Jump to content

A&J, The Tang Family's Fine Taiwan-Based Chain in Rockville and Annandale


Recommended Posts

2 hours ago, gnatharobed said:

Happy Anniversary! We are honored to be your special occasion restaurant. Thank you so much for your support. We are getting ready to sign on with UberEats so you can also have A&J delivered soon. We had too many issues with DoorDash. 

Debbie:  Yours has been among the very best carry-out options we've enjoyed -- thanks so much for making such delicious food so affordable!

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 5/20/2020 at 8:00 PM, gnatharobed said:

Happy Anniversary! We are honored to be your special occasion restaurant. Thank you so much for your support. We are getting ready to sign on with UberEats so you can also have A&J delivered soon. We had too many issues with DoorDash. 

Are you on yet? Was looking for delivery options tonight, and I didn’t see anything. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, gnatharobed said:

We are signed up with UberEats but they are taking so long to load our menus so we can’t start yet. It’s very frustrating.  Sorry for the delay. Rockville has delivery through Chowbus. Annandale has delivery through Hungry Panda.

Looked at Chowbus...odd app. They’re offering me a 7:30-9:30 delivery window as the only option. Looks like I’m doing take out instead. :) 

Just glad you’re open!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

After a false start with DoorDash, A&J Annandale is finally on UberEats!  We just started today.  Rockville UberEats is coming soon.  Thanks for everybody's patience and support.  So grateful for Don Rockwell and the caring community he has created.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A&J is doing great carryout.  Everything is packaged well, soup broth kept separate from the noodles, small buckets for the cucumber, slightly larger for the dry bean curd, cilantro, and peanut salad.  I picked up a big bag of things from A&J Annandale, and had an epic picnic in the backyard of friends.  Bravo!

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 6/3/2020 at 12:12 PM, gnatharobed said:

Both Annandale and Rockville are on Uber Eats now!  We also have a new website.  https://www.aandjrestaurant.com

Big thanks to DanielK for his feedback on the website and to deangold for his help regarding 3rd party delivery services.  We feel so lucky to be a part of the Don Rockwell family!  

The menu looks great. Can you add prices to it, please?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, Smita Nordwall said:

The menu looks great. Can you add prices to it, please?

We had prices on the website at first but our Irvine, CA location asked us to take the prices down because customers in California were complaining that their prices were higher.  Ridiculous, I know!

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wonderful takeout last night from the Rockville location. To my surprise, the highlight of the meal was the vegetarian delight with rice; served in a carryout container it looked, honestly, bland. But it was really, really delicious. The potstickers were as good as always, the turnip pastry as well, and the beef wraps fell apart a bit on the ride home but were flavorful and fun to eat. We have so many good options for interesting food, and this remains one of the best. 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, seanvtaylor said:

Wonderful takeout last night from the Rockville location. To my surprise, the highlight of the meal was the vegetarian delight with rice; served in a carryout container it looked, honestly, bland. But it was really, really delicious. The potstickers were as good as always, the turnip pastry as well, and the beef wraps fell apart a bit on the ride home but were flavorful and fun to eat. We have so many good options for interesting food, and this remains one of the best. 

The veggies on rice is one of my faves.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

@captcourt I'm so with you and @mtureck about the cuke salad.  Was back in the area over Christmas time and went to A&J for some of our family's old faves there, including the cucumber salad.  Apparently, there is an A&J in CA somewhere (Irvine, I think)  I'm now in UT and we've discussed driving to the CA location for some of their food.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, smokey said:

@captcourt I'm so with you and @mtureck about the cuke salad.  Was back in the area over Christmas time and went to A&J for some of our family's old faves there, including the cucumber salad.  Apparently, there is an A&J in CA somewhere (Irvine, I think)  I'm now in UT and we've discussed driving to the CA location for some of their food.

Great to see you back here, Smokey!  Any Utah suggestions?  (My son will be out there soon.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Marty L. Skimming through posts here, I've been reminded about so much that I liked and miss about this community, including people like you who I got to know!  Let me think about recs for your son.  The sad reality is that while I think the food scene here has improved, it's still not as strong as other places I've lived.  :(  Any idea where he'll be in UT? 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, smokey said:

@Marty L. Skimming through posts here, I've been reminded about so much that I liked and miss about this community, including people like you who I got to know!  Let me think about recs for your son.  The sad reality is that while I think the food scene here has improved, it's still not as strong as other places I've lived.  :(  Any idea where he'll be in UT? 

