(Photos by Jimmy Scarano) 

Few restaurants in the area have received as much buzz in the last year as Present, a sleek Vietnamese spot tucked away in an unassuming strip mall off Route 50 just west of Annandale Road. (Click here for map.)

What began as glowing reviews from bloggers and chatters all over the local message boards grew into a spot on both the Washingtonian’s Best Restaurants list and its Best Bargains list (a rare feat). Then in late May the Washington Post’s Tom Sietsema dished out high praise with a three star review.

Well, now it’s my turn.

With so much already being said I was tempted to keep it short and sweet, but that just wouldn’t do it justice. Present is a destination restaurant deserving of all the attention it’s gotten — perhaps more.

The service is on par with a fine dining establishment, yet there is also a casual, easy- going vibe that the wait staff exudes so that you never feel like you’re being uncomfortably pampered. And the atmosphere is cool and clean, complete with a bubbling waterfall and tastefully decorated walls.

But what really lingers on the mind after a meal at Present isn’t the smiling waiters or the décor. It’s the food. Few kitchens are capable of putting out such memorable and original dishes.   

Chief among these are the much hyped Silken Shawl Imperial Autumn Rolls. Fans of the typical Vietnamese spring rolls will barely recognize these delicate fried cigars of pork and shrimp wrapped in thin sheets of a hand-woven rice flour batter. They are shatteringly crisp and perfect rolled up with the accompanying mint, lettuce, pickled vegetables, and nuoc cham. Get them.    

Texture and contrast also play a key role in the other-worldly green papaya salad, which combines thin strips of the unripe fruit with beef jerky, beef liver jerky (trust me, it’s good), crushed roasted peanuts, and Thai basil. Chewy, crunchy, and nutty, the salad is made even more complex when tossed with the accompanying soy, vinegar, and chili based sauce. Throw in some of the crispy shrimp chips it comes with and I can just about guarantee that you’ve never had a salad like this in your life.

Even simple, more common Vietnamese dishes are given special attention here. The ubiquitous stir fry of chicken with lemongrass and chilies, so often cloyingly sweet and bland, is fiery and fragrant with copious amounts of fresh lemongrass. It’s the best version of the dish I’ve ever had.

One thing you can be sure of is that whatever dish you order, it’s going to look fantastic. Artful presentation is a huge part of the Imperial-style cuisine that head chef Luong Tran brought with him from Vietnam. A minced clam appetizer comes out in a gargantuan edible sesame rice cracker bowl meant to mimic a shell. And the refreshing seafood salad with fine-diced pineapple, calamari, carrots, red onions, and plump shrimp arrives in a hollowed out pineapple.

The artistry on the plate goes hand in hand with the whimsically written menu, in which each item is given a creative name. A knock-out rendition of the Vietnamese classic shaken beef is called “Cow on the Open Field.” “Mosaic Pathway” is an elegant stir fry of cellophane noodles, veggies and jumbo lump crab meat. Reading a menu has never been so much fun.

But the playfulness of the plating and the flowery descriptions of the food can’t hide the precision and technique that goes into every dish. The cooking at Present is carefully composed and constructed with a level of care seldom seen in a place where you can eat for less than 20 bucks a head. This is the sort of restaurant you want to go to with a big group of adventurous eaters so you can get a bite of all of the different textures and flavors the kitchen can coax out of so many unique and exciting ingredients. It’s an experience as well as a meal.

And that’s exactly the aim of owner Gene Nguyen.

I had a conversation with him and General Manager Austin Pham last week and they both talked about changing the perceptions of Vietnamese cuisine with their restaurant. They want to show people that authentic Vietnamese food is worthy of a refined setting with excellent service.

“I want to bring Vietnamese food to a higher level,” Nguyen said.

He’s doing it by recruiting masterful chefs like Tran (as well as talent from as far as California and the Caribbean) and maintaining a professional wait staff that knows the menu backwards and forwards.

The entire staff, Nguyen and Pham included, routinely tests out the menu items to make sure they are consistently good.

“If I don’t like something I take it off,” said Nguyen, who takes pride in personally picking out much of the produce, meat, and seafood used for the restaurant.

Something tells me that occasion is rare. Chef Tran’s attention to detail is staggering. He uses seven types of fish sauce in the kitchen and even imports some from Vietnam that take as long as 45 days to get to the U.S.. And his sauces and garnishes are so complex that even Nguyen doesn’t know the process behind making them all. I asked him how the beef liver jerky in the green papaya salad was prepared and he just shrugged his shoulders.

“The chef has so many secrets,” he said.

And to think, Present could have ended up somewhere else. Nguyen said he had many suitors in the D.C. area — and even one in Charleston, South Carolina (gasp!) — when he was looking for a location for his restaurant.

Now that it’s found a home, Pham, who usually greets people at the door and has chatted with many a happy customer, said people are coming from Baltimore and beyond to get a taste.

But all we Falls Churchians have to do is venture half a mile outside the City and we’re at the doorstep. How lucky are we.

April 16, 2010

This will be the last installment of my weekly food column for the Falls Church Times.  No more obsessive Farmers Market taste tests.  No more waxing poetic about the Eden Center.  No more bashing Pie-Tanza and Elevation Burger.  It’s all over.  I’m off to graduate school to begin the next chapter in my life.

To say that I’ll miss the Times is a gross understatement.  Food and writing are two passions of mine that I was able to indulge simultaneously with this gig, which also allowed me to work with some of the nicest, most down-to-earth people I’ve met—the Falls Church Times Staff.

