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Go. Go at 5PM and dine al fresco this week. Please trust me. Call and ask for "Manuel" and say you're a website member (nothing in this for me, so I don't care). --- Come to think of it, about 10 years have gone by since we've accepted any new members. I'm thinking, "Bad Business Plan?" Yeah, probably.- 2 replies
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I understand that the folks at the McLean Organic Butcher get all their meat from local sources...we've still not made it out there, but I've spoken with them on the phone a couple of times. -
Has anyone eaten here, other than the usual assortment of spies? -
McLean is a fairly nice locale with a dearth of particularly good restaurants. Aside from one entree salad at J. Gilbert's that I happen to like, there is nothing in McLean that makes me want to head there for dinner. Or, at least, there wasn't anything in McLean worth the trip until Friday night. Assaggi Osteria in McLean (in the same shopping center as the Balducci's), related to the Assaggi Mozzarella Bar in Bethesda, is conducting its soft opening this weekend. One of the people involved in opening the McLean location is a client of mine, and I scored an invitation to the first night of the soft opening (12/11). The meal was complimentary, though my wife and I paid for drinks and tip. I must note that I am generally disinclined to go to Italian restaurants. I'm not a huge fan of pasta, and I don't like cheese. But my wife, who lived in Italy for a year, craves both pasta and cheese, so this was a good opportunity to appease her Italian craving. And appease the craving it did; my wife used phrases like "this is heaven," and "oh my god," and words like "fantastic" and "amazing." Before discussing the food, I will state for the record that the service is still working out some kinks. Our waiter, who was extremely pleasant, probably pointed out and explained 75% of the menu options, some unnecessarily. (I think most diners now know what gnocchi is.) This was likely connected to the fact that we were participating in the soft opening; I doubt the waiter will always be inclined to take up so much time going over the menu. On a somewhat more substantive note, the timing of the food service was off; our bread came out 20 or more minutes after we were seated, and every course took an eternity to arrive. Ultimately, our dinner became a two-and-a-half hour affair. But I cannot believe that this will be how the restaurant normally operates, and I think a restaurant's opening-night service and timing should be afforded a great deal of leeway. On to the food. Normally, I wouldn't remark on the bread because I tend to avoid the bread basket when I know I'm in for a three-course meal. But I was famished when the bread basket arrived, and gave it a whirl. I am in no way exaggerating when I say the bread was amazing. Hot, crusty, tender, flavorful; the bread was perfect, and we couldn't stop remarking on it. I started with a half-order of the sweet potato ravioli sprinkled with crushed amaretti cookies. Not an original menu item by any means, but the execution was notable. The ravioli were small, hot, and, if I had to guess, pan-fried. The sweet potato filling was satisfying, and the brown butter sauce was delicious, neither too thick nor too thin, making every bite a pleasure. My wife started with the carciofini salad, a mix of greens, artichokes, sunchokes, and cherry tomatoes, tossed in a simple vinaigrette (possibly with a faint lemon undertone). For an upcharge, the restaurant offers either buffalo mozzarella or burrata on the salad. My wife asked for mozzarella, and thought she received it, though we noted on the check at the end of the night that the waiter entered burrata on the ticket, so she is now unsure which she had. Regardless, she, for lack of a better expression, flipped out over how good the cheese was. The only pauses she took in eating the half-ball of cheese was to remark about it being utterly fantastic and heavenly. She hadn't had cheese on par with Assaggi's since she lived in Italy, and she is already planning on bringing her family to Assaggi to try the cheese. The entrees were very good, though not quite on par with the appetizers. My wife had the cavatelli with broccoli, which she enjoyed and about which she made uniformly positive remarks. We both felt that the menu could benefit from one or two more vegetarian entrees, including a simple pasta with red sauce. I had sea bass, but I'm not sure which preparation I ended up with. There were two striped