Near Zion--but probably traveling through the north before that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, DonRocks said:

smokey, if you do this, you should write gnatharobed (whose family owns A&J) and let her know - I'm certain they (the family) would be beaming over this.

We miss you!

You mean if smokey actually makes the 1400-mile round trip to grab some potstickers and spicy cukes--only then should she write to Debbie w/her appreciation?  😉   

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 9/26/2020 at 8:07 AM, hopsing said:

That commercial is hysterical.  I don't recall every seeing it.  The wife in pigtails and wearing a Chinese top. Classic!  My father had a laundry in Brooklyn back in the day.  Secret:  he didn't use Calgon!

Even Wayne's World references it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 6/20/2020 at 11:18 AM, Smita Nordwall said:

The menu looks great. Can you add prices to it, please?

If you go onto Yelp there are photos of the menu with prices shown.

And on an unrelated note, we're doing an all Asian Thanksgiving this year.  Originally I was going to try to cook all sorts of dumplings and stir fries, but I quickly came my senses and decided to do carry out.  If anyone has any "must order" items here, lay them on me!  I generally stick to dumplings/buns/pancakes and am looking to broaden my horizons.  Thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, Bart said:

If you go onto Yelp there are photos of the menu with prices shown.

And on an unrelated note, we're doing an all Asian Thanksgiving this year.  Originally I was going to try to cook all sorts of dumplings and stir fries, but I quickly came my senses and decided to do carry out.  If anyone has any "must order" items here, lay them on me!  I generally stick to dumplings/buns/pancakes and am looking to broaden my horizons.  Thanks!

In addition to the pan fried beef bun, pork pot stickers, and scallion pancakes, other customer favorites include the spicy beef noodle soup with wide handmade noodles, dan dan noodles, the Chinese style fried chicken on rice or with noodle soup, and the bean curd skin w/mustard greens and soy beans.  Enjoy!

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It was nice to see A&J get some love in the WaPo's food section today.  We have made the trek from Herndon to Annandale about once every 2 months during this pandemic (it was more like once or twice a month before) to get our fix.  Some dishes, like the tiny wontons in hot sauce, do not travel well.  As the weather improves, perhaps we can tailgate closer to the shop.   Have folding table, will travel.  

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, PollyG said:

It was nice to see A&J get some love in the WaPo's food section today.  We have made the trek from Herndon to Annandale about once every 2 months during this pandemic (it was more like once or twice a month before) to get our fix.  Some dishes, like the tiny wontons in hot sauce, do not travel well.  As the weather improves, perhaps we can tailgate closer to the shop.   Have folding table, will travel.  

Thanks! We were excited to be in the Post. I will ask my parents about packing the sauce and wontons separately for takeout. Hopefully that will work better. 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Stunningly good lunch at the Annandale location on Friday. Our group of four included two regular A&J visitors, and two guests from Europe (including one who is from Shanghai and relocated to Europe about 15 years ago). The regulars thought it was as good as it had ever been; our guests from Europe could literally not get enough, and we ended up going back to the menu two additional times to order more food. Everything that we had was loved, with our European guests lamenting the lack of anything even close to this in quality and authenticity in their city (Brussels). We had the usual suspects, skipping one (the potstickers) and adding in the beef tendon and tripe dishes at the request of our EU friends.

For me, it was the first time dining at the Annandale location, as I was taking some visitors on a circuitous route from downtown out to Dulles. After a big dining week, with Korean and Vietnamese earlier in the week, this was the perfect capper.

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We went to the Annandale A&J a couple weeks ago, and it was just the same as it was the last time (ten years ago?)

*Bean Curd with Thousand Year Szechuan Egg ($8.40) could have scared off my dining companion, but at my urging, it didn’t, and we both loved it - every bite was gone.

*Cucumber Salad in Hot Garlic Sauce $5.45) brought everything together. This was almost certainly jarred, but so what? The cucumbers were snappier than if they’d been in the ground that day.

*Shredded Pork and Szechuan Radish Noodle Soup ($13.45) was the equal of the Shredded Pork and Mustard Green Noodle Soup ($13.45), both requested with thick noodles (and taken home for lunch). The latter benefitted from a little soy sauce to wake it up a bit.

*Thousand Layer Pancake ($5.45) was the only other thing (with the thousand year egg tofu) that we felt compelled to finish.

A great, late lunch, with leftovers for the next day - some things never change, thank goodness.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 3/17/2023 at 11:55 PM, DonRocks said:

We went to the Annandale A&J a couple weeks ago, and it was just the same as it was the last time (ten years ago?)

