Peking Duck

Peking Gourmet Inn (Falls Church, VA) – http://www.pekinggourmet.com/
Recently I’ve been in the mood for duck and I’ve been eating them like there’s no tomorrow. That’s when I came across this place. I called ahead and made reservations for 7:45 pm. I finally found it in this little shopping center that’s packed with cars…if you drive a SUV consider taking a smaller car. Parking was a bit of a challenge so, I would suggest going earlier or much later (after 9 pm). My first impression of the place from the outside was “oh crap” this may be a bad idea and I hope I don’t get sick. When you first walk it you’re greeted by the hostess/host and the place seems small until you turn that corner to see the open space and the walls are covered with pictures of various people…. look like they’re in politics or the military. While reading the menu and waiting for service you won’t believe the amount of peking ducks that was being served….and they it looked GOOD! The servers wore a burgundy color jackets and the people that cut the duck for you wore white. Anyways, the duck was ordered ($38.00)…I didn’t go there to get anything else. Ask for the cucumber (if you like them) because it complements the duck, the sauce, and the spring onions. Don’t take my word for here are other reviews and post:
http://www.yelp.com/biz/peking-gourmet-inn-falls-church
http://thehill.com/asian/peking-gourmet-inn-2001-01-10.html
http://www.washingtonian.com/restaurantreviews/766.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/restaurants/peking-gourmet-inn,1114205.html

  

 

I give it a 4 out of 5 cherries

Bombay Bistro

Bombay Bistro (Fairfax, VA)-http://www.bombaybistro.com/

I found this place on Washingtonian and thought I should give it a go.  After checking out the menu I wasn’t really sure if I wanted lamb or goat curry.  While I take a few more minutes to decide, I went ahead and order the Taj Mahal (Indian beer). I asked the waiter for his opion if the lamb or goat would be better. He suggested the lamb so, I went with Lamb Rogan Josh.  Eric ordered Rava Onion Masala Dosa (crepe filled with onion and potato masala). The lamb had really good flavor but it was smaller than I thought. I actually finished the whole thing and was still a bit peckish and from what I understand the Dosa was not the greatest (apprarently there’s some place in MI that has really good Dosa). Overall the price for the amount of food was not that impressive and certainly not enough for me (the Dosa was big and was cheaper).

I give it a 3 out of 5 cherries

Ja Grill

Ja Grill (Chicago, IL)-http://www.jagrill.com/ 
After a few days downtown Chicago I’ve decide to head near Sheffield/Lincoln Park area for some food. I came across this Jamaican place. It’s a small little place and if I’m corrent they have a lounge downstairs. After reviewing the menu, my officemate decided on Jerked Catfish as a starter and I went for Curry Goat as my meal ( this came with rice/beans, cabbage/carrots, plantains and some bread) and a couple of Red Stripes (Jamacian beer).
The jerked catfish was nothing special. It was two pieces of fish…I couldn’t really tell the spices on there and it came with some dipping sauce (which was good). The dipping sauce should of been the marinate for the catfish. When the entree came everything was on one plate….I don’t usually mind my food touching each other but I wasn’t keen on having my curry mixed with cabbage, rice and plantains…if you know what I mean. Anyways, the curry was good and the goat meat (I hope it was goat meat) was tender. They also dropped some sliced pepper to make it extra spicy and man those peppers were SO HOT….Overall it was a good meal.

I give it a 2 1/2 out of 5 cherries

 

 

 

 

 

Tizi Melloul

Tizi Melloul Mediterranean Restaurant (Chicago, IL)- http://www.tizimelloul.com/
The decor is gorgeous…..reds, golds, browns.  Here’s a picture of it:

This place is a bit pricey…average about $35 per person for dinner but will worth it. To be honest I wasn’t really hungry even after walking all over Chicago (had a really late lunch…one of those 5 meats subs from Quizznos). Anyways, I ended up ordering a couple of appetizers. Fire-roasted Prince Edwards Island Mussels and Grilled Lamb Tenderlion….and Stella Artois (I would normally order the type of beer of the base on the restaurant but I really fancy stella since I haven’t had one in awhile). The mussels were so yummy and spicy. It had a light and clean taste to it. It’s served on a hot flat iron pan with harissa butter (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harissa). The mussels portion were generous as well. Next came the lamb….cooked medium (per ordered) with a special version of moussaka..it was made with potatoes and some sort of cheese…..I don’t think I have to tell you that I was “snack your mama’s mama good”. 
Now, my friend had ordered Pear Salad and the Mussels. When her salad came the pear was poached (she had this salad when she came here in Jan and it was just the regular pear. They poach it for the summer time). She was very surprise and didn’t like the taste of it. Anyways, the manager/owner (Mike) was there and he replaced with another salad that she ordered.  Our waitress (Alexis) even came over and said that we can call ahead next time and let them know when we were coming in and they would make sure to have fresh pear to make that salad for her. Mike came back over to make sure everything was okay and check on his other customer regularly. He even served them food. Not to mention that he turned the AC down when he notice that some of the us were a little cold (didn’t think we catch it, did you?).

