Tyler Cowen's Ethnic Dining Guide

Himalayan Heritage, web site, 2305 18th Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-483-9300 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [WaPo | MenuPages | AllMenus | Don Rockwell | Yelp | Gayot]

Both Nepalese and Tibetan, I am a big fan of this place. The momos -- dumplings -- are excellent. Anything they do with beans is recommended. The spicy chicken dishes, including the different forms of chicken barbecue, are very tasty and different from what you can get elsewhere in the area. This is quite simply a very good ethnic restaurant with a pleasant environment and it does not cost a fortune either.

Rumba Café, web site, 2443 18th Street NW, Adams Morgan, Washington, DC, 202-588-5501 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [WaPo | MenuPages | City Paper | openlist | Yelp]

A mix of Colombian and Puerto Rican dishes, with some other Pan-Latin elements thrown in. I have yet to go. Lots of arepas. Lots of mofongos (mashed plantains and garlic). It looks interesting.

Las Canteras, 2307 18th Street NW, Washington, DC, lower Adams-Morgan, 202-265-1780 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [WaPo | City Paper | Yelp | Gayot]

A Peruvian place designed to appeal to yuppies. I walked by, looked at it, looked at the menu, and was thoroughly unimpressed. A friend of mine with impeccable taste tried it and didn’t like it. I won’t go unless I start hearing it is great.

Canvas Tapas, 1836 18th Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-797-4930

Their caramelized tapas come recommended, but I am skeptical. Looks like a place for poseurs.

Is this place closed?

Hank's Oyster Bar, web site, 1624 Q Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-462-4265 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | Don Rockwell | Yelp | Gayot]

Overrated. Warning you off places like this is exactly what this guide is good for. I wanted it to be good, I really did. It is just not that good, sorry. Many people love it though.

Russia House Restaurant and Lounge, web site, 1800 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC, near Florida Avenue, 202-234-9433, closed Sunday (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [WaPo | City Paper | openlist | Yelp]

Some claim it is excellent, I need to check it out. I love good Russian food, despite its unavailability in Russia. The best places I know are in Helsinki.

Churreria Madrid, 2505 Champlain Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-483-4441 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | openlist | Yelp]

I have yet to go.

La Granja de Oro, 2920 Annandale Road, Falls Church, VA, 703-534-5511 / 5519 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | Yelp]

The place to go for Peruvian mixed grill, including beef heart, tripe, calf liver, etc. The other items are adequate, though not the very best around. Not on a major strip, so most people don't know about it. Not so far from either Rt. 7 or 236. Live music on some evenings. I’ve heard there is a good branch in Washington, also (1801 Adams Mill Road, Washington, DC, 202-232-8888 [WaPo | City Paper | Yelp])

By the way, don't drink Inka Kola, no matter how many locals you see ordering it. It's like boiled, sweetened, liquefied bubble gum.

Santa Rosa Seafood, 2224 18th Street NW, Washington, DC, in Adams-Morgan, 202-518-8100 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | openlist | Yelp]

Very good place for ceviche. Ceviche is raw fish, and the Peruvians mix it with coriander, red onions, and a lime marinade. This place also has good scallops. The cooked fish is quite good, but the raw seafood is the thing to get. I suggest getting the ceviche mixto, and the paella, although you cannot finish both. Pescado Saltado is another treat. That being said, I find the atmosphere of this place depressing. I love dumps, but somehow this place is a dump without trying to be.

Caravan Grill, 1825 18th Street NW, Washington, DC, between S and T Streets NW, 202-518-0444 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [zabihah | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | Don Rockwell | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]

CLOSED

Currently the best place for Persian stews, not as plentiful in this area as they used to be. And stews are the yummiest and most original part of Persian food. Good buffet, too. Highly recommended. Fesenjan is a true sensual delight, also, chicken doused in pomegranate and walnut sauce, one of the great Persian dishes.

Tacos Pepito's Bakery, web site (Gaithersburg, MD location), 1762 Columbia Road NW, Washington, DC, 202-232-7121, Adams-Morgan (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [WaPo (DC) | The Burrito Blog | WaPo (Gaithersburg) | Yelp]

Also at 107-B East Diamond Avenue, Gaithersburg, MD, 301-990-1541

Recommended on Chowhounds, I have yet to go.