sea bass entrees on the menu, and I believe the special was also a sea bass. I ordered the sea bass dish that should have come over a ragu of vegetables; I specifically avoided the sea bass dish that came with chopped potatoes and olives because I dislike olives. I ended up, however, with the latter dish, which I opted not to send back because (i) it was 10:00 p.m. by that point, (ii) I was not hungry enough to worry about the sides, and (iii) I'm not ungrateful for a free meal. I tried to spear a few of the chopped potato chunks, but they were so undercooked that getting a fork into each chunk was difficult. That is, however, a problem that I'm sure the kitchen can and will quickly remedy. The sea bass itself was very good; nothing innovative or amazing, but well-cooked, tasty, and worth ordering again. Dessert was top notch. My wife's deep dish of tiramisu consisted of a top layer of thick, sweet, frosting-like cream with layers of cake and rich espresso flavor beneath. She enjoyed it, though she didn't have room to finish it. I had a small, round, pumpkin-filled sweet cake served with cinnamon ice cream. It was an elegant little treat to end the meal. The restaurant's interior is classy, though not regal. The combination of bright yellow walls, dark wood trim, floors covered in a cork-like carpet, and white tablecloths leaves a slightly generic impression. Don't get me wrong; it looks and feels like a nice restaurant, one appropriate for business dinners or first dates. It just needs a little more personality, which may come with the addition of artwork on the walls. Assaggi in McLean impressed us, and I am sure it will become more impressive as it gets some time under its belt. -
I've lived in McLean for a little over 3 years now, and I keep forgetting this place exists, even tho I'm a regular visitor to Moby's just next door. Anyway, I finally grabbed a takeout menu, and we gave this place a shot...very pleasantly surprised! The menu notes that the pasta is homemade, and i believe them. We got an order of the Ravioli alls Panna, which came with 6 large raviolis (Maggianos large? No, but certainly large enough and homemade!) in a tasty parmesan and cream sauce. By the taste and texture, I think they're not only homemade, but made that day, too. Anyway, really good. We also got the Pollo Francese, which were 3 bread filets in a lemon-oil sauce. Again, I though the portion ample, moist and tasty. My wife thought it was too lemony, but I didn't agree. It also came with a side of spaghetti (you could get salad instead), which was solid. Not the best red sauce I've ever had, but very serviceable and not an embarrassment either (take note Roccos!). We got an order of Fried Zucchini, and it was huge, but didn't travel very well. I think the food was so hot that it continued to steam in its container, so it wasn't very crispy. It's something that needs to be tried at the restaurant for a real evaluation, tho i'm not rue i'd get it for takeout again (it wasn't that bad). Dare I say that there may be a pretty damn good Italian restaurant in McLean... -
I've had nothing but wonderful meals at the Greek Taverna, just saying. -
Aracosia is coming soon to McLean! It's nice that the Afghan Bistro owners are spreading out. If they do it like the one downtown, they'll actually close the Springfield location for a few days to get the McLean location up and running with family members and quality staff. Afghan Bistro is in Springfield, Bistro Aracosia is in Palisades, and now Aracosia will be in McLean. It's opening at the end of March, and it's going to be at 1381 Beverly Road, where Il Borgo Italian Restaurant once stood. From Northern Virginia Magazine: As the owner of two critically acclaimed restaurants—the first, Afghan Bistro in Springfield, and the second, Bistro Aracosia in D.C.'s Palisades neighborhood—Omar Masroor often gets approached by leasing agents and developers to open a third spot. It's finally worked. Masroor plans for a spin-off with Aracosia to open in McLean in March. Where Bistro Aracosia expanded the menu and upped the formality of Afghan Bistro, Aracosia will be another step in that direction with white tablecloths, servers in ties and classical Afghan paintings. "We don’t do modern industrial looks," says Masroor of the minimal-and-metal trend long dominating restaurant interior designs. Instead, there will be rich colors like lapis lazuli, burgundy reds, mustard yellows and olive greens. Aracosia's menu will overlap with the offerings of its sister restaurants, with a few new dishes, including large hunks of meat: a