Konami Japanese Restaurant (Vienna, VA)

A lush Japanese garden greets you in the outdoor terrace – which can really set the mood when the weather is right.  The chic and funky interior décor sets a comfortable mood for close friends to gather for a great meal.  If you have been to Basura, an excellent Thai restaurant just down the street, you already know the owner of “Konami,” a name that translates into “small wave” in Japanese.  You get the expected selection of traditional Japanese dishes such as very fresh Sushi and Sashimi, Tempura, and Miso Soup.  Yet the real treats are the not-so-ordinary dishes.  You should try the Grilled Eel Marinated in Soy Sauce, the Futomaki-an overwhelmingly big seaweed roll filled with delicious vegetables, the Shiitake Mushrooms and Eggs, and the hard-to-find Yellowtail Teriyaki. For some, Konami becomes their regular lunch-time haunt, while others share its pleasures only with that date they truly want to impress.

Crystal Thai (Arlington, VA)

Crystal Thai’s warm and cozy atmosphere cannot avoid being described as intimate.  Its peach-colored lights, servers dressed in bright-colored silk Thai garments, and the carved wood decorations that hang throughout the restaurant all come together to provide a distinctive and refined dining setting.  There are many delicious seafood dishes served as appetizers or entrees, our favorites being the Spicy Seafood Salad (appetizer) and Seafood Platter (entrée).  For curry lovers, the Yellow Curry Chicken is an excellent choice.  Being noodle lovers, our favorite dish is the delicious Pad Lardna, with wide Rice Noodles and your choice of Chicken, Pork, or Beef, drenched in Thai gravy.