About us
Welcome to our Sushi, Ramen & International Food Lovers Group!
Are you excited about being part of a vibrant community of food lovers who enjoy sharing not just meals, but experiences? Our dining group was created to bring together those who have a passion for exploring diverse culinary delights—from the delicate flavors of sushi to the comforting warmth of ramen, and beyond to the rich tapestry of international cuisines.
Whether you're a seasoned foodie or just starting your culinary journey, everyone is welcome to join us in discovering new dishes, sharing recipes, and enjoying great company. Let’s celebrate the joy of food together, one delicious bite at a time!
Upcoming events
1
- $2.00
Cheffy Vietnamese Street Food at Chao Ban!
2001 International Dr, McLean, Vi, USJoin us for some cheffy Vietnamese Street food from Moon Rabbit's chef, Kevin Tien, at his new conept - Chao Ban in Tysons Galleria!
Washingtonian:
At his upscale restaurant Moon Rabbit, chef Kevin Tien and his team reimagine Vietnamese food with modern dishes like mochi beignets with fresh eel or green-curry sponge cake. But at his new fast-casual spot, Chao Ban, in Tysons Galleria, Tien is focusing on more familiar staples like pho and banh mi—albeit with some of his usual cheffy twists.
“If you want super traditional Vietnamese food, definitely go check out the original mom and pop places,” says Tien, citing Eden Center and standbys like Pho 75. “We’re just trying to do what our version is.”
At Chao Ban—meaning “hello, friend”—Tien has teamed up with Alan Vo, his partner in Hot Lola’s fried chicken joint and a longtime friend from his early restaurant days in Louisiana. One of the banh mi at Chao Bun features Hot Lola’s Sichuan-chili-oil-spiked Nashville hot chicken. Other sandwiches come stuffed with salt and pepper shrimp—a nod to the chef’s late nights at New Big Wong in Chinatown—or crispy pork belly rubbed in pho spices.
All of them come on bread that arrives par-baked from Leidenheimer Baking Company in New Orleans. “When you take a bite, there’s like a million crumbs everywhere, with a super soft interior,” Tien says. The toasted bread also accompanies a couple bowls, such as a lemongrass beef short rib stew or a lemongrass chicken coconut curry.
Other snackier dishes include fried spring rolls, nuoc cham chicken wings, and honey pecan shrimp (a riff on honey walnut shrimp) with yuzu kosho mixed into the condensed milk drizzle. Tien expects a sleeper hit to be the shrimp chips and dip with a Vietnamese “salsa” made from charred tomatoes, chipotles, shallots, lime, and fish sauce.
On the more traditional end of the menu is pho, including a beef version with 12-hour brisket and another with halal lemongrass chicken. (All the chicken on the menu is halal, and Tien is hoping to expand the offerings soon.) “We’re toasting all our spices by hand for the pho, so it’s like the freshest all our spices could be,” Tien says.
Check out Chao Ban menu here
WAITLIST:
Meetup does not allow a waitlist for paid events. If this event fills and you are interested in adding your name to the waitlist, please send host a message through the app.To enhance the opportunity for great conversation, we would like to keep the group small. Please feel free to sign-up to meet us along with up to 2 friends.
In the future, we will vary the days of the week, geography and the cost of restaurants so that we can attract many different types of diners.
PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU ARE COMMITTED TO GO WHEN YOU RSVP FOR THIS EVENT. In the event our group incurs a fee for no-shows / late cancellations, your ability to RSVP for future events will be restricted. Thank you in advance for your understanding.Feel free to make suggestions for future meet locations. All diners will have their own tab to avoid any confusion.
** The small non-refundable registration fee helps us share the cost associated with Meetup platform ($360/year) and reduces the likelihood of no-shows, allowing us to better plan our events and accommodate attendees. Thank you in advance for your understanding!**
If you are unable to join us in May, we hope you'll stay interested and join us for a meal in the future. Looking forward to seeing you at Chao Ban in Tysons Galleria!
13 attendees
Past events
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