Lebanese Taverna

Yes, there are multiple Lebanese food establishments around the DC metro area, including the very respectable Me Jana in Court House, but Lebanese Taverna reigns mostly supreme. Lebanese food offers a host of veggie options and I have been a patron of this locally grown restaurant chain for many years. The good: My favorite is the Lebanese Taverna Marketplace on Lee Highway, where one can grab nicely tart Dolmades, fresh Baba Ghanoush and tangy Shakshouky along with a yummy Spinach Fatayer. Periodic cooking classes in the basement include occasional veggie options and lots of laughs (and wine). Head over to the Pentagon Row restaurant for a large, rotating menu, which often includes more than one way to experience Falafel. My one caveat -- I have learned to avoid the original spot in Westover. There is just something "unwelcoming" about it, like I am crashing in someone else's living room. This came to a head during a birthday celebration when we arrived to a mostly empty space and were generally ignored (45 minutes before they took our order and nearly another 45 to get the food). The final straw was when the waiter accidentally dumped a full glass of wine on one of the party. Won't go there again. With the many locations, however, there are other options.

Lebanese food
Multiple locations
https://lebanesetaverna.com/

Comments

Afghan Bistro

With family members moving to Springfield, it has been a struggle to find good places to eat so far afield. After flirting with some chain restaurants near the mall, we tried a Pakistani restaurant (there are many, many Pakistani restaurants there), but it fell flat. Finally, someone suggested this amazing place. It's a little hole-in-the-wall in a strip mall. With oilcloth table coverings, the vibe seems questionable. For about a minute. Then you are warmly greeted and given menus with a plethora of choices. My party ordered a great number of items and every dish rose above expectations. The staff are eager to please and checked in to make sure everything was okay, from food to drink needs. When a member of my party dropped a piece of silverware on the floor one of the waiters swooped in with a replacement before we could even ask. But onto the food. We ordered the Potato and Leek turnovers, the Aushak (leek and sc...

Dera

Was looking for a good Pakistani restaurant in Springfield and this one had some of the best reviews, so I gave it a shot. Arrived for an early dinner to find some regulars around a table in a cavernous room. The restaurant staff looked at us like we had interrupted a private party. We sat and were grudgingly given menus after asking. Tepid water in questionably clean glasses were eventually brought. One member of the party ordered a salad. It arrived in a large mixing bowl and was mostly iceberg lettuce. A plastic basket of cold bread was literally "dumped" on the table, then the waiter disappeared. Eventually we were able to get someone to take our orders, which included a curry, a biryani and a kebab. Portions were huge and the rice, again, came in what looked like a mixing bowl. It was enough to feed ten. The food wasn't bad. Sometimes the seasonings were a bit heavy handed (particularly for the rice) but it was...

First Watch

Meant to invite some family members here but a friend beat me to the punch. We compromised and went together. Unfortunately, this is a place where it looks better than it is. Across the board. The funky design scheme makes it an echo chamber and, with the pumping music, very loud. Conversation was difficult. The menu is covered in glossy photos and descriptions of the food but ... I started with the Morning Meditation Fresh Juice, a pretty blend of citrus and beet. Or I tried to. Took three reminders to the waiter and when it finally arrived, halfway into the meal, it was 90% ice and 10% juice. My companions opted for coffee. It was ice cold. Another long wait (about 20 minutes) to get new coffee -- and included a reminder to staff that they wanted fresh cups as well. I ordered the Vegetarian Quinoa Bowl, which was described as having up to 12 ingredients. It had three. The quinoa, an egg, maybe two teen...

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