Just when I thought the Tyson’s Corner Virginia area was only famous for its shopping, La Sandia Mexican Kitchen located at 7852 Tysons Corner Center proved me wrong. We had one of the best authentic experiences, not only was the food amazingly authentic but so was the staff’s kindness. Our server was Anna, lovely and knowledgeable and with the help of her super kind manager Krystal they were the perfect hosts.
As I always love to do, I let them take the wheel and bring out what they felt were the best dishes. We happen to be there at the right time because they had an extended weekend menu running, so we got the opportunity to try a few things off of it. To begin Anna brought us out fresh salsa with warm house-made tortilla chips. The salsa was not spicy, so anyone would be able to enjoy this delicious starter.
Next, she took our drink orders and recommended a few margaritas that were the most popular ones. The three we got to try were:
La Sandia– Watermelon & cucumber infused tequila Blanco, fresh watermelon, and fresh lime.
Spiced Lemonade– Blanco tequila, chili-infused honey, fresh lemonade with a sugar rim. This one had a unique spicy aftertaste.
Pomegranate Margarita– House tequila, house-made pomegranate syrup, fresh lime sour mix with a sugar rim. This one was our fav. One sip and we were hooked.
The “Antojitos” section on the menu was up first, so Anna started us off with the Guacamole Tradicional, avocado, tomato, onion, cilantro, lime and chile serrano served with banana chips. The manager mixed it right at the table for us, which was a cool thing to watch but it was even better to eat. Guacamole is a hit or miss dish, not everyone can make it well, but La Sadia nailed it. It was one of the best guacamoles I’ve ever had.
Two other great dishes that we had from that same section were Molcajete Cheese Dip, chipotle en adobo, poblano pepper, and red bell pepper served in this really adorable stone pig bowl. The second dish was Queso Fundido made with melted Oaxaca, chihuahua cheese, chile morita salsa served with a few flour tortillas, guacamole, pico, and salsa so you can scoop into a shell and build your own mini cheese tacos. The serving sizes for these appetizers were pretty big, so two people could definitely share them.
We made sure to leave some room because the next course would be all of the entrees and what amazing entrees they all were! First were two dishes from the extended weekend menu which I would say were the ones I enjoyed the most. The Shrimp Ceviche which was poached citrus shrimp, cucumber, cilantro, avocado, tomato and pickled onions. The Salmon Veggie Medley was seared pan salmon, carrots, red peppers, red potatoes, calabaza, asparagus, micro cilantro, and tomatillo sauce served with chipotle rice. Both of these dishes were made with the best quality ingredients, especially the fresh shrimp and salmon; you could taste it with every bite.
Next, you would be nuts to go to an authentic Mexican restaurant and not try the tacos and enchiladas, so we did. Braised Beef Tacos, sliced in-house and made with crispy cheese, grilled scallion and salsa verde. It was served with cheese, lettuce, pickled onions, Mexican rice and refried black beans. The Jalisco Shrimp Enchiladas were a cheesy heaven, made with Oaxaca cheese, corn, rajas and served on a plate with sweet plantain, pesto rice, and crema fresca.
To wrap up that course we had two more entrees from the chef’s section, Chicken Zarape, and Carne Asada. The Chicken Zarape was pan-seared with bacon and panela. It was served with pico de gallo, chipotle cream sauce, refried black beans and creamy white cotija rice. The Carne Asada was a well done grilled Harris ranch hanger steak covered with chimichurri, onions, and pepper. It was served with bacon charro beans, sauteed chile poblano, chile morita sauce and a sweet corn tamale. Both really amazing dishes also.
Though we were stuffed and our taste buds were 100% satisfied we had to end the meal with dessert, but the manager didn’t want us to just have one choice. She brought out something they created called the dessert sampler which was a little bit of everything on the dessert menu: Churros, Tres Leches and Carmel Flan. Mmmmmmm, so good!
Both the food and the experience we had at Las Sandia were amazing. So if your #tacotuesday needs a little makeover or if you’re shopping at the Tysons Corner Mall and need a food break then head over to La Sandia. I promise you will have the best experience!
www.eatlasandia.com/tysonscornerva
Instagram:@lasandiatc
Naomi is a stylish, adventurous traveler. She’s a bit of a daredevil that loves excursions. Those that know her, call her a shoe connoisseur. She is also obsessed with music and has a playlist for just about any mood. She’s a foodie that loves a good vegetarian/vegan spot. Want to know where she is headed next… stay tuned to find out!
