Neisha

Posted on 2006/05/13 by .

Neisha, web site (Flash), 6037 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA, 703-933-3788, in the Culmore Center, on Rt. 7, near Bailey’s Crossroads (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]
Other locations:
7924 Tysons Corner Center, McLean, VA, 703-883-3588
4445 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 202-966-7088
Mom and pop Thai, with yuppie pretensions at the fringes. Tasty, cheap, but for me somehow not satisfying. The flavors are a little too sweet for my taste. Has started drawing some customers away from Duangrat’s.

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Posted in DC, Falls Church/Seven Corners, Other, Thai, Vienna/Tysons, Virginia | Comments Off on Neisha

Cattleya Restaurant

Posted on 2006/05/13 by .

Cattleya Restaurant, web site, 3981 Chain Bridge Road, Fairfax, VA, 703-934-8880 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [WaPo | City Paper | Yelp]
A good Thai restaurant, mom and pop in orientation, very friendly. I like best here the beef curries (not usually my favorite dish, I might add), I recommend a visit. We’re now at to the point where Fairfax proper has better dining than does Arlington!

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Benjarong

Posted on 2006/05/13 by .

Benjarong, web site, 855-C Rockville Pike, Wintergreen Shopping Center, Rockville, MD, 301-424-5533, closed Sunday lunch (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]
A very good Thai place, somewhat more expensive than most but also nicer than average and better than average.

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Posted in Maryland, Rockville/Gaithersburg, Thai | Comments Off on Benjarong

Thai Hut

Posted on 2006/05/13 by .

Thai Hut, 408 South Van Dorn Street, Alexandria, VA, 703-823-5357 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [openlist | Yelp]
Another of the Van Dorn St. entries on this list. Not fully consistent, but the peaks are high. I love the Crispy Fish in Black Bean Sauce, although the other whole fish dish is not so great. But order the fish, plus the Mee Krob and the Nam Sod, and you are in for a treat.

Cheap rents, easy parking and highway proximity have made possible places there like the Thai Hut on Van Dorn Street, where I go now to find my favorite mee krob.

“Ethnic Goes Exurban: Washington’s Sprawl, As Told Through Its Migrating Restaurants,” by Tyler Cowen, The Washington Post, September 3, 2006
Update: I believe this place is now closed.

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Ghin Na Ree

Posted on 2006/05/13 by .

Ghin Na Ree, 2509 N. Harrison St. and Lee Highway, Arlington, VA, 703-536-1643, closed Monday lunch (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [City Paper | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]
A classic mom and pop. They even let the small child have one of the tables for her toys and crayons. Charming decor, and one of the most authentic Thai places around. Is this the best Thai place in the area? No. Is it worth going anyway? Yes. Spicy.

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Posted in Arlington, Thai, Virginia | 2 Comments

Dusit

Posted on 2006/05/13 by .

Dusit, 2404 University Boulevard West, Silver Spring, MD, Wheaton, 301-949-4140 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Washingtonian | City Paper | openlist | Yelp]
Wheaton is an ethnic food center, and here is one of its Thai places. There are many Thai places in Maryland, and as far as I can tell, they are all excellent.

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Pilin

Posted on 2006/05/13 by .

Pilin, web site, 116 West Broad Street, Falls Church, VA, 703-241-5850, on Rt. 7, a tiny bit west of Rt. 29 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]
No surprises, but it delivers. Better than Tara Thai on Maple Avenue in Vienna. In any Thai place I recommend the Mee Grob.
There is a separate branch of this restaurant in the mall on Rt. 7 where Tower Records is located: 8385 Leesburg Pike, Vienna, VA, 703-556-9191 [openlist | Yelp] The Leesburg Pike branch is more of a lunch place, and not as good as Pilin, but it is certainly good enough to go to and enjoy. Cheaper and quicker as well. The place also has some Vietnamese specialties, which are good as well.

Between 1960 and 2006, the District’s population dropped from close to 800,000 to just 550,000, about 20 percent of whom live below the poverty line. High taxes, bad schools and expensive housing impelled people to leave for the suburbs, taking their businesses with them. Immigrants also began following the new opportunities — settling outside the city. During the same period, Tysons Corner went from a cow patch to a bunch of auto dealerships to a first-tier shopping and business center. Small wonder that would-be restaurateurs such as Nat Kittayapifon, the manager at Pilin, chose Tysons over the District. “We were the first Thai restaurant in Fairfax County 17 years ago,” he remembers. “Now I can count 10 on my fingers with no problem.”

“Ethnic Goes Exurban: Washington’s Sprawl, As Told Through Its Migrating Restaurants,” by Tyler Cowen, The Washington Post, September 3, 2006

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Suporn

Posted on 2006/05/13 by .

Suporn, web site, 2304 Price Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, 301-946-7613 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | Yelp]
One of the best Thai places around, it has real bite. Thai food is going the way of Chinese food, where most restaurants have the same menu and same taste. Not this one. Most of the dishes sound ordinary but don’t be put off by that.

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Posted in Maryland, Silver Spring, Thai, The Best | Comments Off on Suporn

Duangrat’s

Posted on 2006/05/13 by .

Duangrat’s, web site, 5878 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA, near Bailey’s Crossroads, 703-820-5775, usually open (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]

Gourmet Thai at reasonable prices. The ruling Thai restaurant in this area. There is another branch of the same restaurant, with a slightly different menu, right next door, called Rabieng’s. Has more modern decor than Duangrat’s, but fewer offerings, although I am told you can still order off the Duangrat’s menu. It used to be that every dish here was great, then for a while it turned spottier. Now it has been reinvigorated. It remains not fully consistent but the best dishes are better than ever and the menu is more innovative than ever before. The weekend “Thai tapas” are especially fun. Go, and go often.

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Posted in Falls Church/Seven Corners, Thai, The Best, Virginia | 2 Comments

Al-Khartoum Restaurant

Posted on 2006/05/13 by .

Al-Khartoum Restaurant, 1782 Florida Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 202-986-5031 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [zabihah | Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | openlist | Yelp]
Oilier than it needs to be, and not a huge menu. But where else are you going to get Sudanese food? The tastes are unique and also pretty good, start with the fava beans and the okra. Draws a cool crowd.

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