DC Area "Worth the Trip"

[Busboy]

So, the Post food section has been runnning a new feature called "worth a trip" featuring individual dishes from local restaurnats worth going out of your way to get. The choices so far have mostly been pretty obvious, and pretty close to downtown, as well.

So, I'm throwing this out to the masses. What unjustly obscure dish, restaurant, market etc. is "worth the trip?" Please, no usual suspects.

I'll start with the Vietnamese "fondu" at Viet Royale in Eden Center. The waiterss sets a portable burner (aka "burner in a box"), on your table, fires it up and then drops a pot of spiced vinegar on the flame. The comes raw beef, sliced thin, onions, basil, and other savory stuffers, etc and steamed rice wrappers. You boil the meat and the onion in the vinegar, using your chop sticks like fondue forks, then roll it up with basil and the other stuffings in the wrappers. Very tasty and -- as with all audience-participation dining -- fun.

[jm chen]

Is the proscuitto plate at Dino too "obvious?" Cuz that's what I Emailed them about and recommended they spotlight. They are definitely looking for recommendations, so anyone who has a favorite dish they want to see in the paper, let the Food Section know.

I don't suppose they'd spotlight the Turkey Original at Schlotsky's, but that's one food I travel for. (Get it on Jalapeno Cheese bread, mmmm.) Other not-frequently-mentioned dishes at not-frequently-mentioned places that I can't resist:

* Lobster and Pine Nut Dumplings at Bangkok Joe's, in G'town

* the totally awesome Reuben at So's Your Mom in Adams Morgan

* Cashew Chicken at Rice near Logan Circle

* Agnolotti in Walnut Cream sauce at San Marco, Adams Morgan

* Chicken with sumac onions (can't remember the real name) at Mama Ayesha's, yes, again Adams Morgan

None of these are classy fine dining, nor deeply authentic ethnic eats ('cept maybe that last one), but they are all delicious.

[Busboy]

I think Dino is a pretty obvious choice -- despite TS's mediocre review, very much the flavor of the month, still -- but I'll let that slide in respect for your pointing us toward the Lobster and Pine Nut dumplings.

[liamdc]

The Inn at Easton in Easton, Maryland.

See this older eGullet thread on this fine restaurant/inn.

[raisab]

Worth the trip? Aren't the above mentioned in DC?

How about Four and Twenty Blackbirds in Flint Hill Virginia? L'Auberge Provencale closer to Winchester than not? It's About Thyme in Culpepper? The RailStop in Warenton?

These are all fairly close to me but I would definately ride out for Four and Twenty and L"auberge Provencale. The settings are sweet and the food is great.

[raisab]

My favorite which I would absolutely drive to is O'Leary's Seafood in Annapolis. (Thinking in the other direction now)

[takomabaker]

I don't think that they mean WAY out of DC (like Shendandoah Valley), right? I mean, as much as I love some of the restaurants in my old college town of Staunton, VA, I'm not going to drive 3 hours for a milkshake at Wright's Dairy-Rite (although sometimes it's tempting). The restaurant mentioned most recently, El Mariachi, is in Rockville. (And I completely agreed with them. The shrimp dish they mentioned is my favorite!) So I figured they were looking for neighborhood restaurants with exceptional specialties in the suburbs. Here are some of my personal favorites:

Mantu at Afghan Restaurant in Alexandria

Ropa Vieja and cuban sandwiches at Cubano's in Silver Spring

Carne Asada at El Golfo in Takoma Park

Ribs at Red Dog Cafe in Silver Spring

Mutter Paneer at Woodlands in Langley Park

PePyoke KyetThun Gyaw (yellow beans) or LetThoke Sone (mixed noodles) at Mandalay in Silver Spring

[raisab]

The way I look at it, this a huge Metropolitan area, which includes not only the District of Columbia but Northern Virginia and its 4 Border Counties, Fairfax, Arlington, Loudoun, and Prince William. Maryland and it's counties, Montgomary, Prince George. I would venture that most people who frequent DC restaurants live in these areas. So when I thought worth the drive, I didn't limit it to residents of the District of Columbia as there are really fewer of those than of us. But maybe I misunderstood. Anyways, most of the ones I mentioned are only about an hour from DC.

Edited November 15, 2005 by raisab (log)

[Busboy]

The way I look at it, this a huge Metropolitan area, which includes not only the District of Columbia but Northern Virginia and its 4 Border Counties, Fairfax, Arlington, Loudoun, and Prince William. Maryland and it's counties, Montgomary, Prince George. I would venture that most people who frequent DC restaurants live in these areas. So when I thought worth the drive, I didn't limit it to residents of the District of Columbia as there are really fewer of those than of us. But maybe I misunderstood. Anyways,   most of the ones I mentioned are only about an hour from DC.

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I don't think there's any geographic limitations. We're all just having a good time, bragging on our store of obscure foodie knowledge and giving our buddies some high quality, low-cost tips. Ain't nuthin' but a party.

You can contribute stuff near your home that is worth driving to from points distant from your abode, or you can (as I did) post something far from your abode that you personally make a trip for.

