Matsuri

Posted on 2006/04/29 by .

Matsuri, 150 Elden Street, Herndon, VA, 703-707-0367 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper]
Gets consistently good reviews. The sushi here is good but I prefer the main courses. The best miso soup around. Excellent tofu. Consistent main courses, although some are a bit sweet. This is not a place for purists and the bento boxes are not cheap. Recommended, an underrated restaurant, although I have heard that of December 2005 they have narrowed the menu significantly. (See “Matsuri: What Price Success?” by Eve Zibart, The Washington Post, January 6, 2006.)

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Tokyo Inn Japanese Steakhouse and Seafood Restaurant

Posted on 2006/04/29 by .

Tokyo Inn Japanese Steakhouse and Seafood Restaurant, web site, 6661 Backlick Road, Springfield, VA, 703-923-9800 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [openlist | Yelp]
I have yet to go, doesn’t look like anything original but almost certainly a welcome addition to the growing Springfield dining scene, it appears clean and attractively presented.

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Atami

Posted on 2006/04/29 by .

Atami, 3155 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA, 703-522-4787, Clarendon metro area (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [WaPo | City Paper | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]
NOW CLOSED. They have both Japanese and Vietnamese food, and have been in decline for some time now.

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Yama

Posted on 2006/04/29 by .

Yama, 328 Maple Avenue, Vienna, VA, 703-242-7703 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]
Above-average sushi, and a good Vienna location. Good eel, a good place to know.

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Akasaka

Posted on 2006/04/29 by .

Akasaka, 514-C Van Dorn Street, Alexandria, VA, 703-751-3133, hard to see from the street, in the same mall as Savio’s, the Italian place. (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Washingtonian | City Paper | openlist | Yelp]
Very solid Japanese, especially useful in an area that doesn’t have much first-rate Japanese food.

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Arigato

Posted on 2006/04/29 by .

Arigato, web site, 13039 Fair Lakes Shopping Center, Fairfax, VA, 703-449-8404, closed Monday. To get there, take I-66 West to #55B, straight off the exit, left at the first light, then a left at the second light, into the big shopping center, look between the Hechinger’s and Toys R Us. (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [food-plan | openlist | Yelp]
Plus a branch in Fairfax: 11199-A Lee Hwy, Fairfax, VA, 703-352-9338, where Germantown Rd. hits Rt. 29.
Very stylish and original, the best decor of any place on this list. The cardboard chairs are the best part of it all. Japanese food by Koreans, but still a good restaurant. Get the cream cheese dumplings as a side.

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Tachibana

Posted on 2006/04/29 by .

Tachibana, web site, 6715 Lowell Avenue, McLean, VA, 703-847-1771, there is also a branch in Bethesda (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]
The best Japanese place in the suburbs. Not at all cheap, but the quality justifies the prices. Many entrees are in the $20 range.

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Matsutake Hibachi Steak & Sushi

Posted on 2006/04/29 by .

Matsutake Hibachi Steak & Sushi, 4121 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA, 703-351-8787 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [WaPo | City Paper | food-plan (Herndon) | openlist | Yelp]
Also in Worldgate Shopping Center, 13049 Worldgate Drive, Herndon, VA, 703-787-3700, 320 S. 23rd Street, Arlington, VA, 703-412-5301, Kabuki Sushi, Union Station, 50 Massachusetts Avenue NE, Washington, DC, 202-789-1159, and Washington Reagan National Airport, National Hall Center, 703-417-0521.
One of the best of the sushi buffet places. All you can eat sushi for lunch, and the sushi is reasonably good. Some of the branches have teppanyaki as well. Is it the single best sushi place around? No. Will it start you wondering why you ever order sushi a’la carte? Yes.

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Posted in Capitol Hill/Union Station, Crystal City/Pentagon City/National Airport, DC, Herndon/Reston/Ashburn/Chantilly / Dulles Airport, Japanese, Virginia | Comments Off on Matsutake Hibachi Steak & Sushi

Yuraku

Posted on 2006/04/29 by .

Yuraku, web site, 19773 Frederick Road, Germantown, MD, 301-515-7448 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | openlist | Yelp]
Recommended by a few of my correspondents, supposed to be very authentic and popular among Japanese.

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Kaz Sushi Bistro

Posted on 2006/04/29 by .

Kaz Sushi Bistro, web site, 1915 Eye Street NW, Washington, DC, near 20th, 202-530-5500 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Economist | Washingtonian | The Hill | WaPo | City Paper | Don Rockwell | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]

A mix of Japanese and fusion, both the beef and the sushi can be very good. It has much more variety than your typical Japanese place, you won’t get bored here even after a few visits. Washington needs more of this kind of place. Get the kobe beef. Lately, however, I’ve seen some signs of decline. It remains well above average, but beware.

Update April 2012: See “Food’s Biggest Scam: The Great Kobe Beef Lie,” by Larry Olmsted, Forbes, April 12, 2012

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