Bob & Edith's Diner

There has been something missing all these years since I returned to Northern Virginia. It is a pain that stems from a missing piece from my collective culinary memory. The diner. The no frills, great home-style inexpensive food diner.

When living in the south, you see them everywhere. The no fuss no muss country fried dining options. They are not the healthiest choices, but oh so delicious. They are the kind of places that are opened late, or even 24 hours. Basic black coffee and waitresses that call you sugar. No I am not being sexist, so do not even start.

I had my favorite back there, in Charlotte. A wonderful Greek owned establishment called Sunrise, excuse me while I hush all the groans coming from my friends and family. They have heard of this place nonstop since my return. 

I noticed something when I came back to the DMV, these sorts of small local diners were nowhere to be found. The streets were an endless vista of Cheesecake Factories, Outback Steakhouse, and Red Lobsters. This is one of the main reasons I started this blog. I wanted the world to see those little places still left fighting the good fight.

It seems there are still a few rebels out there amongst the Chipotles. Bob and Edith’s Diner in Arlington is one. There menu small, inexpensive, and drool causing. They have breakfast 24 hours a day. You may laugh, but in my younger years, during the summers I would get together with a friend or two and off we would go to a 24 hour diner for coffee and convo. This is a very fond memory.

I have been there once, but it was delicious, all of it. Here is my run down. Country fried steak with homemade mashed potatoes and gravy, check. Garden salad and key lime pie, check and check. I can also say the French fries were habit forming as I discovered after hijacking one, or two, or five off my hubby’s plate.

I loved this joint, it was small, sparsely decorated, but bursting with character. A lot of that came from the awesome servers/employees there that night. Luis (gosh I hope I remember that correctly, I am a moron at remembering names) and Tom were both awesome. Full of smiles and willing to share. It was just the 2 of them serving the entire diner, and never a drop of sweat did I see. They really liked being there, and it showed. 

Recently I have seen a recurrence of the food truck, maybe diners will see a resurgence as well. Until that time, B&E will see my patronage many more times to come.

Contact Information

2310 Columbia Pike
Arlington, VA 22204

(703) 920-6103

http://www.bobandediths.com

Hibachi Sushi Supreme Buffet

Here is a little secret. I am not a foodie. I am one who enjoys  food that tastes good, regardless of the source. One of my weaknesses is the Chinese buffet, but not just any kind. When I lived in Charlotte I was spoiled by a buffet there called Buffet Dynasty. The food was high quality and there were many new dishes not commonly seen in typical Americanized buffets. There is where I tried my 1^st char siu noodle soup. Pure heaven and impossible to find.

I digress. Many people who call themselves foodies would never want to go to any buffet. I think great food can come from anywhere, and pretentiousness is what I like least when it comes to cuisine.

Now for the purpose of my blog article today, Hibachi Sushi Supreme Buffet. The sign caught my eye whilst driving down Clopper Rd in Gaithersburg, I swore I would check it out. I checked it out alright, and returned the next week to check it again. 

Let me say this is the place if you are a steamed crab fanatic like I am. I was floored by the size of crabs they had on the bar. They were not breaded and fried pieces you tend to see at buffets, but whole steamed and seasoned. As a crab expert, I can tell you these are some of the best I have had.

The crabs are great, but it is not the only thing HSSB has going. There are many taste worthy items there. Do not let the name fool you, there is not really hibachi here, more a Mongolian Grill, and it is pretty good, but not why I come.

There is a wide assortment of authentic dim sum, including chicken feet, if you enjoy this treat. There is bao, among others. They have interesting items like cuttlefish, and the Korean galbi, like steak or short ribs, is amazingly delicious. Along this line of carneferific delights, their BBQ ribs are the best I have had at a Chinese buffet.

Seafood is where their treasure lies. They have boiled seasoned shrimp that are monstrous as well as some of the best salt and pepper shrimp to ever tip toe across my tongue. There are even delicious Chinese greens, like Chinese kale or mustard greens.

The sushi bar is huge and provides an assortment of rolls, even sashimi. I tried the raw clam and was pleasantly surprised by the mild flavor. I admit I am not as schooled in the world of sushi, and even I was impressed. 

The desserts are lovely. There is an interesting mix of American desserts with some traditional thrown in, like the sesame balls with sweet bean paste. Very yummy. There is also a freezer that dispenses frozen treats like ice cream bars fruit pops, and ice cream sandwiches. 

Most importantly, the staff is very friendly. They truly want you there. There may be some language barriers, but do not let that blind you to the fact that they really try to make your stay a memorable one. Mine have been.

Contact Information:

28 Bureau Dr
Gaithersburg, MD 20878

(301) 208-7305

Ann's Soul Food ~ Stafford, VA

One of my favorite things in the whole wide world is finiding the diamond ring in the sand when you were not even looking.  Today I had a diamond ring moment. 

