Chances are, you’re feeling more than ready to get out for a great meal again. What better excuse than Fairfax City Restaurant Week, which takes place from May 24 to 31? With prix-fixe menus that offer not only exceptional deals but also interesting food, this iteration of the promotion may be the most appealing yet.
Where would I be eating if I had the time? I picked my favorites from among the menus posted on the FCRW website. Here’s why I think they’re the best bets.
Baku Delicious
This Azerbaijani restaurant and market has dishes no one else in all of NoVA can boast. New to the cuisine? Its Central Asian location means its dishes are somewhere between Eastern Europe and the Middle East. At lunch, the $20 three-course prix-fixe includes a cabbage roll, but I prefer the options included in the $35 dinner. That starts with a choice of creamy Olivier salad or yogurt-based dovga soup. Azerbaijani plov, a rice dish filled with chestnuts and yellow plums, will fill you up before pakhlava and tea. // 3900 Pickett Rd., Ste. C, Fairfax
Bollywood Bistro
Craving a hearty Indian meal? Start with two tandoori lamb chops or crunchy shrimp in sauce known as Bombay Shrimp. Traditionalists will want to order the butter chicken, while those looking to try something new might prefer spice-rubbed, grilled mahi mahi. Desserts are unapologetically Western: Bailey’s crème brûlée or chocolate cake, but whatever you order from the $35 dinner menu, it will come with a glass of red or white house wine. // 3955 Chain Bridge Rd., Fairfax
Epicure Cafe
Whether you’re avoiding meat or just love flavorful Persian cooking in a garden setting, this $35 menu has you covered. Both appetizers are vegetarian: barbecue Buffalo cauliflower and koo koo sabzi, an Iranian spinach-and-herb frittata. The four courses include a soup or salad before entrees like chickpea pizza or filet mignon kebab with falafel-filled artichokes. For dessert, there’s baklava or vegan apple pie. // 11104 Lee Hwy., Fairfax
High Side
Those planning on a tipple with their meal are well-advised to head to this brewery, where a beer, wine, or craft soda is included in the three-course, $35 menu. A pair of steamed buns is the starter, stuffed with braised tofu, tempura shrimp, or Taiwanese pork belly. Main dishes include meaty zha jiang mian, vegan dan dan noodles, or a fried chicken sandwich. Guests finish off with green-tea ice cream or caramel flan. // 4009 Chain Bridge Rd., Fairfax
The Auld Shebeen
Speaking of beer, the beloved Irish pub is a brew-lovers dream, with a four-drink flight included in the $34.95 prix-fixe. Diners can choose from among Guinness, Kilkenny, Smithwick’s, Harp, and Magner’s Cider. After salad or homemade potato-leek soup, classic pub grub like fish and chips, shepherd’s pie, corned beef and cabbage, and beef-and-Guinness stew are among the options. Sticky toffee pudding and a stout? Sounds like the ideal way to end a meal. // 3971 Chain Bridge Rd., Fairfax
Wine House
Diners on the hunt for something a little more upscale will find it at Wine House for brunch, lunch, or dinner. At the evening meal, the $35 deal can start light with gazpacho, heavy with braised pork belly, or somewhere in between. The seven entree choices include steak frites, braised short ribs, jumbo lump crab cake, or spring risotto with Champagne cream. A dark-chocolate terrine with hazelnut cream and toasted hazelnuts would be my pick for dessert, but there’s also crème caramel or tiramisu. // 3950 University Dr., Fairfax
