When entering Dogwood Tavern, one may be deceived by the rustic background and dated feel of this small establishment. The walls are covered in patriotic paintings and the all wood interior communicates a relaxed, no-nonsense atmosphere. However, while the looks of this tavern seem aged, the food and service are fresh and exciting.

Dogwood Tavern sports a menu of fresh takes on various American food classics. This includes totchos, a portmanteau of tater tots and nachos, and sandwiches such as their famous French onion burger. During our visit, a few friends and myself ordered a round of totchos with custom burgers and sandwiches.

We started out our meal with the loaded totchos. A cross between nachos, chili cheese fries, and tater tots towered on a silver plate when they arrived to our table. The tater tots were crisp and held together quite nicely as layers of cheese and heart chili blanketed the platter. The whole thing was devoured in minutes.

I ordered the shrimp po’ boy, which came on buttered french bread and was served with crispy waffle fries. The pieces of fried shrimp were flavorful and crispy without being too heavy. The spicy remoulade sauce complimented the shrimp well and the toppings of shredded lettuce, juicy tomatoes, and thinly sliced white onion all paired together deliciously.

The star of the table however was the infamous French onion burger. The French onion burger is a specialty at Dogwood, and for good reason. The beef patty was juicy and was topped with a mountain of caramelized onions and melted Swiss cheese. In addition to the burger, this entrée also came with french onion jus on the side for dipping. The jus was extremely flavorful and savory, pairing very well with the richness of the burger.

While it may seem aged at first glance, Dogwood Tavern is a very charming place with a lot of interesting and delicious options for anyone looking for stepped up bar food. Overall, Dogwood Tavern is a great destination if you want the feeling of a Cheers-like bar where one can watch local DC sports teams play on big televisions, while still enjoying some solid grub.

-ARM

Located in the heart of downtown Vienna, Skorpio’s Maggio’s is a local favorite among many Viennans who enjoy great Greek food in a small family style setting. At Maggio’s one can find an assortment of traditional Greek food including classic gyros, moussaka, and souvlaki. Since opening in 1999 and expanding in 2004, this two-named restaurant has sold over 150 gallons of tzatziki (a yogurt dip which is a staple of Greek and other Mediterranean foods), in addition to a wholesome selection of Greek delicacies. Alongside traditional Greek columns, the walls of this family restaurant are filled with memorabilia of nearby high schools, newspaper clippings of local reviews, and pictures of close family and friends of the owner, Chris.

At Maggio’s, almost every menu item comes with at least one side and a free drink. Meals are served on disposable plates atop plastic trays. This style of service gives customers a warm and relaxed experience rather than one filled with frills and nonsensical formalities. It is one of the reasons I find it so charming as it is a truly honest style of service. During my visit I ordered the classic gyro and eggplant moussaka.

As for the food, the classic gyro, a quintessential Greek sandwich which consists of beef and or lamb strips served in a pita bread, was enormous in size yet delicious. Ribbons of juicy meat piled high with a cool tzatziki spread all in a warm pita bread hit all the right spots. The moussaka, a baked eggplant dish with cheese and noodles, was deeply rich and comforting, although may have been just slightly greasy. Accompanying the moussaka was a Greek salad with a layer of feta cheese and olives and warm portions of rice pilaf, which were both just as good as of everything else that was served. After my main meal, I was tempted enough to also get a small box of pastries from the tantalizing dessert display near the front entrance. The cookies were flaky and crisp while the baklava was rich and decadent with honey syrup and chopped nuts. The small pastries and baklava were the perfect complement to the inviting entrees and rounded off an overall charming dinner.

What separates Maggio’s from other Greek restaurants is its emphasis on providing a personal experience. Often customers and servers are on a first name basis, and the server knows exactly what the customer wants to eat. I had not been to Maggio’s in some time, but I was still greeted like a regular after coming in for the first time in months. The staff are truly familiar and friendly, sparking lively conversation and offering suggestions on meals.

