#105: Windy City Red Hots

Date Visited: 29 December 2010

Meal: Lunch

Diners: 1 - Me

Experience: First of all, dear readers, I'd like to apologize for the long delay since my last review; lots of stuff going on. But today I'm back, and I'm hungry!

Windy City Red Hots is a relatively new addition to Leesburg's restaurant scene, in the King St. location formerly occupied by Leshers (and before that, the short-iived Smoothies & Salads, which I never got a chance to visit). As the name implies, they specialize in Chicago style eats (street food). Their hours are very accommodating: 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM Tuesday through Saturday and 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM on Sunday. There is also another location in Ashburn, although they're not open so late every day.

On this visit, I was by myself and only had time for a quick taste, so I ordered the namesake Windy City Red Hot hot dog ("100% pure beef hot dog topped with mustard, relish, onions, tomato, pickle, sport peppers and celery salt on a poppy seed bun.") Wow, every bit was an explosion of flavor! I had never heard of sport peppers before, so I asked the chef what they were. He said you can only get them in Chicago; they taste kinda like mini-Jalapenos, but you'll have to decide for yourself. There are plenty of other Chicago classics on the menu, which you can check out on their hip web site; especially check out the "We speak Chicago" side bar on the menu. They also feature a great selection of craft beers and other beverages. The decor is very Chicago-themed, including some great blues music playing in the house. The service was friendly and courteous, and I'll definitely be back!

Just today, I read that Windy City Red Hots was voted #1 in the Loudoun Times-Mirror's "Top 5 New Restaurants of 2010"! Way to go! Read the article, then go check them out, and I hope to see you there! You can also get it delivered via Door to Door Dining.

Location: 28 South King St., Leesburg, VA 20175, 703-669-8606

Web site: http://windycityredhots.com/

Total bill: $4.27

#104: Faang Thai Restaurant

Date Visited: 17 October 2010

Meal: Lunch

Diners: 2 - Me & Wendy

Experience: Faang is the third Thai restaurant in Leesburg proper, the other two being Thai Pan and Aiyara Thai. Faang is located in the Village of Leesburg shopping center (Wegmans), and has a second location in Warrenton. The Leesburg store opened in July of this year and has been favorably reviewed in the Loudoun Times-Mirror. For this visit, we decided to stick with the standards, so we could easily compare them to other Thai restaurants.

We started off with an appetizer of Crab Wontons, one of our favorites. We judged Faang's version to be nearly perfect! The wontons were lightly crispy, with a generous amount of (real) crab and cream cheese filling. Just right, and so good.

For the main meal, Wendy and I both ordered from the lunch specials. Both came with soup and salad. The Lemon Grass soup was just spicy enough, with fresh mushrooms, scallions, and chicken; not too thin, and somewhat hearty. The house salad was cold and crunchy (the way it should be); the dressing was unusually tasty, and a bit sweet. We asked our server what was in it, and he answered "lots of stuff." Hmm... an offer to ask the chef might have been a better answer.

I got the Panang Curry, which had just the right amount of spiciness, a sprig of Thai basil, thinly sliced beef, and a dollop of thick coconut milk on top. Quite tasty and authentic, I thought. Wendy got the Pad Thai, and was impressed with the crispiness of the sprouts.

Overall, we had a very good experience; service was OK, presentation was excellent. Faang's prices are slightly on the high side, as they are aiming for a higher quality experience. Thai Pan is your lower end experience, and Aiyara Thai is right in the middle with a more personal touch. Give Faang a try!

Location: 1605 Village Market Blvd., Suite100, Leesburg, VA 20176, 571-918-0646

Web site: http://www.faangrestaurant.com/

Total bill: $34.72 + $10.00 Tip = $44.72

#103: Moley Brothers Q-Pit

Date Visited: 19 September 2010

Meal: Lunch

Diners: 2 - Me & Wendy

Experience: Moley Brothers Q-Pit opened about four weeks ago, in the former location of Bacchus Cafe on Catoctin Circle, next door to Andy's. Their official ribbon-cutting was apparently on 10 September, but we've waited to visit, giving them some time to get settled in. I think this was a good idea, as some of the first reviews online were a bit mixed. We visited on a Sunday afternoon, our standard after-church lunch schedule. On Sundays, they don't open until 1:00 PM, so we were first customers that day.

We both ordered the #4 Two Meat Plate. I got the 1/4 slab and beef brisket with the "Moley Brothers Fire Kickin Carolina Sauce" (spicy), with sides of corn bread, baked beans and cole slaw. Wendy got the 1/4 slab and beef ribs with the "Moley Brothers Original Sauce" (sweet & tangy), with sides of corn bread, baked beans and potato salad. For drinks, I got a Diet Pepsi and Wendy got the Sweet Tea - and whoo-hoo, that is SWEET tea, southern style! All of the sides were OK, but Moley Brothers clearly concentrates on the meat. The ribs and brisket tasted like barbeque should - the ribs were tender, not-quite-falling-off-the-bone, and the spicy sauce had a good balance of sweet and kick. Wendy's beef ribs were the real surprise - our server referred to them as "Fred Flintstone Dinosaur Ribs" - they were HUGE! Just like the pork ribs, the beef ribs were quite tender and juicy, as well as being HUGE. She couldn't finish, so we took some home for a future lunch.

