Aldeerah, web site, 262 SE Cedar Lane, Vienna, VA, 703-573-3205, closed Monday lunch (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Google | Ylp]
Wow, this place is fun, just opened in early 2015. I’ve only been once, but immediately I saw the menu has about fifteen items which, not only had I never heard of before, but which I had not imagined before. It seems to be real Saudi stuff.
What I tried was excellent. It had lamb on top, high quality meat, and three layers underneath. The bottom layer was rice with a viscous yogurt, the intermediate layer was rice with lamb fat, and the top layer was just plain fragrant rice. I think the name of the dish is Mathloothah. It’s probably not even the best dish they have.
For people watching this is an A+, also. I don’t pretend to have figured out the “code” of this place, but based on what I have seen I would call it a “must visit.”