep up with the busy and popular restaurant, running the large distances of the dining hall, so it took quite a while to get our food here on a Sunday evening.

Along with your meal, you'll be treated to a piano bar, which may or may not be your thing. If you arrive sans reservations, you may be stuck at the front of the restaurant in the first-come-first-serve tall bar tables along the crowded mall side with the added bonus of shopper watching.  Unless you have a booming Barry White voice, a conversation is challenging in this location, as you're battling both the noise of the mall and the piano bar music, but at least you have sufficient light from the mall to see your food. On the other hand, if you score a table anywhere in the large dining room, pack a flashlight, because the place is nearly pitch black. These are your seating options. Now for the food.

Sitting at the tall bar stools under the light of the mall, we began our meal with the Roasted Shrimp & Stuffed Mushroom appetizer that arrived in a classic escargot-serving dish. It was a nice tasty starter, despite being on the lean side (not rich at all). The best part about this appetizer was the delicious garlicky sauce that trickled to the bottom of each hole simply begging to be sopped up by a piece of a fluffy baguette. ALAS.... the words of our waiter rang in our minds.... no bread.

Our entrees were Steak Salad and Roasted Salmon. We requested the dressing on the side with our Steak Salad entree. The dressing came in such a miniscule portion that even for those people who are not dressing fiends, it would be laughable. Our waiter cheerfully complied with our request for additional dressing, while shooting us a look of caution lest we fully grasp the looming danger of possibly exceeding the allotted calorie maximum, as the Steak Salad was already a whopping 500 calories.  Further pushing the limits of our caloric luck, we ordered a side of Scallops (370 Calories) to go with the Steak Salad, thereby creating a Surf n' Turf. This was a good value for only $9.95. The restaurant also offers a Shrimp Scampi ($9.95) or Maine Lobster Tail ($10.95) as Sides, which are great deals, too, and would go great with any entree on the menu, but keep in mind, that they are 330 and 150 Calories, respectfully, so expect the portions to correspond to those numbers.

The Roasted Salmon was served on a wooden plank, as is the current trend in many restaurants. Despite being on the dry side, it was well-seasoned and the glaze added a nice sweetness to it. The side of steamed veggies was colorful and good. The pleasing presentation of all the dishes is definitely appreciated. 

"Any room for dessert?" Oh, yes..... lots of room.

There is something to be said for leaving a restaurant with the feeling that is somewhere past "starving," but quite a ways from "full." This would be fine had we not just dropped over $60 for our dinner, when usually for this price we would be bringing home leftovers. When we watched a sweet Millennial couple on a date sitting at the next table joyfully snacking on a basket of wilted asparagus, we understood that perhaps we are just a different kind of diners and require a different kind of restaurant. 

Luckily, just up the escalator (the less-gluttonous would undoubtedly have opted for stairs) on the Upper Level of the Tysons Corner Shopping Center, Le Madeleine was still open and still serving their rich, mouthwatering, whipped-cream-topped (and a strawberry, too) cheesecake with only 900 Calories!  Usually, after a fulfilling meal we do not crave, nor have any room, for dessert, making us wonder about the advantages of a low-Calorie meal that sends you running for cheesecake.  Dropping the Calorie-consumption level certainly is a worthwhile endeavor, depending on one's starting point. Many people may require a gradual approach to accomplish this objective. We believe in the old-school approach of eating a little bit of everything and not overdoing it on anything.  

We'll definitely return to Le Madeleine, but not so sure about Seasons 52.

