Desperately Seeking Strip Malls

[DonRocks]

Two recent visits to Al Tiramisu make me wonder: is this restaurant “worth” any more than Sergio’s in Silver Spring or Pasta Plus in Laurel? Not in my book, it isn’t.

What about Yee Hwa? Are there not twenty (literally, 20) Korean restaurants in Annandale that are both better and more authentic? I have not been to Yee Hwa, and so I must pose this as a rhetorical question only.

Can you find better in-town Cantonese cuisine than at Fortune in Falls Church? I don't see it even being close.

Your choice for a good taco or pupusa in-town?

Let's do Bolivian. El Pike in Seven Corners, Luzmilla's in Falls Church, Tutto Bene in Arlington? Where are you going to go in Washington? And what about Vietnamese? Peruvian chicken?

There are several ethnic pockets (Ethiopian, for example), that seem like they've traditionally been more interesing within the city limits, but there are other ethnicities that have more authentic food out in strip-mall hell, in the low-rent district.

When seeking out quality (or authentic) ethnic cuisine in Washington, it seems like you should begin your search by finding out where the ethnic population is concentrated. Convenience to a downtown Metro stop is always nice, but isn't that sort of like going to a Smithsonian slideshow of Croatia instead of dining with a family from Zagreb?

Cheers,

Rocks.

P.S. I didn't actually say "Pines of Rome," did I?

Edited March 29, 2004 by DonRocks (log)

[Mark Sommelier]

Personally, strip mall dining gives me indigestion.

[pastramionrye]

Two recent visits to Al Tiramisu make me wonder: is this restaurant “worth” any more than Sergio’s in Silver Spring, Pines of Rome in Bethesda...

i have never been to al tiramisu...but pines of rome....yuck!

but for the most part, i agree with you, rocks.

[JPW]

Along these lines, I have yet to find better Latino food in town (at the neighborhood/low-end price range) than what I get in the places around my house in SS.

Is there Cuban food anywhere that is better than Cubano's?

Is there better Mex/Salvadoran than can be found at el Golfo or el Gavilan at the corner of Flower and Piney Branch?

Looking forward to trying Sergio's before too long. In Pittsburgh, where I grew up, you couldn't swing a dead cat without hitting a decent Italian place. Have yet to see neighborhood Italian around DC in which I would let said dead cat eat.

[butterfly]

Yes, to the question about the Salvadoran... Ercilias in Mount Pleasant (DC) makes the best pupusas I've had.

The Caribbean/West Indian joints on Georgia Ave are the real thing. As are the African spots.

There's plenty of good chow all over the city.

[JennyUptown]

Yes, to the question about the Salvadoran... Ercilias in Mount Pleasant (DC) makes the best pupusas I've had.

The Caribbean/West Indian joints on Georgia Ave are the real thing. As are the African spots.

There's plenty of good chow all over the city.

I've driven by Ercilia's a million times on my way to PLM's house and have considered stopping. What else is good there?

[hjshorter]

Looking forward to trying Sergio's before too long. In Pittsburgh, where I grew up, you couldn't swing a dead cat without hitting a decent Italian place. Have yet to see neighborhood Italian around DC in which I would let said dead cat eat.

Joe, have you tried Mama Lucia's (either location) in Rockville?

[eunny jang]

Has anyone been to the Nibbler out in Gaithersburg? Like your favorite Peruvian chicken place, but with a full menu and with beer - really excellent lomo saltado, carapulcra, and potatoes done in a million different permutations - llapingachos (pan-fried mashed potato cakes around cheese centers), boiled potatoes in a thick mustard-sharpened cheese sauce, etc. The fluffiest, least-stringy yucca fries ever.

If you ask nice and order off the menu, they will bring out a big plate of chicharrones (sp?) for you - chicken cut up like you've never seen it butchered before, just clobbered up into rough chunks, bones and all, fried to a greaseless crisp, and accompanied by shockingly pink, spicy little rings of red onion pickle.

