#145: Japanese Kitchen

Date Visited: 29 August 2013

Meal: Dinner

Diners: Me & Wendy

Experience: Leesburg has a new Japanese restaurant! Japanese Kitchen is located in the Fort Evans II shopping center along with Buffalo Wild Wings, Jersey Mike’s, Pho Royal, CiCi’s, and DQ Grill & Chill. They also have a location in Ballston, which seems to have been there a while.

We arrived at about 8:00 PM on this Thursday night, and there were only two other parties dining besides us. There was a weird, industrial-emo-jazz music channel playing. Our server was Donald (apparently the only server at the time) told us they had been open for about three months, but were not doing any advertising yet, in anticipation of a grand opening sometime.

We started out asking for hot tea; we got glass cups with green tea bags in them. Strange. We ordered Edamame for an appetizer, which was cooked just right and a generous portion. I ordered the Korean BBQ Beef Tenderloin Bento Box. The miso soup and seaweed salad were kind of average, but the Korean beef was really a surprise - very tender, juicy, and came with crisp grilled onions perfectly done; a real treat. The steamed shrimp shumai (dumplings) were also quite good, and not soggy.Wendy got the Tempura Udon. I didn’t get to try the tempura, as she downed them before I had a chance for a sample, but she said they were crispy and delicious. I did get to try her noodles and they were also enjoyable and toothsome!

Since we were there kind of late, towards the end we saw the chefs come out to eat their own dinner. All the staff (except Donald) looked Japanese to me, and their website has a similar authentic feel to it. We’ll probably come back and try some of the sushi rolls, as they looked pretty good too. Give ‘em a try yourself!

Location: 516 Fort Evans Rd. NE, Leesburg, VA, 20176, 703-777-8917

Web site: http://borurestaurants.com/

Total bill: $45.99 + $10.00 tip = $55.99

#144: Dos Tequilas Grill

Date Visited: 11 August 2013

Meal: Lunch

Diners: Me & Wendy

Experience: Located in Leesburg’s Bellewood Commons shopping center, Dos Tequilas Grill occupies the former location of Josefina Market (which I never got to visit before they closed). Other restaurants there include Red Hot & Blue, Starbucks, Pollo Loco, Papa John’s, Melt, Red Kabob, and Dunkin’ Donuts. According to their website, Dos Tequilas Grill specializes in Tex-Mex fare; their mission statement is to “bring to Virginia the best that Mexican food has to offer.”

When we arrived on this Sunday afternoon, there were only a few other customers dining. We were quickly seated, ordered a couple of iced teas, and enjoyed traditional tortilla chips & salsa. The website says it is their own salsa; it was of the “wetter” variety, delicious, and a great start. One not-so-great start was that I immediately knocked over my iced tea - the glass didn’t break, but it was kind of loud and obviously embarrassing. Our server cheerfully cleaned up the mess and brought me a fresh one.

On to appetizers... Dos Tequilas Grill serves a variety of authentic Salvadoran pupusas, so we ordered a couple: one cheese and one pork (“pupusa revuelta” - mixed ingredients). Just like the Wikipedia article says, “Pupusas are typically served with curtido (lightly fermented cabbage slaw with red chilies and vinegar) and a watery tomato salsa.” We got both with our pupusas, and I would describe the curtido as kind of like Mexican Kimchi. We were also served a very small cup of an extremely spicy green sauce (with appropriate warnings by the owner). The pupusas came out nice and hot, and all the sides combined with them for a great combination of flavors to start us off.

For my main course I ordered the Chile Relleno & Chicken Tamale. I guess there was a little mix-up in the kitchen, because the dish came with two Chile Rellenos and no Tamale. I didn’t say anything, and it worked out for the best. I’m not real experienced with Chile Rellenos, but these were great! Again, nice and hot, and with an assortment of sides. Even the rice and refried beans seemed better than average. Wendy ordered the chicken Chimichanga, which was fried just right; I had a couple of bites and enjoyed it too.

