Dining Near the Mark Center

[DanCole42]

I just moved into a loft apartment at the Millbrook at Mark Center. I'm coming from the Courthouse area, so I'm using to have one restaurant for every three people, and several phone books-worth of menus shoved under my door every day.

What's good in the area? I like Clyde's, but I like variety more.

I'm looking for both dine-in and take-out.

Any take-out recommendations would preferrably have menus on their website, since they're too lazy to shove them under my door.

Good take-out peking duck is a must...

[Chris Cunningham]

Luckily, you are only 3 miles from the best Peking Duck in the area Peking Gourmet Inn, however they don't deliver, and to be honest, Peking Duck is best eaten just been sliced off the carcass. Go--Run to Peking Gourmet...enjoy

Also you are only a mile away from Valentino's and Duke House of Kabab both at intersection of Beauregard street and Duke street- two other great places for carry out.

[DLB]

Free wine tastings at Total Beverage every Saturday and Sunday!!!!

We lived in that area for about three years and not much going on, we now live in courthouse, and it's night and day when it comes to food. There is a Thai place right across the street in the Starbucks shopping center, thats pretty good. I am not sure what's going on with Tempt Asian these days, but it's right off Duke Street. You could always take a trip to Shirlington where there are more options. Try Best Buns for good sandwiches, and the best bread in DC, right next to the Carlye Grand.

[cheezepowder]

In addition, if you head over to the strip where Seminary Road intersects with Carlin Springs (?) - where the 7-11 is on the corner, there are a few Ethiopian spots. I've gotten decent takeout there before (but the places are always too smoky for me to eat in.)

Thanks for the reminder, I assume one of the Ethiopian places you're referring to is Skyline Cafe (3821 South George Mason Dr.) We used to go there after Demera closed when we wanted Ethiopian someplace close by but we haven't been back there in a few years. They had this one entree that came with pieces of injera soaked in the sauce mixed along with the stew, which I liked because my favorite part is scooping up the soggy injera that lines the plate.

[treznor]

I've not been wowed by Kyoto either but haven't been since only a bit after they opened so there's a good chance it's gotten better. It's right down the road from me so I'm sure I'll end up going back as when I was there it certainly wasn't bad at all. Until Kyoto opened we'd usually end up at Sushi-Zen or Tokyo Japanese Steakhouse just north of Old Town for sushi. We still end up at TJSH most of the time we want sushi since we seem to be in the area when we want sushi for some reason.

[V.H.]

We lived at Millbrook for two years and then I worked at the Mark Center for another three. Places to eat...

-Han Sung Oak in the Harris Teeter shopping center at Columbia Pike and Lincolnia for Korean

-Full Kee in the Trader Joe's shopping center for shrimp dumpling soup, shrimp paste stuffed eggplant, oyster casserole, and all sorts of other tasty Hong kong dishes

-an Afghan sandwich shop in the same shopping center as Temptasian. For $4, you get a sandwich made wtih Afghan bread freshly baked and meat grilled when you order. Obviously this is not fast food but simple and tasty

-wander on down Little River Turnpike, specifically in Annandale. Lots of great Asian shops and grocery stores. There's a place called the Food Factory that's very good. I think it might be another Afghan place but they serve a lot more than just sandwiches. Some really wonderful simmered things that they pour over fragrant basmati rice.

-stop by Eden center at Seven Corners for Vietnamese deli sandwiches and really good bread at Banh Mi So 1

Not so much that you can walk to from Millbrook but so much great inexpensive food within a short drive.

Also, Annette's BBQ Heaven on Van Dorn is pretty decent. It's the shopping center just past the BJ's.

[Escoffier]

In no particular order:

- Yamazato for sushi (just off N. Beauregard behind Duke kabob)

- Il Mee in Annandale for more Korean food than you can ever eat (buffet and not bad at all)

- 5 Guys at the other end of Beauregard

- Edy's at Skyline for chicken (pollo)

- Full Kee at Columbia Pike and Rt 7

- Flavors just down the road from Full Kee off of Columbia Pike (soul food)

- Hee Been near TemptAsian (avoid TemptAsian at all costs unless you want mediocre Chinese takeout)

- Gom Ba Woo off of John Marr Drive in Annandale (great Korean food family style)

- AnanGol across from Gom Ba Woo (great Korean pork barbecue)

All of these are within 15 minutes of Mark Center. A bit farther afield is Eden Center for Vietnamese.

[DonRocks]

I just moved into a loft apartment at the Millbrook at Mark Center. I'm coming from the Courthouse area, so I'm using to have one restaurant for every three people, and several phone books-worth of menus shoved under my door every day.

What's good in the area?

I know this is a little late to help Dan, but keep in mind the Del Ray neighborhood (see the Dining Guide for options) is only three miles away from Mark Center.

[catharine]

I recently moved to Lake Barcroft, just a few miles from Mark Center. (Perhaps we should start a thread for dining near Lake Barcroft...)

We tried Hang Sung Oak and really enjoyed it. My friend lived in Korea for several years and pronounced the food to be up to her high standards.

We rediscovered A&J in Annandale, which is only 4.5 miles from Mark Center. We agree with all of the praise on the A&J thread on these boards. I crave those Pan Fried Dumplings around the clock.

On Sunday my step-daughter and I enjoyed an excellent sushi meal at Yamazoto. The sushi was very fresh and the rolls were creative. I can't believe they deliver (for a nominal $1 fee). This is going to be very dangerous.

Valentino's is our go-to pizza place. I tried Valentino's shortly after they first opened (maybe 8 years go?) and gave them a thumbs down. I decided to give them a second try when I was stuck in the house after surgery and they were the best option for delivery that I could find. I am really glad I did. I still prefer Church St. Pizza in Vienna, but Valentino's gets my vote for best pizza delivery to my house and they also have lots of good non-pizza choices like the pasta my step-daughter ordered on Friday.

As for chicken, we liked Pollo Campero on Columbia Pike. We weren't that impressed with the Super Pollo in the Harris Teeter shopping center.

We are big fans of Meaza on Columbia Pike. I like their vegetarian platter.

Speaking of Ethiopian, has anyone tried the Ethiopian place (Enat?) on Lincolnia Rd - near Landmark Plaza? What about the new chicken place where Pizza Hut used to be?

[Kibbee Nayee]

I really love the half price raw bar happy hour at Clyde's. Some of the best oysters around, plus unbeatable shrimp cocktail, for a ridiculous price.

One of the better Middle Eastern restaurants in northern Virginia is Jerusalem on Payne Street, just about five miles from the Mark Center area.