Comments on: Unmissable food in DC?

Question: Unmissable food in DC?

exceptinsects — Wed, 23 May 2007 19:58:19 -0800

What do I absolutely HAVE to eat in Washington, DC?

I'm going to be in DC for about a week in late June. What foods there are not to be missed?

I like all kinds of ethnic foods, desserts, noodles, local specialties, really I will eat almost anything except most organ meats and insects. I'm not vegetarian or allergic to anything.

I will have a per diem for part of the time, so fancy isn't completely out, but I'm more interested in stuff that normal people eat.

For example, if you were coming to San Diego I would suggest you have the Cubana sandwich at the Crest Cafe, or the scones at Rebecca's, or the frozen yogurt at Yogurt World, or the okonomiyaki at Tajima...you get the picture.

I won't have a car, so it would need to be accessible by mass transit.

By: cowbellemoo

cowbellemoo — Wed, 23 May 2007 20:07:00 -0800

Space Ice Cream from the Air & Space Museum. Like $5 a packet. Neapolitan.

By: chinston

chinston — Wed, 23 May 2007 20:15:26 -0800

See Tyler Cowen's ethnic dining guide.

By: 4ster

4ster — Wed, 23 May 2007 20:18:24 -0800

My two faves:

Armand's Pizza
Cactus Cantina

Both near the National Cathedral.

By: 4ster

4ster — Wed, 23 May 2007 20:19:54 -0800

oops:

Armand's Pizza

Cactus Cantina

By: Alabaster

Alabaster — Wed, 23 May 2007 20:24:33 -0800

There's a Moroccan restaurant, I think it's called Marrakesh. Good food, authentic setting (at least it seems authentic, but I've never been to Morocco), sit on pillows and eat with your fingers. Belly dancing. All in all it's a cool place to go with a group of friends.

If you are in any way a beer snob, or would like to be -- then you absolutely HAVE to go to the Brickskellar. Largest selection of beers in the country (if not, it's damn close). Good pub-style food, cool old-style pub ambience.

By: Ironmouth

Ironmouth — Wed, 23 May 2007 20:32:17 -0800

Ethiopian without a doubt.

When I lived in Chicago, there were two Ethiopian restaurants. I couldn't believe how good the food tasted.

I came here and asked if there were any Ethiopian places. People burst out laughing--there are probably at least 200.

Try Lalibela at 14th and P, or Meskerem in Adams Morgan. Dukem in the U street district is good too.

By: craichead

craichead — Wed, 23 May 2007 20:35:59 -0800

The one can't-miss thing in D.C., I would say, is Ethiopian food. D.C. has a very big Ethiopian population (the biggest outside of Africa), and it's got the best Ethiopian food in the U.S. I'm pretty out of the loop, so I don't know which restaurants are best these days, but Tyler Cowan should be able to help.

I have to disagree with 4ster about Armand's and Cactus Cantina. They're definitely neighborhood places without a lot of tourists, but they're pretty undistinguished, even by neighborhood standards. 2 Amys, a pizza place which is right down the street from Cactus Cantina, on the the other hand, is worth going to.

By: Ironmouth

Ironmouth — Wed, 23 May 2007 20:38:04 -0800

Craichead is right about Armands. Its a chain. Cactus Cantina sucks.

By: CommonSense

CommonSense — Wed, 23 May 2007 20:42:08 -0800

What, no mention of Ben's Chili Bowl?

By: CommonSense

CommonSense — Wed, 23 May 2007 20:45:02 -0800

Oh, and as long as you'll be on U Street for Ben's, don't forget to get a slice of cake or a cupcake at Cakelove.

By: brownpau

brownpau — Wed, 23 May 2007 20:45:47 -0800

Ben's Chili Bowl.
Waffle Shop.
Also find a can of Senate Bean Soup.

