COVID-19 Review! They now have a kiosk that makes contactless ordering quick and seamless. I am still in shock in how much they have upped their game over the past few years. My family is addicted to their beef chow fun -- noodles are wide, slippery and flavorful and the beef is tender. Servings are super hearty as well. I am newly in love with their pork belly rice bowls. So succulent and well marinated with a perfectly runny fried egg. This is Asian comfort food at it's finest! read more

Every time I try this place, I'm always so excited but the dishes I've ordered are always ok. I've tried the laska noodle soup (curry broth), Dan Dan noodles (ground pork, with sauce over ramen noodles), curry rice (fried chicken cutlet, curry gravy, pickled radishes, and rice). All of the dishes were flavorful but I kinda felt like something was missing for each of them. I'm not sure exactly what was missing but it seemed slightly off. I might try some other dishes and give them a try but I haven't had a dish I loved or would want to order again. read more

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Service is very good! I was greeted when I came to the booth and the cashier was helpful in helping me choose what to eat. I highly recommend the crispy pork belly with rice. It was crispy, flavor was there, and it was very filling. Some places make the pork salty so I was happy this wasn't the case. The chicken nugget appetizer is honestly an entree in itself. Don't let that fool you that it's small! Well worth the price. I'll definitely come back again! My fiancé had the Bo kho and I was impressed! read more

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WARNING and BE AWARE!!! This place has good food; however, CHECK YOUR RECEIPT!!! I would give more stars but this is ridiculous! I clicked 'NO TIP' and my receipt still showed a tip. That's the 2nd time, YES!!! The second time now! I called them out on it and didn't have an explanation. read more

Bala Kitchen used to be my 5-star go-to place at The Block when they opened a few years ago (before COVID). A flavorful, unique menu so consistently good that your tastebuds were in for a treat no matter what you ordered. Their crispy Brussel Sprouts with caramel fish sauce and Laksa Curry Noodle Soup were two of my favorites. At some point during COVID, I noticed the brussell sprouts were way saltier than before--too salty for me, so I started gravitating to other places. I went back earlier this week after a long absence and decided to go for the Laksa Curry Noodle Soup that used to be such a creamy, flavorful medley of broth, noodles, vegetables (bean sprouts, cilantro, scallion, and fried shallots) plus pork belly or the chicken, shrimp, tofu combo. Balo, what happened? The broth was more watery and less flavorful. The noodles were basically like overcooked, instant ramen. I ordered the chicken, shrimp, tofu combo. But the chicken tasted like--boiled chicken and the tofu was tough on the outside (overcooked?). I don't know why, but all three were relatively tasteless, like they hadn't had a chance to soak in the broth or something? And if there were any vegetables in there, I don't remember seeing them. To top all that off, my spice level 3 was definitely more level 2 compared to what I remember. I don't want to give up on Balo Kitchen so easily. Maybe I could try the thick vermicelli noodles and spice level 4. Also, I remember being able to add bok choy, but I don't know if that option is still available. I'm just not sure I want to try the LCN Soup again with Kimen Ramen and other great ramen places nearby. I may try some other menu items though to see if any of them are as good as I remember. read more

Came on New Year's Day and they are open as usual! Got the Dan Dan chili cheese fries and the Brussels sprouts to share with a friend. Small plates are pretty large and we were full. Service was so nice, they gave a kiosk or you can order from a person. The kiosk takes credit cards only, no Apply Pay! Food came out really fast and hot, they text you when it's ready. Fries were so crispy and sprouts were perfect. Would recommend!! read more

Balo Kitchen - Dan dan "chili cheese" fries and Brussels sprouts with caramel fish sauce - Comfort Food Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

Balo kitchen is a hidden gem. The food there is amazing. I can always recommend the tacos because they are so filling! The flavor is packed and they are definitely filling. I get the pork belly and the fried chicken and I can say I am satisfied for the entire day. Everyone should try this spot at The Block! read more

Balo Kitchen - Tacos - Comfort Food Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

