Came here for the luosifen and stinky tofu!! Words that one never imagined belongs in one sentence…read more We ordered the beef shank luosifen, little spicy (spicy condiments available to make more spicy) and it was just heavenly. The from scratch broth, pleasant aroma from sour bamboo, crunchy string beans (wish there was an option to add!!) were phenomenal. Plus the tender yet collagenous beef shank cooked to perfection was phenomenal. Absolutely stick to your bones without the usual heaviness with big spicy noodle soups. No MSG headaches here, all the flavor is homegrown. The stinky tofu was also fried to perfection, with a side of Taiwanese kimchi. All the food was thoughtfully prepared and executed. We had our noodles fall apart and Yan corrected it immediately. She took the time to talk about her story of how she opened the restaurant originally to support her daughters college, her natural gift at cooking, and how her recipe was developed originally from a family one to what it is today. Just the warmest, most welcoming people. Even short staffed, we were impressed at how faultless and prepared from the heart the food was, warm and inviting the service, and leaving feeling like we just ate at our favorite auntie's house. Will definitely be back!!

My husband and I came in this evening (4/24/26) an hour before closing for dinner…read more He had been before but it was my first time. I cannot say enough wonderful things!! The gentleman who waited on us was very kind and chatty, and took the time to explain the menu and kept checking on us...he alone I would come back for...I love it when someone takes pride in their restaurant. The food was flavorful and so delicious! I had the brisket (A17, I think) and OMG so good! Had extra egg and it was pure perfection! My husband had the pig feet and he was very happy. I think we will definitely come back and soon! The food, service, cleanliness, and pricing are perfect! I'm wiring this while sitting in the parking lot because I had to get my thoughts out immediately! Thanks for a great Friday night date night dinner!

We popped in on a Saturday evening, a little before 6 to find the place a little busy. Love the…read moreparking behind the restaurant but big truck owners might not like the alley entrance and exit so much. They seemed a little short-handed when we arrived with one waitress covering about 7 or eight tables and manning the bar. She was awesome and had a great attitude as she hustled to serve guests. She got reinforcements which helped a lot. My wife and I each had the Sojourn Dwell IPA and it was out of this world. For food, we had not one but two portions of the house made pickles because they are so darn good! We also had the pancake which my wife loved but I thought was so-so. The pork belly bao was delicious! We also shared an order of the Three-Cup Sauce wings. They were sweet and well-cooked. The place has a very minimalist vibe with excellent music playing while we were there. It's not everyday you get "You're The Best" from Karate Kid playing in the background! It got VERY crowded around 6:30 when a bunch of people all showed up at the same time and it got pretty loud too, mostly due to a big group of mildly drunk people standing in the bar area. It made it hard to hear but really wasn't that bad. The bill seemed about right for hearty dishes and a couples of beers each. We will DEFINITELY come back!

tldr; if you like bars and you like Taiwanese bites. this place is an absolute vibe…read more I told my wife I want bar food and I haven't had any in months. Decided on this little spot in Fairfax town center after having a quick weekend day trip to DC. Really pleasantly surprised with the whole atmosphere of the place. It's a true fusion of asian bites but still a legitimate dive bar. The space is small, patrons are merry, and the whole place is an absolute vibe. I ordered some pilsner and some other lager on tap from local breweeies. Delicious. Ordered popcorn chicken, pork belly, and some 'real food' - a quick rice bowl with chicken. The fried bites were wonderfully crispy. They have good oil management and felt quite light especially with a swig of a cold lager. The rice bowl was tasty too. Construction was indeed very Taiwanese, and yet... I still felt like I'm in a dive bar complete with all its grunge. So cool They sell 4/6 packs of craft brews here too. They've got stuff all the way up from some Vermont and Maine (true craft beer land IMO)

My husband and I love coming here when we're craving dumpkings. You really can't go wrong with the…read moremenu, but our favorites are the spicy oil pork wontons, pan friend chive and pork dumplings, steamed crystal shrimp dumplings, and the pork soup dumplings. We always order the cucumber with garlic sauce as an appetizer. It's refreshing and crisp and really complements the richness of the dumplings perfectly! The service is fast and the staff is always warm and friendly. Finding parking is also very easy. Highly recommend if you're in the mood for dumplings and noodles.