tomahawk chopan, a 36-ounce cut from the ribs meant to feed two or three people; goat shank; goat ribs; and lamb neck. Vegetable-forward dishes showcase okra lawaan (yogurt sauce), okra Mughlai in a spicy tomato-masala sauce with eggplant and Thai chili peppers and a bouranee platter (roasted vegetables with a yogurt drizzle) with the likes of turnips, zucchini, carrots, quince, cauliflower and okra. Opening in the usually cold month of March, there will be warming dishes of tosh payra dumpling stew, oxtail soup, lentil soup and homach soup, a thinner porridge-like dish made from oatmeal and barley. The cuisine is a departure from Masroor's first visit to the restaurant at that very address more than 20 years ago. Masroor tells the story of taking his wife to Il Borgo Italian Restaurant and remembers admiring the upscale decor and the air of formality and said, "If I ever do a restaurant, it will be something like this.” // 1381 Beverly Road, McLean -
I wouldn't be surprised if BA is the best restaurant in McLean (I only frequent Palisades), but have you been to the (very small) Fahrenheit for Sichuan? Just had an excellent meal there. -
I've rather enjoyed my 2 trips to Rocco's. It delivers exactly what you'd expect from a suburban, downtown, dive Italian eatery. It's also quite accommodating to families with small children, in the sense that they and their behavior aren't likely to disrupt what this place is going for. As for the food, it's"¦decent. On my first trip I ordered a plain cheese, but the waitress brought me the wrong pie, so I had a surprising go at their white pizza. I liked it quite a bit, very garlicky, and I would get it again. On my second trip I got the plain pizza, and it was just OK. Actually, the crust and sauce were fine, but the cheese didn't offer much flavor. A better cheese might make this a quality pizza. The oven and the way they cook them isn't the problem here. The table next to mine got one of their deep dish pizzas, and it looked legit. There was a nice char on the side-wall of crust. Another table got an order of chicken parm (I believe), and it also looked just like an order of chicken parm should at a dive Italian family restaurant "“ huge portion, lots of melted and somewhat blackened cheese, served with a side of spaghetti. I admit, I was intrigued. Anyway, I feel like these kinds of divey, family restaurants are a dying breed, yet they are a vital part of the restaurant ecosystem, particularly (as I'm now finding) for those with small children (my boy's 2.5).
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The Union opened in the that shopping center with Greek Taverna and Aracosia. The menu is quite diverse. They do have outdoor seating (but I don't know if they will serve you outdoors). I have not been. I've just been looking at my options for eating outdoors in McLean. -
Following a tip on CH, I dragged a friend to House of Fortune for lunch today. According to the menu, the former award winning chef from Mr. K is now the chef here. The English menu has some authentic dishes listed as Chef's Specials but there is a separate Chinese menu with no English translation. We ordered a spicy beef noodle soup and spicy fish filet (cooked with sprouts and celery). To me this is the only edible Chinese joint in McLean and a welcome addition but it wasn't great by any stretch of imagination. I will continue to sample their wares but as it stands, it's not a place I would invite Chinese folks from out of town.
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It was one of "those" nights. I had a glass of wine early, and couldn't get motivated to go out restaurant hopping. I wanted to get a good night's sleep, get up early, and get some things accomplished. There could be no doubt - it was time for carryout at Cafe Taj. Over the years, I've been to Cafe Taj many times, although I haven't been much lately. I've always found it pleasant and reliable, it not ground-breaking or exciting, and that's exactly what I was after last night. Karahi Kabob Lamb ($14.95) Eggplant Bharta ($12.95) Fresh Garlic Kulcha ($2.95) Raita ($2.95) Double order of pickles Came home, dumped everything into a mixing bowl, poured a lusty glass of wine, scarfed everything down with a tablespoon, left half of it, didn't remember what I ate five minutes later, bang, dinner is done. Cheers, Rocks.
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Social Oyster Bar is apparently a new restaurant in McLean. The menu looks somewhat interesting. I'll probably take the kids there tomorrow night to check it out. Anyone else been?