Stan Fendley has backed me up no matter what I’ve written.  I’ve gotten words of encouragement and advice from Dave Witzel, Scott Taylor, Annette Hennessey, George Bromley, Gina Caceci, and Stephen Siegel on numerous occasions.  And Man About Town Columnist George Southern, well, he’s been about the best editor a writer could ever have—helping me along every step of the way with uncommon thoughtfulness.  I can’t imagine a more supportive group of people.

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading my columns as much as I’ve enjoyed writing them.  For the most part, I’ve avoided writing about the City’s most popular places, which I don’t see the point in reviewing.  Instead I’ve focused on lesser known ethnic places and foods available here that aren’t available elsewhere.   There are many places I didn’t get a chance to profile and many dishes I didn’t get a chance to try, but I had a blast exploring new restaurants, shopping at ethnic grocers, and expanding my horizons at the Farmers Market.

I’ll leave you with one last labor of love—a list of the “Top 10 Food-Related Things I’ll Miss the Most in and Around the City of Falls Church.”  It’s a long title for a list but I can’t think of a better name.  I’ve tried to cover all the bases, from markets to restaurants to places in the City and outside of it but not too far away.  At best I think it’s a useful tool for any City resident interested in getting the most of the unique food offerings around the Little City.  I call it a list of things I’ll miss, but from your perspective it’s really just my list of the “Top 10 Food-Related Things to Take Advantage of in and Around the City of Falls Church.”

If I mention a place that I’ve written a story about in the past then I’ve included a link to that story to give you some more information about it. If I mention a place that I didn’t get a chance to write a story about I’ve included the address in parentheses.  And if I don’t mention a place you think I should’ve mentioned, well, I’m sorry about that.  So here’s the list, beginning with the place I’ll miss the very most…

Top 10 Food-Related Things I’ll Miss the Most in and Around the City of Falls Church

The gateway to deliciousness.

1. The Eden Center- I’ve probably written more about this City gem than anything else.  The Eden Center is a food paradise with over 30 Vietnamese restaurants and bakeries that I’ve only scratched the surface of even though I’ve been there dozens of times.  I’ll miss Huong Viet—Eden’s oldest and most often crowded restaurant– the most.  Its spring rolls, smoky grilled meats, and gutsy lemongrass-centric stir fries are a terrific introduction to a great cuisine.  If you haven’t been to Eden you simply must go.  If you only go occasionally then you should go more often.  And if you just don’t feel like dealing with the notoriously bad parking at least head down to Present Restaurant in Falls Church to enjoy some just-as-good Vietnamese cooking– its the cuisine this area specializes in better than any other.
2. The Farmers Market- There are Farmers Markets everywhere.  But it’s going to be hard for me to find one better than the one the City is so blessed to have.  I’ll miss the tomatoes at Tree and Leaf and Potomac Vegetable Farms.  I’ll miss the glorious fruit at Toigo and Black Rock Orchard.  I’ll miss Mike Musachio’s sweet corn and spring peas.  Most of all, though, I’ll miss the market experience as a whole.  The hustle and bustle of a Saturday morning at the Farmers Market is invigorating.
   

   You wouldn't expect a knock-out Indian grocer like Indian Spices to be in the middle of the Little City, but thankfully it is.

3. The Ethnic Markets- If you get all of your grocery shopping done at Giant or Whole Foods or Trader Joes you’ve been missing out.  Those are fine establishments, but for the curious cook the area’s innumerable ethnic markets are far more interesting (and often more affordable).  Few places in the country have such a diverse selection of top-notch ethnic markets.  I will miss the luxury of being able to get bulk Indian spices, chewy Arab bread, and dirt cheap Asian vegetables with just a few turns here and there.  In the City I particularly like Indian Spices, The Lebanese Butcher, Halalco and Asian Imports.  Branch outside of City boundaries and things get even more interesting.  The German Gourmet is fun.  So is Grand Mart.  But two of my favorite places that I never got a chance to write a story about are Great Wall Supermarket (2982 Gallows Rd, Falls Church, VA, 22042, 703-208-3320) and Duangrat’s Market (5888 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA, 22041, 703-578-0622).   Great Wall is a Chinese market with an astonishing selection of fresh and funky fruits and vegetables and nearly every Asian pantry staple you’ll ever need.  Duangrat’s is the area’s best Thai market behind Arlington’s Bangkok 54 Market (2927 Columbia Pike, Arlington, VA, 22204, 703-521-4207), which I urge you to go to if you are serious about Thai cooking and don’t mind a 15 minute drive.
4. Peruvian Chicken- The City’s two Peruvian chicken outposts—Crisp and Juicy and Super Chicken—don’t exactly thrill me, but they are still better than 99% of the plain old roast chickens out there.  When I did a Peruvian chicken tasting awhile back I recommended hoping over to Arlington to eat at Super Pollo or El Pollo Rico for some seriously marinated birds.  I stand by that recommendation still.  I don’t know how I’ll live without Peruvian chicken. 
5. Saltenas- Ahh, saltenas.  I still can’t understand why these Bolivian meat turnovers haven’t caught on with a broader audience.  There have been cupcake crazes and frozen yogurt crazes and kabob crazes.  But no love for the saltena.  Go to Luzmila’s or La Caraquena in the City to try one if you haven’t already.  The savory-sweet, empanada-like treats are virtually unavailable outside of Bolivia.
   

   So long saltenas. You will be missed (photo from dcfoodies.com).