Put liberal amounts of the sharply vinegared green sauce over everything. Send your side plate of white rice studded with peas and ho-hum beans swimming in it. Take plastic ziplocks and surreptitiously fill them with sauce under the table. It would be a great addition to a Bloody Mary. Come to think of it, I would probably drink it straight.

Go to this restaurant. Yumm.

[butterfly]

Ercilias has really good carne guisada (beef stew), pollo guisada (chicken stew), sopa de mondongo (tripe), huisquil relleno (stuffed chayote), etc. I also like their tacos al carbon, but since you get handmade tortillas with almost any of the other dishes, I don't usually order them. I think you couldn't go wrong ordering any of the specials written on the whiteboard to the right of the cash register. Pretty much everything there tastes like someones abuela is cooking it up back in the kitchen. As such, it's pretty slow, not really fast food. I usually put in my order and then go grocery shopping for 15 minutes or so.

But what really sets Ercilias apart are the pupusas. They are just in a different league from all of the other places I've tried over the years. They are somehow light, where most others are heavy. And not at all greasy. I particularly recommend the pupusas con loroco.

El Rinconcito II on Park Rd between 13th and 14th is another good spot. I particularly like their carne deshilada, sopa de res, tacos al carbon, empanadas de platano, and yuca sancochada.

The pollo a la brasa place across the street from Ercilias--Pollo Sabroso--is also pretty good.

[hjshorter]

Has anyone been to the Nibbler out in Gaithersburg?

Where is it? Sounds fab.

[eunny jang]

It's a little out of the way - up off Muncaster.

Specifics here and here.

[JPW]

Looking forward to trying Sergio's before too long. In Pittsburgh, where I grew up, you couldn't swing a dead cat without hitting a decent Italian place. Have yet to see neighborhood Italian around DC in which I would let said dead cat eat.

Joe, have you tried Mama Lucia's (either location) in Rockville?

Sorry for not responding sooner.

Haven't tried Mama Lucia yet. It always scared me away as an Olive Garden type place.

Speaking of which is there anything that looks nastier than their ads for the "new Gorgonzola Steak Alfredo"?

[hjshorter]

Haven't tried Mama Lucia yet. It always scared me away as an Olive Garden type place.

Really? We've never been, but I thought it was a local red tablecloth place.

Speaking of which is there anything that looks nastier than their ads for the "new Gorgonzola Steak Alfredo"?

Yes that looks disgusting. Unfortunately, Olive Garden is the favorite restaurant of all of the women in my mom's group - except me. They always suggest it for "Mom's Night Out." Feh.

[hjshorter]

In the strip mall in front of our neighborhood (Ritchie Center in Rockville) is a sushi restaurant, a Latino market, a Pho restaurant, a Persian bakery, Pizza Hut, an Indian restaurant, a Mexican restaurant, a Chinese carry out, a Middle Eastern market and cafe, and IHOP. All in one little strip mall.

[Al_Dente]

Haven't tried Mama Lucia yet. It always scared me away as an Olive Garden type place.

Really? We've never been, but I thought it was a local red tablecloth place.

It's a local cafeteria style chain. They have 6 locations, including one near my office.

I've been a couple of times-- nothing to get excited about really, but not bad.

Mamma Lucia

[hillvalley]

Haven't tried Mama Lucia yet. It always scared me away as an Olive Garden type place.

Really? We've never been, but I thought it was a local red tablecloth place.

It's a local cafeteria style chain. They have 6 locations, including one near my office.

I've been a couple of times-- nothing to get excited about really, but not bad.

Mamma Lucia

The one in Bethesda is tiny, but a sit down place. The pizza is pretty damn good for this area. The rest is just your average Italian.

[hjshorter]

Haven't tried Mama Lucia yet. It always scared me away as an Olive Garden type place.

Really? We've never been, but I thought it was a local red tablecloth place.

It's a local cafeteria style chain. They have 6 locations, including one near my office.

