It used to be part of the Tara Thai chain. But with a new owner, new renovations and Buddhist sculptures flanking the entrance, the name changed to Tara Temple. If DC was the banquet hall, Arlington was the backyard. It was a town where I had the least amount of clients and the fewest number of events. So when manager Shine Chuenyam invited me to host an event at the Temple, I was more than happy to arrange.

When I approached, I was met by two mythical stone lions standing guard at an ironclad double door. As I walked in, the foyer was shaped like the entrance of a Thai temple with shiny red columns and a sweeping temple roof.

I was greeted by stone statues of Buddhist deities praying.

The Temple was huge. It had tons of room with a large bar, lots of comfy couches and semi-circular booths for those who yearn for a private conversation. The decor was sleek and modern and it definitely set the tone for the entire evening.

I was glad that my new friend Christine had arrived early. She was already sipping on a Singha Mojito and ordered a lobster sushi roll. The chefs did their magic and Shine was happy to serve it.

We both dug in and I had to almost arm wrestle Christine for the best part.

Shortly after, Khoi Tran showed up. An Air Force officer stationed in the Pentagon, he was also a food connoisseur and loved to blog about his experiences.

“I love a Thai restaurant that serves good sushi,” he said. “Sushi that’s creative with a fine presentation.”

Shine brought out the next delicacy — the Sunomono Salad consisting of octopus, cucumber, and seaweed over a bed of shredded white radish with sweet rice vinegar and sprinkled with sesame seeds. 

Since Khoi arrived a bit late, Christine was happy to feed him. Khoi was reluctant at first since as a military officer, he was used to fending for himself, but Christine insisted.

“C’mon now, I’m a cook and feeding my friends is an act of love.”

“You need to come to our events more often,” I said. “No one will ever complain that they didn’t get enough to eat.”