Tyler Cowen's Ethnic Dining Guide

Present Restaurant, 6678 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church, VA, 571-233-5001 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Yelp]

This is in the mall with J.V.'s Restaurant (described by the Washington Post as "One of the last Virginia honky-tonks") and Merchants’ Tire, west of Seven Corners/Eden Center. This used to be the Beewon.

The restaurant is finer in décor than most Vietnamese places and you could even take a business client here. The menu has vague, flowery descriptions of the dishes, so if you know real Vietnamese food you may at first be a bit confused. Don’t be.

Right now this is one of the best Vietnamese restaurants around. The dishes are done in very classic style, with French influence. The menu is pretty short so they may not have your favorite Vietnamese dish. And I think the place can still get better. Recommended.

Kim Ngan, web site, 6755 Wilson Blvd., #24, Falls Church, VA, Eden Center, inside the row of stores to the right of the mall, a small place, 703-538-2474, closed Wednesdays. (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [City Paper | Yelp]

Excellent pho but more notably has some of the area’s best “crushed rice” dishes. They have numerous good noodle and small dishes and pork chop dishes here, a fun restaurant, good for when you’re not in the mood for the Eden Center standbys.

Tay Do Restaurant, web site, 6793-C Wilson Blvd., Falls Church, VA, the old spot held by Dragon Star in Eden Center, 703-536-5728

This place keeps closing and then opening again. Each time it gets smaller and it takes on a new relationship with sappy evening music. At times it has been excellent and I've never know it to be bad. I'm not sure what to say. If you're already in the Eden Center, it's hard to try a place that can't keep its act together. But there's plenty of upside with the organ meats, the clay pots, the congees, and other dishes, including Vietnamese pancakes. That is if the menu stays the same. Who knows?

Nhu Lan, web site, 6763 Wilson Blvd., # 14, Falls Church, VA, on the interior of Eden Center, a very small place, 703-532-9009 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [WaPo]

Vietnamese subs, banh mi they are called. Some involve mayonnaise, carrots, pickled carrots, radishes, and fresh cilantro. Not my cup of tea -- especially the mayo -- but some swear by it. If you are like me, perhaps try the pork meatballs.

Pho Cyclo, 8102 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church, VA, 703-573-2210, really on Gallows Road next to the 24-hour CVS (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [WaPo | City Paper | Yelp]

Not just Pho. Excellent lemon grass chicken.

Viet House, 9966 Main Street, Fairfax, VA, 703-691-0090, in the Fairfax Circle Shopping Center (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Yelp]

I don’t list most of the soup places, which are uniformly good, this one has lunch dishes too, a good place especially for Fairfax.

Vietnam-Georgetown Restaurant, 2934 M Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-337-4536 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [WaPo | City Paper | openlist | Yelp]

See under “Saigon Inn,” immediately above. Don’t go.

Green Papaya, web site (Flash), 4922 Elm Street, Bethesda, MD, 301-654-8986, near Woodmont Avenue (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | Don Rockwell | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]

The Maryland equivalent of Minh’s. Good enough if you live too far from Eden Center, but frankly I feel sorry for you. Ten years ago Maryland had better ethnic food than Virginia, now the reverse is clearly true.

Minh's Restaurant, web site, 2500 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA, at Cleveland Street, 703-525-2828, the Virginia branch of a small chain (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | Don Rockwell | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]

Along with Nam-Viet, one of the better Vietnamese places in Clarendon. More yuppie than most, a deliberate attempt at outreach. For me, this is ultimately a turn-off; although the food here is reasonably good, it is a little more expensive than it need be.

Nam-Viet, web site, 1127 N. Hudson Street, Arlington, VA, 703-522-7110 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Economist | Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]

Other locations:

• 3819 Mount Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, VA, 703-548-0440
  
• 3419 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 202 -237-1015

Maybe the best Vietnamese place in Clarendon, currently. Clarendon, however, is no longer the area’s center for Vietnamese food, Falls Church is, especially in and around the Eden Center. My favorite here is the caramel pork in ginger sauce.

Saigon House, 7235 Arlington Blvd., #2, Loehmann’s Plaza, Falls Church, VA, 703-560-8180 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [openlist | Yelp | Gayot]

Yet another very good Vietnamese place. Best for their big seafood combo dinners, for up to ten people, even including some jellyfish but the non-squeamish will like it too. When you go inside, you will be surprised how large this place is.

