Woo Lae Oak, Vienna, VA

8247 Leesburg Pike (Rt. 7)

Vienna, VA 22182

703-827-7300

Woo Lae Oak is high end dining.  It is a total experience that is prepared, served and appropriately billed at a dining level above the normal neighborhood Korean fare.  Woo Lae Oak is the latest of a handful of Korean restaurants we’ve been to in the northern Virginia area and while it is upscale and refined, we seem to be more fond of the lesser decorated, but similar quality food we sampled at other Korean places.

The service was as expected in a place of this caliber.  The servers were attentive and explained the menu sufficiently.  We started with appetizers that included seafood tempura and seaweed salad.  These dishes, while more Japanese than Korean, were on par with what we’ve sampled at other Japanese restaurants.  Bill ordered the braised beef short ribs.  This dish came fully prepared and was cooked to perfection.  The tender and flavorful meat with hints of Asian spice just fell off the bone.   Elena ordered the beef bulgogi.  This meat was brought to us raw and the wait staff patiently turned the meat on the embedded grill in the table’s center until it was perfectly cooked.  The bulgogi was tender and flavorful.  The entrees were accompanied by sticky rice and the half dozen endless servings of side dishes that while mostly pickled were varied and tasty.  The portions there are a bit deceiving as none of the portions seemed large but we did not walk away hungry. 

A side note about the table grill:  Our experiences in Korean restaurants usually resulted in wearing the smells of the restaurant home in our clothes.  Woo Lae Oak’s exhaust system (built into the side of the grill instead of an overhead fan) pulled the smoke and smell downward from the side of the grill.  This was quite a nice feature.  Bottom line is that this is an expensive restaurant and we’re not quite sure if the price is commensurate with the food.  It was reasonable with a Groupon, but the next time we’re looking for some place to satisfy our Korean cravings we’ll probably head back to Annandale.

Bombay Tandoor

8603 Westwood Center Drive, 

Vienna, VA 22182

phone (703) 734-2202

 

Don’t be fooled by the unassuming exterior of this strip mall corner eatery next to Paisano’s Pizza.  Bombay Tandoor is a treat in so many ways.  The outstanding staff, including the waiters and manager, is definitely an asset.  They were welcoming and upbeat, with friendly, plentiful and attentive service.  The wait staff was clearly trained and knowledgeable, multi tasking and hustling around, looking like they really like working there.   Our dinner was great, but the employees of the restaurant made it even better.  

Décor and furnishings are very Bombay Company style, beautifully accented with large portraits of who are probably Indian Panjabi elders.  High ceilings gave the restaurant the feeling of spaciousness.  The restaurant looked very clean and the atmosphere was warm and gracious. By 8:30pm, most of the tables were full.  

The food is what really deserves the focus.   While we were looking over the rather extensive menu, featuring a variety of dishes likely to please most pallets, the waiter brought us some salty crispy wafers (they are probably called something else) and two kinds of sauces.  Our appetizers – Paneer Shashlyk (a rather spicy fried cheese) and  Chicken Tikka Mint (mildly spiced grilled chicken cubes with grilled onions) – were a perfect mixture of flavor, texture and presentation.  We got a plain Naan to accompany our entrees, which were Chicken Biryani and Chicken Kadhai.  We also ordered a side of Mixed Masala Kachumber salad for $4, which was just as tasty as the entrees and complemented the meal perfectly.  It consisted of lettuce, onions, cucumber, tomato and a wonderful white creamy dressing.  The Chicken Biryani, which came with a side of raita (yogurt sauce), was excellent and probably a bit spicy for a standard Biryani, so if you are going to order it, keep this in mind.  The other entrée, Chicken Kandhai, was presented in a small pot over a tea candle with some green peppers and a delicious gravy, along with plentiful Basmati rice.  This was a lot of food, so we ended up bringing some of it home, no room for dessert.  All for under $60!