The Dos Tequilas Grill menu is fairly extensive, and I noted a few other dishes I’d love to come back and try (like the Huevos Rancheros). I encourage you to visit Dos Tequilas Grill, and support a worthy local, non-chain restaurant.

Location: 525 E. Market St. #F, Leesburg, VA, 20176, 703-443-0262

Web site: http://dostequilasgrill.amawebs.com/

Total bill: $35.40 + $10.00 tip = $45.40

#143: New Yorker Pizza

Date Visited: 4 August 2013

Meal: Dinner

Diners: Me, Wendy, & Andy

Experience: Over the past five years, this South King Street location has had four different tenants: first it was the Fractured Prune, then Kabob & Falafel, then Juliano’s, and now we have New Yorker Pizza. I was able to talk with the new owner, Qasir Alekozai (who goes by “Q”), who said they’d been open for about a month at the time of this visit. Q also said he’d previously been in the pizza business for about eight years in New York.

On this visit, we ordered a large Deluxe Supreme (Pepperoni, Sausage, Mushrooms, Onions, & Green Peppers), a large Pepperoni & Bacon, and a Stromboli. These pizzas are our favorite combinations, and the ones we use to size up pizza restaurants. In this case, our family found it was very good but not great; better than average. The Stromboli was particularly good. However, with so many pizza choices in Leesburg, our favorites are still Fire Works when we want gourmet pizza, and Vocelli or Rocco’s for “everyday” pizza.

New Yorker Pizza has a fairly extensive menu, offering Antipasti, Pasta, Italian dinners, Salads, Wings, Calzones, Gourmet Pizzas, Hot Subs, Cold Subs, Gyros, Wraps, and Desserts - lots to try, and all dishes are made to order. Please consider supporting this locally-owned and operated business, and check it out for yourself!

Location: 828 S. King St., Leesburg, VA, 20175, 703-777-2218

Web site: http://newyorkerpizzas.com/

Total bill: $45.18 + $10.00 tip = $55.18

#142: Sbarro

Date Visited: 24 July 2013

Meal: Dinner

Diners: Me

Experience: Well, this was a case of taking one for the team. I’ve been putting off a visit to Sbarro because I could predict what the experience would be like. Today I did it, and my prediction came true. It was awful.

Sbarro is located in the Leesburg Corner Premium Outlets food court, along with Arthur Treacher’s, Nathan’s Famous, Starbucks, Burger King, and Balducci’s. Sbarro is mainly just a place to grab a quick slice of pizza during a shop-till-you-drop mission at the outlet mall. The pizzas are all pre-made and on display in a glass-protected warming area.

On this visit, I came kind of late (about 8 PM), surveyed the offerings, and selected the one that looked the least unappetizing. It turned out to be the Veggie pizza (red onions, mushrooms, green peppers, tomato, olives, and broccoli). Apparently the warming area doesn’t really keep them warm enough, because the guy had to put my slice back into the pizza oven for a couple of minutes. Even then, it wasn’t very hot. The crust was a little too crunchy and the experience was more like having a slice of leftover pizza warmed up in the microwave at home. Maybe I should have gone with the Pepperoni. On the plus side, the slices are huge.

I almost never write negative reviews, but this time I can’t avoid it. Maybe it wasn’t so good because I got there late, but I’m thinking it wouldn’t have been much different otherwise. If you want, give ‘em a try and see if you have better luck, but if it’s pizza you want, any other Leesburg option would be a better bet (search this site, too many to list here).

Location: 241 Fort Evans Rd. NE, Leesburg, VA, 20176, 703-779-2040

Web site: http://sbarro.com/

Total bill: $7.86

#141: Five Guys

Date Visited: 14 July 2013

Meal: Lunch

Diners: Me, Andy, & Alicia

Experience: Five Guys has arrived in Leesburg! It is located in the Battlefield Shopping Center on Edwards Ferry Road.

