Restaurant Spotlight of the Week:

By Darien Bates

On Saturday Zyng Asian Grill held its grand opening at the Broadway to great acclaim including a ribbon cutting by the mayor in recognition of the first restaurant to be opened in the new mixed use development.

While the fanfare and the balloons heralded the arrival of the new establishment, and the buzz is sure to draw customers interested in trying out the new eatery, the environment and the hearty and varied options promise to make the place a mainstay in the list of Falls Church hot spots.

Before even taking a bite customers are served a dramatic orient-inspired atmosphere complete with bamboo pillars, ceiling ornamentation, and room length dragon silhouette. Further in, the well-stocked bar is a great place for both a quick bite as well as drinks with friends. The restaurant combines the best of the traditional American bar and grill with the favorites of Asian fare. The appeal of Zyng is the range of cultural styles it covers, while managing to respect the flavors of each. Whether Chinese, Thai, Japanese, the fare doesn't fall into generalities.

Starting off the meal, the Japanese teriyaki chicken skewers fulfill the work of an appetizer as they make promises of what's to come with the light flavors of the sauce and the complement of green onions. The chicken pot stickers are delicate with a hint of garlic and served with a succulent dipping sauce.

The vegetarian soup is also a delicious way to begin. The broth is genuine and fresh and the vegetables are pleasantly crisp, no package Ramen here.

Traditional Chinese takeout options include the ever popular General Tao's Chicken. The restaurant manages to circumvent the most common mistake which is to make the chicken too heavy and syrupy. Instead the chefs at Zyng create a light but satisfying chicken dish with all the taste and half the weight. The jasmine rice that accompanies the dish is topped with a surprisingly fresh and fruity sauce. For a dish with real zing the Kung Pao chicken packs a lot of heat. The dish blends red chiles, peppers, onions, and peanuts in the tangy sauce. The chicken is well prepared, tender and juicy.

Thai food is also on the menu with the fan favorite Pad Thai. Either chicken or shrimp the dish combines thin rice noodles and the sweet and sour sauce for the ideal Thai taste.

But the biggest draw for the restaurant is the Asian Market option, a create-your-own-meal that leaves the flavors up to the diner. The five step process includes a selection of a style of noodles or rice, a protein selection, a flavoring, and a choice of vegetables from the vegetable market. Finally the chefs put together your choices to give you a satisfying dinner that comes with everything you want.

Some of highlights include the Chinese black bean sauce with subtle garlic flavors. Served with Cantonese style noodles the beans fill out the flavors of the vegetables, both salty and sweet. Other flavorings include teriyaki, sesame garlic ginger and spicy peanut just to name a few.

Following the meal are a range of desserts that include chocolate dipped fortune cookies, a variation on a Chinese take-out favorite. Whether one's preference is for standard fare or for a unique meal of one's own creating, the options are there, from A to Zyng.