Dinner in Dupont

[newfood]

Hi,
My mom and I will be in Dupont next friday night. Does anyone have any suggestions for a good dinner? Nothing too fancy, but not a burger joint. (no chains, please)

Also, my family (brother and father) will be joining us on saturday. Can some one recommend a good place for takeout? We are helping my brother move in.

Thanks!

[wysguymd]

Anna Maria's Italian on Connecticut Ave used to be good. It's good ol traditional red-sauce Italian. I haven't been there in years however so not sure if it's still there. If you head north from the circle, I think it's past R Street just up the hill a bit on the right side.

Also, it's a few blocks away but Lauriol Plaza is a popular mexican/southwest place. Not very popular among foodies on these boards, but the place is always packed.

[DCDOLL]

We really like Anna Maria's. Good old fashioned mom & pop italian joint. Raku is good for Asian. Polo Grille has decent indian. Just depends on what you want...but if you like wine, go to Veritas for a glass before dinner, you can even sit outside and sip. Well you can also do that at Circa but their red wine is WARM which drives me crazy! :)

[Elyssa]

If you are going to get Indian in the Dupont area you should go to Heritage. It is much, much, much better then Polo, which in my opinion is only ok (especially because Heritage is so good).

[Morganna]

You mean it's warm instead of room temperature?

[ktmoomau]

Red wine should be served slightly chilled, not to the temperature you chill white wines, but they shouldn't be even room temperature let alone warm. But many places in DC don't chill them, when I go to a wine bar or a place that stresses its wine varieties, it really eats at me to find it not properly served more so than other places.

[Morganna]

Is this Dupont circle area you're talking about? I'm checking off threads as favourites for reference for when we visit DC in December and we'll be staying near 12th and Mass, which is, I think, near Dupont Circle (if I'm remembering correctly). :)

[Elyssa]

Yes this is Dupont Circle we are talking about.

[Morganna]

Thank you, I'll keep this thread marked then. :)

[hill food]

12 and Mass is not exactly Dupont, Logan is probably closer or Penn Quarter..

where, the Morrison-Clark?

cause there are interesting places, either not obvious or just a short walk.

[Morganna]

No, we're renting a condo. I know Logan circle is closer, but I just wanted to be sure we were talking about the same locales I was seeing on the map. :) We're going to be riding the Metro so going up to Dupont circle will be no hardship. And if there's good eats that away... :)

[hill food]

frankly I think there's much more interesting things to be found in a short radius of the Gallery Place station (and closer to you) than Dupont - not that aren't good things up there as well, my advice, do a key word search on Penn Quarter.

[Morganna]

Ooo I certainly will! Thanks for the suggestion!

[masonuc]

Try Sette, one of the Thai places (My Thai, Regent or Pasara), Hanks, or Heritage.

BTW, I asked Sichuan Pavilion about delivery to Dupont just a few days ago and they don't deliver there. I am perfectly happy with Meiwah though.

[Elyssa]

That's strange. Maybe it depends on what part of Dupont you live in. I've gotten delivery from them at least 5 times over the past 2 months. I really don't live that far from them though---10 minute walk, so not a very far drive.

[hill food]

I wasn't crazy about Mei Wah, but a co-worker swore by their (not on the menu) Pad Thai. just unlikely enough to be plausible (but then she was from TX)

[Another Drew]

I'm a huge fan of Hank's Oyster Bar (hanksdc.com). It's a casual sit down restaurant. I love the Hog Island style Bbq oysters. Even my friends who don't like oysters loved the bbq oysters.

It's pretty popular, so it's better to call ahead on your way there and have your name put down on the waitlist.

For takeout, I like Zorba's.

[Elyssa]

If you guys want pizza (think more gourmet style than Pizza Hut) you can try Pizzeria Paradisio. For pasta/pizza/Italian I would go to Sette Osteria. Sette also has a really nice outdoor dining area, which is perfect for nice weather.

For french bistro you can try Bistro du Coin or for Indian try Heritage.

In terms of take-out--again you can try Heritage (they do take out and delivery). For Chinese you can get delivery from Sichuan Pavillion (my new favorite Chinese restaurant. SO much better than anything else in the area). If you want something light in the seafood department, I often times get take out from Grillfish.

There is also a Bertuccis in the area, which I like as far as chains go. And Vapiano for pasta, pizza, and salads (take out not delivery).

Tell your brother welcome to the neighborhood! I love living in Dupont Circle...it has everything I could want (well I would like the movie theater back, but that's just being picky).

[hill food]

E:

is it related to the Sichuan Pavilion on K Street at 18th? 'cause if it is, I can vouch for that opinion.

[Elyssa]

It actually is the Sichuan Pavilion on K Street. They deliver to Dupont and I am 100% addicted. I have been incredibly disappointed in the Chinese food delivery options in the DC area since moving down here 5+ years ago.

I recently worked out of an office across the street from Sichuan Pavilion for 2 months and a co-worker recommended it when I was working late and had to eat dinner at the office. In my book it's the real deal (of course in terms of it being Americanized Chinese food...but it's the stuff I grew up with). They also have a different menu that has some more exotic options that I have yet to try. But the Kung Pao chicken, spare ribs, and crispy noodles are all very good.

I just wish I didn't go so long in the Chinese food wilderness. Whenever I got the craving I would order from Mei Wah but I was constantly disappointed.

[Jeserf]

The Mei Wah in DC is not very good at all. Chevy Chase is MUCH better.

We get delivery from Mr. Chens, but I'll have to try Sichuan Pavilion now.

[Elyssa]

Mr. Chen's was where I got delivery from when I lived in Adams Morgan. I loved their cold noodles. But for some reason they won't deliver to my apartment in Dupont now. I think I must be slightly out of the range of where they will deliver.

[Jeserf]

weird, they get to us in like 20 minutes and you only live a few blocks from us!

Watch this place not deliver to us :)

[Elyssa]

Maybe I should try again. I tried when I first moved in 2 years ago and they said they couldn't deliver to me (wasn't sure if it was based on my address or area code).

[Jeserf]

I order online - never called them before to be turned down ;)

[hill food]

the SO works upstairs and brings home things sometimes from SP, sometimes off the 'exotic' menu. all good so far, and prob. the best I've had in DC (have yet to try the Ma La items from Great Wall)