Tyler Cowen's Ethnic Dining Guide

Malik’s Kabob, 9542 Arlington Boulevard, Fairfax, VA, also accessible from Rt.29, right smack at Fairfax Circle, 703-246-9005 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [zabihah | Yelp]

This place is a knock out. Ask for it spicy. The Karahi chicken for two is first-rate. The breads are freshly cooked. I like the chapli kabob. The vegetables taste like…vegetables. The service is sometimes a disaster, especially for lunch. There’s amazing people-watching at night when the hookah bar is up and running, though if the smoke bothers you ask for the back room.

For the first time we have a superb Pakistani restaurant in our midst, you just need to bear with the service a bit.

Antipuqueño Restaurant (also Intipuqueno), web site, 2504 Ennalls Avenue, Wheaton, MD, 301-942-1129 (web site says place is for sale)

This place is a total wreck and mess when it comes to service, décor, and organization. They also serve the best pupusas I’ve eaten in the U.S., ever. It’s worth it. The soups look pretty good too. The menu is ghastly in its presentation and it doesn’t list a lot of what they serve. Just try to talk your way into what you want to eat. The cute waitresses will giggle and mess up your order, but they do know what a pupusa is. I call this a find, though you need to go with the proper expectations.

Super Chicken, 422 S. Washington Street, Falls Church, VA, right next to Blanca’s, 703-538-5366 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Falls Church Times | MenuPages | City Paper | Insider Pages | Yelp]

How good can any chicken be? Should any roast chicken place be on the “must-tries” list? Maybe not, but this is the best chicken place around and it didn’t make my guide at all last time, so I believe it could use the extra publicity. Northern Virginia Magazine did a blind taste test of about ten different roast chicken dishes from leading restaurants. Super Chicken was a clear winner, including in my eyes. I since went to the restaurant and found it was even better on-site. They also have the best rice and beans around and occasional Peruvian dishes such as fried fish and tripe stew. No, it doesn’t transcend its category but it does win its category. Worth a try.

Eyo Restaurant and Sports Bar, web site, 3821-B South George Mason Drive, Falls Church, VA, 703-933-3084 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window)

This unassuming locale is one of the two or three best Ethiopian places at the moment. Furthermore they serve Ethiopian breakfast, starting at 10 am, though sometimes interpreted flexibly by management. Their foul is simply superb and more generally you can’t go wrong with anything here. This single strip mall in Virginia is raising Ethiopian food to an entirely new level and making the trip to 9th Street obsolete. This place is also a favorite of the local cab drivers.

You'll find it here, namely on my home page (you may need to scroll down). This version of the guide has more revisions than any other new edition, mostly because there has been a lot of quality turnover. More than half of the "Top 20" list has changed in the course of a year. Currently my two favorite places are Sichuan Pavilion and Abay Market (you now can and indeed have to order vegetables in advance), with Thai X-ing a perennial. Komi is the "finest" dining and Bourbon Steak is the place most likely to be better than you think.

I should note that if you've been following the blog version of my dining guide [here at TCEDG.com], the html version is simply a print-it-all-out-at-once compendium, rather than a source of new information.

Originally posted on Marginal Revolution.

Me Jana, web site, 2300 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA, 703-465-4440 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | Don Rockwell | NoVA Mag | Yelp]

Right now this is a clear #1 in the Lebanese department. The sausage, and dishes involving fatty meats, are especially good. As is the raw meat. Simply an excellent restaurant, tasty all around, and the best place to eat in the Courthouse area short of Ray’s Hell Burger.

Benton's Smoky Mountain Country Hams, web site, 2603 Hwy. 411, Madisonville,TN 37354, 423-442-5003 [Wikipedia | Yelp | Thyme For Food | Kate Sonders | Knoxville News Sentinel | NYT | Southern Foods Connection]

It's equal to the best I've had, including what I've sampled in Spain. (I've also had especially fine ham in Slovenia.) You can read about it and order it here. It ships without incident or loss of value. It's what David Chang uses in Momofuku and its affiliated restaurants, by the way. It's not even very expensive.

Speaking of animal products, a few of you asked me a while ago how the eating of animals could possibly be morally justified. My primary objection is to how we treat animals while they are alive, especially in factory farms. The very rise and continuing existence of humanity is based on the widespread slaughter and extinction of other large mammals, not to mention other animals as well. I'm not saying we should feel entirely comfortable with that, but rather a "non-aggression" stance toward other animals simply isn't possible, short of repudiating all of human civilization, even in its more primitive versions. Everyone favors the murder of animals for human purposes, although different people draw the lines at different places. I don't know of any good foundationalist approach to these issues, but at the very least we should be nicer to non-human animals at the margin and less willing to torture them.

At the policy level we should tax meat more heavily and regulate farms more strictly, for both environmental reasons and reasons of animal welfare. I draw a line at where the life of the animal is "not worth living," but for me animal slaughter is not immoral per se.

There are a few things you can do personally, including:

1. Buy less from factory farms.

2. Eat better meat and in turn eat less meat, substituting quality for quantity. This is a common demographic pattern, so it shouldn't be too hard to mimic.

If you are a vegetarian, I think that is excellent. If you're not, Benton's is a step toward both #1 and #2.

Originally posted on Marginal Revolution

The current Top 5 places will be marked in the right hand column, under "Current Favorites," with a double exclamation point.

!! = Top 5

Also be sure to check out "The Best" category.

As always, we welcome your comments and suggestions.

Sichuan Pavilion, 410 Hungerford Drive, Rockville, MD, just north of Rockville Town Centre, invisibly deep into a strip mall with “Saigon” restaurant and Revere Bank. Enter on the north side of Beall Avenue (south side of the restaurant) between North Washington Street and Hungerfod Drive, across street from Taste of Saigon and the library, about 600 feet southeast of Bob's Noodle 66. Don’t miss it! 240-403-7351, book in advance! (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [City Paper | Gazette.Net | Don Rockwell | Yelp]

Wow and double wow.

Get the Dan Dan Noodles and the Jelly Noodles. Get dumplings and more dumpling-like phenomena. This is the most authentic Sichuan restaurant around and it makes Hong Kong Palace look like Burger King. I haven’t yet “cracked” the best dishes on the main menu (I did like the crispy potato but thought the Chengdu chicken only decent), but it doesn’t matter. Just choosing from the starting, first section of the menu makes this a “Top Five” restaurant. First-rate ambience and clientele as well.

Highly recommended.

Outside from Beall Street side looking north - Washington Street is to the left, Hungerford Drive is to the right

Soy beans with jelly noodles

Mmmmmmm

Beef tendon

Green beans

Fish

Chicken

Pasara Thai, 360 Engelhardt Lane, Alexandria, VA (near the George Washington Masonic National Memorial, across Duke Street from the King Street Metro and near the Patent and Trademark Office), 703-299-8746 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) Yelp]

Definitely worth a try. I ate here after a talk I gave at Motley Food, in downtown Alexandria. They told me they were taking me to an “average” Thai place. I insisted they let me “speak sternly” to the waitress. It took a few rounds, some back and forth, and some visits from the kitchen. I told everyone that we were “serious eaters” and had been to Thailand and wanted the food “Thai style” and that I wanted their best dishes. I refused to order anything but simply repeated these instructions. They told me this would require an adjustment, but eventually it came, a meal for five people, hand-cooked by the chef.

It was one of the very best Thai meals I’ve eaten in this area -- ever -- superb in every way. The minced chicken with basil was especially good, also the drunken noodles and the chinese broccoli with small pork fritters. I can’t promise you’ll succeed in getting the same treatment, but like I said it’s worth a try.

I'm still reeling from the quality and the experience.

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.

Michael’s Noodle House, 10038 Darnestown Road, Rockville, MD, 301-738-0370 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Gazette.net | Washingtonian | SilverChips | Yelp | Gayot]

Imagine a combination of A&J and Hong Kong Palace and you have what is perhaps the best Chinese restaurant in this area right now. The dishes are a mix of Sichuan, Taiwanese, and Manchurian.

It has the best noodles and best dumplings around; the Sichuan wontons are a must. Shredded tofu is great. Singapore Noodle is surprisingly good and quite subtle. Pork with spicy noodles, in various incarnations, is excellent. I’ve yet to try the soups but they looks very good. Go mostly with the smaller dishes.

The décor is slightly nicer than at most Mom and Pops, the owners are Taiwanese, not so much English is spoken by the staff, and it draws an older Chinese crowd, less raucous than many other excellent Chinese places. Highly recommended.