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My sister wanted to go to Tachibana in McLean, VA for her 28th birthday last week. As much as I tried to steer her towards some of my favorite places for sushi, I eventually succumbed to her choice (it was her birthday after all) and agreed to take her and a couple of her friends there for dinner. The restaurant sits atop a bland-looking Chinese restaurant just off Old Dominion Rd in a neighborhood of hair salons, insurance agents, and dentist offices – your typical suburban office-park hell. But as soon as I walked into the restaurant, I was reminded that I was not in just any suburban city, this was McLean. Beneath the host stand stood a dry erase board listing what’s available or fresh that day. Let’s see … $12.50 for toro, $8.75 for uni, $7.00 for mirugai (giant clam)! Toto, I don’t think we’re in Kotobuki anymore. We decided to share a deluxe nigiri sushi dinner and deluxe sashimi dinner, a few a la carte rolls, and a couple extra appetizers. The dinners come with a choice of soup, a choice of salad, a choice of appetizer and ice-cream/sherbet for dessert. My sister detests miso soup so we opted instead for the osuimono – a clear broth soup with some leafy vegetables and a sliver of chicken meat. The soup itself was fine – a decent briny flavor, but nothing special. And I wasn’t exaggerating about the sliver of meat. The seaweed salad was pretty typical, neither bad nor excellent - but the oshitashi, a boiled spinach salad served chilled with ginger and bonita flakes, was just blah and bitter. Of the appetizers, the tempura was pleasantly light and crisp, unlike the age-dofu (deep fried tofu in a sauce of soy, daikon radish and ginger). A humongous yellowtail jaw broiled in teriyaki sauce was by far my favorite appetizer. The four of us picked every last morsel of sweet and moist meat off the bone. Which brings me to the sushi and the sashimi. When the platter was brought out, I could see why they charge so much. Did this look like the freshest sushi out there? No. But the pieces of fish are colossal! Cut longer and at least three times thicker than usual, the fish dwarfs the pad of rice it sits atop. This can be seen as a good thing and a bad thing. The good – you no longer think you’re getting completely ripped off since you’re getting more product for your $8. The bad - sushi is supposed to be about art and about the balance between the fish and the rice, the wasabi and the soy sauce. These giant slabs of fish certainly throw that way off. However, as sashimi they’re pretty darn tasty! Would I go back? It's not really worth the trip across town for me - especially when I have cheaper options closer to me for the same or better quality. But for those who live around there (and who have the disposable income for it), it's worth a look - if not for its sushi, then at least for its interesting menu. -
We went to Capri tonight and were pleasantly surprised. The Caesar and green salads were just OK, but the lobster ravioli and cappelini primavera with whole wheat pasta in a very tasty tomato sauce were both outstanding. Service was superb, and the place had a nice warm vibe. Interestingly, it started to fill up around 8:30--just about the time when McLean rolls up the sidewalks. -
I hadn't been to Amoo's in a couple of years, but when I saw that Joe's Gourmet Burgers was on holiday break, I decided to drive the extra mile up to Chesterbrook. In a hurry, I asked for something quick, and the owner directed me toward the stews, which she said would only take about five minutes. The Geymeh ($9.95) was a large portion of food, with decent rice as a base. When I eat Persian stews as carryout, I generally just pour everything on and begin scarfing, so I dumped the whole container of split peas, beef cubes, tomato sauce, saffron, dried lime, and potatoes (frozen french fries) onto the rice, then dumped the yogurt and green hot sauce on top of that. This is a good, hearty dish that's more than enough food for anyone. Obviously, it would be nice if Amoo's had homemade bread, but the packaged version they include is at least thin enough not to be overbearingly dry with the food. Amoo's is open until 10 PM (worth remembering if you live in the area), seven nights a week, and has free delivery with a $30 minimum. They also offer on-site catering. And sitting near the door are business cards from Nancy, an eyebrow designer in Vienna. Cheers, Rocks.
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I've never been. Is it accessible from both Maryland and Virginia? Which side is better? What is there to do (with kids)?
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Continuing our tour through spectacularly divey, if culinarily mediocre McLean restaurants, the boy and I had breakfast at MFR on Sunday. We ordered basic items and the food was quite good, actually. We each ordered 2 eggs, over easy, and they were perfectly cooked, with nary a botched yolk. The two pancakes we large, plate-sized, striking a good balance between fluff and heft. Accouterments of bacon and sausage were good, with the bacon nicely cooked to personal preference (I like it brittle). The only miss were the homefries that just didn't have anything to it, and weren't prepared with any real thought. As with Rocco's, the ambiance was spot on and the service was friendly and attentive, particularly concerning drink refills. [i'm guessing this place also qualifies for the "oldest restaurants" thread, tho I didn't take notice of the date and they don't have a website.]