 Lump Crab, Roasted Shrimp & Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms under Parmesanpanko crust (220 cal) $9.95

 Grilled Flat Iron Steak Bibb lettuce, summer corn, roasted tomatoes, crumbled blue cheese (500 cal) $15.95

 Cedar-Plank Roasted Salmon roasted vegetables & crushed potatoes, dill-mustard sauce, grilled lemon (440 cal) $20.50

"Entree Accompaniment" Caramelized Sea Scallops (370 cal) $9.95

Decadent Cheesecake from La Madeleine

Tupelo Honey Cafe - A Taste of North Carolina in Arlington, VA

1616 N. Troy Street
Arlington, VA 22201
Tel: (703) 253-8140

Tucked away on a small newly-constructed block connecting Wilson and Clarendon Blvds in Arlington (Clarendon), Tupelo Honey Cafe is a distinctively unique and cheerful addition to Arlington's vigorously expanding dining scene. Tupelo Honey Cafe began in Ashville, NC about 15 years ago offering a modern twist on traditional Southern cuisine.

According to the restaurant, the name comes from the honey that is used and sold in the restaurants. Tupelo Honey is the best tasting and purest honey known to exist. It doesn’t crystalize like other types of honey and it’s produced only in Southern Georgia and Northwest Florida (where the original owner, Sharon Schott, grew up). Tupelo trees have a very short blossoming season from early April to early May, which makes the supply of pure Tupelo Honey very unique and rare. The mission at Tupelo Honey Cafe is to give customers the same unique, flavorful dining experience by using pure, all natural and fresh ingredients in the food they serve.

Ever since Steve Frabitore took over the Tupelo Honey Cafe in 2008, he expanded its locations around the South, then moved northward and, in the process, proved that Southern cooking with the right added touches can indeed have a universal appeal. Its localness is an added bonus - it has been placed in the Top Ten Farm-To-Table Restaurants in America. We welcome small business owners like Steve, who has already been awarded for leadership, civic responsiveness and for bettering the communities where he works with healthy eating and healthy living.

Tupelo Honey Cafe's outside patio dining area is large, modern and comfortable. At 6pm on a weekday the patio was packed with professional local 20-30-somethings enjoying a popular happy hour. The Cafe opened its doors only on June 1st and the crowd already seemed "regular" - now that's fast!

The Cafe is as welcomingly-outfitted inside as it is outside, in a rustic modern style. Art from local artists adorns every wall of the large dining room as far as the eye can see, from paintings to glass fixtures. We love bright open kitchens where we can see our food being prepared and watch the masterful technique and pleasure the chefs display while preparing our food.  This definitely adds to the fun of the dining experience here.

The food here is exactly what it claims to be - Southern with a twist.  We tasted about a dozen items from the menu section entitled Small Southern Plates. This was really a perfect representation of the restaurant's range of flavors, so we feel comfortable in calling the menu here pleasingly innovative without any pretense or pomp.

We tried about a dozen Southern Small Plates on the Summer Dinner menu. These range from $7 to $14 per plate.  You can see a photo and a description below each photo in this blog of the items we tried. The description reflects the menu as well as our comment, in most cases. A variety of about 5-6 Small Plates can make a great dinner for people like us, who like to eat a lot and walk out full and happy. So, it is a little pricey, but you get value for your bucks.

As Northerners, we often unfairly dismiss Southern cuisine as "everything fried."  Yes, there are some predictably fried items here, such as the classic Fried Green Tomatoes, several versions of Fried Chicken, and Fried Okra. But here they are not the stereotypical boring fatty stuff we Northerners tend to think it is. All the dishes have a flavorful twist that unquestionably set this menu way apart from anything predictable.  One fried surprise in a particular was a first for us - THE FRIED AVOCADO! Go figure, BUT THE FRIED AVOCADO IS DEFINITELY A HIT! It is a perfectly green ripe delicious avocado slice wrapped in a crunchy fried batter served with a house-made tomato sauce and whipped sour cream, and it is delicious.

The Southern Taco Trio platter is available either with beef meatloaf or Cajun fried chicken. Of these two, we definitely preferred the chicken, not only for the curry flavor and the tomato-cuke salsa, but also for quality of the meat. There is nothing wrong with the meatloaf at all, it is quite tasty, though a bit milder than the chicken, but we prefer our meatloaf to be very very lean, which is not easy to get in any restaurant environment. In fact, we are not big beef eaters, just so you have our recommendations within the right context.

