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...

RASA

The popular grain bowl trend gets a twist with this Indian-inspired takeout bowl place. Same concept -- a base, greens, toppings, etc., but the options are mostly Indian inspired and the majority of offerings are vegetarian (although not vegan, given the heavy use of Ghee in cooking). My take is mixed. Some of the items were outstanding, some less so. I got the Lemon Tumeric Rice, which was delightful. Fresh and tangy, with a little bite, it was one of the best rice dishes I've ever tried. On top of this I got the Tofu/Cauliflower protein. It was half and half. The cauliflower was perfectly roasted, the roasted onions delightful, and the nuts were a beautiful added crunch. The tofu, however, was watery, and the green and red peppers well past prime. Next, I added sauteed spinach, which was incredibly bland, and the peanut sesame sauce, which was "okay" but forgettable. I didn't do additional toppings, although there were ...

DCVegEats

Search This Blog