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While enjoying our dinner at Cafe Tatti, we noticed this new pizzeria across from us, and decided to check it out. I’ll start with the service, which was terrible: We had interminable waits for everything: food delivery, wine refills, water refills We had multiple service errors: wrong pizza, wrong wine We had multiple check errors: wrong charge for the pizza, wrong charge for the wine We had indifferent reactions from the waiter: he offered no apologies, tried to make up for one mistake with another mistake We had indifferent reactions from the manager: he came by twice to confirm the order error yet did nothing about it We were subject to downright devious behavior: the waiter claimed the add on we were charged for was cheaper than the one we ordered, which it wasn’t. The waiter said the wine we ordered ran out and so he claimed to give us a more expensive wine to make up for service deficiencies, but this wasn’t true either. We felt taken advantage of when the meal was over, and at around $20 per pizza (for what we ordered), we’ll never go back. Which is too bad because I thought the food was pretty good. Indeed the Crispy Brussel Sprouts might have been the best I’ve ever had. The dish is served more like brussel chips, where each leaf is individually fried and served. The Pizzas had a salty and tasty crust, with good bits of char. The only miss was the White Bean Brushetta, which just needed salt (none on the tables).
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Dal Grano is next to the former Bistro Vivant, now Masala. Bland is the key word here. I had fettuccine with seafood white wine sauce. The dish had some nicely cooked shrimp and calamari rings, and some mussels (not in shell). I think it was the mussels that made the dish fishy, otherwise it had little flavor. I also think the pasta is not firm enough.
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I had not previously eaten at Kazan, but after lunch today I won't repeat that omission from my culinary travels. This quaint little Turkish restaurant is in a strip mall across from Total Wine in McLean. It is nicely furnished with Turkish decor, and it's been open since 1980. The tables out front were occupied by Turkish gentlemen, including the owner, sipping tea and playing backgammon. That scene actually adds to the ambiance of this little Turkish corner of McLean. I'll note that Kibbee Nayee's heritage traces to northern Syria, so the dishes I grew up eating from my mom's kitchen actually tend towards Turkish rather than mainstream Levantine. Such it was today with the stuffed cabbage, or cabbage dolmas, a lunch special. It was as if my dearly departed mom was in the kitchen. This dish was spot on perfect, with three cabbage leaves stuffed with a mostly beef and lamb stuffing and braised in a tomato-based red sauce, served along side rice pilaf and spicy yogurt. Let this dish join kibbee nayee as my final two meals on this planet. One of my companions had the Kazan Yogurtlu Special, which is chunks of lamb and tomatoes over pita bread, and my other companion had a special of tilapia stuffed with spinach. Both looked good enough to try on my next visit. Thumbs up all around. http://kazanrestaurant.com/
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Every once in awhile I google map restaurants in McLean and this time something new popped up. Chiang Mai Thai Cookhouse does not have a menu on its website. Instead it states: I thought about rushing out last night to try it but my early afternoon Amsterdam falafel sandwich told me to keep burping and not stuff more food down my throat.