By: Clyde Mnestra

Clyde Mnestra — Wed, 23 May 2007 20:57:27 -0800

I can't say enough good things about Tyler Cowen's guide, recommended above. I think you'll find his interests overlap with yours pretty well, except that his favorites often depend on having a car. Note that near the top of his favorites he has an accessible Ethiopian restaurant.

I don't know what pizza is like in San Diego, but I can't imagine you'd want pizza here, and certainly not Mexican like that of the Cactus Cantina. DC's strengths are in Ethiopian, non-Chinese Asian (Thai, Vietnamese, Korean), non-Mexican Central American (Salvadoran, mainly), and so forth. If you want neat DC treats, consider Thai X-ing or Horace & Dickie's -- noted here. Ben's Chili Bowl is a local institution, and I love it, but foodwise . . . There's some good Italian that's fancier -- not up to NY standards, but good.

By: Soda-Da

Soda-Da — Wed, 23 May 2007 21:06:12 -0800

A Pan-Asian restaurant I like:
Spices Asian Restaurant
3333 Connecticut Ave NW # A
Washington, DC 20008
(202) 686-3833

A good burger that gives In-n-Out a run for its money:
Five Guys (multiple locations throughout the area)
One is located at:
Dupont Circle
1645 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20009
tel. 202-328-3483

By: NortonDC

NortonDC — Wed, 23 May 2007 21:30:07 -0800

Zaytinya
minibar, if you're especially adventurous
Al Tiramisu

a whole other thing: Amsterdam Falafelshop after a night of barhopping is perfection

...and regarding cakelove

By: chefscotticus

chefscotticus — Wed, 23 May 2007 21:38:01 -0800

I've had some of the best Thai in my life at Rice on 14th St (they also have a sister restaurant Simply Home that is also excellent, although a bit trendier -- see both at http://www.simplyhomedc.com/).

The mango and sticky rice dessert (served at both places) is an exquisite example of a few simple, delicious ingredients that shine when put together.

By: ml98tu

ml98tu — Wed, 23 May 2007 21:50:21 -0800

I like Armand's, but please don't waste your time at Cactus. If you're going to go for that sort of thing, go to their sister restaurant, Lauriol Plaza. It's always crazy busy when I've been, but is more of a destination than Cactus is.

Ice cream at Thomas Sweet's in Georgetown is good.

Kotobuki is good for sushi (every time I go to Spices the service sucks and the food isn't much better).

I really like the Amsterdam Falafel Shop in Adams Morgan, but I don't know if it's a must-see. (on preview - ha! I guess it is!)

If you're going to be here for a week, I would actually suggest you try to head up to Baltimore for dinner at The Helmand. They specialize in Afghan cuisine, I went for the first time last week and it was fabulous. It's very well-regarded in Baltimore and I heard the owner's brother is the prime minister of Afghanistan or some such thing.

Maybe even something like Old Ebbitt?

The Sunday Kitchen Brunch at the Kennedy Center is out of this world. You will not need to eat for the remainder of the day.

By: toxic

toxic — Wed, 23 May 2007 22:13:16 -0800

Breakfast/Brunch at the Florida Avenue Grill.

A pint and a dozen oysters at the Old Ebbit.

An oyster and a couple dozen pints at The Brickskellar (home of the world's largest beer list).

And a bottle of red, a baguette and some cheese, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial at 2:00 am.

By: Kifer85

Kifer85 — Thu, 24 May 2007 00:05:31 -0800

chalk up another vote for Dukem on U for ethiopian...

also, you can't beat five guys for amazing burgers and fries (avoid if you have any nut allergies as you'll have to wade through a few inches of peanut shells on the floor). There's a location near the chinatown stop on the red line, and another on wisconsin in Georgetown.

By: jare2003

jare2003 — Thu, 24 May 2007 04:36:16 -0800

Tyler Cohen's Ethnic Dining Guide is awesome. So through.

Anyways, yes - there's like 200 Ethiopian restaurants here. I think Meskerem's a little overrated, but the best cluster (and metro accessible) is on U Street and on 9th Street (both at the U Street stop on the Green Line). I both like Dukem and Abiti in that area.

