Four Sisters, Vietnamese in Merrifield - The Lai Family Moves from Eden Center to Merrifield Town Center

[DrXmus]

Came here with a friend for dinner this evening. She loves Vietnamese, which is hard to find in the foothills of NC, and it was delightful. We started with summer rolls and the grilled quail for appetizers. The rolls were pleasant and fresh and the satay was well balanced, a good tho typical dish. The quail were outstanding, grilled with a teriyaki type glaze, deep mahoghany, crispy on the edges and moist, with a thin intensely lemon & pepper sauce to dip them into. We both got bun for mains, me the beef with lemongrass, she a chicken one that sounded plain but had fried spring rolls that had a some pate in the filling that were in the dish in addition to the chicken. No. 36 on the menu if I remember correctly. She was kind enough to let me have a bite -- oh so good! Mine was tasty and homey but certainly not the star of the table. The restaurant was almost full at all times while we were there, usually just 1-2 tables open, maybe 2 seats at the bar, and folks coming in all the time. I wouldn't doubt they turned most tables 3 times tonight. Good on them! Service was fast, helpful, efficient and friendly. Very happy dining here tonight, a very solid experience.

Say "hi" next time. Mrs. DrXmus and I were in a soup mood so she she had her standard shrimp wonton soup with egg noodles and I had the large bowl of pho ga. I like the chicken bun mentioned above. It's boneless thighs, perfectly cooked with a great grill flavor. I've never seen any sort of roll with that. I'm intrigued!

[weezy]

Say "hi" next time. Mrs. DrXmus and I were in a soup mood so she she had her standard shrimp wonton soup with egg noodles and I had the large bowl of pho ga. I like the chicken bun mentioned above. It's boneless thighs, perfectly cooked with a great grill flavor. I've never seen any sort of roll with that. I'm intrigued!

I went and looked at the menu, and apparently she got the benefit of poor eyesight -- she ordered as #36, which is pork bun with cha gio on the menu, and asked for chicken, so the kitchen apparently substituted chicken for the pork on the menu. Turned out great, tho.

[Barbara]

Eleven of my family members gathered here tonight for a dinner. It's been a number of years since we have all been together and were coming from several directions. We got the set menu for 10, since few were familiar enough with Vietnamese food to order off the regular menu. I have to say they did a fabulous job. The only surprise was the clams in black bean sauce, in that they were clams in the shell in sauce. They were good, though. I love the fresh flavors. the careful cooking, and the lack of Americanized-Chinese gloppy sauces. And, with several glasses of wine, and the added 18% gratuity (which I augmented with some cash), the final tab still came in under $300. Such a deal. Everybody seemed really pleased with the food. Too bad it's so far from DC; I envy the folks who can treat this as a neighborhood joint to eat at often.

[Escoffier]

Well, right now your competition is Four Sisters and Sea Pearl, both of which leave me shaking my head in amazement. I suppose Empire Oyster House and other newcomers will change that situation rather quickly; fairly sure you won't need to worry about Cyclone Anaya's.

When Four Sisters was Huong Que and in Eden Center, they served Vietnamese food of a certain level of quality. When they moved, they not only got rid of the Eden Center aura, they decided to go upscale. Vietnamese to most of the people in Merrifield had a certain mystique (right or wrongly). Unfortunately, very few Vietnamese are eating there and the authenticity has departed, and what remains is generic Vietnamese with an American side order.

[DrXmus]

Unfortunately, very few Vietnamese are eating there

I'd argue with this comment. While I never made it to the Eden Center version of Four Sisters, I'm always impressed with the number of Vietnamese eating with me. Maybe it was a higher percentage before, but that was in Eden Center and this is Merrifield, i.e. proximity to the Vietnamese population center must make a difference.

[Escoffier]

I'd argue with this comment. While I never made it to the Eden Center version of Four Sisters, I'm always impressed with the number of Vietnamese eating with me. Maybe it was a higher percentage before, but that was in Eden Center and this is Merrifield, i.e. proximity to the Vietnamese population center must make a difference.

The last time I was at Four Sisters (and the only time), the ratio was 80/20 with non-Vietnamese making up the higher percentage (I realize that one visit does not a trend make, but I remember what the food was like at the original location and the food at the new is a pale duplicate of the original). When Huong Que was in Eden Center, it was always (in the times I was there, which were quite a lot) about 90% full and the ratio was 90/10 Vietnamese. (At one time, I ate at Huong Que so much that I knew the entire family as well as assorted family girl and boy friends).

[B.A.R.]

