Four Sisters

There are few moments when I lament my decision to go “green” in Washington DC and forgo having my car here. For all of WMATA’s issues their service is fairly reliable and can get me just about anywhere I want to go in DC. My meal the other night at Four Sisters in Falls Church made me wish I was able to come out to this hidden restaurant on a regular basis – and that would clearly require wheels considering it would take over an hour to get there on the metro-rail and 2 buses.

Four Sisters was opened in 1993 by a family who had just moved to the area from Vietnam. Their dream was to open a restaurant that cuisine of their homeland and to introduce others to the complex flavors of the region. For over 10 years this small restaurant has developed a loyal following due to their wonderful food and being featured on “best-of” lists on a regular basis.

As someone who has had very little exposure to Vietnamese food (just a bit of pho here and there) I was excited to delve into more complicated dishes, especially after reading the multiple reviews that have appeared in the Washington Post and the Washingtonian.

For about $20 (with tax and tip) a person my dining companion and I were able to sample 2 appetizers and 2 main dishes and still have leftovers to take home. The menu is long and somewhat overwhelming. If you don’t quite know what direction you want to head in I would suggest you ask your server. They are knowledgeable and will happily steer you towards the best dishes the kitchen has to offer.

The standout of the meal was absolutely the grilled black pepper beef. The beef was very tender and perfectly marinated giving it a lovely citrus flavor. This was the most expensive dish we ordered (at $15) and we could have easily split it without ordering another entree.

Yet, being the adventurous eaters that we are we also tried the shrimp toast, asparagus and crab soup and the well-known steamed rice crepes. The shrimp toast was out of this world. You could tell that the kitchen was using the finest ingredients to create the shrimp paste that is put on top of a beautiful piece of French bread. My dining companion thought the soup was lackluster and compared it to egg drop soup that you order at a Chinese restaurant. After trying it we did remind ourselves that it was the only dish we picked out on our own.

If you have a car (or a friend with a car) this is a restaurant that is absolutely worth the trip. Make an evening outing out of it and linger at your table under the umbrella while enjoying the delightful cuisine. I can guarantee you that you won’t be disappointed.

image: bootsintheoven