good restaurants in tyson's corner

[chemprof]

Hi Folks-

I'm headed with a group up to NOVA this weekend and we're staying in Tyson's Corner. Can anyone recommend a good restaurant? Here's what's been reccommended to us:

PF Changs

The Palm

The Daily Grille

I know PF Changs is a chain (I've been to one in Charlotte), and on looking at info re The Palm and the Daily Grille, I'm not sure. The Palm seems more expensive than we'd want to deal with for what we'd get (which seem like mainly the chanceof seeing someone famous). I've also looked at Clyde's on the Washington Post web site and I though it looked ok. Any suggestions would be appreciated. It looks like Tyson's is the home of chains and it's just the trick to pick which one..

Anne

[mnebergall]

Colvin Run Tavern?

Edited to add: Da Dominco's.

Edited again to add: Great veal chops at Da Dominico's.

Edited May 28, 2004 by mnebergall (log)

[foodgeek]

Shamshirry's is a persian pace with great pilafs....but it looks like you are looking for more upscale.l

[bilrus]

Neisha Thai at the Tyson's Corner Mall is pretty good. Colvin Run is very good and would be my first choice in the immediate area for more upscale. Clyde's is probably the best of the local mini-chains.

[Steve Klc]

What's your definition of a "good" restaurant Anne?

Tysons dining is mostly corporate, conservative and power-dining, and rather unadventurous even at the higher price points, Maestro excepted.

Would you be willing to drive or are you looking for something close to your hotel--meaning proximity to your hotel is more important than driving a bit and finding restaurant options with greater quality, value or interest?

How important would a good wine list be--with some reasonably interesting and fairly priced wines?

[theakston]

Tysons is home to Maestro. Very expensive, but an excellent restaurant worth the price if you are looking for a true gastronomic experience. It is considered by many to be the best restaurant in the entire DC metro area. If it's not totally out of budget and you can get a reservation I would strongly recommend it. Search this forum for Maestro and you will see many reviews.

[chemprof]

Thanks for all the feedback!

Steve, you have some good questions. To give you an idea of what I think a good restaurant is that you might be familiar with, I've been to Tenpenh and Cafe Atlantico (Latin American Dim Sum) in DC and I thought they were both very, very good. I'm traveling with 4 others, and we all like good wine, though 2 of the four are more informed about their wine than the rest of us. I'm trying to find a place that is not to far from our hotel, and not too much chain hell. We're going to be doing a lot of driving this weekend (the purpose of our visit is to go to a wedding in Alexandria on Sunday, and Tyson's Corner was as close as we could get a decent hotel!). We're driving up from NC tomorrow and back on Monday. Colvin Run sounds amazing, but probably a bit more than folks would want to spend and I probably couldn't get a researvation at this late date. I'm definitely going to keep it in mind for the future.

I have an "emergency backup" reservation at Clyde's but I'm going to continue checking into other options y'all have suggested.

Once again, many thanks!

Anne

[Haggis man]

I will add another vote for Da Dominio's which is right near Cylde's. I also like The Serbian Crown which is close to Tyson's. Vienna is very close as is Mclean with a few more choices. I can not remember the Indian Resturnat in Tyson's, but as I remember I had a nice lunch there a year or so ago.

[Joe H]

Da Domenico is good as is Bonaroti in Vienna, only two or three miles away from the major crossroads in Tyson's. Maestro IS the best restaurant in the Washington area and booked up for at least six weeks on Friday and Saturday night. Still, it is seriously worth consideration for a future trip. I really do like Shamshiry. No, it is not upscale and it is Persian, but it is the best Persian in the eight million + D. C./Baltimore area. Superb rice, probably unlike anything you have ever had before. After dinner go out 123 to Vienna and turn right at the light where Magruder's is at the corner on the left. One block and on your right you will see Neilsen's Frozen Custard. D. C.'s best, only a notch below Milwaukee's world's best, Kopp's. Shamshiry and Neilsen's will solve many of the world's problems.

Clyde's,by the way, is a predictable, successful local chain in league with McCormick and Schmick's, Legal, Phillips, all of which are at Tyson's. They are all good, none exceptional, nothing you couldn't find in a dozen or more other cities.

[Steve Klc]

Anne, ok, you've given me something more to go on. Of course Maestro is fantastic but from your comment I figured the high end was out. I diverge from Joe and Haggis man a bit on Da Domenico's--I'd point out that while the food is "good," it's also (to me) a little sedate and bland, you also have to be in the mood for that kind of retro-New Jersey-Italian shtick. The clientele is older, lots of families on the weekends, which seem to really appreciate it when the singing erupts .

When I lived in McLean we always went elsewhere to eat--into the city (of course) or into other burbs which had much better ethnic than Tysons had. eCitie and Restaurant Seven promised some sophistication (in decor and in the food) initially but failed to deliver consistently or well. Everything else is power dining, corporate, conservative formula, chain or underwhelming ethnic (Japanese, Chinese, Indian, Thai) done much better elsewhere. Tachibana is worth a trip, however. (I somehow haven't been to Shamshiry so that might turn out to be a Persian oasis--thanks for that recommendation guys, I'd always noticed it make the cheap/inexpensive best lists but never went.) But there is one place tucked away in McLean, out of sorts for Tysons, really, that might be fun for the right group--in the right mood: it's a small place--a really small place--called Corner Bistro which is less official bistro and more wine bar with French and Spanish-style tapas. Beside the bar, there's maybe 5 tables with stools (not chairs) some really good wines and cava fairly priced, lots of Fr. and Sp. selections by the glass so you don't have to order the all-too-typical-Tysons oaky chardonnay, they have good moderately priced Spanish wines by the bottle, with a younger and neighborhood crowd, single moms just off work with their kids at one table and younger tech or military industrial complex consulting folks in suits just getting off work at another. It's not "as good" as Jaleo but then no restaurant in Jaleo's class is as good as Jaleo, except maybe Zaytinya. But when we're stuck in or sneaking through Tysons, we stop here sometimes when we're on that back road--it's on 6706 Old Dominion just off Chain Bridge Road. 703.918.9770 (You can look at their menu on restaurant.com, and if you decide tonight you can get 60% discount off any of their certificates with code 93935 if you like as well. I've never done this, but this might allow you to stretch your dining dollar even further:

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=41528

Depending on where your hotel is it might be a 10-15 minute drive. I've never seen anyone else talk about this place but it has some charm, a casual fun personality and is value-priced. Everything is composed, prepared, deep fried, sauteed a la minute--you can watch the 2 or 3 cooks if you sit at the back side table--though if you are a party of 4 or 5 you'll want to take over one of the front tables near the street and windows so you can spread out. The simpler sauteed, grilled and deep fried things can be quite good--I've liked the scallops, shrimp, squid, lamb chop, sausage, sardines, etc. Mussels can be very good. Everything is like $5-7.

Next door is the charming, urbane and at least very good Le Petit Mistral, owned by the same guy, with not much gentler pricing than the other higher end places in Tysons and McLean--but I've gone here early and just ordered their apps and to sit down in quiet civilized fashion--which are priced around 8-9 bucks--salads, grilled shrimp, steamed mussels, anchovies, smoked salmon, all very good but not great. This is another gem of a neighborhood place. I'd consider going here if it seems like your group absolutely wants to stay near Tysons and rather quietly sit down at a table. Entrees are mid-teens at lunch. This isn't corporate or formula or shtick but conservative French essentials, entree prices climb to Colvin Run territory at dinner. They had an early bird fixed price dinner menu last time I was there and took reservations. (Yes, this stuff is done better at several other French places in and around town.)

I think Corner Bistro is much more fun and a better proposition, though, if you're stuck out that way. You won't find personal cooking with the interest, value and sophistication of a TenPenh or the Cafe Atlantico latino dim sum out in Tyson, Anne. (You don't know this but I'm involved professionally with Cafe Atlantico, Jaleo and Zaytinya and have been on Jose Andres's creative team since 2002. Everyone in here knows that but I just noticed you only have 10 posts, so you might not. Not that it matters.)

If your wedding is in Old Town, you may actually want to eat in Old Town and not Tysons, perhaps at Restaurant Eve, to make sure you know the roads and how to get there and back to Tysons and your hotel. There's a thread on this new restaurant here--you can check their website, from an early report by the very trusted DonRocks it seems you can eat well and affordably at that, if you are careful.

http://www.restauranteve.com/menu.html

As he wrote "The braised oxtail ravioli is served in a meaty red-wine jus with leeks, and is a fine dish priced at only $7.75. Think about how times are changing: in a bar in Alexandria, you can enjoy a very good little plate of braised oxtail ravioli for $7.75." It promises to be an interesting wine destination as well which your party might appreciate. You might also enjoy Majestic Cafe and Vermilion in Old Town, which Tysons doesn't have restuarants like either. Now if only the times in Tysons were to change as well.

[DonRocks]

It's not "as good" as Jaleo but then no restaurant in Jaleo's class is as good as Jaleo, except maybe Zaytinya.

Steve, what class are you referring to?

[Haggis man]

I have been to Songbird the Korean BBQ place for a excellent lunch buffet several years ago. I understand that dinner is very good there (but pricey) anyone have any direct experience?

[Steve Klc]

what class are you referring to?

I meant inexpensive small plates/mezze/tapas-style dining Don--but if you have a different class in mind I'd listen..

[chemprof]

I think Corner Bistro is much more fun and a better proposition, though, if you're stuck out that way. You won't find personal cooking with the interest, value and sophistication of a TenPenh or the Cafe Atlantico latino dim sum out in Tyson, Anne. (You don't know this but I'm involved professionally with Cafe Atlantico, Jaleo and Zaytinya and have been on Jose Andres's creative team since 2002. Everyone in here knows that but I just noticed you only have 10 posts, so you might not. Not that it matters.)

I just wanted to check back in and say thank you to everyone for all the input. I hope to try the Corner Bistro at some point (I'm headed back up to DC for a conference at the end of the month and staying with a friend in Arlington). Unfortunately, b/c of time constraints and travel snafus, we ended up at my "emergency" reservation at Clydes, which was fine. Everyone was happy with their meal, and the service was attentive and well-informed about the menu. I was crazy enough to order soft-shell crabs and I didn't regret it (I'd like to point out that I've had them prepared while still kickin' by a friend's mom fromt he Eastern Shore, so I've had fresh ones!).

Steve, thanks for letting me know about your involvement with Cafe Atlantico. What a great place. A friend of mine and I regularly (about once per year) take a vanload of students up to the Smithsonian. After a morning of examining exhibits for a class, we let them loose and we sneak off for lunch at a nice nearby restaurant (walking distance). Ever since we happened by chance on the Cafe Atlantico's $20 Latin American Dim Sum a few years ago, that restaurant has always been Cafe Atlantico. It makes the 5-hr drive up Fri afternoon, drive back Saturday night totally worth it. We do miss th $20 version of the dim sum though.

Thanks again-

Anne