Your D.C. Favorites

[BryanZ]

I'm compiling a short list of some of the most unique, popular, and noteworthy restaurants in Washington D.C. I'm looking for a wide variety of places, from casual to upscale, with notable food, decor, or history.

If you could provide me with any info. you might have on some of you favorites it would be greatly appreciated. I'm not from the area and only have a rudimentary knowledge of DC dining so website links and the like would be greatly appreciated.

[Rob Simmon]

I'm compiling a short list of some of the most unique, popular, and noteworthy restaurants in Washington D.C.  I'm looking for a wide variety of places, from casual to upscale, with notable food, decor, or history.

If you could provide me with any info. you might have on some of you favorites it would be greatly appreciated.  I'm not from the area and only have a rudimentary knowledge of DC dining so website links and the like would be greatly appreciated.

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minbar

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=26554&st=0

[Rob Simmon]

I should have been more specific:

minibar at Cafe Atlantico

http://www.cafeatlantico.com/miniBar.html

call the main Cafe Atlantico line for reservations: (202) 393-0812

[foodgeek]

A lot of these are ethnic divces but....My fav's in DC are Jaleo, Malaysia Kopitiam, Couscouse Cafe (for weekday lunch) Nam-Viet, and Dukem (Ethiopian). I like La Tasca for desserts and Sangria, but not for Tapas.

Montgomery Cty, MD: El Patio, Joe's Noodle House.

Nova: Thai Square, Fortune, Mark's Duck House, Viet Huong (Eden Center),Panshjir, El Charrito Caminante (a taco dive), Argia's, Cafe Tirolo, Lebanese Taverna, Jerusalem (palestinian), Flavors, Na-Viet, La Tasca (see above note), Kabob Bazaar, the Italian Store (takeout pizza dn hoagies), and Shamshirry's, to name a few.

Have you looked at Tyler Cowen's Ethnic Food Guide?

http://www.gmu.edu/jbc/Tyler/19th%20Cowen.htm

[herbacidal]

My lord, that's a great list of places. It works out to about 80 pages of writing. It may be slightly out of date now in 2005, but even so, at least half to 3/4 of it is probably still accurate.

For my next DC trip, I would probably print up the first 7 pages and carry them along.

[JayBassin]

Heritage India on Wisconsin Ave; Le Mannequin Pis on Rte 29 in Olney MD.

[Busboy]

Heritage India on Wisconsin Ave; Le Mannequin Pis on Rte 29 in Olney MD.

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Heritage should be asterisked as having both the best food and the worst service of any Indian restaurnat in town.

Bryan -- kind of a broad request, anything hints you can give us to narrow it?

I throw down Marcel's and Palena as the two best-for-the-money (though not cheap) restaurants in town, with Citronelle and Il Laboratorio at Galileo as the two best, damn the expense (haven't been to Maestro).

When I'm hanging out, I end up at Bistro du Coin, which is about attitude as much as food, and Firefly, where beautiful people eat very well.

[foodgeek]

Tyler posted a new version last month:

http://www.gmu.edu/jbc/Tyler/19th%20Cowen.htm

My lord, that's a great list of places.  It works out to about 80 pages of writing.  It may be slightly out of date now in 2005, but even so, at least half to 3/4 of it is probably still accurate. 

For my next DC trip, I would probably print up the first 7 pages and carry them along.

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[Eric Brach]

Tyler Cowen... does the guy ever even bother to come into the district?

Maybe it's just that I actually live in the city, but I feel like the "DC-area" often seems to get far more press than the city itself!

[Busboy]

Tyler posted a new version last month:

http://www.gmu.edu/jbc/Tyler/19th%20Cowen.htm

My lord, that's a great list of places.  It works out to about 80 pages of writing.  It may be slightly out of date now in 2005, but even so, at least half to 3/4 of it is probably still accurate. 

For my next DC trip, I would probably print up the first 7 pages and carry them along.

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That list doesn't appear to be much more useful than a phone book -- his obvious enthusiasm interferes with his critical faculties. 30 "must try's" -- including no Vietnamese; Indique, which has declined dramatically; Soder, which isn't even the best Ethiopian on the block, much less the region; CityZen, but not Citronelle, Marcelles or Maestro?

A good list, but it would be much better if it were much shorter.

[Soup]

Well I just ate at the Matchbox resturant again. It is quickly becoming one of my favorite restaurants in DC. I however, did not get the burger. Got the pizza and it was really good. If you are in DC chinatown area, try the matchbox. The burgers are still the best.