Truth be told, I’ve always kind of considered La Tasca the poor man’s Jaleo. The tapas aren’t as high a quality as the Jose Andres restaurant, plus La Tasca has the added “bonus” of sporting a decor that, as my friend Audrey put it, “invites the image of Antonio Banderas swinging in on a chandelier.” Plus, it hails from the dreaded “Arlington Chain Restaurant” family (though come on; there’s four La Tascas and three Jaleos. Is this really giving them a fair shake?)
I wonder if a poor man’s Jaleo with cheesy decor really is a bad thing. Sometimes you really are poor, and feel like taking advantage of La Tasca’s within-walking distance location. Plus, there’s the occasional roaming Flamenco dancer. I’ve found La Tasca’s tapas hit and miss, but they’re cheaper than Jaleo, have larger pitchers of sangria, and are a great place to hold a birthday gathering. On the negative side, our service was pretty inattentive (and I prefer the traditional tapas serving style of bringing dishes out when they’re ready, rather than overwhelming the table all at once).
So really, it’s your call. Don’t walk into La Tasca expecting a culinary epiphany. But don’t hang your head in shame as you enter its doors, either. But don’t worry. I won’t be coming by next week with a (wary) defense of The Cheesecake Factory. Some things are blasphemy.
The tapas we sampled this weekend:
Sangria a La Tasca: So fruity you forget it contains alcohol, their offering may be too sweet for some sangria purists, but it’s delicious and the pitchers are generous. And if it’s not your thing, they have about 8 other options for you (even, strangely, a Red Bull sangria).
Patatas Bravas: This was fried potatoes with a tomato sauce and a garlic aioli. A little on the soggy side, but satisfying (I must confess a prejudice; I don’t like mayonnaise, so I avoided the aioli)
Manchego and Jamon Serrano: Good ham and cheese, but definitely could have used a less generous dousing of olive oil
Monkfish: Subtle without being bland; I was a fan.
Baby Octopus: Just enough chewiness and crunch for my taste – a simple, paprika-based presentation.
Salmon y Queso Fresco: Almost seemed a little too NY-breakfast to be at home in a Spanish restaurant, these rounds of bread with cream cheese and salmon were nonetheless tasty.
Flank steak and potatoes: The sherry-based marinade for the meat was fantastic.
Tomato and goat cheese salad: A refreshing side dish, particularly in light of some of our heavier choices
Shrimp with avocado: The shrimp were good; they skimped a bit on the avocado, but it was a nice combination.
Lamb chops: Meaty offerings, nice and tender.
Marinated pork loin: I found the accompanying peppers overcooked and uninteresting, but the pork was thinly-cut and well-seasoned.

All right, we’re not sure if many Fud-dies have the same pleasure of working in a Springfield, Va. industrial park as we do. But if your work atmosphere is more train tracks and shopping centers than DC power lunches and metro rides, you’re in luck.
A Chipotle just opened in the Springfield Plaza on Old Keene Mill Rd. Ok, not such a big deal. BUT they’re giving out FREE FOOD AND DRINK to celebrate their opening. Technically you need a coupon, but the nice guys at the door let us in, and gave us a stack of invites for tomorrow as well. Free food event runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
So those of you stuck slaving away in scenic Springfield, console yourself with a burrito bol this week.

I’m not sure whether it was unfair of me to be automatically skeptical of the cuisine provided at a venue largely known for its live music, but that was my prejudice, and I was sticking to it. Imagine my surprise when it turned out the cuisine at Iota was edible – even tasty!
We started off the night just grabbing some chicken fingers, but I thought their take rose above the usual fare. They weren’t overly reliant on their breading for flavor (though there was plenty of crunch there), and the honey/mustard sauce hit the spot, and didn’t have the weird, congealed goopiness that many other offerings have.
Later in the night, we were still hungry, and ended up a little more hardcore in our ordering. I got the prosciutto and gouda sandwich, and it was great! Gouda’s not my first choice in terms of cheeses I’d pair with the salty, cured meat, but it worked just fine, and came with a hard & hearty roll to match. Best were the fries on the side – incredibly crispy, and very well-seasoned: I noticed hints of pepper, garlic and perhaps even rye.

The place even has a cheese plate, with everything from a fig spread to a manchengo to more pungent varieties. Perhaps a stuffy companion to the Corona I was drinking, but it still hit the spot.
Not every dish is a winner; two friends ordered the shrimp puttanesca pasta, and I found the linguine limp and the sauce spicy but uninteresting. But rest assured that if you find yourself catching a band at Iota and forgetting to eat dinner beforehand, you stand a decent chance of leaving the place satisfied (unless, of course, the band totally sucks).