We only tried the Brussels sprouts, but they were ready quickly and were quite delicious, a good vegetarian lunch option. The soy glaze sauce worked nicely. We look forward to trying their Banh mi next time -- they carve out the breading inside the French bread to turn it into a sort-of big wrap. read more

Balo Kitchen - Delicious soy-glazed Brussel Sprouts - Comfort Food Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

Located inside The Block. Friendly staff. The stars go mostly for the staff and the customer service. I wanted something that wasn't too heavy. I went and got fried rice seasoned with garlic chicken. I wasn't too hungry. I placed my order and got a buzzer gadget that would let me know my food is ready for pick up. Waited like 8 minutes, no problem. However when getting my meal, it was lack luster. My food was packed in a Togo container. I had to ask for utensils. I despise having to ask for utensils. How am I to eat it? Eat rice with my bare hands? Nothing was offered for condiments, you have to ask for everything. For a take out restaurant, most have these things readily availability. As for the food, a Zero stars. The fried rice tasted old, the texture of the rice was mushy and not firm. Most of all it lacked flavor. Nothing could revive this meal. I only ate 1/4 of it. If it wasn't for my friend who gave me a mochi donut, I would be hangry read more

I did an online order but you can also order over the phone or via the kiosk inside . Food came out faster then what was estimated and A+ on packaging. The restaurant is inside the Block and the menu has a huge variety. I first order the small rice bowl with half chicken/ pork belly since I could not make up my mind . I was apprehensive on the food but wanted to give it a try. Solid 10/10 rice bowl and the size S still is alot of food . The chicken and pork belly had so much flavor while still juicy . The accoutrements were on point and made the dish even better . The fried garlic, mustard greens , and scallion ginger oil just made each bite more addicting. This dish was so good I went back and ordered the LoMein as well for my mom . You can get LoMein anywhere but looking at the menu it just seemed special . You still get that delicious taste and texture but whatever they put in this dish; it hits different. The shrimp was also deliciousness coated in this garlic sauce that was amazing. After just sampling these two dishes I want to eat the whole menu. In an area where Asian cuisine is celebrated and represented this is a great addition to my list of places to try when in northern VA read more

Balo Kitchen - Shrimp lo mein - Comfort Food Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

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First timers...LISTEN UP! You're going to want to pay attention to this! Obviously, I am here to help y'all out; especially, after I got lost haha. A couple of days ago, I decided I wanted to try Balo Kitchen for dinner after seeing it on YelpNOVA's instagram page. I put the address into my GPS system and proceeded to make my way to the establishment. I have attached a picture of the outside of the building because I got lost in the parking lot and the Market that I went to thinking it was in the food court section :). Therefore, I hope the picture is helpful for you all. Additionally, I think the picture of the menu would also be helpful because the prices were not listed on the website when I initially looked. This restaurant is straight ahead toward the back when you walk in. They have an extensive menu (photo included) of many items to select from. I ordered the curry Loco Moco and the pork belly with rice. Both dishes were absolutely delicious and lasted me a few days. I added a picture of the dish (half eaten haha) and the container to give an estimate of how much you will be getting. Overall, this restaurant was delicious with great service! I would recommend this others to at least try as the menu is plentiful. read more

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Wow! Pleasantly surprised with how good this steak & rice and basil chicken was! also, they finished making my boyfriend and I's orders in like 5 minutes so thats also a plus Steak & rice was flavorful, the bowl was packed, and reasonably priced ($15) Nuggets were hot, juicy and super tasty. I love a good taiwanese basil fried chicken, and this hit the spot. Gna come back to try the chicken rice. Also! would recommend ordering on the screen next to the cashier or ordering by phone (they have QR codes on every desk) to cut the line. read more

Balo Kitchen - Front - Comfort Food Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

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Had the chicken + rice and the pork belly + rice. Omg the marinade they use for the soy-glazed chicken is soooo good. The pickled greens are really good, as well as the (collard green veggies?) they pack in as well. For these dishes they do give you a ton of rice, too much. But worth it, and generous helping of the protein. read more

