Virginia Kitchen

[Waffle King's] Virginia Kitchen is an old school greasy spoon and keeping it real. It is hilarious to see this type of place in a Virginia suburb strip mall. By the time you leave, you'll feel like you should be walking out into the main street of a small town.

The ladies with the hair parlor doos, fake nails, and aprons are priceless. There are pictures of friends and family on the menu. The only thing that makes you realize that you are still in Northern Virginia and not Podunk, Middle-of-Nowhere is that these pictures include almost every ethnicity!

As for food...

The home fries were shredded and crispy. The scrambled eggs were typical diner eggs. I've heard that their biscuits are not to miss (I missed them though) and they squeeze their own OJ.

One of my friends ordered the Cinnamon French Toast, a clear winner in her book. She loved them and, I have to say, they made me wish I had ordered them rather than my waffles.

The fresh fruit selection was surprisingly diverse and yummy. They do offer cereal which many places leave off the menu.

Steer clear of the regular waffles. I ate with two friends and two of us ordered the waffles. They were disappointingly thin and rubbery rather than thick and fluffy. And, worst part, the squares were small. I don't know about you but I like my squares big. And if they are going to be small, the crispy edges and fluffy insides better make up for their smallness. They didn't. They do offer a Belgian style which may be better.

Also steer clear of the turkey sausage. I didn't finish mine. It was dry and a little gross.

Seating is available at booths, tables, or the little bar. We ate on a weekday morning and had no trouble getting a seat. I've heard it gets a little packed on weekends... must be that suburban craving for that small town feel. It's here.

450 Elden St.
Herndon, VA 20170
(Be sure to note the picture at the top left. Though it is right on the road, it can be hard to see)

Amphora

Oh Amphora... such an odd mixture of Greek and well, everything else. One of the only 24 hour sit down restaurants in the area (that is not a chain), Amphora captures much of the diner spirit in an eclectic and somewhat international style. Can you call it style? Well, go there and you decide. It suffers a bit from schizophrenia, as seen in the split dinning areas (one side diner, one side restaurant), the 42 page menu (ok maybe not 42 pages, but really... it goes on and on), or the choice between Mexican, Greek, Italian, and American fare (oh wait, do they have egg rolls?). Regardless, if you have a hankering for a cheap breakfast at any time of day or night, roll on over to Amphora and you can have it.

The food will definitely be prompt and hot. Fresh? Not so sure ... But shoot, who really needs fresh when you are eating fried eggs, fried bacon, fried potatoes and the like?! My server called me "honey" and my coffee cup and water glass were never empty. If you suffer from indecision like I do, prepare yourself here. Go decadent with the Banana's Foster French Toast, satisfy your picky eaters with "create your own omelet", Hollandaise lovers will be delighted with the entire section of the menu dedicated to the sauce, or go international with the Greek Pocket, Breakfast pizza, or Huevos Rancheros.

It is not McDonalds fast food, so don't expect to find a $1 menu but the prices are pretty reasonable ($5.50 - $10 for most; steak and crab obviously jack up the prices).

I've heard there is a weekend breakfast/brunch but haven't experienced it myself so I don't know if it is much different than the usual. Have you had it? They also have an entire bakery affiliated with the restaurant that has gotten good reviews.

I went to the location in Vienna. There is a cooler looking diner version in Herndon.

-- S. Coffin

Smith and Clarkson's

When traveling through middle-of-nowhere America, dining along your way usually produces restaurants in a particular mold: American staples (usually fried) on the menu and not so modern decor. Some of these places are real gems of *ahem* unhealthy, really tasty treats! Smith and Clarkson's fits the mold perfectly ... except that it is in Northern Virginia, right near an entrance to 495.

The inside is an awkward little 'L' shape, the ceiling seems too high, the lighting is industrial, the interior "design" is drab, and the people are ... well, I'll just say that I don't think they discuss cheerfulness and hospitality at their shift meetings. Our fellow diners were mostly men, many in jumpsuits. While you won't go there for the ambiance, it is a classic if you want really good diner food.

The ordering concept threw me off a little so let me prepare you. They have it set up for herding people through the restaurant. You are directed by half walls to the counter where menus, cashiers, and guests that entered behind you are all staring at you, waiting for your order. I stepped aside and let someone go ahead of me while I chose. They give you a number with your receipt which is called out either by the short order cooks or the cashier when ready.
The food was awesome, as evidenced by the fact that it was gone before I remembered to take a picture. They have quite the variety, from burritos to eggs Benedict to omelets. I ordered a Breakfast sandwich with egg, sausage, and cheese. Each was cooked to perfection, pipping hot, and obviously real (ie. not carton liquid 'egg').

My Breakfast mate ordered "Plate #5": Corned beef hash with 2 eggs and toast. While it was far too much food to eat in one sitting, the homemade corned beef hash (something I would not have ordered) was actually quite tasty and, to the connoisseur who ordered it, it was perfect! She got her eggs scrambled and they got another thumbs up there.
We saw some homemade muffins, shoved in a glass case up front (still in the pan ... I don't think presentation is much of a concern), and decided to test their baking skills as well. The muffin was very moist but way too sweet for my Breakfast mate.