-ARM

Among Iranian-Americans, Shamshiry is one of the best hidden kabob havens in the Northern Virginia area. Since opening in 1993, Shamshiry has remained one of the most celebrated Persian restaurants for anyone who craves chelo kabob, offering tastes reminiscent of the streets of Tehran. The word shamshiry means sword in Farsi, and is also a commonly used term in kabob houses to order skewers of chelo kabob & barg (steak) kabob for dinner.

Cucumber Salad, Garlic Yogurt, and Feta Cheese

About three months ago, Shamshiry renovated and introduced a few new changes to their location. The cluttered dining area has changed and now houses a modern looking interior which emphasizes bright and textured white & blue walls. Along with the renovations came a new in-house bakery. In the past, Shamshiry served pre-made flatbread with every meal, however with the addition of the bakery, diners are now offered complimentary fresh baked lavash bread with butter and chopped jalapeños alongside their main dishes. Aside from these changes, not much else has changed as far as the menu.

When ordering at Shamshiry, it is important to know that the food is meant to ideally be ordered to share. Thus, I recommend going with a party of people so anyone can order what they want and also share their entrees and sides with others. This is what I did with my friends during our visit. I ordered the jujeh kabobs (chicken kabobs), while my friends ordered the barg kabob, lamb kabob, and most famously the chelo kabob (ground beef kabob). Each plate comes with a mountain of rice, roasted tomatoes, raw onions, and grilled jalapeños. Alongside these dishes, we also ordered mast-o mosir (garlic yogurt), salad shirazi (cucumber salad), and panir sabzi (greens with feta cheese) for the table.

After all the dishes arrived, we began to mix and match our plates, taking some sections of chelo kabob, pieces of lamb, and cuts of chicken onto our towering plates. These entrees were of course accompanied by spoonfuls of yogurt, portions of salad, and crumbles of feta cheese on the side of each person’s place. After this important sorting stage, we finally began eating. As for the food, the chelo kabob had a distinct taste of sweet onion, and was grilled perfectly. The chicken was juicy and charred without being dry, and the lamb was very tender. The barg was just fine, but seemed underwhelming when compared to the chelo kabob and lamb kabobs which we fought over at our table.

Shamshiry remains one of the most prominent locations for anyone looking for authentic Persian food in the Tysons/Mclean area. With the addition of new decor, and an always professional and outstanding staff, it is no wonder that natives of Persian cuisine and travelers who enjoy exotic eats have been coming here for over 20 years.

-ARM

#1. There is a new (a few months old) location of a Maryland Peruvian rotisserie chicken joint (Don Pollo) in Vienna (same strip mall as Taco Bamba). They use charcoal, and the rotisserie chicken, Lomo Saltado, and the beans (side) are must haves. The sides are good in general. The Chaufa (fried rice) is good.

Avoid the Pollo Saltado, not just because it was served to use under cooked, but also because they use prepackaged, skinned and boned chicken breast for it, and the texture winds up not being good.

Oh, for the chicken happy hour, they must RING YOUR MEAL UP by 5pm, so if you come in just before that time and there is a line at the register…you missed the special pricing.

The Manager (Milton) is great, so say hi to him.

City Large Plate Spicy Chicken with Spicy Sauce

#2. Uncle Liu’s Hotpot now has new owners, (who as per Jessica Sidman of Washingtonian previously ran Tempt Asian in Alexandria) as of a few months ago. There’s still hot pot on the menu, and the previous Sichuan menu (and added a few Henan dishes).

We tried the City Large Plate Spicy Chicken with Spicy Sauce, and it was great (and a huge amount of food). I’ve never found so many bay leaves or pieces of star anise in one dish before.

#3. Urbano 116 is a new upscale-ish (a bit pricey) authentic Mexican place on King Street in Alexandria. We only tried a few things, but all were good. The churros would have been just ok if not for the just amazing chocolate sauce, and the guava sauce in comparison, fell flat. We ate at the bar since there was a 75 minute wait on a Saturday night. The drinks looked good. Their Chef is from Oaxaca, has worked in Europe, and just opened a restaurant in Mexico City–it took some convincing to get him to the DC area, I’m sure. Check out their menu.

-JAY