Work overwhelms, phone is ringing, lovesick suitors bore to tears, girl escapes to Eden (Center.)

Choosing a place to sit down at Eden Center is like picking a perfect shade of green paint: the problem is that there's only two thousand of them. Weaving through too-dark, too-dingy, too-loud, too-karaoke-infested, we landed at Four Sisters - a bright and welcoming spot smack in the middle of Little Viet Nam known as the Eden Center.

The menu is exhaustive as many of these places are. Phorsaking pho, we went for the following:

Green Papaya Salad - tart and crisp, full of cilantro and lime. Could have done without a wilted shrimp, but hey, can't have it all.

Beef in lime juice appetizer - thin, flavorful slices and again full of cilantro and lime. Personally, these are two of my favorites, so I don't mind the repetition.

Pork rice crepes - this dish takes a bit of engineering to be enjoyed fully. Take a slice of pork, lay a small soft crepe stuffed with more pork on top, add a chopstickful of diced carrots, and drizzle with fish sauce. Pray to archangels and cherubs that the whole contraption doesn't collapse. Carefully lift by chopsticks toward mouth. Otherwise it's a bit bland.

Short ribs with caramelized onions - yum, so simple, take meat, add heat and a few spices, and a perfect comfort dish materializes.

Afterwards, we poked around various bakeries and produce stores to ooh and ahh and open eyes so very wide. I got a bunch of superspringy baby bok choy, some almond cookies and some fish sauce. Also got to marvel at a kinky fantastic miraculous display of every pig part known to man - hearts, kidneys, uteri, tongues, etc. Warning: don't bring the easily shocked and the tender-hearted, they ruin the fun. ("Go back to saving the world," I mumble, administering a mental kick to their vulnerable soft bottoms.)

All in all, a fantastic time was had by all and a great distraction when you want to escape from the office and when Cosi just don't beckon any more.

My favorite there is the minced baby clams and pork dish with sesame crackers - the ultimate salty/sour/sweet/crunchy/smooth combo. And the shrimp toasts appetizer is yummy, sort of a deep fried shrimp french toast kind of thing.

I never knew where this "Eden Center" was located exactly, but if anyone had just mentioned that it was across the street from the Guitar Center, I would have instantly realized it! I've been in that neck of the woods several times, but never had time to explore the Eden Center. I do recall commenting that it reminded me of some of the Asian Centers we visted when we went to see relatives in California.

On to the dinner--a family dinner celebrating many events was the main focus...the food was OK, but unremarkable. I can only comment on what I had, the Pho, and the fact that there weren't a whole lot of oohs and aahs from around the table. Everyone enjoyed their dishes, but we definitely decided to try the place next door next time. Some of the items that I know were ordered were a shared hot pot, grilled pork, and tofu and vegetables with egg noodles.

My husband, FIL and I all had Pho, and we all commented that the broth was very bland and quite oily. I kept adding lime to try to balance the flavor but to no avail. My husband remarked that it was missing that really good beef flavor. (We're spoiled from Pho 75, I'm afraid...and in MD at that, not the infamous VA location) While I was glad that it wasn't overly salty, there were definitely a few spices that seemed to be missing from what I've enjoyed at other shops. And while I know Pho is not this restaurant's focus (there were only 3 options for Pho on the menu) I would expect at least as good a version as maybe Pho Hiep Hoa (which I would rate with an "it will do in a pinch.") The service was friendly and efficient however, so I would still call the evening enjoyable. After all, it is very difficult to find something that will cater to everyone (including cost) when dining with a diverse group of 13 family members.

Never had the pho there so I can't comment on that, but their garden rolls have always been outstanding and I have to agree that the service has always been quick and friendly (and always very accomodating to children...a big plus in my book).

There's plenty of reasons why Patrick O'Connell goes there every Tuesday for dinner (or at least, he used to).

Dishes with vegetables, meats and seafood are Four Sisters' strength. I would only consider having pho at a place that specializes in pho. I'm not sure why they even offer it at 4 S, since it is a dish that has such a labor-intensive broth as its base. I have never eaten at Viet Royale next door, but I know a lot of Chowhounds really like Huong Viet, which didn't knock me out. I haven't been there in a long time, but I've always been pleased with what I have eaten at Four Sisters.

My girlfriend and I had dinner at Huong Que last night (5/28/07). The green papaya salad with tofu was appropriately spicy, and was quite a large serving, but it can turn into a bit of a one-note after thirty or so rounds with the chopsticks, and $8.50 is a little steep for the dish.