Moley Brothers Q-Pit is a welcome addition to Leesburg's locally-owned and operated restaurants, and is far superior to any chain restaurant for good barbeque (well, except for Famous Dave's, but Leesburg doesn't have one). Give 'em a try!

Location: 9E Catoctin Circle SW, Leesburg, VA 20175, 703-777-8632

Web site: http://www.moleybrothers.com/

Total bill: $26.65 + $7.00 Tip = $33.65

#102: King Street Coffee

Date Visited: 18 September 2010

Meal: Breakfast

Diners: 1 - Me

Experience: It was sad when the Coffee Bean closed, because it had been such a long-time fixture of downtown Leesburg. Now we are happy again because it has reopened, still serving good coffee, but with new owners and a new name: King Street Coffee! The inside of the place looks mostly the same, but it's been significantly spruced up and welcomes you with a fresh yet cozy atmosphere. It's very convenient to downtown Leesburg and the W&OD trail.

On this visit I got the coffee of the day, a large Panama and it was very good. There are plenty more selections to try, and they offer whole beans, teas, drinks made to offer, and various snacks. And they have one thing the old Coffee Bean never had - a web site!

Stop in and support a local business - give King Street Coffee a try!

Location: 110 S. King St., Leesburg, VA 20175, 703-443-0110

Web site: http://kingstreetcoffee.com/

Total bill: $2.07

#101: Jersey Mike's Subs

Date Visited: 9 September 2010

Meal: Dinner

Diners: 3 - Me, Wendy, & Alicia

Experience: Jersey Mike's is the latest new restaurant to open up in the Fort Evans Plaza II shopping center, along with Cici's and Pho Royal. It's is a franchise restaurant chain specializing in sub sandwiches. They have an interesting history, having started by a guy named Mike in a simple storefront in the "sea-side town of Point Pleasant, New Jersey." We came to Jersey Mike's because they were having a fundraiser for the LCHS Marching Band.

I got the #2 Jersey Shore's Favorite (provolone, ham and cappacuolo), and Wendy got the #9 Club Supreme (roast beef, turkey, swiss, bacon, and mayo). All of Jersey Mike's cold subs come Mike's Way (onions, lettuce, tomatoes, red wine vinegar, olive oil blend and spices) unless you tell them not to; we got 'em both Mike's Way of course. We also ordered both in the "regular" size, which was plenty big (the "giant" size is truly enormous). Alicia, not feeling the sub vibe, got the Chicken Caesar salad (fresh greens, tomatoes, green bell peppers, and cucumbers, with grilled sliced chicken breast). All the food seemed to be made with fresh, high-quality ingredients, along with friendly service, and we enjoyed it.

When you're in the mood for a sub sandwich, Jersey Mike's is a good choice. However, there's plenty of great non-franchise, locally-owned competition from Deli South, Andy's, Puccio's, and Galletta's. Try 'em all!

Location: 522 Fort Evans Rd., Leesburg, VA 20176, 703-777-3880

Web site: http://jerseymikes.com/

Total bill: $26.71

#100: Kabob & Falafel

Date Visited: 14 August 2010

Meal: Lunch

Diners: 2 - Me & Wendy

Experience: Leesburg is going kabob-crazy! At least that's how it seems. Now we have another choice: the new Kabob & Falafel is on South King St. in the location formerly occupied by the Fractured Prune. Kabab & Falafel joins the growing list of Leesburg restaurants serving kabobs/gyros/falafel, which includes Zara Kebab (Turkish), Red Kabob (Jordanian), Doner Bistro (German), and Mama Lucci's (Italian/Greek/Middle Eastern).

Kabob & Falafel is served by Chef Rida (Lebanese), who was the chef of the Fettouch Restaurant in Washington, D.C. from 1980-1989. I remember going there (it was on M St. in Georgetown) back in 1984 or so, and it was great! When I saw Chef Rida's name on the Kabob & Falafel menu, I knew this was going to be good.



We started off with the Falafel appetizer, and the dish was beautifully presented. I was surprised to find the inside of the falafel was green; Chef Rida explained that this was due to the parsley. It was nice and hot, slightly crispy outside, soft on the inside. Yum!



I ordered the Gyro Sandwich ("Mixture of lamb and beef with lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber yogurt sauce"), which was a little unusual in that it had longish strips of meat in the pita. It was deliciously different, but retained the traditional gyro taste. Wendy got the Shish Kabob ("Marinated beef tenderloin with tomatoes, onions and green peppers"), and she was a little surprised to be asked how she wanted it cooked; "Medium" was the answer; and we were clued in that this was not just fast food, it was all cooked to order. The meat was perfectly tender and juicy, obviously high-quality beef. Both dishes came with small containers of the cucumber yogurt sauce and a vinegar-based, spicier sauce with parsley. The quality of the food, the taste, and the presentation were all top-notch, and quite a contrast to the spartan decor of the place. Everything is plain and simple except the food!

