Pasha Cafe

Posted on 2006/04/12 by .

Pasha Cafe, web site, 3911 Lee Highway, Arlington, VA, 703-528-1111 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [WaPo (Eve Zibart) | City Paper | openlist]
This place has reopened, following a devastating fire. I have yet to visit the new incarnation but loved the old. Focus on the appetizers. Probably the best Egyptian place around.

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Posted in Arlington, Egyptian, The Best, Virginia | Comments Off on Pasha Cafe

Alf Laylah Wa Laylah

Posted on 2006/04/12 by .

Alf Laylah Wa Laylah, 13975 Metrotech Drive, Sully Place Shopping Center, Chantilly, VA, 703-378-6677 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Alexandria Gazette]
An excellent name, no? The owner is Palestinian, the chef is Turkish, how should I list this place? Mostly the food is “Middle Eastern,” with many Lebanese dishes, but since they have hookah I will put it under the category “Egyptian.”

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Posted in Egyptian, Herndon/Reston/Ashburn/Chantilly / Dulles Airport, Virginia | 4 Comments

Cairo Cafe and Restaurant

Posted on 2006/04/12 by .

Cairo Cafe and Restaurant, 6244-H Little River Turnpike, Alexandria, VA, 703-750-3551 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Yelp]
Genuinely good Egyptian food, cooked for area Muslims, if not always Egyptians. The place to go if you wish to see people, including women, smoking hookahs (Middle Eastern water pipe, with your preferential flavored tobacco). Nineteen flavors of hookah, including “Cola.” Small menu, authentic, and tasty. Worth a visit. They have a non-smoking section as well.

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Posted in Alexandria, Egyptian, Virginia | 1 Comment

SBC Cafe

Posted on 2006/04/12 by .

SBC Cafe (SBC = Sweet Basil Catering), 2501 Centreville Road, Herndon, VA, 703-793-7388 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Observer Online | WaPo | City Paper | Don Rockwell | openlist | Gayot]
Here they have a little bit of everything, Tom Sietsema recommends the two-tone pepper soup.

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Posted in Eclectic, Herndon/Reston/Ashburn/Chantilly / Dulles Airport, Virginia | 1 Comment

Chutzpah Real New York Deli

Posted on 2006/04/12 by .

Chutzpah Real New York Deli, web site, 12214 Fairfax Towne Center, Fairfax, VA, 703-385-8883, closed Sunday dinner (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Washingtonian | City Paper | food-plan | openlist | Yelp]
No, this isn’t New York City, or even New Jersey, but this place is better than you think.

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Posted in Deli, Fairfax, Virginia | 1 Comment

Yuca

Posted on 2006/04/11 by .

Yuca, web site, 1800 M Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-785-1177, closed Saturday lunch and Sunday (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | openlist | Yelp]
Terrible hours, but again another new Cuban place. Has to be one of the better places in the neighborhood.

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Posted in Cuban, DC, Downtown | Comments Off on Yuca

Banana Cafe & Piano Bar

Posted on 2006/04/11 by .

Banana Cafe & Piano Bar, web site, 500 Eighth Street SE, Washington, DC, just off Pennsylvania Avenue SE, 202-543-5906 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [WaPo | City Paper | openlist | Yelp]

Cuba, Spanish, and Puerto Rican dishes. Not exactly a mom and pop, the place has a somewhat vile yuppie flavor. The Puerto Rican dishes consist of mashed plantains, in various forms, with garlic. The dishes vary greatly in quality. The best ones are good enough to enjoy (try the Puerto Rican ones, if only for novelty’s sake), but not good enough to stand comparison with the real thing. By all means go, especially if you live in the area (few good alternatives), but lower your expectations accordingly.

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Posted in Cuban, DC, Puerto Rican, Southeast | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

El Guajiro – Closed

Posted on 2006/04/11 by .

El Guajiro, 8650 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, MD, 301-565-4985, right across from AFI (American Film Institute, web site, 8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, MD) (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Washingtonian | Gayot]
Update May 15, 2006: Closed
The location is perfect, eat here before or after your movie at AFI. Try the roast pork and beans and rice, duh. Now tell them to bring back the mofongos.

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Posted in Cuban, Maryland, Silver Spring | Comments Off on El Guajiro – Closed

Cubano’s

Posted on 2006/04/11 by .

Cubano’s, 1201 Fidler Lane, at Ramsey Ave., Silver Spring, MD, 301-563-4020, 11-11 daily (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Bethesda Magazine | Washingtonian | WaPo | Takoma/Silver Spring Voice | Silver Chips Online | City Paper | insider pages | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]
There is a flourish of new Cuban places in this area, though we do not yet have critical mass for any of them to be knockouts, as you might find in Florida or New Jersey.

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Posted in Cuban, Maryland, Silver Spring | Comments Off on Cubano’s

Cuba de Ayer

Posted on 2006/04/11 by .

Cuba de Ayer, 15446 Old Columbia Pike, Burtonsville, MD, 301-476-9622, closed Mondays (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Washingtonian | http://www.washingtonian.com/restaurantreviews/1081.html WaPo (Eve Zeibart) | City Paper | Don Rockwell]
A mom and pop, the Washington Post claims it is one of the best Cuban places around; it is a little out of the way for me.

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Posted in Columbia/Laurel, Cuban, Maryland | 2 Comments