Unique to Wash DC

[bakerboyz]

I am a Boston Hound coming to DC for the weekend on 6/26, staying at the Marriott Wardman and looking for something that is unique to DC that I cannot get in Boston. Looking for reasonably priced spots for 2 dinners and will consider any cuisine. I am considering 2 Amy's but haven't come up with any other ideas.

[bordeauxfan]

Bens Chili Bowl
One of the Ethiopian restaurants on U Street
Somewhere that's serving soft-shell crab (check recent threads for recs)

[Elyssa]

I'm a fellow Bostonian as well, now living in DC. Go Sox!

Ok now that I have that out of the way, I agree with Bordeauxfan that Ethiopian would be a good cuisine to try. DC has the largest population of Ethiopians in the US and some awesome restaurants. My personal favorite is Etete on U St. The other bonus to U St. is there are a lot of cool bars to get a drink before or after dinner if that interests you.

Personally I wouldn't go to 2 Amy's. You guys have some really good "gourmet" pizza spots in Boston (Figs is a personal favorite) so this won't be anything new.

You might consider trying the cooking of some of our excellent chefs. Not knowing what your price range is I would consider Komi, Central, PS7, Corduroy, Brasserie Beck or Cafe Atlantico. All of these restaurants have big name chefs (at least in DC but also beyond) in their kitchens and represent some of the best DC has to offer.

Another place you might like is Rasika. It is modern Indian and I'm not familar with anything like it in the Boston area. (Although Indian and Ethiopian can have a slightly similar taste so you might want to choose one over the other.)

[Indy 67]

With all the excellent Italian available in Boston, what do you consider unique about 2 Amy's? We'll be heading up to Boston in a while so I've been reading your board. Frankly, the message I'm getting is that Boston does middle-priced, especially, red-sauce Italian, much better than DC!

That said, I'd recommend Huong Viet or Present for Vietnamese. I think our large Korean population results in authentic, unique Korean food. Honey Pig would be a good place to consider. The downside of of my three previous suggestions is these places are in the suburbs making a car/taxi necessary. I'll let others chime in on the topic of Ethiopian.

Definitely not in the moderate price range: Komi. This restaurant is unique in that its modern cuisine that skews Greek rather than the more typical Asian or French or straightforward American.

[Lori D]

Getting to the best Vietnamese restaurants does require a car/taxi. However, there are still a couple of very good restaurants within range of the Metro (Minh's, Nam Viet - Clarendon).

[alkapal]

i was wondering when someone was going to mention our great vetnamese cuisine.

[dinwiddie]

There is no way to get a reservation for Komi for when you are here, but Palena is excellent. I second the Ethiopian suggestion, what you can get here is much better than the little I tried the last time I was in Boston.

If you are "into" wine, I'd suggest Dino for his huge (and extremely well priced) list of Italian wines.

With the exception of the half-smoke (thus Ben's Chili Bowl, where the food isn't great but they make good half-smokes and you never know who will show up; Bill Cosby is there whenever he is in town and Pres. Obama hit it early after he moved into the White House) what DC is known for is the wide variety of ethnic food available. With the large diplomatic community, and thus diverse ethnic communities that are here, you name it and you can probably find it.

You might also try Zyatinya for mezze (small plates). It is very good. If you are slightly less adventurous, try Jaleo just down the street from there, great tapas and a large selection of good Sherrys.

[joann.hill12]

I would also recommend Ethiopian--particularly Etete on U Street.
Bens Chili Bowl really is an institution in DC so it's worth checking out for a quick lunch.
As much as I love 2 Amy's, I have to agree with Indy 67, no need to go out of your way for it if you're coming from Boston.

[Steve]

If you would like to try out the best DC has to offer, then by all means go to 2 Amys and get a plain margherita pizza. Also excellent small plates of polpete, suppli, and rapini.

If you want unique, you may have to get off the beaten path.

Thai Crossing: dinner only. Basically, this is like eating in an eccentric uncle's apartment. Only two tables, maybe you could sit outside on the one-table makeshift 'patio' if the weather's nice. Everyone goes for the red curry salmon. I also love the tofu soup, pad kana and larb gai. Not sure if they would reserve a table for you, so this is not an easy option.... but you asked.