Chef Rida's friendly manner and service made us feel right at home. We found everything at Kabob & Falafel to be fresh, cooked to order, and delicious. Give them a try and support a great local Leesburg restaurant!

Location: 828 S. King St., Leesburg, VA 20175, 703-777-6985

Web site: none (yet)

Total bill: $19.90

#99: Shoes Cup & Cork Club

Date Visited: 12 August 2010

Meal: Dinner

Diners: 2 - Me & Andy

Experience: Shoes is one of my new local favorites. Boasting the "Best Coffee in Leesburg" and a cool downtown location, Shoes offers much more than coffee, although they feature many different kinds of hot and cold coffee drinks, teas, and fruit smoothies. The name comes from the fact that this was for many years the location of Arthur's Shoe Repair (see the History section of their web site for more information).

Andy and I were here for dinner on this visit. As I mentioned, Shoes offers more than coffee, and I think they offer a pretty amazing menu of good food. To start off, I had an iced coffee and Andy had a hot Chai tea; both very good. For my dinner, I ordered Ed's Famous Award Winning Chili Verde ("Savory Pork, Green Chili Peppers, Fresh Tomato, Slow Cooked to Perfection. Topped with Shredded Cheese and Served with Warmed Tortilla Chips"). "Ed" is Ed Shihadeh, one of the owners. The Chili Verde was just right, even award-winning, I'd say. Andy ordered the Italian Hoagie ("Ham, Capicola, Salami, Provolone Cheese, Italian Spices, Olive Oil, Vinegar Lettuce, Tomato and Onion"). Andy, who is a tough food critic, described it as "generic, but fresh stuff" - a pretty good recommendation, actually.

There is plenty more on the menu to be sampled, and we will surely be back many times to support this local business. Check out their web site for the entire menu, schedule of live music, and other news.

Location: 17 N. King St., Leesburg, VA 20176, 703-779-7997

Web site: http://shoescupandcork.com/

Total bill: $24.59 + $5.00 tip = $29.59

#98: Dolce Coffee House

Date Visited: 9 August 2010

Meal: Breakfast

Diners: 1 - Me

Experience: Sometimes I'm a little slow. I realized I had never officially reviewed Greenberry's (our local Starbucks-wannabe franchise), so I decided to stop in for a coffee on the way to work. When I pulled into the parking lot, something didn't seem right - part of the outside sign was gone (see photo below). I went in and discovered that Greenberry's was gone, having been replaced by Dolce Coffee House, as a sign inside explained. I asked the guy behind the counter if Dolce was a chain too, and he said he didn't think so (I kinda expected a more definitive answer). Dolce Coffee House is located in Prosperity Center, along with Del Rio, RJ's Deli, and Sal's NY Bar & Grill (not yet reviewed; replaced J&W Asian Bistro).



I ordered a large Java (bold brew of the day) and a butter croissant. The coffee was indeed very bold, but good. The croissant was pretty good too, but I'm pretty sure they don't make them there. The receipt still says Greenberry's on it! They continue to have WiFi and it's a nice alternative when you've had enough of Starbucks for a while.

Location: 703-J East Market St., Leesburg, VA 20176

Web site: none (yet)

Total bill: $4.21

#97: Zara Kebab

Date Visited: 8 August 2010

Meal: Lunch

Diners: 2 - Me & Wendy

Experience: Another new restaurant in Leesburg has risen from the ashes of an old one. Zara Kebab features Turkish Cuisine and is located in the Marketplace at Potomac Station, in the spot where Zpizza used to be. They join the growing number of restaurants there, which currently includes the Greene Turtle, Subway, Manhattan Pizza, James Cafe, Arby's, and Moe's. Zara Kebab joins the family of restaurants in Leesburg serving kebabs, along with Red Kabob (Jordanian) and Doner Bistro (German-style). In the U.S., people are fairly familiar with the term Gyro (Greek), but not so much with Doner (which is the original Turkish version). They are very similar, differing a bit in the specific spices and proportions used. Gokhan said that their Doner was about 80% beef and 20% lamb, made fresh daily - never frozen, and cooked on a vertical spit. You can read up on the Doner Kebab phenomena on Wikipedia; amazingly, Leesburg is mentioned in the article as one of the few places in the U.S. where Doner Kebabs are known and served!

Zara Kebab co-owner Gokhan graciously helped us through the menu, making suggestions giving us background on many of the dishes. On this visit, we started off with an appetizer called Cigar Borek ("Feta cheese with parsley wrapped homemade dough and deep fried"). The feta was very mild, and they were perfectly fried, hot, and fresh tasting. Gokhan explained that this dish is very common in Turkish homes.

