Sweet Ginger @ Vienna, VA – 11/03/17
#ThePlace
Where: Sweet Ginger
When: 11/03/17
Who Picked: Eric
This week we went to Sweet Ginger, a Japanese/Asian restaurant in Vienna. This was definitely made for an interesting combination on the menu. They featured both Thai and Sushi dishes.
#TheFood
We split the Peking Duck Roll appetizer. This duck roll consisted of some crispy duck pieces with a flaky roll. It was delicious and very rich. This was some true comfort food. Perfect size for two people to split.
Nick went with the lunch Bento box special with Sashimi. A small salad and bowl of Miso soup were brought out with the appetizer. The box came two shrimp tempura and three pieces of vegetable tempura, a ball of rice, three pieces of California roll, six pieces of Sashmi, a gyoza, and what I believe to be two pieces of fried tofu.
Eric went with Bento box special with Sushi. This box included the same Miso soup and salad which were nice. The bento box itself included two tempura shrimp and three tempura vegtables, rice, gyoza/tofu w/ dipping sauce, a three piece california roll, and four pieces of sushi. This seemed like a pretty good value for lunch and everything was very good. Eric especially enjoyed the tempura and gyoza.
#NoRegrets
#Decor
The decor was appropriate for a sushi/asian restaurant.
#TotalBill
The bill was ~$15 each before tip.
#OurRating
| Nick | |
| Eric |
Lei’d Hawaiian Poke @ Tysons Corner, VA – 10/20/17
#ThePlace
Where: Lei’d Hawaiian Poke
When: 10/20/17
Who Picked: Nick
This week we went to a newer establishment in the Tyson’s Corner area, which is a fast casual take on one of the newest food crazes, Poke. Lei’d has enough seating for ~40-50 people and it was packed when we went at noon, with the line snaking around the seating area.
#TheFood
Nick went with a large bowl with nacho chips and green tea soba noodles. The large bowl gives 3 scoop of protein and Nick selected 2 of the Get Lei’d tuna and 1 of the sriracha aioli tuna. There were plenty of choices of toppings and Nick got the pineapple, jalapeño, masago, ginger, and wasabi tempura crunch. Everything went together nicely and the chips were an interesting pairing for the poke. The difference in flavor of the two sauces was just subtle enough to notice.
Eric went with the regular bowl with half rice and half chips with two scoops of Tuna. Eric got the Classic Shoyu Tuna and the Wasabi Cilantro Aioli Tuna. There were a ton of choices to put on top, Eric had no clue what most of them were. He ended up getting some ginger, cucmber, masago, sesame seeds, and crunchy bits. The flavors on the tuna were subtle and not overpowering. The chips were good but a little more delicate than a typical nacho, more like a fried wanton wrapper. Overall it was a good value from some quality Tuna Poke.
#NoRegrets
#Decor
The decor was appropriate for a Hawaiian themed restaurant. The area for the line was not large enough though, it ended up wrapping around the restaurant at the peak of the rush. This restaurant seemed like it could use a larger space assuming the popularity remains high.
#TotalBill
The bill was ~$15 for the large bowl and the regular bowl was ~$12. The restaurant accepts credit cards.
#OurRating
| Nick | |
| Eric |
Pasa Thai Restaurant @ McLean, VA – 10/6/17
#ThePlace
Where: Pasa Thai Restaurant
When: 10/6/17
Who Picked: Eric
This week we chose a place in Mclean which was closer to Eric’s new work location. The waitstaff here were all very friendly, we had at least 2 different people wait on us. One of the waiters even complimented Nick on his fire TV-static sneakers. We decided to get the spring roll appetizer which did not disappoint. These had a good crunch and very subtle flavors. The dipping sauce was very mild.
#TheFood
Nick went with the chicken Pasa Thai Green Curry and asked for them to spice it up a bit. The curry had a nice flavor to it and it was nice to get something other than the drunken noodles at a Thai restaurant. It wasn’t too spicy, but was a nice amount if you aren’t a fan of spicy foods. Nick would have liked a bit more spice, but overall it was a nice change of pace.
