Finding exceptional dining experiences in NoVA can feel overwhelming - between unreliable reviews, marketing hype, and an ever-changing restaurant landscape. This week, I visited Joon to see if it lives up to the national recognition it's receiving. Plus, we've got breaking news about several exciting restaurant openings across the region.

Here's what we're covering today:

• A detailed review of Joon's Persian fine dining experience
• Breaking news about CHīKO's newest location
• The scoop on an exciting Filipino breakfast spot coming to Pentagon City

Let's dive into this week's featured review.

Restaurant Review: Joon Persian Fine Dining Delivers Both Style and Substance in Tysons

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Walking into Joon, recently honored among The New York Times' 2024 Top 50 Favorite Restaurants, you might initially be struck by what seems like an inefficient use of space - a sprawling entrance with its welcoming atrium, bar, and sitting area. But as you're led through to the main dining room, the restaurant reveals itself in layers, with a surprisingly expansive dining space that showcases elegant modern décor, striking wall murals, and comfortable blue banquettes.

I visited during DC Metropolitan Restaurant Week, initially drawn by their regular $20 lunch prefix menu, but instead found myself happily diving into their three-course Restaurant Week offering. A amusing moment set the tone for the attentive service to come - our server apologetically pointed out a "small typo" in the menu price, correcting it from $25 to $35. As I joked with him, at least it wasn't accidentally priced at $350!

The starters showcased Joon's dedication to thoughtful presentation. My companion's hummus came with generous portions of warm flatbread, while my pistachio soup arrived in what looked like a Turkish coffee glass - a presentation that initially had me squinting in confusion until the server explained it was intentionally portioned to leave room for the courses to come. The soup itself was a velvety, warm creation with a delicate pistachio flavor, topped with toasted pistachios - more subtle than your typical pistachio ice cream and all the better for it.

The kebabs that followed proved to be the true stars. My chicken kebab demonstrated perfect execution - chicken breast can be notoriously easy to overcook, but here it was impeccably seasoned and tender. It came accompanied by an impressive mountain of lightly saffron-flavored rice, which had been finished in what I suspect was a cast iron pan, giving it a delightfully crispy bottom layer that added wonderful textural contrast. If I had one minor quibble, it would be the proportions - while I would have loved more of the excellent chicken and the small side salad, the rice portion was arguably too generous.

Dessert brought an intriguing twist on affogato, served in what appeared to be a china teacup with chocolate and pistachios cleverly melted to the outside of the cup rather than mixed in - though this artistic choice made eating it slightly more complicated than necessary. The coffee was served separately, allowing for customized assembly.

Service throughout was attentive yet unobtrusive - perfect for our casual business lunch catch-up. A note on parking: while there is valet service available right at the entrance, I opted for free parking a short walk away, as many of the nearby retail spaces have strict towing policies.

At $35 for the Restaurant Week menu, Joon offers excellent value for the quality of food and service provided. While the regular menu promises to be pricier, based on this experience, it would be worth returning for a special occasion dinner to explore more of their Persian menu, which spans from Caspian Sea seafood to duck and lamb dishes.

Just remember to enter through the glass doors into the atrium rather than the storefront - once you spot the carpeted entrance with the restaurant's name, you'll know you're in the right place!

This Week in NoVA Dining News

If you're looking to stay on top of Northern Virginia's dynamic restaurant scene, here are the key updates you need to know:

• ​CHīKO Opens in Cascades - The popular Chinese-Korean restaurant debuts its first location with a full-service bar at 46308 Cranston St., Potomac Falls. Grand opening tonight at 5pm with free dumplings until 8pm! The new location promises an "elevated yet approachable space" featuring their signature dishes like "orange-ish" chicken and cumin lamb stir-fry.
• ​Lapu Lapu Coming to Pentagon City - Chef Javier Fernandez is bringing his acclaimed Filipino breakfast sandwiches to 1417 S. Fern Street. Already named one of the area's best breakfast spots by Bethesda Magazine at its Gaithersburg location, this expansion brings exciting morning options to Arlington.
• ​Falls Church Restaurant Boom - With the opening of the new 45,000-square-foot Whole Foods, several exciting additions are coming to the Little City, Plus, the West Falls development will welcome Fresh Market.

That's it!

Here's what you learned today:

• Joon lives up to its national recognition with thoughtful presentations and expertly prepared Persian cuisine
• CHīKO is elevating its fast-casual concept with a full-service bar in Cascades
• Falls Church is becoming a major dining destination with multiple exciting openings

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