My wife and I eat there all of the time. While I cannot vouch for the authenticity of the cuisine, having never been to Vietnam and my Vietnamese cuisine experience is limited to a few local Vietnamese places*, I find Four Sisters to be an excellent destination.

The food is always fresh and flavorful; love the steamed whole fish with scallions, the "crepe" (banh xeo maybe?), tofu in clay pot, green papaya salad, etc, etc have all been winners. And I actually love the decor, with the wood and muted hues, and the flowers everywhere. Service has always been prompt and efficient, and if I had one quibble I would say that the food generally arrives too soon.

We always end up with way more food than we need, and pay far less than we expect. I am a fan.

I'm not sure why this is germain to the food conversation at all (except to maybe Tyler Cowan), but I have always been a minority in the dining room at Four Sisters.**

* If you want to visit a Vietnamese place that is a shell of its former self, try Present.

**White male

***As long as I am adding addendums, I think Sea Pearl is an overpriced and inconsistent, based on three visits.

[Kibbee Nayee]

And one of the sisters does the flower arrangements in the restaurant, which are always stunning.

First comment -- Lady KN was blown away by the flower arrangements today.

Second comment -- I'm blown away by the Mosaic District, from the accessiblity to the quality of the stores and dining to the attractiveness....this is the model for all future "Town Center" concepts to emulate. Reston Town Center, take note and reinvent thyself.

Third comment -- for a mid-afternoon on a Sunday, the kitchen was hitting on all cylinders. We enjoyed the appetizer of the chopped clams and pork with sesame crackers (#5), the salad of shredded vegetables with shrimp and pork (#11), the sauteed shrimp, clams, squid, and fishcake with lemongrass and chili peppers (#121) and the beef four ways. Each dish was as expected and extremely good.

Loving this Mosaic District...!

[lion]

Ironically, we ate at Four sisters this past week and had Bah Mi at their original location in the Eden Center on Saturday. Both lunches were very tasty.

Four sisters is always good. However, still miss them in the old location with the feeling of the cramped room with the multitude of small plates on the table.

Still haven't gone to Sea Pearl.

[darkstar965]

First comment -- Lady KN was blown away by the flower arrangements today.

Second comment -- I'm blown away by the Mosaic District, from the accessiblity to the quality of the stores and dining to the attractiveness....this is the model for all future "Town Center" concepts to emulate. Reston Town Center, take note and reinvent thyself.

Third comment -- for a mid-afternoon on a Sunday, the kitchen was hitting on all cylinders. We enjoyed the appetizer of the chopped clams and pork with sesame crackers (#5), the salad of shredded vegetables with shrimp and pork (#11), the sauteed shrimp, clams, squid, and fishcake with lemongrass and chili peppers (#121) and the beef four ways. Each dish was as expected and extremely good.

Loving this Mosaic District...!

Re: comment just above this post with reference to the sister at Sea Pearl.  One of the other sisters also does a mean haircut for famous and regular people (mainly women) alike in her Georgetown spa. Some background on the sisters here. FWIW, I'm a huge and longstanding Four Sisters fan but, when I last tried Sea Pearl a year or so ago, it was fine but not as distinctive as, say, Passionfish or Blacksalt east and west of it.

Re:  "second comment" quoted. Big agree. Checkout the thread on Mosaic here if you haven't seen it.

[DonRocks]

I drove by Four Sisters the other day, and was reminded of how completely brain-dead this move seemed to me at first; and now, how completely long-sighted and savvy it seems to have been in retrospect - they're in the absolute center of everything.

They knew what they were doing all along, and given Eden Center's (hopefully temporary) decline, it seems absolutely brilliant.

[DrXmus]

They knew what they were doing all along, and given Eden Center's (hopefully temporary) decline, it seems absolutely brilliant.

The food may not be what it was (I never went to the previous iteration), but they're packed most of the time.

[Kibbee Nayee]

Lunch today at Four Sisters was really delicious. I've been going to Four Sisters for over a decade, starting in the Eden Center, and I am continually amazed by how it seems to get better with each visit.

Today, the place was packed at around 1pm, so I grabbed a seat at the bar. I ordered the cha gio rolls, the clam and pork appetizer, and the shaky beef. Yes, that's enough food for two people....or one Kibbee Nayee.