The tofu spring roll, with a slightly thicker-than-expected batter, was fine, though not memorable. The tofu and mixed vegetables sauteed in brown sauce was good, but far from great. My girlfriend felt that the tofu was bland, and I tend to agree with her. The interesting aspect was that we ordered the tofu and veggies on crispy noodles, so the tofu and veggies were set into a tall mound of thin Ramen-esque noodles, which made for difficult maneuvering until the noodles were saturated with brown sauce and softened up.

I ate at Huong Que a couple of years ago, and I remember that I thought the caramelized tofu in a pot entree was not worth ordering again. Last night's visit did not bolster my opinion of Huong Que or give me any reason to dine there again. (And that is especially true now that I live within a block of the far-superior Minh's.)

Got inspired to have dinner at Four Sisters tonight. Shrimp toast (2 orders) was full of great flavor, but a bit too oily for my tastes. Garden rolls with pork and shrimp were perfectly wrapped and tasted as fresh as one would hope. Pork spring rolls (2 orders) were packed full of pork, practically greaseless and were incredibly tasty, just as I remember them. I had the Five Spiced Beef with Vermicelli Noodles and Rice Paper. Flavors were great, accompanying herbs, cabbage, carrots and sprouts were fresh, firm and tasty, but the rice paper wrappers were still too rigid and looked as if they were cooked in stacks--they were still quite hard and stuck together. I had my extremely cute but hard-to-manage two year old daughter with me, so I didn't even bother requesting new ones. I'm sure they would have brought me replacements pretty quickly if I had asked, but I deemed it to be no big deal and pressed on.
My wife and my buddy each had a different version of beef and vegetables and my friend's girlfriend had the clay pot fish. All dishes were cleared and all of us really enjoyed our dinners.
I think the best part is that all of the food listed above plus one pot of tea, one iced coffee and three beers came to $89. Not too bad in my book.
Sidenote: After dealing with the ridiculously bad driving and parking habits of most the patrons of Eden Center, I was quickly reminded why I don't go there more often. If you go, have a friend (with an already banged up car) drive you. For those of you who have been there before, I'm sure you understand what I'm talking about.

Food Flash--Four Sisters (Huong Que) in Eden Center will be moving to Merrifield in the Spring

That reminds me that I remember reading something somewhere about Four Sisters moving. It was in a City Paper article last year:

"Ly's future does not lie with Song Que, however. She plans to join the family at Huong Que's new location at the corner of Lee Highway and Gallows Road in Falls Church, which is scheduled to open late next year. The plan is to move Huong Que in its entirety to the new spot, a combination residential/retail space, but the family hasn't decided yet whether to sell its lease at the Eden Center or transform the current location into something different."

I wonder what they decided to do with the lease.

i finally made it out to Eden Center on monday. I really should have been here more often as I used to live right down 50 five minutes...oh well. I have been craving Vietnamese food for days, a craving that lunch at Nam Viet in Cleveland Park and pho at Pho 75 couldn't end so the wife and I treked out to Four Sisters for dinner. We enjoyed the summer rolls, which were great but not mind blowing, fresh and tasty, I did not like the peanut sauce for some reason, can't remember why. Then I had the Bun Cha Hanio, with grilled pork and N had the chicken pho, which she really liked, more than 75. The Bun was AWESOME. I like the presentation better than at Mihn's. It was easier to eat and I really liked the fact that the sauce and pork were in a seperate bowl. I also noticed that the noodles were drizzled with shallot oil, which gave them great depth. Hopefully this will be the first of many trips not just to here but to all the restaurants in the center.

Now planned for April. The new address will be 8190 Strawberry Lane, Suite A, Falls Church VA.

The move still hasn't happened - we were told that the latest guess is September.

After travels to the hinterlands today to see our friends at the track (nice one Porcupine!), a stop at Eden Center, and specifically at Huong Que, seemed like a good idea for a quick and easy dinner. We took the easy way out and ordered the dinner for two, swapping the crispy spring rolls for garden rolls, which are always a nice way to start a meal. They were followed by a tamarind sweet and sour fish soup - not too sweet nor too sour, just refreshing and clean, with some interesting texture/taste from the taro root (stalk?), generous pieces of fish, pineapple, sprouts, and tomatoes. The black pepper pork in a clay pot and sauteed tofu with vegetables were decent, if unremarkable. The dessert (fruits) on the menu was a disappointing plate of orange slices. Still, the service is always friendly and efficient, the surroundings clean and smoke-free, and the flower arrangements beautiful.

The table next to us ordered the 7 course beef menu, but also had a seafood hot pot that looked interesting, fried softshell crabs, and clams in black bean sauce. They looked like some things to keep in mind for the next visit, which if it isn't before the move might not happen - Merrifield isn't exactly on my regular rotation. It may not be the best or most authentic Vietnamese cuisine around, but it's a reliable standby.