6. Kasha’s Kitchen—I’m afraid that if I’m back in the area a year or two from now Kasha’s won’t be here.   The locally run sandwich shop (which is inside Kennedy’s Natural Foods) with a granola-hippie twist just doesn’t get the business it deserves.   It has all the charm and spunk that the chains don’t and the food is shockingly good.  A Power Veggie or Lentil Burger along with an oversized cookie is one of the most satisfying lunches in the City.
7. Our Tasty Neighbor Arlington—I haven’t written much about Arlington because, well, this is an online newspaper dedicated to the City of Falls Church.  But there are some cheap eats in the nearby suburb that we have no equivalent for in the City where you can eat like a king for less than 15 bucks a person.  The most obvious one is Ray’s Hell Burger (1725 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA, 22209, 703-841-0001), the ground meat Mecca that became uber-famous when President Obama and Vice President Biden ate there.  I’ve never had anything less than a spectacular burger there.  Another Arlington institution that the Little City has no answer for is Ravi Kabob (350 N Glebe Rd, Arlington, VA, 22203, 703-522-6666), a swoon-inducing Pakistani dive with excellent kabobs and justifiably legendary chickpeas.  For the taco-freaks out there, I have to throw in a plug for El Charrito Caminante (2710 Washington Blvd, Arlington, VA, 22201, 703-351-1177), the only taqueria I’ve encountered that’s worth going to in Northern Virginia (the chorizo, beef, and pork taco variations are my top picks).  The place in Arlington I’ll miss the most, though, is the Italian Store (3123 Lee Hwy, Arlington, VA, 22201, 703-528-6266), which mastered the art of the greasy Italian-American hoagie long ago.  I always feel better about going a little out of my way when the final destination is really affordable and delicious and is something I just can’t get near my house.  These places fit the bill for City residents, requiring only a ten minute drive for budget-friendly bliss.
   

   The Ethiopian delights at Meaza are so unique and delicious that they'd be worth an hour-long drive. Thankfully, the gem is only 15 minutes from the City.

8. The Proximity of Hard-To-Find Cuisines- Within a few mile radius of the City there are some excellent restaurants specializing in cuisines that the vast majority of Americans have never had the opportunity to eat.  I will sorely miss having such places at my disposal.  Two that jump immediately to mind are Hong Kong Palace and Myanmar, a duo of Falls Church gems just outside the City that offer up seldom seen dishes.  The latter has a full roster of Burmese specialties.  The former sports a greatest-hits menu of incendiary Szechuan delights, including Chengdu Spicy Cold Noodles and Cumin lamb — two of the most addictive plates of food I’ve eaten all year.  Meaza, an Ethiopian palace on the edge of Falls Church, is another hard-to-find-elsewhere restaurant that I encourage you to take advantage of.  The complex vegetarian stews and rich, spicy meat dishes will seduce you into many repeat visits.  A slight detour to Annandale will drop you in the middle of dozens of Korean restaurants.  The mom n’ pop Gom Ba Woo (7133 Columbia Pike, Annandale, VA, 22003, 703-642-1577) is a cozy introduction to this underappreciated cuisine.  Try the seafood pancake or the dumplings or the barbecued pork (well-charred pork belly, actually) with red pepper sauce—it’s hard to go wrong.  The City of Falls Church is ideally located to explore these and so many other fascinating cuisines.  Get out there and challenge your palate a little—you won’t regret it.
9. Rabieng- This long-standing Thai restaurant a mile outside the City is far from perfect, but it excels in enough areas to warrant repeat visits–and to make this list.  Truth be told, I probably crave food from here more than I do from any other area restaurant.  The coconut milk-rich curries are without peer in the area, as are some of the soups and chili-basil stir-fries.
10. Good Old Haandi- There is a perception out there that Haandi was once good and is now only mediocre.  Food critics say there are newer and better options these days for Indian food.  Well, that may be true to some extent, but I think Haandi is a reliably good neighborhood Indian spot with fresh bread and rice, rich and satisfying curries, and decent prices.  What’s not to like?  My colleague George Southern sang its praises last year.

That’s it.  That’s the list.

By JIMMY SCARANO
Falls Church Times Staff

April 10, 2010

This year’s unpredictable NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament made for a great race to the finish of the Falls Church Times’ inaugural pick’em competition.  Over 30 loyal Times readers joined the yahoo.com-run contest for a chance to win a $75 gift certificate to a City restaurant or a Falls Church Farmers Market gift basket.

When Duke and Butler tipped off in an unlikely finale this past Monday night the bracket winner was still in doubt.   With a heart-wrenching Duke victory, City residents Daniel Butler and Dennis Zaenger—who both picked the Blue Devils to go all the way– leaped to the top of the leader board.  The two tied for first place, but Mr. Butler won the tiebreaker because of his closer prediction of the final score of the game.

Had Butler upset Duke, Man About Town Columnist George Southern would’ve claimed the crown.  Whew, that was a close one. 

Thanks to all that participated and better luck next year.  Click here to see the final standings of the competition.

By JIMMY SCARANO

April 2, 2010

Tomorrow the Falls Church Farmers Market will return to its spring and summer hours, opening at 8 a.m. instead of 9 a.m. That may not sound like big news, but I think it is. The time switch signifies the fact that the produce-packed wonderland we all know and love will start to show itself in the coming weeks.