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Cafe Tatti is a charming and quaint French Bistro located in a shopping center near Balducci's in McLean. I called around 2:30pm for a 6:30pm reservation on Monday night, and had no problem securing a table (not that I thought I would). When we arrived, we were seated at a two-top by the front window, a prime location, and the manager explained to me that they have a regular named Phillip, this is his table, and they weren't sure if the table was for him or not so they reserved it, and are glad to see it taken by another Phil. It was a nice, funny story (for which I'm not doing any justice) and a good introduction to the restaurant. Again, the restaurant is charming and quaint, with tiled archways, ceramics on the walls, other various artwork including many versions of a rooster which is the restaurants icon (of sorts), tablecloths and candles on the tables, formally attired wait staff. It describes itself as a French Bistro, but it has quite a few "Mediterranean" components to it as well. The staff, from top to bottom, provided excellent service throughout the meal (e.g. thoughtful suggestions, multiple unsolicited water refills, bread refills, checks on quality and taste, etc.). Prior to receiving our check, the manager came over with two (unasked for) shots of Amaretto (iirc), noting that on such a dreary day/evening (it had been raining all day and all night), a small digestif is the only response. It was very nice. Service started off with a small baguette, served warm, and was quite good. We ordered two glasses of the house Bordeaux, and were rewarded with hefty pours. For an appetizer, we had the Mussels Provencale, which was listed as a special that evening. We expected a pot of mussels that we'd have to work through, but instead were given a plate of mussels served open-faced (if you will) with the Provencale sauce added on top. I rather liked this presentation (much less fuss!), and the tomato sauce (tomatoes, chopped onion, garlic, among other ingredients) was very tasty. It wasn't ideal for bread-dipping, but we found a way. It was an ample portion split among two people. Entrees come with a Caesar salad (here, and example of the Mediterranean influence), amply and tastily dressed, topped by fresh ground pepper (if desired). For mains, we both got the Filet Au Poivre, which came with a side of roasted carrots and potatoes (these aren't mixed together). The steak was a large portion (the online menu says 7oz, which is probably accurate), and the gravy was delicious (with plenty for bread-dipping!). I didn't leave a bite. We got a slice of coconut cake and a slice of chocolate cake to go, and they were the only misses. I don't think these were made in-house, which is probably why. The cost was very reasonable, even considering we ordered wines by the glass (cheaper by the half liter or bottle), and both got the most expensive menu item. We look forward to retuning.
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I talked to a friend of mine who's familiar (although not financially involved) with one side of the story behind the Corner-Bistro / Evo-Bistro split (it's important to remember that this is one-sided information, regardless of how accurate it is). He wrote me, and allowed me to cut-and-paste his words verbatim: ----------------------------- Here is the situation with the Bistro. Sydney was the operating manager of the "Corner Bistro" when it was in the small place. He was a partner (not majority) with Joseph, who owned and operated the Mistral restaurant. And who constantly put in his 2+ cents in the running of the Bistro... They realized that the Bistro needed to grow, and eventually decided to do a double move: The Mistral would move to a location down the street (where the Chinese place was) - and it did, and the Corner Bistro would move to the old Mistral location - and it did too. They still had an active lease for the small place, and options were discussed as to what to do with that location.... Some time during the renovation of the old Mistral location in preparation for the new Corner Bistro, Sydney and Joseph had a business disagreement, more than likely as to either the concept of the new Corner Bistro, or the staffing, or Joseph's day-to-day involvement (i.e. lack of autonomy for Sydney), or a combination of everything. Net result: Sydney, the Bistro chef (Driz), the sous-chef ("Mami"), and the main waitress (Marina) all quit the Bistro!!! The New Bistro opened with all new staff. It's concept changed from a little wine bar to a more full fledge restaurant. From a business view point, it is doing very well, but it is a different set up now... The solution for the location of the old bistro was still is question. Eventually, to try and at least cover the lease, Joseph decided to turn it into a Burger joint ("Joe's Burgers"). Not sure how well it is doing, probably just limping along until a permanent solution is implemented. Meantime, Sydney looked for (and found) a location in McLean to open a new Bistro with the same concept as the old Corner Bistro: A wine bar with tapas. The result is his new place called "Evo Bistro" (Evo = Evolution). It is a little more upscale than the old Corner Bistro. All the individuals who quit the Corner Bistro are there! And a few more 'choice' individuals, specifically 2 people who also know wines! He is in partnership with 2 other people, but the responsibilities are clearly defined among them. Driz revamped the menu, and has many new dishes that look fabulous (can't wait to try them!). And Sydney has introduced a wine tasting section with automated wine dispenser, like the one at "Proof", except here the customer uses the machine with a pre-paid "Bistro card". Whew... That is the story...
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In the old Bistro Vivant space is a new restaurant called Masala. I haven't been yet. They do buffet for lunch, and have a pretty big dinner menu. The chef is Ram Thapa.
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