Balo Kitchen - Comfort Food Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

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This little eatery is located in a good court with plenty of parking. There are several benches placed rather close to each other so I imagine when it gets busy here, it's probably better to order to go. Balo Kitchen - I ordered the Brussels sprout, Fish Sauce wings with Fries, and the Tofu and Eggplant with chicken rice. The only disappointment was the wings. The sauce was not good at all...I'm not a big fan of BBQ chips and that's what it tastes like. My boyfriend took a bite and was like.."wow, this is pretty bad." Next time, the wings will be a hard pass for me. However, everything else was sooooo delicious! The tofu and eggplant with chicken rice had great flavor. My favorite would have to be the Brussels sprouts. We ordered a small and we got a lot. read more

Balo Kitchen - Brussel Sprouts - Comfort Food Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

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Ordered the chow fun classic with Char siu. Good portions, filling, flavorful noodles and the char siu was nice and tender!

Came here for a quick bite. steak & rice - decent sized portion, steak was nice and juicy. they give some thick sliced tomatoes too which is a plus lol. chicken nuggets - lightly fried and the chicken was super tender. def loved this the most and would get this again. read more

Balo Kitchen - Steak & Rice - Comfort Food Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

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This place was just okay to me when it first opened but omg everything here is sooooo good! Might be one of the best places to get food from at the block. I don't like pho but I really liked the pho and thicker noodle here. Spicy chicken sandwich was also really good! Steak fries were really good but we did wish the fries were crispier Curry katsu was so good! It had a nice spicy kick and the katsu was good. Brussel sprouts was also good but I wished it was crispier. The sauce was good I'm excited to go back and try other dishes from balo kitchen :) read more

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We always enjoy our time at The Block when we are in town. This time we ordered food at Balo Kitchen and were pleasantly surprised. Hubby ordered the Bho Kho and I ordered the Pork Belly on rice. We enjoyed both dishes. They had different flavors from the traditional dishes but very good flavor. Would definitely go back and try different dishes. read more

Balo Kitchen - Comfort Food Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

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Came here again, this time looking to try something new, their Hot Chicken Sandwich since I did not want to wait around for the Popeyes Sandwich for that long. We also ordered a Gochujang Glazed Chicken Sandwich as well just to try it. There's also the option to add papaya slaw and an egg which of course we did along with fries. Took a little time to get, I'm assuming because they were made to order. Not surprising, they were both really really good sandwiches. The hot chicken sandwich was specifically super huge, the chicken was 1.5x the size of the bun. The heat was perfect at a 2 (they have a 0-4 spice scale). The crust was super crispy but some of it broke off in big pieces which made it a little messy but I didn't mind. The papaya slaw is a nice cool, crunchy, sweet touch and was a perfect compliment. Fried egg didn't seem necessary so I wouldn't put it on again. The Gochujang Glazed sandwich was also great and is definitely an option next time if I don't want to eat something as heavy. This place can't really do wrong in my eyes again and of course, I'll be back. read more

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My friends and I went to The Block for the first time and decided to grab lunch at Balo. The line was long but the wait wasn't that bad. I ordered the Pork Belly and Chicken Rice with Egg while my friends ordered Panko Fried Cutlet on Curry Rice and Fried Rice with Spam. I wasn't expecting much from my pork belly but it is mindblowingly delicious - the meat is so tender and flavorful. It blends well with all the components (mustard greens, scallions, etc) added to the whole dish. I also tried my friends' orders and I really liked the cutlet curry rice. The staff was very accommodating even with the chaos happening. Also, I like that their packaging makes it easier for takeaway. I wouldn't be surprised if this place will become a full-blown restaurant in the future. I can't wait to try the rest of their menu. read more

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Located within 'The Block' in Annandale, Balo Kitchen takes a modern twist on Asian foods. This place was the only place that caught my attention for a filling meal inside the block. I ordered a lemongrass pork banh mi. It came with fries that were straight out of the fryer. It was really tasty and hot. The banh mi itself is very big compared to traditional ones. They are very generous with the meat and the portion. The bread has a nice crunchy and soft texture. The employees were also very friendly. Although it is on the pricier side, they accommodate with the taste and good experience. They give you a beeper while you wait for your food. Just don't go too far with it. I would recommend this place over the other vendors inside the block. read more

