Skip to main content

The Union

This McLean restaurant opened a new branch in Arlington and I went to check it out.  The best news is the food, which is truly impressive.  There are lots of areas for improvement, however.  First, the good stuff:  I got the red lentil soup -- which was actually a yellow lentil soup.  It was creamy and had a delightfully fresh, lemony taste.  I also got the Mumbai Panini, with a side salad instead of fries.  I was a bit surprised at this -- it was on two regular slices of bread, not a panini roll, and not as large as I imagined for a $14 sandwich.  It was also a bit greasy, which is not typical in Paninis.  Nonetheless, there are a plethora of unexpected ingredients in the dish, and they all seemed to be there.  And it was truly delightful.  Every bite was slightly different and the many items "danced" well together, creating something original and bursting with flavor.  The side salad was fresh, and replete with a nice mix of greens, as well as carrot spirals, cubed cucumber and sliced cherry tomatoes.  The dressing was light and provided just enough tang.  I did takeout, and, with the exception of the plastic bag, everything else was placed in a recyclable container.  Portions were large for the soup and salad.  Those were the high points.  As mentioned, I thought the Panini could have been bigger, and served on a proper panini roll.  It didn't need to be layered in butter or whatever before being cooked.  There was no way to order online and a call to the restaurant led me to a voicemail box.  The place itself is blah.  Grey walls, no visual features.  Despite a nod to Indian food (their head chef/owner is Indian) there are few vegetarian options.  So this one is a maybe.  The Mumbai Panini made an impression, but I'm not sure it's enough of one to go back.

The Union -- a soup, salad, sandwich place
McLean and Arlington locations
http://theunionrestaurant.us/

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

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...
Post a Comment
Read more

Sweets

Yes, vegetarians, even vegans, like sweets.  No, I do not eat an apple for dessert.  Sorry Mom.  I tried all these out so you don't have to -- that's why I'm fat and you lovely readers are presumably not.  All winners are, of course, subjective. Best Cupcakes:  Georgetown Cupcake .  Hate to honor this tourism trap but they truly earn their cred.   Sprinkles is a good runner-up.  Sorry, the gargantuan cupcakes at Baked and Wired are just "too much." Best Chocolate Croissant:   Best Buns .  Absolutely no competition. Best Cakes/Individual Desserts:   Randolph's Pastries .  Hands down.  I can recognize their treats blindfolded. Best Macarons:   Bakeshop .  With the added benefit of Taro Root offerings now and then. Best Pie:   Pie Sisters .  Try the Key Lime. Best Donut:  This one is tough.  For a somewhat lower guilt factor, go for the small, very affordable cake varieties ...
Post a Comment
Read more

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 ...
Post a Comment
Read more