Whilst driving down route 1 one afternoon I was scoping the area for good eats. I wanted something new, a place I had not already tried. Most places were not restaurants in this part of the highway, and I did not see the sign for Ann’s Soul Food till we zipped right on by. It was small, and unassuming. The only proof that good ol country cooking resided inside was that sign. For true soul food, we needed to turn around,  it is not something you usually see in these parts. 

Upon entering the dining area, I had the immediate sensation of entering someone’s home. The kitchen was open, so we spent our time talking with Ann and a family friend working the counter (I apologize for not getting her name) as if we were old friends. 

I had my sidekick with me on this culinary adventure, my husband. He ordered the fried chicken, and I decided on the pigs feet with mac and cheese and cabbage. First thing I knew for sure was that everything was handmade, the second was all the recipes were passed down from Mama. No air conditioning, so the restaurant door stood wide open. There were regulars sitting outside conversing and gospel music playing over the radio. This is the real deal.

Décor was a collection of furniture pieces scrounged together. I have read other reviewers who talk about the shabbiness of the building, but this is the experience. I did not want a place any shinier than that, for that would be the façade. What Ann is giving you is not a show, but food prepared with love. 

This is not Cracker Barrel (Thank goodness). If it were, then there would be nothing to separate it from the pack of boring cookie cutter food establishments. Everything I was served was fantastic. The pigs feet had great flavor, as did the mac and cheese and cabbage. The corn bread was just sweet enough, and the fried chicken is worth driving to Stafford for sure (The best fried chicken I can remember having in a long long time). There are certain cuisines that are about the food, but also the experience. Everything about Ann’s was the perfect experience to me. I would change nothing.

Contact Information:

3349 Jefferson Davis Highway

Stafford, VA 

(540) 288-1806

My Apologies

I wanted to apologize to my readers for this long hiatus. I have so many irons in the fire that is can be difficult to keep up. I do have a review of a wonderful soul food place (yes your read correctly) down in Stafford VA. Check back soon.

A & J Authentic Chinese ~ Rockville, MD

If you have not already taken notice of a trend in the restaurants I often frequent, I am a lover of all Asian cuisine. The best thing about living in the DC metro area is all the wonderful options we have available to us. In reality, we take it for granted. Never did I realize this more than when I was visiting my in laws in blue collar town, and they were happy they had found one decent Chinese, Mexican, and Afghani restaurant. Here in DC, the options are endless.

I had been hearing whispers of this authentic Chinese dim sum joint with a very unusual name. A & J’s is located in Rockville and Annandale. Very small with spartan décor, this is a place for hard core enthusiasts of real Chinese cuisine. I went there with the explicit plan of trying a multitude of dishes, which here is easy to do since they are small plates at inexpensive prices. Dim sum is like Spanish tapas.

My choices were thus:  
       

• Wonton soup Shanghai Style (Ground pork and vegetable wonton)   
• Chinese style fried pork chop on rice
• Braised pork on rice with a braised egg
• Pan-fried pork dumplings/potstickers
• Steamed pork bun
• Steamed beef dumpling 
• Steamed pork hock with special seasonings
• Cucumber salad in hot garlic sauce
• Sliced pork ears with hot spiced seasoning

Wow, that was porkerific. Chinese food does center a lot around pork. If you have special dietary needs, such as keeping Kosher, this place would probably not be the most satisfying.

The wonton soup was OK. The wontons themselves were fabulous, the broth was a bit eh. I could not quite tell you what was off about the broth itself. ALL of the dumplings/potsticker/buns were truly amazing. If Chinese dumplings are your thing, then A & J is your new mistress.

The braised pork with braised egg was also yummy. The egg was the most surprising, as I have never had one before. It was brown in color, but do not let this deter you. It tastes like a hard boiled egg, period. I was also thrilled with the pork hock. Subtle nuances of flavor swimming in a well seasoned broth. The meat and skin perfection.

Another surprise was the cucumber salad. This was, in my opinion, the only spicy item on my plate. I did not order this, they simply brought over a serving for me to taste. I have never tried cucumbers this crisp. The sauce was spicy, but fresh with subtle sweet undertones. Their plan to hook me on this item definitely worked.

By far, the only really disappointing item was the pigs ear. I was hoping for chewiness, but they sliced them in a way that the cartlidge was present in every bite, and it was served cold. I am sure it is a perfect example of the dish, it was just not what I expected. 

This is the kind of place you go to to step outside your comfort zone and try new flavors. You will find that once you start stretching your palate, you want to do it again and again until the ordinary no longer feeds your cravings. What fun can be had when that happens….

