SO, YOU FELL ASLEEP while riding Metro to the Pentagon City mall and woke up at the end of the yellow line. Construction cranes, heaps of dirt, the Beltway just visible in the distance — where the heck are you?

Welcome to Huntington.

Don’t hop back on Metro just yet, either. Despite the Alexandria neighborhood’s unappealing first impressions, there are hidden treasures to be found.

Consider this itinerary your Plan B.

Building Boom
The first things you may notice about Huntington are the bulldozers and cherry-pickers — they’re everywhere. The neighborhood is surrounded by construction projects, from a new parking garage at Metro (summer 2008) to various Wilson Bridge-related projects (summer 2013) to new condos going up on every available tract of land. (“From the mid-$200s! Brand new units with fitness center and pool!”) Don’t hear the crunch of concrete, the beep-beep-beep of a reversing truck? You ain’t in Huntington.

Basic Beginnings
The Huntington Metro stop has two exits, and woe be to the inexperienced traveler who gets out on the wrong side. Unlike the negligible difference between, say, Farragut North’s Connecticut Ave/K Street exit and its L Street exit a block away, Huntington’s egresses are almost a mile apart as the crow flies. Passengers can make like a mole and cross through the station for free, though; just ask the station manager.

Bountiful Breakfasts
Your first stop should be on the north side of the station, the Huntington Avenue exit, where you’ll find J & J Sandwich Shop. Despite the name, the diner serves up breakfasts of the greasy spoon variety: bacon and eggs, sausage and eggs, home fried potatoes and eggs. You’ll want to get the yummy rib-eye steak and eggs platter, which also includes potatoes and toast, for under $7. But really, you’re not coming for the food. You’re here for the ambiance: the plastic plates with swirly floral designs; photos of the owner’s family, on a shelf just above the Utz BBQ-flavor potato chips; and the working Ms. Pac-Man machine — if “working” means the ghosts move so fast they look like they’re on speed and the screen is so out of whack the cherries look silver.
» J & J Sandwich Shop, 2303 Huntington Ave, Alexandria. 703 960-6628. Mon.-Fri. 7 a.m.-7p.m., Sat. 8 a.m.-4 p.m., closed Sun.

Bakery Bliss
If you have room for dessert, cross the street and hit up Casa Blanca Deli and Bakery. They serve breakfast, too — pupusas, plantains and other Latin favorites — but your best bet is the well-stocked pastry case with sweet empanadas, almond cookies and pastelitos. Each will set you back about 75 cents apiece.
» Casa Blanca Deli and Bakery, 2258 Huntington Ave, Alexandria. 703-317-9125. 7a.m.-7 p.m. daily.

Bosnian Bonanza
The only Bosnian eatery in the D.C. region (and, according to some, on the East Coast) is hidden in a bland shopping center on the south side of the Metro. No sign announces its presence, unless you count the words “Carry Out” on the gray facade. But inside Cosmopolitan Bakery, Carry Out and Catering you’ll find Bosnian specialties like burek and cevapici — meaty, carby, not South Beach-friendly and so, so good. You’re probably not hungry after two restaurant visits, so revel in the caloric wonder of it all and head next door to Euro Foods, which stocks such Balkan delicacies as pink, banana-shaped marshmallow candies. Pick up some Macedonian halva (a sweet dessert made with sesame seeds), Croatian chocolates or Bulgarian cheese for later.
» Cosmopolitan Bakery, 5902A N. Kings Hwy, Alexandria. 703-329-3303. Mon.-Sun. 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
» Euro Foods, 5900 N. Kings Hwy, Alexandria. Mon.-Sun. 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

By Bus, Briefly
If you have a few minutes to spare, hop on the 9A bus (leaving from the north side) rather than getting back on the train. The bus travels through the scenic parts of Old Town before terminating at Pentagon. As you swipe your SmarTrip or flash your transfer at the driver, say goodbye to Huntington, the best-kept secret below the Beltway.

Posted from ExpressNightOut.com