Yakiniku is a popular dish in Japan. It is basically strips of meat marinated in special Korean BBQ sauce and cooked at your table. It is soooooo yummy. Something else very popular in Japan is karaoke. I'm sure everyone knows karaoke is popular in Japan, but most probably do not know that karaoke is usually done in karaoke "boxes" there. Instead of performing in a bar in front of total strangers, you can rent private rooms to party in with just your friends. Song selections are usually wide and varied, including many popular English songs. This is how I like to do my karaoke too.
In Northern Virginia, there is a large Korean community, particularly Annandale it seems. There is a very good Korean restaurant called Yechon. It's packed on weekends, but they are pretty fast at getting people seated and served (Asian efficiency). Prices are reasonable, probably under $20 per person for the meal portion (not including drinks). If you are new to Korean BBQ, go to the bbq section of the menu, order 1 portion of Kalbi and something else (make sure to go with a friend since you have to order minimum 2 servings). With your bbq, you automatically get a portion of rice and many side dishes. The restaurant also serves Japanese food/sushi and variety of other Korean food.
Just down the road from Yechon is Cafe Muse, the closest thing you can get to a Japanese style karaoke box. Probably the ideal group size is max 6-8 people if you want to get your hands on the microphone frequently. I've enjoyed karoke with a group of all sizes though. Prices are roughly $6-10 per person per hour depending on the group size (works out cheaper if there are more I think). They also serve food and drink to fuel you all night, but if you stuff yourself at Yechon beforehand, you'll be good to go for a while.
So for a fun Asian style night out, go check out Yechon and Cafe Muse!
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