Las Canteras

Posted on 2007/10/30 by .

Las Canteras, 2307 18th Street NW, Washington, DC, lower Adams-Morgan, 202-265-1780 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [WaPo | City Paper | Yelp | Gayot]
A Peruvian place designed to appeal to yuppies. I walked by, looked at it, looked at the menu, and was thoroughly unimpressed. A friend of mine with impeccable taste tried it and didn’t like it. I won’t go unless I start hearing it is great.

Related Posts:

Posted in Adams Morgan/Mount Pleasant, DC, Peruvian | 1 Comment

Every meal counts

Posted on 2007/10/28 by .

ETHNIC DINING TALK: Tuesday, October 30, Tyler Cowen, author of “Discover Your Inner Economist,” discusses “Every Meal Counts: How to Get the Best Food Possible in Washington, DC” and signs his book. Books will be for sale. Free entry. 6:30 p.m. Cleveland Park Branch Library, 3310 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 202-282-3072.
Of course you are encouraged to come….

Related Posts:

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Every meal counts

Bolivian Bakery – Palacio del Silpancho

Posted on 2007/10/28 by .

Bolivian Bakery, 6184 Arlington Boulevard, Falls Church, VA, Willston Shopping Plaza, right next to Mark’s Duck House, 703-531-0777 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [openlist]
The “subtitle” of this restaurant is “Palacio del Silpancho”. How can you hate a place like that? This is not the very best silpancho but it is at least at the area average and sometimes above it. Maybe it is too salty in parts. But this is a very sympathetic restaurant and they have lots of fruit drinks too. Worth an occasional visit.

Related Posts:

Posted in Bolivian, Falls Church/Seven Corners, Virginia | 1 Comment

Eamonn’s – A Dublin Chipper

Posted on 2007/10/26 by .

Eamonn’s–A Dublin Chipper, web site, 728 King Street, Alexandria, VA, 703-299-8384 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | MenuPages | City Paper]
Have I ever told you what a fish and chips fanatic I am? I scoured New Zealand for a year, looking for the best fish and chips (and found it). I had amazing fish and chips, on the street in the town’s central plaza, in Bergen, Norway. That was the highlight of my entire trip. So my standards are high. And I’m pleased to report that I really enjoyed this place. The fish is very good, enough said. The mushy peas are first-rate. No, it’s not as good as the best in Kiwiland but I remain shocked by the quality and I am happy to recommend it. NB: Tables can be hard to get, so go when the pressure is off.

Related Posts:

Posted in Alexandria, Irish, Virginia | 1 Comment

Majestic Rosa Nautica

Posted on 2007/10/24 by .

Majestic Rosa Nautica, 2922 Annandale Road, Falls Church, VA, 703-538-8888, 703-538-8885 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window)
The dining hall is huge, indeed cavernous and the waitresses are skimpily clad. Drunk Peruvians watch soccer on huge screens. I had to wait a long time before being served. The fish in my pescado saltado was falling apart. They have music at night, and on a few web sites are listed as providing “adult entertainment.” (Not when I was there.) Dance lessons too.
Are these auspicious signs or not? Well, the kitchen does “get” the fundamental essence of Peruvian seafood and they do serve it fresh. I’ll go back, but when I’m in a patient mood. So far I give this one a thumbs up, but I can’t imagine how they can afford to pay for so much space.

Related Posts:

Posted in Falls Church/Seven Corners, Peruvian, Virginia | Comments Off on Majestic Rosa Nautica

Ibex Restaurant

Posted on 2007/10/22 by .

Ibex Restaurant, 3813 E & F South George Mason Drive, Falls Church, VA, no phone given. (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window)
A vibrant Ethiopian place in my favorite ethnic mini-mall (Skyline). The quality is uneven but nothing is bad and the very best dishes are very good indeed. Get the firfir and the qitqit. Get any dish that is laden with lots of injera (bread) and it will be first-rate. Not everything hits the spot here but I am definitely keeping the place in my repertoire.