Eric went with Pad See Ew. This is the dish his wife always gets and he is always jealous that he didn’t get it. This dish tasted exactly how a pad see ew should, hot soft noodles, crunchy vegetables, and savory chicken pieces. It was a good sized portion for lunch.
#NoRegrets
#Decor
We chose to sit outside since the weather was so nice. The table and seating area were nice. We did not get to see the interior.
#TotalBill
The bill was ~$15 each before tip. The restaurant accepts credit cards.
#OurRating
| Nick | |
| Eric |
Kohinoor Dhaba Food Truck @ Crystal City Food Truck Thursday – 9/28/17
#ThePlace
Where: Kohinoor Dhaba Food Truck – @kohinoor_kulvir
When: 9/28/2017
Who Picked: Eric & Nick
This will be the last update for us from Crystal City Food Truck Thursdays as Eric is off to a new job next week, and we were fortunate enough to have some new trucks to pick from this week. We both chose the Kohinoor Dhaba truck, based out of a restaurant that we had previously gone to (also called Kohinoor Dhaba) for the all you can eat lunch buffet, which was excellent. If you are in Crystal City, definitely stop by that restaurant if you like Indian. It’s the definition of hole-in-the-wall. You feel like you are walking into someone’s apartment, but do not let that fool you, they really bring the flavor with their delicious food. It’s just across Jeff Davis and through a sketchy parking lot.
#TheFood
Nick got the lamb curry which was piled on some rice with sides of spinach and chick peas. A good sized Naan bread was also included. The lamb curry was well seasoned and tender, the chick peas were cooked perfectly, and the spinach puree looked awful but tasted great. The Naan was warmed up provided good cleanup for the sauce left in the container. The food was all delicious and the portion size provided great bang for your buck.
Eric got the Butter Chicken which came with rice, chickpeas, creamed spinach, and some Naan bread. Most of the chicken was tender with a few pieces that were a little over cooked. The curry was rich and delicious. The creamed spinach was ok, a little too mushy for Eric. The star of this dish was the chickpeas, they were awesome. Eric felt super full after this as it was a ton of food for lunch.
#NoRegrets
#TotalBill
The bill was just over $10 each. The truck accepts credit cards.
#OurRating
| Nick | |
| Eric |
Hill Country Barbeque Market @ Washington DC – 9/22/17
#ThePlace
Where: Hill Country Barbeque Market – @HillCountryBBQ
When: 9/22/2017
Who Picked: Nick
We decided to make our first trek into DC as Eric will be starting a new job soon that would make it more difficult for us to meet there. Nick thought that Hill Country Barbeque Market would be a great choice for our first trip to DC.
#TheFood
Nick went with one of the Pitmaster Specials, the Cue and 2, which gives a choice of two meats and two sides with an order of cornbread. Nick got the moist brisket and a Kreuz jalapeño cheese sausage link with baked beans and corn pudding. The sausage links are flown in from Kreuz Market in Texas and the baked beans have burnt ends. The brisket was melt in your mouth tender and the sausage had some nice spice and crunch to it. Both sides were excellent and whatever was added to the whipped butter with the cornbread provided a nice extra bit of flavor.
Eric went with the Cue and 1 since he is a lightweight, that included a choice of meat, 2 sides, and some cornbreads. Eric got the moist brisket with Bourbon Sweet Potato Mash and the coleslaw. The addition of the coarse salt and pepper mix at the table took this brisket to the next level. As you can see, the fat soaked through the paper, delicious. Eric tried a bit of the sauces which were on the table but decided just good old salt and pepper was the way to go. The sweet potato mash was good as was the coleslaw. The honey butter brought the cornbread to the next level.
#Regrets
Nick would have liked to get the Cue and 3 to try the smoked turkey. #Savage
#Decor
The decor at Hill Country was very appropriate for a BBQ joint, lots of rustic finished wood, chalk boards, Texas ferever, etc. 10/10
#TotalBill
The Cue and 2 was just over $24. The Cue and 1 was $15. The restaurant accepts credit cards.
