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It's criminal not to have a single mention of "Sushi Sono" in Columbia Maryland in this thread. This post on Donrockwell (the LTH equivalent in the DC area) sums up how I feel about possibly the best Sushi I've had on the entire east coast (including Boston and New York):

http://www.donrockwell.com/index.php?showtopic=11040&st=0&p=130708&#entry130708

I know it's a bit of a drive from downtown, but it's more than worth it if you're a Sushi snob like me.

I actually make a point to fly into BWI when I go home because Sushi Sono is just off I95....it's really that good.

A few pics pulled from Flickr (be prepared to drool):











Sushi Sono
10215 Wincopin Cir
Columbia, MD 21044
(410) 997-6131

Holy Mackerel.

I'd eat that.

I really appreciated this thread and put the suggestions to good use during a recent trip work trip to DC. Highlights included the soft shell crabs and Hong Kong shrimp dumpling soup at Full Kee. I enjoyed Queen Mekeda on 9th street for Ethiopian, but it didn't blow me away. I also tried the Burmese restaurant in Chinatown (called Burma Restaurant) which I enjoyed, more for the novelty of trying Burmese food than for the food itself. I thought the green tea salad was really interesting--in a good way. Pork in Mango Sauce was just o.k. I know the Burmese restaurant in Silver Springs is more highly though of but I was on a work trip and I didn't have time time to get out there. I was faced with the 'lets go to the chain brewpub' mentality from my colleagues, so I had to sneak away to nearby spots.
Green Tea Salad, Burma Restaurant

Mango Pork

Just a quick update from a recent short D.C. trip . . .

Habesha Market for Ethiopian is as wonderful as ever. We ate there two days in a row. The lamb and beef were tender and moist. The veggies were all pretty outstanding. And, the injera had just the right amount of sourness. I know I've often mentioned how wonderful Habesha is, but am not sure if I've mentioned how reasonable it is. Four adults and three kids feasted for $60, all in.

Etete, also Ethiopian, on the other hand, wasn't as good as I'd remembered. The veggies were great across the board. But, the two meat dishes were both too heavily seasoned.

I returned to an old haunt, Chef Geoff's. If you're staying downtown, it's a great option for a reasonably-priced dinner. Happy hour in the bar area is all night on Mondays and Tuesdays and until 7pm other nights. $6 gets you a really good, well-topped burger and fries. The burger was as good as ever, but the fries weren't as crispy as they'd been in the past. $8 gets you a 33.8 ounce giant mug of beer. They usually have an interesting micro brew option or two.

Another long-time favorite is Mandalay in Silver Spring, MD. I just had to satisfy my tea leaf salad cravings. The food was as good as ever, but prices have crept up. For what it is, it's a bit pricey. But, given that we have no Burmese food in Chicago, I wasn't complaining.

Last, and definitely not least, I tried Central. It opened before I moved from D.C., but I never made it there. Great Lyonnaise salad with lardons and a perfect runny egg. And, the burger was outstanding. It should be for $16 and it was. On the rare occasion I get to eat a burger like this I'm reminded of what beef should taste like. Cooked perfectly, juicy, and sandwiched inside a soft, but sturdy, brioche bun. Even though the menu is extensive and includes things like pied du cochon, I think I'd be hard pressed to return and not get the burger again. In fact, I can't think of a burger in Chicago I've enjoyed this much.

Ronna

Going to DC in the fall with husband for 5 day touristy visit. Will probably stay in the city, maybe downtown, Georgetown, etc, area..looking for recs for all meals, b, l, d... lunches will be more towards the mall/Capitol area probably. Open to cuisines, don't mind a pricier dinner. No Indian, Ethiopian... breakfast and lunch at funky type locales would be great. Have cruised Chow board and gotten some ideas...now how about thoughts from local foodies?

Thanks!

