Ask Adam: Eat Like an Arlington Local

This periodic sponsored Q&A column is written by Adam Gallegos of Arlington-based real estate firm Arbour Realty, voted one of Arlington Magazine’s Best Realtors of 2013. Please submit follow-up questions in the comments section or via email.

Question: I know this is a bit outside the scope of real estate, but my husband and I just moved to Arlington from the west coast and are looking for some insider tips on places to eat. What restaurants should we try?

Though this doesn’t have much to do with real estate, it is a subject near and dear to my heart, so why not…

Pupatella is a great new addition to Arlington. Every town has to have a go-to pizza place and the competition has heated up in Arlington. What can I say, I love the authentic brick oven pizzas and the charm of this little spot. I recommend eating there so your pizza is straight out of the brick oven.

Mala Tang serves Chinese hot pot, which I recommend trying at least once. It’s the Chinese version of fondue. I usually order the spicy Mala broth (mild and vegetarian available). I recommend the lotus root, watercress, king mushrooms, fish balls and Mala beef. As for the sauce bar, try the Chinese BBQ sauce with cilantro and chili peppers. It’s a very different kind of dinner experience.

Ray’s The Steaks and Ray’s To The Third are worth a visit. Either one is sure to satisfy your carnivorous cravings, but Ray’s The Third includes a more casual menu. They aren’t fancy, but the food is better than any of the big name chains that come to mind. They are located along Wilson Blvd in Rosslyn. Sorry, they don’t have a website.

El Chilango Truck is a food truck that sits on the north side of the Route 50 access road near Queen Street in Courthouse. If you can’t find it, ask anyone in the area and they should be able to point you in the right direction. It’s hard to find good Mexican food in Arlington, but El Chilango is legit.

The Italian Store has become a landmark in Arlington. So much so that you need to take a number when visiting, regardless of the time or day. But, it’s worth it. Start with any one of the sandwiches and I’m pretty sure you will be back for further exploration. My latest trick is buying their pre-made pizza dough to make my own pizza at home.

Crisp & Juicy is one I almost left off, but I have at least a dozen friends who would be upset if I did. You can smell the charbroiled chicken from a couple blocks away. The fried yuca is awesome. As is the chimichurri sauce.

I’m hoping there will be some commenters who are willing to share their favorites…

The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARLnow.com.

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