Vietnamese -> Little Saigon -> Falls Church, VA

Came here after a visit to the Dr’s

	Cha Gio Cua (Crispy Crabmeat Spring Rolls) – Really nice crispy rolls with a fair amount of crab.
	Bun Cha Gio (Vermicelli Salad w/ Crispy Spring rolls) – Pretty standard fare, the rolls were crisp and the sauce was ok as well.
	Banh Tam Bi Nuroc Dua (Thick Rice Noodle w/ Shredded Pork and Coconut Dressing) -Decided to do a little something different. Nice healthy taste with fresh vegetables and noodles. The slightly sweet coconut milk tied it together; however it was a bit heavy on the carbs with the coconut milk and the noodles.

Decor: Really simple decor with a lot of white. Pictures of Vietnam decorate the place. We were the only ones here for lunch so the staff was very attentive. Service was pleasant.

Overall Assessment: ($, 6/10) – One of our Vietnamese friends recommended this place. The food tasted really healthy. It was nice to get away from the hustle and bustle of Eden center. A good find

Website: http://www.littlesaigoncuisine1.com/
Location: 6218-B Wilson Blvd, 22044
Reservation: 703.536.2633
Takeout: 703.536.2633
Hours: Wed – Mon, 1030 – 2230

 

Belgian -> Brassiere Beck -> Washington, DC

We went out with some friends and had dinner here. We decided to split a couple pots of mussels.

	Bread – See Previous Review (Link Below)
	Classic White Wine Mussels (Roasted Garlic, Parsley & Cream) – This was the best pot according to the wife for the mussels. The white wine brought the natural sweetness of the mussels out. The mussels were cooked almost perfectly.
	Fennel & Chorizo Mussels – So the consensus was that this was the best sauce for dipping the fries. A touch of spice from the chorizo. A rich tomato based sauce.
	Wild Mushroom Mussels (Applewood-Smoked Bacon, Truffle Cream) – So this was the best sauce for dipping the bread. A rich creamy texture with an earthy mushroom taste.
	Fries – See Previous Review (Link Below)

Related review:
/2009/12/12/belgian-french-brasserie-beck-washington-dc-3/
/2008/12/05/belgian-french-brasserie-beck-washington-dc-2/
/2007/12/31/belgian-french-brasserie-beck-washington-dc/

 

Chinese -> Asian Delight -> Fairfax, VA

So a friend of ours recommended this place as an authentic place for Chinese food. Just an FYI, the takeout menu doesn’t even cover half of the stuff on the eat in menu.

	Tea – Pretty standard fare.
	Rice – The rice was average, but it sufficed.
	Roast Duck Noodle Soup – We were really surprised by the amount of duck that was given to us. Also they gave us a bunch of veggies which was good. The soup and the noodles were good.
	Sea Bass with Ginger – The fish was soft and pretty succulent. A bit too much fat though on the skins though. Good flavoring with the soy sauce and ginger.
	Lamb and Bean Curd Casserole – One of the best dishes here, the lamb was not too gamely and it practically melted in your mouth. The only complaint would be that lamb was a bit on the fatty side. The bean curd was soft.
	Pea Shoot with Garlic – Nice and soft and full of flavor. Some of the stems were a bit old.
	Seafood and Tofu Casserole – The seafood was a tad bit on the overcooked side. However the flavoring was great. Fried tofu and pieces of meat mixed well.
	Red Bean Soup – A nice surprise to the end of the meal. Free dessert. Warm and hearty without it being too sweet.

Decor: The service here was friendly and generally very pleasant. The restaurant is part of a hotel. There are black granite tables. There are TVs playing up near the bar.

Overall Assessment: ($$, 8/10) – This was definitely one of the better Chinese restaurants in the Northern Virginia area. Hats off to our friends who recommended the place to us. Not only was the food good but the service was good too. While not all of the dishes were home runs, a great majority of the dishes were excellent. The only complaint would be that I think that the prices are a bit high.

Website: http://www.fairfaxasiandelight.com/
Location: 11180 Fairfax Blvd, 22030
Reservation: 703.273.3998
Takeout: 703.273.3998
Hours: Daily; 1100 – 2200

 

Vietnamese -> Viet Bistro -> Falls Church, VA

Had lunch with a Vietnamese co-worker. He recommend this place.

	Cha Gio Re (Net Spring Rolls). The spring rolls was a bit on the burnt side. Otherwise the skin was a crisp and the pork was good.
	Hu Tieu/Mi Thit Xa Xiu (BBQ Pork Noodle Soup) – I liked the flavoring of the soup. A bit hearty. The pork was really on the average side. The noodles were so so. Interestingly the noodles came with a side of veggies like a pho dish.

Related review:
/2008/07/05/vietnamese-viet-bistro-falls-church-va/

 

Chinese -> Hong Kong Pearl -> Falls Church, VA

Came here for Dim Sum with some friends. As denoted earlier, the Dim Sum is much better than dinner here.

	Tea – See Previous Review (Link Below)
	Shrimp Rice Noodle Crepe – One of the better noodle creeps. Nice warm, soft and very thin. Also there are usually large shrimps in these rolls.
	Stuffed Bean Curd Sheet Roll w/Oyster Sauce – The bean sheets were soft and the pork was flavorful.
	Steamed Beef Meat Balls – The beef has a bit of too much baking soda but it was still good.
	Steamed Chicken Feet w/Black Bean Sauce – The chicken was soft and a tad spicy. Steamed Shrimp Dumpling – The skin is thin and the shrimp was ok.
	House Special Steamed Pork Dumpling – One of the few shu mai that I enjoy. The egg wrapping around the pork blended well. Steamed Diced Spareribs w/Black Bean Sauce – Good again without it being too chewy.
	Turnip Cake – Lots of turnip and tasted good.
	Fried Taro Dumpling – This one was a bit cold but the taro and the pork was a good mixture.
	Pan Fried Leek and Shrimp Patties – Very seafood taste, not really a fan.
	Pork and Leek Patties – Lots of leek taste. The wrap was a bit thick.
	Stuffed Eggplant with Shrimp – It had a nice crisp to it. The shrimp paste was a bit underwhelming.
	Crispy Rice Noodle Crepe – The crispy bread was fresh and was not a repeat so that it was crisp but not hard. Juxtapose with the soft rice crepe, it made for a wonderful treat.
	Congee with Preserved Egg & Pork – Warm and the egg and pork was good. I like how the mixture was not too salty.
	Sweet Soft Tofu – A bit too much ginger flavoring. The tofu was ok in terms of softness.

Related review:
/2012/03/09/chinese-hong-kong-pearl-falls-church-va/