non foodie food recommendations

[jwjojo]

I will be visiting DC Easter weekend with my non-foodie partner. I was hoping for some recommendations that would suit both of us...he is quite picky, I enjoy good food. We are staying near the White House at the Hilton Garden Inn...any help would be most appreciated. We stayed here before, and especially on the weekends found ourselves in a restaurant wasteland. Also, any good Chinese recommendations in Chinatown?

Thank you.

Joana

[MMerrill]

Corduroy near 12th and K is excellent. In the other direction, the Old Ebbitt Grill at 675 15th St. is reliable and nice. Both are just a few blocks from your hotel.

[jwjojo]

Thank you for that suggestion...and it looks like a great place for me, sadly not for him. Some place less fancy if possible.

[Gastro888]

Chinese food in Chinatown is insipid and the only semi-decent restaurant is Chinatown Express which is somewhat authenthic. I don't think your friend would enjoy it. Cordoury is a very good restaurant and not stuffy at all. I would second the recommendation. I've never been to Olives in D.C. but I've heard good things about Olives in general. Maybe there?

What is your budget? What type of cuisine are you looking for? Is he a meat and potatoes person?

Edited March 28, 2007 by Gastro888 (log)

[jwjojo]

Not being food oriented, he does not like to spend a lot on food...so on the low end. He is a meat in potatos guy, without eating any meat except chicken. He would be happy with grilled chicken and a potato..yes. The corduroy menu looked great, but the food prep would be too fancy for him..sadly. So chinatown sucks? Too bad.

[Busboy]

I don't think the Chinatown scene is quite as grim as Gastro 888 has it -- I like Full Key and there are a couple of other spots that ain't bad.

You may just want to walk around the corner to the Old Ebbitt Grill, which is where I take non-foodies and which actually a pretty cool spot. Weekends are busy; get a reservation if you're trying to eat during prime time. Old Ebbitt is under the management of Clyde's, which isn't bad if you're in Georgetown, but avoid the Chinatown/Gallery Place Clyde's at all costs.

You can always catch the 16th Street bus up to my neighborhood (Mt. Pleasant) and eat at the Salvadoran chicken places. Excellent chicken, dirt cheap, a little ethnic experience complete with formica and flourescent lighting.

What about roast chicken and fries at a french Bistro? We're lousy with Bistros these days and I kinda like all of them. He gets the boring stuff, you go crazy with the snails and the onglet, everyone's happy.

10 minute walk: between the White House and the Capital, Tony Bourdaine's haunt when in DC Les Halles.

12 minute walk: The hottest spot in town and best of the three, Michel Richard's Central (no website). 1001 Pennsylvania.

20 minute walk (in lovely Dupont Circle) my home court, Bistrot du Coin.

Again, try your best to eat early or late at any of these places, as they can be quite jammed.

[hjshorter]

Central is likely to be booked, alas. Bistrot du Coin takes reservations, and I would recommend it over Les Halles - fewer tourists in matching t-shirts (not that there's anything wrong with that...).

Old Ebbitt is an old standby, pretty good, and definitely a cool location.

[chappie]

If you're near the Chinatown area, why not grab some 5 Guys or better yet, pizza at Matchbox?

[JennyUptown]

Yer man sounds like he'd enjoy Clyde's.

[jwjojo]

You guys are great! Thank you. I made a reservation at Corduroy...He will have to suck it up

Any breakfast, lunch ideas? Breakfast near the hotel, lunch near the museums.

Thanks again.

Joana

[KOK]

Not sure if it's open weekends but an Ollie burger and Ollie fries at Ollie's Trolley is a classic. It's on 12th Street one block north of Pennsylvania Ave.

Thanks,

Kevin

[mojoman]

You guys are great!  Thank you.  I made a reservation at Corduroy...He will have to suck it up 

Any breakfast, lunch ideas?  Breakfast near the hotel, lunch near the museums.

Thanks again.

Joana

←

For breakfast/brunch Teaism is good and well priced.

We tried a tapas place across 7th Street from the movie theater/Verizon Center. It was good and not too expensive. We also loved Zengo, next to the Verizon Center.

[jwjojo]

For breakfast/brunch Teaism is good and well priced.

We tried a tapas place across 7th Street from the movie theater/Verizon Center. It was good and not too expensive. We also loved Zengo, next to the Verizon Center.

Thank you for those suggestions. I would enjoy all of those choices...not so much my partner. He would sit there with a sour look on his face while I ignore him and enjoy

[Gastro888]

I would second the recommendation for Teaism. There are some standard items on the menu that a non-foodie would enjoy. (Scones, cookies) It's a DC institution and I highly recommend going. They have very tasty baked goods.

[jm chen]

If you still have any dinners left, for a meat and potatoes partner, I'd recommend District Chophouse. Right around 7th and E-ish. Steaks and microbrew. Doesn't win any awards but anything meat-based there is solid work.

I know we always say this but I think it's just as appropriate as always: the best food on the Mall is in the museum cafe in the Museum of the American Indian. It's set up with food stations that draw on Native American cuisine from different regions, so if he wants buffalo chili from the Southwest station and you want a quinoa salad and hibiscus juice from the South America station, or planked salmon from the Pacific Northwest station, everybody's happy. A good lunch break from the sightseeing.

[dinwiddie]

Don limit yourself to close to the hotel. DC is not large, and it is easy to get around on the METRO.

Others have made good recommendations, but if you like Italian and wine go to Dino in Cleveland Park or try the Palena Cafe in the front part of Palena (also in Cleveland Park right next to the metro stop) for the best roast chicken you ever age as well as a great burger.