171097 Tue Jul 06 15:09:43 -0700 2004 15 14 Washington DC & Baltimore Area 0 917963 I am going to be spending time in the Reston area and need help - So far, I was subjected to a Silver Diner. I have a car but little time to venture far. My budget isn't grand so I need mid-range to cheap-but-good. Any suggestions, my tastes vary, so any cuisine is fine by me. Thanks, in advance, to all you chowhounds. Tue Jul 06 15:09:43 -0700 2004 0 ML 1 917967 Reston on a decent budget - that's been my recent specialty! Biggest thing to learn is the K-Mart shopping center area on Elden. Of note is Charcoal Kebab (get the spinach as a side!). But also there is Pho, Afghan, about three mexican style places of varying strengths (none stand out to me though). Also Van's Vietnamese used to be good but has slid somewhat over the past year. Just a tad east from there is a Thai place that used to be good, but I haven't been in quite a while (the tan building with green lettering). On the way to downtown Herndon, on the north side of Elden you can find a shopping center (near the Anita's) with Tortilla Factory (only okay, but a Herndon institution), a Pho place with new ownership (the jury is still out) and a Peruvian place that specializes in things other than chicken, though they have that too. (the sopas seem to be the thing) Next biggest thing is Downtown Herndon. Jimmy's serves up great sandwiches, has good atmosphere and a mean fish fry on Fridays. It can also be a fun place at times. Avoid most of the apps, though. Also in downtown Herndon is Sylvano's pizza which many here describe as the closest to NY pie in the area. Curving around Elden street to the west/south, behind KFC you'll find Pollo Real for your Peruvian Chicken. Keep going and pass under the toll road you'll find the clock tower with a number of offerings. SBC cafe is a winner for a nicer lunch or dinner, but Minerva for Indian and more. Even the places on the corner that don't look like much can be decent - there's a 5 Guys knockoff called something bad like "wing'n" and a good cheesesteak place right next to that. In Reston proper, by the International center, Reston Kebab is outstanding! Then you have town center which can be good but you have to suffer through some serious 'tude much of the time. Lake Anne can provide a few treats. It's been a few years, but I think Cafe Montmartre used to be good. There are some other small gems in the area, like Mom's Pies for pies , and Great Falls Gourmet for some good lunches. One last place I'll plug is Primo Italiano in Plaza America (near the Chumpps sports bar). Enjoy. Tue Jul 06 15:39:53 -0700 2004 917963 0 Dennis S 2 917968 Reston Kebab is outstanding? I'll go back there for lunch before the week is out. Our first (and last) experience left us longing for Moby's and Simply Grill. But I will try it again. I would not overlook Rio Grande Cafe in Town Center which is called Uncle Julio's in Dallas. It is D. C.'s best Tex Mex. I would also add Kobe Grill in McNair Farms which is very good "fast food" Chinese/Asian. Sorrento Grill is also a very good kebab place but I think a notch below Simply and Moby Dick. Last, you may laugh, but I really like the national chain, Carrabba's, whose Reston outpost is one of their better. Specifically: Polla Santa Maria and mussels. Tue Jul 06 15:47:40 -0700 2004 917967 0 Joe H. 3 917984 I am also a fan of Reston Kabob. Not fancy, but what they do (grilled meats with rice and bread) is good and simple. I like to slather my meats with the garlicky salad dressing / sauce and the hot sauces that are served on the tables. One shopping center that hasn't been mentioned yet is Tall Oaks off of North Shore Drive. Don't let the abandoned 7-11 and Burger King scare you away. El Manantial is a nice, slightly expensive Spanish/Mediterranian place with a small tapas menus, a pretty extensive entree list and very good wood-oven pizzas. The Pho place on the other end of the center is pretty good. And a new Chinese/Japanese place called Mama Wok has recently opened. I have only been once, but the inside is actually much more stylish than the generic strip mall front indicates. And the Chinese food I had was pretty good. Tue Jul 06 16:45:11 -0700 2004 917968 0 bilrus 4 917989 bilrus, you're the person who got me to finally try Reston Kebab - thanks! (still have to try El Manantial, but I've scoped it out), and Joe, in all fairness, I've only been once and that was last week (after two attempts to go when they were closed). However, it ranks very high for me (I had the beef/lamb Gyro). Could be a matter of taste - somehow Moby's turns me off, maybe it was an off day when you went, or maybe they've gotten better. Joe, as I do respect your tastes, I'd be curious to know your experience so I can guage it with my own. When I went it seemed like a very family operated affair. A huge portion but light and airy, the bread was nice and light and the meat was nicely seasoned. The lettuce was top quality as was the rest of the produce. But on another note for Reston, in the Hunters Woods plaza, a Wing Factory is about to open where Cinci Cafe used to be. As it's walking distance from my house, I can't wait. Tue Jul 06 16:55:20 -0700 2004 917984 0 