One of my favorite places to eat. I got the rainbow dumplings as well as the noodles with scallion…read moreoil and chicken. Didn't expect much but exceeded my expectations. The noodles were top tier. It was chewy and had the right amount of flavor without overwhelming too much. Dumplings were great and we were able to try a variety all at the same time. Overall, service was great and clean. We got our food quickly and lots of seats available. Would recommend.

How does this place not have better reviews? The food was delicious! My friend and I got dinner…read morehere a couple Mondays ago, and I was shocked that we were the only diners while we were there. To be fair, Momo's Cafe is a bit out of the way and hard to get to (for us, we have to drive through Georgetown on M Street), but it's worth it! TAIWANESE POPCORN CHICKEN - 8.95 The chicken was salted and peppered perfectly, crispy but not overly so. The chicken itself was juicy and tender. This really hit on a rainy day, and I could hardly focus on the conversation with my friend because I was pre-occupied eating the chicken. I could not ask for a better Taiwanese popcorn chicken. BRAISED PORK BENTO - 11.50 This bento came with a lot of food, where 25% of it was braised pork over white rice. There were some sides like sauteed napa cabbage, a bit of pickled vegetables, steamed corn, and an odd assortment of Chinese sausage, fried tofu, and half a tea egg. Everything was good. The braised pork was fatty and juicy, and the sauce was a bit milder than I'd expect, but still flavorful. The sides were all homey and not too over-the-top, which was what I wanted. The corn was cooked with butter and clearly came from a can, but it hit home because that's how my grandma used to cook for me. So I'm not sure if anyone else would like the corn this way, but I did for nostalgia reasons. Also, the prices are actually reasonable?? I wish it was easier to get to Momo's Cafe from where I live -- I'd actually stop by quite often if that was the case. The food is homey and delicious, I'd definitely recommend it!

They are about to close at the end of the month, so a couple of friends and I came here one last…read moretime. Delicious Taiwanese sausage with sticky rice 大腸包小腸; very authentic 鐵板牛排 steak on a sizzling plate; tried their hot pot 小火鍋 for the first time which is nice on a cold evening. They offer Taiwanese popcorn chicken with basil leaves, 鹽酥雞, very good. Various bento boxes such as 滷肉飯, all very authentic. Food was good; ambiance was homey as usual. But the service (a sole waitress) was not welcoming. She just wanted to get us out of here. No smile either. Many items are already out (they probably do not restock, seeing that they are wrapping up anyway). Location is of course off the grid with no real public transportation. We got some takeout as well; beautifully packaged and presented takeout bento boxes (see my photo). For dining in, the bento box is also beautifully presented. However, for whatever reason, popcorn chicken and appetizers all came in paper boxes rather than on plates even for dining in. That takes a bit of the special feeling away.

A&J is one of our go to spots…read more You can't go wrong with the spicy beef and tendon noodle soup. The spice is a nice kick without being overpowering.

The service was better this time around and the servers refilled our waters whenever our glasses…read morewere half full. We ordered the same as last time but we added the dan dan noodles, spareribs, scallion pancakes, and the spicy beef noodle soup. I loved the dan dan noodles but it wasn't spicy. I would be coming back for that. The scallion pancakes were crispy on the outside. The spicy beef noodle soup wasn't spicy at all. My dad ordered the fried pork chop over rice and it was available! He did enjoy it.

Back at One Tea again for some boba and popcorn chicken!…read more This time I ordered the classic milk tea, which was good, but their peach tea lemonade is still my all time fave. Mixed it up a bit on the popcorn chicken order as well and got the curry seasoning, which was delicious. Such a big serving too that I even had some for lunch the next day!

If you're going here: absolutely get the fried buns with condensed milk and EAT IT IMMEDIATELY!!!…read moreIt's so good that it'll melt in your mouth :) The beef noodle soup had generous portions of meat and I was impressed! The braised pork was okay as well as the cold tofu pudding. I wouldn't recommend the matcha here.