At a neighboring table we watched as one gentleman consumed one of the "Plates" as well as the French Toast Combo, quite the feat considering the size of both of those things. At other tables the pancakes and omelets were hits with the kids. I am definitely coming back here to try the french toast, waffles, and pancakes. Their waffle is a made-from-scratch malted Belgian waffle cooked to a golden perfection. Their french toast looked thick, perfectly golden, and crispy. Their pancakes took up the entire plate and again, the golden color made my mouth water. They've got that griddle in the back in good hands!
And for you coffee shop die hards, they serve "Seattle's Best" and have local art for sale on the walls.

No frills, just enough grease .. a real winner in my book. Call me if you are going.

Mon. - Fri. 6am - 4pm
Sat. 7am - 4pm
Sun. 8am - 3pm
(They also deliver/carry out. Check out online ordering for quick service!)

--S.Coffin

Belly Up to OCB Breakfast

For my family of six, breakfast is the best meal of the day. From the youngest to the oldest, everyone loves to eat breakfast. One early Saturday morning, we piled into the minivan to check out Old Country Buffet's breakfast buffet at Fair City Mall.

This was our first trip to OCB for breakfast and we were not disappointed at the vast array of breakfast items: pancakes, French toast (made from French bread), cereals, grits, biscuits, gravy, waffles, scrambled and fried eggs, bacon, sausage links and patties, fresh fruit, an entire taco/burrito bar, fried ham, muffins, and freshly made omelets.

We arrived around 8 a.m. (OCB opens at 7:30 on the weekends for breakfast), and found the restaurant uncrowded and the food hot and fresh.

The kids ate so much breakfast, that the two older ones weren't hungry at all for lunch and the two younger ones, barely at any lunch. Even my husband and I were not very hungry for lunch, either.

Here's a rundown on the children's breakfast bonanza:

N, age 7, ate three pancakes, a chocolate muffin, some scrambled eggs, bacon strip, sausage link, and a glass of chocolate milk.

L, age 5, ate two pancakes, a chocolate muffin, some scrambled eggs, bacon strip, sausage link and a glass of chocolate milk.

M, age 3, ate a biscuit, a pancake, a muffin, some scrambled eggs, bacon strip, sausage link and a glass of chocolate milk.

S, age 19 months, ate a biscuit, two pancakes, and a muffin and a half.

Overall, the food was hot and tasty. The pancakes were a bit dry, but with four or five different types of syrup to pour over them, you wouldn't really notice. The eggs tasted fresh and were not rubbery. I had a fresh omelet that was delicious. My husband said the coffee was rather tasty, too.

Consider OCB for your next breakfast out--I think you just might be pleasantly surprised.
[OCB Breakfast 7:30am - 11am Saturday and Sunday ONLY]

S. Hamaker

Brooklyn Bagels, in Arlington at Courthouse

Remember the Soup Nazi? Well, if you want a bagel in Arlington County, you might relive that entire Seinfeld episode.
First you should know: they only take cash. Also, there are always lines. And you better bark off your order as quickly as possible. And no matter how perfect your order is they will still find something to ask you about, and get mad when you stammer a response. Plus, by the time I get there, they are always out of egg bagels.

But it's worth it. These are the best bagels I've have in NOVA. They use the New York cooking method, kettle boiled and then baked. That means they are crispy and blistered on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. They have lots of different cream cheeses. Smoked salmon, chive, roasted veggie, etc. When they make egg sandwiches, they cook the eggs right there. No microwaves. Everything is fresh and tasty.

The bagels are best when fresh out of the oven. As they cool they get much harder, and loose some of their flavor. Brave the Bagel Nazi, and stand in line, and order (and devour) it right there.


Brooklyn Bagels
2055 Wilson Blvd.
Arlington, VA 22201
(703) 243-4442

Mon-Fri 6:30am- 5:00pm Sat-Sun 7:00am- 5:00pm
CASH ONLY

-- posted by M. Perry

Corner Bakery

This morning I went to Corner Bakery. My breakfast partner and I each got one of the egg dishes, the American and the Anaheim. The eggs were definitely actual eggs (rather than egg beaters, etc.), cooked well, and not too greasy. The bacon was thick and cooked perfectly. I hate it when its floppy and dripping. BLEH.

I also got the oatmeal which was tasty but nothing to rave about. The gluey texture was a little off putting but the taste and actual feel of it in your mouth wasn't bad. I'd like to try the steel cut oatmeal next. The oatmeal comes with a little cinnamon crispy toast thing that was soooo yummy.

I think Corner Bakery prides themselves on being able to accommodate healthy variations and allergies. They had Soy Milk out by the coffee, along with the half and half and milk. That's the first time I've seen that. They also mark options that are gluten free, vegetarian, and dairy free.

While I went to the Fair Oaks Mall location, there are other NOVA locations here, including Tysons, Arlington, and Sterling.

Overall I like the atmosphere of the open floor plan, casual, modern cafe. The service is a lot like a Noodles & Co. or Panera Bread (if you've ever been to either of those places). There was that "healthy feel" to the food but a warmth to the outcome. It seems as though places focusing on the "healthy" ingredients forget that it should also be yummy and HOT. Corner Bakery did a good job.

-- S.Coffin