The popular national burger chain, with stores in 48 states (sorry Alaska and Hawaii!) is now here. Five Guys began in 1986 with the first store located in nearby Arlington, Virginia. Five Guys is best known for serving never-frozen, fresh-cooked burgers with lots of toppings and very generous servings of french fries, cut fresh daily and cooked in peanut oil. Another distinctive of Five Guys is the sparse menu; all they offer is burgers (but many variations), hot dogs, fries, and drinks. Oh yeah, nowadays they also have a few styles of veggie sandwiches (I guess for vegetarian/vegan friends you drag in with you).

On this visit, I ordered the Bacon Cheeseburger. As for toppings (all free), if you ask for “everything” you get mayonnaise, lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, ketchup, and mustard. I asked for everything but pickles. Other available toppings include relish, onions, Jalapeno peppers, green peppers, A1 steak sauce, barbeque sauce, and hot sauce. Andy also got the Bacon Cheeseburger but only with ketchup, mustard, and grilled onions. Alicia got the Cheeseburger with ketchup, lettuce, and onions. We got one large order of fries to share (tons). We also got one fountain drink for me and two waters (free) for the kids. Everything was delicious.

I think Five Guys is probably the best nationwide burger chain (but only because In-N-Out is only on the west coast!) In Leesburg, you can get better burgers at Melt or BurgerFi, but sometimes you just can’t beat the sheer, greasy joy of Five Guys. They also have nice, modern online ordering via web browser or apps for iOS and Android. Go get a burger now!

Location: 1083 Edwards Ferry Rd., Leesburg, VA, 20176, 571-442-8575

Website: http://fiveguys.com/

Total bill: $31.16

#140: Primo Hoagies

Date Visited: 5 May 2013

Meal: Lunch

Diners: Me & Wendy

Experience: Primo Hoagies specializes in “Old Fashioned Style Italian Specialty Sandwiches” and is located in the Home Depot Shopping Center on Fort Evans Rd. Primo Hoagies is a franchised operation, with stores mostly in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware; Leesburg is one of their newest locations. Primo Hoagies has a very extensive menu featuring traditional Italian sub sandwiches as well as specialty types such as “The Diablos” (extra spicy), Cutlet Combos, Healthy Choice, and Meatless Delights. Hoagies come in three sizes, and they also have party trays, sampler platters, and cookies. Of the restaurants specializing in subs here in Leesburg, Primo Hoagies competes with Subway, Quiznos, Jersey Mike’s, Jimmy John’s, Deli South, Puccio’s New York Deli, and RJ’s Deli.

On this visit, I ordered the Schwartzie (“Thumann’s Corned Beef, Swiss Cheese, Cole Slaw & Russian Dressing”). An interesting combination of flavors; I really liked it. Wendy got the American (“Coteghino [sausage made from pork, fatback, and pork rind, from Modena, Italy], Natural Casing Genoa Salami, Ham & American Cheese”) and added mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, and oil & vinegar dressing. What stood out for her was that it had “lots of meat, the pickles were cold and crunchy, and the dressing was delicious.”

Compared to their competition, one thing Primo Hoagies has got is selection; they have so many delicious-looking subs to choose from! Whichever you choose, I recommend the “Primo” size (9”). We’ll probably go back, but of all the Leesburg sub shops, Puccio’s and RJ’s are still my favorites.

Location: 210 Fort Evans Rd., Leesburg, VA, 20176, 703-771-6398

Web site: http://primohoagies.com/

Total bill: $17.48 + $5.00 tip = $23.98

#139: BurgerFi

Date Visited: 10 April 2013

Meal: Dinner

Diners: Me, Wendy, & Andy

Experience: We’d heard there was another high-end burger place in Leesburg that might give Melt some competition, so off we went to try BurgerFi.