As a new poster making my way through many of these strings for the first time, have to weigh in here. This is one of our "what are your everyday places to eat" places. Have been there at least 30 times on trips to/from dulles or for destination.

- I wouldn't recommend working your way around the entire Eden Center restaurant offerings. We've done that. Four Sisters is the best hands down and some are pretty bad.

- crispy pork rolls, carmelized fish in clay pot, nearly anything with black bean sauce, peppered beef (inside cover on the menu, comes with their DIY lime, salt and pepper dip which must be used), minced clams...all can't go wrongs

- don't go here for pho. it's not their thing as others have pointed out. pho 75 and others are better

- the family is wonderful. make it a point to meet at least one of the sisters. you can pick them out by referencing the painting to the left of the kitchen doors

- o'connell, james webb, lots of Vietnamese, yes, good crowd

- I've never had a ding or car issue while there but, yes, have to be especially careful maneuvering and parking

- great value if you order correctly. I'm happy for them that the business has grown enough to make Merrifield possible. Hoping it doesn't change 'em. don't worry about the slipping date. it'll likely slip more and this place will never be in fuller, more authentic glory than it is right now. nothing in DC or NoVa compares.

Most of this is good advice. But the first bit of guidance -- "I wouldn't recommend working your way around the entire Eden Center restaurant offerings. We've done that. Four Sisters is the best hands down and some are pretty bad." -- couldn't be more wrong. The single greatest thing about the EC is working your way through it and finding hidden gems. There are a few -- never quite all the same -- in the interiors,a nd the tofu place right out front; but more importantly, of the ol' "standbys," Huong Viet and Viet Bistro are much better than Huong Que, notwithstanding that the sisters are, indeed, very nice.

Completely and totally agree. Not to mention some of the places are better for specific items, much the way pho is not really the Huong Que specialty.

I can't wait for the move as that will place it 5 minutes from our house!

Drove by the new location today, and the permanent signs are up over the entrance. Progress!

Fair point on the other Eden Center offerings. I probably overstepped with that opinion if only because it is dated. We'll make sure to re-assess next time out, using the other favorites noted here. Thanks.

What is the ETA for the Merrifield opening? And how many of the four sisters are still with the restaurant? Last time I went to Eden Center I believe one of them had moved on to other pursuits....

I'm bumping this....anyone know of the place in Merrifield is opened yet, or when it is expected to be open for business? Thanks!

I've driven by several times this week, looks like work is proceeding on the interior, and a bunch of permits are taped in the window. I doubt that opening is imminent, but the build-out is coming along, I think.

Their e-mail newsletter today indicates a late September opening, due to unavoidable construction delays.

And ends with a plug for the Sea Pearl Restaurant in Merrifield, a contemporary American place owned by the eldest of the sisters. Anybody been?

Finally a vietnamese place close to home. Driving to EC (and parking there) is a hastle on a weeknight. Went last week and had a decent meal at Viet Royal. They have 1/2 price crab and shrimp dish.

I have my spots for pho and bun mi there. Anyone have a good spot for rice noodle bowl (don't know what it is called) that comes with couple of skewers meat on top. Served with Nak Cham. This is not pho. It does not a noodle soup dish.

How does one subscribe to their e-mail newsletter? I checked their website, which was frustratingly silent on the subject.

I seem to recall they had a signup form at the restaurant this spring, specifically for info on the move. Sorry, that's as far as memory will take me.

One more time! I'm entertaining a group of people on Thursday this week, and will the restaurant be open in Merrifield (Oct. 2)?

Four Sisters is re-opening in Merrifield on October 1st, complete with an adorable logo on the sign outside.

That having been said, let's all dispense with calling it "Huong Que."

Will they be open for lunch on that day, or just dinner? Will they be doing carry-out?

To answer my own questions: They are open 11-10, seven days a week, and yes, they do carry out.

It is a very lovely space, and service is smooth and friendly. At lunch today, shrimp wonton soup had a nice broth and delicious, plump wontons full of shrimp. Grilled lemon grass chicken was divine over steamed crepes.

I'm so happy that they are there! It's 5 minutes from my office.

Finally made it there today (Sunday evening) with girlfriend in tow. Very nicely appointed place convenient to the theaters.

Bad news first -- the place was packed on a Sunday night, with a line almost extending out the door, and therefore the service was spotty. We sat for 10 minutes before water was placed on the table and the waitress took our order about 15 minutes in, and entrees came out while we were still eating appetizers. Chalk all of this up to growing pains. That's the end of the bad news.