*Bean Curd with Thousand Year Szechuan Egg ($8.40) could have scared off my dining companion, but at my urging, it didn’t, and we both loved it - every bite was gone.

*Cucumber Salad in Hot Garlic Sauce $5.45) brought everything together. This was almost certainly jarred, but so what? The cucumbers were snappier than if they’d been in the ground that day.

*Shredded Pork and Szechuan Radish Noodle Soup ($13.45) was the equal of the Shredded Pork and Mustard Green Noodle Soup ($13.45), both requested with thick noodles (and taken home for lunch). The latter benefitted from a little soy sauce to wake it up a bit.

*Thousand Layer Pancake ($5.45) was the only other thing (with the thousand year egg tofu) that we felt compelled to finish.

A great, late lunch, with leftovers for the next day - some things never change, thank goodness.

Don- Thanks for visiting us. Hope to see you again before ten years pass!

P.S. Our cucumbers are not jarred

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, gnatharobed said:

P.S. Our cucumbers are not jarred

Just thinking of (often great jarred) Kimchi, and the wholesale neighborhood you’re in … how do you keep the quality so high, given that you’re not an ultra-high volume restaurant?!

I’m impressed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, DonRocks said:

Just thinking of (often great jarred) Kimchi, and the wholesale neighborhood you’re in … how do you keep the quality so high, given that you’re not an ultra-high volume restaurant?!

I’m impressed.

Don't hold your breath on an answer.  I once asked for the recipe for this dish and Debbie wouldn't give it to me!!!  😉 

😂

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Visited a few weeks back after a hiatus, everything is good as ever.  Favorites:

Chinese Style Fried Chicken Soup

Vegetarian Delight

Smoked Chicken

Pan Fried Pork Dumpling

The rare restaurant where you can say 1) If it sounds good it is, and 2) The cold dishes are, on average, better than hot

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We stopped by A&J several days ago and, per usual, we over-ordered because EVERYTHING IS ALWAYS SO GOOD.  Plus, I strongly believe in leftovers.  Honestly, for me, having some left over is my biggest nudge to return to a good restaurant again; the leftovers might as well be a billboard yelling at me to go back and order more.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Went to A&J Annandale today around 10:30.  The restaurant wasn't open because they're no longer doing weekend brunch (i.e., soy milk, you tiao, stuffed stick rice balls, etc.).  Not sure when this happened.  Did they stop doing brunch in Rockville too?  Where can I go to get good you tiao?  Bob's Shanghai?

  • Sad 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 1/21/2024 at 12:23 PM, Ericandblueboy said:

Went to A&J Annandale today around 10:30.  The restaurant wasn't open because they're no longer doing weekend brunch (i.e., soy milk, you tiao, stuffed stick rice balls, etc.).  Not sure when this happened.  Did they stop doing brunch in Rockville too?  Where can I go to get good you tiao?  Bob's Shanghai?

Sadly, we stopped serving breakfast at both locations on Jan. 1st. It was extremely difficult for us to find staff to prepare these time-consuming items. I miss you tiao too 😭 

I asked my parents about other places for you to get you tiao and they only knew of Chinese grocery stores. They think one of the stalls at Great Wall sells you tiao.   

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
  • Sad 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 hours ago, gnatharobed said:

Sadly, we stopped serving breakfast at both locations on Jan. 1st. It was extremely difficult for us to find staff to prepare these time-consuming items. I miss you tiao too 😭 

I asked my parents about other places for you to get you tiao and they only knew of Chinese grocery stores. They think one of the stalls at Great Wall sells you tiao.   

I'll miss the breakfast items, but we were just marveling the other night that after all these years A&J might just be the most *consistent* excellent restaurant around these parts.  Year after year, meal after meal, the quality virtually never wavers (yet it never seems by-the-numbers or cookie-cutter, either!).  Kudos to you, Debbie--don't know quite how you do it, but you're certainly onto something, and we're the very grateful beneficiaries.

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, Marty L. said:

I'll miss the breakfast items, but we were just marveling the other night that after all these years A&J might just be the most *consistent* excellent restaurant around these parts.  Year after year, meal after meal, the quality virtually never wavers (yet it never seems by-the-numbers or cookie-cutter, either!).  Kudos to you, Debbie--don't know quite how you do it, but you're certainly onto something, and we're the very grateful beneficiaries.

Thank you, Marty L. I will share your kind words with my parents. Consistency is something we all take very seriously. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...