I recently moved back to the NoVa after a few years overseas and was looking forward to going back…read moreto Cheng's since it always had really excellent and authentic Szechuan. Sadly, I found out even before ordering that its original owner Louis Cheng recently retired and sold the restaurant to new ownership. The food was so-so but it was definitely not as good as I remember - the boiled fish in was definitely different versus what it was previously. Instead of spicy and fragrant peppercorns in oil, it was a simple sauce and cornstarch, very little heat and pretty generic. The other dishes didn't have the fiery wok taste that they used to and it felt more like an average Chinese food restaurant versus one that's more authentically Szechuan. Not bad food by any means, but less spice and more generic. Maybe it's a decision by new management to make it more mass appealing, but I was sad that it was sold and doesn't feel like the same place.

If you're looking for outstanding Asian food, this place is absolutely worth seeking out. The…read morelocation is a little tucked away, but the food more than makes up for it. The portions are incredibly generous, and every dish we tried was delicious. The drunken noodles were packed with flavor, the fried rice was perfectly cooked, the Tso's chicken was excellent, and the steamed fish was fresh and beautifully prepared. The highlight of the meal was the spectacular tableside Flambé dessert--it was both delicious and a fun experience. The service was exceptional. Our waitress was incredibly sweet, attentive, and made sure we were well taken care of throughout the meal. The owners were also warm and welcoming, adding to the wonderful dining experience. And don't skip the beer--it was fantastic! Great food, generous portions, outstanding hospitality, and excellent value. We'll definitely be back.

This is the best Chinese food I've found in Northern Virginia! My sister in law recommended it--…read morethey order from here at Christmas it's that special. We had the scallion pancake, the beef chow fun and pork lo mein and even though the portions were large we finished it all because it was just that good. The atmosphere is light and airy and spacious and makes for a nice quiet meal. The staff was also fantastic, even tracking down what one of the other tables had ordered after the plates had been cleared since we thought it looked delicious (it was the lo mein and it was delicious!)

Made a dinner reservation noted it was for a birthday (nothing mentioned or done), seated in the…read morenoisiest part of the restaurant next to stacks of beer - banging dishes bussing station, kitchen noise and asked to be moved. Dumplings were tasty. Kung pao seafood, tough and chewy scallops, sauce didn't have much flavor just sugary soy and chilies with raw peanuts. Another dish had old spotted snow peas. For the expensive price of the dish we're served cheap Uncle Ben's rice - gross. Went last 3 years ago and it was amazing, won't return.

Found this place by accident . What a treat . Friendly waiters .The food is super delicious full of…read moreflavor . We ordered Spicy Beef brisket hotpot .I added some cilantro and chili oil .Its delicious. Our Salt and Pepper shrimp was the best I ever had . Jumbo shrimp . Definitely coming back again . They have Hotpot too .Enjoyed the two soups too .It was complimentary. So nice of them .

Hot pot and authentic Sichuan food!…read more Great homemade smoked sausage and sliced pork belly. The double-cooked pork belly was super flavorful. All the dishes arrived hot and fresh. Ambiance is a little grimy. All the tables were also made for the hotpot stove so the seating felt a little cramped.

Balo Kitchen is serving up Asian comfort food and they are definitely hitting the mark because…read moreevery single thing that I had here was delicious. They are nestled in the "The Block" -- a food court in Annandale. On a Thursday night this place was comfortably full with people enjoying their meals at every table. When we got our food it was hot and fresh. I first tried their fried chicken tacos on roti. So unique to add the roti in there and I liked how it was able to hold up and also not be too heavy. I was pretty full after just 1. Then I tried the lemon pepper lime wings, also delicious. The lime initially kind of through me off but quickly began to grow on me. And then my all time favorite were the garlic Lo mein noodles with beef added. My oh my. I would drive to VA just for these if I was craving them. I haven't had good noodles like this since I was in California. And I don't think I mentioned it earlier but the service was spectacular. Everyone is so kind in here! Check it out.

Love this place and can't wait to what's in store for them in the future. The pork belly is…read moreamazing, the tostones as well. Great portions, quick and friendly staff, place is in a food hall but I'm looking forward to their stand alone restaurant. This food is a must try, delicious!