We plan to return to Tupelo Honey Cafe to try their Brunch on Saturday or Sunday 9am-3pm. They also serve a Moonrise Brunch on Friday and Saturday night that includes a combination of brunch and happy hour items. The actual HAPPY HOUR is Monday-Thursday 4-7pm, when their signature cocktail "Ode to Eleanor Roosevelt" is only $5 (regularly, $8), all draft pints are $3, all wine bottles are half off and 6 of their small plates are $6.  We definitely recommend Tupelo Honey Cafe and will return here very soon.

View from N. Troy Street

Patio at Happy Hour

An extensive Drink Menu that offers 23 craft beers. The Cocktail menu is interesting, too!

NOTE that the first Cocktail listed "Ode to Eleanor Roosevelt" Sparkling Sangria ($8) is a signature specialty drink of the Arlington Tupelo Honey Cafe, it is on draft, and looks like this:

All Tupelo Honey Cafe's cocktails feature local and regional spirits.

 Meatloaf Tacos with Brussels Slaw and Smoked Jalapeño Sauce

 Fried Avocado with Fresh Tomato Salsa and Whipped Sour Cream
Definitely a hit!

 Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Cajun Blackened Shrimp
THE ULTIMATE COMFORT FOOD at Tupelo Honey Cafe

 Salted Beets with Roasted Pistachio Pesto and Goat Cheese
A great appetizer, side dish or tapas plate that will complement practically any item on the menu.

 Curried Fried Chicken Tacos with Apple Salsa and Cherry Pepper Aioli (Garlic Mayo)
The tomato-cuke-onion salsa with cilantro, fresh jalapenos and a squeeze of lime went great with the hint of curry in the chicken.

 Pecan Crusted Goat Cheese with Baked Apples, Sweet Figs and Crostini Slices

Although the Crostini can get a bit soggy from the juices, this is a great appetizer

 Fried Green Tomatoes with Goat Cheese Grits and Red Pepper Coulis

A feast!

 Lamb Meatballs in a House-made Tomato Curry Sauce with Feta Cheese

 Country Ham Wontons with a Brussels Sprouts Salad

 Fresh Blueberry & Lemon Quinoa w/ Arugula & Feta

Includes thin crunchy Almond Slices, not listed on the menu. Turns out that Blueberries and Feta go great with Quinoa!

 Seared Yellowtail Tuna with a Honey Mustard dressing and a Salad of Edamame, Pine Nuts, Carrots and Golden Raisins

 Southern creamy light warm buscuits with blackberry jam

 Kitchen is bright and open (not shown on photo) so you can watch your food being prepared

Art from local artists is displayed throughout the large dining space wherever the eye can see

Wonderfully-accommodating and convivial Sous Chef Andre (originally from Asheville, NC) and Waiter Nick (from Massachussetts)

 As an after-dinner treat, PICK UP A JAR OF TUPELO HONEY, as well as one of their made-from-scratch dressings, to take home with you!

Romantic patio setting at dusk after a heavy rain

Saffron Indian Cuisine - Falls Church, VA

1077 West Broad Street
Falls Church, VA 22046
(703) 992-0077

WE WELCOME a terrific addition to Falls Church City's Indian food scene - SAFFRON took over the now-closed Curry Mantra 2 in the West End Plaza Shopping Center.  We were not fans of Curry Mantra 2, despite its seemingly popular appeal to those who prefer a more modern version of Indian food, both in flavor and presentation. So, we were happy to see Curry Mantra 2 close its doors in NoVa to re-open in DC in Spring 2015. Good luck, Curry Mantra 2!

Goes without saying, that, in our humble opinion, Saffron is heads above its predecessor. Since we began our blog in 2010, our long-standing neighborhood favorite for traditional Indian food has been Haandi in the Giant Plaza (Falls Plaza Shopping Center) in Falls Church City. Saffron may well offer some competition to Haandi, located right across the street.

