Song Que (Falls Church, VA)

Grilled pork banh mi. Check. Taro bubble tea. Check.

Better bread than the other banh mi shops in the area, paired with an excellent blend of the pickled goodness and jalapenos. The meat isn't as flavorful as other shops, but it's the pickled crunch (with a kick of heat) that keeps me coming back for more.

The Vietnamese pate is also good, although you know you're eating liver (if that matters to you).

The highlight (for me) is the taro bubble tea. No one else I know likes bubble tea. Maybe its the texture of the tapioca pearls. But the taro milk tea is for real. Do it. Thank me later.

Pho 75 (Arlington, VA)

We're currently on an Anthony Bourdain kick, which means we're currently inundated with his praises of Pho. While I've had Pho elsewhere, the broth at Pho 75 is truly savory, and the meat is delightfully tender. When I ordered mine with top sirloin and fatty brisket, our server sought to confirm that I understood that fatty brisket was, quite literally, 85% fat. I did, and it was good.