701 9th Street NW  Washington, D.C. 20001
202-638-0800
Zaytinya means olive oil in Turkish written as Zeytinyag. The wild olive trees originated in Asia Minor, today’s Turkey, five thousand years ago and they have been spreading around the world ever since. Today 95% of the world’s olive trees are cultivated in the Mediterranean region and the oil of this bountiful fruit acts as the binding agent for the majority of the common dishes cooked in the region.

The times when you had to trek down to DC for a stylish restaurant with great food are finally over. Top of the line restaurants are doing the smart thing and coming to suburbs to find their customers. After years of serving discriminating DC clients, Panache Restaurant brought its great menu and beautiful décor to McLean.

I first started to go to CafeSano 5 years ago during lunches when I was working off Wiehle Avenue. I was so impressed with the quality and freshness of the food that I took my family for dinner and we have been going back ever since.

I recently went back to taste my favorites again. Before we get to the food, let’s talk about the ambiance. CafeSano is tucked away in an older looking strip mall. The entire strip mall looks like it needs a new façade, but don’t let that scare you away. Inside CafeSano is very modern, neat and clean.

When you enter inside, all of the food items are visible through the large glass case for your visual pleasure. Ordering brick over pizzas is also made easy for you with pre-set combinations like Pollo (chicken) or Margherita (basil and tomatoes).

Best kabob you will ever eat in Northern Virginia, and OMG, it’s in the mall!

You are in the mall and your feet are aching. You spent way too much and you didn’t even buy what you came in to get. Kids are screaming more than usual. Wait. There is bliss right around the corner and it’s called Grill Kabob. We can hear Gregorian chants as we say the name. When we eat there, we are one piece of baklava away from heaven. The Middle Eastern eatery is a mom’s dream come true. They are renown for their chicken kabobs. They serve the juicy tender pieces of white chicken meat chargrilled over an open fire and served over two types of rice, one spiced and one perfectly buttered.

A Little Bit of Hamburg in the Heart of Leesburg

You know it was inevitable. First, England adopted curry as their national dish, and now it seems Turkish Döner became as German as strudel. Turks, who arrived in Germany as a supplemental work force after World War II, are now 3 million strong with 3rd and 4th generations having been born in the country.

Those of you who visited Germany may have seen Döner Houses at every street corner serving the Turkish version (the original) of gyro sandwiches. You now have a Loudoun County version in the heart of Leesburg, behind the government building and across from Market Station.

First thing you notice with this establishment is the silver colored Döner Kiosk outside that sits in the middle of a German biergarten. You order your food and beer(s) inside the adjacent building that seats up to 8 with re-used airplane seats (yes, you may still end up in the middle seat), with the outside biergarten providing supplemental seating. There are numerous German and Turkish beer selections including Warsteiner and the Turkish Efes, which is a great lager. From the menu, we tried Döner Sandwich, Döner Box and the Schnitzel.