Recommendations for "Present" Vietnamese in Falls Church?

[the sobsister]

I've read the Sietsema and Washingtonian writeups of Present, among others, but would appreciate hearing up-to-date recommendations of favorite dishes to order at dinner. Thanks.

[prldecivic]

i wouldnt eat the fried rice there, it was horrible.

[dpan]

I have to ask, seriously, who orders fried rice in a place like Present and expect it to be representative of the menu?

[Steve]

Watercress soup with minced pork. Gorgeous broth.

[CoconutMilk]

I've heard they changed the recipe for the shaking beef, which was, when I had it, a very good dish. Ask them if they changed it when you get there and if you can get it "the old way," as someone on this board claimed the new way was dreadful.

Other recs?....imperial rolls, green papaya salad, minced clams in a rice cracker shell, seafood salad, lemongrass chicken...all are good, and most were probably mentioned by Sietsema and Kliman anyways. Some not so good dishes are the bun (its average), the banh xeo (also average), and 'Northern Gentleman" (a bad rice dish).

My advice: order heavy on the apps and share everything. And be wary of how many fried items you get or its gets redundant.

[Joe H]

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/612792 includes photos.