Ben Chili Bowl is decent, but really more worth going for the historical significance and b/c its a DC standby, and open until all hours of the night.

Also, seconding that in terms of Latin American food - DC's strength is where its ethnic population is the strongest. So that generally means Peruvian, Bolivian, Salvadorean food - just check out any of the small local restaurants (or Tyler Cohen's review of them)

By: ersatzkat

ersatzkat — Thu, 24 May 2007 04:40:40 -0800

There's a basement-level Chinese place on 6th street, I think between G and H, called Chinatown Express. You'll see a guy in the front window making hand-stretched noodles. Go ask for them in the house-made lo mein. (I'm just realizing I haven't been there in ages.) I also heartily agree with the 2 Amy's recommendation, and if you can't get there, Pizzaria Paradiso is also very good - there's an easy-to-Metro location in Dupont Circle, and another larger location in Georgetown.

I have to say, one of our best chefs is Roberto Donna - his Galileo restaurant is currently closed for renovations, but he's meanwhile opened a restaurant out in Crystal City called Bebo. The food is wonderful, but the service is crap. Well, just horribly slow when I was there last, but if you go hunting reviews, you'll see that the service constantly cited as the huge downside of the place. All that said, we had an amazing meal there earlier this month - we've been to Italy twice in the past year, and it was right up there.

By: armage

armage — Thu, 24 May 2007 04:57:35 -0800

Coming from San Diego you can probably get all the Vietnamese you want, but if you want a "Little Saigon" experience, go to Eden Center. (It's accessible by Metrorail alone if you walk a mile; otherwise you can take a taxi or wait for a Metrobus to connect you from East Falls Church station.) It's packed full of supermarkets, pho joints, restaurants, bakeries, music stores, etc. Tyler Cowen's recommendations are, as others have mentioned, the best.

By: probablysteve

probablysteve — Thu, 24 May 2007 05:08:51 -0800

The Greek Deli - great little take out lunch place with a line out to the street, so get there before noon. 19th between L and M.

By: needled

needled — Thu, 24 May 2007 05:29:46 -0800

Oh yes, Old Ebbit Grill. If you are a meat-eater Les Halles is worth a visit.
I liked the Lebanese Taverna a lot when I lived in the D.C. area.
And try to get some crabs. My fave was Jimmy Cantler's Riverside Inn in Annapolis.

By: kdar

kdar — Thu, 24 May 2007 05:45:36 -0800

Definitely definitely definitely Dukem ethiopian restaurant at 12th St. NW & U St. NW. It's right next to the U St./Cardozo metro stop.

Pasta Mia in Adams Morgan is my favorite Italian in the city; it's only pasta, but it's very very good. (Cash only, reservations not accepted, line starts forming around 6PM for the opening at 6:30PM, so you definitely should get there AT 6 if you want a good seat.)

Everyone I've ever taken to the Amsterdam Falafelshop, as noted above, has absolutely loved it.

By: kdar

kdar — Thu, 24 May 2007 05:49:35 -0800

OH! And Mama Ayesha's (lebanese) on Calvert St. NW (right by Adams Morgan) is fantastic.

And for Pizza, 2 Amy's is good, but I like Alberto's the best. Especially if you're doing any late-night drinking around Dupont, you can stop in there until 4AM and get a slice bigger than your head for only a few bucks. (And it's far tastier than Jumbo Slice, which you should avoid.)

By: amber_dale

amber_dale — Thu, 24 May 2007 05:53:56 -0800

If you want to try Marrakesh, you will need to make a reservation.

Nth all the Ethiopian suggestions, although I prefer Abiti on 9th to any of the Adams Morgan places (Zenebech Injera is the best, but it only has two tables; if you want to get takeout and sit in a park to eat, try it).

Someplace like Old Ebbett Grill or Mortons for lunch is nice for people-watching.

