Field Trip: Eden Center

I was out running errands today and stopped at Eden Center for lunch, and it occurred to me that those of you who are not originally from these parts might not know about this place.


Eden Center is a strip mall out in the Virginia suburbs near 7 corners. It is home to dozens of Vietnamese restaurants, grocery stores, jewelers, etc. Rumor has it that there are restaurants in the back somewhere that serve super authentic Vietnamese food, but I have always been too intimidated to look for them. Oddly enough, the mall was written up in the New York Times travel section last year by Johnny Apple.

Hong Que, which is probably the best known restaurant there, is excellent. Today, I stopped at Song Que, a bakery and deli that is owned by the same family. I had the #8 bahn mi, which is like a Vietnamese hoagie with roast pork, cilantro, jalapenos, carrots, cucumber, and onions on a baguette. For $2.50! It was delicious.


Also, bubble tea, which I always think I will like more than I do. There was all sorts of other mysterious-looking food for sale, which I wish I had the nerve to ask someone about.

ETA: I have to clarify that the picture above is not mine. I took it from Hobnob Blog.