Don’t get me wrong. I love what the market has become during the winter months. There are meats, pastas, preserves, and cheeses that rival—and in many ways outshine– the best supermarkets. But for me a farmers market is first and foremost about fruits and vegetables. The City Hall parking looks its best when it’s a reflection of the season.

Don’t expect to see much just yet, though. If we’re lucky there may be some ramps available this weekend or next. The red-tinged wild leeks are one of the earliest spring vegetables to sprout up, often showing up in the first week of April. For years they were overlooked and thought of as “country folk” food that only people out in the boonies foraged for. Now they’re one of the hottest seasonal items on high-end restaurant menus, prized for their unique oniony-garlicky kick. If a vendor brings some along snatch them up and add them to an omelet for a totally-worth-the-bad-breath flavor punch.

By mid-April asparagus and spring lettuces will dominate the landscape. It’s imperative to catch the asparagus as early as possible. The later asparagus crops pale in comparison to the first ones, which bring specimens so thin and tender that they usually don’t require any peeling. Rhubarb, which has a tragically short growing season and is vastly underutilized in the kitchen, may also make an appearance before May. Stock up and freeze all that you can for pies, cobblers, jams and even savory stews—rhubarb’s wonderfully tart flavor works in both sweet and savory dishes.

Curvy garlic scapes (far left) are one of the first spring delicacies to hit the stands.

I’m counting the days until the first garlic scapes hit the stands. I discovered the two foot long green tendrils last spring and fell in love with them. They are a part of the garlic plant that is snipped off to encourage the growth of the bulb, and until recently were never sold at markets. But instead of throwing them away farmers have turned to selling them with great success. They have the taste of mild garlic mixed with spring onions and the texture of asparagus bottoms. I encourage you to chop them up in sautés, pulverize them into pesto-related concoctions, and just enjoy them for the precious few weeks they are available. A garlic scape is something you will never see on a supermarket shelf.

Peas are the classic spring vegetable, but don't expect Mike Musachio's little treasures to come to market until mid-May.

Mike Musachio’s peas are another spring treat I’ve been looking forward to for many months. I called the long-time farmer and veteran Falls Church Farmers Market vendor the other day to see when they would be ready and he said some time in mid-May. Mark your calendars. Why so few vendors carry fresh peas anymore is beyond me. They are irresistible, especially in the hands of a master like Musachio, who puts them on ice at the market to preserve their sweet spring essence.

Strawberries will likely come around the same time as peas. I suggest you come early when they first arrive because the minute I see some I am going to buy several quarts. A locally grown, in-season strawberry is a treat like few things on this planet.

By late May things will really start to pick up. But that’s another story. For now, it’s all about the anticipation of those first few spring treasures. Don’t forget to seek them out in the next few months, because before you know it they will be gone.

By JIMMY SCARANO

March 25, 2010

If you take the Eden Center out of the equation, I think the Lebanese Butcher is the city’s most intriguing restaurant.  Not only does it have a wide-ranging, extremely affordable menu of home-style food, but it also has a killer butcher shop and grocer right next door, which is owned by the same family and predates the restaurant.

Naturally, many of the locally raised halal meats and imported Lebanese goodies at the butcher make appearances on the menu at the small café.  It’s a unique set-up that ensures quality and affords diners the chance to stop by two fun places in one visit.  That’s the reason I took a few trips there last June and wrote a short piece about it for the Falls Church Times.

Now, generally after I write a review of a place it means the end of me going there for some time.  But I haven’t been able to get the Lebanese Butcher out of my head.  While I enjoyed the few items I tried off their menu—especially the garlic-laced chicken shawarma sandwich—I knew there were some special dishes I missed out on.  For months every time I drove by I thought about stopping in to try the aya maza, a 10 appetizer sampler for $19.95 meant to be split between two people.

The no-frills atmosphere at the Lebanese Butcher is part of its charm (staff photo by George Southern).

This week I caved, dragging my brother along with me on a mission to tackle the aya maza.  Not being a huge fan of Lebanese food to begin with, he was not thrilled about this mission.  I assured him that there would be good things on the plate.

We walked into a half-full restaurant—the busiest I had ever seen the Lebanese Butcher.  The lone waiter on duty was scurrying around taking orders and a short woman, whose head was barely visible from behind the front counter, was frantically putting them together.

We seated ourselves and were promptly given menus.  I already knew what I wanted, of course, but I took one anyways because reading restaurant menus is one of my favorite things to do.  When I saw the chicken shawarma sandwich in print I remembered just how good it was and I decided we needed to get it.  I figured it alone would convert my brother to Lebanese food.

I was hoping I would be able to choose what comprised our aya maza, but I had a sneaking suspicion that the sampler, as most are, was predetermined.  The waiter confirmed my suspicions when he started rattling off what came with it.  He had me at fried kibbeh.

Ten minutes later I saw my plates starting to pile-up on the countertop.  I was tempted to go up there and grab them for myself because our waiter had mysteriously disappeared.  It was only ten feet away.  I could do it.  A few minutes went by with nearly all ten of the plates just sitting on the counter waiting to be taken to my table.  Finally the waiter shuffled in and started to bring them over in shifts.  I almost applauded I was so excited.

Soon our table was covered end-to-end with nine plates of appetizers and a chicken shawarma sandwich.  The only thing we were waiting on was the still-cooking soujuk, a cayenne and cumin spiced lamb sausage somewhat similar to the North African merguez.