Seoul Gool Dae Gee (Honey Pig Restaurant), web site, 7220 Columbia Pike, Annandale, VA, 703-256-5133 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | MenuPages | Don Rockwell | Yelp]

An A+ for the metallic décor and the Korean pop culture strewn all over the walls. Visually speaking, this might be my favorite place on the list. It’s also one of the two or three best places for Korean food. Get the pork neck barbecue. Ask them for their house specialty, a barbecue dish cooked with meat, vegetables, and octopus on top of your table. Very yummy. Good seafood pancake here as well.

Komi, web site, 1509 17th Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-332-9200 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | MenuPages | food-plan | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]

A mix of fine dining and Greek-American. The best place in DC right now, by far. $90 for a two and a half hour extravaganza. And yes it is much improved over the previous incarnation, in case you had tried that and found it wanting. Along with CityZen, this is right now DC’s only truly excellent restaurant. I feel I could bring anyone here and impress them.

Korean Traditional Cake and Porridge Restaurant, also called Dduk Sarang (or Dduck Sa Rang), 4231 Markham Street, Annandale, VA, near Shiney’s, 703-916-0006 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [MenuSarang.com | GeekSqueak]

Currently the most innovative restaurant in Koreatown. Mostly they serve porridge, porridge, and porridge. You never knew Korean porridge could be so good and so comforting. My favorite is the tuna and vegetables porridge but they are very good across the board. Very good dumplings. The beef soup, as portrayed in their photo, is the best around. Very charming décor. Definitely recommended.

Han Gang Korean Cuisine, web site, 7243 Little River Turnpike, Annandale, VA, 703-256-7077 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Yelp]

This place offers a “fine dining experience” in addition to serving Korean food. It costs more than the others, and has nice décor and service, though it is still affordable compared to a typical non-Korean place. For beef dishes it is a clear first choice for all the Korean restaurants in this area. Get the $60 combination of meats; it is an order of magnitude better than any other Korean meat dish you can get around here. Truly yummy. Go even if you think you are tired of all the other beef dishes at the other Korean places. They also have the best local Jae Chap. I would say it is important to go here with a large or mid-sized group and get a spread. Their sauces are also the best around.

Cafe Metro: Asian Fusion and Wine Bar, 6795 Wilson Blvd., Eden Center, Falls Church, VA, 703-942-8969, in the mall it is very close to Wilson Boulevard, west end of the Eden Center mall, by the smaller entrance from the main road near Viet Bistro, the sign for the restaurant is hard to spot. (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [City Paper]

I had one meal here and I was blown away. The lemon grass tofu and the tamarind soft shell crab (be sure to dip it in the pepper sauce) were among the best dishes I’ve had in Eden Center, ever. The noodles and dumplings were above average, though I would not say spectacular. It is mostly Vietnamese with some Thai influence and a few Korean dishes on the menu. It tries to be a “nice” restaurant in a weird way and the music is too loud. Right now nobody else is going. Their menu is going to expand soon and I predict further evolution for this place.

Ray’s Hell-Burger, 1713 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA, 703-841-0001, open for lunch only on weekends, I believe 5 p.m. dinner on weekdays. (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | menuism | Don Rockwell | Yelp]

All they have is hamburgers and they don’t even have a side of French fries (you can get corn on the cob or potato chip or potato salad). It’s the best hamburger around by an order of magnitude. Yes, it is worth paying a $4 or $5 supplement for the specialty cheeses on the cheeseburger. I like the Amish cheddar but consider the Epoisses as well. The quality of the burger and the cheese here really just stunned me. By 12:15 on a Saturday the place is already chaos but somehow it seems to work. Order your burger at the counter and then be prepared to stand at a table (of sorts) and eat it. Not a place to sit and chat but who needs social pleasantries when the burger is so good? The ice cream is first-rate as well.

Update February, 2009: Ray’s Hell-Burger is still at 1713 Wilson, but Ray's the Steaks has moved a few blocks west to 2300 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA, 703-841-7297. They take reservations at the new location.

Teddy’s Roti Shop, web site, 7304 Georgia Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 202-882-6488. (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | MenuPages | Don Rockwell | openlist | Yelp]

Any of the rotis with goat are superb, make sure they put some of the spicy sauce in it (you have to ask). Get the buss-up-shut. The pumpkin is first-rate. The soups are very good. The “shark and bake” is a Trinidadian classic and it is pretty good here. The “Boiled Provisions” [sic] are only so-so. Ask about the fruit juices. This part of town used to be run down but now it is quite nice. This place is definitely recommended. For authenticity it gets an A+. And if you like a proprietor who is chatty and will tell you what to do, make that A++.

Angeethi Indian Cuisine, web site, 645 Elden Street, Herndon, VA, 703-796-1527 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | openlist | Yelp | Herndon Cuisine | Gayot]

Excellent all around, this is currently one of the two or three best Indian places in the area. (Bombay Indian in Silver Spring is probably the current leader). The chat station, offered at lunch, is first-rate. Everything else is quite consistent and just generally tasty. I even enjoyed the Butter Chicken. Good breads. Good vindaloo and spinach and black lentils. What kind of Indian food is it? Most of all I would say it is like the Balti food you get in the UK and indeed they have a whole section of the menu devoted to Balti dishes. Definitely recommended.

Present Restaurant, 6678 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church, VA, 571-233-5001 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Yelp]

This is in the mall with J.V.'s Restaurant (described by the Washington Post as "One of the last Virginia honky-tonks") and Merchants’ Tire, west of Seven Corners/Eden Center. This used to be the Beewon.

The restaurant is finer in décor than most Vietnamese places and you could even take a business client here. The menu has vague, flowery descriptions of the dishes, so if you know real Vietnamese food you may at first be a bit confused. Don’t be.

Right now this is one of the best Vietnamese restaurants around. The dishes are done in very classic style, with French influence. The menu is pretty short so they may not have your favorite Vietnamese dish. And I think the place can still get better. Recommended.

Nava Thai, web site, 11301 Fern Street, Wheaton, MD, 240-430-0495 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | Don Rockwell | Yelp]

At any point in time there are four or five ethnic places which are way better than the rest. Nava Thai joins that select group. Everything tastes so real and it is the closest thing to Thai street food that I’ve had in the U.S. The Floating Market Soup is excellent, although too spicy for many. The Penang Curry – usually a boring dish – is a revelation. The tamarind sauce on the roast chicken is very good. The curry puffs are recommended as well. The service can be a little slow and not every dish is great (though all are at least good if you are confused just mimic the Thai customers with your order), but right now this is one of the places to visit. It also attracts more Thai customers than any other place with the possible exception of Thai Square.

Franny's on Flatbush Avenue was possibly the best pizza I've had in the U.S., Gala Manor in Flushing was definitely the best dim sum I've eaten in this country.

Franny's, web site, 295 Flatbush Avenue, Park Slope, Brooklyn, NY, 718-230-0221 [NY Mag | MenuPages | insiderpages | Yelp | Slice | NYT]

Gala Manor, 37-02 Main Street, Flushing, NY, 718-888-9232 [Yelp | Eating in Translation | Dudes on Foods]

Sea Side Crab House, 6799 Wilson Blvd., #5, Falls Church, VA, 703-241-CRAB (2722) (where Saigon Garden used to be) (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Don Rockwell]

An excellent seafood house in Eden Center. The soft shell crab is some of the best around. The crawfish are served Cajun style, although not as spicy as you would get in southwest Louisiana. It’s small and not a great place to sit and chat inside, but absolutely worth having in the repertoire. Outdoor seating is available. Right now it is my go-to choice for crabs. Make sure you use lots of the lime, salt and pepper sauce they give you.

Meaza International Market/Restaurant, web site, 5440-42 Columbia Pike, Arlington, VA, 703-820-2870 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [WaPo (Eve Zibart) | City Paper | Yelp]

[update December 2007: new entry and located at 5700 Columbia Pike]

Yummy in taste and original in execution, the kitfo is great here and the place even looks nice. The best Ethiopian in this entire area, every dish here is strong.

La Sandia, web site, Tysons Corner Center, Level 1, McLean, VA, by Barnes and Noble at the end opposite Bloomingdales (in blue on mall map), 703-893-2222

The new Rick Sandoval place, it opened in May of 2008. I went during the first week and thought it was clearly the best Mexican place around. Sandoval places don’t stay great for long, so now is the time to go.

