Falls Church, VA 22044
(703) 532-9009
Visited: February 14, 2010
When searching for a bit to eat what should you remember? Go wherever you see good sized line. That bit of information served our family well as we were visiting the Eden Center for the Vietnamese new year celebration.
After walking around the snowbound parking lot, carefully navigating the two monkeys via the stroller around many locals and seeing the dragon dances while many fireworks cracked to welcome the new year....we were starving!
Now here the dilemma we faced as we walked around the inside of the Eden Center; we wanted something to calm our hunger but not completely satisfy the ravenous beast that scratched the walls of our tummies. Nosiree-Bob, we wanted a little taste of some Vietnamese goodness that would hold us over for our true meal; a big bowl of Pho.
Also, the monkeys were starvin' and we figured we should be responsible parents by actually feeding them on their birthday. :-) As we walked through the inside we spotted a line of people waiting for their sammiches at Nhu Lan and we knew this was our place.
The wife had been on a mission to try a typical Vietnamese sandwich since seeing Tony Bourdain stuff his face on his show...what do you call it... J/K Tony. Being a vet of Vietnamese sandwiches I knew that the best place to indulge her craving was at the Eden Center and what better day than today (the New Year) to visit this bustling market place for some tasty sandwiches.
We ordered two chicken sandwiches which were filled with shredded cabbage, carrot and some generous helpings of cilantro (yum!) The flavors were all brought together by the deliciously fresh baguette and Vietnamese mayonnaise.
The sandwiches were about the size of my hand and we shared two of them with our monkeys who enjoyed the flavor and the bread with very enthusiastic, "Umm umm umm" sounds while nodding their heads. Although our boys are only two, their palates are developed enough to know good food whenever they taste it.
As the four of us sat at the table right outside of the Nhu Lan counter, we enjoyed our family moment and I got a little sentimental at the image reflected before me in the big mirror; my wife, my two boys and their fat daddy all huddle around a small table sharing two small sandwiches.
Had you told me more than four years ago (when I was a Austin Powers-like bachelor) that I would be married with twin boys enjoying some tasty food in the Eden Center...I could call you crazy. Life has a funny way of working out and our family moment in front of the Nhu Lan sandwich shop truly made me appreciate these special moments with my little family.
Oh yeah, and the sandwiches are frickin' delish too. :-)
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