Abay Market

Posted on 2007/06/27 by .

Abay Market, 3811-A S. George Mason Drive, Falls Church, VA, 703-998-5322 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window)

Now this is an interesting place. They have only three dishes: raw beef, and I do mean slabs (tere sega), not chopped kitfo, lamb soup, and slightly cooked kitfo (mostly raw). That’s it. All come with bread, sauce, and spices. The lamb is pretty fatty, the soup is tasty.
No doubt this is the best raw beef emporium for miles and miles around. It will disappoint those who seek side orders, vegetables, or indeed anything else. A+ for atmosphere. Ask for their assistance in eating the food.

Recommended, but you’d better know what you are looking for.

Update March 25, 2009: Currently the best Ethiopian place in my area. The menu has moved from having three items — raw beef only, plus fatty lamb soup — to some vegetables and cooked items as well.

Also see “Cuisine of Ethiopia” on Wikipedia

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Posted in Current Favorites, Ethiopian, Falls Church/Seven Corners, Top Five, Virginia | 2 Comments

Sambo Restaurant

Posted on 2007/06/25 by .

Sambo Restaurant, 6669 Little River Turnpike, Annandale, VA, 703-750-6846 (old review) (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) Here’s the old review.
The place just reopened with new management, it is now “Chinese-Korean” food, a genre that in general does not thrill me. Too many fried things, too much sweet sauce, and that occasional inappropriate use of ketchup. Still many of you will wish to try this place, if only to see how Chinese food is consumed in Korea.
They don’t offer sushi any more, it is a totally different place.

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Posted in Annandale, Chinese, Korean, Virginia | 2 Comments

Merrifield Kabob

Posted on 2007/06/22 by .

Merrifield Kabob, web site, 8428 Lee Highway, Fairfax, VA, 703-204-4400 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Washingtonian | Yelp | zabihah]
More of a dump than you would expect, given the location. The core influence here is Pakistani, and shady characters smoke hooka during the off-hours. This kind of food is almost always good enough to enjoy, but so far this place doesn’t compete with Ravi or Food Factory or my other favorites of similar ilk. Go for locational reasons, that makes sense, a special trip not.

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Posted in Fairfax, Indian, Pakistani, Virginia | 2 Comments

Tian Chinese Restaurant

Posted on 2007/05/12 by .

Tian Chinese Restaurant, inside Lotte Plaza, 3250 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax Circle, Fairfax, VA, Closed Mondays, 703-246-9198

This is in the same place as Cheogajip Chicken.

This location is inside Lotte Plaza, 3250 Old Lee Highway, which is located just west of the intersection of Old Lee Highway and Old Pickett Road.

Yes they call it Chinese but I file it under Korean. It’s a Korean version of Chinese food, which to my palate is mostly Korean. The attempts to feign Chinese food aren’t the peak here. I list this place for its steamed dumplings, which are just superb. The menu may have other treasures as well, let me know.

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Posted in Fairfax, Korean, The Best, Virginia | Comments Off on Tian Chinese Restaurant

Bar Shu and Hot Stuff – London

Posted on 2007/05/09 by .

Visit London every year.
Bar Shu, web site, 28 Frith Street, London, near Leicester Square, is the best Sichuan food I have had. The “Exploded Pork Kidneys” are especially fine, as are the green beans.
Also noteworthy is Hot Stuff, web site, 19 Wilcox Road, London, a small Pakistani takeaways place that is rapidly gaining global fame.

First posted on Marginal Revolution.

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Posted in Chinese, London, Pakistani | Comments Off on Bar Shu and Hot Stuff – London

Cheogajip Chicken

Posted on 2007/05/07 by .

Cheogajip Chicken, Lotte Plaza, near the deli in the supermarket, 3250 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax Circle, Fairfax, VA, 703-273-4499, usually open. (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [WaPo also see this | Washington Area Korean Restaurant Guide]

This in the same place as Tian Chinese Restaurant.
See also “Koreans Share Their Secret for Chicken With a Crunch,” by Julia Moskin, The New York Times, February 7, 2007

This location is inside Lotte Plaza, 3250 Old Lee Highway, which is located just west of the intersection of Old Lee Highway and Old Pickett Road.