But the real unexpected surprise on this Saturday night was the banquet.  The restaurant sectioned off the larger part of the space for what turned out to be a wonderfully cheerful and colorful Sikh engagement party.  Party guests in colorful saris, young and old, began gathering around 7:00 for a party that began around 8:00.  We got to see the beginning of the festivities, together with some dancing and music.  This was an added bonus to the dinner experience.  Amazingly, the manager did not shoo us away when we asked if we could stick around to watch.  

We will definitely be recommending this place to friends and returning here. 

Burger 7, Falls Church, VA

7505 Leesburg Pike #E, 

Falls Church, VA  22043 

703-442-8777 

There is nothing not to like about this place, especially when compared with Ray’s Hell Burger in Arlington (see previous entry).  Plenty of parking here and also plenty of tables.  After numerous raving reviews in the local press such as Tom Sietsema's in the Washington Post, the lines are surely to get longer and tables scarcer. Deservingly so. 

Burger 7 has only been operating for several weeks, but it has already become our favorite burger joint.  Burgers are fresh and flavorful.  We have been fans of Five Guys for years, but we think this is heads above Five Guys in quality.  Burgers (either single patty B7-JR or double patty regular B7 or the Veggie burger option, which we did not try) are excellent.  Toppings variety is plentiful with lots of healthy choices.  Watch out for the jalapenos - they are much hotter than those at Five Guys.  They offer a daily milkshake special – all wonderful, not to be missed.  Fries are great, as well as the onion crisps.  Ordering is a cinch.  The menu is up above the counter, easy to see.  You get a vibrating pad, which lights up and vibrates when your order is ready.  By this time, you have had a chance to select your booth table and get yourself the fountain soda of your choice.   

The restaurant is clean and large windows keep it bright in the daytime.  Don’t forget to get the B7 Club Card – for every 7 burgers you buy, you get the 8^th free.  What’s not to like? 

Ristorante Bunorotti, Vienna, VA

428 Maple Avenue, Vienna, VA 22180

703.281.7550

There are Porsches, Camrys, and Civics on the road.  There are Porsches, Camrys, and Civics in the dining world as well.  Ristorante Bunorotti is certainly a Porsche.  Its kitchen is the Porsche’s engine—revving up some amazing dishes.  The wait staff and hosts serves diners with the sleek lines expected of fine motorcars.  The establishment itself is very traditional Italian style reminiscent of the style of the Porsche itself (meaning it is what you expect a high-end Italian restaurant to be).  That said, Ristorante Bunorotti, located in a small strip mall perpendicular to Vienna’s Main St (yes, we drove right by the place before realizing we had passed it), is all one can expect from a high-end dining experience.  Approaching the place is a bit like parking your Porsche at a 7-11 (if you’re keeping up with the analogy).  But once inside, your eyes are drawn to the collection of photos with various sports and local celebrities intertwined with Italian “kitsch.”  While waiting we were able to identify a variety of players and other local celebs including Chris Cooley, Tony Siragusa, Mike Shanahan, and (sad to see) the late NBC-TV Sports Director George Michael (what??? No hockey players?).  Even though we had reservations, there was a bit of a wait for a table.  Picking out the celebrities helped us endure the wait.  The time had come for Sergio Domestici the host and owner to give us the keys to the Porsche (still riding that metaphor) and take us to our seats.

We were seated in the main dining area along the back wall.  A great seat considering we were out of the way from diner congestion.  We had the customary basket of fresh breads, but to our surprise were servings of an olive tapenade and a tomato mixture to accompany the butter for the breads—a delightful accompaniment.   Our waiter Charlie rattled off a novella of house specialties for the evening and we decided to go with what was on the menu.  We started off the meal with the Swordfish Carpacio and a Caprese salad for appetizers.  Both were fresh and excellent.  While the specialties were enough to choose from, we went with a Puttanesca pasta and the Veal Cotoletta Parmigiano.   Even though the Puttanesca pasta was not on the menu, the chef and staff were more than willing to prepare the dish which was a wonderful medley of anchovies and olives over angel hair pasta.  The Cotoletta came with a polenta puree and roasted vegetables.  Very well done.  We shared the raspberries in Chambord cream sauce for dessert.  

