In the DMV for a week! Starting in Falls Church at the Eden Center, then...

[FlemSnopes (Doug Herbert)]

@ZivBnd

I used to live in North Arlington and there are a handful of restaurants that I used to eat at frequently that were not great cafes but they were good places that were fun to visit over and over. I visited two of my old faves over the last 24 hours and one held up while the other faded a bit.
First off, Arlington Kabob used to have my favorite lamb kabob and my second best chickpea dish in Arlington so I went back to check it out again. I tried the lambchops this time and they were cooked to a slightly crispy exterior and a juicy, flavorful interior, simply delicious. The dipping sauces were a bit less spicy but still good and the two types of rice were dished out generously. The veg were fresh and cold. The chole (not sure of the Afghani name) was good but not as rich. All in all, a nice meal though not as impressive as it used to be.

Next I visited Peter Chang’s, which is a hundred yards from my old shared house from my younger years. Over the years I have worked into the menu a bit here and have a few dishes that were summer favorites for me. I always start with the wonton soup because it is cheap, hot and subtly delicious. This time it was a bit blander but it was still rather good. They got rid of the bigger wonton cracker strips and subbed in smaller strips but it was still good. The waitress gave me a couple of the small complimentary egg rolls that were pretty forgettable. She was fast and friendly so that was nice. Then I had the Ghost Pepper Chicken (new to me) and the Lettuce Wrapped Chicken, one of my favorite summer dishes there. The ghost chicken was not packing enough heat and had a slightly funky texture but were good, not great. I probably should have ordered the Grandmas Noodles. The lettuce wrapped chicken was as good as I remember it. Cold crisp lettuce and rich savory chicken. Nice dish.

Neither of these cafes serve great food, but they are solid neighborhood cafes that consistently deliver good food. And the staff at both are good people.

I’ve never been impressed with the Arlington branch of Peter Chang. But I’ve recently had excellent to outstanding meals at his Chang Chang in Downtown DC, Mama Chang in Fairfax, and Nihao in Crystal City/National Harbor. Our dining companions at Nihao were a Chinese couple who have been temporarily living in the US for the past two years. They said they and their friends all think Nihao is the most authentic Chinese restaurant in northern Virginia.

It was a delicious meal but my favorite of his restaurants remains Mama Chang. One major drawback to Nihao is that our meal was the loudest meal we’ve had in a long time.