Shanghai Tea House

Posted on 2008/12/10 by .

Shanghai Tea House, 2400 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 202-338-3816, open every day (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [WaPo | MenuPages | Yelp | Chow Hound]
Sietsma likes this place but it is only OK. It does have better dumplings than anywhere else I know in DC but in Annandale it would not make the top ten. I quite liked the tofu and cabbage dishes, yummy. Cramped quarters. I can easily imagine worse places to eat, but if this is what you look forward to for your Chinese food, I feel sorry for you.

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Posted in Chinese, DC, Other | 3 Comments

Cafe Metro: Asian Fusion and Wine Bar

Posted on 2008/12/06 by .

Cafe Metro: Asian Fusion and Wine Bar, 6795 Wilson Blvd., Eden Center, Falls Church, VA, 703-942-8969, in the mall it is very close to Wilson Boulevard, west end of the Eden Center mall, by the smaller entrance from the main road near Viet Bistro, the sign for the restaurant is hard to spot. (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [City Paper]

I had one meal here and I was blown away. The lemon grass tofu and the tamarind soft shell crab (be sure to dip it in the pepper sauce) were among the best dishes I’ve had in Eden Center, ever. The noodles and dumplings were above average, though I would not say spectacular. It is mostly Vietnamese with some Thai influence and a few Korean dishes on the menu. It tries to be a “nice” restaurant in a weird way and the music is too loud. Right now nobody else is going. Their menu is going to expand soon and I predict further evolution for this place.

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Posted in Asian (Pan-Asian), Crabs, Eden Center, Falls Church/Seven Corners, Korean, The Best, Vietnamese, Virginia | 2 Comments

Ray’s Hell-Burger

Posted on 2008/10/22 by .

Ray’s Hell-Burger, 1713 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA, 703-841-0001, open for lunch only on weekends, I believe 5 p.m. dinner on weekdays. (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | menuism | Don Rockwell | Yelp]

Update February 2013: CLOSED

All they have is hamburgers and they don’t even have a side of French fries (you can get corn on the cob or potato chip or potato salad). It’s the best hamburger around by an order of magnitude. Yes, it is worth paying a $4 or $5 supplement for the specialty cheeses on the cheeseburger. I like the Amish cheddar but consider the Epoisses as well. The quality of the burger and the cheese here really just stunned me. By 12:15 on a Saturday the place is already chaos but somehow it seems to work. Order your burger at the counter and then be prepared to stand at a table (of sorts) and eat it. Not a place to sit and chat but who needs social pleasantries when the burger is so good? The ice cream is first-rate as well.

Update February, 2009: Ray’s Hell-Burger is still at 1713 Wilson, but Ray’s the Steaks has moved a few blocks west to 2300 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA, 703-841-7297. They take reservations at the new location.

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Posted in Arlington, Hamburgers, Virginia | 11 Comments

Caribbean Sea Seafood Restaurant

Posted on 2008/10/19 by .

Caribbean Sea Seafood Restaurant, 6869 New Hampshire Avenue, Takoma Park, MD, 301-891-3497, closed Mondays. It is hard to see from New Hampshire but it is there, if you are coming from Univ. Blvd. it is on the left just a bit past East-West Highway, tucked away in a strip mall, removed from the street. (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Washingtonian | Yelp]
Lots of lobster, lots of conch, lots of shrimp and fish. This is neither a subtle restaurant nor a restaurant with many different tastes and flavors. But their best flavors are very good indeed. Their devil sauce is one of the best spicy sauces around. It’s not just hot it has real oomph in the soul. Good rice too. This is a very specialized restaurant but also a very good restaurant. High marks for atmosphere too, although note that the lobster is not cheap.

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Posted in Caribbean, Maryland, Seafood, Takoma Park | 1 Comment

Currently, what are you favorite places to eat in the D.C. metro area?

Posted on 2008/10/17 by .

I love Thai X-ing (DC), Meaza (Baileys Crossroad), Nava Thai (Wheaton), Hong Kong Palace (Falls Church), China Star (Fairfax), Bombay Indian (Silver Spring) and Angeethi (Herndon), plus just about everything Vietnamese in Eden Center (Falls Church). The 9th Street Ethiopian row is very good as well, and also Zenebech, up on Florida/U/5th or so. Those places are very good and I can eat at them more or less without limit. There aren’t many places around as good as those.

Here is much more:
“Chewing the Fat: Tyler Cowen and his Ethnic Dining Guide,” by Alicia Mazzara, DCist, October 8, 2008

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Posted in Favorites - Current, Some Places You Must Try | 2 Comments

Teddy’s Roti Shop

Posted on 2008/10/15 by .

Teddy’s Roti Shop, web site, 7304 Georgia Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 202-882-6488. (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Washingtonian | MenuPages | Don Rockwell | openlist | Yelp]

Any of the rotis with goat are superb, make sure they put some of the spicy sauce in it (you have to ask). Get the buss-up-shut. The pumpkin is first-rate. The soups are very good. The “shark and bake” is a Trinidadian classic and it is pretty good here. The “Boiled Provisions” [sic] are only so-so. Ask about the fruit juices. This part of town used to be run down but now it is quite nice. This place is definitely recommended. For authenticity it gets an A+. And if you like a proprietor who is chatty and will tell you what to do, make that A++.

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Posted in Current Favorites, DC, The Best, Trinidadian, Walter Reed/Silver Spring | 1 Comment

Texas Ribs and BBQ

Posted on 2008/10/09 by .

Texas Ribs and BBQ, web site, 7701 Old Branch Avenue, Clinton, MD, 301-877-0323 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Gazette.net | City Paper | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]
I had high hopes going to this place, which many describe as the best BBQ around. On the plus side I’ll give it high marks for atmosphere and authenticity. It really is Texas-style barbecue and the beans and bread are pretty good too. The problem is that the meat isn’t great. The ribs were downright mediocre. The brisket was better, OK I would say, but not good enough to drive around the Beltway for. Until I hear more entreaties, I’m not going back. But I would continue to go if I lived next door.

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Posted in Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland | 1 Comment

Byol Nan Restaurant

Posted on 2008/10/04 by .

Byol Nan Restaurant, 7118 Columbia Pike, Annandale, VA, 703-64-3418 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [openlist | Yelp]
The interior is more stylish than the outside looks. I’d like to go here but I haven’t had a chance yet. The place also has a bit of a specialty feel. The menu has a varied list of Bibim-Bab, lots of Hot Pot Dishes, and Katsu. Very much a Korean place for Koreans.

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Posted in Annandale, Korean, Virginia | Comments Off on Byol Nan Restaurant

PADO Seafood Restaurant

Posted on 2008/09/30 by .

PADO Seafood Restaurant, 4231-E Markham Street, Annandale, VA, 703-256-3565
An average Korean place, with sushi and some Japanese dishes. Average in Annandale is pretty good, but there’s always above-average right next door, so I don’t think I’ll go back here.

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Posted in Annandale, Japanese, Korean, Virginia | Comments Off on PADO Seafood Restaurant

Rumba Cafe

Posted on 2008/09/27 by .

Rumba Café, web site, 2443 18th Street NW, Adams Morgan, Washington, DC, 202-588-5501 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [WaPo | MenuPages | City Paper | openlist | Yelp]

A mix of Colombian and Puerto Rican dishes, with some other Pan-Latin elements thrown in. I have yet to go. Lots of arepas. Lots of mofongos (mashed plantains and garlic). It looks interesting.

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Posted in Adams Morgan/Mount Pleasant, Colombian, DC, Puerto Rican | Tagged , , | 1 Comment