Balo Kitchen - Banh mi pork - Comfort Food Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

This restaurant is a little expensive , but the food is good if you're looking for a different experience,. The Soup Dumplings were DELICIOUS! and the location has an awesome aesthetic and new age vibe definitely a place for great Tik Tok videos! read more

After having eaten here a few times I feel confident enough to leave a review. The food is definitely good the first few times you try it but after having tried a variety of the menu I can confidently say that it all just tastes the same after awhile. Other things that I've tried and not in my screenshots is the Pork Belly Banh Mi, Smoked Soy Grilled Chicken Wings and 24 HR Pork Belly Laksa Curry Noodle Soup lvl 3. The quality also seems to have gone down from last year as well, the chicken + rice options I used to get taste pretty bland now from their original flavor and the pork belly banh mi just tastes like I was chewing fat with bread and nothing else. The Steak Frites, Curry Loco Moco and Laksa Curry Noodle Soup are still good choices. I would recommend just going for their steak options as that still tastes pretty good. Avoid the chicken and regular pork belly. It's a shame because the chicken + rice was my favorite and it's not worth getting anymore IMO. I'll probably try other steak options in the future as they still taste great but Balo Kitchen definitely isn't on the top of my list to visit anymore. read more

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Balo Kitchen is a powerhouse of yummy eats at The Block. They bring on the Asian "meat and potatoes" and whatever you order will probably be deliciously/fatteningly satisfying! It's Asian comfort food, after all. With a huge menu with many words that will appetize you, I recommend going with: Belly and Rice - 24 hr Porkbelly, Pickled Mustard Greens, Scallion & Ginger Oil, Fried Shallots, Chicken Rice. Service is relatively quick and I like the pager system to let you know when your food is done so people can wait elsewhere in the building and not congregate at the already-crowded counter area. Can't wait to try more menu items! read more

Balo Kitchen - Comfort Food Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

Food was super delicious. Especially they flavor the chicken so well. Crispy pork definitely crispy. They have sauce to dip chicken or pork with it. The sauce was great as well. Definitely recommend it. read more

Balo Kitchen - Crispy pork with fried. Half chicken and pork - Comfort Food Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

Crispy fries! Always on point! Paired with a tofu banh mi it's my favorite sammy on the go. My favorite is the cilantro and onions with the vegan mayo read more

On our visit to Balo Kitchen, we tried the new garlic shrimp with rice and the chow fun noodles with beef. The shrimp was very flavorful and definitely had a strong garlic taste to it with all the small bits of garlic on the outside of the shrimp. It was fried crispy and was very tasty. Personally, I would have loved to have them fried and then tossed in a garlic sauce, but they were still enjoyable. The chow fun noodles were decent. You can definitely taste the "wok" essence/flavor in the noodles, but in my opinion there was a bit of flavor lacking aside from that. The texture of the noodles were great and the beef and vegetables were cooked well, helping to bring the noodles together. The portions they served for both dishes met our expectations. Overall, we would get the shrimp again on our next visit and their chicken nuggets with five spice/basil which we've had on prior visits. Those are always delicious! read more

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Wow - craving hot and spicy Asian on a rainly Friday I came to Balo (which is located in the Block) and ordered a feast which did not disappoint. I've had my fair share of Asian fushion but I was totally shocked with the combination of flavors and how everything just worked well together. We ordered the garlic noodles with beef, basil chicken and chicken tacos. I was a huge fan of the noodles, which was perfectly saucy, and the tacos which was INSIDE OF A WARM FLAKY ROTI. I come from an Indian background and was blown away - I would come back for those tacos alone. The flavor of the chicken was good but needed some type of dipping sauce. Overall so happy with this place and can't wait to come back and try out more dishes. read more

Balo Kitchen - Basil Chicken Nuggets, garlic noodles, tacos - Comfort Food Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

