Saigon Kitchen, opened only last year, is the latest in the string of restaurant closings in Glover Park. Earkins Uyghur, a restaurant serving central-Asian cuisine, has opened in its place. Saigon Kitchen owner Lannie Vu said "the lack of in-house foot traffic" and "the majoirty of business coming from delivery" (which costs a signifcant service charge) made the business not viable. He said the closure of Whole Foods was a negative factor. We've heard these reasons before, and it is unfortunate that it has affected so many restaurants on our strip. Lannie has an established restaurant in Bethesda called Rice Paddies Grill, and will focus his time and effort there.

Eerkins, which has a location in Fairfax, VA, and now at 2412 Wisconsin Avenue, will try to conquer the conundrum of restaurant success in Glover Park. The Saigon Kitchen liquor license was not transferred to Eerkins, which makes it that much more difficult to succeed as a sit-down restaurant.

Eerkins describes its food as “reflecting the cooking styles of many ethnic groups of the Xinjiang region, and refers particularly to central Asian food. Because of the Muslim population, this Chinese food is predominantly halal. Xinjiang cuisine is found throughout much of China, as migrants from the region often open Xinjiang restaurants or food stands in other regions. It is often found in the Chinese restaurants throughout the world.”