Tara Temple

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.

Christine enjoying her coconut grilled lobster tail

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.”

Christine feeding Khoi

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

Christine Bach & me at the Tara Temple