Contact Information:

1319 Rockville Pike (The location I ate at)
Ste C
Rockville, MD 20852

(301) 251-7878

4316 Markham St
Annandale, VA 22003

(703) 813-8181

Link to images of the menu

Huong Viet ~ Falls Curch, VA

Saturday night, decision made, I am off to the mecca of all things vietnamese in good ol Falls Church VA. Visited by individuals like Anthony Bordain of the TV show No Reservations. I have wanted to try a restaurant there for some time. I decided on Huong Viet based on reviews from former patrons.

The first thing that caught my attention was the place was hopping, a grand mixture of Vietnamese and American diners.The next were the many, many, many accolades from local and not so local publications. Awards from Washingtonian magazine each year from 2006-2011. 

All of this pales in comparison to the delicious food of which I am about to partake. I was really excited about this place, so in my typical fashion, I over ordered. To start I ordered the spring rolls (w/ Ground Pork, Crab Meat & Shrimp), and a small bowl of pho (Awesome traditional Vietnamese noodle soup). If you have never tried pho (Fu, like the first part of a very naughty word, see demonstration here) run out right now, well after reading my review, and get some.

 The spring rolls were surprising. Not at all like the Chinese versions I have had. Filled almost exclusively with pork and crabmeat with very little filler. The outside seemed almost battered and fried. Absolutely DELICIOUS. As wonderful as they were, the pho was above and beyond. Sensuously aromatic herbal spicy goodness in a bowl. The noodles were good too, but that broth. It was cold outside, but my tummy was warm and happy.

For the final act I ordered the BÚN THỊT NƯỚNG – Rice Vermicelli with Grilled Pork. This dish demonstrated perfectly the freshness that permiates all Vietnamese food. A simple bowl of plain rice noodle covered with delicously sweet grilled pork. This is served over fresh lettuce and other vegetables. What finishes this dish if the spiced fish sauce you pour over, along with other condiments like siracha sauce for zing. The flavor simple yet complex and fresh. Pleasure personified.

Another thing of note, they are very fast in delivery. This is not European style dining. They must have a fairy godmother in back doing the cooking, cause it was very impressive. This means good things for the mid day work lunch. You can easily get in and out in less than an hour, and be gratefully satisfied.

Another note, no credit cards. Bring cash. They do accept checks, as I found out <blush>, but the ritual of wrting out the check was humiliation enough to swear I will always have cash when I dine here. Yes, I will be back. 

Contact Information

Huong Viet Restaurant
6785 Wilson Blvd
Falls Church , VA 22044
Phone: 703-538-7110
E-Mail: postmaster@huong-viet.com

Website: http://www.huong-viet.com

El Manantial ~ Reston, VA

A small cozy European restaurant tucked away in a sleepy shopping center in Reston, VA. A mixture of French, Spanish, and Italian cuisines, it is an undiscovered gem to many in the area. 

I went there for a romantic supper with the hubby, and my 1^st thought was how open and inviting the layout was, especially the kitchen. I wanted to just go in, roll my sleeves up, and get to work. Naturally, I quelled this desire.

The walls were painted with scenic Mediterranean landscapes (which I believe were hand painted), the lights were dimmed for the evening’s amorous crowd. From the menu, I was very torn between three seafood items. In my experience, I only find exceptional fish at fine dining establishments, and will only order it there. Fish is a delicate medium. You cannot be heavy handed or inexperienced. It is one of the easiest ingredients to completely destroy.

My perplexing decision tonight was between the Dover sole (Pan fried whole Dover sole, served boneless, served w/ lemon butter & white wine sauce), the barramundi (Australian mild white fish, semi boneless & stuffed w/ crabmeat), and the seafood paella (steamed rice in saffron w/ shrimp, mussels, clams, squid and monkfish).

When I am in this sort of conundrum, I rely on the experts to steer me in the best direction. In this case the expert, our server, was Raoul. Raoul is one of the shining beacons that make fine dining worth the cost. He listened carefully to what I was interested in and provided well thought out and planned advice. “Will you be having the soup?” He asked. “Tonight it is lobster bisque.” That is a vigorous affirmative. With that combination, he recommended the barramundi. Off we go.

Lobster bisque, a creamy flavorful liquid concoction only made better by the crusty French bread endlessly supplied. It was one of those soothing moments like sitting next to a roaring fire on a snowy evening.

Shortly after, the main event arrived. The barramundi was regally displayed and dressed to the nines. As beautiful as it was, it could not compare to the luscious and vibrant flavor. A celebration of light citrus notes with garlic. The flesh of the fish perfectly done, light and delicious. It was accompanied by simple steamed broccoli and some carrots. The fish was the rock star of this dinner, the vegetables were not to distract from that fact.

In conclusion, wonderful food, wonderful staff, enough said.

Contact Information

12050-A North Shore Dr.
Reston, VA 20190
Phone: (703) 742-6466

Website: http://elmanantialrestaurant.com/

Email: elmanantial2002@aol.com