KOVI Asian Street Food Kitchen

This new strip-mall addition to south Arlington began as a food truck and has morphed into a fast casual spot featuring a blend of Korean and Vietnamese fare. Like others of this type, the menu involves picking a base (soft taco, sandwich, rice), then protein, slaw, sauces and toppings. There is also a poke option for the pescatarians in the group and a limited number of sides "coming soon."

Like many newer restaurants, they have issues in planning and prep. The only veggie protein is the Organic Lemongrass Tofu, which had to be "made" when I ordered it (not sure how tofu is "made" but the attendant offered me a free drink for the unexpected wait). I chose the kale and broccoli slaw with "peanut/hoisin" dressing. It turned out to be kale and carrots with little to no dressing. I also got a sweet chili sauce, cilantro, green onions and sesame seeds (black and white mixed). The result wasn't exactly what I expected but wasn't bad. The only issue was that the tofu was inexplicably salty. They had chopsticks, which I like, but the eco-friendly bowls didn't mix well with the food and some of my dish got stuck to the bowl, unable to be eaten.

The atmosphere was bright and warm with red metal stools and wooden tables. There were also outdoor options, which I chose because of the good but overly loud music inside.

Bottom line: Price points are good and they certainly mean well. Give them time to get things organized a bit more and I would be more than happy to give this one a second go. Meal was filling and nutritious.

Fast Casual Korean/Vietnamese Street Food
2921 S. Glebe Rd.
http://www.kovikitchen.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...

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...

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...

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