Replacement for Village Grill

Good Afghan place, a Baja Fresh, a Peruvian chicken place sounds good.


Anything, but enough with the mediocre food in these parts. So many restaurants opening around here and vast majority are mediocre.

Two really good places - Thai Basil and Zpizza have closed. But other lame places keep popping up, creating oversupply of establishments. It's a shame these places didn't generate more support.

Those who are suggesting a place for smoking - get lost. Nobody wants that around anymore and thank goodness we're finally getting an across-the-board ban so that all restaurants have an even playing field. No amount of ventilation works - the smoke circulates.

 

If people are suggesting a place for smoking, that would suggest that people do want that around. There is no problem if someone could afford and there was a supply for a cigar/smoking lounge then they have all the rights to open one up.

 

Just because you don't want it, doesn't mean that there's not a demand for it. OSH has recently enclosed the entire bar area with walls (it already had a separate ventilation system) to allow it's patrons to smoke. Their policy of no-smoking until 9:30 will remain intact, but clearly people still want it.

What are you referring to when you say "even playing field"?

 

OSH is going back to allowing smoking? They just lost my business!

 

Only after 9:30 PM in their walled-off bar area. Basically the same deal that they've had for the past few months.

 

My reference to even playing field is that many restaurant owners wanted to ban smoking for their workers' and customers' health, but were afraid they'd lose some business to estabishments that kept smoking. I don't think their fears were justified, but it slowed the move to more non-smoking establishments. If the law makes the rule the same for everybody, then you get a level playing field.

 

How does that jive with this?

You say nobody wants it, and then say that some places lose money to bars that allow smoking.

After that you say that their worries aren't justified, but Original Steakhouse went 100% non-smoking almost exactly a year ago and lost a lot of business. They changed their policy to only allowing smoking after 9:30 PM and it increased their bar business again.

When you say "nobody wants that", what you really should be saying is "I don't want that".

 

The so-called lame places do better because they are cheaper and they cater to children better. Most "finer" establishements throughout the country actually close somewhat early in their existance. It is also WHEN you open, the area was already glutted with thai and pizza joints when Thai Basil and Zpizza opened. Zpizza also choose a suck-arse location.

 

i wasn't a fan of either Thai Basil OR zpizza- tried 'em both- mmmmeh. the better thai and pizza joints are still around, and there are plenty of em. i hops manhattans goes a different direction than pizza, personally.

 

That location is horrible for a restaurant. I'm not sure why, but I NEVER think of going there.

 

I agree the locations are a problem. But why do these developers continue to build these mini-malls with difficult access. The Wegman's center is a pain to get out of of. The Broadlands Center only has the one entrance that's not convenient so you have to go down Broadlands Blvd., and then worm your way back across the center for anything back by Claiborne Pkwy.

I agree there's oversaturation of certain types of restaurants, but you'd like to think the better establishments could come and and supplant the businesses with mediocre fare.

Zpizza and Thai Basil weren't upper crust establishments. They were small, family-oriented places.

As for Thai Basil, maybe you can question their acumen for their choice of location in Ashburn or for opening near a recession, but you can't seriously question whether their food quality is better than most of the Thai places were left with in the area.

 

umm- SURE we can. just because a restaurant suits one group's taste, doesn't mean it suits all. that's why mcDonalds AND Burger King still co-exist- some will always love the Whopper and hate the Big Mac, and vice- versa!

I went to Thai Basil- the food was not bad, it just didn't stand out at all. A little greasy, meat quaity not as high as other local thai restaurants, nothing that i enjoyed enough to go back. standard strip-mall blah atmosphere. my impression? MEH.

i've eaten at Anothai, fresh herbs, tender meat, wonderful, memorable flavors, nice ambience- i've returned and brought friends on many occasions. fabulous!

i've eaten at My Thai in Brambleton- hot, delicious, flavorful dishes, fresh veggies, gorgeous atmosphere, totaly different than Anothai yet just as good. excellent!

Bangrak- very nice atmsphere, some dishes very good, some very mediocre. just so-so.

because Anothai and My Thai always delivered on flavor and quality- my family always ends up back there instead of the other places left in Ashburn.

it's nice that you have a passion for the places you enjoy- i am the SAME way- i actually make a living with my opinions! but i would never assume that just because I like a place that EVERYONE has to feel the same, and that i am difinitively RIGHT and they are WRONG. different strokes...

 

I'll have to give Anothai another chance. But that's the only place people seem to rave about.

My Thai, Bangrak have beautiful decors, but I don't think the food is very remarkable.

I understand what you're saying about opinions - people are free to go where they want. McDonalds and Burger King are in the same category. But I don't think you can convince me that a Burger King burger or friesi are as good, or have the same quality ingredients, as a Five Guys or Fuddruckers' burger. So I think there are certain quality standards one can ascribe to food establishments.

 

we agree 100%! I work at CARFAX, and we did a taste test with Liz Crenshaw pitting the Mickey D's Angus against 5 guys- since Mickey D's wants to compete at THAT of level of burgers... BAD IDEA. didn't even come CLOSE. gotta compare apples to apples, ad if you ARE an apple, don't try to go up against a pomegranate! lol

Fudds, Fosters, Five Guys- all the same category- and everyone has their hands down fave. (Foster's here- charburgers rule.)

I'm curious san daddy- do you put Thai Basil in a different category than other local Thai places?

At My Thai- have you tried the Pad Woon Sen? REALLY interesting and full of different flavors. I'm not usually satisfied by most types of Asian food, but i eat it because The Man and The Boy are huge fans. But the Pad Woon Sen was actually satisfying- I'd love your opinion on it.

 

No, I think Thai Basil is in the same genre of the other Thai restaurants. I just thought their food was better, but it's not a Motel 6 vs. Ritz Carlton category type discrepancy.

I'll take up your suggestion redon1 and give that dish at My Thai a try sometime.