For my entree, I got the Shish Kofte ("Ground beef gently spiced and grilled served with rice, lettuce, pita bread & cacik sauce"). The "shish" means it's grilled on a skewer, and the "kofte" is the ground beef, which is served on top of the pita, and looks somewhat like a large sausage. Gokhan said that the secret is that the meat has been marinated for at least 24 hours, and I could tell - it was juicy and delicious! Most of the dishes at Zara Kebab come with their homemade Cacik sauce ("Plain homemade yogurt with chopped cucumbers, fresh mints, dill and garlic"), which was good and refreshing. Most of the dishes also come with two kinds of rice: white rice with orzo pasta toasted in butter, and whole grain rice (kind of yellow-orange). Gokhan said the whole grain was the healthy one!

Wendy got the Doner (Gyro) Kebab ("Thin sliced marinated beef, cooked with an open flame on a vertical spit, shaved-off in tender thin slice, served with rice, lettuce, pita bread & cacik sauce"). Like my Kofte, it was very juicy and wonderfully marinated.

There are plenty of other dishes to try at Zara Kebab, and we'll be back to try 'em. Gokhan and the rest of the staff were very friendly, making our visit a pleasure. We can enthusiastically recommend that you give Zara Kebab a visit, and support a local Leesburg business!

Location: 659 Potomac Station Dr., Leesburg, VA 20176, 703-777-3515

Web site: none (yet)

Total bill: $30.75 + $6.00 tip = $36.75

#96: The Greene Turtle

Date Visited: 22 July 2010

Meal: Dinner

Diners: 2 - Me & Wendy

Experience: One of Leesburg's newest restaurants, The Greene Turtle is located in the Marketplace at Potomac Station shopping center, along with other previously reviewed eateries Subway, Manhattan Pizza, James Cafe, Arby's, Zpizza (now closed), and Moe's Southwest Grill. The Greene Turtle is epitome of what a sports bar should be; there are TVs everywhere (including one per table!) with all manner of sports, loud music, and loud customers (in a good way). The Greene Turtle is a franchise, with many locations in Maryland, four in Virginia, two in Delaware, and one in Washington, D.C. The menu is what you'd expect - bar food, but we found it to include good variety, good taste, and good value. There were several families there when we visited, and despite the background noise level, would be considered family-friendly.

For this inagural visit, I started off with a Sam Adams Summer Ale and Wendy got a Pink Lemonade. We shared a "Sweet 'Tater Fries" appetizer which came with a caramel pecan dipping sauce which was quite good. For my dinner I got the "Triple Basket" Combo which included Rockfish Fillets, Chicken Tenders, and Battered Shrimp, along with three dipping sauces to go with them. It also came with french fries and cole slaw. Wendy got the Apple Turkey Ciabatta sandwich (turkey, apples, bacon, melted cheddar, and sweet Vidalia onion dressing).

It was all good and fun. Our server "Squeej" was a character and added to the enjoyment! Our overall experience was good and the menu contains a few more things that we'd like to try, so we'll be back!

Location: 603 Potomac Station Dr., Leesburg, VA, 20176, 703-777-5511

Web site: http://thegreeneturtle.com/

Total bill: $42.27 + $10.00 tip = $52.27

#95: RJ's Deli

Date Visited: 12 June 2010

Meal: Lunch

Diners: 3 - Me, Wendy, & Alicia

Experience: It's embarrassing that RJ's Deli has been in Leesburg since 1998, and we never visited until now. Years ago they were located on Loudoun Street, but are currently in the Prosperity Shopping Center (same location as Del Rio, the very first restaurant I reviewed!) I'm sorry it took so long, but RJ's is a great place! It's a combination Italian delicatessen, catering, and specialty food store.

I ordered a large "BBQ, Cheese and Slaw" (BBQ Beef, Provolone, and Cole Slaw) - excellent. Wendy got a large special "Ultimate Italian" (Prosciutto, Capiola, Salami, Provolone), which she liked very much. Alicia got a Caesar Salad; the dressing appeared to be homemade, and they made her some Garlic Bread to go with it! RJ's also stocks a number of specialy drinks; Alicia got a Calypso Natural Lemonade, Wendy got a San Benedetto The - Peach Ice Tea, and I got an Arizona Asian Plum Green Tea.

RJ's is another great, locally-owned Leesburg gem - give them a try!

Location: 707-I E. Market St., Leesburg, VA, 703-771-2058

Web site: http://rjsdeli.com/

Total bill: $37.94

#94: Nido Ristorante Italiano

Date Visited: 15 May 2010

Meal: Dinner

Diners: 4 - Me, Wendy, Andy, & Alicia

Experience: In all of our years in Leesburg, we hadn't visited Nido until now. We were just in time, as we learned from an article in Leesburg Today that they are planning to close at the end of May 2010. The reason? "James Nido Capaldi, owner of Market Station's Nido Italiano Ristorante, said business revenue had been on the decline for the past two years."