Dennis S 5 917998 Shamshiry in Tyson's is my overall standard for rice and kebabs but I really like the flavor and texture of Moby's chicken kebabs. I do find some variance between the Moby's preferring McLean over, say, Fair Oaks. But I live one mile from Reston kebab and was there the week it opened. I WILL go back. Soon, too! Illene below raved about a bbq place in Alabama that I have been to. I raved-to my wife and was credited in a book about another place in Alabama. When I went to Illene's I was disappointed. When my wife went to Dreamland (the one I liked) she and I BOTH were disappointed! My guess is that if I went back to Bob Sykes in Bessemer I would probably like it much better. I'm looking forward to Reston Kebab. Thanks! Tue Jul 06 17:35:29 -0700 2004 917989 0 Joe H. 6 917999 I think the expectation thing can rear it's head easily in food as in film, theater, music, etc. I think that's why I didn't get along with Moby's (and it was the one in Fair Oaks), as I had heard over and over that "it's the one", and then was sorely not given the holy grail. I'll check out Shamshiry soon though, and try to curb my expectations leading up to it! Tue Jul 06 17:40:52 -0700 2004 917998 0 Dennis S 7 918002 I was a disappointed in Shamshiry, but I just had a standard chicken kabob with standard rice. I thought it was all a little dry and flavorless. But I understand Shamshiry is more about the different rices and I need to try it again sometime. This is still almost on topic, with Tyson's only being a 10 minute drive from Reston, right? Tue Jul 06 17:45:04 -0700 2004 917999 0 bilrus 4 917991 I agree about Tall Oaks, but it is so darned hard to find! We have been pretty happy with MaMa Wok, and the little Vietnamese place near it is also good for strip mall standards. El Manatiel has decent but not outstanding tapas. The staff there can be very warm and friendly with regulars. Another cheap option when you've decided that you have had it with heavy restaurant meals is to hit the salad bar and/or prepared food counters at either Whole Foods (Plaza America, on Sunset Hills Road) or Balducci's (Reston Parkway, same plaza as the Harris Teater, just South of Baron Cameron). In both cases, the food may look a bit better than it tastes, but you should have no problem finding tasty meals a bit healthier than restaraunt fare. Tue Jul 06 17:00:44 -0700 2004 917984 0 PollyG 4 3774288 Ding-ding-ding! El Manatial is your winner! Actually, not that expensive when compared to the typical Reston chain. But definitely not a chain! The Fuentes family has a little gem here, and it's better than any of the many-many-many chains in Reston. Thu Jun 12 10:43:50 -0700 2008 917984 105918 BigEats 1 917970 Between Joe H and me, you should get plenty of opinions! There's a lot more to the area than the Silver Diner. Among the choices: Reston Town Center: Clyde's: Area chain, generally has some regional specialties featuring seasonal ingredients. Can be very noisy. I'e never had anything cooked in a less than competent fashion. Entrees range from about 16-30, most in the under $25 range. McCormick & Schmick's: National chain with fresh seafood, usually very fresh. Price range the same as Clyde's, with an interior slightly more upscale and less eclectic. Herndon: All food is off of Elden Street between Herndon County Parkway and the Dulles Access Road intersection. The K-mart Plaza is along the North side of Elden Street and is home to well in excess of 25 eateries, most of them home to second half of the 20th century immigrant cuisine. Try: Yoko: Very clean Korean-owned Japanese. There's always some mild jazz playing. If you prefer your Japanese food cooked, they're good at that, except that I think the teriyaki sauce is gloppy. I'd rate the sushi as top 10% in the region. Try the grilled yellowtail jaw and the softshell appetizer. Teocalli Tamale: Two doors down from Yoko, this Mexican/American eatery features ingredients that have a nice freshness to them. Our favorite is Mike's Mexolina tacos, which is a shredded brisket. Cheap, cheap, cheap! Bamyan: Afghani cuisine. Go for the vegetable dishes, in particular the pumpkin. We've had issues with slow service, but the pumpkin is a standout. Moderately expensive. Van's Vietnamese: I think they've gone downhill since the ownership change, but they're still pretty good if you can't get to Eden Center in Falls Church for Vietnamese that hasn't been Americanized. Traveling further West, you'll see Pollo Campero, again on the North side of the street. This is a Salvadoran (I think) chain that has started putting outposts in the US. They injection marinate the chicken and the breading is very thin. It's crispy, juicy, and among the best fast food fried chicken you will find. Most of the sides are pretty boring. Cheap. Further West still, this time on the South side of the street, you will find Yee Hwa. This is a newly-opened Korean restaurant. Despite its distance from the Annandale epicenter of regional Korean dining, it is authentic. The interior is quite upscale for Korean in our region. While the entree prices may seem a bit high to you (up to about $22), keep in mind that an entree will come with a number of small side dishes and a