For review, there are twelve restaurants now open in the Village at Leesburg: Flame Kabob, Faang Thai, Noodles & Company, Travinia Italian Kitchen, Eggspectation, Finnegan’s, Firebirds, Pinkberry, King Pinz (yes, they have a restaurant), Cobb Theater (yes, a real restaurant too), Wegmans (yeah, it's technically a restaurant), and the subject of this review, BurgerFi!

BurgerFi is a relatively new chain with about 36 locations nationwide, and the name is short for “Burgerfication of the Nation.” In their own words, “BurgerFi picks up where the other ‘better burger’ franchises leave off. First, BurgerFi focuses on all-natural, grass-fed beef. We do this because it tastes better, and it's better for you- with no chemicals, and no additives. Also, where others limit their menu to just the basic, no-frills options, BurgerFi has built a menu with specialty items like Kobe beef hot dogs, gourmet toppings, delectable desserts, craft beer & wine, and an overall focus on a healthier menu selection.”

For this inaugural visit, all three of us selected the BurgerFi Cheesburger (“Double Natural Angus burger, double American cheese, lettuce, tomato, and BurgerFi sauce”), and also paid extra for the Hickory Bacon (naturally!) These were indeed tasty burgers! We all remarked on the perfectly grilled patties and cheese melted all over. The BurgerFi sauce is some kind of ketchup-mayonnaise mix and helped bring out all the flavors. As an extra touch, the buns are toasted and branded with the BurgerFi logo on top. Being double burgers, we were plenty satisfied. We also got a large order of Crispy Onion Rings, which lived up to their name and were some of the thickest, fattest, sweetest, tastiest rings we’ve ever had. Wendy ordered an additional “Cry & Fries,” which is a combo basket of some Crispy Onion Rings and Fresh Cut Fries. She added the Salt & Vinegar topping too, which she said was nice and evenly distributed over the whole thing. The fries were hot, crispy, and dense. Andy got a Vanilla Shake, which we all judged kind of average, and maybe a touch too sweet.

Overall, we liked BurgerFi a lot and will certainly be coming back. There is plenty of seating both indoors and out. We still think Melt is the best in the gourmet burger category, but Melt is closed on Sundays and BurgerFi is open!

Location: 1608 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg, VA, 20176, 703-669-3300

Web site: http://burgerfi.com/

Total bill: $49.60

#138: DQ Grill & Chill

Restaurant: DQ Grill & Chill

Date Visited: 1 March 2013

Meal: Dinner

Diners: Me

Experience: Dairy Queen has come to Leesburg! It is located in the Fort Evans II shopping center along with Buffalo Wild Wings, Jersey Mike’s, Pho Royal, and CiCi’s. Our new restaurant is branded as “DQ Grill & Chill” with offerings for all sorts of fast-food meals. The “Food” menu includes hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, sub sandwiches, wraps, hot dogs, fries, and salads. The “Treats” menu includes all the ice cream items, featuring their flagship Blizzard soft-serve creations.

For this visit, I got the “FlameThrower GrillBurger” combo. The sandwich is a ¼ lb. burger with “fiery FlameThrower sauce, melted pepper jack cheese, jalapeno bacon, thick-cut tomato and fresh green leaf lettuce served on a warm toasted bun.” I actually did like it a lot, the spicy sauce made it kind of special. The combo also came with fries and a drink.

Since this is a Dairy Queen after all, I couldn’t visit without getting some kind of ice cream. I tried a small “Turtle Pecan Cluster Blizzard Treat” which I also liked, but a small was all I could manage in this frigid weather.

Fine dining it ain’t, but if you’ve got a hankerin’ for a good old burger combo and some ice cream, head on over to DQ to get your Grill and Chill on.

Location: 548 Fort Evans Plaza II, Leesburg, VA, 20176, 703-777-5266

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

Total bill: $11.58

#137: Chen's Garden

Date Visited: 28 February 2013

Meal: Dinner

Diners: Me & Wendy

Experience: What, another Chinese restaurant in Leesburg? Yes, it’s true. Chen’s Garden opened a few weeks ago and adds a new dimension to our Chinese food options. It’s located in the same shopping center as Andy’s Subs & Pizza, Wish-Bone Rotisserie, and the recently-reviewed Pho #1.