This is fine Italian dining and unless you have an endless food budget we recommend Ristorante Bunorotti for when a very nice meal will complement a very special occasion. 

Ray's Hell Burger, Arlington, VA

1725 Wilson Blvd

Arlington, VA, 22209

(703) 841-0001

If it’s good enough for Obama and Medvedev, then it’s good enough for us.  The only catch is finding a parking spot and a free table, which, if luck is not on your side, can be quite time-consuming and frustrating.  It didn’t help that we were there on a Saturday evening.   The parking lot was full and street parking in this Arlington location is impossible to find.  Tables are few and crowded.  On a cold February evening, people were even sitting at the patio tables, which did not appeal to us.  

The line to order at the counter went pretty fast.  The menu is up on the wall in huge letters to the right of the line, making it difficult to read, as you have to get out of the line, stand back (if you can find space to stand back) craning your neck to see it, and most people in line let others pass in front while figuring out what to order.  Not the best configuration, but otherwise the ordering process was relatively efficient.  We were given a number to stick onto a metal circle on a table (if we get lucky to find one), so that a staff person can find us.  If you can actually see an inch past the people surrounding you, the place is relatively grungy, although wait staff does its best to collect trays and wipe down tables.  When we finally got a table and shortly thereafter received our burgers and fries, we were unsure of whether it was all worth the trouble.  

The burgers were OK, but certainly did not live up to expectations (the hype of this place is pretty serious).  Telling sign: Bill really liked the bun!  The burgers fell apart, were messy to eat, but even so, did not make up for this in taste, with or without the toppings (which, incidentally, were different from what we ordered, but by this time, we were just plain hungry and switched the toppings on our own with each other).   The fries, Cajun and regular, had little taste.  I am not even sure that it’s worthwhile to continue describing the experience, as by now it is probably pretty obvious that the whole thing was underwhelming.  No fountain sodas are available, only bottled drinks.  You can ask for a cup with ice when you’re ordering.  Unfortunately, we did not have a chance to try the milk shakes, which would have probably made us like the place more.  

 It is unlikely that we will be returning, and, for our money, Burger 7 in Falls Church (check out the blog entry) is unquestionably a better investment of time, money, and certainly appetite.  

Tara Thai Restaurant - Falls Church VA

7501-E Leesburg Pike
Falls Church, VA 22043
tel : 703.506.9788
E-mail : tarathaifallschurch@gmail.com

Tara Thai in Falls Church has been a regular stop for us for quite some time.  Its nautical décor is very appealing, its staff is very attentive (even on busy nights) and its food is generally well prepared with ample portions (although we’ve noticed over time the size of the entrees may have been reduced by about 10 – 20%).  

Thai delicacies and mainstays on the menu include diverse appetizers such as Num Tok and meat-on-a-stick satays.  Seafood soups are tasty and packed with as much flavor as the assorted seafood that accompanies each bite.  We like both the Typhoon Soup, a wonderful mix of shrimp, scallops, squid, mussels, and mushrooms in a spicy broth with a touch of lemon grass and basil leaves, and the Tom Klong Goong  soup filled with black tiger shrimp, fresh shitake mushrooms , and grilled onions in a lemon grass-galanga broth, seasoned with tamarind juice and roasted chili.  For entrees, the traditional Pad Thai and for meat lovers, the Siamese Beef (Slices of beef marinated in sesame oil and exotic spices) are our favorites. Other accouterments including frothy ice-tea and mango with sticky rice for dessert round out the dining experience.  Accompanying sauces varying in degrees of heat should be requested (they are not automatically placed at the table). 

All-in-all, Tara Thai never disappoints.  Having never been to Thailand, we cannot compare with the authentic, but for Thai food south of the Mason-Dixon line, Tara Thai fills the void.

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.  