By: inigo2

inigo2 — Thu, 24 May 2007 06:50:01 -0800

I didn't think Pasta Mia was worth the wait. Decent, well-priced Italian food, sure, but not good enough to stand around for an hour or more. I'd pick San Marco's over Pasta Mia, myself.

Amsterdam Falafel, though -- for a quick, cheap meal, it's very good.

By: bluenausea

bluenausea — Thu, 24 May 2007 06:58:10 -0800

Seconding space ice cream from the Air and Space Museum. The museum is so-so, but the ice cream is really, really good.

Jaleo is excellent tapas (in DC and Bethesda). A bit pricey, but worth it.

By: MrMoonPie

MrMoonPie — Thu, 24 May 2007 06:59:24 -0800

Nthing all the recommendations for Tyler Cowen's guide, Ethiopian, Amsterdam falafel, and any of the outlets of Lebanese Taverna. I'll add Jaleo--get the sangria and a bunch of tapas, and you'll have my favorite DC meal.

Don't miss the Salvadoran, Thai, Vietnamese (pho and otherwise), and Peruvian chicken places in the Northern Virginia suburbs, though--those are my favorites in the metropolitan area, by far. Edy's Chicken and Steak is my favorite Peruvian chicken place, but you should also be sure to find a hole-in-the-wall Salvadoran place for sweet-corn tamales. Tortilla Cafe at Eastern Market is great for Salvadoran if you don't want to leave DC, but just about any place in NoVa will be excellet, as well.

By: Clyde Mnestra

Clyde Mnestra — Thu, 24 May 2007 07:03:20 -0800

A number recommend Five Guys. It's a local staple, but not sure it measures up to In-N-Out, about which I have fevered dreams. I guess if the latter is thought well of in your circle, you could check out Five Guys on the chance you could return home with tales of a foreign land in which In-N-Out would be a mere second.

It's expanded substantially in the last few years, and not sure all the locations are equally good. So if you have a lousy cheeseburger with sauteed mushrooms and grilled onions there, that's to blame. Gotta go somewhere now.

By: jare2003

jare2003 — Thu, 24 May 2007 08:03:52 -0800

Also, if you're looking for hole in the wall Central American (Salavadorean, etc) - coming up to Columbia Heightsmetro stop, and walking west to Mt Pleasant or just walking away from the Metro station,you'll run nto a number of eateries.

By: booksherpa

booksherpa — Thu, 24 May 2007 08:03:56 -0800

Seconding Jaleo. I went with a friend last year. We ordered 7 tapas, had 2 glasses of wine apiece, and each had dessert. She had coffee. Our bill, with tax and tip, was $120. Not bad at all, really. Go with friends if you can; you'll get to order more tapas and try more things. I went with half a dozen people once and we ordered at least 20 different tapas.

By: The Confessor

The Confessor — Thu, 24 May 2007 08:24:20 -0800

Bethesda, if you're willing to take the Metro ride, has tons of high-quality eats, but the two that I would recommend most highly are McCormick & Schmick's seafood restaurant (I find that I actually very much prefer their Boston location to the nearby Legal Sea Foods' flagship restaurant), and (for slightly lower-priced eats) Black's Bar & Kitchen.

By: chinese_fashion

chinese_fashion — Thu, 24 May 2007 08:31:40 -0800

kdar -- I respectfully disagree re: Pasta Mia. They're Pasta Nazis, and the next time I go there, I'm taking a can of kerosene and a packet of matches. Overrated, rude service, average food.

toxic -- thanks for the link to Florida Grill on my blog! I'm a regular there and the food is UNREAL.

Sushi Taro in DuPont is the best sushi place I've been to ... and I highly recommend Hank's Oyster Bar right around the corner with an UNSTOPPABLE lobster roll.

