#164: Pollo Inti II

Date Visited: 6 February 2016

Meal: Dinner

Diners: Me & Wendy

Experience: Pollo Inti II is the latest restaurant to open up in Leesburg, their specialty being Peruvian and Central American fare. They are located in between Pho Royal and DQ Grill & Chill in the Fort Evans Plaza II shopping center, and their original location is in Sterling (hence the “II”). You may know that “Pollo” is the Spanish word for Chicken, but I bet you’re wondering what “Inti” means (we were!) - according to their website, “Inti is the ancient Incan sun god. He is revered as the national patron of the Inca state.”

Not surprisingly, our server greeted us with Chips & Salsa, but their salsa is a bit unique; quite wet and tangy, with shredded carrots. We also ordered a couple of appetizers to try. I got the Pupusa Frijol/Queso (“Corn flour tortilla filled w/cheese & beans") and Wendy got the Pupusa Revuelta ("Corn flour tortilla filled w/pork & cheese"). Both come with a spicy slaw and a bit of non-spicy red sauce on the side because pupusas by themselves are kind of plain. We were a little surprised at how big they were; you get your money’s worth on these.

Not being very familiar with this type of cuisine, we asked our server for recommendations. The first thing she pointed to was the #43 Bisteck a lo Pobre ("Tender beef sautéed in Peruvian spices. Served w/rice, French fries, egg, plantain & salad"), so I went for it. It was a BIG meal! The steak was nicely done, with a fried egg on top, a bed of French fries below, and slices of a fried plantain on either side. It also came with a side salad and a mound of white rice. I’m glad I followed my gut instinct (pun intended) and took the recommendation. I also recommend it to you, it was delicious and satisfying. Wendy got another of our server’s recommendations, the #32 Aji de Gallina ("Shredded chicken stew seasoned Peruvian style"). It came in a creamy yellow sauce and she enjoyed it. Again, a fairly large portion, with about half of it coming home for another day’s lunch! Several sauces were also brought to the table: Red - very spicy hot, Green - cool, Cilantro?, and Yellow - Mayonnaise (with Mustard or maybe Turmeric?)

The restaurant’s environment was clean and warm, with Spanish-language hip-hop music playing over the sound system. Our server gave us pleasant and attentive service. Prices are very reasonable and portions are generous. I’ve sometimes been chided for never writing bad reviews, but honestly we had a great experience trying some unfamiliar food, and heartily recommend it to you too. If you plan to go, there is a 15% off coupon you can print out under the “About Us” section of the website.

Location: 544 Fort Evans Rd., Leesburg, VA 20176, 703-777-7184

Website: http://www.pollointi.com/

Total bill: $38.82 + $10.00 tip = $48.82

#163: Bonchon

Date Visited: 16 August 2015

Meal: Lunch

Diners: Me & Wendy

Experience: Bonchon is the highly-anticipated latest addition to the restaurants at the Village at Leesburg. Bonchon has a narrowly focused specialty, which is the perfection of a Korean comfort food favorite: fried chicken. According to their corporate website, Bonchon is the Korean word for “my hometown.” Bonchon has locations worldwide, originally in South Korea (duh!) and south Asia, and in the U.S. mostly on the east coast and in California. The Bonchon tagline is “Addicted Yet?” and you’ll know why once you try it.

We started off with the Potstickers with Soy Garlic appetizer. There was nothing too special about the potstickers themselves, but the Soy Garlic sauce gives you a foretaste of what’s to come (and it’s delicious!)

The main item at Bonchon is of course their fried chicken. They serve it two sizes, wings and drumsticks, and there are several combinations of these offered. We got the Medium Combo (10 wings and 5 drumsticks) with Soy Garlic sauce. They also have a spicier sauce, or you can get half spicy-half Soy Garlic. I must say I’ve never had tastier fried chicken; there’s something about the way they cook it and the sauce that just works great. Your taste may be different, but I’m addicted! For some variety, Wendy ordered the Bibimbap with Bulgogi (“White rice with assorted seasonal vegetables, topped with an egg* and served in a sizzling stone bowl with Korean red pepper paste on the side. Your choice of topping: (bulgogi/spicy chicken/seafood/tofu).”) It was good, but you go there for the fried chicken.

The only downside of Bonchon is that it’s a bit pricey for the amount of food you get. Other than that: Recommended!

Location: 1607 Village Market Blvd., Leesburg, VA 20176, 571-442-8882

Website: http://leesburgva.bonchon.com/

Total bill: $53.38 + $10.00 tip = $63.38