Yes, Reservations

Like most guys I’m usually not the best at taking a hint. Yet, when it took me five minutes just to make a reservation this past weekend at 1 Gen Thai in Ballston I had a feeling that I wasn’t going to be having an exemplary dining experience.

Upon arriving at 1 Gen Thai suddenly understood why I had to explain to the person on the phone what a reservation was – the restaurant was practically empty. The actual layout of the restaurant is quite pleasant; warm without being overwhelming, yet bright enough to keep me awake.

The service and the food provided a mixed bag of experiences. We were served our drinks long before water was served, though once our water arrived our server did a good job of keeping our glasses filled.

The mango margarita I had was sweet, but pretty weak for six bucks. For my entrée I got the “sweet and sour”, which is a tempura chicken dish with a variety of fruit and vegetables in a sweet and sour sauce and served with a heaping mound of rice. For eleven dollars I felt as if I got my money’s worth – so much so it almost made up for the margarita.

In general, my initial hunch was correct; there was nothing special about 1 Gen Thai. It’s a fairly generic, seemingly dependable restaurant that’s not going to break the bank, but it’s not going take your breath away. I would consider going again, this time, sans reservations.

1 Gen Thai Cuisine
4300 Wilson Blvd.
Arlington, VA 22203
703-243-9669