Cho Cu Saigon, 6763-6D Wilson Blvd., Falls Church, VA, 703-538-2168, inside Eden Center - use the entrance under the clock tower, next to the grocery store (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | City Paper | Yelp]

Get the roast pork there. You might call this Cantonese but it is a Vietnamese vision of Cantonese food. Duck and seafood as well, recommended.

Update September, 2006: An unknown and much underrated Cantonese restaurant. Good congee. Also get the salted and baked chicken. Fully authentic, try the noodles with ginger and scallion, I think this place is quite good and I haven’t even yet discovered their best dishes.

Update March 9, 2006: Today I had a great meal at the Cantonese place inside Eden Center... the casserole with minced chicken and salted fish was superb.

Huong Viet, 6785 Wilson Blvd., Falls Church, VA, 703-538-7110, in the Eden Center (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]

Opens at 10 a.m. and is full by noon in the Eden Center. Get the picture? All the Vietnamese staples, definitely recommended.

Song Hau, 6763 #6A Wilson Boulevard, Falls Church, VA, this is an inside resturant at Eden Center and not visible from the parking lot, 703-241-1880 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [City Paper]

I’ve yet to try it but it must be excellent to survive in this mall.

Four Sisters, Huong Que, 6769 Wilson Blvd., Falls Church, VA, 703-538-6717, right next to Viet Royale in the Eden Center (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | The Hill | City Paper | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]

A bit fancier than Viet Royale, this was once the best or at least the best known of the Vietnamese places. I like the caramel fish, the Vietnamese pancake, anything with lemon grass, the soups, anything that doesn’t sound Chinese. Fancier decor and less crowded than most other Vietnamese places. But it's gone increasingly mainstream and I no longer see reason to go here. It's still good, but the most specialized places in Eden Center are serving up more interesting meals. Word is that it is reopening in Falls Church City.

The same folks own Song Que, a few doors away. [Hobnob Blog | Washingtonian]

The other places in Eden Center are great, too. If you go on a Saturday, you must arrive before noon to get a parking spot in this mall. All the restaurants are open by 11, so this is not a problem.

Viet Royale, 6795 Wilson Blvd., Falls Church, VA, 703-533-8388, in Eden Center, Arlington, off Wilson Boulevard, near Rt. 50 and Rt. 7. This center is the center of Vietnamese and Asian life in northern Virginia. Excellent stores as well. I suspect no one goes to the Eden Center just once. (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | City Paper | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]

Avoid anything that sounds like Chinese food, the standard advice in a Vietnamese restaurant. The lobster is excellent, for one thing. On weekdays, order the Bo 7 Mon - Seven Courses of Beef. Not as intimidating as it sounds. In any case, this restaurant is much better than the overrated Queen Bee. Fish in caramel sauce is one idea. Vietnamese pancake. Sweet and sour soup. You get the idea.

Atami, 3155 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA, 703-522-4787, Clarendon metro area (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [WaPo | City Paper | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]

NOW CLOSED. They have both Japanese and Vietnamese food, and have been in decline for some time now.

Thanh Son Tofu, 6793/A Wilson Blvd., Eden Center, Falls Church, VA, 703-534-1202 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [eGullet]

They serve one main dish, tofu. That’s right, just slabs of tofu, done three main ways. Five for a dollar. The best tofu around, period. Tofu to die for. Tofu. Wonderful tofu. The Vietnamese love this place. By the way, you’d better be in the mood for tofu.

Viet Bistro, in Eden Center, Arlington, off Wilson Boulevard, near Rt. 7 (approximately 6801 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA), 703-538-7575, in the corner of the mall closest to Wilson Blvd. (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | City Paper]

Right now this is the best place in the Eden Center and indeed the best Vietnamese place around. Finer and fresher than Four Sisters. Get the baby clams, the caramel fish, the frogs’ legs, the eel, anything with lemon grass, and the shaking beef. Consistently tasty and refined. Good for vegans and vegetarians also, first-rate tofu. Don’t miss it.

The Best

Photos from a loyal reader:

Pho 75, 3103 Graham Road, Suite B, Falls Church, VA, 703-204-1490, go early to avoid the line (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | Don Rockwell | openlist | Citysearch | Gayot]

Other locations:

• 1721 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA, 703-525-7355
  
• 382 Elden Street, Herndon, VA, 703-471-4145
  
• 771 Hungerford Drive, Rockville, MD, 301-309-8873
  
• 1510 University Blvd. East, Hyattsville, MD, 301-434-7844
  

Do not fear tripe and the other nasty bits. Learn to eat for crunch and texture.