So for our one and only visit to Nido, I started out with Nido's Salad (their green house salad), and Wendy got the Antipasto plate to share (Artichoke hearts, Salami, Bologna, cheeses); it wasn't too bad. Some unexciting white Italian bread was also served. For our entrees, Wendy and I both got the Nido's Pasta con Prosciutto, Andy got a pizza with Salami, Prosciutto, and Italian Sausage. Alicia didn't order anything, having already eaten(!), but she did pose for a nice photo. It was all pretty average; not bad, but nothing to make me want to go back. Reviews on Yelp generally rate the place as average too.



Sadly, another locally-owned and operated restaurant is now going away. I wish their food quality was more of a reason to keep them in business.

Location: 201 Harrison St. SE, Leesburg, VA 20175, 703-777-7786

Web site: none

Total bill: $74.50 + $15.00 tip = $89.50

#93: Lightfoot Cafe

Date Visited: 12 March 2010

Meal: Dinner

Diners: 4 - Me, Wendy, Andy, & Alicia

Experience: Lightfoot Cafe is one of our top restaurants, located in the heart of downtown Leesburg. Everything on the menu is mouth-watering and top notch; you really can't go wrong no matter what you order. Reservations are recommended, and can be easily done via their web site's convenient link to OpenTable. On this visit, we were celebrating birthdays and had four of us present, so we could try lots of things.

For starters, we ordered the Wallace Cheese Plate ("Cambozola Blue, Goat, San Joaquin, and Farm House Gouda set with Fig Jam, Dijon, French Bread, Crackers, and Ginger Snaps.") There were two hard and two soft cheeses. I also had a glass of Lightfoot Merlot. Fresh bread and corn muffins were brought out; Alicia's comment: "the butter is very good." A great start.



For the next course, I got the Blue Ridge Spinach Salad ("Fresh California Spinach tossed with Smithfield Ham, Crumbled Blue Cheese, Sun Dried Cherries, Pecans & Sherry Vinaigrette"); a wonderful collection of tastes. Wendy got a cup of the Lightfoot Spicy Creamy Tomato Soup ("Roasted Garlic & Sweet Basil topped with Parmesan Cheese & Pumpernickel Croutons"), and Andy got a big bowl of the same. Definitely creamy and spicy. We all liked it a lot. Alicia got the Traditional Caesar Salad ("Romaine tossed with Traditional Caesar Dressing, Garlic Croutons, Parmesan Cheese & topped with an Anchovy Fillet.") I had to quickly remove the anchovies for her, and then she was able to thoroughly enjoy the salad.

For entrees, I got one of the night's specials, the Harris Ranch Ribeye Steak. It was topped with Black Trumpet Mushrooms and other things I can't remember, with Garlic Onion Rings and Spicy Baked Beans on the side. Kind of a delicious barbeque experience. Wendy got the Artichoke Gratin Crusted Salmon ("topped with Jumbo Lump Crab and set over Sauteed Baby California Spinach, Orange Scented Cous Cous with Dried Fruits and finished with Citrus Beurre Blanc.") Sweet sauce! She also got a side of Sweet Potato Garlic Fries to share - yum! Andy got the Grilled 8 oz. Filet Mignon ("topped with Horseradish-Chive Butter & Crispy Onions, set on a bed of Chive Mashed Potatoes with Grilled Asparagus and Bearnaise Sauce.") He said it was one of the best steaks he'd ever had, and that's quite a compliment! Alicia ordered from the Casual Entrees section, getting the All Natural 8 oz. Hamburger ("on a roll with Cambozola Blue Cheese or Vermont White Cheddar, Applewood Smoked Bacon, Shredded Lettuce, Grilled Onions, and Chef's Special Sauce served with Cole Slaw and French Fries.") She took all the toppings off, and had about two bites; I had the rest for lunch the next day. Lightfoot is just not how she rolls, culinary-wise.



For dessert, I was already pretty full, so I just got an espresso. It comes in a very cool tiny cup, with tiny saucer and tiny spoon. It was also just about the strongest espresso I've had in a long time, but very good! Wendy got the Frozen Key Lime Torte ("Graham Cracker Crust served with a dollop of Whipped Cream, Toasted Coconut, and a Coconut Macaroon"). By that time she was pretty full too, so I ended up eating about half of it - not that anybody had to twist my arm! Andy and Alicia shared a Traditional Sundae ("Vanilla Bean Ice Cream topped with Whipped Cream, Chocolate Sauce, Chopped Roasted Peanuts, and a Cherry"); Andy's comments: "much chocolate ensued," and "more chocolate than the average sundae." This means he liked it a lot.

Lightfoot Cafe is an experience I encourage all my readers to try; have a great meal and support a local Leesburg business!