Oohs and Aahs... this is a true hole-in-the-wall, mostly carry-out with a few tables upstairs, though it's not easy finding the stairs! Soul food, but from the coast of carolina. Grilled shrimp, lemon pepper wings, broiled crabcake. Rice with gravy is a must for sides. This is directly across from the U st/Cardozo metro stop, so easy to get to, relatively.

Zaytinya, this is a nice place, unique menu, and very easy to get to in downtown dc. Pan-Hellenic tapas, so a mixture of Turkish, Greek, etc. Go for the carrot-apricot fritters, the chickpeas roasted in their shells, the olive oil poached salmon, and the potatoes with tzatziki sauce. Lemonade to drink. Many good options here. Stylish, hip decor with high decibel level.

Coco Sala. Very tiny but great cacao-inspired menu. A small selection of salads, sliders, and variations of mac n' cheese. Swordfish and beef sliders are outragerously good. For dessert go for the tasting of ten or so selections of housemade chocolate. This is a very loud nightclub, but has a few tables outside for quiet eating. Also easy downtown access.

That should get you started.

[Elyssa]

Oooo I 2nd CoCo Sala. Not sure they have anything like it in Boston and it's wonderful.

Also you guys might consider getting some Southern cuisine while you are down here. Oohs and Aahs is good. You might also like Vidalia or Acadiana, more sit-down restaurant both with great food.

[joann.hill12]

I would definitely second Acadiana for great Southern cuisine. I was very unimpressed with Vidalia especially considering the cost and expectations.

CoCo Sala is a good recommendation--but I would go for drinks/desserts. There are too many ofther places (esp in the vicinity) that are so much better for dinner...but if you're a chocoholic (like I am) then CoCo Sala is worth the visit for an after dinner treat!

[flavrmeistr]

Nam Viet is at the next Metro stop north in Cleveland Park. Get the soft-shell crab. A few doors south is Vace, which has the best pizza in the neighborhood. They don't have any tables, though. Personally, I'd wait until the trip home and stop in New Haven for pizza. There are a number of other decent choices in Cleveland Park. Not sure if any qualify as unique to DC.

[bakerboyz]

Thanks all. Decided on Rasika and Jaleo but because one diner was very unadventurous, Jaleo was nixed on Friday night and instead we ended up at 2 Amy's. We ordered Potato Fritatta, Bruschetta with tomatoes, Margherita Pizza and a Porcini Mushroom pizza. Potato Fritatta was tasty but served cold and I think it would have been better warm; Bruschetta: nothing to write home about; Pizzas: just Average. On Saturday night we had an excellent meal at Jaleo. 3 of us split 6 tapas: Short Ribs (delicious), Grilled Chorizo on pureed potato (delicious); Omelet with chorizo (delicious); Garlic Shrimp (good); Grilled Chicken (very good); Chicken croquettes (good). Will definitely be back to Jaleo and next visit will hit Rasika.

[Steve]

Got enough chorizo in your system? The next time you go to Jaleo, try some of their vegetable dishes like the asparagus, spinach, and patatas bravas.

If the pizza at 2 Amys is average, than I'm going to scour the New England board for your recs over there. I'll have what you're having!

Thanks for the report back.

[MartinDC]

2 Amys does not try to be gourmet. I think it strives to be authentic Neapolitan -- as close as one can get outside of Italy. The food can be quite simply prepared and even pedestrian if you're used to highly-produced dishes found at other restaurants. (I can't resist their hard-boiled eggs, flavored with curry, with a parsley "pesto".) In the summer, the salad greens are locally grown, but many of the meats and cheeses are flown in from Italy (helps when you're owned by the Obelisk people). The wine selection seems to be all Italian, and their choices go really well with pizza. I avoid the place during peak crowd times. It's noisy, and I think the pizza doesn't bake as well when the oven is crowded -- sometimes soupy in the center -- due to lowering of the internal temp. But off-peak, the pies have been exactly right, for my preferences.

[Mawrter]

Fabulous thread - thanks! I was especially keen on the Southern/Soul Food angle, since that seems to be something D.C. has more of than the Philadelphia area, where I live. That and I sadly dislike Ethiopian, or at least the Ethiopian I've had (Adams Morgan, when I used to be in D.C. regularly!).

[alkapal]

"" I sadly dislike Ethiopian, or at least the Ethiopian I've had""
~~~~~
me, too! there are so many other cuisines i'd prefer to eat in this area, thai, vietnamese, chinese, burmese....