We dug in before the soujuk arrived.   I’ll spare you the details of each and every dish in the sampler.   Obviously there were some dishes that were tastier than others, but on the whole I wasn’t really thrilled or really disappointed with any of it.  It was merely good across the board.  My brother didn’t care for any of it—not even the chicken shawarma sandwich I had relentlessly hyped up.

Even though I wasn’t as awe-struck with the meal as I’d hoped to be, I still enjoyed the interactive nature of the experience.  The aya maza came with a huge serving of pita (which, sadly, is still the mediocre store-bought variety that I complained about in June) and each dish could be mixed and match with other dishes, often resulting in improvement.

The options at the Lebanese Butcher are many, and with the low prices you can really fill your table up (Washingtonian Magazine).

The soujuk, which came out mere minutes after we started eating, was okay on its own but much better wrapped in some bread with a tart tomato-cucumber salad, briny pickles, and lettuce.  The kibbeh was nice with the labne, a thick garlic-yogurt spread that was the surprise of the night.  The falafel benefitted from a bath in some hummus and a ton of pickles.  And the pungently lemony grape leaves, studded with rice and tomatoes, were subdued a little when wrapped in bread.

The only thing that couldn’t be improved upon with pickles or hummus or baba ghanoush was the makanek, a pint-sized lamb sausage that was too heavily spiced with cinnamon and cloves for my taste.

Would I get the aya maza again?  Probably not.  But I’m glad I tried it and I’m still supremely confident that the Lebanese Butcher has some gems on its menu that I just haven’t uncovered yet.  The butcher seems to specialize in lamb, so my next visit will be more lamb-centric.

The bottom line: I’d choose the Lebanese Butcher over any of the chains on Broad St. any day of the week.  It’s exactly the sort of family run, made-from-scratch place that I love to patronize—and that the City of Falls Church is lucky to have.

The Lebanese Butcher and Restaurant is located at 113 E. Annandale Rd., Falls Church City, VA, 22046.  (703) 533-2903.

By JIMMY SCARANO

March 19, 2010

There are so many incredible Asian food markets within a 10 mile radius of the City of Falls Church.

Great Wall off Gallows Rd. in Falls Church may be the craziest of the bunch.  On Saturday mornings the check-out lines are often ten people deep, comprised mostly of Chinese grandmothers stocking up on loads of fresh vegetables and fish straight out of the live tanks that line the back of the store.  The Korean-centric H Mart across the street is similarly chaotic, teeming with people at all hours of the day.

At Duangrats in Falls Church and Bangkok 54 Market in nearby Arlington homesick Thais shuffle in throughout the week for curry pastes, fresh rice noodles, kaffir lime leaves, and other hard-to-find items.  Every time I go to one of them I leave with a new treasure I’ve never tasted in my life.

And there are countless other places that get plenty of well-deserved business—the Grand Mart just outside the city; the Cho Saigon Supermarket at the Eden Center; the Happy Go Supermarket in Annandale.

But there is an overlooked gem amongst these popular Asian grocers — a place that sees far fewer people walk through its doors.  It’s called Asian Imports and it’s right here in the Little City.

Asian Imports (formerly known as Vietnam Imports) isn’t nearly as big or well-stocked as much of its brethren, and some of the products seem to have been untouched for years.  It doesn’t really carry any fresh produce, meats, or fish worth noting either.  Truthfully, the place doesn’t look like much at all on the surface.

Start perusing the shelves, though, and you’ll quickly realize this is no generic Asian market.  Even though you’ll find some of the same Vietnamese, Chinese, Thai, and Korean items that other stores carry, Asian Imports specializes in Indonesian and Filipino imported foods, both of which are hard to come by around here.  There are dozens of products and brands at this cramped storefront that you simply can’t find elsewhere.  For that reason alone, this place is worth a trip.

Asian Imports crams hundreds of goodies into a small, bare bones space.

In my recent visits I’ve been drawn to the astonishing selection of sambals, the fiery chili-based relishes loaded with garlic and aromatics that are the backbone of the cuisines of the Philippines, Indonesia, and other neighboring countries. Grab a jar and read the ingredients to get a better idea of what the flavor profile of a given type is, as there are many to choose from.  I generally avoid the shrimp paste-heavy ones because they are a tad funky for my Western palate, but any other choice will give you a versatile, spicy, assertive pantry staple that is a great addition to marinades and dips.

The ubiquitous Filipino and Indonesian table condiment kecap manis is another great find.  Most Asian markets carry one or two brands of this addictive palm sugar-sweetened soy sauce, but Asian Imports has several, including the preservative-free and well-regarded Bango brand that I haven’t seen anywhere else.  When the grilling season comes a bottle of kecap manis is a secret weapon.  Its sweet, salty, smoky, complex, caramel-like flavor is fantastic brushed on just about any meat before it hits the coals.

Indonesian sweet soy sauce, otherwise known as kecap manis, is one of the world's great condiments.

Those are the two most familiar, most Western friendly Filipino-Indonesian treats.  The vast majority of stuff on the shelves at Asian Imports I know nothing about.  There are bags of rice yeast and powdered purple yam.  There are pickled things and fermented things and canned exotic fruits.  There are frozen Filipino sausages, shrimp chips, and cassava crackers.  Much of it is cheap enough and small enough to justify trying a few mystery items.

The key is to read labels and avoid stuff with preservatives and weird additives, which are generally a sign of poor quality.  It also helps to enlist the help of whoever is working that day (there is usually just one person).  Everyone I have talked to in my visits has been nothing but nice and helpful, in spite of the language barrier.

