Originally I was planning a trip to NYC. Monday is Veterans day (thank you to all the men and women who have served our country!), and with the holiday came a long weekend that I wanted to use to my advantage. When the trip did not materialize I found myself missing the Chinatown bakeries on Canal street, and so I decided that today I was going to try and get my fix for some good Asian food.
I started a plan to go to the Eden Center, in Falls Church (which is a Foodventure all on its own- coming soon!) as I've been meaning to visit for a while. After much research (and several notes in hand) I got in my car and set out. Five minutes into the drive I realized I didn't feel like driving to seven corners, so I quickly re-calibrated my plan to just peruse gastronomic options as I found myself within a certain vicinity of them. Today was all about trying different things, even at places where Id been before. That is how today's foodventure began...
After my "recalibration", I found myself at my first spot Pho Reston 75. I had been here before for Pho, but since today was about trying different things, i started off with their sugarcane shrimp balls (shrimp-meat covering a piece of sugarcane)
At first I didn't know whether or not I was supposed to pick them up by the sugarcane (as you would a drumstick) or if I should slide them off and eat them with my drumstick. In the end, I did a little of both. They were very tasty, and came with a side of (I believe) sweet fish sauce for dunking.
I followed the shrimp balls with one of their noodle bowls (sanz the cucumber):
Bún Chả Giò Thịt Nướng - Spring Roll and Pork
I loved the crunchy onion bits they toss in, and after throwing the fish sauce over it, I realized there was lettuce and beansprouts underneath. A very tasty meal (even though I'm not big on sprouts). After finishing up with a small mango bubble tea (made with fresh fruit mind you- I found a mango hair stuck in my teeth afterwards) I decided it was time to move on. (Total meal was less than $20)
My next destination was less than two miles away, in Lake Anne Village. I heard there was a nice cupcake store there, but unfortunately it was closed when I arrived. I decided to brave the wind and chilly weather by walking to the end of the pier and enjoy the Fall views,
Fall is so pretty in this area! While strolling back, I noticed the small sign for Chesapeake Chocolates (I had recently read about it) and decided to check it out. It is conjoined with a small flower shop, so I was greeted warmly by both the owner of the flower section and the lady making the chocolates. After looking at quite an enticing selection I opted for the 9 piece box (9 pieces for $8). My selections included: peppermint bark, dried cherry marzipan bark, an assortment of truffles and others whose tasty names I have forgotten, all in a pretty box ready for gifting if you choose to ( which I didn't).
With my new purchase in tow, I then explored some of the small stores in Lake Anne (to include the Reston museum, whose staff seemed baffled at a person coming in mid-day on a weekday). Among my favorites: The Reston used book shop, where I found something for both the kiddo and the Mr.
Onward with the adventure, I hopped onto (dreaded) route seven and aimed towards Leesburg. Having not quite been able to explore the magnitude of stores at Eden center, and with a daily goal of "trying new things" I stopped at my local Grand Mart (46900 Cedar Dr. Sterling VA 20164) and perused their selection of Asian snacks. Now... I will admit that I jumped into it a bit blindly (I still have no idea what any of the bags say, and i had no pictures for the brown one) but so far, I've liked everything I purchased. Total for snacks: about $12
Although Grand Mart is an multi-ethnic international store, it gets a lot of Latin clientele. Therefore, while I was in line to pay for my wares, I started to try to come up with a witty response just in case the cashier decided to ask why a Hispanic lady goes in to gather up a bunch of unknown Asian snacks. My brain told me: If he asks, just tell him that "food is a a means of exploring...and today I am on an adventure". However the cashier was more preocupied with the woman at the ATM who had yet to return to pay for her groceries, or he simply didnt care. I never got to use my excuse, and it irked me...it sounded so great!
I continued to head towards Leesburg. After some short window shopping stops, and after resisting the temptation to stop at Mom's apple pie (I reminded myself of the kiddo's genius school fundraiser: we pre-order pies from here and get them right before thanksgiving) I found myself walking the shops in old town Leesburg. By this point my lunch was beginning to wear off and I found myself really wanting something warm to drink. I got just that with a latte from Shoes Cup and Cork.
The staff was SUPER friendly and the coffee was REALLY good. They seemed to have a good selection of food (and some pretty tasty pies on display), but I will have to go back for that some day. I brought up the fact that I thought the sign in front was for a genuine shoe repair store and so I got a quick history lesson on how the name of the place came to be. Apparently the store WAS at one point a shoe repair store, and due to the historic nature of the area, they were not allowed to change the name. The barista (I shall call him funny T-shirt man) even told me that he has had several clients asking him whether or not they keep the shoes "out in the back" of the store. Ha! Loved this place!
Coffee in tow, I picked up the kiddo from school and made my way back home. We decided to have dinner out (we usually do on Fridays) at one of our favorite spots A taste of Burma. After my big lunch I did not want anything heavy, (plus I knew I had a special dessert at home waiting for me-just wait till you see!) so I opted for their lemongrass soup (a little spicier than I'm used to but I muddled through because it was just Sooooo tasty!) and the Mr. and I shared the appetizer sampler (very good samosas).
With a warm belly/heart, we returned to the homestead. There I had a bit of a treat waiting for me. You see, I had recently seen an episode of "Bizarre Foods" with Mr. Zimmern where he goes to Detroit and tries a Lebaneese pastry called Khonnafa. After pestering the Mr. over wanting to try this pastry for a while, he asked a co-worker of that heritage to recommend a good place for me. Is it not my luck to say that the co-worker claims his Khonnafa is the best in town!
To him, I will send my thanks (as well as a batch of cookies), for granting me the opportunity to try something new, made from scratch, from the inside of his home and heart.
Happy Foodventures!
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