There are many threads about eating in DC, accessible by the Search Function. The most extensive is:

Washington, DC

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Toast, as every breakfaster knows, isn't really about the quality of the bread or how it's sliced or even the toaster. For man cannot live by toast alone. It's all about the butter. -- Adam Gopnik

I was in DC a few months ago and had 2 great meals. Jaleo, which is Jose Andres tapas restaurant, and Art & Soul, from Art Smith. A fun lunch in Old Alexandria is Hank's Oyster Bar, a small causal joint with a large selection of oysters and other simple seafood dishes. As a bonus, Alexandria Cupcake is next door, with a nice assortment of minis.

http://www.hanksdc.com/index.html

http://www.alexandriacupcake.com/index.html

http://www.jaleo.com/

http://www.artandsouldc.com/

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"I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day." Frank Sinatra

Going in the fall and read thru this whole thread, which was great.

Question about the Hong Kong wonton soup at Full Kee---are those then soup dumplings? Or have shrimp actually inside??

which leads to: is there somewhere to get soup dumplings? We will be staying in the District, no car...

plus any other restaurant info, tho the thread already has been pretty helpful.
Ok and one more thing... between Chicago dogs, Hot Dougs, FRedhots-- half smoke? really? worth a try?
Ok two more things--whats the skinny on the lobster roll truck?

Nope.
Yes.
Nowhere that I know of.
I was never that impressed with half smokes. You can do better at home.

Enjoy your trip,
Ronna

Half-smokes are a local DC thing. They are not high-end hot dogs, but surprisingly coarsely-ground hot sausages. I was glad that I had one without feeling the need for a second.

Like the rest of the universe, they are described on Wikipedia: Half-smoke

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Toast, as every breakfaster knows, isn't really about the quality of the bread or how it's sliced or even the toaster. For man cannot live by toast alone. It's all about the butter. -- Adam Gopnik

My one experience with Ben's Chili Bowl half smoke left me impressed, nice char, great snap, light smoke flavor complimented by fluid meaty oily hot dog style chili. Ben's has pace, gravitas, tangible energy, not surprising given its history. Worth a visit, yes, and not simply for the half smoke. Ben's on LTHForum

Ben's Chili Bowl- Half Smoke w/mustard and onions, Half Smoke w/chili

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Sauce on the side, always, implied, axiomatic..........never a doubt, BBQ sauce without.

Low & Slow

The most useful Washington, DC ethnic restaurant guide is Tyler Cowen's Ethnic Dining Guide, which is now (January 2011) in its 27th Edition. It is a work of love. Chicago has LTHForum, and Washington has Tyler Cowen. We win, but it is a close call. Tyler is also a best-selling economist and a NYT columnist.

His guide is available at Tyler Cowen's Ethnic Dining Guide

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Toast, as every breakfaster knows, isn't really about the quality of the bread or how it's sliced or even the toaster. For man cannot live by toast alone. It's all about the butter. -- Adam Gopnik

Spending a whirlwind 36 hours in DC to look at colleges, ending our first day at American University but staying in Georgetown. Traveling with a not-too-adventurous 17-year old. Suggestions?

See GAF's post immediately above yours: the guide he mentions will have info of use to you. It's a great guide, I've used it often.


Geo

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Sooo, you like wine and are looking for something good to read? Maybe *this* will do the trick!

merci!

De rien!



Geo

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Sooo, you like wine and are looking for something good to read? Maybe *this* will do the trick!

Making a trip to Washington DC in about a month. Have 5 nights there. So far thought for dinner: Jaleo, Blue Duck, Birch and Barley, Eola and Corduroy. Lunch at Acadiana or Matchbox and The Source (so far lunches)... Staying near Dupont Circle, semi trying to eat dinners roughly near there.

But second guessing it and so what about Nora? Founding Farmer? Bistro Du Coin? Clearly not going for much ethnic-- we can get so much of it here in Chicago. Thoughts? Budget is not unlimited, but want to eat nice.

Definitely Jaleo, and I also had a wonderful meal at Art and Soul last fall.

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"I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day." Frank Sinatra

DC is known for its Ethiopian food, seems like at least one of your meals should have that, no? Unless there's better to be found at home?

Acadiana is an excellent choice.

I had a pretty good meal at Jaleo last year but it seems like you have to order very carefully to get the best dishes on the extensive menu. I was disappointed by the patatas bravas but liked the pan con tomate and asparagus we ordered.