Tacos Pepitos is an INCREDIBLE Mexican takeout place. Try the Torta Russa, a sort of Homer Simpson south-of-the-border sandwich with avocado, chorizo, mexican cheese, lettuce, tomato, chile peppers and a hot dog on it. That's right: hot dog as an ingredient.

By: kittyprecious

kittyprecious — Thu, 24 May 2007 09:05:14 -0800

If you're going for Ethiopian, skip Lalibela...there's so much better out there. Dukem is good, but there's often a wait, whereas the place next door (I forget the name), which is much smaller, usually has a quicker turnover and is slightly better quality.

If you're eating out on U St, you may be interested to know that the neighborhood is obsessed with its African-American cultural history and every restaurant--including chains like Alero ("Mexican") and Sala Thai (guess)--has a live jazz band performing Friday and Saturday nights.

Eat at Yum's at your peril.

By: BobbyDigital

BobbyDigital — Thu, 24 May 2007 09:24:58 -0800

caveat: I grew up in Arlington but I live in DC now.

There are a lot of really good restaraunts in Arlington, many of them a bit cheaper then what you will find in DC.

Il Radiccio on Clarendon Blvd., is all about he pasta, they are not snobby about it and they will bring you as much as you want (you pay for the sauce), its also super cute and homey.

Thai Square on Columbia Pike in Arlington is cheap, and its the best in the area, people will disagree with me on this, but I grew up here and I have been to dozens of Thai restaurants and its my favorite (really pretty waitresses too).

EL Charrito on Washington Blvd., is what Chipotle and Baja Fresh would be if they were awesome and authentic, you will find the best burritos in the city there, and they only cost 3 bucks each!

Those listed above are all in Arlington, below are DC and MD.

Five Guys, there are a couple of these around town, they are a local chain, and if you don't have a peanut allergy they will rock your face off.

Taqueria Nationale, I think it is on Louisiana Ave, its basically right in front of Union Station and it is attached to a big flashy seafood restaurant called Johnny's Half Shell, which you can ignore and go her to get awesome homemade taco's.

Also, Astronaut Ice Cream

By: MrMoonPie

MrMoonPie — Thu, 24 May 2007 09:38:24 -0800

Wow, BobbyDigital, I hadn't heard of Taqueria Nationale. I work in the general neighborhood and will have to give this place a try!

By: callmejay

callmejay — Thu, 24 May 2007 09:49:46 -0800

Georgia Brown's, great Southern soul food. I had a great dinner there. They also have a Sunday brunch that's supposed to be spectacular and has live jazz, but I hear you need to make reservations weeks ahead of time.

By: mjbraun

mjbraun — Thu, 24 May 2007 12:48:28 -0800

Woo Lae Oak for rockin' Korean. It's in Tyson's Corner, though, which is just a wee bit outside DC in Virgina.

By: MrMoonPie

MrMoonPie — Thu, 24 May 2007 13:32:03 -0800

Oh, yes Korean! Yechon in Annandale is my favorite. The only Korean barbecue place in DC that I know if, Yeehwa, isn't very good.

By: NortonDC

NortonDC — Thu, 24 May 2007 14:08:03 -0800

MrMoonPie, maybe you could share regarding the Sunday dim sum...?

By: echo0720

echo0720 — Thu, 24 May 2007 14:18:35 -0800

I really like Coppi's Organic on U street for pizza. The owner is always there, and she's really nice. Although if you're only having pizza one night, I'd agree with the Two Amy's suggestion, yum.

I'll second Hank's Oyster Bar. For a really pretty view (but enh food), Tabaq on U street has this cool rooftop dining area.

If you like Indian food, I'm kinda picky, and my two favorite places are Bombay Palace on K street (and 21st, maybe) and Rasika which is in Chinatown/Penn Quarter/Gallery Place somewhere. Rasika is Indian-american fusion something or other, but I think it's good.

If you just want to grab a drink somewhere before or after dinner, I'd recommend the outside patio at Poste in the Hotel Monaco (although service is ridiculously slow), and Cafe Atlantico for mojitos. The food there is pretty good, too. They're a little fancy-ish, but not too bad.

