Jewel of India

Posted on 2012/09/18 by .

Jewel of India, web site, 10151 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring, MD (just outside the Beltway), 301-408-2200 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Google | WaPo | dishtip | Washingtonian | City Paper | Don Rockwell | Yelp]

India, Agra, Taj Mahal, "Crown of Palaces", the white marble mausoleum, a jewel of Muslim art & Mughal architecture in India, by frankartculinary

India, Agra, Taj Mahal, “Crown of Palaces”, the white marble mausoleum, a jewel of Muslim art & Mughal architecture in India, by frankartculinary

A real knockout, right now the best Indian place around.

Order any dish they might be serving from Mangalore, the chef’s home town. Such as the Suka chicken. They also have a separate menu of Indo-Chinese dishes. Definitely recommended, though note that the kitchen falls apart if you arrive when they are truly full and busy. The buffet isn’t as good as a’la carte, also.

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Pork Barrel BBQ

Posted on 2012/09/08 by .

Pork Barrel BBQ, web site, 2312 Mount Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, Del Rey, VA, 703-822-5699 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Washingtonian | Trip Advisor | Don Rockwell | Yelp]

McDonald's McRib, from Wikipedia

McDonald’s McRib, from Wikipedia

The ribs are decent in the flavor department, but too dry and overall everything is served up to you too quickly. Some of the sides are OK but not above that level. I consider this place a missed opportunity. It’s in a great neighborhood.

Northern Virginia needs a real bbq place: Pork Barrel is an excellent place to sit and/or meet, but the food just isn’t quite at the level it ought to be. Sadly, not up to expectations….

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Posted in Alexandria, American, Barbecue, Virginia | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Gharer Khabar

Posted on 2012/08/27 by .

Gharer Khabar, 5151 Lee Highway, Arlington, VA, 703-973-2432

Updated review here.

A new Bangladeshi place which isn’t quite ready, but is open and excellent. I found they were surprised when a) I walked in the door, and b) I asked for a menu. After a bit of Monty Python back and forth a’la “Cheese Shop,” I discovered that currently the menu only serves two kinds of biryanis. But they’re both very good, extremely fragrant and delicate. I am told at some point the main chef is coming back from Bangladesh, then we will see what happens. But right now this is a place I will revisit. It is also one of the two or three cheapest places on this whole list.

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Posted in Arlington, Bangladeshi, Virginia | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Kohinoor Dhaba

Posted on 2012/08/27 by .

Kohinoor Dhaba, web site, 2800 South Eads, Arlington, (Crystal City), VA, 703-778-5005 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [WaPo | dishtip | Examiner | zabihah | Don Rockwell | Yelp]

Get the fish pakora, spinach, goat biryani, this is one of the best Indian places around. Really yummy, a hidden gem.

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Posted in Arlington, Crystal City/Pentagon City/National Airport, Indian, The Best, Virginia | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Ricos Tacos Moya II

Posted on 2012/08/18 by .

Ricos Tacos Moya II, 10901 Main St., Fairfax, VA, 703-383-0009, and they are often open for breakfast too. (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Yelp]

Pescado frito, by juliana restrepo

Pescado frito, by juliana restrepo

A real, honest-to-goodness Mexican tacqueria in Fairfax! With a real Mexican crowd. It’s pretty good and certainly quite authentic. I like the whole fish best, pescado frito, and also the Pozole soup. Not everything here has vivid tastes and flavors, but still it is a big advance beyond its Fairfax competitors. Branch #1 by the way is in Woodbridge, and Branch #3 is in Alexandria.

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How to eat well in Beijing

Posted on 2012/07/31 by .

Look for the hutongs (traditional, alley-based neighborhoods) which are not too far from the wealthy areas, but not right on top of the wealthy areas either. At the outer “lip” of those hutongs there will be numerous small restaurants and food stands, serving a mix of hutong residents and passers-by. A typical small restaurant of this kind might have five to ten tables, plus there may be some larger establishments, comparable in size to small restaurants in the United States. There also will be dumpling, kebab, fish, and other stands facing onto the street. Eat in these places and sample as much as you can. There will be superb snacks for less than a dollar, and in the small restaurants superb main courses for less than two dollars, and in the larger restaurants superb main courses for less than five dollars.