Location: 11 N. King St., Leesburg, VA 20176, 703-771-2233

Web site: http://lightfootrestaurant.com/

Total bill: $182.55 + $40.00 tip = $222.55

#92: Rocco's NY Pizza & Subs

Date Visited: 6 March 2010

Meal: Dinner

Diners: 3 - Me, Wendy & Alicia

Experience: Rocco's is Leesburg's newest pizza restaurant, at the old Joe's Pizza & Subs location on Plaza Street. I was told by one of the employees that Rocco's bought out Joe's several months ago, and although the location and genre are the same, the recipes are all new. He also told me that Rocco's was owned by the same people that now own Spanky's Shenanigans.

We decided to order a few different things to sample the menu. We got a large Pepperoni & Bacon pizza, a Calzone, a Steak sub, and some Breadsticks. I'd say the pizza was above average, the Calzone was OK, the Steak sub was very good, and the Breadsticks were rated by Alicia as "cheesy - they had cheese on them." Overall, it was all plenty good for more visits, and I like to support our locally-owned businesses. They have a lengthy menu; give Rocco's a try!

Unfortunately, the old Joe's web site is still up, giving one the impression that they are still in operation at that location. The Rocco's employee told me that they couldn't do anything about that, but would have their own web site up soon.

Location: 62 Plaza St. NE, Leesburg, VA 20176, 703-443-8500

Web site: none

Total bill: $31.44

UPDATE: 23 August 2011
Rocco's has their own website now: http://roccosny.com/

#91: City Deli

Date Visited: 5 March 2010

Meal: Dinner

Diners: 2 - Me & Wendy

Experience: I'm trying to finish off visiting all the places in the Leesburg Corner Premium Outlets (aka, "Outlet Mall") as quickly as possible. We just needed a couple of sandwiches for dinner last night, so I thought of City Deli. It's located in the main food court, in the contiguous Nathan's-Kenny Rogers-Arthur Treacher's-Tropi-Kool-Hershey's-Boardwalk Fries-City Deli-Cinnabon complex.

I had the Turkey Bacon Club Sub ("Turkey, Swiss cheese, Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato, Mayonnaise"), and Wendy got the Chicken Caesar Wrap ("Chicken strips with Romain Lettuce, Parmesan cheese and Caesar dressing in a tortilla wrap"). Both were fine, but nothing better than you would make at home for yourself. The guy making them at the counter had to keep looking up at the menu board to remind himself of what to put on them!

I'm pretty sure City Deli is some kind of franchise, but apparently my Google skills are not up to the challenge of finding anything about it.

Location: 241 Fort Evans Road NE, Leesburg, VA 20176

Web site: none

Total bill: $13.76

#90: Mandarin Express

Date Visited: 28 February 2010

Meal: Lunch

Diners: 3 - Me, Wendy, and Alicia

Experience: Today we were having our standard where-to-go-for-lunch-after-church discussion, and it occurred to me that I only had one more Chinese restaurant to visit in Leesburg, and I would have visited them all! So today we visited the final Chinese restaurant in Leesburg, which also happens to be the oldest. Mandarin Express has been in the same Plaza St. location in Leesburg since we moved here (1987). It's gone through many changes over the years, but is still going strong.

Mandarin Express offers a simple buffet for lunch, including Chicken & Broccoli, Beef & Broccoli, Pork in barbeque-style sauce, Shrimp, Chicken wings, Green Beans with Shrimp, fried Rice, Spring Rolls, Egg Drop soup, Hot & Sour soup, and assorted fruits and desserts. It was all good but not outstanding. The service was prompt and friendly enough, and the atmosphere/decor was, well, unpretentious and family/kid-friendly. No web site.

For Chinese fast food, my favorite is still Tai Pei Cafe. For Chinese sit-down, I recommend Jasmine or newly-reopened-after-the-fire China King.

Here's a summary of all the Chinese restaurants I've reviewed so far:

• Wei's Garden (visited 8 January 2010)


• James Cafe (visited 25 November 2009)


• Golden China (visited 5 April 2009)


• China King (visited 3 April 2009)


• Jasmine (visited 25 April 2008)


• Tai Pei Cafe (visited 18 April 2008)

Asian-style restaurants that offer at least some Chinese dishes:

• Pho Royal (visited 11 February 2010)


• Aiyara Thai (visited 16 October 2009)


• Pei Wei (visited 18 April 2009)


• Red Apple Buffet (visited 19 October 2008)


• Thai Pan (visited 24 August 2008)


• J&W Asian Bistro (visited 22 June 2008)


• Xuan Saigon (visited 25 May 2008)

Location: 24-A Plaza St. NE, Leesburg VA 20176, 703-777-9898

Web site: none

Total bill: $22.50 + $5.00 tip = $27.50

#89: Subway (Potomac Station)

Date Visited: 14 February 2010

Meal: Lunch

Diners: 3 - Me, Wendy, and Andy

Experience: To review one of the key purposes of this blog, the goal here is to visit EVERY restaurant in Leesburg, including ALL locations of mundane fast-food chain operations. With that cheery introduction out of the way, I'll begin today's review...