Diya Lounge, Vienna, VA

2070 Chainbridge Rd, 

Vienna VA
(703) 970-7500

At the intersection of Rte 123 and Old Chain Bridge in what is known as "the toilet bowl building" is a new restaurant called the Diya Lounge with a menu that we think can be described as nouveau Indian.  We got the feeling from the way the food tasted that this place was better known for its banquets.  This may be a nice way of saying that the food was less than impressive both in taste and presentation, and the ambiance was....  flatter than the naan.  There seems to have been several kitchens because the open kitchen in the dining room was empty with lights above it turned off and our food came from another kitchen, which was behind the dining room.  We went with our friends, and all ordered different items, so we were able to taste a variety of appetizers and entrees, none of which were flavorful or impressive.  Three ramekins with different sauces accompanied the meal, but all sauces were too sweet and did not add much personality to the meal.  Although the service was okay, the food took a while to be brought out.  All in all, it was a fun evening spent with friends, but not be a place to return for true Indian food or appealing atmosphere.

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

Chima, Tyson's Corner, VA

8010 Towers Crescent Dr.
Vienna, Virginia 22182

(703) 639.3080

There is a little place in the Ironbound section of Newark, NJ that (at least for Bill) set the standard for rodizios (Brazilian meat fests).  That place is called Brasillia.  Take the basic Brasillia, add the sterile charm of a hospital operating room, throw in some modern touches, and take the food down a few notches, add complimentary valet parking and you have Chima.  

Tucked away on the first floor of an office park just outside the parking lot of the Tyson’s Corner Center, Chima is in one word—OK.  They do try their best, the service was attentive and accommodating, the gauchos shaving meats from the two dozen or so cuts were all done very well.  The salad bar was acceptable (we’ve had much better at the Texas de Brazil—another rodizio chain located in the Fair Oaks Mall in Fairfax).  We spent the early part of New Year’s Eve at Chima where we were hooked in by the complimentary champagne (to our dismay it amounted to a three ounce glass).   There were very few empty tables in the room, but don’t think there was much a wait for those who did not have reservations.  Looped Cirque de Soleil performances were projected on few glass panels which did not add much to the ambiance.  Perhaps they should be showing Brazilian tourism films instead. 

Bottom line, if you want ok rodizio, go to Chima.  If you want good rodizio, go to Texas de Brazil.  If you want GREAT rodizio, go to the Ironbound section of Newark.  

<--  With family at Brasilia, Newark, NJ 2002

Haandi, Falls Church, VA

1222 West Broad Street

Falls Church, VA 22046

(703) 533-3501

Haandi is one of the best Indian restaurants in this area.  We have gone there many times for dinner by ourselves and with friends and have had impeccable service and wonderful food.  As you can see in the photo, this strip mall eatery distinguishes itself by outfitting its tables with white cloth linens, always spotless, always pleasant.  On the day before Christmas, we tried their all-you-can-eat buffet lunch.  The buffet assortment was decent.  The selection included a garden salad, two chicken dishes, including one dry (tandoori) and one in sauce, one lamb dish in sauce, a spinach dish, a vegetable medley in a mild curry sauce, and basmati rice.  Apologies for not recalling the names of dishes, but you can find the menu on the restaurant’s website.   There was also a rice pudding dessert at the buffet table and a plain naan placed on the table in a wicker basket.  Sauces, including raita, mango chutney, the green cilantro sauce and others were laid out at the buffet.

Each dish, including the sauces, tasted substantially milder in the buffet assortment than if ordered as separate entrees, based on our experience.  Seasonings were undoubtedly toned down for the buffet dishes to please those clients least tolerant of spicy food, so any Indian food novices will probably find the lunch buffet a good introduction to this cuisine.  The regular lunch menu was available, however most everyone we saw went for the buffer, which was a good value at $10.95/person on weekdays and $12.95/person on weekends. 

The restaurant is not overpriced and the menu is diverse.  We have had many dishes on the menu and all have been exceptionally good.  The decorations are subtle with soft sitar music in the background and paintings of Indian scenes recessed in eastern-style architectural frames.  There are always lots of patrons at this restaurant, including lots of regulars.  Waiters multitask, and provide consistently  efficient, attentive and friendly  service, making for a pleasant ambiance. 

