Dino's Den Lee Fairfax Plaza 9534 Arlington Blvd., Fairfax 273-8978 Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Bar open until midnight. Closed Sunday. Prices: Lunch $2.25 to $5.75. Dinner, soups and appetizers $2.50 to $5.75, sandwiches and entrees $3.95 to $16.95. Cards: All major credit cards accepted. No separate nonsmoking section. Old-fashioned neighborhood steak and seafood restaurants seem to be a dying breed, while competitors ranging from ethnic storefronts to spiffy dining rooms serving New American cuisine have grown in popularity and prominence. Nonetheless, those old-breed restaurants that have hung on are, in many cases, thriving as there is still an audience for familiar food cooked in a no-nonsense style. Such is the case at Dino's Den, opened in 1965 by native Greek John Joannou and his mother and named for John's younger brother, Constandino. For most of the 24 years, John and his wife Athena have run the business. Walls in the back room are decorated with signed, original art from some nationally known cartoonists who either were, or are, among Dino's many regular diners. In fact, on any given night, the two small dining rooms and bar are filled with faithful customers of several generations. In addition to being regular Dino's diners, many are regular smokers, too, and the management has begun to look at the possibility of creating a separate nonsmoking area. Overall, the kitchen turns out ample portions of better-than-average, standard American fare with a few Greek and Italian accents, relying heavily on grilling and broiling and producing some very good values. To get your meal off to a lively start, try the fried, spiced cheese balls made with jalapeno-flecked Monterrey Jack. The fried onion rings are nothing special, but the homemade soups, such as the crock of flavorful onion soup and a nicely seasoned Friday special of chunky clam chowder, are worth sampling. Some of the best deals are the Greek and Italian offerings, beginning with a hearty Greek salad ($4.95) dressed with a sprightly vinaigrette sauce. The assertive, herb-seasoned Italian meat sauce has plenty of character. Try it on the generous helping of veal parmigiana paired with spaghetti ($7.95). The charbroiled chicken ($9.50) with lemon and oregano was delicious, although a few charred spots on the surface left a bitter taste, as was the case with the bacon cheeseburger. The steak Lorraine, a frequent special priced at $14.95, is a high-quality cut of meat in a rich, peppery sauce. The Dino's sirloin steak, on the other hand, was thin and tough. A thick slab of prime rib ($10.95) fell somewhere in between with more flavor than most. A kebab of marinated swordfish was a hit -- smoky and perfectly cooked. I wish the same attention had been paid to the shrimp in an otherwise successful creole sauce with chunks of vegetables, mushrooms and a spicy afterburn. A broiled fillet of red snapper was nicely done. Dinners come with a tossed salad, a choice of fried or foil-wrapped potato, and a basket of good Italian bread, crackers and bread sticks. For dessert, don't miss the ambrosial, creamy rice pudding. There is also a dense, but not overly sweet, home-style baklava, a decent cheesecake and other purchased cakes and ice cream. The longtime staff makes you feel right at home. One busy night our waitress thoughtfully, but unceremoniously, plunked down two glasses of water for each of us, anticipating that we'd probably need a refill but not certain we'd get it during the dinner-hour crush. This is good, back-to-the-basics food served in a comfortable, friendly atmosphere.
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