‘Tis the season to head to the mall. Luckily for the hordes of holiday shoppers at Tysons Galleria, the mall has recently introduced three new dining destinations — Rabbit Taco, Char’d, and Scolapasta — that give fans of tacos, smash burgers, and fresh pasta something to look forward to when they shop.
On a recent trip to the shopping center, I had a meal at each of the three new eateries to get a taste for their offerings.
Rabbit Taco
It’s easy to order off one of the convenient screens on the bar at Rabbit Taco. Deciding on just a few bites is far more challenging. I had to skip Mexican street corn, tortas, and lobster or lamb tacos in favor of the three tacos I did get to try.
My first impression? They are tiny. At $4.99 per taco, the palm-sized tortillas hold only a few bites of halal meat. The fish taco, with its tempura-battered seafood base under a layer of slaw, disappeared especially fast.
The asada, with its chunks of beef and heirloom tomatoes, found some character thanks to a dip in the house salsa verde. But the best of the three was unquestionably the mushrooms al pastor. The cilantro-and-pineapple relish did the meaty mushrooms many favors.
Char’d
Looking for a fully Zabiha Halal place to dive into a serious cheeseburger? The first brick-and-mortar location for this popular food truck is the place. I could count on two hands the number of items on the Char’d menu, and that is the beauty of the place. The crew has clearly put in their 10,000 hours making burgers.
I ordered the Double Original Char’d, which came in at $14.99. With crisp edges and melty American cheese, every bit of the amiably greasy burger’s surface area was well-seasoned. I got mine with crisp, skin-on fries and the best of all possible colas, the vanilla-scented one made by Boylan Bottling.
Scolapasta
Located behind Andy’s, across the way from the rest of the new food court vendors, Scolapasta has a more relaxed vibe thanks to its larger tables and spot removed from the hubbub of shoppers. Its pasta is indeed made fresh — I saw noodles being extruded while I waited for my meal.
Options for the build-your-own pasta bowls are appealing and include halal ground beef, courtesy of executive chef Roshan Ashiq, an Il Canale alum. But don’t expect the noodles you would find at the Georgetown restaurant, at least not all the time.
My tagliatelle was disappointingly soft, but I enjoyed its creamy mushroom sauce with truffle oil and salty cheese nonetheless. If I return, I’ll order a thicker pasta shape, perhaps the casarecce or radiatore, in hopes that it stands up better to the quick-service preparation. They’ll go better with the meaty-looking Bolognese, anyhow.
These three new additions join Tysons Galleria staples such as the flagship location of Andy’s Pizza, Empanadas de Mendoza, and Saudi-inspired café Shotted Specialty Coffee, home to the best pistachio latte you’ll find for miles.
My overarching impression of the newly bustling Galleria food court? There’s still room for growth, but compared to just about any other mall in America, Tysons has much to be proud of. Prices are high for fast food, but certainly not prohibitive for diners who can shop at the luxury mall. In fact, dining at any of the vendors would score you some of the best bargains to be found in any NoVA mall.
Tysons Galleria: 2001 International Dr., McLean
Feature image of Scolapasta by Alice Levitt
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