As I'm sure you're aware, Herndon is one of the reasonably far western suburbs of Washington DC. You will find two good and moderately priced restaurants in Reston (the next suburb to the east). These include Clyde's (American with an emphasis on fresh quality ingredients) and Rio Grande (Tex-Mex).
Here are some suggestions in the inexpensive to moderate price ranges in the closer suburbs. (Note: These price ranges tend to be ethnic cuisine in the Washington DC area):
Vienna:
Nizam's: excellent Turkish; try to schedule a visit on Donner kebab night
(moderate)
Tyson's Corner/McLean:
Busara: excellent Thai (moderate)
Legal Seafood: simply prepared fish and seafood; the freshness of the
fish is legendary (expensive)
Oriental Regency: there are always large groups of Chinese people eating
here (moderate); Emerald Chicken and Lamb of Two Flavors are
personal favorites
Slade's: simple American food is excellent quality and reliably
prepared; located in Tyson's Corner Shopping Center so count
on a wait
Falls Church:
Haandi: great Indian food; try the marinated grilled lambchops and some
lamb dish with tomatoes whose name I never remember; delicious
eggplant and tomato dish on the vegetarian menu
Le Coq d'Or: excellent classic French; don't be put off the the
uninspiring neighborhood; this place is expensive enough without
a high rent district
Panjshir: Afghani food; close enough to Lebanese/Turkish food to feel
familiar but with a difference; you absolutely must try the
pumpkin dish and a large ravioli-type dish (inexpensive)
Bailey's Crossroads:
Fortune: go for their dum sum lunch on the weekends; choose your food
from rolling carts
Peking Gourmet Inn: absolutely the best Chinese food in N. VA and a
strong case can be made for the best Chinese food in the metro
DC area; great Peking duck; great shrimp with garlic sprouts;
great jou yuan shrimp (ask for it without the shells and don't
wince at the price)
Arlington:
Queen Bee: try the green papaya salad and the entree which is a sort of
cross between a pancake and an omlette -- the batter contains
baby shrimp and bean sprouts (inexpensive)
Red, Hot & Blue: great pulled pig; great ribs (inexpensive)
Finally, since you might want another point of view on this topic check out The WASHINGTONIAN, the local city magazine, on line. Here's the URL:
http://www.washingtonian.com
Karen SelwynWashington, DC