We also greatly enjoyed Zaytinya, his mezze place, nearby. Perhaps a bit more than Jaleo (thought the Spanish restaurants in NYC a bit better). Try the Kibbeh Nayeh (beef tartare), seasonal mushrooms with dates and toasted almonds, crispy eggplant, the Arayes (grilled ground lamb and tahini, stugged into a pita), and/or their famous Greek yogurt dessert with pistachio and apricots.

I would say that Rasika is a not-to-be-missed restaurant. Creative Indian, slightly on the upscale side. They're open for weekday lunch, if that helps your schedule. Fabulous Tawa Baingan (eggplant, spiced potato, olive oil, peanut sauce). Nicely cooked eggplant rounds, that were so very tender, alternated with this deliciously spiced potato puree. The Palak Chaat (crispy baby spinach, sweet yogurt tamarind, date chutney) more than lived up to the raves. Deep fried spinach, creamy yogurt, sweet chutney. Marvelous textural contrasts all around. We also loved the slow heat of the Chicken Green Masala, especially when we dipped pieces of our garlic naan in the sauce or ate the fragrant rice with the sauce alone. They are also known for a black cod dish, which we didn't try.

Also good and near Penn Quarter:
Proof (wine bar where they'll do 2 oz pours so you can try more, excellent small plates, particularly liked the "pho" terrine)
Luke's Lobster (counter service/takeout place for lobster rolls, and offshoot of the NYC one)
Paul Bakery (French chain, excellent brioche doughnuts and croissants, haphazard service though)

Also if you like cocktails, The Columbia Room is fantastic and focused on hand-crafted, seasonal cocktails.

The menu is $64 including tax and tip for 3 drinks, a small plate, and a snack to finish. The drinks include one welcome drink, one special of the night, and the last of your choosing (can be ordered by name or by giving your preferences, i.e., boozy, refreshing, citrus or no citrus, using gin/rum/etc). There are two bartenders for the 10 seats. On my last visit I had a fresh white peach bellini, a mezcal watermelon and basil smash, and a gin fizz made with sour cherry preserves.

Note that you MUST make a reservation, and they are only open Tuesday through Saturday. The bar is tiny, and they do a 4 turns a night. Once your two hours is up at the bar, you can move to the banquette and have an additional 4th or 5th drink if you like.

Leaving Saturday morning for a long-awaited (and twice canceled) trip to DC with the kids + one of their friends. As usual, I'm hoping for some current recs for places that have the holy trinity (pizza, chicken fingers, burgers) but won't make me crazy. Prefer to go more on the casual side--but doesn't (shouldn't) be all fast food. As a frame of reference, we had a good meal at PJ Clarkes last weekend that satisfied all--adequate grown up food and no complaints or whining from the picky eaters. We'll be in DC for most of the trip with 1 day in Baltimore for an Orioles game. Breakfast/lunch recs also needed.

Finally, I am hoping to get away for a drink with a friend one night while I'm there--anyone able to recommend a scofflaw/yusho-type cocktail place?

All suggestions will be gratefully accepted and I promise to report back.

Thanks everyone!

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“The problem with people who have no vices is that generally you can be pretty sure they’re going to have some pretty annoying virtues.” Elizabeth Taylor

For hamburgers you probably wish to go to Ray's Hell Burgers (1725 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, a little west of the Rosslyn Metro stop. BTW the pun is deliberate. There is also Ray's The Steaks in Arlington, again pun deliberate). The pizzeria that everyone talks about is Pizzeria Paradiso (2003 P Street and two other branches), although I don't find the pizza so great - sort of an off-NY style. I'll bet there is better pizza, but Paradiso is near Dupont Circle and it is good. There is also Ben's Chili Bowl up on U street (1213 U Street) . If the kids are at all adventurous, there are a lot of Ethiopian restaurants on 9th.

Up-thread, I refer to Tyler Cowen's Guide to DC restaurants. It is very useful.