-MJF

I love Eden Center so much, despite only having made a handful of visits so far. Whether it be the grocery stores with bitter melon by the pound, the plethora of Vietnamese restaurants or the availability of bubble tea, the Asian shopping center is a clear destination spot for me. In the past week alone, I’ve had the chance to visit two of the most talked-about restaurants in the plaza. How did they measure up?
First on the list to visit was Huong Que (or “Four Sisters”), which Tom Sietsema is raving about every other minute. It’s got a cute, date-friendly atmosphere, and a novel-length menu.
I’d heard good things about the short ribs in a clay pot (I’m a sucker for short ribs). They tasted a bit more like boneless spare ribs than I’d expected, but they were DELICOUS, at once sweet and savory. The shrimp toast was arguably the best I’ve had in the area, crispy and featuring a plump portion of shrimp. My companion was a bit less fortunate – although he enjoyed his noodle dish, the waiter somehow never heard him order it. Luckily, one of the sisters approached our table to ask if everything was all right when she noticed my untouched meal, and both she and the waiter made hasty and apologetic repairations. Delicious food, polite service: I’ll be back.
A friend and I returned a few days later on his quest to find natto. The grocery stores couldn’t help us (too Japan-specific, I guess), but we tried not to make the trip a total loss, and ducked into Huong Viet for dinner. Definitely a more casual atmosphere than Huong Que, the place was bustling nonetheless.
When surveying the menu, I easily could have went for any of the many Pho and soup options on the list. Unfortunately, the temperature in the restaurant was almost stiflingly warm, killing my desire to consume any hot broth. I went with a meat and vermicelli dish instead – beef wrapped with bacon, accompanied by noodles. The dish was sweeter than I’d expected, with a hint of smokiness. Oddly, I could taste but not see the bacon. I went the “wrap your meat, veggies and noodles in rice paper” route, creating my own makeshift summer roll with my entree, and it all worked together nicely. My friend had a typical flat rice noodle dish with meat and seafood, and I definetely enjoyed what I could grab off his plate with my middling chopstick skills.
It’ll take more than a visit to each to call a winner in the food category (Huong Que has a head start). If you’re looking for a quick bite, Huong Viet fits the bill nicely (well, maybe not if you’re seeking soup…). If you’re looking for atmosphere, go the Que route. But my greatest recommendation would just be to visit Eden Center and start experimenting. And pick up some groceries and bubble tea while you’re there!
Eden Center
Wilson Boulevard at 7 Corners
Falls Church, VA

Since moving to Arlington, I haven’t ventured downtown all that often to dine as of late (something about the suburbs; I can see all you city-dwellers shaking your heads as I speak). Luckily, my neighborhood and the surrounding area have given me a few delicious options of their own to tide me over until I get more ambitious (and to be honest, a little less broke). Some successful meals as of late have been at:
Delhi Club: This tiny Indian place right across from the Clarendon is quickly becoming a favorite. Mid-priced, with generous helpings of naan and a nice selection of appetizers and vegetarian options, my only complaint is attempting to get a seat in the intimate space on a Friday night can prove impossible, depending on your timing. So far, I’ve had success with the chicken tikka, butter chicken (a standard offering, but Delhi does it well), saag gosht with lamb (a spicy, spinach-infused dish), and rarah gosht (what can I say; I’m a sucker for anything with lamb, even lamb cooked with lamb). The samosas were fine, but nothing unusual. Next on my things-to-try: some of their paneer dishes.
Ravi Kabob: I visited this hole-in-the-wall Pakistani place first over a year ago, after two friends and I miraculously stumbled on it after just knowing it was “in a shopping center in Northern Virginia.” Hadn’t been back again until last week, though this was by circumstance rather than choice, and the place is even better than I remembered. The seating isn’t much more than what a take-out place offers, but the food is the real deal. I’d heard about it from a Pakistani friend-of-a-friend, and when I mentioned the place to a coworker whose husband is from the region, her eyes lit up, so perhaps that’s a testament for authenticity – it’s been my only foray into Pakistani food, so I lack a basis for comparison. Lamb kabobs, mixed kabobs, beef tikka – all are amazing, and come with generous sides of rice, salad and chickpeas (make sure you get a nice helping of the yogurt dipping sauce). I haven’t tasted anything there that wasn’t assertive, filling and satisfying. While friends of mine will swear by the mango lassi, I experimented with the pink tea, topped with pistachios. It’s a creamy, decent dessert drink, but I wouldn’t order it with a meal again (and the server’s skepticism when I did should have been a clue). Most dishes are under $12, and many are for even less, so you’re getting quite a bit for your money here.
Café Asia: I’m always on the lookout for a good happy hour, and this place fits the bill – cheap beer, and even more importantly, $1 pieces of sushi. I never manage to escape this place, however, without dropping quite a bit of money – maybe it’s the fancy cocktails (loved the mojito, as well as a pink-colored drink, the name of which escapes me), or the varied selection of main courses, and the need to get some sushi to start…ok, clearly there are a lot of reasons why I’m going broke here. I’m not a sushi connoisseur, so my opinion here is somewhat suspect, but I’m a fan of the place’s rolls and daily specials. And the shrimp and roasted pork Singapore noodles (distinctive for their generous shot of curry) are a favorite.
Delhi Club
1135 N. Highland Street,
Arlington, VA 22201
Ravi Kabob
305 N Glebe Rd
Arlington, VA
Café Asia
1550 Wilson Blvd
Arlington, VA