On our second attempt to visit Jaleo (because apparently they are closed on Mondays), we were finally able to enter the doorway. We visited the location in Crystal City, but there are two other ones (Bethesda, Downtown DC).

I love the high ceilings here (in fact, I think it’s a Crystal City trend), and it has an indoor cafe feeling–complete with LIVE music. It was a little loud at first, but as I got used to it, it really added to the atmosphere.

Jaleo has an impressive wine selection (unfortunately, I don’t care that much for wine), so I opted for some special mixed drink (mojito lemonade I think) that I had to send back for some more lemonade because it was too strong. There were many great sounding things on the menu, but I didn’t know many of the ingredients, and the menu reads like it is in Spanish (similar to Lupa’s in NYC, but with Italian). We got several dishes, and the amount of food was not always relative to the price. Some dishes we ordered: Pan con tomate (Toasted slices of rustic bread brushed with fresh tomatoes), Chistorra envuelta en patata frita (Slightly spicy chorizo wrapped in a crispy potato), Codorniz con salsa de romero y alioli con miel (Grilled quail with rosemary sauce and honey alioli), and Calamari with garlic alioli, though other tapas staples such as bacon wrapped dates, or slightly unusual “pork cheeks” sounded good. Jaleo, staying true to it’s Spanish roots, is also famous for it’s paella, and has several varieties in house, similar to pizza at an Italian restaurant.

From Zagat:

Invite your amigos to “nibble the evening away” on “tantalizing”, “imaginative” yet “authentic” Spanish tapas with “never-ending sangria to wash it all down” at this trio of “crowd-pleasers”; they’re a “loud”, “chaotic” “fiesta”, especially if there’s flamenco dancing, and they’re among the “few places where ’small plate does not equal ‘large bill’”; P.S. beware of “long waits”, as they take only a limited number of reservations.

Food: 23, Decor: 20, Service: 19, $33

Penn Quarter (480 Seventh Street NW & E. Street 202-628-7949), Bethesda (7271 Woodmont Avenue & Elm Street, Maryland 301-913-0003), Arlington (2250A Crystal Drive & 23rd Street, Crystal City Metro, Virginia 703-413-8181)

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After reading this article in the Washington Post Weekend section (7/25/08), I decided to try this restaurant. Before, the only time I had Indian food was at a tried and true restaurant called Minerva or when the occasional Indian-inspired dish popped up at an otherwise non-Indian restaurant. We ordered the recommended chat-papdi appetizer (steamed potatoes and garbanzo beans over flour chips with a yogurt, mint and tamarind sauce), and were sadly disappointed. It had way too much cilantro and it ran all together like a watery, eggy, mixture. It was too sweet and too spicy at the same time. The service crackers were also too spicy for me and had an odd taste to them, with pockets full of not-so-good flavor and served with two sauces (a diluted syrup and a cilantro paste). Our entree was the Lamb Biryani (since we’ve had biryani before, this was a good dish to measure by). This was enough food for two people (therefore making the appetizer not essential) with food left over. The lamb was cooked in consistently though. Half of the pieces were moist and delicious, but the other half were spongy, flavorless, and took minutes to chew. The rice itself was the star of the dish. Scooped up with some flaky naan, this rice, each grain itself, had a flavor, not to mention the flavors that were mixed into the rice and with the lamb. I would have preferred the egg to be mixed with the rice as well, and as a result, it remained mostly uneaten.

Jaipur’s decor leaves much to be desired (pink walls, too-dim lighting, plates with their name on it, and decorations all over the place), and the service is so-so (helpful on describing dishes and sauces, but took several visits to clear plates and empty baskets). Overall, this is a typical shopping-center-restaurant experience. Maybe their lunch buffet is better, and maybe it’s better to come as a group (I know we were seated next to a tipsy, raucous bunch that thought it necessary to place all their calls on speaker phone), but I will not be visiting again.

From Zagat:

You “won’t regret your trip” to this “jewel of North Indian cuisine” that’s “surprisingly good considering its location” “tucked in the bottom of a high-rise apartment complex” in Fairfax; enjoy a “romantic dinner for two” in “lovely” (if “very pink”) rooms “filled with Indian art” and attended by “particularly accommodating” staffers, or else go for the “ridiculously delicious and cheap lunch buffet.”
Food: 23, Decor: 20, Service: 20, $24
9401 Lee Highway (Circle Woods Drive), Fairfax, Virginia 703-766-1111

More pictures in the full entry.

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This Southwestern brewery, part of the chain of “Great American Restaurants” in Northern Virginia is one of Centreville’s favorite ‘watering-holes’. Not only do they make their own beer and root beer on site, but they keep the restaurant’s appearance up to date as well. Sweetwater in Centreville just opened up a new, enclosed, outdoor seating area, complete with pretty, fancy lights and overhead heaters that can be turned on or off. Their beer selection changes seasonally, but they have a variety on tap and also in take home ‘growlers’ kept by the waiting area in a large, clear refrigerator.
The interior of Sweetwater is a classic “Indians vs Cowboys” theme with southwestern tapestries draped over exposed wooden banners, tepee lamps with silhouettes around them and a few tin-punch lights as well as murals by the kitchen. Sweetwater also has a nice bar which is slightly sunken into the center of the restaurant, surrounded by nice television screens. Though this is what someone could say “a themed restaurant”, Sweetwater gets the point across without being to game-y or childish. (Though Sweetwater is a timeless restaurant–from children to happy hour to a lunch out with grandma)
Service is excellent here because you don’t have just one waiter, everyone here works as a team to take away empty plates, refill yummy site-made bread (ozzie rolls and flavored bread such as rye, white + cheese, and pumpernickel with a sweet butter) or bring a fresh drink.
Another great thing about Sweetwater is the fact that no matter how many times you eat there you can never tire of the food. Even if you were to go to Sweetwater multiple times and eat the same dish, it would still seem exciting and just as delicious as the last. Sweetwater also has daily specials as well as seasonal desserts. I have been to this restaurant probably around 30-50 times in the past several years, and I always look forward to visiting.
Some dishes I recommend:
Spinach and Artichoke Dip, Tex Mex Eggrolls (worth getting if paired with a special), Jambalaya Pasta, Ribs, French Fries, Montery Jack Chicken Salad(with cranberries and candied pecans), Chop House Salad (with corn and an unmatchable buttermilk dressing), Salmon (with mashed potatoes and a buttery sauce), Warm Flourless Chocolate Waffle, and sometimes the Banana Pudding (summer only). If you’re a beer person, try their “Sampler” which is a round of their 5 beers on draft that day (always found written on the chalkboard over the exit/entrance). The tried and true seems to be the Naked River Light.
Sweetwater also has pre-dinner rush specials on certain meals if you come before 6pm.

From Zagat:

“Great for after-work drinks as well as family dining”, these “cavernous”, “noisy” Northern Virginia brewpubs bring a Southwest slant to “amazing” pork chops, “yummy” lobster bisque and a “heavenly” “flourless chocolate waffle” – though it’s the “little buns provided before dinner that may steal the show”; there are “no reservations” taken so avoid “unbearable waits” quote that can spoil the “overall experience” by “going at off-hours” or “learning to play the call ahead game.”

Food: 22, Decor: 19, Service: 21, $28

Merrifield (3066 Gatehouse Plaza, Virginia 703-645-8100), Centreville (14250 Sweet Water Lane, Virginia 703-449-1100), Sterling (45980 Waterview Plaza, Virginia 571-434-6500)

More pictures in the full entry.