Chipotle, web site, numerous area locations. [Washingtonian | WaPo | food-plan | Don Rockwell | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]

OK, let’s get the bad news out of the way up front. This is a chain. Even worse, it is a chain owned by McDonald’s corporation, the fount of culinary evil. That being said, it is pretty good. Fresh and relatively authentic Mexican food, you tell them how to put together your meal. The salsa is genuinely spicy. The carnitas are the best meat. Not much choice, but you don’t need it. I’d rather eat here than almost any other Mexican place on this list.

Mixtec, 1792 Columbia Road NW, Washington, DC, 202-332-1011 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]

An old Washington standby, but still reliable. Fairly genuine Tex-Mex food in crowded surroundings. At least yummy. Nor is it evil, unlike Lauriol Plaza.

Lauriol Plaza, web site, 1835 18th Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-387-0035, closed Mondays. (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Economist | Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]

Formerly they provided good Mexican and Spanish dishes in Adams-Morgan, but now they are execrable. And expensive. A hangout, and a huge one at that, no longer a restaurant. Not to mention the interminable waits to be seated.

Straits of Malaya, web site, 1836 18th Street NW, Washington, DC, near T Street, 202-483-1483 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Hill Rag (scroll down) | In Towner | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | Don Rockwell | openlist | Gayot]

This place closed in 1999, now it has reopened nearby, in the old home of Wazuri. See my remarks under Malaysia Kopitiam.

Mount Everest Grill, 1805 18th Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-462-3980 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | openlist | Yelp]

Consistently good food. The buffet tends to be more Indian, and while good, is less unique. Try instead the dumplings and the potatoes, listed on the menu under “Delights of Nepal and Tibet.”

Meze, web site, 2437 18th Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-797-0017, near Columbia Road (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]

Middle Eastern appetizers, broadly Lebanese, main courses at your peril.

Polo India Club, web site, 1736 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 202-483-8705 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [WaPo | City Paper | openlist | Yelp]

Excellent Indian food. They have a thick yellow chicken curry, exactly the same as the chicken that used to be served at Katmandu, the now-defunct Nepalese place. Order that.

Corado's, 3217 Mt. Pleasant Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-462-3332 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [City Paper | Yelp]

Yummy food, good atmosphere, and in DC's most Latin neighborhood. A very good restaurant, with a surprisingly high quality of beef, given the low prices. Don't let the police sirens throw you.

Ghana Cafe, web site, 2465 18th Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-387-3845 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [WaPo | City Paper | openlist | Yelp]

Ghanian places are never bad, but this one is better than you think. The Red Red (beans and plantains) is excellent, so is the peanut soup. You can’t go wrong here, highly recommended, don’t be put off by the total lack of enthusiasm among the staff. One of the best African places around.

Cashion's Eat Place, web site, 1819 Columbia Road NW, Washington, DC, near 18th Street NW, 202-797-1819 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | The Hill | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | Don Rockwell | openlist | Yelp | Gayot] [Ann Cashion: StarChefs]

Awash, 2218 18th Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-588-8181 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [City Paper | openlist | Yelp]

A bit south of Meskerem.

Probably the best Ethiopian place in Adams-Morgan right now. Addis Adaba is good too.

Meskerem, web site, 2434 18th Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-462-4100 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | Don Rockwell | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]

The best known Ethiopian place in the area, but there is no longer any reason to go here.

Washington is very strong in the area of Ethiopian food, so most of the places are recommended. The less refined places tend to have spicier food, and I prefer those to Meskerem; you can pretty much pick one randomly. But Meskerem is where most of us started.

Bukom Cafe, web site, 2442 18th Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-265-4600 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [WaPo | City Paper | openlist | Yelp]

More generic West African than Ghanaian, but since Bukom is an area in Accra, the capital of Ghana, I assume this is a Ghanaian restaurant of sorts. I find the curries here to be very yummy. Recommended. See also West African.

The Grill from Ipanema, they just changed the name, though, and redid the decor, web site, 1858 Columbia Road NW, Washington, DC, 202-986-0757 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]

Update October 2007: CLOSED

For my tastes, Brazil is one of the two or three best food countries in the world, so comparisons are tough. But this is good enough to enjoy. Get the feijoada, a stewed mix of black beans, meats, sausage, collard greens, and the powdery farina. Make sure you add in the orange slices. A treat. Some of the other dishes are mediocre. This place stands or dies on its Feijoada. It stands.

Bardia's New Orleans Café, 2412 18th Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-234-0420 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | openlist | Yelp]

I have yet to go.