The meal was really good, and this place remains the best and most consistent Vietnamese restaurant in the area. We started with the fresh garden rolls with peanut sauce and an order of baby clams sauteed with pork and served with sesame crackers (two elephant ears of thick crackers to be snapped apart and used to scoop the clams/pork). The former dish was executed flawlessly and the latter dish was substantial enough to serve as a full meal. A dab or two of the chili sauce elevated it to lick-the-plate goodness.

For the main course, girlfriend had fish fillets with mixed vegetables, and I had the vermicelli topped with cha gio and grilled pork. Her dish was excellent, with the fish fillets actually tasting like fish and the vegetables nice and soft-crunchy (al dente?) in a fragrant sauce. I've had my vermicelli dish often at various Vietnamese restaurants, and this is the best by far. Little piles of shredded carrot and lettuce and bean sprouts along the side allowed for mixing it the way you like, plus a little fish sauce on top and a dab of chili sauce here and there....wow!

All of this plus a bottle of chardonnay, plus tax and tip, came to $75. Not bad, and I'll be back and back and back.

Almost sad side note -- we walked up the block to Sea Pearl afterwards to see what was the buzz with the oldest sister's new restaurant. We walked in and thought it was closed -- one person at the bar and 2-3 couples in the expansive and opulent dining room. The eldest sister was happy to greet us and walk us around the beautiful dining room and lounge, but I felt bad for her. In this market, it's a matter of minutes before she defaults on all of her loans, and charging $25 for scallops and $29 for lamb won't help when the dining room is so empty. Luckily, as busy as Four Sisters is, she would be welcomed back as a waitress any time.

I am going here for lunch today. Any recommendations on what to try?

I've become addicted to their grilled lemongrass chicken.

Yum.. that sounds so good. Okay, will definately get that. Friends who have eaten there just adore the place so I am very excited to try it out.

Well -lunch was awesome but the wait! We had to wait twenty minutes for a table (around 12:30 ). My friend ordered the beef and eggplant, that was really good. My lemongrass chicken was nice too- loved the sauce that came with it. I will definately go back a few times as there were so many things on the menu that I wanted to try!

If you like young coconut, get a fruit shake ($3.95), without bubbles, on the back page of the menu, and sip it throughout your meal. Any heat from the spicing will be instantly relieved by the cool ice-drink, with an addicting soy-like kick backing up the sweet coconut.

#8, Chim Cút Quay ($8.95) is two tiny roasted quails, marinated in a soy-based sauce and halved. Served with the "lime dip" that you see throughout this menu, the dip is simply salt, pepper, and two wedges of lime that you squeeze and stir yourself - it's simple and good, and works well with the faint sweetness in the marinade. These quails are small enough where you can eat the entire bird, bones and all (on the very next evening, at Spezie, this proved impossible).

My search for a decent Hủ Tiếu finally proved fruitful, as #20, Hủ Tiếu Tôm Thịt ($7.95) was mild, pure, and the highlight of the meal. A clear chicken broth with rice noodles, shrimp, pork, and a bowl of bean sprouts and lime, this was a soup that can serve double-function for refreshing in summer, or restoring in winter. I would not hesitate to get this the next time I come, and recommend it to anyone looking for a warm, restorative bowl of mild soup.

Unfortunately, at this point in the meal I took the recommendations of our enthusiastic server - who insisted we'd love two of the dishes - instead of going with my own instinct. It wasn't a disaster, but I could have done better on my own. The dishes were two of the most expensive offerings in the restaurant.

#79 Bò Nướng Tiêu Đen ($15.95) was a strip of simple pepper-and-soy marinated beef, probably sirloin, sliced at an angle, and served over lettuce with three things I simply don't need: raw watercress, raw onion, and raw tomato. I understand that watercress is expensive, but these items are merely garnish, as far as I'm concerned. The beef itself went well with another bowl of Four Sisters' lime dip.

"This is a Chinese dish," my friend said about #127, Đồ Biến Xào Xả Ớt ($19.95), a little pot full of seafood (clams, mussels, scallops, shrimp, and squid) sauteed with lemongrass, chili and basil. It sounds taut and vervy, but came across as hamfisted and gloppy. This dish, and particularly the comment by my friend, reminded me of this post I made eighteen months ago - this type of food may be crowd-pleasing, but it's no sort of culinary strength.

Nevertheless, Four Sisters remains an independently owned restaurant with a new logo that I absolutely adore, in a location surrounded by Noodles and Company, Panera Bread, and Chipotle Grill. Merrifield is a gamble for them, but I suspect that between Tysons Corner, the movie theater, and their own good name, Four Sisters will do just fine here.

Cheers,
Rocks.