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Toast, as every breakfaster knows, isn't really about the quality of the bread or how it's sliced or even the toaster. For man cannot live by toast alone. It's all about the butter. -- Adam Gopnik

Thanks Gary--much appreciated! Paradiso is on the list--I've seen the mixed reviews too. We will definitely want to do pizza/italian one night at least.

Anyone know anything about Dino's? I've seen several rec's for it on other sites posed by those with similar requirements...

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“The problem with people who have no vices is that generally you can be pretty sure they’re going to have some pretty annoying virtues.” Elizabeth Taylor

I'm a big fan of Dino's. I think it would hit your criteria well.

Will your kids eat BBQ, Southern, or Creole food? I would look into those as a possibility to get something more regional/local, while also appeasing the picky eaters of the group. Acadiana, perhaps?



Sadly, your trip coincides with Tales of the Cocktail. The best place in DC, The Columbia Room, will be closed; plus, they are closed Sundays and Mondays anyway. They require reservations and serve a three cocktail prix fixe, paired with a light snack. Only 10 seats. Located inside another bar (The Passenger) as a "speakeasy."

In lieu of that, I would head to The Gibson. They are pretty close to some of the well known Ethiopian restaurants in DC. They also have a nice back patio, if the weather isn't too bad.

For breakfast near some of the tourist sites, try Paul Bakery. It's a French chain but the quality is good.

I will third the recommendation for Dino. Great little Italian restaurant with a big, somewhat quirky menu. The (middle-aged Jewish) couple who own it are very nice, as well (they're also active members of DonRockwell.com, DC's version of LTHForum).

Thanks all--we have a reservation for Dino's tonight.

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“The problem with people who have no vices is that generally you can be pretty sure they’re going to have some pretty annoying virtues.” Elizabeth Taylor

Kathryn--loved Paul's--great recommendation. We stopped in for a much needed pick-me-up midday--pretty upstairs room with delicious pastries and sandwiches. Mike and I are seriously thinking about getting up early to grab breakfast in the morning and letting the boys sleep in. The ham, mushroom and swiss omelet looked gorgeous!

Besides that, we've eaten at corner bakery, Pot Belly's and Camden Yards so nothing else to report. Heading to Dino's in a couple of hours and looking forward to a good dinner!

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“The problem with people who have no vices is that generally you can be pretty sure they’re going to have some pretty annoying virtues.” Elizabeth Taylor

And now for something completely unexpected...

I was following the GPS from Baltimore/Washington airport to a client in a rundown area of DC, and had an extra hour. Under a dingy Days Inn sign near my destination, the words, 'Joe's Noodle House', and 'Pho'. What the hell, I stopped in. Maybe I'll get lucky.

It being 11:30, they were just opening, I was the first customer. Ordered a Chinese-style hot & sour soup and a chicken lemongrass with rice noodle, bun ga. Oh, with a traditional Vietnamese iced coffee. That came out first, with the kind of metal filter I used to see at at the old place Saigon on Broadway & Argyle.

But the soup and the bun ga were absolutely stellar, the soup chock full of goodies and flecked with egg strands, just spicy enough. Wonderful stuff, I could've slurped a gallon. The bun ga was lemongrass-marinated chicken thigh strips, juicy & flavorful, over hot rice noodles and the requisite cold cucumber & green leaf lettuce with shredded carrots, with a generous bowl of nuoc mam vinegary sauce. Wow, as good as any I've tasted.

Apparently they haven't been open that long, and need some apolitical love.


Joe's Noodle House
2700 New York Avenue NE
(at N Bladensburg Rd)
Washington, DC 20002

(202) 534-1620

I wonder if it's an offshoot of a popular place in Rockville of the same name:

http://www.donrockwell.com/index.php?sh ... 747&st=150

http://www.joesnoodlehouse.com/

This is just unbelievable. It would definitely take an LTH'er to discover this place. I've made a lot of trips to DC the past six months, and I often stay with a friend who drives to work along this stretch of NY Avenue. We have laughed about the improbability of this place over and over again, but never stopped. "Under a dingy Day's Inn sign" doesn't begin to cover it. How delightful to hear that it has great food! I will let my friend know, and maybe we will stop there on our next trip. Thank you for stopping to check it out!