Sweet Ginger — Restaurant in Vienna

Sawatdi, y’all! Sweet Ginger in Vienna has a gallant vibe unto itself. Nothing doing on your own — bring a date, or your family! Here, it’s all about a luvin’ food fair!

We’re up talking here something serious about Thai 🇹🇭 food. Altogether delish, delicately prepared, in substantial proportions, with elegant presentation and polite service. 💛 Mind you, this fine establishment is at times QUITE BUSY… and with good reasons. Waiting may be unexpected, yet worth your time!

To start for us was the ever pleasant Satay. Chicken cooked evenly, not at all having that slight “rubbery” (for lack of a better word) texture. Not-too-sweet peanut sauce glazed right on, rather than in the usual side ramekin, offering an element of smoothness rarely enjoyed except in the most upscale Bangkok restaurants. Definitely start with this when you nosh here. To be advised, a second serving is a sure must, if a table of four diners! (And, conversely, skip the Calamari appetizer, about which neither our party nor the first-date couple next to us could find anything positive to comment.)

The one requisite roll of tuna 🍣 sushi (to share) was comparable and freshly done for this given price range. (Sushi isn’t something we as a family usually prefer, hence we chose to go small just as a ‘trial’.) More importantly for me, I noshed the spicy stir fried rice, a serving insanely large with enough to take home, with very good seasoned chicken buried within, and a choice basil that set my hard-to-please palate on a hot & sweet edge. [Note: an extra 🍚 rice on the side is a very good value, especially if your table has children or other picky eaters.]

The Contessa Julia, tired from Christmas week events, imbibed a flavorful 🍹 Peach Mojito cocktail that was strong enough for me just sitting next to her to blow a DUI. {Her gleaming eyes & smiling comment left me to believe it just as well mixed as she’s oft partaken in upscale Miami clubs.} And given the top-notch service and finesse of this locale, the cost was not duly burdensome. Similarly a small amount total for the overall bill as well.

Will we three be back? Well, Thai food (good, or bad) is becoming rather ubiquitous in NoVa. And yet… It may matter nothing to most readers… However for this cosmopolitan reviewer… Where else locally can I discuss the elements of the wily “Lumpinee Boxing Stadium” (found in Bangkok) with a very happening hostess?! 🥊

Kop khun...

I have been coming to Sweet Ginger since it opened. I generally order Bento Box or Pad Thai. BB has 3 teriyaki options - beef, chicken and salmon. Restaurant interior design suggests relaxing atmosphere which I find to be true for lunch dining. After dark, dinner time, it becomes a family restaurant, which is understandable considering its neighborhood location, and often has the charm of a Chukee Cheese restaurant.

Update 03.25.2021

I have been a Sweet Ginger regular since it opened many years ago. I am thinking probably 20 years or more. Over the majority of those years, especially the early years, quality of recipes, ingredients, cooking, serving and ambiance has been very good in my opinion and experience. It was especially good in the early years.

It appeared to me that about midway in the longevity of SG the quality level became a bit erratic, in my eyes and taste system (gustatory, olfactory and trigeminal), within an acceptable range. My prior visit to SG before yesterday was November 20, 2021 for lunch. Before COVID-19 pandemic I dined here close to quarterly. I also acknowledge that COVID-19 conditions has been difficult for all businesses to navigate and especially for the restaurants.

Walking in for lunch yesterday at 2:00 PM I was surprised to see SG was filled to its limited capacity allowance though a table was about to turn over. Immediately after the guests at that table left the server cleared the table and haphazardly cleaned it in my view. I requested better attention to cleaning which he then did.

Pad Thai I ordered arrived wet. Wet as in watery which is not appealing for me. The server waiting my table is a long time SG employee and is well aware of my aversion to watery Pad Thai. I returned it and the next serving arrived dry. But it was tepid and chicken and shrimp were not fresh. Shredded carrot and cabbage were fresh and the lemon wedge was also fresh. I ate four small bites of it, pushed the plate aside, finished the Kir Royale I also ordered and...

After some connecting flights and hours of flying and a great Lyft ride, I finally made it to my friends in Vienna. We definitely worked up an appetite after all the traveling, so we took a little drive to one of the nearby plazas after looking on Yelp for sushi restaurants in the area. The lunch crowd was winding down and we were quickly seated and served. All the servers were following mask protocols, and there was a steady stream of patrons coming by for pickup and takeout orders. We ordered a California roll, shrimp tempura roll, JB Roll and a Philly roll. To round out the selections, we ordered their specialty duck roll, which don't be fooled, it was not a sushi roll. Instead, it was deliciously roasted duck with vegetables and herbs, held in a thicker wrap than an egg roll. It was incredible. The sushi came out quickly and was also good, but I was blown away by the oversized and artistic JB Roll, as well as the smoky salmon in the Philly roll. The textures and flavors of both were outstanding. Just to ensure the entrees were up to par with the sushi, we ordered the chicken red Thai curry with basil, which came with a side of slaw and white rice. The curry was perfectly spiced, just enough to open your pores, but not so much that you were reaching for your drinks. We really enjoyed the food, the service and the decor. I highly recommend them, and will definitely be back when I'm...