I've been a couple of times-- nothing to get excited about really, but not bad.

Huh. Thanks. Doesn't sound worth checking out - however, the one in Rockville is always mobbed.

[eunny jang]

In the strip mall in front of our neighborhood (Ritchie Center in Rockville) is a sushi restaurant, a Latino market, a Pho restaurant, a Persian bakery, Pizza Hut, an Indian restaurant, a Mexican restaurant, a Chinese carry out, a Middle Eastern market and cafe, and IHOP. All in one little strip mall.

I remember that Mexican restaurant being a quiet little gem of a place last time I was there (over two years ago, so take it with a grain of salt) with unassuming, friendly service and good food. I had a very pleasant fish dish with vinegared onions and peppers.

I don't know if you have tried it, but I really disliked the pho restaurant there - underseasoned broth and nothing interesting in the meat selections. I didn't think the other Vietnamese selections were great either. For my money, I'll always go to Pho 75 up the Pike, by the carwash.

Rockville Pike is full of interesting little strip malls containing places where you can count on your one or two favorites always being really excellent. Among my favorites:

Il Pizzico (cross of Hungerford and Gude, in the Saah's Center): very decent tasting and well-made/cooked pasta, sauced properly. My favorite salad in the world, simple though it is, watercress with an absolutely pristine Caeser-ish dressing and perfect little croutons.

Ba Le (across from Congressional Center, near that outdoor patio furniture place that displays plastic adirondack chairs year round): Vietnamese/French deli with great little sandwiches and lemongrass/caramel beef and pork.

Lots more that have been mentioned numerous times on these boards.

[hjshorter]

I prefer Pho 75 too. My post was just a comment on the diversity of options just in this one little place.

And yeah, that Vietnamese bakery/deli is really good.

[mhberk]

I don't know if it's been mentioned on this thread yet, but I've always enjoyed Lebanese Taverna Cafe in Rockville. It's a nice substitute for the one on Conn Ave.

[redfox]

I love El Golfo! Not only is the food good (and very affordable), the manager (owner?) and everyone else are really sweet and lovely. We are extra lucky in that it is a lazy tiny walk away for us.

I grew up in Pittsburgh too, but didn't ever really partake particularly of fantastic Italian restaurants back then -- mainly, I'm sure, because we didn't eat out much when I was a kid, being po'. What places/neighborhoods are you thinking of, JPW? (Feel free to PM me if you want, since this is totally off topic.)

[hillvalley]

Can anyone recommend a good Korean place in Wheaton or Rockville? The strip malls seem full of them, but I have no idea what is good.

[herbacidal]

In the strip mall in front of our neighborhood (Ritchie Center in Rockville) is a sushi restaurant, a Latino market, a Pho restaurant, a Persian bakery, Pizza Hut, an Indian restaurant, a Mexican restaurant, a Chinese carry out, a Middle Eastern market and cafe, and IHOP. All in one little strip mall.

That sounds interesting.

Are they all good?

[hjshorter]

In the strip mall in front of our neighborhood (Ritchie Center in Rockville) is a sushi restaurant, a Latino market, a Pho restaurant, a Persian bakery, Pizza Hut, an Indian restaurant, a Mexican restaurant, a Chinese carry out, a Middle Eastern market and cafe, and IHOP.  All in one little strip mall.

That sounds interesting.

Are they all good?

Not the Pizza Hut.

Seriously, no, they aren't all good. But most are passable, and if I'm too tired to cook it's nice to know I have a wide variety of mediocrity to choose from.

[eunny jang]

Can anyone recommend a good Korean place in Wheaton or Rockville? The strip malls seem full of them, but I have no idea what is good.

Try this thread.

Other options in Rockville/Wheaton: Sam Woo Jung on Rockville Pike (decent), Ha Dong Oak on Viers Mill (not so great), Seoul Soondae on Viers Mill (GREAT but only serves soondae, Korean blood sausage), Woomi Garden in Wheaton (really pretty good).