Penang
Penang, web site, 1837 M Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-822-8770 (on the corner of 19th and M Streets NW, just down the block from Malaysia Kopitiam) (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]
Also 4933 Bethesda Avenue, Bethesda, MD, 301-657-2878, Bethesda branch has better hours. [Washingtonian | City Paper | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]
Pretty good, but not as good as the sister branch in New York City (Penang: 109 Spring Street, New York, NY, 212-274-8883; Nyonya: web site, 194 Grand Street, New York, NY, 212-334-3669).
It’s still the best Malaysian you’re likely to get this side of Asia, so count your blessings. Some of it is too sweet for me and not spicy enough, but sometimes rigorous instructions can overcome this problem.