The counter is about 30 feet south of the Customer Service desk and next to the deli.

Other locations: in the Korean Mini Mall at 13814 Braddock Rd, Centreville, VA; and 4300 Evergreen Lane Suite 102, Annandale, VA.
Korean fried chicken comes to this area, finally. Very moist and juicy and they cook it fresh, that means a 15-minute wait. This isn’t the very best Korean fried chicken I’ve had, but the idea is a phenomenon and if you haven’t had it before, do give it a try. It comes in regular, sweet, spicy, and herb, so far I’ve only tried the sweet.

From the company web site:

Cheogajip Chicken is one of Korea’s largest chicken franchise with 1,200 franchises in Korea.

Cheogajip Chicken has been loved by everyone for its classic, mouthwatering taste, which was developed through 17 years of experience.

Cheogajip USA was established in March of 2005 and opened its first restaurant in Annandale, Virginia in October 2005.

Soon after, in March 2006, a second restaurant was opened in Centreville, Virginia, followed by a third in Flushing, New York in April 2006.

In order to reach more customers, we are planning to expand with more restaurants throughout the East Coast this year and in the earlier part of 2007, we will spread out to the West Coast starting with Los Angeles.

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Posted in Annandale, Centreville/Manassas, Chicken, Fairfax, Korean, Virginia | 7 Comments

House of Biryani

Posted on 2007/05/05 by .

House of Biryani, 5151 Lee Highway, Arlington, 703-532-4104, 11 to 10
A hole in the wall biryani house, quite authentic, quite good. All halal, the owner is from Bangladesh. They will make it spicy if you ask. The haleem is quite soupy though still yummy. Biryani is the thing to get, goat too. This is not a perfect high quality restaurant, but if I lived nearby I would go all the time.

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Posted in Arlington, Bangladeshi | 2 Comments

Montsouris

Posted on 2007/05/03 by .

Montsouris, 2002 P Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-833-4180, closed Sundays and between lunch and dinner time. (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | MenuPages | Don Rockwell | WETA | Yelp]
CLOSED
I am skeptical about the idea of a French bistro in the United States, for obvious reasons. But in its first year this place really hit the mark. Now it is only “good.” It is mostly northern French food, including steak tartare, sausage, lentils, and salads. Good fries. The waiters we had were actually French.

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Posted in DC, Downtown, French | 2 Comments

Born Restaurant

Posted on 2007/05/01 by .

Born Restaurant, web site, 144 Maple Avenue West, Vienna, VA, 703-255-5800, closed 3 to 5 weekdays. (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [WaPo]
I dislike most suburban Thai these days. It is too sweet and too trendy. This place is different. It’s not as good as my favorites, but it’s well above average. They are still trying to give the food strong and genuine tastes. It is not as spicy as I would like, but I can go here with a clear conscience. Try the appetizers and soups. A good alternative if you are looking to eat Thai near Vienna, though don’t go expecting Thai X-ing or Columbia Pike.
This is where La Provence used to be.

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Posted in Thai, Vienna/Tysons, Virginia | 2 Comments

Zenebech Injera – A very yummy place

Posted on 2007/04/26 by .

Zenebech Injera, 608 T Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-667-4700 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [evite | Yelp]

This restaurant with two tables is now the best Ethiopian place in Washington. It is better than Adams-Morgan, better than the 9th Street row. Especially if you don’t mind hearing them grind up meat in the nearby back room.

Every dish is excellent and the flavors are simply more real. Get the raw kitfo, and you do need to ask for it spicy otherwise they will notice your possibly pale face and dumb down the food accordingly.

Oddly this place is right next to Thai X-ing, which has only one table and is the best Asian restaurant in town. DC is finally developing the right mix of high rent and low rent districts to support such entrepreneurial ventures.

Have photos? Send them to us.

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Posted in Columbia Heights/Howard University, DC, Ethiopian, The Best | 4 Comments