La Caraqueña, Falls Church, VA

300 W. Broad Street,  

Falls Church, VA 22046 

(703) 533-0076 

What an unexpected lovely surprise at this tiny restaurant adjacent to a Falls Church motel.  La Caraqueña, which means “a woman from Caracas” in Spanish, has about 10 tables inside (when the patio is closed due to cold weather).  Reservations are definitely recommended because the wait on a Saturday night, at least when we were there, was almost out the door.  The waitress explained to us that ever since this restaurant was featured on the Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives program on the Food Channel back in November, they have been trying to keep up with the surge in clientele. 

When we entered the restaurant, we were greeted by the very cheerful chef himself, who is also the owner, and was, at least at the moment, the host.  We were a few minutes early, so we had to wait until our table freed up, which happened right on time for our reservation.  From the moment we walked in, we felt welcomed the entire evening.   The atmosphere was jovial - every table was filled with diners of all ages, some of whom clearly were regulars, since they knew the chef by name and he came out to chat with some of them.  The lively, non-intrusive Latin music was interrupted once and a “happy birthday” broke out as the staff walked over singing with a candle in cake to one of the larger parties.  Everyone applauded as the birthday person and a friend jumped up and danced for about a minute.   This was really an animated, warm, family-like, cozy ambiance. 

Service was not only very friendly and attentive, but also efficient.  Three waitresses and a bus boy hustled to make sure everyone was well-taken care of.  Our waitress knew all the items on the menu and cheerfully made recommendations based on our questions. The menu is a combination of Bolivian, Venezuelan and Chilean dishes, most of which were unfamiliar to us, so we were grateful for her help.  The menu itself seemed rather limited in choices, but a note on the menu said that this is not a fast food place and patience will be required as each dish is made to order.  Although the wait for the food was hardly noticeable, it was clear that each dish was thought-out and prepared with individualized attention.  We were disappointed when we learned that they ran out of the only appetizer we wanted – the Empanadas Saltenas.  Apparently, this is their most popular appetizer and they still had not been able to plan out their dishes since the Food Channel episode premiered, skyrocketing their customer level. We hope to return and try this appetizer in the future.

The Sopa di Mani, a peanut-beef-rice soup, was a puree of its listed ingredients, with no one component dominating the others, making it a wonderful warm blend on a cold December evening.  The ham and cheese arepa (an arepa, we were told, is a typical Venezuelan sandwich) served inside fried corn bread, was also delicious.  But the Pabellon Completo con Baranda, the restaurant’s special, was absolutely amazing (see photo).  Pulled beef in a superbly flavorful sauce served in a bowl-like plate with rice, black beans, fried plantains, a fried sunny-side up egg, with shaved white cheese and avocados.  The fresh homemade jalapeno salsa that was served separately made this meal perfection.

This was a great restaurant that we highly recommend.  It has been there for 3 years, replacing the Rose Restaurant, which served Iranian cuisine, and was also very good.  Despite its location adjacent to a motel, this “dive” is a neighborhood gem.  Hope the success doesn’t go to its head and the delightful spirit and flavors of La Caraquena continue to thrive.

Wolfie Cohen’s Rascal House, Miami, FL (A Retro-Blog Entry)

Have not been there in years, but recently found out that the Rascal House is no more.  This Miami Beach staple—around for generations—sadly lost its place on 172nd St in North Miami to progress and housing.  The Rascal House was one of those places that I made a point of visiting each time I made it to the Miami area.  It really was something special.  From the lines that began inside (splitting into three separate lines depending on the size of the group) to very lengthy lines going around the outside parking lot, this was one popular place.  The mostly Jewish deli menu was predictable with a wide variety of breakfast, lunch and dinner fare accompanied by the bread assortment, the tubs of pickles at each table that added to its allure.  But it was the people, especially Rose (pictured with me in 2002) who was a long-time hostess and the face of the Rascal House that I will always remember.  

 

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.