Archive for August 8th, 2009

A mostly dim sum restaurant located near the so-called seven corners area in Falls Church, Mark’s Duck House is located in a shopping area, tucked next to stores of all persuasions.

We were a bit late for lunch during the week, so most of the items we got were ordered specifically, not off a rolling cart. Among the best dishes were the shrimp-stuffed eggplant, turnip cake, and shrimp-chive fried dumping (these seemed to be dumplings that had gone south, perhaps, and been smooshed against a griddle—who knows, they were still tasty).

Ultimately, we’d learned somewhere in the past this was the place to go, but the combination of a long wait and a severely dated interior probably would have us looking elsewhere next time.

It’s not to say you won’t find some tasty items on their menu.

The area has several high-profile Chinese eateries to explore. I’m glad I’ve crossed this one off my list; it will take several more visits up to D.C. to declare any sure winners. Likely Rockville, MD will be in the cards soon.

There’s a little empire growing in the DC area, among tapas restaurants. The man behind this little empire is José Andrés, who started with Spanish flavors and has now branched out. His Jaléo now has multiple locations, but I visited the very busy one in Penn Quarter this past week.

You’ll find your mix of both traditional tapas or small plates, such as the one above: a little omelette of potato and egg, a so-called tortilla española. This is simple, but flavorful. Everything, including this tortilla, came out well-seasoned.

In addition to the classics, they also feature some “nouvelle” interpretations. Most folks will find a variety of delicious bites. I also opted for the expensive but traditional Spanish ham.

While good, it wasn’t my favorite. Their garlicky shrimp and potatoes in paprika and tomato sauce were even better. Everything we ordered, in fact, was saboroso. Which leads to me to believe you don’t go for the food per se. Instead, go for the variety.

The whole concept of tapas, however, is lost here.

My big complaint with Jaléo is the noise level and “busyness” of the establishment. It’s a little loud, a little hectic. While there’s a bar, the concept of tapas is lost in such a space celebrating sit-down diners. Tapas is about talking, socializing, and moving about with your drink and the tasty bite. While I think the concept of mini-dishes is cool and perfectly acceptable, I never felt I could relax at Jaléo. I found the same thing to be true in his larger, more suave location Zaytinya. This isn’t to say it affects the food.

Go with friends who are loud and can sustain an hour or so of loud conversation. Or go early or late for just “snacks.” Take advantage of their bar menu, and order just about anything you like - it will likely be delicious.

For desserts, we tried both their Vasco cake and the lemon rice pudding. Both had pluses and minuses. The rice pudding was light, but it was best a dessert to be shared with two spoons. It gets monotonous after a few bites.

The Vasco cake was interesting; alone the cake was sorry, but combined with the sauce and darling ice cream, it was a small work of art, complex in flavor. Incidentally, our waiter suggested the flan. The coffee was likely some of the best I’d ever had: I’ve never had coffee so smooth. It was really something.

The best tables will take advantage of the scene on the street. You can get reservations or walk-in.