We decided to go in and order for takeout, so we could try a variety of items, knowing we’d have some leftovers. We started out with the Crab Rangoon appetizers. The menu says you get 8, but we found 10 in our bag. This is Wendy’s favorite appetizer, and these were excellent, being bite-sized, crispy, creamy, and with hint of onion. We also tried their soups; I got the Hot & Sour, which was thick and had a decent amount of spiciness. Wendy had the Won Ton soup, which was average, but good. The menu didn’t say this anywhere, but our order included free Spring rolls (3), which were also nice and crispy.

The main course dishes are where the uniqueness of Chen’s Garden comes out. I got the Kung Pao Chicken. Compared to “normal” American-style Chinese food, which usually has fairly thick, very sweet sauces, Chen’s version seemed light on the sauce. This brought out the freshness of all the ingredients. Being Kung Pao, mine had the right amount of spice, but gave a different experience than I was expecting. We also got the Chicken with Cashew Nuts to share (and for Andy, and for leftovers!) Wendy got the Triple Delicacy (from the Chef's Recommendations section of the menu), which includes beef, chicken, and shrimp. It was tender and crispy. All three dishes shared the fresh-and-light-on-the-sauce style.

Overall, the portions were generous, and all items seemed to be prepared in a simple, fresh, clean, uncomplicated way. This was a refreshing change from what we expected, and should be a hit with many diners looking for more healthy Chinese food choices. The staff were friendly and helpful, and the reviews on Yelp are all very positive too. For a change, give Chen’s Garden a try!

For review, here's a summary of all the Chinese restaurants I've reviewed so far:

• Hunan Cafe (visited 4 April 2011)
• Wei's Garden (visited 8 January 2010)
• James Cafe (visited 25 November 2009)
• Jasmine (visited 25 April 2008, again on 12 November 2012 for the Sushi bar)
• Golden China (visited 5 April 2009)
• China King (visited 3 April 2009)
• Tai Pei Cafe (visited 18 April 2008)

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

• Pho #1 (visited 22 February 2013)
• 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 - out of business, replaced by Buffalo Wings & Beer, then Ironwood Tavern)
• Thai Pan (originally called Thai Royal, visited 24 August 2008)
• J&W Asian Bistro (visited 22 June 2008 - out of business, replaced by Sal's NY Bar & Grill, now vacant)
• Xuan Saigon (visited 25 May 2008)

Location: 9 Catoctin Cir. #2A, Leesburg, VA, 20175, 703-777-5266/5535

Website: http://chensgardenleesburg.com/

Total bill: $42.15 + $10 tip = $52.15

#136: Pho #1

Date Visited: 22 February 2013

Meal: Dinner

Diners: Me & Wendy

Experience: It was a cold Friday night in Leesburg, and we needed something to warm us up. The obvious answer: Pho!

Pho #1 has been open for about four weeks now, at the southwest corner of the intersection of King Street and Catoctin Circle, around the corner from 7-Eleven. It’s the former location of Bacchus Cafe, and neighbor to Andy’s Subs & Pizza, Wish-Bone Rotisserie, and Chen’s Garden (not yet reviewed). Pho #1 is self-described as an “authentic Vietnamese restaurant.” They specialize in the traditional Vietnamese noodle soup dish called Pho, which puts them in direct competition with Xuan Saigon and Pho Royal here in Leesburg.

For this visit we started out with two standard appetizers, the #A1 Cha Gio - Crispy Egg Rolls, and #A2 Goi Cuon - Fresh Spring Rolls made with rice vermicelli. Both were excellent; the crispy ones were crispy and the fresh ones were fresh!

