The 38 Essential Restaurants Around D.C.

"This elegant Vietnamese restaurant off I-66 is a destination all in its own. Tucked inside Falls Church’s Founders Row development, the year-old sensation wows with openers that aren’t going anywhere: pappardelle with Vietnamese short rib ragu, coconut curry risotto dotted with Hokkaido scallops, and oysters decadently dressed with a creamy buttermilk vinaigrette. Chef Daniel Lê oversees a kitchen that draws many recipes from Happy Endings Hospitality partner Tuyêt Nhi Lê’s mom. Must-try highlights for spring include shareable lettuce wraps starring deboned fluke, generous herbs, and a pineapple fish sauce that begs to be bottled; meanwhile, a stack of tamarind and coconut-glazed ribs that fall off the bone get an unexpected sweetness via pickled lychee. Gorgeous pastel walls surrounding diners in the back interpret a famous 1930s portrait of a nude (“nue” in French) by Tuyêt Nhi Lê’s great-great-uncle and Vietnamese artist Lê Pho. A pretty bar up front sends out seriously sippable cocktails like a rum-fueled riff on mango sticky rice with eucalyptus bitters. A new weekday happy hour is the time to try top-selling starters like chile oil wontons for $12." - Tierney Plumb, Emily Venezky