It’s traditional Mexican rather than fusion but genuine and with high quality ingredients. The tortillas are excellent as is the guacamole and the queso fundido; make sure you use the sauce on the latter, and in a tortilla. I liked the chile relleno, the skirt steak tacos, and especially the carnitas. The chicken tamale was disappointing. The prices are entirely reasonable and in fact cheaper than the other restaurants in that lower level Tysons area. The existence of this place makes me very happy. Beware the crowds, however, at peak times it is very hard to get in here and they don't take traditional reservations.

The Source, the new Wolfgang Puck restaurant, web site, 575 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 202-637-6100, across from the National Gallery, on 6th and Pennsylvania, in the modernist office building (next to the Newseum). (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | The Hill | Yelp | Gayot]

Right now this is one of the two best places in town, along with CityZen. Puck’s places tend to decline within a few years (or sooner), so now is the time to go. Get as many appetizers and small dishes as you can, that is also a cheaper way to eat plus you get more selection.

Hollywood East Cafe on the Boulevard, web site, 2621 University Blvd., Wheaton, MD, 240-290-9988 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | Yelp | Gayot]

Right now this is the best dim sum place around. They don’t just churn out the usual stuff, they are consistently interesting and make the dim sum with care. At times you might be frustrated by the delays, but that’s part of the signal of quality. First-rate greens too. I might add that they make stuff in batches, and you should stick around for about two hours, and save up space in your stomach, rather than filling up right away. Go slow, slow, slow, and make an afternoon of it.

Paul Kee, 11305-B Georgia Avenue, Wheaton, MD, 301-933-6886 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | Yelp]

One of the best Cantonese places around, although you hardly ever hear of it. Excellent seafood. I like the scallops in pepper sauce, among other dishes. There are also the casseroles, and make sure you get some greens to round out the combination.

The Source, web site, 575 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 202-637-6100 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | The Hill | WaPo | Yelp]

Yes sir, I know what is best, and I will bring it to you.

That was what I heard in The Source, the new Wolfgang Puck restaurant, which is now one of the two best fine dining establishments in an otherwise food-starved Washington DC.

First posted on Marginal Revolution.

Star Restaurant Banquet, web site, 7203 Little River Turnpike, Annandale, VA, 703-750-2450 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window)

An authentic albeit underpopulated Afghan place, with a huge room for weddings and banquets. Their plans and their achievement seem totally out of scale. That said, it could be the best Afghan place to visit right now. Very good kadu, not too sweet. Their bready things are yummy, I quite liked the third appetizer, the pastry stuffed with leeks, add yogurt on top. The meats are not so tender but they are very tasty. How long can this place last? Should you be discouraged by the thought of entering a huge cavern and not even being greeted by a hostess? Who knows? Enjoy it while you can.

[former location of Po Jang Ma Cha]

Meaza, 5700 Columbia Pike, Falls Church, VA, 703-820-2870, I’m not sure about the number on Rt. 7, it is what their card says but some people tell me it is wrong. [This place was formerly at 5440 Columbia Pike: previous TCEDG entry]. In any case it is on Columbia Pike just east of Route 7 by Circuit City (which address is 5710 Columbia Pike). (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [chowhound | Yelp]

Excellent, excellent Ethiopian, maybe as good as the DC dumps. But it’s a nice restaurant too. The fish tibs you can’t get in other places. First-rate kitfo. Wide variety. A clear #1 Ethiopian for Virginia and yes it is pressing on the DC places too. Attached to a coffee shop, plus they have Ethiopian music on some nights. Definitely recommended, although perhaps I would prefer if the dining room had more light.

Central Michel Richard, web site, 1001 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 202-626-0015, hard to get reservations except at 5:30 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | The Hill | MenuPages | City Paper | Don Rockwell | Yelp | Gayot]

This was once the second best place in town but now it's just OK. Tourists have taken it over and it was never that cheap in the first place. Get out your copy of Brahms's Requiem. Originally the short ribs and the burgers were pretty good. But now, write it off if you really care about food.

Also see Michel Richard Citronelle.

Tian Chinese Restaurant, inside Lotte Plaza, 3250 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax Circle, Fairfax, VA, Closed Mondays, 703-246-9198

This is in the same place as Cheogajip Chicken.

Zenebech Injera, 608 T Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-667-4700 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [evite | Yelp]

This restaurant with two tables is now the best Ethiopian place in Washington. It is better than Adams-Morgan, better than the 9th Street row. Especially if you don't mind hearing them grind up meat in the nearby back room.

Every dish is excellent and the flavors are simply more real. Get the raw kitfo, and you do need to ask for it spicy otherwise they will notice your possibly pale face and dumb down the food accordingly.

Oddly this place is right next to Thai X-ing, which has only one table and is the best Asian restaurant in town. DC is finally developing the right mix of high rent and low rent districts to support such entrepreneurial ventures.

Have photos? Send them to us.

Rose Restaurant, 126 W. Maple Avenue, Vienna, VA, 703-255-9696 or 703-255-2557 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | Falls-Church News Press | Chowhound]

Yes this is from the folks who brought you the old Café Rose, in Falls Church. The new incarnation is brighter, quicker, and has a broader menu. The eggplant appetizer is first-rate, the yogurt dipping sauce for the bread excellent. The two stews are both good, the best kabob is the lamb, one of the best kabobs around right now, very juicy. Very low prices, in terms of value-added this is a real winner. The velvet paintings on the wall only add to the atmosphere.

Yas Bakery, and Gourmet Groceries, 131 A West Maple Avenue, Vienna, VA, 703-242-2800 or 703-242-4050, across from Magruder’s, not easily visible from the street. (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [insider pages]

I don’t usually cover ethnic groceries, but they bake their own bread and it is #1 in the whole area. First you grab a number, then you wait, sometimes up to fifteen minutes if there is a crowd. It comes out fresh, piping hot, absolutely delicious. Worth a visit, and yes you will come back. It doubles as northern Virginia’s best grocery.

Kotobuki, web site, 4822 MacArthur Blvd., Washington, DC, near U Street NW, on the second floor, 202-625-9080 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | MenuPages | City Paper | Don Rockwell | Yelp | Gayot]

The best sushi right now and remarkably cheap, the sushi is only a dollar a piece, yet the quality is very high. A real find. I've been waiting for a price shake-out in the sushi market, and perhaps the time for that has come. The also have Saturday lunch and Sunday dinner, they don't take reservations. A Beatles soundtrack plays all the time. Don't expect good service or comfortable seating, but right now this place is essential dining. The shumai and lobster sushi are especially good, in addition to the usual winners.

Thai X-ing, 515 Florida Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 202-332-4322, no lunch, All take-out (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [InTowner | Washingtonian | Don Rockwell | WaPo | City Paper]

This place is becoming legendary. One guy cooks for you and it takes a long time. I have yet to go. It is supposed to have quirky décor, and the reviews differ on whether any seats are available at all. The salmon in coconut milk is supposed to be great. Here is the menu: http://www.inshaw.com/blog/Thai%20X-ing.htm. Patrons are advised to call in advance to avoid long waits. Let me know what you think.

From a loyal TCEDG reader:

Update February 16, 2007: Four chairs, one table, A+ decor, and the best Asian food in D.C. Nothing nearby comes close. Staff = 1, so you must call not only for reservations, but indeed hours in advance with an actual order so he can start making your food. I loved the salmon in red curry sauce, the pad thai, the larb, and some amazing chicken dish with the guy's last name on it; the drunken noodles are recommended as well. But I am not not not saying the other dishes are worse.

I'll never view the theory of the firm in the same light again. Monitoring doesn't work, and who needs division of labor anyway? The coolest place in DC right now, by far.

Saravana Palace, web site, 11725 Lee Highway, #A15, Fairfax, VA, 703-218-4182, one light west of Fairfax Wegman’s, turn into the strip mall, directions on web site (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | MenuPages | Happy Cow | Don Rockwell]

UPDATE: This place simply isn't very good any more! A real loss.

Go for the weekend lunch buffet, which has both better items and a broader selection. Right now this is the best southern Indian, or Indian vegetarian place around. The largest selection of dosas and related items, such as Pesarat. Great okra. Yogurt rice. Carrot dishes. Every vegetable dish is first-rate. Raises the bar for all other Indian vegetarian places. Go, go, go. Excellent for people-watching as well.

Here is a good Washingtonian chat about the place.

