eating my way through vienna

except for the first two years of my life (falls church) and my four years of college (charlottesville), i have spent my entire twenty four years in the great town of vienna. well not in the town per se, but close enough. so, i figure i'm as close at being an expert as i'm going to get. especially when it comes to food - it's my specialty!

so, the next time you frolic over to vienna here's my personal top ten of places to eat (in no particular order):

1. grab a seat at the sushi bar at sweet ginger. not only will you be able to watch the sushi chefs cut up the fresh fish (including baby octopus) right in front of you - they also give you a little mini appetizer while your food it being prepared. honestly, you can't go wrong with a single item on the menu.

2. order a cup of coffee and enjoy a show at jammin java. unfortunately, the word has gotten out about jj and it's more crowded than it's ever been. but, it's still a great place to catch some of the best musical acts. plus, their coffee is actually pretty good (trust me, i would know).

3. make your way to the vienna inn for breakfast and/or dinner. the best breakfast choice is debatable. i can't ever order anything but their pancakes, however i have a feeling there might be a few votes out there for their french toast and their super stuffed omelets. and don't forget about the chili dogs - no trip to the inn is complete without ordering one (or four) of those! i just hope the rumors that the inn is closing aren't true.

4. hop over to cenan's (say shay-naan's) for some fresh baked goods! and at $1.90 your wallet can easily afford lots of their cinnamon swirls - but, can your waistline?? and their baguettes are some of the best i've had - crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. and don't forget to grab a free sample of many of their delicious breads on your way out!

5. a trip to vienna would not be complete without a visit to neilsen's. although they have a lot of options, i would recommend getting a custardwich (with vanilla, clearly) and some fries w/ their special sauce. and, i have to say i've heard that their concretes (think blizzard or archer, but with custard) aren't half bad. the only bad thing about nielsen's is that it's closed on sundays (silly mormons - don't they know everyone's craving custard on sundays?!).

6. for a classy sit down dinner in vienna look no farther than bazin's. built out in the old fire station on church street, bazin's has a great atmosphere and delicious food! i've only been there for dinner, but after perusing their brunch menu i think i might have to frolic over there one of these weekends. however, for the price of one meal here i could feed at least five at the inn. although i'd be willing to bet the food would come out quicker at bazin's.

7. another quality quick eat place is foster's grille. for a pretty decent burger, chicken sandwich or even a salad foster's is a good option. plus, they have beer on tap (foster's, of course)! and don't forget to order a milkshake - they're thick and creamy just like they're supposed to be!

8. you could easily miss natta thai since it's tucked into one of vienna's many little strip malls, but it's the place to go for thai food in vienna (and if you're in arlington make sure you go to crystal thai). it literally has ten tables, but if it's too busy you can always get some food to go. and believe me, it's worth it!

9. family owned skorpios is the place to go for (you guessed it) greek food. you can't go wrong with their roasted chicken and multitude of sides. however, my personal favorite is their grilled chicken pita w/ tzatziki sauce. mmmmmm:)

10. last, but certainly not least there's the pie gourmet. some of the best pies i've ever had have come from here. like, the time i saved a baby's life at the pool his mom thanked me by buying me two pies. and then there was that other time on my 21st birthday when the pool hunnies surprised me with an apple pie w/ candles in it.