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I went here a few weeks ago for dinner with a friend. I am always eager to try new Vietnamese restaurants in the DC area hoping to find a good one that doesn't require me to go to Falls Church. Unfortunately, this place disappointed me. In general, I think the food tends to lean toward overly sweet. I tried the following dishes: 1. papaya salad - swimming in the dressing and overly sweet. The beef jerky was nice, though and added a good contrast. 2. pork belly slices - This came with a soup/sauce in a separate bowl that were too sweet to really finish 3. cellophane noodles with crab - This was the only thing that wasn't too sweet but it also lacked any flavor. We also ordered another dish but I honestly can't remember what it was. The food really did not make much of an impression. I hope this is due to the kitchen staff not quite hitting their stride yet.

This place is one of my go tos when I'm in the Shaw area. In my opinion, they also have one of the best chicken biryanis in DC. I like their outdoor seating as well. It's a great spot for people watching in mild weather.

I went here a couple of times in the last month because I fell in love with her banh mi and wanted to see what she did with a full restaurant. The space is much bigger than the previous shop with a lot of tables. They were still in their soft opening phase but I was able to try a couple of dishes: 1. Crispy spring rolls - These were good. They didn't stand out from other places but you can't really go wrong with fried crunchy meat rolls. 2. Vermicelli bowls - Theirs is probably the best version I've had with generous portions of meat, pickles, vegetables and noodles. The meat was good quality and well cooked. 3. Simmered pork belly with eggs - This is a dish that I don't see in a lot of Vietnamese restaurants and always love getting it when I do. It's a homey dish that always reminds me of my mom's cooking. This version was good. The pork could have been a little softer but the braising liquid was really flavorful and made a great seasoning to the rice. 4. Pho - Also a generous portion. The broth had a nice depth and flavor and the toppings were plentiful. Overall, I thought the flavor profile for the dishes veers a little sweeter, which is more typical of southern Vietnamese cooking. It's great to see another solid dining option at Eden Center along with Rice Paper. I look forward to the return of the banh mi and trying other things on their menu.

I visited on Friday with my husband. I loved that I could make a reservation on their website. I thought that they were well organized and that the service was very good. We tried the pork dumplings, soup dumplings, the signature lamen and the dan dan noodles. The pork dumpling is particularly good - the wrappers were nice and thin and the filling was savory and rich. The soup dumplings were good. The best I've had are in Chinatown in NY so it's nice to have a good one available locally. The house made noodles are great.I liked their chewiness. The signature lamen had a great broth with a nice smokiness from 5 spice powder. The dan dan noodles were very spicy but so good that I kept eating through the burn. Overall, I welcome the addition of another noodle house in the DC area. I think my favorite broth right now is Bantam King's chaitan but it's nice to have all of this variety. I will definitely be back.

This is great news! Thanks for the update. I used to live catty-corner to the old place and ate there regularly. I can't wait to try the new place.

I love that this restaurant was able to reopen. I have been a big fan of Ferhat and his cooking since he first opened Fishnet in College Park. The revamped menu is a good fit for the Shaw area, I think. But more importantly, the items that I ordered were delicious. Here is what we had: Tots and tentacles - These were really great. The fish was cooked perfectly and it wasn't too oily, which is my usual complaint about this type of dish. Roasted sardines - My husband didn't really like this dish because of the inherent fishiness of the sardines. But I thought it really well done. I particularly like how the tampenade and toast contrasted with the flavors of the fish. Mackeral - I get this a lot at Fishnet and this seemed to me a very similar presentation. Though I do miss the different accompanying sauces that are available at Fishnet. Tuna - My husband got the tuna, which was yellowtail that day instead of albacore. It was really good and his favorite dish that night. Brussels sprouts - One of the best preparations of Brussels Sprouts I've ever had. We both look forward to returning to this place and seeing how the menu evolves. I was never able to take advantage of the Fishnook so really hope Ferhat brings it back.

I'm surprised at the review for the bun bo hue. I've had it several times and have enjoyed it each time. I think it is a pretty authentic version of this dish for the area. I think that this restaurant is doing consistently good Vietnamese food. I'm so glad it opened at Eden Center, especially since Four Sisters moved to Merrifield, which is more out of my way. Some dishes I enjoy: Bun bo hue - as I said earlier, I think it's very authentic and I've always been impressed with the flavor. Sometimes, they have the traditional accompaniment of shredded banana blossom and sometimes they don't but the flavor always delivers. Bo luc lac - the beef is really well done, very tender and not at all chewy. Goi cuon - always freshly made, none of the chewy premade stuff you find at other places. Goi vit - boiled duck on a bed of lightly dressed shredded cabbage and banana blossom. It's substantial enough to make a meal but also very light at the same time. Goi ngo sen- more heavily dressed than the goi vit and has both shrimp and fatty pork Com tay cam dac biet - similar roots to China Chilcano's concholon. I seldom see this dish at other Vietnamese places. While not as rich as the concholon, it is a hearty comfort food kind of dish.