#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

Recently reopened in it’s new home of Golden Triangle, Little Sesame offers an excellent, fast casual take on hummus bowls and pita sandwiches. The long-awaited move has been met with out-the-door lines, but there is now an app for advance ordering.

The focus at Little Sesame is hummus bowls, many of which change seasonally. My favorite is the #6, Keep It Classic, which in addition to hummus, includes chickpeas, tahini, schug (zhug/zhoug/zoug), dried herbs and spices. Served with a warm, fluffy pita, this bowl of rich hummus is pure comfort food. If you want something heartier, try the #5, which features their flavorful chicken shawarma. You can enjoy add-ons such as amba, feta, or extra pita. In addition to the bowls and sandwiches (which I have not yet tried), Little Sesame offers a variety of vegetable salatim to round out your meal.

However, my absolutely favorite item on the menu is their Vanilla Tahini Soft Serve. It is dairy-free and unbelievably creamy and delicious. I recommend adding on the Halva or Soom Soom crumble for an additional treat.

While I hope to try their pitas one day, I’m so obsessed with their hummus bowls that may not happen. Little Sesame provides delicious Israeli cuisine in the heart of downtown DC and it is worth visiting.

-LEM (Lia)

Fish Market in Old Town Alexandria is a warm, casual restaurant, and a welcome reprieve among the higher-end options that line King Street. Reservations are not accepted and the friendly staff is helpful. I was recently there for a tasting event and loved everything I tried, which makes the Fish Market stand out when deciding on Old Town dining.

A media group was welcomed into a second-story room overlooking King Street. The bartenders were on point with their strong-yet-balanced Hurricanes. The restaurant’s manager, Jesse, shared a bit about Fish Market, and let us know that it occupied an old ship building warehouse. On the menu were: Redfish Etouffee, Oysters Rockefeller, Lobster Tail, Peel-and-Eat Shrimp, Shrimp Skewers, Salmon with Vegetables, and the masterpiece, a gorgeous Seafood Tower. The tower consisted of oysters, clams, crab legs, lump crab, lobster, and shrimp cocktail. Watching the staff build this tower was pure art.

Everything was delicious. Freshness is always a concern with seafood, but there are clearly no issues here. The Fish Market knows good, fresh fish. It’s hard to choose a favorite. The Seafood Tower is the obvious winner. The crab legs were so sweet and succulent and lump crab was super flavorful. The lobster was eventually cut and served and you can never go wrong with lobster. However, the Peel-and-Eat Shrimp were the tastiest version I have had in this area. Usually, this dish is a bit bland, but Fish Market perfectly seasons and cooks the shrimp. The other dish I was wowed by was the Redfish Etouffee. The redfish has a somewhat meaty texture that holds up well with the rich etouffee sauce. Served over rice, this dish was hearty and satisfying.

Fish Market was generous enough to take us next door to Pop’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream, which is in the same building and has the same owners. I did not go, as I was way too full for dessert, but I am a long-time fan of Pop’s.

I left quite impressed with the offerings at Fish Market and ready to return when I am in Old Town.

-LEM (Lia)

Slowly but surely, Ballston Quarter is starting to come to life. The newest addition, and one of the first restaurants to open is Punch Bowl Social. Essentially an indoor playground, this restaurant and bar offers an arcade, darts, bowling, a karaoke room, board games, bocce, and foosball over the course of three floors, plus a patio. Decorated as a cross between a mountain lodge and a funky playroom, Punch Bowl Social will be a fun night out.

At the recent media event, we sampled drinks and eats from the menu. I have never met a friendlier, more helpful staff. Everyone was very excited that we were there, and that they were there, and did everything they could for us. As much as I enjoyed the food and drink, the staff really impressed me.

I tried a variety of drinks, with the standouts being the Lavender Sour and the Non-Frozen Strawberry Daiquiri. The El Macho is also excellent. A party palace like Punch Bowl Social could have skimped on the well-thought cocktails, but happily, they did not.

Food was also delicious. We sampled a Charcuterie Platter, featuring duck confit along with various cheeses and meats, Chicken and Waffles, and Pork Tacos. The platter was amazing, with the duck confit, marinated feta, and garlic herb bread being my favorites. The Chicken and Waffles pairs crunchy fried chicken (though the salt needs to be dialed back) with crispy waffles and plenty of syrup. And the pork for the make-your-own-tacos was quite flavorful. Again, they could have thrown some burgers, fries, and wings on the menu, left at that, but they did not.

Punch Bowl Social has truly put care into their drinks and dishes so that you are not just eating pub grub and drinking a mixed drink. Everything is flavorful and slightly upscale, without being uptight. Finally, the DC area has a place to play where the focus is also on the food and cocktails.

-LEM (Lia)