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Tiki Central / Locating Tiki

Pacific Restaurant, Sterling, VA (restaurant)

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R

Name:Cheng's Pacific Restaurant
Type:restaurant
Street:46240 Potomac Run Plaza
City:Sterling
State:VA
Zip:20165
country:USA
Phone:703-404-5500
Status:operational

Description:
Hours: Sun-Thu 11:30am-10:00pm
Fri 11:30am-11:00 pm
Sat 12:00-11:00pm
http://www.chengspacific.com/

Although it's been cited here before, there's not been a separate entry for Pacific Restaurant-so this will a be a combo trip report. The TIPSY factor is moderate as far as decor (maybe a 3), the drinks and food are fantastic. It's fairly easy to find, and it's located in quite a commercial area in a more modern strip mall kinda place. It's one of the outlying stand-alone buildings in the parking lot area.

Looking for a variation of my typical General Tso's chicken order, I tried a serving of Hot Passion Chicken, which is served in a passion fruit sauce. It was spicy, sweet and kicky, and the best food I've ever had in a tiki establishment aside from Trader Vic's Atlanta. One bit of advice about the food - when they say "spicy", THEY MEAN IT. That's the overall impression our party got - even one star was a bit more than usual on the heat scale. If I lived closer to Sterling, this joint would be getting all my takeout business. And my drinks business. Come to think of it, it may be time to move...

There's both indoor and outdoor seating areas, as well as a separate bar area inside. As we had a large group of Honolulu-philes (RIP!) from the Metro DC area, we sat outside. Music was available, there was a piano player who at least knew "The Hukilau Song," and that really added to the atmosphere inside.

On Thursday nights, there's some sort of Polynesian floor show. You may wish to call to confirm before trekking out there, in case it's seasonal (not sure).

The drinks list is several pages long, and they're served in a variety of mugs depending on what you order. The headhunter drink comes in a headhunter mug. The most popular one seemed to be the glass face one that Disney World uses at the Polynesian. See photos for further detail. Large bowls, some big enough for four, are available! In short, I'd highly recommend an excursion to the Pacific if you're in the greater DC area. It's a bit of a hike out towards Dulles, but well worth the trip.

Here's the outside front:

The tiki god out back guards over a lovely little garden with waterfall and stone turtles - am glad we sat outside, because I don't think we'd have explored this area if we'd been indoors.

One of the drinks pages:

And another - oh, there's also a page with non-alcoholic drinks too.

This tiki was in the bar area, I believe:

Shot of the lamps in the main dining room - very high ceiling! Definitely not a claustrophic tiki establishment.

Shot of the koi pond in the main lobby:

Thank god the tiki bar was open:

Here's the glass I mentioned. That's what they serve their MAI TAI in, yum!!! Great drinks all around at Pacific.

The Sunday brunch tiki lives just inside the front door.

Another shot of the bar - cool bark cloth overhead.

Not sure what this festive rickshaw has to do with this tiki, but he lives just inside the front door too.

Another tiki lurking in the lobby:

Better shot of the garden & small waterfall stream.

Love me some neon:

cheers,
Rupe

[ Edited by: rupe33 2005-08-19 08:13 ]

I've seen this restaurant but didn't bother going to investigate it. Thanks Rupe for checking it out. Next time I'm up in that mixing bowl I'll stew down on the patio and eat some spicy, hot food.

R

I will agree heartily that the location and building definitely do not reveal much to its actual tiki content. Give it a try, though, and post your findings!

Cheers,
Rupe

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