Lima Restaurant, web site (Flash and music) 1401 K Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-789-2800 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | MenuPages | City Paper | Yelp]

Peruvian is trendy now and this place is hot. It is a wonderful and diverse cuisine. But what is this place? The reviews indicate a lot of citrus-cooked fish (OK) and lots of Spanish dishes. The verdict remains out…

Update November, 2006: The new hip place, and the best ceviche in town, without a doubt. Not cheap and hard to get in on Friday and Saturday. Parts of the décor are stunningly attractive, while other parts resemble a bad high school cafeteria. Friendly service. I thought the short ribs were excellent, plus of course the ceviche. I recommend focusing on the appetizers. I don’t feel I need to go here often, and I suspect that not all the menu items (of course I picked the best ones) are good. But it is definitely a place worth trying. I’ll add that at least half the menu items are not “Peruvian,” in the classic sense, but the same could be said for the hot spots in Lima, Peru. This place is aptly named.

Soo Rah (formerly Pokchangdong?), 7601 Little River Turnpike, Annandale, VA, 703-658-0508, open until midnight, starting at about 11 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window)

The western-most of the Annandale Korean entries and also one of the best. Get the most expensive of the set menus for a treat. This will involve casseroles, ribs, dumplings, fish, egg dishes, steamed tofu, blue crabs, and the usual medley of Korean vegetables. The casseroles are to be recommended more generally. The bibimbop is good not though the very best. Fully authentic, and though I have for now put it on the favorites list, note that many of the competitors are not far behind.

Update June 2007: Soo Rah is closed

Rasika, web site (Flash), 633 D Street NW, near MCI Center, Washington, DC, 202-637-1222 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | food-plan | The Hill | Don Rockwell | Yelp | Gayot]

Right now this is one of the best places in DC. It has declined since opening but it still pretty good. The food here has real taste, much as you might find in India. Nice décor. Many fine touches in the cooking. The best dish is the spinach (somewhat fried or frittered), with corn; better than it sounds. The way to go here is to order starters, chats, appetizers, etc., and avoid the good but less innovative main courses. Good okra, very good cauliflower and I very much like the black lentils. Going all-vegetarian here is not a mistake. Good prawns. Overall a strong entry into Washington’s dining scene.

Mai Restaurant, 6763 Wilson Blvd., Falls Church, VA, Eden Center, # 9 inside the mall, 703-237-2020, Tgfriday14@yahoo.com (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Small Picture]

They don’t have crabs “out of season,” so call ahead. You might call this place Vietnamese. They also do good things with packaged crab meat.

Update September 2006: The best crab place in the immediate area. Fresh. The proprietor likes to talk. Only crabs. Crabs, with ginger and scallions, tamarind sauce, plain, or salt and pepper. I like salt and pepper best. Recommended.

Restaurante El Salvador, 4805 Columbia Pike, Arlington, VA, 703-521-3225 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [City Paper]

One of the best Salvadorean places, in a universe of dozens. Juicy pupusas, nice atmosphere. Also get the corn tamales, tamale de elote. When going to an El Salvadorean restaurant, always order the pupusas. Always order the pupusas. Always order the pupusas. A Pupusa, for the uninitiated, is a Salvadorean "pancake," made of corn-based bread, stuffed with meat, cheese, or both. Make sure you put lots of spicy cabbage on the top (called “curtido”). The cheapest good meal around, also. They have some Peruvian dishes, too.

Cho Cu Saigon, 6763-6D Wilson Blvd., Falls Church, VA, 703-538-2168, inside Eden Center - use the entrance under the clock tower, next to the grocery store (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | City Paper | Yelp]

Get the roast pork there. You might call this Cantonese but it is a Vietnamese vision of Cantonese food. Duck and seafood as well, recommended.

Update September, 2006: An unknown and much underrated Cantonese restaurant. Good congee. Also get the salted and baked chicken. Fully authentic, try the noodles with ginger and scallion, I think this place is quite good and I haven’t even yet discovered their best dishes.

Update March 9, 2006: Today I had a great meal at the Cantonese place inside Eden Center... the casserole with minced chicken and salted fish was superb.

Huong Viet, 6785 Wilson Blvd., Falls Church, VA, 703-538-7110, in the Eden Center (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]

Opens at 10 a.m. and is full by noon in the Eden Center. Get the picture? All the Vietnamese staples, definitely recommended.

Four Sisters, Huong Que, web site, 8190 Strawberry Lane, Suite 1 Fairfax, VA, 703-539-8566, previously in Eden Center (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | The Hill | City Paper | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]

A bit fancier than Viet Royale, this was once the best or at least the best known of the Vietnamese places. I like the caramel fish, the Vietnamese pancake, anything with lemon grass, the soups, anything that doesn’t sound Chinese. Fancier decor and less crowded than most other Vietnamese places. But it's gone increasingly mainstream and I no longer see reason to go here. It's still good, but the most specialized places in Eden Center are serving up more interesting meals. It moved in late 2008 to Fairfax.

The same folks own Song Que, a few doors away. [Hobnob Blog | Washingtonian]

The other places in Eden Center are great. If you go on a Saturday, you must arrive before noon to get a parking spot in this mall. All the restaurants are open by 11, so this is not a problem.

Roger Miller Restaurant, 941 Bonifant Street, Silver Spring, MD, 301-650-2495 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Silver Chips Online | Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | openlist | Yelp]

I love the name (named after a Cameroonian football player). It is probably the best general African restaurant around right now, although it is not the best we have had in the last ten years. The chef is from Cameroon, but you will find dishes from Senegal, Nigeria, and Ghana as well.

Suporn, web site, 2304 Price Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, 301-946-7613 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | Yelp]

One of the best Thai places around, it has real bite. Thai food is going the way of Chinese food, where most restaurants have the same menu and same taste. Not this one. Most of the dishes sound ordinary but don’t be put off by that.

Duangrat's, web site, 5878 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA, near Bailey's Crossroads, 703-820-5775, usually open (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]

Gourmet Thai at reasonable prices. The ruling Thai restaurant in this area. There is another branch of the same restaurant, with a slightly different menu, right next door, called Rabieng's. Has more modern decor than Duangrat's, but fewer offerings, although I am told you can still order off the Duangrat's menu. It used to be that every dish here was great, then for a while it turned spottier. Now it has been reinvigorated. It remains not fully consistent but the best dishes are better than ever and the menu is more innovative than ever before. The weekend “Thai tapas” are especially fun. Go, and go often.

Sanur Restaurant, 18 Doyers Street, Chinatown, New York, NY, 212-267-0088/0976 [A Guy In New York | MenuPages | Citysearch]

The food was great. My favorite dish was the greens (Ok-Choy) perhaps but everything was a cut above other Malaysian places I have found in this country...

Costa Verde, 946 North Jackson Street, Arlington, VA, 703-522-6976, near GMU Metro campus, across from the gas station, usually open. (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]

A good Peruvian place that has gotten better with time. Very good ceviche de pescado and very good seafood, my favorite is the Pescado Saltado but most dishes are excellent. Recommended. Use lots of the green sauce.

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.

El Pollo Rico, 932 Kenmore Street, Arlington, VA, 703-522-3220, near the GMU Law School, they have moved from the old location. (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | openlist | Yelp]

You have to admire any restaurant that has only one item on the menu. One of the best chicken places. Maybe the best chicken. And certainly the best fries. But no yucca. On the negative side, the portions are smaller than in many places, and it doesn’t always come piping hot. Great for people-watching.

(Peruvian chicken is "pollo a la brasa')

The Chicken Place, 5519 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA, 703-931-3090, near Bailey’s Crossroads, where the old Edy’s used to be. (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window)

They have one of the tastiest chickens, a place to go if you are tired of the large crowds at Edy’s, you can eat here with no sacrifice in quality, plus the chicken comes more quickly.

- - -

Never been to these other restaurants named "The Chicken Place": 2418 University Blvd. West, Wheaton, MD, 301-946-1212 [Washingtonian | Gayot]

In Gaithersburg, La Flor de la Canela used to be called "The Chicken Place": 117 N. Frederick Avenue, Gaithersburg, MD, 301-519-9100 [WaPo]

Edy's Chicken and Steak, 5240 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA, 703-820-5509, Las Brasas, Leesburg Pike, Bailey's Crossroads, on the north side of Route 7, just east of Chesapeake Plaza, where the old Borders used to be (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [WaPo | City Paper | Yelp]

After moving to fancy new digs, at first the quality declined but now it has recovered. That being said, the waits for chicken are now sometimes interminable, once it took a solid 35 minutes. One is reminded of Yogi Berra’s old adage: “Nobody goes there anymore, it’s too crowded.” Still, I love this place. And an A plus for atmosphere and good general fun. Oh, get the chicken, not the steak. For yucca fries, I think the best is Brasa Roja, in Fairfax, or the place in Willston Plaza (Peruvian Chicken and Steak), on Rt. 50; the yucca here is actually substandard.