The larger idea's just that these are obscure treats, passions, obsessions that aren't known to the larger public. We all know Maestro makes a great whatever, but I was an attempt to tease out little-known info like Cubano's sandwiches or the dumplings at Bangkok Joe's. "No usual suspects;" no other restrictions.

[KOK]

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I don't think there's any geographic limitations. We're all just having a good time, bragging on our store of obscure foodie knowledge and giving our buddies some high quality, low-cost tips. Ain't nuthin' but a party.

You can contribute stuff near your home that is worth driving to from points distant from your abode, or you can (as I did) post something far from your abode that you personally make a trip for.

The larger idea's just that these are obscure treats, passions, obsessions that aren't known to the larger public. We all know Maestro makes a great whatever, but I was an attempt to tease out little-known info like Cubano's sandwiches or the dumplings at Bangkok Joe's. "No usual suspects;" no other restrictions.

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Agree 100%. Who here has the driven the hour (or more) to Fredericksburg for Carl's frozen custard and/or Alman's BBQ?

I know I have. Often.

Thanks,

Kevin

[lackadaisi]

I too have driven to Fredricksburg for the sole pleasure of custard. That is some good custard!

Edited November 15, 2005 by lackadaisi (log)

[raisab]

Okay...I am a little slow...

I have one...Ba Le (French Bakery) (But really Vietnamese) in Falls Church for awesome Vietnamese sandwiches on Fresh Baked Baguettes.

[hjshorter]

Okay...I am a little slow...

I have one...Ba Le (French Bakery) (But really Vietnamese) in Falls Church for awesome Vietnamese sandwiches on Fresh Baked Baguettes.

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There's one on Rockville too. We had grilled lemongrass pork bahn mi for lunch yesterday. Delicious.

[jm chen]

Is the proscuitto plate at Dino too "obvious?"

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Heh.

[Chantilly Bob]

Worth the trip? Aren't the above mentioned in DC?

How about Four and Twenty Blackbirds in Flint Hill Virginia? L'Auberge Provencale closer to Winchester than not? It's About Thyme in Culpepper? The RailStop in Warenton?

These are all fairly close to me but I would definately ride out for Four and Twenty and L"auberge Provencale. The settings are sweet and the food is great.

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N.B. The Rail Stop is in the lovely little town of The Plains. There's a nice little gourmet food shop across the street -- or at least there was the last time we were there.

[Busboy]

Is the proscuitto plate at Dino too "obvious?"

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Heh.

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That's so lame. I suppose the Pizza at 2Amy's is next.

[raisab]

Worth the trip? Aren't the above mentioned in DC?

How about Four and Twenty Blackbirds in Flint Hill Virginia? L'Auberge Provencale closer to Winchester than not? It's About Thyme in Culpepper? The RailStop in Warenton?

These are all fairly close to me but I would definately ride out for Four and Twenty and L"auberge Provencale. The settings are sweet and the food is great.

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N.B. The Rail Stop is in the lovely little town of The Plains. There's a nice little gourmet food shop across the street -- or at least there was the last time we were there.

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YOu are right, it is in The Plains, The Whistle Stop is in Warrenton, owned by the same people. Albeit a limited menu.

[jm chen]

That's so lame.  I suppose the Pizza at 2Amy's is next.

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Nah, the hanger steak at Ray's.

That said, I still like the feature -- most locals are not as slavishly devoted to the food scene as we here, and I find it very likely that there are people who hadn't heard of Palena's fries or Corduroy's spring rolls before the Post brought them up. I went to Corduroy at least 10 times before I tried the spring rolls, and that was only because I had heard about them from website foodies.

It's a nice counterpoint to the Best Of lists on washingtonpost.com that point to Maggie Moo's as best ice cream or Starbucks as best coffee. The "Worth the Trip" folks may be calling our attention to great things we already know about, but at least they're calling our attention to great things.

If they feature Maggiano's veal parm or Outback's Bloomin' Onion, of course, I will apologize profusely for ever defending them.

[Foodie Craze]

That's so lame.  I suppose the Pizza at 2Amy's is next.

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Nah, the hanger steak at Ray's.

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Where is Ray's -- I've never tried hanger steak and would love to ...

[Busboy]

That's so lame.  I suppose the Pizza at 2Amy's is next.

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Nah, the hanger steak at Ray's.

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Where is Ray's -- I've never tried hanger steak and would love to ...

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Are you in the DC area? Rays is in Arlington, 1725 Wilson Blvd, in between the Courthouse and Roslyn metro stations. 703-841-7297 Reservations are hard to get, but worth it.

Easier-to-get Hangar Steaks are at Les Halles, 13th and Penn. NW, and Bistro du Coin, Connecticut and S NW.

[jm chen]

Are you in the DC area?  Rays is in Arlington, 1725 Wilson Blvd, in between the Courthouse and Roslyn metro stations. 703-841-7297  Reservations are hard to get, but worth it.

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I've had decent luck getting in on Sunday nights. If you get an early reservation, say at 6, they may let you know that you'll have to vacate the table by 7:30 to make way for the next reservation, as it is a small place. But I've never felt rushed.

The Ray's the Steaks thread is only a few lines down from this one -- check it out for more info.