Get grilling at Gyu Shige Japanese barbeque

Hi, editor Kayla here, back with another restaurant spotlight from my neck of the woods in Northern Virginia.

Quick take: If you're a fan of creative flavors and cooking your own meal but not having to clean up after, consider the Japanese barbeque hot spot Gyu Shige in Fairfax's Mosaic District.

• I brought along my younger brothers for a catch-up … and so that they could cook the food while I took photos for the Axios D.C. Instagram (smash that follow button).

How it works: If you've never had Japanese barbecue, don't be intimidated. Our server was friendly and made great recommendations. She showed us how to use the utensils for the in-table grill, and dished up suggested cooking times to suit our doneness preferences.

What we drank: Light, tropical drinks that felt like summer. I ordered the Bittersweet Daiquiri and my brothers enjoyed the Agave Smokehouse (a margarita made with smoky mezcal tequila) and the Tokyo Drift (a Long Island Iced Tea-style cocktail with vodka, rum, gin, tequila, and Midori liqueur).

What we ate: Order 2-3 proteins per person. Our favorites were the boneless short rib, the spicy chicken breast, the filet mignon, and the miso squid. Several of the meats were accompanied by dipping sauces. My favorite was the shio garlic.

• If you're looking for something more straightforward, the garlic beef fried rice is great. Sushi fans: try the baked lobster roll.