El Majahual Chim-Pun Callao Restaurant, 3815-B S. George Mason Drive, Falls Church, VA, 703-845-9501. Off Rt. 7, just east of Skyline Mall, or take the confusing Seminary Road from Alexandria. Open any time you would care to go. (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Yelp]

This restaurant's name has something to do with soccer, it seems. Many Peruvian wonders here. Papa Huancaina makes for a nice appetizer - potatoes covered with a spicy cheese sauce. The Ceviche is very good. Among the mains, Seco is lamb stew with beans. Lomo Saltado is the dish I use to gauge any Peruvian restaurant - salty beef, olive oil, tomatoes, and french fries all mixed together. Don't worry, the French Fries are supposed to be soggy. It's best here. The Italian-sounding dishes are less interesting. Same with some of the steaks (see the remarks under "Cecilia's" Bolivian on this point). Go for the dishes that mix ingredients.

The restaurant also serves good El Salvadorean food; I like the Taquito appetizer. Plus the usual E.S. assortments. The mini-mall also deserves a full walk, both front and back sides. This is what Northern Virginia is all about, and what makes living here tolerable. You'll find ethnic groceries for Filipino, Ethiopian, Indian, Afghan, and Vietnamese foods.

Kabob Bazaar, web site, 3133 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA, 703-522-8999, just across from Clarendon Metro (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [City Paper | openlist | Yelp]

The best ground beef kabob around, period.

The daily stews are great, too. Doesn’t look like much, but this place is excellent. Addictive. And don’t be afraid to get the ground beef kabob, which in most other places is just boring. Here it could be the best dish. With the barberry rice, if they have it that day, they usually do on Thursdays or Fridays.

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.

Ravi Kabob House, 305 N. Glebe Road, Arlington, VA, 703-522-6666, a few blocks north of Rt. 50 at Pershing in Buckingham Center, a small row of shops (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | zabihah | City Paper | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]

The best kabob and Pakistani restaurant around. The meat here is superb. Plus the chicken and lamb karahi dishes are excellent, but don’t believe them when they say it is enough for two people, it isn’t. A hole in the wall, mom and pop sort of place, but high quality all around and very authentic.

Update May 31, 2006: They're opening an additional place across the street at 250 N. Glebe Road, next to the CVS.

Lamb Kabob, with salad, rice and chick peas, and bread

El Charrito Caminante, 2710-A North Washington Blvd., Arlington, VA, 703-351-1177, between Pershing Drive on the north and the 7-11 on the south, on the west side of Washington Blvd. (the right side as you're leaving Arlington toward I-395) (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | Yelp]

Looks, smells, and feels like a real taqueria. The goat tacos are first-rate, probably the best Mexican dish you can get in Virginia, at least outside of Oyamel. Next in line are the loroco pupusas, but many of the dishes here are no better than ordinary, noting that “ordinary” ain’t so bad. N.B.: there are four high stools and a small amount of counter space, this place is mostly take-out. I also get the passion fruit juice to drink.

El Charrito Caminante

El Charrito Caminante Goat Taco

Chicken Burrito

Beef Burrito

Pancho Villa, web site, 910 S. Main Street, Culpeper, VA, 540-825-5268, branches also in Stafford and Fredericksburg. [The Free Lance-Star | openlist]

That’s right *Culpeper*. Many of the dishes here are only so-so, but they have the best chile rellenos in the area. Get two of those.

"Pancho Villa finds success locally," by Kennifer Buske, Inside NOVA.com, August 9, 2005

Blanca's, 418 S. Washington Street, Falls Church, VA, Rt. 29, 703-538-2466 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Falls Church News-Press | City Paper | Yelp]

Actually an El Salvadorean restaurant, but they also have excellent Mexican food, the best in the area outside of the old Cielito Lindo in Bladensburg. Get the bean burrito. Don't go when you are in a hurry, however. Any of the non-Mexican Latin places that try to make quasi-Mexican food will beat the pathetic American attempts at Mexican food found in this area.

Joe's Shanghai, 13621 37th Avenue, Flushing, Queens, NY, 718-539-3838 [A Guy In New York | NYT | NY Mag | Village Voice | openlist | Gayot | Yelp | Citysearch]

Superb, especially the crab and pork dumplings...one of the best Chinese meals I have had in the US...

La Sirenita, 4911 Edmonston Road, Hyattsville, MD, 301-864-0188, just a bit off Kenilworth Avenue (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | Don Rockwell | openlist | Yelp ]

The best chile relleno around, and also the best beans. Excellent posole. I have yet to try the fried quail. The waitress recommends the “stripe soup.” They get an A+ for atmosphere, recommended.

Pita House, web site, 407 Cameron Street, Old Town, Alexandria, VA, 703-684-1118 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [WaPo | City Paper | openlist | Yelp]

One of my favorite places in Old Town, and one of the best Lebanese places around. Very reliable, and will prove outstanding comfort food for many. Get the dishes with the yogurt sauce, most of all, but you can’t go wrong here.

Woo Lae Oak, web site, 1500 S. Joyce Street, Arlington, VA, 703-521-3706, also in Tysons Corner at 8240 Leesburg Pike, Vienna, VA, 703-827-7300 (small international chain) (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Korean DC (Arlington) | Korean DC (Tysons) | Washingtonian | WaPo (Tysons) | WaPo (Arlington) | City Paper (Tysons) | City Paper (Arlington) | Don Rockwell | openlist | Yelp]

The best of the mainstream Korean places, as opposed to the mom and pops. You could even take a business client here. The best place to go for an introduction to Korean food, and the place with the best ingredients, though the overall feel of the restaurant is a bit sterile for my tastes. There now seems to be a branch at Tysons Corner as well, on Rt.7, just west of Capitol Grille.

Seoul Soondae, 4231-L Markham Street, Annandale, VA, 703-642-2220 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Korean DC (Annandale) | Korean DC (Wheaton) | WaPo | Yelp]

Branches in Wheaton, MD, 12203 Veirs Mill Road, Stone Mill Square Plaza, 301-942-5200 (equally good, pretty much the same thing); Ellicott City may be replaced by manna, 410-480-5050: 8801 Baltimore Nat'l Pike, Ellicott City, MD, 410-750-0006; and Queens, NY, 158-15 Northern Boulevard, Queens, NY, 718-321-3231 [Village Voice | AM New York]

If you don’t want buffet, one of the best Korean places around. Great seafood pancake here, Korean food for Koreans who know the difference. Gets crowded.

Tachibana, web site, 6715 Lowell Avenue, McLean, VA, 703-847-1771, there is also a branch in Bethesda (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]

The best Japanese place in the suburbs. Not at all cheap, but the quality justifies the prices. Many entrees are in the $20 range.

Sushi-Ko, web site (Flash), 2309 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 202-333-4187, closed Monday. (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | Don Rockwell | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]

The best sushi around, after Makoto. Not cheap, but you can afford to eat here, also.

Makoto, 4822 MacArthur Blvd. NW, Washington, DC, 202-298-6866, closed Monday. (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | Don Rockwell | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]

Ten small courses, (used to be $35), only four tables. A gem - one of Washington's best. The closest you will get to real Japanese haute cuisine here.

Caribbean Feast Restaurant, 823 Hungerford Drive, Rockville, MD, 301-315-2668, closed Sunday I believe. (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | City Paper | food-plan | Yelp | Gayot]

A great name, and one of the best Jamaican places. It doesn’t give me the visceral thrill that Negril does, but it is worth having in the repertoire. Very good chicken, lots of goat, and sides that would never pass the Atkins test. Good atmosphere.

Lots of places along this stretch of Hungerford Drive.

Il Pinito, 5071 Nicholson Lane, Rockville, MD, 301-881-0085 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | City Paper | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]

Definitely recommended, the sort of place you are convinced this area does not have. Cheap, tasty, fresh Italian food. Nothing shocking, but delivers all around in a way that few Italian places here do.