We needed a quick lunch after church and decided to visit the second Leesburg Subway location (the other one on Catoctin Circle was reviewed on 8 November 2008). This one is located in the Marketplace at Potomac Station shopping center, along with other previously reviewed eateries: Manhattan Pizza, James Cafe, Arby's, Zpizza (now closed), and Moe's Southwest Grill.

On this visit, we just got sandwiches to go, and we all took advantage of the current "$5 foot-long" deal. I got the Sweet Onion Teriyaki, Wendy got the Italian B.M.T., and Andy got the Subway Melt. Everyone was happy with what they got - Subway is good and predictable.

Back when I did my original Subway review in 2008, I said that I tended to like Subway over Quiznos (I've already reviewed both locations). Many subs later, I've now changed my mind and I tend to choose Quiznos when I want a sub; I really have come to like their Baja Chicken sandwich.

Location: 653 Potomac Station Dr., Leesburg VA 20176, 703-737-6973

Web site: http://subway.com/

Total bill: $16.28

#88: Pho Royal

Date Visited: 11 February 2010

Meal: Dinner

Diners: 2 - Me & Wendy

Experience: Pho Royal has been open for about three months in Leesburg, but I only learned of it this week when I saw an ad for it in the Feb-Mar 2010 issue of Clipper Magazine. With all the snow and cold weather, a nice hot spicy bowl of Pho was sounding real good. Pho Royal is located in the relatively new Fort Evans Plaza II shopping center (along with CiCi's, reviewed 28 December 2008). There are two Pho Royal locations, the new one here in Leesburg, and the original one in Sterling. Pho Royal now competes with Xuan Saigon (reviewed 25 May 2008), as our second Pho restaurant in Leesburg. It's great to have these choices!

On this visit, (early Thursday afternoon, after our blizzard the day before, with mounds of snow all over the parking lot) we were surprised to find a regular stream of customers. It appears that Pho Royal has already established a loyal following at this new location. For our appetizer, we got the #A1 Cha Gio (Crispy Spring Rolls), which were indeed crispy, not greasy, and very good. For entrees, I got the #1 Pho Tai ("Pho with thinly sliced eye round steak"), which was recommended for "beginners or health conscious individuals"). Wendy got the #6 Pho Tai Nam ("Pho with thinly sliced eye round steak and flank"), which was recommended for those who want to try something new "with beef cuts that have slight fat covering that makes them tastier." Well, both were excellent, with delicious broth, and the usual accompaniments of Thai basil, bean sprouts, Jalapeno peppers, and lime. There was also an assortment of sauces at the table, including Soy, Fish, Plum, and Sriracha chili sauce (my favorite!) I spiced up mine with the Jalapenos and some Sriracha to the point of perfect heat, just short of pain. We both got the small size bowls and were left very full and satisfied. For drinks, Wendy had the #50 Tra Nong (Hot Tea), which was a mysterious passion-fruit-like variety. I had a #34 Cafe Sua Da ("Ice French Expresso with condensed milk") which was an excellent companion to my Pho.

The service was excellent; there were three different people who showed up at our table at various times to deliver the food, keep our water glasses filled, and clear away used dishes. All were very pleasant and courteous. The brightly lit yet warm atmosphere enhanced our experience significantly. There are several good reviews on Yelp that confirm our good experience. Curiously, the Pho Royal web site URL printed on the menu does not seem to be in operation yet, but I'm including it below in hopes that it will be set up soon.

Overall, our experience at Pho Royal was great, and we encourage you to visit too. At this point, I'd still give a slight edge to Xuan Saigon, as being a little more comfortable and Vietnamese home-style.

Location: 542 Fort Evans Rd. NE, Leesburg VA 20176, 703-779-1774

Web site: http://phoroyalrestaurants.com/

Total bill: $19.74 (after 15% discount coupon) + $6.00 tip = $25.74

#87: Manhattan Pizza

Date Visited: 22 January 2010

Meal: Dinner

Diners: 3 - Me, Wendy, & Andy

Experience: Leesburg's newest pizza restaurant opened up a few weeks ago, and we decided to give Manhattan Pizza a try. It's a chain restaurant, with two other locations nearby in Ashburn and South Riding. Manhattan Pizza is located in the Marketplace at Potomac Station shopping center, in the space formerly occupied by Caribou Coffee. Andy had been itching to go, since he works next door at Giant, and was eagerly watching for the grand opening. However, as Manhattan Pizza opened, the Zpizza store (reviewed here on 7 November 2008) closed. Apparently the owners of Manhattan Pizza are buying up some Zpizza locations.

We ordered a large pizza with pepperoni and bacon (our family standard), a Manhattan Supreme ("Mozzarella cheese, mushrooms, onions, sausage, pepperoni and green peppers"), and a Steak & Cheese sub ("With grilled onions, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise"). The pepperoni and bacon was pretty good, but there was a lot of grease in the bottom of the box. The Supreme was not very good, seeming to be a bit underdone, and much grease on the bottom. The sub was just OK.