On my last trip I played it pretty safe with a six-pack of deliciously tropical-tasting soursop juice from Indonesia.  I also splurged on some locally made Filipino cashew candies, a strange cardboard container of pure coconut cream, and needle-thin rice noodles.    Next time I’ll pick up some of the Dutch products, which Asian Imports has a substantial supply of thanks to the long-standing Dutch presence in Indonesia.

Frankly, I’m not sure how much longer this little shop will last.  The competition is fierce, and, in many ways, better.  But Asian Imports has products and family-owned charm that other places don’t.  That’s enough to keep me coming back.

Asian Imports is located on 922 W. Broad St., Falls Church, VA, 22046.  (703)- 534-9441.

March 17, 2010

The NCAA men’s basketball tournament tips off tomorrow, which means time is running out to sign up for the first ever Falls Church Times pick’em pool.

Remember that it’s free to enter a bracket in the tournament and there are prizes available for the top two finishers!  The winner will win a $75 gift certificate to a restaurant in the City of Falls Church of his or her choice and the runner-up will win a hand-picked gift basket of Falls Church Farmers Market goodies.

The tournament is being run through yahoo.com.  If you wish to participate all you have to do is click here and press the “join a group” icon.  The group ID number is 50125 and the password is fallschurchtimes.com (if you are not already a yahoo member you will need to create an account—it takes only a minute and is free).

Let the madness begin.

March 12,  2010

It is with great pleasure and excitement that we announce our first ever Falls Church Times March Madness Pick’em Tournament.

The annual NCAA Men’s basketball tournament is a whirlwind of an event that never fails to be thrilling and surprising.  Half the fun, of course, is filling out a bracket and following the progress of the teams you have playing into the late rounds.

There is no fee to enter a bracket in the tournament but there will be a first and second place prize!  In keeping with The Little City scope of our paper, we’ve decided on a $75 gift certificate to any restaurant in the City of Falls Church as the grand prize and a Falls Church Farmers Market Gift Basket as the runner-up prize.

The tournament will be run through yahoo.com.  If you wish to participate all you have to do is click here and press the “join a group” icon.  The group ID number is 50125 and the password is fallschurchtimes.com (if you are not already a yahoo member you will need to create an account—it takes only a minute and is free).  Just remember that the tournament field won’t be announced until Sunday, March 14, so you’ll have to wait until then to make your picks.  And you’ll only have until Thursday, March 18, to make your selections, as that is the first day of tournament play.

If you have any questions or concerns contact Falls Church Times staffer Jimmy Scarano at jimmy.scarano@gmail.com.

Once again, to participate:

• Go to this website: http://tournament.fantasysports.yahoo.com/t1/register/joingroup
• Enter ID Number:  50125
• Use Password: fallschurchtimes.com

May the best bracket win.

By JIMMY SCARANO

March 12, 2010

There was a time when Panjshir, the city’s long-standing Afghan restaurant, was considered the cream of the crop in the region for its genre.  It was written up in magazines and praised for its traditional, well-prepared dishes.

In the last five years that’s changed.

Food critics and foodie fanatics have moved on.  A host of newer places, including the nearby Bamian in Falls Church, are the current darlings in a growing Afghan restaurant circuit.  There is a perception out there that Panjshir is stuck in the past—that it caters to an older clientele of regulars with predictable, mildly seasoned food.

This week I embarked on a mission to the 25 year-old institution to see what the story was.  Even though I’d been to the restaurant once before, it was so long ago that it felt like my first time there.

I walked into a fancy dining room half-filled with white-haired grannies; a scene that did not, in all honesty, fill me with confidence.  I know there are ethnic restaurants that are patronized primarily by Westerners and still have good food, but those are few and far between.   Generally I prefer to eat at a place where there are some people dining there from the same ethnic background as the cuisine being served.  It reassures me that I’m getting something reasonably close to the real McCoy.  Nevertheless, I kept an open mind.  Good food can come from anywhere.

I sat down with a couple of friends with plans to order a range of dishes, a few of which I would be tasting for the first time.  Truth be told, I’ve only eaten Afghan food a handful of times.  There are still a ton of dishes I want to explore from the landlocked Central Asian nation.

From what I’ve had so far I’d say Afghan food is most similar to Persian food, which I eat often and love.   Both cuisines work wonders with slowly stewed fruits and vegetables, rice, and charcoal-charred meat kabobs.  They’re neighbors, so that makes sense.  But Afghan cooks also employ a more liberal use of Indian spices—especially cardamom, black pepper and coriander—and incorporate some Turkish-influenced dumpling-like dishes, most notably the meat-filled pillows called mantu (Panjshir calls them muntoo). Like most surrounding countries, bread and yogurt also play integral roles at the table.

I’ve always wanted to try aushak, the scallion-filled cousin of the aforementioned mantu, so we started off with a small order of those.  The little dumplings were drowned in yogurt and a mild tomato-meat sauce and served tepid.  Not good.  A bigger problem was the pasta itself, which was some of the chewiest and toughest I’ve ever had.  The only highlight was the generous sprinkling of dried mint over top of it all, which contributed a unique and welcome savory flavor.  I’m pretty convinced this was a poor rendition of what could be a wonderful dish.

The bulanee kachalu, a beef-and-potato stuffed fried pastry, was a little better.  I especially liked its accompanying cilantro and chili chutney, which had a potent kick of vinegar.  But the filling was skimpy and the flavor pretty bland without the sauce.  Order it and you’re likely to be satisfied but not impressed.