Esposito’s, 9917 Lee Hwy, Fairfax, VA, 703-385-59, 12Rt. 50, just west of Fairfax Circle, on the south side of the street. (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [City Paper | openlist | Yelp]

The kind of Italian place you would expect in New Jersey. Indeed, the owners are from New Jersey. Some of the best pizza in the area, plus very good pasta. Exactly the sort of place you would think that northern Virginia shouldn’t have.

Amma Vegetarian Kitchen, web site, 344-A Maple Avenue East, Vienna, VA, 703-938-5328, Chain Bridge Road, just across from Outback Steakhouse (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | openlist | Yelp]

Also in Georgetown, 3291 M Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-625-6625 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]

Strictly Indian, strictly vegetarian, mostly dosas. Excellent channa (chickpeas). This place significantly ups the options for Vienna dining. I’ve never tried the Georgetown branch.

Heritage India, 2400 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC, across from the Fresh Fields, 202-333-3120. (Also a Dupont Circle branch, 1337 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC, near N Street, 202-331-1414, with a different menu.) (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | Don Rockwell | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]

Why don’t they have an ethnic restaurant that adheres to mainstream restaurant standards of ingredients, presentation, and service? That’s Heritage India for you. Extremely yummy, one of the best Indian places around. Worth the trip into DC, even if you’re happy with your local places in VA or MD. Not as good as Indique, but still good enough to knock your socks off. I’ve heard mixed reviews about the new Dupont Circle outlet, which also offers Indian tapas.

Woodlands, 8046 New Hampshire Avenue, at University Blvd., Hyattsville, MD, 301-434-4202 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | openlist | Yelp | Gayot] also located in Fairfax, in the mall where Germantown Rd hits the K-Mart, just off of Rt. 29, 4078 Jermantown Road, Fairfax, VA, 703-385-1996 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | openlist | Yelp]

Finally Fairfax has top-rate dosas. The Maryland branch has now overtaken Udupi with the Indian crowd, although the menus are almost the same. Fairfax branch not quite as good but still excellent. The kind of food is simply hard to beat. Be grateful that you can get it at all. There is one lentils dish, with vegetables, comes with a side order of yogurt, it is my favorite here.

Bombay Tandoor, web site, 8603 Westwood Center Drive, Vienna, VA, 703-734-2202. Near the auto dealerships but off Rt. 7, impossible to spot from the street, call for exact directions, not hard to get to. (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]

An attempt to create an upscale Indian place for the nouveau richesse Indians who work in the software firms out near Dulles. Better than average. I like the tandoori and spinach best. For those who don’t want the mom and pop atmosphere, but still want tasty and authentic food. Recommended.

Five Guys, web site, 4626 King Street, Alexandria, VA, 703-671-1606, many other branches too, including on 107 N. Fayette Street, Alexandria, VA, 6541 Backlick Road, Springfield, VA, and 2960 Gallows Road, Falls Church, VA, right by the Multiplex and the Szechuan place set back in the strip mall. (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | Don Rockwell | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]

See web site for locations in DC, Virginia and Maryland.

Formerly the definitive local hamburger, now it is a huge chain with varying quality. It can still hit the spot, however. Great albeit greasy french fries, makes you realize that most people’s french fries taste like nothing. No spa cuisine here. Not for all tastes, but if you think you might like it, try it. And dirt cheap.

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.

Passage to India, web site, 4931 Cordell Avenue, near Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda, MD, 301-656-3373 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | Don Rockwell | openlist | Gayot]

Truly excellent. This used to be a branch of Heritage India, but now it is run by the original founder. It offers unique Indian regional specialties. In fact only here in this area can you eat specialties of Bombay and Calcutta, among other parts of India. This place is more like a high-class Indian restaurant of India than anywhere else around. Highly recommended, and make sure you get the regional specialties.

Indebleu, web site (flash and music), )707 G Street NW, Washington, DC, right at MCI Center, 202-333-2538, not open for lunch it seems (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | The Hill | bourrezvisage | WaPo | City Paper | Don Rockwell | Yelp | Gayot]

This new and trendy restaurant mixes French and Indian influences. I went here once. All of the dishes were good, some were excellent. The mushroom dosa was superb (it is a must-order). The veal tenderloin is recommended as well. That being said, the bill was very high and I didn’t even stuff myself. The best way to go here is to sit in the lounge and order the bar food, they still will bring you the mushroom dosas, plus get the lollipop lamb tandoori. Recommended, but it is pricey for what you get. Not for everyone but it will have its partisans.

Le Tire Bouchon, web site, 4009 Chain Bridge Road, Fairfax, VA, at Main Street, 703-691-4747 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | openlist]

Update October 2007: CLOSED

Good French food, now the best place in Fairfax city. Cozy and comfortable atmosphere, not especially original but likely to prove a winner with most audiences. The lamb is my favorite here, plus get the apple tart and ice cream dessert.

Les Halles, web page, 1201 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 202-347-6848, open 11:30 to midnight, every day. (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | Don Rockwell | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]

A good French steakhouse, with the onglet as the entree of pride. Not cheap, but a real treat. Also get the mashed potatoes with gravy, as well as the Creme Brulee for desert. The best French Fries in town as well. Consistent.

2941 Restaurant, web site, 2941 Fairview Drive, Falls Church, VA, 703-270-1500 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Economist | Washingtonian | The Hill | wcities | World Bank Family Network | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | Don Rockwell | openlist | Yelp | Gayot] [Chef Jonathan Krinn: CS Monitor | Baltimore Business Journal | DC Chefs 10/1/06]

It was once very excellent, but now it is only in the “good for the suburbs” category. Not cheap. The scallops and the foie gras are among the better entries. But the meals there now feel corporate rather than special. Many will love the view of the artificial lake outside, so go early. They also do Sunday brunch. Now I go only when other people are paying. Not as good as Colvin Run Tavern, for instance, for a special Virginia meal.

Maestro, web site, 1700 Tysons Blvd., Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Tysons Corner, McLean, VA, 703-917-5498 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Mobil | Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | Don Rockwell | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]

Super expensive, very fine, very yummy. They don’t quite have enough different flavors to justify the nine-course option, but this is one of the very best places around. Northern Italian, but eclectically so. Fine meats.

Oceanaire, web site, 1201 F Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-347-2277 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Hobnob Blog | Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | Economist | Don Rockwell | Gayot]

Has first-rate seafood, one of my favorite places right now. They do for fish what Morton’s did for steaks. That description might put you off, but you should try it anyway, it is really very good. Noisy and draws a hideous crowd, but don’t let that put you off.

Crabcakes

Swordfish

Asparagus and whole red potatoe sides

D.C. Coast, web site - AVOID the web site, it will bring your browser to a halt, 1401 K Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-216-5988 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Economist | Washingtonian | The Hill | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | Don Rockwell | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]

Jeff Tunk’s place. Get the chile relleno, tuna-filled pasta, and crabcake. One of the best places in town right now. The noise can be difficult to take, however.

Bob Kinkead's Colvin Run Tavern, web site, 8045 Leesburg Pike, Vienna, VA, at Tysons, Rt.7, right behind Tiffany's, in the same mall (Fairfax Square) with Morton’s and Gucci, 703-356-9500 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | The Hill | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | Don Rockwell | openlist | Extreme Chefs | Yelp | Gayot]

This place is getting better all the time, although it had a rocky start. My last visit was superb. I suspect they have worked out the kinks, and produced one of Virginia’s best restaurants. Tom Sietsema recommends the squid and crab napoleon and the breast of squab. This is by the Kinkead’s guy, of course.

Taberna del Alabardero, web site, 1776 Eye Street NW, Washington, DC, entrance on 18th Street, 202-429-2200, opens at 6:00 (affiliated with a Spanish restaurant group, Grupo Lezama) (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | Don Rockwell | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]

Very yummy. They often have regional specialties cooked by visiting chefs. A superior dining experience. Not cheap, but the price is high for a good reason. Good paella. Stuffier than it needs to be, but often I feel this is the very best place in town right now. It has shown a remarkably ability to reinvent itself when needed.

Gerard's, web site, 915 15th Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-737-4445 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | Don Rockwell | openlist | Yelp | wcities | Gayot]

Update June 8, 2008: See Gerard Pangaud Bistro.

This place is accused of being inconsistent, so make sure Gerard is cooking that night. If so, it is phenomenal. Get the sweetbreads, the duck (or maybe the lobster, but $58 there), and the brioche. This meal will blow you away. Not cheap, but at its peak one of the two or three best places in this area, along with CityZen and the Inn at Little Washington. Did I mention that Gerard ran a Michelin two-star back in France? Sadly, the décor of this place is ugly, but I don’t care.