Oh, and the Tabard Inn. The food is expensive, but the bar is really cozy and I love it

By: MrMoonPie

MrMoonPie — Thu, 24 May 2007 14:35:41 -0800

Yes, NortonDC, how could I forget?!?

Those in the know (NortonDC and I amongst them) universally agree that dim sum at China Garden is not to be missed. Its uninspiring location in an office building in Rosslyn doesn't detract from its excellence, and it's close to Metro. Just be sure to get there before 11:30 on the weekend, or you'll be in for an hour wait.

You know, for just about any of these places, I'd be more than happy to join you. Heck, I'd even carpool to some of the more out-lying places. Meetup, anyone?

By: stratastar

stratastar — Thu, 24 May 2007 15:23:22 -0800

You're getting a pretty good idea here I'm gona put in a couple more recommendations:

Great Wall Chinese, (on 14th and P) makes AMAZINg authentic sczechuan food on their "Ma-La menu", that is spicier than anything you've ever eaten and is just amazing. Get the Ma-La tofu or the Ma-La chicken.

For Vegetarian Indian: Udupi Palace in Tacoma Park Md, is also really good...

I've also been meaning to go to Thai-X, in Shaw (I think), one guy making amazing thai food...

Conversely:

I'm gonna agree with Chinese-Fashion that Pasta Mia, sucks... people love that place with a lemming-herd mentality. It's mediocre, and the service they give should only belong in Europe.

So does Lauriol Plaza. That's just a damn food factory now...

By: mdonley

mdonley — Thu, 24 May 2007 18:42:58 -0800

The best place to eat on the Mall, if you're over there, is the restaurant at the National Museum of the American Indian, which serves all sorts of really tasty stuff native to the Americas. Obviously a little crowded and a little pricey, but if you get in there later in the afternoon, like around 3 or 3:30, it's not too bad, and hey, there's a great museum right there, too.

By: commander_cool

commander_cool — Thu, 24 May 2007 18:56:16 -0800

If you can get a car, the Eden Center in Virginia is nationally known and worth the trip; it's a mile walk from the Falls Church metro, so it's conceivably within public transportation bounds. One of the restaurants here is the best Vietnamese restaurant in the nation, but I couldn't tell you which one, since there are four or five legitimate contenders in this shopping center alone.

I've lived in both LA and DC, and I think Five Guys is better than In-n-Out.

For food qua food, there's no reason to get pizza in DC. Or Mexican (though there's people-watching to be had at Lauriol Plaza). There's no reason to eat in Arlington, either, if you aren't already there, and I say that as someone who lives in Arlington; there are decent places here, but nothing here that's worth a Metro ride. Spices is a fun place, but I don't miss not having eaten there in ten years.

What DC does well within public transportation is (1) Ethiopian; (2) fancy fusion restaurants; (3) steak.

For (1), the Tyler Cowen dining guide is the way to go--stay away from the tourist traps like Meskerem and Zed's. (Meskerem is actually an acceptable Ethiopian, but wouldn't be in my top-five for the area.)

For (2), the Tyler Cowen dining guide is also the way to go. Indique, Zengo, Rasika, etc.

For (3), the Palm and Morton's provide quality (if chain) food and good people watching. There's also Bobby Van's, which is on a par with the best NY steakhouses, and Charlie Palmer Steakhouse.

Tyler recommends heavily Thai X-ing, a literal hole in the wall in a sketchy neighborhood. I haven't made it there yet--it has exactly one table.

Sushi Taro is the best sushi place in DC by far, but it doesn't compare to the best sushi places in Los Angeles.

For an interesting experience, Burma in Chinatown has Burmese food; go with a number of people so you can try lots of the dishes.

Tyler Cowen is currently recommending Oceanaire. It's one of my favorite restaurants in town, but it's a (small) chain, so it's not especially unique to DC. But it's quality, though the experience varies from heavenly to merely above average depending on what fish they happen to have in that day.