There is a bit of Greek influence evident in the menu, which includes a Classic Gyro and Shish Taouk. The guy who took our order also gave us a free Baklava! The service experience was very good, with much courtesy and concern shown.

Overall, then, our experience was somewhat below average, which maybe we can chalk up to the newness of this establishment. We'll give 'em another couple of tries soon; stay tuned for an update. Curiously, the web site printed on the menu is wrong; http://manhattanpizzacompany.com does not appear to have any Manhattan Pizza content. The correct site is http://manhattanpizzeria.net (also see below).

Location: 647 Potomac Station Dr., Leesburg, VA 20176, 703-669-4020

Web site: http://manhattanpizzeria.net/

Total bill: $43.24 + $8.00 tip = $51.24

#86: Wei's Garden

Date Visited: 8 January 2010

Meal: Dinner

Diners: 2 - Me & Wendy

Experience: It's Friday night, daddy's hungry, and feelin' like Chinese! We decided to try Wei's Garden, having seen it's brightly lit sign from the Route 15 bypass many times before this our first visit. We were informed by our order-taker that Wei's has already been open for about a year.

We decided to try out some of our favorites, to see how Wei's Garden stacked up. For an appetizer, we tried the Crab Rangoon, which comes in triangular pieces, rather than the traditional pinched-together four-cornered style. It was nontheless delicious. We tried a couple of soups; Wendy got the Wonton Soup and I got the Chicken with Hot & Sour Soup. Wendy said the Wonton was very flavorful, as opposed to the bland kind you often get elsewhere. The Hot & Sour was nice and thick, tangy, and not too hot. For her entree, Wendy got the "Triple Delight (Mandarin Combination): Combination of shrimp, beef, and chicken sauteed with vegetables in our special sauce." She thought it was very good; I had the leftovers for lunch the next day and it was still very good! For my entree, I got the Kung Pao Chicken. It was unlike other Kung Paos I've ever had; it wasn't very "saucy" - each piece was was fully coated with the sauce, along with the peanuts and vegetabies, but it appeared kind of dry on the outside. Fortunately, it was very tender and juicy on the inside, and delicious. It also had just the right amount of spiciness for me (most people would probably call this "medium").

As for the service, it took a while for our food to be ready (we ordered there, for takeout). Apparently they felt sorry for us having to wait so long, so they brought us an extra couple of Crab Rangoon pieces while we waited.

We went back again a week later to see if our experience would be any different. I ordered the same Hot & Sour Soup and Kung Pao Chicken. It was exactly as before, which is to say, very good! Wendy got the Wonton Soup (again very good), but decided to try one of the Chef's Specialties: "Crispy Jumbo Shrimp with Walnut". The shrimp were jumbo all right, but not very crispy. I think this was a result of it being for takeout; it got a bit soggy in the container by the time we got home with it - not really their fault. Again, the service was very slow, and a couple of customers who were there before us had to wait a long time too. By the time our food was ready, a different lady brought it out from the kitchen, and told us she included something extra because we had to wait. It was some kind of dessert (not on the menu); kind of a custard with orange flavoring.

If you'd like to try some Chinese food that's a little different, give Wei's Garden a try!

Location: 161 Fort Evans Road NE, Leesburg, VA 20176, 703-771-9188

Web site: none

Total bill: $30.22 + $6.00 tip = $36.22

#85: Boardwalk Fries

Date Visited: 5 December 2009

Meal: Lunch

Diners: 2 - Me & Wendy

Experience: We visited Boardwalk Fries on the same visit as the Kenny Rogers Roasters review below. This is the fourth in the set of reviews of "restaurants" at the Outlet Mall.

Boardwalk Fries is a national chain serving up, well, fries. They're really good: hot, thick, salty, and yummy! We shared a combo large order of fries and a drink (to go with our Kenny Rogers Roasters sandwiches). Boardwalk fries - highly recommended!

Location: 241 Fort Evans Road NE, Leesburg, VA 20176

Web site: http://boardwalkfries.com/

Total bill: $3.22 (includes 10% "Mall Discount")

#84: Kenny Rogers Roasters

Date Visited: 5 December 2009

Meal: Lunch

Diners: 2 - Me & Wendy

Experience: As I commented when reviewing Arthur Treacher's (4 Januarty 2009) and Nathan's Famous (10 Januarty 2009), it's kind of debatable as to whether these places in the food court of the Leesburg Corner Premium Outlets should be considered as separate restaurants or not. Well, I decided that they will be reviewed separately, so that's the end of the debate.

Wendy and I were doing some shopping at the Outlet Mall and needed a quick bite to eat. We decided to try out a couple of the Kenny Rogers Roasters' Original Crispy Chicken Sandwiches. They weren't too bad, and at least lived up to the "crispy" part of the name. You can check out the history of Kenny Rogers Roasters on Wikipedia. Not much more to say; not exactly highly recommended.

Location: 241 Fort Evans Road NE, Leesburg, VA 20176

Web site: http://kennyrogers.cc/

Total bill: $7.00 (includes 10% "Mall Discount")