A Halal Bakery in Tuanjie St, the main street of Linxia City, by Vmenkov

A Halal Bakery in Tuanjie St, the main street of Linxia City, by Vmenkov

Try an expensive place in a fancy hotel. Eat Yunnan food, preferably at a place with a fixed price menu. “Dali” is a very good one. Eat “Chinese Muslim food.” Eat Sichuan and Hunan. Don’t worry too much about duck, the classic Beijing dish is a little boring. Dumplings are better here but dumplings get only so good (which is very good indeed but the gradient isn’t that steep). Don’t neglect breakfast as an important meal.

That is how you eat well in Beijing.

Originally posted on Marginal Revolution – click to see comments and suggestions.

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Toronto food bleg

Posted on 2012/07/18 by .

I won’t be there until September (2012), but someone I know (who lives in “our world,” most likely you have read him on economics) will be there sooner. Please help us both out. He has very good taste in food. We both thank you in advance.


Originally posted on Marginal Revolution – click to see comments and offer suggestions.

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Posted in Bleg, Travel, Canada, Outside DC | Tagged , | 5 Comments

Bangkok Golden Thai Restaurant

Posted on 2012/07/16 by .

Bangkok Golden Thai Restaurant, web site, 6395 Seven Corners Center, Falls Church, VA, right next to Hong Kong Palace (this is NOT in Eden Center), 703-533-9480 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Google | WaPo | Yelp]

(July 16, 2012: This is an update of my previous review.)

(Online maps do not always accurately show the location. The actual address is 6395 Seven Corners Center, in the Seven Corners Shopping Center, but using 6222 Leesburg Pike does show the approximate Bangkok Golden Thai Restaurant, 6395 Seven Corners Center, Falls Church, VAlocation. This place is on the southeast end of the Seven Corners Shopping Center, between Leesburg Pike and Rt. 50, about 2/3rds of a mile due south of Eden Center, facing Sears, that includes Michaels and Shoppers Food Warehouse on the Leesburg Pike side, and Fortune and Home Depot on the Rt. 50 side. The Google link does show a good map.)

It’s called Thai, and they do have Thai food (including a mediocre buffet), but there is also a separate Laotian menu – which you have to ask for — and it is a stunner. This is by far the best Laotian food I’ve had. Everything is excellent but I think the Nam Khao is one of the best dishes in this whole area, get two of them. You can even get the dishes which don’t sound too interesting. Use the dipping sauces a lot. The chicken on a skewer is good, as are the small dishes to start and the soups (Kanthi) and the tilapia. There is also now a new Laotian menu, kind of a secret menu behind the secret menu, no English. Insist they show it to you. Tell them to bring you the best things from that menu. The bottom line is that this place just got a whole lot better and it was great to begin with. Sticky rice too, of course.

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Hunan Gate Restaurant

Posted on 2012/07/16 by .

Hunan Gate Restaurant, web site, 4233 N. Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA, 703-243-5678 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Google | DishTip | TripAdvisor | Menuism | City Paper | Yelp]

This is the place with the Manchurian menu, some of which is now available in English and with photos. (My previous review.)

On the surface a mediocre Hunan place, but underneath there is a Manchurian menu, originally in Chinese only but now parts are in English. Order from that! No other place around tastes like this one. I recommend the tofu scallion salad, the julienne potato salad, the NE style pancake, the chive potstickers, the cumin lamb, and the pork riblets with Italian flat bean stew, plus the amazing chicken dish with the large, flat wheat noodles, a real winner. I am not sure how you can get any of these but try your best. Nor should you forget the pork belly stew with wide glass noodles or the pots and dishes with fermented cabbage. This place is still getting better. Definitely recommended.

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Posted in Arlington, Manchurian, Virginia | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Fanny’s Restaurant

Posted on 2012/07/10 by .

Fanny’s Restaurant, 436 S. Washington Street, Falls Church, VA, 703-532-4155 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [FCNP]


(not from Fanny’s)

Not my very favorite Bolivian place, but competitive with the other good ones. It is the place where you are most likely to see a huge, disgusting pile of Pique Macho with ketchup and mustard slathered on top. That’s worth something. They also have a kidney soup which no other place around seems to. If you live nearby, at the very least this is worth a visit. Like most Bolivian places around, they will simply assume that you speak Spanish.

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