173617 Tue Mar 08 19:19:01 -0800 2005 20 14 Washington DC & Baltimore Area 0 933311 I'm looking for the best fried calamari in the DC/Northern Virginia Area...what places come to mind? Tue Mar 08 19:19:01 -0800 2005 0 Vicky 1 933322 I sound like a shill, but Andale on 7th Street NW in the District has very good, blue cornmeal-crusted fried calamari. Very tender and addictive. The fried calamari at Clyde's (locations in Tysons Corner, Seminary Road in Alexandria, and Georgetown in DC) are also good but not as good as Andale. Tue Mar 08 22:40:09 -0800 2005 933311 0 foodiejudy 2 933335 Not breaded and fried, but I love the sauteed version at Heritage India served in a buttery reddish curry. Wed Mar 09 09:35:23 -0800 2005 933322 0 Jay 1 933331 There was a nice thread covering this very topic maybe a year ago, but I couldn't find it just now. Anyway, Black's in Bethesda, I think, has the best traditional version - very very light and fresh. Viet Gardens in Clarendon has a really cool version, that turns it into a salad type dish. Slightly related, I'll once more plug the spicy squid salad at Thai Square on Col. Pike. Wed Mar 09 08:06:10 -0800 2005 933311 0 Dennis S 2 933383 to expand this tangent further I'll second the Thai Square rec and its neighbor Bangkok 54's squid w/basil with the spicy sauce adhered to the squid, no dipping required and perfectly cooked with crunchy basil leaves. most excellent Wed Mar 09 14:43:55 -0800 2005 933331 0 Jamie D 1 933332 Two of my favorites are Teatro Goldoni on K street and Full Kee in Virginia. Teatro serves it lightly fried with a great marinara sauce and a tarter sauce. It's pretty tasty and not chewy at all. The dish at the Virginia Full Kee is deep fried spicy squid, and it's different than the D.C. Full Kee dish. The VA location serves it fried to a golden brown color and it's nicely seasoned too. I'm not a big calamari fan but I love it at these two places. If you're into it for lunch, my wife has had the bar menu calamari at Teatro where you get the calamari and a glass of wine. I believe it was around $12. Wed Mar 09 08:51:09 -0800 2005 933311 0 MarkF 1 933333 I'm sure it can't compete for the title of "best" but I really enjoy (quite often) the calamari at Old Ebbitt. Also hot and fresh, never chewy, with a great mayonnaise-based dipping sauce. Wed Mar 09 09:23:39 -0800 2005 933311 0 Marina 1 933334 my favorite in the area, by far, is at the Capital Grille in DC. their calamari (with the slight kick of the cherry peppers) has brought me down from baltimore on more than one occasion. good times. also, is it wrong to be craving that before 10am? Wed Mar 09 09:34:45 -0800 2005 933311 0 rawdog 2 933349 I second the Capital Grille rec...perfect indulgent dinner at the bar with a nice martini. Just tune out all of the gathering Young Republicans. Wed Mar 09 10:49:01 -0800 2005 933334 0 Jen B 3 933377 Cap Grille has awesome calamari Wed Mar 09 14:10:09 -0800 2005 933349 0 R8ZRBCK 1 933337 Cafe Asia, in Rosslyn, has pretty good fried calamari. I also liked the fried calamari at Hunan No 1 in Clarendon the last time I had it, but that was some time ago. Wed Mar 09 09:40:33 -0800 2005 933311 0 Lori D 1 933344 A few weeks ago I had excellent fried calamari at the New Big Wong in Chinatown. Just don't let the health code violations deter you. Wed Mar 09 10:17:55 -0800 2005 933311 0 Ellen 1 933346 Jaleo (DC location) has a good version. The coating is crispy, and it comes with an interesting garlicky mayonnaise and honey dip. Is it too early for lunch? Wed Mar 09 10:29:43 -0800 2005 933311 0 Montgomery MAid 2 933370 I forgot. It's great but one little dish is not enough! Wed Mar 09 12:36:19 -0800 2005 933346 0 Ellen 1 933350 I'm partial to Pistone's Italian Inn at 7 Corners. Firm but not chewy, light batter. The sauce, however, is not as authoritative as I would like. Pistone's, if you don't know it, is a hoot. The place is a throwback, complete with piano bar, but the food is excellent and fairly priced. I've made many a great dinner from the calamari appetizer plus their sprawling antipasto bar (which is so comprehensive that it includes cheeses, stuffed grape leaves and chocolate pudding!) Wed Mar 09 10:49:29 -0800 2005 933311 0 NoVa food maven 1 933367 The calamari fritti at I Ricchi (1220 19th Street, NW - across from The Palm) is the best I have ever tasted. Add a bowl of ribollita and you have one of the best quick lunches around. Wed Mar 09 12:26:43 -0800 2005 933311 0 cf 1 933387 I lust after the fried calamari at Pasta Plus in Laurel. They are always perfectly fried, never greasy and served with a squeeze of a lemon and PP marinara sauce. I compare all others to theirs and have not found an equal. Wed Mar 09 15:03:46 -0800 2005 933311 0 Matt B 1 933431 The large platter of crispy salty squid at Joe's Noodle House in Rockville is something I must have at least once a week. A light, crispy tempura coating served with stir-fried garlic and jalapenos. Make a dipping sauce with the hot peppers, plum vinegar and soy. Sublime. The calamari w/basil sauce is pretty good good, too. Thu Mar 10 08:40:09 -0800 2005 933311 0 flavrmeistr 2 933432 The crispy salty anything at Joe's is literally food crack. Thu Mar 10 08:48:02 -0800 2005 933431 0 Dennis S 1 933708 I don't even like calamari, but I love the tempura calamari at Sala Thai in Arlington. The lemony dipping sauce is great too. Sun Mar 13 21:19:26 -0800 2005 933311 0 Suki 1 933809 Hands down, my favorite is at Argia's in Falls Church, next to the State Theater. They use a corn meal batter so it's crunchy and NEVER greasy. To top it off, the spicy marinara dipping sauce is outstanding. My second favorite is Cap. Grille, much greasier but love the hot pepper rings they fry it with. Tue Mar 15 16:34:10 -0800 2005 933311 0 MegPro