Thanks, Tizi Melloul for the great experience….now bring out the belly dancers!

BTW-On Sunday’s for $25/person unlimitted glass of house red and white wines, an assortment of specially prepared hors d’oeuvres and belly dance performances at 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.

I give it a 5 out of 5 cherries

Tippy’s Taco House

Tippy’s Taco House (Warrenton, VA)- http://www.tippystaco.com/
Goosh, I went here for the first time a few weeks ago after a hard day of haggling at the mattress place (Mattress Authority….should I blog about that??). It was raining so I couldn’t get the mattress at the time. Figure I get something to eat…..again, after much driving around looking for a place end it up here….the FISH TACO signed may of helped in the decision making.  It’s a little place with a foosball and pool table on the left hand side as soon as you walk in.  You place your order and then just take a sit.  They also have a jukebox as well.   

I must be honest I was not sure about the fish taco. It’s made with fried cod….with shredded cabbage, pico degallo and the chipotle sauce in a soft taco shell….it was SMACK YOUR MAMMA GOOD!!!! Of course to wash all that down with a nice cold Corona.  Also tried the Guacamole taco and that’s really good as well. The guacamole tastes fresh.  Seems like they actually fried the cod once you put the order in and it’s not just sitting there under some light bulb.  

Good food, service and price.

I give it a 4 out of 5 cherries

The Woodstock Cafe and Shoppes

The Woodstock Cafe and Shoppes (Woodstock, VA)-http://www.cafeshoppes.com/index.php
I had stopped in here once about a month ago. Now if you have ever been out that way, you know there’s not much out there . This is a great find! So. if you ever get out that way or lost in that area…stop by there and say hi to the good folks.

When I first walked in, I thought they just sell coffee and muffins. It looks like a coffee shop that also sells wine…… Anyways, they actually have food as well. I ordered the Jeremy Smithfield and it came with a side salad with the house balsamic dressing. While I waited for the food, I was checking out the wine selection. They had these two bottle of wines that was called “Evil” and “Bitch”….they both were from Australia..oh, you Aussies, you. Anyways, the guy who was in charge of the wine area pointed them out and put them together and suggested that they would make a great pair as a gift for your special someone….haha. Let’s get back to the food….so, my sandwich arrives at the table (they give you this thing like Corner Bakery does so they can find you).  The pork was so tender and the combination of cheese and spicy mustard…how can you go wrong…ooohhhh soooo good!!!! I even had the salad which as amazing as well.

I addition to selling food, drinks, and wine. They also sell books (contribution goes to RESPONSE,  a charitable organization dedicated to the prevention of domestic violence and sexual assault in Shenandoah County), Antiques and Arts.

Now I won’t usually rate a place without going there a few times first but I can already tell you here that the food and the service won’t change. They take pride in who they are and what they do. Also, the price is great for the quality of food.  This truely is a great place!  So………

I give it a 5 out of 5 cherries

Pho

Phở is a traditional Vietnamese rice-noodle soup dish. Phở is served as a bowl of white rice noodles in clear beef broth, with thin cuts of beef (steak, fatty flank, lean flank, brisket). Variations featuring tendon, tripe, meatballs, chicken leg, chicken breast, or other chicken organs (heart, liver, tongue, etc.) are also available.

More information at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ph%E1%BB%9F 

Here are my thoughts on the various Pho places around this area that I’ve tried.  There are tons of Pho places around that I just can’t get to all of them but they are all pretty much the same.

Pho 75-Herndon, Va: This is the most “authentic” of all Pho places. And by authentic I mean a couple of the ”buffet” tables pushed together in the middle with a few tables on the sides for 2-4 seaters. The chopsticks already at the table along with the “pho spoon”.  Not to mention the “cock” sauce (not sure if I can say that but I really don’t know what the name of the hot sauce is….) and the hoisin sauce. The menu is simple….noodle soup and drink only and you pick the size bowl you want.  All you have to do is decide what cut of beef you want. Also, they have chicken and meatballs. You can get your food here quick, eat and leave before the hour on your lunch time is done.
Now, I’ve read some reviews of this place and they say  this place is dirty, the utensils are out and it’s not “clean”. Not sure what you’re eating (if it’s real beef?)..haha….it’s authentic. I know if you go to Thailand to get a bowl of noodles like this from the street side, it would be the same way. So, if you’re worried about that stuff then this is not the place for you. FWIW–the pho is good.

Pho 50-Falls Church, Va: This is “cleaner” than Pho 75.  They actually bring your utensils out to you after you order  : ) . They also have some appetizers as well.  They don’t really give you enough meat….