For our main Pho courses, I selected from the “Adventurer's Choice” part of the menu and got #P8 Pho Tai, Nam, Ve Don - Steak, Flank, Crunch Flank. The part that puts this dish in the Adventurer category is the Crunch Flank, which consists of small pieces of fatty beef flank, and does give the experience of crunchiness. It was different, but I liked it. Wendy chose from the “Beginner” section of the menu and got the #P2 Pho Tai, Nam - Eye Round Steak, Flank Pho. She said, “delicious!”

The usual Pho additions of fresh bean sprouts, Thai basil, jalapeno peppers, and lime slices were served on a separate plate. A simple array of Hoisin sauce, Sriracha sauce, garlic chili sauce, and pepper were on hand at the table (but oddly no soy sauce or salt). There were some interesting desserts in the menu, but our server said they didn’t have any at this time, as they are re-doing their dessert offerings.

The restaurant is clean and simply decorated, retaining the same basic layout inherited from Bacchus Cafe. It is a family-run business; the sons are the main servers, Mom does the “authentic” part of the cooking, and Dad keeps everything running smoothly. Standard background Muzak plays as you are attended to throughout the meal. We felt we received very good value for the meal, and look forward to return and try some of the more adventurous menu items. Give ‘em a try!

Location: 9-E Catoctin Cir. SW, Leesburg, VA, 20175, 703-777-1800

Web site: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pho-1/507248915986511?fref=ts

Total bill: $25.38 + $10 tip = $35.38

#135: The Q Company

Date Visited: 30 January 2013

Meal: Dinner

Diners: Me, Wendy, & Andy

Experience: On this rainy evening (actually, we were under a flash flood warning!) we decided to visit one of Leesburg’s newest restaurants, The Q Company, which specializes in Texas-style barbeque. They had their grand opening on 17 November 2012, at the former location of Aashiana/Angeethi on Catoctin Circle.

Recently featured in the Loudoun Times-Mirror, owner Mitchell Matzek says “The Q may just do a handful of things, but they do them really well.” The menu features Smoked Beef Brisket, Slow Smoked Pulled Pork, and Smoked Sausage, along with Best BBQ Beans, Potato Salad, Cole Slaw, and Mac & Cheese sides, plus a couple of specialties: Barbeque Baked Potato and BBQ Sundae(!)

The Q Company is a pretty laid-back place, and a sign at the front door tells you to come on in and seat yourself. On this visit, we had barely sat down and our server came immediately, delivering a plate of cornbread and taking our drink orders. Their cornbread is sweet and delicious; Andy called it “superior!”

We then ordered the “For Four” Package which offers several meat and side choices. We chose the Beef Brisket, Pulled Pork, Best BBQ Beans, Mac & Cheese, and Cole Slaw. In keeping with the simple menu, the Packages are served family style, on trays, which i think adds to the experience and puts the emphasis on the food over the the presentation. Texas-style barbecue comes without any sauce added before serving, so there are several sauces available at the table: tangy Texas red, Carolina-style spicy vinegar, and spicy mustard. There are also several hot sauces available if desired. Andy and I liked the Brisket best, while Wendy preferred the Pork. We all preferred the red sauce for both of the meats. I was also impressed by the BBQ Beans, as they included several kinds of beans, onions, and bits of barbeque (reminded me of Famous Dave’s Wilbur Beans). Wendy said the Mac & Cheese was “creamy and peppery.” The Slaw was cold and crisp, not too vinegary, and a perfect complement to the spiciness of everything else. We found this Package a great option for sampling the Q’s offerings and quite filling; of course the “For Four” should be filling for a party of three!

BONUS: Check out the sign inside the restaurant:

Our overall experience was quite positive, confirming the LTM’s cheery review, and we’re eager to return and try the Smoked Sausage and the Ribs. We encourage you to give them a try and support this family-owned and operated local business.

Location: 17 Catoctin Cir., Leesburg, VA, 20175, 703-777-8767

Web site: http://theqcompany.com/ and http://facebook.com/TheQCompany

Total bill: $43.40 + $10 tip = $53.40