Nue Elegantly Vietnamese

Co-founder Tuyêt Nhi Lê named this otherworldly hideaway in Falls Church after a 1931 nude (nue, in French) painted by her great-great-uncle, artist Lê Pho. But, of course, the name is a double entendre. Every aspect of the dining experience here feels quite new—from the sexy warren of dark floral dining rooms to exquisite cocktails incorporating ingredients such as lemongrass, pandan, lychee and, in some cases, smoke and fire. “Refugees brought their cuisine to the U.S. [during the war], so most of the Vietnamese food that’s eaten in America is still from 1975,” Lê says. “There’s more to it than pho and banh mi. If you travel to Saigon today, the food scene is very international. We want to capture that newness.” They have. The kitchen, helmed by chef Daniel Lê (no relation), is forever innovating. In lieu of Thanksgiving turkey, he offered duck stuffed with truffle sticky rice and persimmons. An Asian take on street corn is tossed in chili-lime butter with prawn chips for scooping. Even classic dishes based on generations-old family recipes are bright, colorful and plated in a way that feels enchantingly fresh. –Jenny Sullivan