If you can get a car, Saravana Palace is perhaps the best vegetarian Indian around.

By: Pallas Athena

Pallas Athena — Thu, 24 May 2007 19:58:06 -0800

You truly want frozen desserts and baked goods from Dairy Godmother in Alexandria, VA. (If you have to stay in town for ice cream, I second Thomas Sweet in Georgetown.)

I would highly recommend the Tabard Inn on N Street. I go cross-eyed at the memory of their weekend brunches.

By: heartquake

heartquake — Fri, 25 May 2007 06:26:17 -0800

Majet for Ethiopian for sure on U Street - best meat ever! Go to Keren at the bottom of 18th street for breakfast - it's a tiny whole in the wall Eritrean place - get the Ful Medames, so worth it!

By: Clyde Mnestra

Clyde Mnestra — Fri, 25 May 2007 09:53:30 -0800

Washingtonian Magazine just came out with its annual "Cheap Eats" guide, which has a host of suggestions exactly on point. I do not have a copy, but it might still be available when you arrive (it is dated June 2007), or perhaps there is some way of ordering a copy or getting it online. With that, Tyler Cowen's guide, and these suggestions, you should have a delightful visit. Unless it's already super-humid, in which case you may not feel like eating.

By: exceptinsects

exceptinsects — Sat, 26 May 2007 19:21:53 -0800

Wow, everyone--thanks for all the suggestions.
I would definitely be into a meetup. Email me at my username at gmail if anyone's interested.
I'll be there the weekend of June 22nd, for the American Library Association conference.

By: and hosted from Uranus

and hosted from Uranus — Tue, 29 May 2007 10:57:56 -0800

OMG, Fractured Prune!

By: initapplette

initapplette — Tue, 29 May 2007 10:58:56 -0800

MeTa -- purely for meetup planning purposes.

By: exogenous

exogenous — Tue, 29 May 2007 13:30:41 -0800

I hate to be a downer but spare yourself a trip to the Cactus Cantina, especially coming from California. Canned-Food Cantina is more like it (e.g., the refried beans).

If you enjoy quality coffee, check out Murky Coffee near Eastern Market/Capitol Hill.

By: blasdelf

blasdelf — Tue, 29 May 2007 16:01:41 -0800

My mother has nothing but good things to say about Fractured Prune. She passed by in her power wheelchair as they were first opening, and noticed that they didn't have a ramp (used to be a liquor store) -- she talked to the owner and he went out and bought concrete right then and there. That is most extremely exceptional. She's a regular customer, and the donuts are quite good and in wide variety.

I'd avoid Lauriol Plaza (was reccommended above), and anything else operated by the same people. It's overpriced, overrated, and overcrowded with the some of the douchiest hilltards, and it'll be opening season for idiot interns while you're there.

By: dsaelf

dsaelf — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 14:42:08 -0800

Excellent thread. I will be using it when relatives come to town. My recommendation is the Smithsonian Castle dining room---I just like the room. Food ok.

By: vhsiv

vhsiv — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 15:55:21 -0800

A vote in favor of Lauriol Plaza ($30-45/person) though they seem to be taking a beating here – I'm a HUGE fan of their margaritas, their ceviche and their mussels – I'm not sure that better can be had in the area, much less all three at once.

Another area strength is Vietnamese soup – Pho – the best of which can be found just across the bridge from Georgetown above Rosslyn at Pho 75 (~$10 large soup & iced coffee). I miss the old days when they still had a tin ceiling and the dull monotone decor made you feel as though you'd stepped into a time machine a you were suddenly eating soup somewhere in SE Asia.(But they close at 8:00pm every day.)

When good friends come through, I try to make at least one of those stops, though Larry La's Meiwah Restaurant ($25-30/person – excellent Chinese food) is also a respectable spot if Arlington is too far to go and if Lauriol is too crowded.