Pho 2000-Herndon, Va: I used to get the Egg noodle wontons here….ummm so good. They have a bigger selection of other food here as well.  They have Hot Pot but I have not tried it. I haven’t been there for awhile though so, I’m not sure if it’s still run by the same folks

Pho Hot-Annadale and Centreville, Va http://www.phohot.com/home.php: They just opened a new one in Centreville, Va and I must say…thank goodness.  It’s clean and the food it great….(E-sorry for suggesting the wrong thing for you) . The meat portion is good and I like that they have the different bowl size. They also have some vegetarian stuff as well. This is one of my fav pho place.

Pho Gourmet: I’m not that impress with it.  I didn’t care too much for the broth there. I don’t really recall much about it other than that.  They do have a decent vegitarian selection though and thought that looked better than what I had.

Pho Bistro: Well, the “bistro” is a good hint. I can’t really say anything bad about this place. I’m not too keen with the Pho Chicken and think the broth for that has no flavor.   The bowl comes in one size and that is big.  I must say that the steak cubs there are really good and I would go there just to get that rather than Pho.

Mojitos & Tapas

Mojitos & Tapas (Warrenton, VA)-http://www.mojitosandtapas.com/

So, I’m driving around the area feeling a bit peckish.  I had plans to have some Korean food for dinner and just wanted something “small” for lunch. I finally decided to pull in this shopping center to walk around and see if I fancy anything.  After walking around and checking out the shops…I ended up standing in front of the restaurant looking at the menu. I’m still not sure if I want to try it until this family (who was walking in for lunch) stated that “it’s good, and we eat here all the time”.  *Just a note that people around there are so nice and friendly* Alright then, I’m convinced (BTW- Thanks!!!).

I’ve decided to go with a couple of things on the tapas menu….fried calamari, baby potatoes and mojo sauce and of course the classic mojitos…*one more side note: if you want a little more kick or get drunk…try the la caipirnha. * While waiting for the food they brought out some bread and garlic and oil to munch on. The tapas were bigger than I expected and it tasted sooooo GOOD! The mojo sauce on the potatoes were an explosion of garlic and citrus juice….YUMMO.

This place seems like a good hang out spot as well.  I’m not going to put any cherries on this right now but I can already tell you it’s great.

Thai Basil

Thai Basil (Chantilly, VA)-www.thaibasilchantilly.com

This place is located in the same shopping center as the Indian place but a bit hidden away. First walking in the place look very “thai-ish” with the pictures of the King and Queen, some Thai stuff that were hung on the wall. There were a couple of ladies sitting near the register eating and chatting away. I’m not sure if they were customers or if they were staff….but there was not one else in the restaurant . Which can be worry some.  The service was really good but then again there was no one else there.

Since I was only peckish I ordered a couple of “salad” dishes (I know, I know). My first choice was the papaya salad and the other was larb gai (ground chicken salad) and the Thai beer. The waiter had gone back to put the order in and I notice that he was speaking Thai. At least that was a good start. I was not very impress with the menu selections however, they did have a separate vegetarian menu.  Also, notice on the menu that Thai hot is low than Laos hot……hmmmmm.  I just want to make a quick mention that they were playing some annoying elevator music…for those who can’t block that type of thing out. Underneath the glass on the table there were some pictures, post card, and some printed reviews. I notice that it was dated a few years back and that this place was rated above Thai Luang.  Perhaps that gave me a higher expectation. I was a bit disappointed that the food was not that great. This place seemed more “fusion” than a “Thai” restaurant.

I give it a 2 out of 5 cherries

Viet Bistro Falls Church, VA

Viet Bistro (Falls Church)-http://www.vietbistro.com/

This has been one of my fav place to go to lunch when I’m really hungry and share some Thai Style Hot Pot (sea food) with my co-worker(s) (it’s good for 2-3 people for us).  They’re located at the Eden Center near 7 corners. Keep in mind you if you go there for lunch plan to be there for at least an 1 1/2. The service is not slow but to really enjoy your hot pot, you may want to take your time to eat and chat. 

I only come a cross a little language problem as some of the staff are not familiar with some english words. But I don’t consider that as service issue. Just a little “hump” we get over.

I went there Friday night after coming back from a company picnic, driving for a few hours and shopping. So, I was ready for some serious eating and drinking a few beers. First time there for dinner and sat outside. Of course I ordered the Thai Style Hot Pot with extra dipping sauce and plate of rice noddles/Chinese watercress. Ordered a couple of “33″ beer as well.  When the food came out, the people at the next table was talking about how they should of gotten that….haha.  If you plan on sitting outside make sure you wear dark pants/trousers cause the table is one of those tables that has little holes in it and if you’re messy like me the sauce from food  will get on you.

I would say that the Thai Style Hot Pot is their specialty dish there. My rating will be based on my experience with the hot pot since I haven’t really order anything else from there.

I give it a 3 1/2 out of 5 cherries