Inn at Little Washington, web site, 309 Middle Street (Middle and Main Streets), Washington, VA, 540-675-3800 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Mobil | Economist | Forbes | Donna Reiss | Washingtonian | WaPo | food-plan | openlist | Gayot]

$100 and up for the fixed price meal , and that is not counting wine. But one of the best restaurants in North America. It's about a seventy minute drive from Falls Church, but a pleasant one. Get the Tuna with Foie Gras on top. Or the Veal with Sweetbreads. Those are the two best entrees. Reservations of course required, but a relatively relaxed atmosphere and a nice dining room.

China Gourmet (the new Chinese name may be Szechuan Boy), 9901 Lee Hwy, Fairfax, VA, 703-293-9898 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Chowhound | Washingtonian | WaPo | Don Rockwell]

Update August 13, 2006: China Gourmet is closed.

Update, May 15, 2006: Peter Chang has now left China Gourmet and his whole new Sichuan menu is gone...a new chef has some sichuan dishes, including good rabbit, but it is not the same restaurant.

Run by the prize-winning chef who used to run Tempt Asian and before that China Star.

Get the special Szechuan menu, twice cooked pork and #3 on the main dishes menu, fish and tofu.

A new favorite.

Abiti, 1909 9th Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-328-2223 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [WaPo | City Paper]

CLOSED

Another from 9th Street. The lentils or split peas (Shiro) are the specialty. In fact they are the best I have ever had, anywhere, in any cuisine. The kitfo is first-rate as well. This is perhaps not the most versatile Ethiopian place, but it is one of the best. Note that all the seats are low-lying, and require you to bend over your food. I don’t mind but some might.

Pasha Cafe, web site, 3911 Lee Highway, Arlington, VA, 703-528-1111 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [WaPo (Eve Zibart) | City Paper | openlist]

This place has reopened, following a devastating fire. I have yet to visit the new incarnation but loved the old. Focus on the appetizers. Probably the best Egyptian place around.

Cuban Corner Restaurant, web site, 825 Hungerford Drive, near Ivy League Lane, Rockville, MD, 301-279-0310, closed Sunday (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Three Guys From Miami | Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]

The best Cuban place around, as far as I can tell. Excellent pork and sides. The following is the rule of thumb on Cuban restaurants. The rice and beans are bound to be worthwhile. To have a great meal all you then need do is latch on to one other satisfactory dish. And here that is very easy to do. First-rate atmosphere, and I love the list of all the prominent Cubans on the wall, and the anti-Castro political propaganda. Definitely recommended, and very good for people-watching as well.

Victor’s Grill, 436 S. Washington St, Falls Church, VA, 703 532 8878 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Falls Church News-Press | City Paper | Yelp]

I’ve now been here three times, and great every time. One of the best Bolivian places around, and probably the largest portions of any place listed in this guide.

Dixie Bones, web site, 13440 Occoquan Road, Woodbridge, VA, south on Rt. 123, half an hour south from Fairfax, right off I-95, 703-492-2205 [Washingtonian | WaPo | openlist | Citysearch | Gayot]

Worth the trip, right now this is the best barbecue around. I like the ribs best. The side orders are excellent, and cooked with great care. Make sure you try the sauces on your meat. Everyone recommends their baked goods as well. This is outside my purview but they appear to be quite fresh.

Dixe Bones BBQ, rack of ribs

Dixie Bones BBQ, pork

Dixie Bones BBQ, collard greens

Dixie Bones BBQ, pulled chicken

Dixie Bones BBQ, coleslaw

Dixie Bones BBQ, beef

Dixie Bones BBQ, baked beans

Dixie Bones BBQ, catfish

Wegmans, web site [WaPo | The Daily Ping | Manassas Journal Messenger]

• web site, 45131 Columbia Place, Sterling, VA, 703-421-2400 (just north of Dulles International Airport - off Rt.28, turn west at either Commercial or Waxpool) [Baltimore Sun]
  
• web site, 11620 Monument Drive, Fairfax, VA, 703-653-1600 (off Rt.29)

The best supermarket, with a dozen restaurants inside as well. Imagine Whole Foods times five, plus your favorite brands, plus half a dozen ethnic groceries. I don’t usually list supermarkets, but this place is worth its weight in gold.

The meats are excellent, the seafood selection amazing, the spice selection first-rate, and the cooked foods can be surprisingly good. The cheese and olive bars are hard to believe. An “A” for design as well. Go, and go often, this place has revolutionized food shopping. You might find you don’t even need this guide anymore.

Note: the Sterling branch has better foodstuffs than Fairfax, though both are impressive.

Punjab Dhaba, 7263-F Arlington Blvd, Loehmann's Plaza, Falls Church, VA, 703-698-5262 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [City Paper | food-plan | Falls Church News Press]

The best tandoori, great breads, and excellent lentil dumplings. The dosas (see South Indian, for a description of dosas) are no joke either. Great atmosphere also, and cheaper than average. The special Uttapam dish is great as well. The counter food is good, though mixed, sometimes too salty.

And after you are done eating, you can go see an Indian movie in the Indian movie theater in the Loehmann’s Plaza mall. Some even have English subtitles, but don’t worry if they don’t. In any case, if you come here start with the Tandoori but note that it takes fifteen minutes because it is done properly fresh.

In the 1980s and early '90s, I could still find excellent ethnic food -- particularly Vietnamese -- in Arlington and Clarendon, but more recently, I've watched well-established suburban eateries march toward the exurbs. Take Madhu Ban, the excellent Indian vegetarian restaurant that used to be in Clarendon: As the area gentrified, rents rose, and the owner, Munshi Ram, moved out. He reopened his restaurant as Punjab Dhaba in Loehmann's Plaza in Falls Church, closer to the Dulles corridor and the high-tech boom that helped double the Indian population in the Washington region from fewer than 40,000 in 1990 to some 78,000 in 2000. A dhaba is typically a roadside cafe, and this one is right next to the Bollywood movie theater. I can tell when the Indian movies start and end by watching the flow of crowds at the restaurant.

"Ethnic Goes Exurban: Washington's Sprawl, As Told Through Its Migrating Restaurants," by Tyler Cowen, The Washington Post, September 3, 2006

Lebanese Butcher and Restaurant, 109 East Annandale Rd. at Annandale and Rt.29, Falls Church, VA, 703-241-2012, usually open (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Falls Church News-Press | City Paper]

Superb mom and pop Lebanese place, maybe the best Lebanese place up and running right now. Everything here tastes like real food, unlike so much of what you eat in this country. Perhaps the Lamb Ouzi is best.

Mandalay Restaurant, web site, 930 Bonifant Street, near Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, 301-585-0500 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | Citysearch | Gayot]

The best Burmese place around. Order many dishes and follow their lead. A superb restaurant. I’ve only been once, but I do not hesitate to put the place on my favorites list.

Thanh Son Tofu, 6793/A Wilson Blvd., Eden Center, Falls Church, VA, 703-534-1202 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [eGullet]

They serve one main dish, tofu. That’s right, just slabs of tofu, done three main ways. Five for a dollar. The best tofu around, period. Tofu to die for. Tofu. Wonderful tofu. The Vietnamese love this place. By the way, you’d better be in the mood for tofu.

Ruan Thai, 11407 Amherst Avenue, Wheaton, MD, 301-942-0075, not so far from Rt.29 and University Blvd. (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | City Paper | openlist | Citysearch | Gayot]

My Thai restaurant of choice, after Duangrat’s. Not just the usual stuff. Fresh ingredients, and truly spicy. When it comes to ordering, you can’t go wrong. This place is exactly what a Thai restaurant should aspire to be.

Le Matin de Paris, web site, 7326 Little River Turnpike, Annandale, VA, 703-914-0088 (by the Pollo place and across from Jerry’s) (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Citysearch | WaPo (scroll down) | Yelp]

Also at 4217 Annandale Center Drive, Annandale, VA, 703-914-0088

A Korean bakery, and with many desserts. Must be tasted to be believed. Incredible. Go. Will appeal to the Western palate. The quality here is simply remarkably high. I usually don’t list bakeries but this place is extraordinary. Go, go, go.