Related Posts:

Posted in Ethiopian, Falls Church/Seven Corners, Virginia | Comments Off on Ibex Restaurant

Chinese-Korean (Kyung Ju Restaurant?)

Posted on 2007/10/20 by .

Chinese-Korean (Kyung Ju Restaurant? – sorry the business card is in Kangul only!), 2847 Gallows Road, at Lee Highway, Falls Church, VA, in the strip mall with the H Mart, 703-645-8787 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window)
This place gives a good overview of Chinese-Korean food, a bit gooey, a bit sweet, and with liberal use of ketchup. I don’t like the genre, but I don’t want to put you off trying it. The staff is friendly and charming, plus they have some regular Korean dishes as well. For me it is a dominated asset, but if you never went it would be a shame.

Related Posts:

Posted in Chinese, Falls Church/Seven Corners, Korean, Vienna/Tysons, Virginia | Comments Off on Chinese-Korean (Kyung Ju Restaurant?)

Annandale Cafe

Posted on 2007/10/18 by .

Annandale Cafe, 133 E. Annandale Road, Falls Church, VA, between Hillwood Ave. and S Washington St, though to me it looks like it is on Hillwood, 703-237-7275 (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window)
[MenuPages]
I love this place, which right now is the best Bolivian food around, despite being a bit on the dark and dingy side. I can’t imagine how they handle crowds and I suppose they don’t. The Saturday peanut soup is the best around, lots of pasta in it. The meats are very fresh. The plates are large. The authenticity level is high. They also pretend to have a connection to Argentinian food but it really is mostly Bolivian. Right now this place is a clear first choice in its category.

Related Posts:

Posted in Bolivian, Falls Church/Seven Corners, Virginia | 2 Comments

Hong Kong Palace – Sichuan

Posted on 2007/08/08 by .

Hong Kong Palace (formerly Saigon Palace), web site, 6387 Leesburg Pike, Seven Corners Center, Falls Church, VA, 703-532-0940, Sun – Thur: 11 am – 10 pm, Fri & Sat: 11 am – 11 pm (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Washingtonian | Yelp]

Online maps do not accurately show the location. The actual address is 6387 Leesburg Pike, but using 6212 more accurately shows the approximate location. HKP is on the southeast end of the mall between Leesburg Pike and Rt. 50, facing Sears across the street (look for the tall white turret-looking appendage (in the bottom left corner of the picture above) – that is Sears) and about 2/3rds of a mile due south of Eden Center. The larger mall includes Michaels and Shoppers Food Warehouse on the Leesburg Pike side, and Fortune, Home Depot and Barnes & Noble on the Rt. 50 side.


This is probably the best Chinese place around and it just keeps on getting better. Mostly it is Sichuan and yes do ask for the special Chinese menu if they don’t give it to you right away. Get the lamb with cumin, the beef with bamboo shoots, the flounder in pepper sauce in hot pot, the ma po tofu, the potatoes with green pepper, the tiger pepper, the Dan Dan noodles, the dried beef appetizer, and the chengdu dumplings appetizer, the spicy version in black vinegar. The menu has many other treasures as well. The specials are usually very good.

Related Posts:

Posted in Chinese, Current Favorites, Falls Church/Seven Corners, Virginia | 13 Comments

BonChon Chicken

Posted on 2007/08/07 by .

BonChon Chicken, web site, 6653 Little River Turnpike, #H, Annandale, VA, 703-750-1424 [Don Rockwell]
Is it the best fried chicken I’ve had? I didn’t even mind the forty-minute wait, though now I know to call ahead, as the Koreans do. Get it with both sauces – soy and garlic, and hot –and be sure to ask for the kimchi.
Here is the NYT on Korean fried chicken. It’s also healthier than you think: crunchy, spicy, and non-greasy.

Related Posts:

Posted in Annandale, Chicken, Korean, Virginia | 1 Comment