What are your absolute "must-eats" in NOVA?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Taqueria Poblano: great fish tacos, tostadas, and margaritas with fresh lime juice.

If you're willing to journey to Springfield, Afghan Kabob is very good.

I hate fish tacos, but Taqueria el Poblano is so good!

[Anonymous]

Mark's Duck House for dim sum, or peking duck

4 Sisters - I like the clay pot pork, but really everything is good

Drinks at Trio Grill

Banh mi at the place on 50 and Graham, by the old Loehmans Plaza

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mark's Duck House for dim sum, or peking duck

4 Sisters - I like the clay pot pork, but really everything is good

Drinks at Trio Grill

Banh mi at the place on 50 and Graham, by the old Loehmans Plaza

I hate going to 4 Sisters at the new location. Too much traffic/parking congestion at the Mosaic. It is hell! I like the old location at Eden Center. There are still lots of very good Vietnamese restaurants at Eden Center.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only must eats in nova are....I got nothing.

Annandale has the best Korean food in the country. Better than NY and better than SF. That is the definition of "must eat."

Nope, not better than LA sorry!

Maybe true, still the BonChon Chicken Annandale is the bomb.

[Anonymous]

The lamb chops at Nostos.

[Anonymous]

Ossie rolls from Great American Restaurants, baked at Best Buns in Shirlington

Korean fried chicken at Chi-Mc Chicken and Beer in Annandale

Bulgogi at Yechon or Honey Pig in Annandale

Chocolate at Swiss Bakery in Springfield (Braddock Rd and Port Royal Rd plaza); they also have incredible ice cream!

Chicken at El Pollo Rico in Arlington

Chicken at Edy's Chicken and Steak in Bailey's Crossroads; they also make great chicken and steak sandwiches

Pizza at Valentino's in Alexandria, at North Beauregard St near 236

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NOVA and "Must eats" in the same sentence? I've never heard that one before!

That's because you are stuck in the LAST CENTURY!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ossie rolls from Great American Restaurants, baked at Best Buns in Shirlington

Korean fried chicken at Chi-Mc Chicken and Beer in Annandale

Bulgogi at Yechon or Honey Pig in Annandale

Chocolate at Swiss Bakery in Springfield (Braddock Rd and Port Royal Rd plaza); they also have incredible ice cream!

Chicken at El Pollo Rico in Arlington

Chicken at Edy's Chicken and Steak in Bailey's Crossroads; they also make great chicken and steak sandwiches

Pizza at Valentino's in Alexandria, at North Beauregard St near 236


I wish I liked Korean food because there are so many of them in NoVa but it doesn't do anything for me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ossie rolls from Great American Restaurants, baked at Best Buns in Shirlington

Korean fried chicken at Chi-Mc Chicken and Beer in Annandale

Bulgogi at Yechon or Honey Pig in Annandale

Chocolate at Swiss Bakery in Springfield (Braddock Rd and Port Royal Rd plaza); they also have incredible ice cream!

Chicken at El Pollo Rico in Arlington

Chicken at Edy's Chicken and Steak in Bailey's Crossroads; they also make great chicken and steak sandwiches

Pizza at Valentino's in Alexandria, at North Beauregard St near 236

I wish I liked Korean food because there are so many of them in NoVa but it doesn't do anything for me.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Oh for sure sandwiches at Italian Store in Arlington

Nooo...

Agreed. Blech! I never understood all of the fuss about this place (And I am Italian). The bread they use is tasteless and soggy and the meats are no better than what you buy at a grocery store deli counter. Then, they slap on some onions, oil, and peppers and call it an Italian sub. And they charge you $10.00 for a small sandwich. They have no competition though, and this is probably the only reason for the hype.

If you're from Italy and expecting it to replicate something from home, you've missed the point of Italian Store. It has a title competition now, but it is one of only a few non-big chain sandwich shops.

NP. I don't think Italians eat Italian subs like this, moron.

Another NP. Then maybe the Italian Store isn't the right place for someone looking for authentic food??

As an Italian American who grew up in an area with many great Italian restaurants/delis, the Italian Store isn't perfect, but it's the best nearby in this area.

Italian American and Italian are two different cuisines. Totally different. My mother cried when we found out we were moving to Italy because she didn't like American Italian.....she loves Northern Italian (regional) food. That said, when I saw some place called "the Italian Store", I thought it was an import shop and got excited. When I saw what it was I turned around and left. There is a little place called "The deli" in the K-Mart Shopping plaza in Herndon has really good Italian subs!!

We tried The Deli and were terribly underwhelmed. The search continues!

Litteri's. Red Apron also has a pretty solid Italian-style sub.

This, but it's not in NOVA. It's in DC. It's where my Italian father (born and raised there) shops. Italian Store is okay and has some imported stuff and is much more convenient if you live in NOVA. There just aren't many Italians or even Italian-Americans in this area, so not many shops catering to them. My brother lives in NYC and makes an annual pilgrimage to Arthur Avenue in the Bronx once a year before the holidays and brings home bread, cheese, and sausage. Yum.

[Anonymous]

Speaking of Korean food, where can I get the best jjajangmyun?

[Anonymous]

Pretzels from Swiss Bakery

Namaste and Aditi for Indian food.

Baytna for Middle-Eastern fast casual.

[Anonymous]

Seriously, with all the money in Northern Virginia, why are the dining options so mediocre?

It's the thing I miss most about living in the city.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mark's Duck House for dim sum, or peking duck

4 Sisters - I like the clay pot pork, but really everything is good

Drinks at Trio Grill

Banh mi at the place on 50 and Graham, by the old Loehmans Plaza

I hate going to 4 Sisters at the new location. Too much traffic/parking congestion at the Mosaic. It is hell! I like the old location at Eden Center. There are still lots of very good Vietnamese restaurants at Eden Center.

Yes, DC Bahn Mi! So good (and cheap).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Seriously, with all the money in Northern Virginia, why are the dining options so mediocre?

It's the thing I miss most about living in the city.

Because for all the money in NOVA, lots of people in NOVA don't have that much money. Also, lots of people, unable to find their ideal cuisine, give up and accept mediocrity.