The service at Saffron was great.  Azad, a knowledgeable and very pleasant maitre d', took our order and, throughout our meal, was attentive. He supervised several cheerful and very polite wait staff, who assisted in serving dishes, clearing plates, and ensuring our water glasses were always full.

There were happy diners of all ages and demographics, families, couples, and singles, eating here early on a Saturday evening. On a cold evening, the atmosphere in Saffron was warm and amiable.

The food, both in taste and presentation, was also great  While we waited for our food to arrive, we snacked on the traditional Papadum served with the standard Indian dipping sauces / chutneys.  Our appetizer order of Samosas came out quickly, it was hot and delicious. The Chicken Tikka entree served on a rectangular white plate was perfectly moist and seasoned just right. It comes with an order of plain Naan, but we also ordered a Cheese Naan, which as delicious, though a bit greasy. The saucy, stewey Chicken Vindaloo, served in a bowl, was also terrific, with just the right seasoning and a very slight tinge of sweetness.  Hint for those who want an even spicier version of the Vindaloo: Order it as a "10." It was absolutely excellent in its flavor, poured over rice.  It is typically prepared at a "5" spice level, so if you can handle the double hotness, you will love it. Overall, the food was wonderful, and priced quite reasonably.  Our total bill came to about $41.00, not counting the tip.

For the most part, the restaurant has not been remodeled since Saffron took over this space. The main positive feature of the restaurant's layout is its open kitchen with a very strong exhaust system. The relatively small dining hall seats about 50 at its tables along walls and one middle row. We hope that the new owners address the somewhat sea-sickening askew placement of dining tables in the middle row, which is a relic of the previous restaurant's layout.

Most of the wait staff remained from the predecessor restaurant, though definitely were much better trained, more responsive and seemed much happier and more knowledgeable about their jobs than when they worked for Curry Mantra.  The chef, who apparently, worked for a short time in Curry Mantra 2, then left, has returned to cook at Saffron.

Overall, we can't say enough good things about Saffron.  Our experience there was very pleasant. We will definitely be back!

 Askew placement of tables can lead to sea-sickness, but try not to think about it...

 Incomplete renovation...

 Vegetable Samosas

 Paneer Kulcha (Cheese Naan) and Chicken Tikka

 Chicken Vindaloo

Hooray for round plates!

RusUz Restaurant - Uzbek, Central Asian and Russian Cuisine - Arlington (Ballston), VA

1000 N Randolph St
Arlington, VA 22201
(202) 468-8472

We were delighted to see that RusUz has expanded to almost double its original space, has substantially expedited its already very friendly and courteous service, while maintaining a high quality of delicious food, continuing to be a SUPERB addition to the Northern Virginia dining scene!

We've eaten there several times since we last reviewed it in this blog and each time our experience was better and better.

In January 2014, RusUz was named named one of Washington area's 100 Very Best Restaurants by the Washingtonian Magazine and it certainly deserves the same title in 2015!

 Chicken kebab

 Chebureki

 Borscht

Lagman

Argia's Italian Restaurant - Falls Church City, VA

124 North Washington Street
Falls Church, VA
(703) 534-1033

Had it not been for Groupon, we may not have tried Argia's and it would have been our loss.  

We stopped in at Argia's for a quick lunch and enjoyed our experience. The atmosphere was pleasantly dim (despite a large window at either side of the long dining hall), intimate and modern. Argia has somewhat of an urban feel, as urban as one can get in in Falls Church City, with an exposed ceiling look, solid chunky oak furniture, and simple artwork, including several textured murals and an old-world mural, which adds some warmth.  There is a small bar area, a large dining room, and in the rear of the restaurant there is a small outdoor seating area that is separated from the parking lot by a tall wooden half-fence. 