bowl of miso soup. Joe and I don't share the same opinion of Sylvano's, which is a family Italian place in the little old-town part of Herndon. He likes the NY style pizza; I thought it was competent but not rave-worthy. They do have a big salad bar, though. In the Worldgate plaza (Elden/toll-road intersection) you will find a number of dining options. We liked both the Indian place (Indian Supper Club?) and the recently opened Vietnamese restaurant there. The Vietnamese will qualify as cheap, the Indian as moderate. There is also a Japanese place that does a passable all-you-can-eat buffet lunch. If you venture just South of the toll road, the clocktower plaza has a decent Japanese restaurant, a very good Indian place (Minerva?) that has dosa, and an Irish place that I thought was dreadfully boring. There are several other restaurants, but we haven't sampled them. Just a bit further South is the SBC Cafe, hidden in the McNair Farm plaza. Check this board for reviews. Oh, and if you see a place called China Star in Reston, please know it is NOT the China Star that gets so many rave reviews on this board. That one's in Fairfax. You don't really want to waste a meal at the one in Reston. Tue Jul 06 15:57:24 -0700 2004 917963 0 PollyG 2 917979 The Japanese restaurant in the Clock Tower Plaza is called Hama Sushi. It is one of my favorite places for sushi. Before my office moved from the hinterland of Herndon to Arlington, I used to eat lunch there at least once a week. Tue Jul 06 16:34:38 -0700 2004 917970 0 Sthitch 2 918184 In addition to the India Supper Club, the same people also own Harvest of India which is in the same shopping center as Teocalli Tamale. Also in that shopping center is Hard Times Cafe which is a (mostly) local chilli chain that has great vegetarian chilli. Sat Apr 23 12:06:27 -0700 2005 917970 0 mathemagician 1 918031 Cafe Jasmine at the old Town Center (Lake Anne) is wonderful. Edwardo is a genius with sauces. A great "local" place. Tue Jul 06 23:13:25 -0700 2004 917963 0 Amfortas 1 918032 oh, how could I forget Thai Luang: 171 Elden Street, Herndon, Virginia 703 478-2233 (on the south side of Elden just after you go under the Fairfax Co. Parkway bridge (coming from the Reston side). Tue Jul 06 23:21:54 -0700 2004 917963 0 Amfortas 1 3774057 I have lived and worked in Reston for 10 years - here are my pix: 1. Sushi - Ariake (look up recent Post write-up) 2. Thai - Thai Luang in Herndon. We eat here at least once a week, it is so good. Their special crispy chicken with basil is UNREAL. Great lunch specials (soup and springroll too) for one decent price. People come from all over DC to eat here. 3. Indian - Angeethi in Herndon. I work w/several Indian folks who have confirmed this is great, and it is. they focus on buffet for lunch, but will let you order off the menu if you ask. I prefer the menu. 4. Kabobs - Charcoal kabob in Herndon (KMart shopping center) is very good for afghani and Moby Dick for Iranian (on Sunrise near Herndon). Great kabob salads. 5. Chinese - I am partial to Mama Wok in Reston but i dont eat a lot of chinese. 6. European - Euro Bistro in Herndon rocks! This is a better dinner choice, as many of the meals are heavy - weinershnitzel goulash and the like - but they have awesome salads, homemade pastas and the most kick-ass roasted pepper soup! The owners are fantastic people too. Chef is austrian.This is my favorite restaurant. 7. Mexican - Teocale (in Herndon) is more tex mex but this is an awesome taco/burrito counter. Their guac is homemade and their pulled brisket beef is the bomb. The owner recently sold to move to take care of his sick mom, but the same cooks and people are there...so far still good. Great quick lunch place for tacos, tamales and burritos. 8. Diner - The Amphora in Herndon is an old school diner with anything you can imagine on the menu, and its BETTER than the silver diner! Its just diner food, but its good. My picks- greek grilled chicken souvlaki salad, everything omelets & home fries, and money pancakes! 9a. Frenchy - Mediteranee in great Falls. Used to be in Arlington for years and moved out here. Great food, daily fish, good cheaper wine list options. Have not been for lunch but have heard its great for it. My pick - saled with fennel, roasted peppers and goat cheese brick dough, and any of the fish. Not as great on the dessert. 9b. Cafe Montmarte on Lake Anne. I have had an excellent piece of halibut on salad greens here but have only been here twice. I know there are diehard fans however. 10. Contemp American - Jasmine Cafe at Lake Anne - salads, french bistro fare, This is a Reston establishment, and its good, especially in spring when you can sit outside. 11. Pizza. I have two recommendations. Mamma Lucia in Reston (awesome pizza) and Lucianno in Herndon (great pizza as well as lunch pasta specials). The town center is OKAY. Clydes is great for salads and burgers and Rio is good for chips and margaritas. Evereything else is so-so in my opinion. I live here and never go! There are so many other, better places to eat in the area - and more affordable to boot. There is fantastic ethnic food out here. Support local business owners! Thu Jun 12 09:53:48 -0700 2008 917963 194913 tuni