With quality offerings like the Inn at Little Washington (if you can consider the Shenandoah's part of Northern VA) and Maestro at the RC Tysons Corner, NoVA is hardly a restaurant wasteland.

Around Herndon/Reston, I agree with Pho75 on Elden St as the #1 for Vietnamese beef noodle soup. My favorite Thai joint is Thai Luang on Elden St as well (near the FC Parkway). Thai Luang serves amazing Drunken Noodles (though I must try "The Cow" now based on <b>GodOSpoons'</b> rave ). The best Drunken Noodles in the DC area, IMHO, is Rice on 14th and Q. I would also second the Tortilla Factory (also on Elden) recommendation. My favorite Japanese in this area is Yoko, also on Elden!

I'm not a big fan of L'Auberge but I love Da Domenico.

Reston Town Center is definitely full of chains. I actually quite like PF Chang's and their lettuce wraps and kung pao scallops. The portions are a little too big though (much like Big Bowl which I like as well). And Rio Grande is always convivial

Other recommendations outside of the Herndon/Reston area:

7 Corners: Four Sisters/Huong Que (Viet), Mark's Duck House (dim sum)
Bailey's Xroads: Duangrat's/Rabieng (Thai), Peking Gourmet Inn (Chinese)
Annandale: Ye Chon (Korean)
Falls Church: Haandi (Indian)
Rosslyn: China Garden (dim sum)
McLean: Pulcinella (Italian)
Merrifield: Sweetwater Tavern (American)
Shirlington: Carlyle Grand (American)
Alexandria: Majestic Cafe (American)

And if you cross into DC, the choices expand dramatically.

You could definitely eat out a whole month at good, quality restaurants in NoVA before having to resort to Olive Garden It's not New York but hey, not many places are