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I got the 24 hour pork + rice. The food was cold. The pork was pretty good but the rice was super dry. I wish it came with a better sauce. The sauce it came with was like a vinaigrette which I didn't want on my rice. So without any sauce the rice was so bland. It's not worth the $15. Service was fine though. read more

Balo Kitchen - Pork + Fried Rice - Comfort Food Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

My ground pork was really mushy tasting, the noodles very dry. Just tasted like oily noodles and mushy pork. Spice level was decent I got a level 2. read more

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This is a must when I am in the area. Such great vibes and good energy. Food never disappoints and I love all the options on their menu. Everything I mean EVERYTHING is all Sooo Very delicious. I'm planning to visit again in June when I'm in town. Counting down the days. I love BALO KITCHEN! read more

Love Balo, but so disappointed. They changed the recipe for the rice in the pork and rice. Made with chicken broth?? The flavors clash, the rice is mushy, and it tastes like a white woman made it. Previously the rice had distinct structure and complimented the pork through whatever oil they used. The change and clashing meat flavors is disconcerting. I hope they reconsider this change, trying new flavors is ok but this is not it. read more

$20 Bahn Mi (bbq pork) w fries and a side of broth... the Sandwich looks to be stacked w shredded carrots... Tasty BBQ pork, just not worth. $17.. Ppl are right, this place used to be fire and it's very pricey these days w so so food. read more

Balo Kitchen - Banh Mi - Comfort Food Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

We got the chicken + rice in spicy garlic and it def had a kick!! Didn't expect it to be this spicy but it was great for us spicy food lovers. If you can't handle spicy, I would recommend something else. Quick service and a good portion size. read more

Balo Kitchen - Chicken + Rice - Comfort Food Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

Roti fried chicken tacos blew us away. Chicken nuggets pretty tasty. Wings really good! Spicy basil chow fun was so good, the mild was only ok when i went a different day. read more

After a longgg time of wanting to try this place out it has finally happened! First off, follow their Instagram and try not to drool from their photos. It was from those photos that made me want to come here so badly. Zach was the friendly face at the cashier taking orders. I simply told him this was my first visit and asked for recommendations. He told me the "Pork Belly and Rice" was what they were known food, takes them over 24 hours to prepare the pork belly, the rice was soaked in their chicken stock, and for only a dollar I had to get their poached egg on top. This guy had me SOLD! When my food came out he even explained the best way to eat it. It also came with a cup of their amazing version of Nuoc Mam, they add pineapple in it! I've never tasted pork belly like this. It was packed with flavor and melted in your mouth. All I can say is that I will definitely be back for more and can't wait to try everything else on that menu! Thank you Balo and thank you Zach! read more

Balo Kitchen - Pork Belly and Rice with Poached egg (+$1) - Comfort Food Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

Can only speak to the Dan Dan noodles, but they were some booty. Literally just threw some ground pork with a lil sauce on top of instant ramen noodles. read more

Balo Kitchen - Dan Dan noodles - Comfort Food Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

LA & NY always seem to have the trendiest Asian creations that the DMV doesn't have. Well? Balo is working on that. I tried a place in New York that had a whole short rib in their pho. Balo Kitchen served it! I tried a place in California that made sisig tacos which is a filipino-mexican fusion. Balo Kitchen served that too! Balo even makes things I've never tried before, for example, Vietnamese shaky beef put inside a philly cheese sandwich. I've never experienced flavors like that together! They're always adding the trendiest things to their menu and I feel like no one else is doing that. The one negative thing I can mention is their quality control. Sometimes it gets so busy that the dishes aren't made to the best of their ability. But I respect their vision and their uniqueness is worth a 5 Star in my opinion. Who else is serving up the latest and greatest other than Balo? Nobody I tell ya!!! read more

Balo Kitchen - Cheese steak Balo style! - Comfort Food Near Me - Annandale, Virginia

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Balo Kitchen has the best Pork Belly I've ever tried! Seasoned and cooked to perfection. The staff was nice and friendly! The restaurant was clean and cozy. read more

The food is always good here. The place is like a food hall with many different places. So one has more options. Love The Block!