#OurRating
| Nick | |
| Eric |
Shawarma Gyro Xpress @ Arlington, VA – 9/8/2017
#ThePlace
Where: Shawarma Gyro Xpress
When: 9/8/2017
Who Picked: Eric
This week we had to check out the buzz around the corner from the office. The choice was made purely based on it opening recently and it being owned by the same people that own the kabob places near by.
#TheFood
Eric got the Falafel platter with pickled turnips, pickled cucumber (aka pickles), fattush salad, and a side of fries. This also came with a Tahini sauce and pita. The falafels were tasty but had a super crispy exterior, which made it very challenging to cut through with the plastic cutlery. Eric likes super crunchy so he enjoyed it, Nick tried one and it was too crunchy for his liking. They had good flavor but were a little dry, which kinda comes with the territory of falafels, nothing the tahini sauce couldn’t help with though. The pickled vegtables were fine as was the fattush salad. The pita and tahini were great as were the crispy french fries. This ended up being a little too much food for Eric since he is a lightweight. Overall the food was good, homemade though…
Nick got the chicken shawarma sandwich with french fries and a bit of pickled vegetables. The chicken was wrapped up with lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles in a pita bread and toasted on a panini press. The seasoning on the chicken was nice and the fries were fresh and crispy. The side of garlic sauce was great for dipping both the wrap and fries in. The bottom line here is that the food was pretty good, but the service was pretty bad.
#Regrets
As mentioned, the service here was terrible. Our orders took over 20 minutes even though there was no one in the restaurant when we arrived, not a great start for a restaurant going for fast-casual. We watched two people who came in after us get their orders before us. The people working here brought us the wrong food in a to go bag even though we both had buzzers. They seemed very confused when we told them it was not ours. They also forgot Eric’s fries and were also confused when he told them this. On our way out, someone who appeared to work there asked us how it was. He offered up an excuse for the bad service which he seemed to be aware of.
#Decor
The decor in this place was pretty awesome, nice and bright and lots of colors. It was a little confusing that there was a fro-yo in the back, we are not really sure how that works.
#TotalBill
Both orders were $11 after tax. The restaurant accepts credit cards.
#OurRating
| Nick | |
| Eric |
Fava Pot @ Crystal City Food Truck Thursday – 9/7/17
#ThePlace
Where: Fava Pot Food Truck – @FavaPot
When: 9/7/2017
Who Picked: Eric & Nick
#TheFood
Nick went with the Kofta Platter, a combination of ground beef and lamb patties, salad, hummus, roasted potatoes, and a pita. The Kofta was well seasoned, though it was a bit dry, but the included Tahini sauce helped alleviate this. The roasted potatoes were tremendous, especially the pieces that had been “extra roasted” with a darker coloring. It was almost as if they were caramelized, and honestly they were some of the best potatoes I have ever had.
Eric went with the Grilled Chicken platter which was actually half a grilled Cornish hen, marinated in yogurt, olive oil, sumac, garlic & lemon, served with salad, roasted potatoes or rice, hummus, pita topped with za’atar and olive oil, topped with tomya sauce. He went with the roasted potatoes which turned out to be the best decision that was made all day. The Cornish hen was amazingly tender and moist with a crazy amount of flavor going on. The salads and pita were good, as was the hummus. The co-star of this dish with the Cornish hen were definitely the potatoes, OMG, these potatoes were the best potatoes I have ever had out of a food truck. Scratch that, best potatoes ever. Some of the potato pieces got a little extra char which sort of caramelized them and gave them a really good crunchy, chewy, full of flavor goodness. Word must have gotten out about these potatoes, by the time our coworker Kristi went over to get some a little later during lunch, they were out…you’ve been warned, go early if you want potatoes…and trust us, you do.
#Regrets
Not getting more potatoes to go. Not getting the “Jumbo Little Bit of Everything”. These people do some seriously great stuff with food and I can’t wait to visit their restaurant in Falls Church. Fava Pot – Google Maps
#TotalBill
Total was just over $11 for the chicken and just over $13 for the Kofta. The truck accepts credit cards.