You know you've got to be doing something right to be in business for 25 years.

After the appetizers we were all given a complimentary salad of iceberg lettuce with a tart, mustardy dressing—a gesture I remember from the last time I ate there.  Honestly, I’d prefer a big basket of bread with some of that chutney to start the meal, but the salad was pretty tasty and free, so I can’t complain.

For the main meal we split a veggie combo and a meat combo.  Thankfully, there was a lot of good eatin’ on these two plates.

Both the boneless chicken cubes and lamb chops on the mixed skewers were excellent.  The former were succulent and charred; the latter smoky, well-seasoned, and a joy to gnaw on.  Only the cubes of beef left a little to be desired, as they were overcooked.  I’d go so far as to say that the lamb and chicken rank number one and two on the hierarchy of kabobs in the City of Falls Church.  They were that good.

Unfortunately, the “saffron rice” that shared the plate with the kabobs couldn’t stand up to them.  It was dry, bland, and a poor excuse for a starchy side.  This was particularly disappointing because I know Afghan cooks, much like their Persian neighbors, pride themselves in making some of the most fragrant, delicious long-grain rice dishes around.  It is the countries’ staple grain.  If I went again I’d order the lamb chops or chicken and try to talk the waiter into subbing out my rice for something else—perhaps some bread or a vegetable side dish.

The so-called “spinach rice” that came with the veggie combo was even worse than the “saffron rice,” but everything else on the plate was tasty and refreshingly different.  We opted for slow-cooked pumpkin, stewed apples with split peas, and sautéed eggplant, all three of which were smothered in typical Afghan fashion with tangy yogurt and a sweet tomato sauce.  Both the pumpkin and the apples had an almost dessert-like sweetness that could turn off people without a sweet tooth, but I liked them, especially with the slightly tart yogurt.  The eggplant was tender as can be and savory.

When all the food was cleared we agreed that some of it was downright delicious and definitely worthy of a return trip.  Aside from the so-so appetizers and inexcusably bad rice the only other downside was the price.  We spent 20 bucks a person but could have ordered twice as much food.  In fact, we were so hungry after we left that we went down the street and had a second, smaller dinner at La Caraquena.  I understand that Panjshir is locally owned and probably barely turns a profit with all the competition in the area.  But I’d love it if the prices were a tad cheaper and the portions a tad bigger.  That sort of generosity is what keeps me coming back.  For now, I think I’ll only be coming back for lunch (when many dishes are a few bucks cheaper) or when someone else is paying the bill.

So is Panjshir the stale, stuck-in-the-90s restaurant that food folks “in the know” make it out to be?  Perhaps.  There are clearly some dishes that aren’t what they could or should be.  And there’s that free bowl of iceberg lettuce that is “so ten years ago.”  But after my recent trip it’s clear to me that there are a few things this restaurant does very well—and probably a number of other good standbys I didn’t get a chance to try.

All in all, Panjshir isn’t as affordable or well-rounded as I wish it was, but I like it.  Once you take a bite of those lamb chops it’s pretty hard not to.

Panjshir is located on 924 W Broad St, Falls Church City, VA, 22046. (703)-536-4566.  (Its sister restaurant, Panjshir II, is on 224 Maple Ave E., Vienna, VA, 22180.  (703) 281-4183.)

By JIMMY SCARANO
Falls Church Times Staff

March 5, 2010

What do you look for in a great slice of pizza?

It’s a simple question that often gets a complicated answer.  Pizza is a unique culinary invention, one that for whatever reason has created fierce loyalists that praise particular styles and cooking methods.

Should the crust be crackling crisp, chewy like bread, or a mixture of the two?  Should the cheese be sprinkled liberally, seeping over the sides and oozing everywhere, or should it be applied with restraint, like in the classic Neapolitan Margherita?  Should the sauce be oregano-heavy or nothing but sweet, tangy tomatoes?  Are toppings pleasant additions or unnecessary add-ons?  Is a little grease desirable or disgusting?

The food blog seriouseats.com identifies at least 21 regional styles of pizza, ranging from the well-known New York and Chicago variations to more obscure styles like Old Forge, a Pennsylvania-based, cheddar-heavy pie. Clearly, everybody has their own idea of what constitutes the perfect pizza.

What do I look for in a pie?  Well, I like mine minimally-topped with a bright tomato sauce, a little cheese, and a crispy-chewy, heavily charred crust.  I suppose that puts me in the Neapolitan camp.  But I like floppy New York pies and coal-fired New Haven ones too—and other styles as well.  Pizza can only be judged on a case by case basis in my opinion.

When I set out to write a story about pizza in the City of Falls Church I wanted to do an all-out pizza war, but the logistics were a little daunting, so I settled on a showdown between the city’s two newest pizza peddlers: Pie-Tanza and Flippin’.  I dragged my mom and brother along with me as we sampled both places, back-to-back, on the same night.

The wood-burning oven at Pie-Tanza imparts a nice flavor, but it can't save the too-thin crust (flickr.com).

We began at Pie-Tanza, which replaced the Pizza Hut in Falls Plaza almost two years ago.  The sit down restaurant bills itself as a wood-fired pizza joint, but it has a full menu of pastas, salads, and other Italian-American favorites as well.  It’s also a quasi-chain, with locations in nearby Arlington and in Columbia, South Carolina.

At 6 p.m. Pie-Tanza could’ve easily been mistaken for a day care center if not for the giant wood-burning pizza oven.  Little kids were everywhere—and they weren’t just sitting down.  They were running around like they owned the place, playing with pizza dough and screaming at their parents about the pictures they just drew.  That might bother some people, but it didn’t bother us.  We were a focused group that night.