Every note was hit solidly. What amazes me is that the kitchen has added some flair and flourish to the dishes from what I've had in the past. The cha gio had enough lettuce to wrap each of the four pieces, and enough Thai basil to add that extra punch to each bite. The clams and pork had larger chunks of pork than usual, and chopped stems of cilantro sprinkled throughout for extra crunch and kick. When the two generous sesame crackers were finished, I was scooping the remaining portion into my mouth by spoon. The shaky beef was thick and juicy with just enough wok-char on the outside to complement the beefy chew on the inside, and the refreshing palate cleanser of sliced tomato with cress between bites was heavenly.

I've had these dishes dozens of times in my many visits to Four Sisters. They were never better than they were today.

[beachgirl54]

Lunch today with friend/colleague. Garden rolls, shaking beef and caramel chicken in hot pot.  No complaints, really good.  And leftovers!  Mosaic was hopping today . . . 

[Kibbee Nayee]

Lunch on my own today, with some mid-day time to kill before a meeting. I decided to try the appetizer-sized bowl of beef phở, along with the main of chả giò and grilled pork over vermicelli.

It turned out to be a lot of vermicelli for a hot day, but I really enjoyed both dishes. The phở was nicely executed, with thin-shaved beef and a quartered meatball in a bowl the size of a big coffee mug. I didn't squeeze in any of the sriracha or duck sauce, but I applied the sliced jalapeños and basil leaves. It certainly hit the spot.The chả giò and grilled pork over vermicelli was refreshing -- I like to pour the little cup of accompanying fish sauce over it, and it seems to add a bit of balance across the flavors and textures of the dish.

When Four Sisters moved here some 10 years ago (exactly when escapes me), it was the lone outpost across from a dirt parking lot for a dilapidated movie theater. It now sits prominently on a busy intersection in the bustling Mosaic District, as its grande dame of cuisine.

[Kibbee Nayee]

Four years since the last post?

The wife and I were passing through the Merrifield area around lunchtime on a recent Saturday, and Merrifield has plenty of nice dining options. I was open to any suggestions, but having received none, I wanted to see if Four Sisters had survived the pandemic. I figured any restaurant coming up on two decades would be fading, and the pandemic would probably push it over the edge, so as much for curiosity as for serious eating, we ended up there. My expectations were in check.

Some normal precautions were in place. Plastic covered menus, cleansed after each use, were passed to us at the door. We were seated but instructed to order our food at the bar, and it would be served to our table number. Reasonable spacing was observed.

We decided to order lunch to be eaten in the restaurant, and takeout to be eaten at home for dinner. For lunch, I had the shaking beef, and Lady Kibbee ordered the shrimp with broccoli. Both dishes were very good to excellent. Portions were generous, flavors were delicious, and value was exceptional. For takeout, I had the vermicelli with grilled pork and chả giò, and spouse had another shrimp dish. All in, tax plus tip, four covers, just about $100.

It's rare for any restaurant to be bringing it for multiple decades, but Four Sisters still has what it takes to be a satisfying dining destination.

 

[reedm]

Their Ashburn "snack bar" https://www.foursisterssnackbar.com/ is reliably quite good/excellent as well.

[ktmoomau]

Ate in a few months ago on the patio, and just got delivery the other day (but I think from the Arlington location, the menu was really limited).  Eat in was very good- I got lettuce wraps which were great.  For take out last week I got papaya salad (a little disappointing not a ton of flavor), rice vermicelli with roast pork, extra roast pork (delicious I could eat this stuff like candy) and cha gio which made the delivery very nicely, was impressed with the amount of crunch left.  I would say definitely still solid.

[Kibbee Nayee]

I wish I knew the entire story of this restaurant. I used to go to its original location in the Eden Center, and then I followed it to its current location where all that existed was Four Sisters, a muddy parking lot, and a movie theater that has since been demolished to make way for the Mosaic District. I watched as one of the sisters moved up the street to try her hand at the higher end Sea Pearl, which is now shuttered. Through all of this arc, Four Sisters remains one of the more reliable and interesting of the Vietnamese options in our area, where Vietnamese options are plentiful.

I ordered the rice noodles with cha gio and grilled pork, and my better half enjoyed the crispy shrimp with vegetables. Both dishes were as always -- very good and plentiful. We also ordered carryout dinner, with shaking beef among the highlights. Also very good. We will continue to frequent this place as long as it remains in existence.

We know enough about Vietnamese cuisines and regions to be dangerously oblivious. But I do know enough about flavors and textures to tell the difference between good food and mediocre food, and this is decidedly good food.

[lion]

Four Sisters closing

Surprised and sad, thought they had more energy and time to run a restaurant.
 

Remember the Eden Center days fondly and in some ways, felt the food was better as a little hole in the wall place.

Still a great long run!