epicurus

A&J brought back memories of the cuisine we experienced in northern China in the 1980s, especially such dishes as the spicy cucumber. The aptly named Veggie Delight was a pleasant and unprecedented experience, although one would have to question the vegan commitment of any vegetarian who would be delighted by that ersatz beef. Either we didn’t ask, or the house menu does not include, the whole—and I mean whole—fish (carp?!) that is ordinarily the centerpiece of “fine dining” from Beijing to Xi-an. Served on heavily garlanded platters (and ordinarily the most expensive item on the menu), these floral fish dishes are enough to bring Chinese chefs out of their kitchens in search of congratulations on their culinary skill. Also, happily missing from the table was the syrupy orange drink and cola that are ubiquitous to even the most select northern Chinese restaurants. To say we were gastronomically impressed is an understatement. The only thing that was superior to the food was the hospitality of our friendly hostesses. We’ll eagerly volunteer for a foray to Annandale to verify that Virginia’s A&J is meeting the high standards set by their Rockville cousin. This was our first DonRockwell.com experience, thanks to mktye. We enjoyed the company as much as the food, and look forward to future epicurian associations.

Put us down for two. Lyn & Diane Gubser