The plan was to get a plain cheese pizza at both places to do a basic assessment of the crust, cheese, and sauce.  But when we saw how small the pies were at Pie-Tanza (they are painfully tiny and somehow 12 bucks a pop) we decided on a classic cheese pie, which at Pie-Tanza includes both mozzarella and fontina cheeses, in addition to a sauce-less white pizza.

My brother, who went to college near New Haven, Connecticut, and lived off the legendary pies at Pepe’s, declared the pizza horrible, shaking his head with every bite.  My mom and I were a little more positive. Being the food-obsessed family that we are, we discussed the pizza at length.

The crust was the biggest problem.  Pie-Tanza rolls its dough paper thin, and it simply can’t hold up to the cheese.  The edges of the pies were nice and crisp, but most of the middle was soggy.  There was a thicker layer of cheese than crust.  It just didn’t work.

I did, however, love the sauce.  It was bright, fresh, and simple, with a great tomato flavor.  The edge of the plain pizza, with just a little cheese, a good amount of sauce, and a nice crispness, was a great bite.  If I returned I’d be inclined to get the Margherita pie, which usually has a just a few slices of fresh mozzarella, not a blanketing of cheese. I certainly wouldn’t get the white pizza again, which everyone agreed was a little heavy on the herbs and cheese and suffered from the same super-thin crust.

My brother and mom said they wouldn’t come back.  My personal verdict: Pie-Tanza makes a pie from good ingredients but it falls short in terms of structure and balance.  Go at your own risk.

Moving on to Flippin’, we all commented on the polar opposite vibe of the place.  Instead of a glorious wood-burning oven as the centerpiece, the small, mostly empty restaurant had a window of stale slices waiting to be re-heated in a lifeless gas oven.  There were also no kids.

Perhaps the freshly made whole pie at Flippin'--seen here at the Reston location--is a better option than by-the-slice (Washington Post).

A blossoming California chain with a New York theme, Flippin’ has gained many fans because of its by-the-slice offerings.  Abandoning my cheese-pizza-only premise once again, we ordered four different slices, taking advantage of the signature “two slices and a drink for $5” deal.

After a trip to the oven the pre-cooked pizza slices only partially came back to life.  They were crisp and hot, but still a little old tasting.  Next time I’d order a fresh, whole pie.  Nevertheless, the chewy, sturdy crust blew Pie-Tanza’s out of the water in terms of texture.  Flavor-wise it fell flat though.  Both the crust and the slices in general were woefully under-seasoned, causing me to make a mad dash for the parmesan cheese shaker and hot pepper flakes.  Much of the blandness stemmed from the fact that there was literally no sauce on the pizza to speak of—nothing to counteract the oiliness of the cheese or bring any freshness into the equation.

Because of that inherent tastelessness the cheese pie was the worst one.  At least the pepperoni, many-meat-topped Brooklyn and Tomato Basil slices had some flavors going on.  If I was itching for two big honking slices of pizza and I was in the immediate area I’d return for some of the topping-heavy options.  My brother vowed never to return and my mom said she would take it over Pie-Tanza, but only because it was a better bargain.

The bottom line: After one visit to each, I can’t recommend either of the newest kids on the block without some serious reservations.

And the rest of the current pizza landscape doesn’t fill me with confidence.  Aside from four chains—Papa John’s, Domino’s, Zpizza, and Jerry’s—there’s only Anthony’s and Argia’s in the City of Falls Church.  Perhaps a showdown between the two locally owned spots is in order.  One of them could hold the key to pizza greatness in the city.

Expect Pizzeria Orso's pies to look a little something like the Margherita at D.C.'s 2 Amys (Washington City Paper).

But my money is on a restaurant that hasn’t even opened yet: Pizzeria Orso.  Perhaps you’ve heard the rumblings online about this pizza project, which has been in the works for several years but is constantly getting delayed.

Pizzeria Orso is a joint venture between the owners of 2941, the ritzy Falls Church restaurant with a fantastic bread-baking reputation, and Edan MacQuaid, the former pizzaiolo (that’s pizza-maker in layman’s terms) at 2 Amys and RedRocks in Washington D.C—two of the leaders in the artisan pizza revolution that has swept the district in the past decade.  By the grace of the pizza Gods, the restaurant is slated to open on the ground floor of Pearson Square’s Tax Analysts building on Maple Avenue.

I walked by the construction site the other day and several burly men were there telling me I couldn’t take any pictures.  One man said he had “no idea” when the restaurant would open, but I saw a huge Naples-imported pizza oven, so that’s a start.  There are rumors that the doors will open as early as May of this year, but given how long it’s taken to get to this point, I’d expect to wait a little longer.

I was able to get a hold of Amber Pfau, a publicist for 2941, and she indicated that a formal press release with all the details is still in the works.  Much seems to still be up in the air, but she assured me that MacQuaid will be the man flinging the pies, and given his track record that’s all that really matters.

If Orso is as good as it sounds on paper, the Little City will be the Lucky City.

Pie-Tanza is located at 1216 W. Broad St., Falls Church, VA, 22046.  703-237-0977.

Flippin’ Pizza is located at 800 W. Broad St. Suite 103, Falls Church, VA, 22046.  703-752-8672.

Pizzeria Orso will be located at 410 S. Maple Ave, Falls Church, VA, 22046.