Il Mee Buffet, 7031-4A Duke St., Annandale, VA, just west of George Mason branch of Fairfax County library, 703-642-2100 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | Expulsion! | City Paper | Don Rockwell] See also 14015 Lee Jackson Highway, Chantilly, VA, 703-631-3400

An excellent Korean restaurant with an amazing degree of choice. Huge, note that all they have is a very large buffet, reasonably priced. Everything is great and surprisingly fresh. Don’t worry if you hate buffets, as I do, drop your reluctance and go. Everything here is fresh and outstanding. Get the cold soups. The kimchees. Make sure you dip your grilled meats in the sauces.

Pike Pizza, 4111 Columbia Pike, at the intersection of Columbia Pike and George Mason Drive, Arlington, VA, 703-521-3010 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | Citysearch]

First-rate Bolivian. They do not, however, have pizza, despite the name. The best Bolivian sausage around, too. Amazing atmosphere.

A Taste of Morocco, 3211 N. Washington Blvd., Arlington, VA, 703-527-7468 Opens for dinner at 5 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [zabihah | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | openlist | Citysearch | Gayot]

Primarily à la carte, very tasty, authentic, and very reasonably priced. The crust on the Bistillah (a pie of chicken, almonds, raisins, cinnamon and sugar) is properly thin. At a Moroccan place always get the Bistillah. Everything is good, but it is the Bistillah, and the Bistillah alone, that elevate this place to my favorites list. In case you don’t know, imagine a yummy pie full of chicken, topped with cinnamon and sugar and totally sinful. It isn’t even a dessert. UPDATE: They are now open for lunch again.

Viet Bistro, in Eden Center, Arlington, off Wilson Boulevard, near Rt. 7 (approximately 6801 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA), 703-538-7575, in the corner of the mall closest to Wilson Blvd. (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | City Paper]

Right now this is the best place in the Eden Center and indeed the best Vietnamese place around. Finer and fresher than Four Sisters. Get the baby clams, the caramel fish, the frogs’ legs, the eel, anything with lemon grass, and the shaking beef. Consistently tasty and refined. Good for vegans and vegetarians also, first-rate tofu. Don’t miss it.

The Best

Photos from a loyal reader:

Pho 75, 3103 Graham Road, Suite B, Falls Church, VA, 703-204-1490, go early to avoid the line (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | Don Rockwell | openlist | Citysearch | Gayot]

Other locations:

• 1721 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA, 703-525-7355
  
• 382 Elden Street, Herndon, VA, 703-471-4145
  
• 771 Hungerford Drive, Rockville, MD, 301-309-8873
  
• 1510 University Blvd. East, Hyattsville, MD, 301-434-7844
  

Do not fear tripe and the other nasty bits. Learn to eat for crunch and texture.

Oyamel, web site, 2250 Crystal Drive, Crystal City, Arlington, VA, 703-413-2288, closed Monday, plus they don’t always take reservations (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | Don Rockwell | openlist | Gayot]

Update: The Crystal City location has closed, and the place is moving downtown, to where Andale used to be, near the Verizon Center, on 401 7th St., new phone is (202) 628-1005.

The best Mexican we have, without a doubt. Don’t compare this to your favorite TexMex in Houston but rather to a fancy nouveau place in Mexico City (which is where the chef hails from). The décor is beautiful, and reminiscent of the Camino Real Hotel in Polanco. The word on the new locale is that the place is much smaller but has maintained its standards. I've yet to go back there, but am looking forward to it..

Just about everything is remarkably authentic, they even fight the regulators to get Mexican cheeses across the border, albeit pasteurized ones.

You should get: the seared scallops, cochinita pibil tacos (barbecued, slowly simmered pork), Chile Poblano Relleno, black rice with cuitlacoche (corn fungus, that word is Nahuatl for “shit of the gods,” which is apt). I was very impressed by this place. It is by the folks who brought you Jaleo and Zaytinya and Café Atlantico, but of these Oyamel takes the greatest care to give you the real thing.

Horace & Dickies Seafood Carryout, 809 12th Sreet NE, Washington, DC, 202-397-6040 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | The Hilltop | openlist] There is another branch on Martin Luther King Ave., somewhere.

The best fried fish in the area, a must. Amazing atmosphere, take-out only, bad neighborhood, get the picture? Fish, fish, fish. That’s all they have. And it is fried, fried, fried. You may not go often, due to the associated inconveniences, but a gem. They also have great fries, collard greens, potato salad. Crab cake surprisingly decent. Go, go, go.

Shamshiry, web site, 8607 Westwood Center Drive, Vienna, VA, 703-448-8883. Off of Route 7, near the Dulles access road. Not visible from any road. Turn left at the right place, and head towards the back. Near Oriental Regency, down a bit from United Airlines. (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [zabihah | Washingtonian | City Paper | food-plan | openlist | Citysearch | Gayot]

An excellent Persian place. Kabobs only, which I usually find dry and unexciting, but this place is a winner. Best rice in the area, very fragrant. The Barberry Rice and Cherry Rice, with chicken or beef respectively, are highly worthwhile. The Barberry Rice is wonderfully tangy and sour and the berries are luscious. What kind of rice you order is the real decision here, not what kind of meat. Ask for the beef medium rare, or even rare, if you order meat. The salmon is my favorite, with Zereshk Polo, make sure you rub Maast Moosir (a kind of thick yogurt sauce) into the whole thing, liberally. Excellent people-watching also, if you are interested in the Persian upper-middle class.

Indique, web site, 3512 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC (at Cleveland Park Metro) (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | Don Rockwell | openlist | Citysearch | Gayot]

Nouvelle Indian, with nice dining quarters, but ultimately more Indian than nouvelle. Everything is excellent, but get as many appetizers as possible, ten or twelve I would say. Note: I have heard reports of decline since the new outlet Indique Heights opened.

The Best

Zengo DC, web site, 781 7th Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-393-2929 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | Don Rockwell]

Richard Sandoval and Placido Domingo own this place. Modern Mexican mixed in with Pan-Asian, one of the best places in town. The look is very stylish, and reminds the visitor of Manhattan or Mexico City. A hip crowd. The hamachi is superb, also get the empanadas; don’t say “I don’t like empanadas, they are dull, crusty things.” Swallow each arepa in a single bite. Not cheap, but for what you get it is reasonably priced.

Minerva, web site, 10364 Lee Highway, Fairfax, VA, 703-383-9200 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | City Paper | food-plan | openlist | Citysearch]

Other locations:

• 2443-GI Centreville Road, Herndon, VA, 703-793-3223 [Gayot]
  
• 14513-B Lee Jackson Memorial Hwy, Chantilly,VA, 703-378-7778
  
• 4305 State Bridge Road, Alpharetta, GA, 678-566-7444

The best. Amazing buffet for lunchtime, weekend lunch is when you should go. Real Indian food, north and south. Truly spicy. The best are the dishes that look weird or unusual. Use the chutneys. Use the curd rice. Experiment. One of the best places on this list if you know how to choose from the buffet properly. Buffet spicier, and more interesting, on the weekends. (Non-buffet) dinner is also excellent, though sometimes a bit slow. Opt for their unusual dosas and south Indian specialties. Great for people-watching, especially at lunch.

You’ll notice they have some Chinese dishes, which mimic how Chinese food is served in India. The peppered chicken is best. Indians love these, they are evidence of how authentic the restaurant is, not the contrary.

Seven Seas, web site, 1776 East Jefferson Street, Rockville, MD, 301-770-5020 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | Don Rockwell | openlist | Gayot]

One of the very best Chinese for seafood. You must ask for the Chinese menu, otherwise don't go. Get the Crispy Fish Hunan Style.

Bob's Noodle 66, 305 N. Washington St., Rockville, MD, 301-315-6668, usually open, cash only. (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | Gayot | City Paper | Don Rockwell]

Superb Chinese food, nor is it replicated by the other best Chinese places around. More Taiwanese than most local Chinese restaurants. The thick noodles are amazing. I loved the fish and the ginger casseroles. Get the oyster pancake as a starter. The last fish dish, lightly fried fish in a sweet and sour sauce, is a knock-out. Not to mention the tempura soft shell crab. Right now this is the best Chinese place around. I wouldn’t pretend that I have discovered the best dishes here yet, but you can’t go wrong, even if you don’t usually like duck blood.

Also see Bob's 88 Shabu Shabu

Update January 2007: This restaurant is now in slight decline.

Oyster Pancake

Seafood Combo Thick Noodle Soup


Ginger Chicken Casserole

The Best