#OurRating
| Nick | |
| Eric |
Miami Vice Burgers @ Crystal City Food Truck Thursday – 8/31/17
#ThePlace
Where: Miami Vice Burgers Food Truck – @Miamiviceburger
When: 8/31/2017
Who Picked: Eric & Nick
We were back at it for Food Truck Thursday this week as we were both back at the office. We had the usual options with newcomer Miami Vice Burgers, a great choice on a nice summer day.
#TheFood
Nick went with the Spicy Bacon Burger which was topped with bacon, jalapeño jack cheese, jalapeño relish, cilantro sour cream, and half of a jalapeño pepper. The jalapeño triple threat provided a good balance of heat and flavor while neither component of the cilantro sour cream was overpowering. The burger was cooked to a nice medium rare and the brioche bun kept everything in place.
Eric got the Sonny’s Burger which had guacamole, grilled onion, jalapeño relish, cilantro sour cream, a sunny side up egg, and sharp cheddar on a brioche bun. We also split a sweet potato fries because they are the bomb. The burger was very juicy and had a lot going on on top. The egg was fully cooked, so it wasn’t too messy. The jalapeño gave it the slightest kick but was not overpowering. Our food came out pretty quick which was a nice touch.
#NoRegrets
#Decor
It doesn’t get any more Miami Vice than this truck. I’m putting the picture again just because the truck looks so awesome in it. It seriously looks like we could have been in Miami!
#TotalBill
The bill was just under $9 for just a burger and …. for the burger and fries. The truck accepts credit cards.
#OurRating
| Nick | |
| Eric |
Brooklyn Signature Sandwich Food Truck @ Crystal City Food Truck Thursday – 8/17/17
#ThePlace
Where: Brooklyn The Signature Sandwich
When: 8/17/2017
Who Picked: Eric & Nick
This update come a bit late as we were off to a wedding the next day and have been busy with other things until now. This was another great food truck Thursday in Crystal City. Lots of trucks and people came out this week.
#TheFood
Nick got the pulled pork Cuban, which was a well executed combination of two great sandwiches. The meat to bread ratio was a little off for my preferences but the flavors were good. The seasoned fries were a nice touch to round out the lunch.
Eric got the Brisket Bulgogi Sandwich with fries. The sandwich had great flavor and lots of cheese. The panini press gave it a great crunch on the outside and the cheese was not too melty.
#NoRegrets
#TotalBill
The bill was just under $10 each. The truck accepts credit cards.
#OurRating
| Nick | |
| Eric |
Clare & Don’s Beach Shack @ Falls Church, VA – 8/11/2017
#ThePlace
Where: Clare & Don’s Beach Shack
When: 8/11/2017
Who Picked: Nick
This week Nick chose Clare & Don’s Beach Shack. Nick really enjoyed the smell of the napkins.
We got an order of the hush puppies to split. They came with a melted butter dipping sauce which was awesome.
Since fish & chips was on the menu, Eric had to order it. This was not your typical fish and chips with a thick piece of white fish, this was more like a filet of flounder or fluke beer battered and fried. A little fishier that your regular fish and chips, but still good. The crinkle cut fries were a nice touch and had good flavor and seasoning. The tartar sauce was just OK, it did not have a lot of flavor.
Nick went with the Don’s Don, a burger covered in a shrimp scampi sauce. The shrimp were on the small side and the sauce was a bit runnier than he would have liked, but it had good flavor overall. The crinkle cut fries did a good job of mopping up the sauce that dripped off the burger. The burger was more on the well done side when medium was requested and there was a serious case of tiny bun syndrome.
#Regrets
None
#Decor
The decor was very good and really made you feel like you were on the beach.
#TotalBill
The bill was $12 each before tip. Credit cards are accepted.
#OurRating
| Nick | |
| Eric |
About Author
ERIC
#Like Bacon, Colesaw, Vietnamese Ice Coffee, Low/Medium Spicy #Dislike Pickled beets #WordsToLiveBy If Fish & Chips is on the menu, I have to try it.
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