Our waiter Cal was knowledgeable and friendly without being intrusive.  We promptly received our water, our wine order and a basket of delicious hot bread.  Our menu choices were basic - Spaghetti with Meatballs and Cappellini Fresca.  They cheerfully accommodated our request for spicy marinara sauce, which was delicious. Both entrees come with a side of a green Mediterranean salad with a light dressing.  The food was great, service was great, overall a thumbs up and a definite prospect for a return to Argia's.    

Some unique dishes you can only get abroad

12 Over the Top International Fast-Food Items from The Daily Meal

Biryani-Stuffed Calzone?
Kimchi Hamburger?

Mince Pie Donut?

Doubledecker Pizza?

Check out all 12 here: http://www.thedailymeal.com/12-over-top-international-fast-food-items/2514

While you're there check out some more fun fast food stories, like 10 Cutting-Edge Fast-Food Innovations of 2013 or 12 Regional Foods Worth Traveling For.

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.

Restaurant Tips for Diabetics (Part 1)

Restaurant Tips if you Have Diabetes (Part 1)
by Roberta Kleinman, RN, M.Ed., CDE

August 28, 2013

There are many retirees living with diabetes in South Florida where I educate people in a self management program; a big proportion of them spend a majority of their time eating out in restaurants. They admit that eating out is a luxury, but after spending years raising young families they have disconnected from the kitchen and are willing to spend money for food.

Eating out can be a very social experience and often they live in communities where restaurants are readily available. I actually teach a couple who only make coffee in their kitchen and eat out for every meal! The husband always jokes that they should make the kitchen into an extra closet or large plant box. Surely this is very unusual, but I would like to share some restaurant tips with you that I frequently share with my patients.

Before you head out the door, search on-line for restaurant reviews and menus. Many restaurants, especially the chains, offer full menus with nutritional information (calorie/sodium/carbohydrate counts) as well as portion sizes. Be prepared before you go so you can make healthy choices. Take home printed copies of the menu to be ready for the next trip.Avoid buffets as often as possible. Although it sounds great economically, having too many choices with "as much as you can eat" can be dangerous for anyone - even more if you have diabetes. Calories, fat, sodium and carbohydrates pile up and you think you are "just tasting everything."
Continue reading...

Karamara Ethiopian Restaurant, Arlington, VA

3205 Columbia Pike

Arlington, VA 22204
703.271.0202

Next to the Panda Express Chinese restaurant, this place looks much smaller than it is. We came to Karamara for a "linner," so besides us there was only one other table occupied. Walking in, it seems like a tiny carry out, but the upstairs opens up to a large dining room. The feel of the place is dark and dingy. Railing along the stairs is broken exposing dried gummy glue. There was only one waitress, who was very nice, but clearly more preoccupied with getting the kitchen ready for dinner than with the diners in the restaurant.


We ordered a vegetable sampler of 5 items, including spicy lentils, a pico-de-gallo type of side mixed in with pieces of injera called "fit fit", a mixture of boiled cabbage, potato and carrots and chick peas. As opposed to most other Ethiopian restaurants, like Meaza or Merkamo or Lalibella, the flavors here were definitely toned down and not great. We ordered 2 types of tibs, which is the typical Ethiopian dish consisting of pieces of steak grilled with jalapenos. We ordered the house specialty tips, the Karamara Tibs, and the regular Beef Tibs. The Karamara tips were dry and flavorful. However the Beef Tibs came in a oily sauce that even as a fan of stews, I found very oily and runny, coupled with the fact that there was a very weird and unsavory flavor to them. It was like a mixture of being "gamey" and... just weird, not in a good way.

We tried this place because we had a Specialicous coupon and love Ethiopian food. Washington DC metro area is very lucky to have so many wonderful Ethiopian restaurants, so we have tried most of them. Unfortunately, Karamara is not a restaurant worthy of a second trip.

Visit the Tysons Corner Blog

Many thanks to the folks over at The Tysons Corner blog for linking this site to their very informative blog.   Check them out for all that's going on in the Tysons area including: food, traffic, culture, retail, commuting, future planning, smart growth and all things development in Tysons Corner, VA.