While we’re not celebrity conscious, we’ve heard that breakfast time at the Supreme Court cafeteria is an occasion to spot members of the most publicity-shy branch of government.
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I hadn’t heard that. I’ve seen some Justices around town over the years, and shoals of Members of Congress. People say that DC is Hollywood for ugly people. The thrill left decades ago
Thanks all for the recommendations – that ought to keep us fed for a few days!
We’re staying at the Ven at Embassy Row, near Dupont Circle. Any must-eats in that area? (I do remember a dinner at Al Tiramisu over there which was magnificent.)
Calling the embassies to ask for recommendations is a next-level tip. I’ll have to try that! Boston has a whole range of high quality ethnic cookery, so I’m not so committed to finding Spanish, French, etc., but unusual stuff like Laotian might be of interest. We’ll see.
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Left off Italian restaurant because this is something Boston has plenty of, but Iron Gate is in Dupont Circle is Italian/Greek.
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Had a very nice meal at Bistrot du Coin, about a 10 minute walk from DuPont Circle.
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Little Serow
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Gonna throw out a couple more- Yardbird, Convivial, Blue Duck Tavern and of course Black Salt. Maybe this will help someone reading this for tips.
We’ve also heard the corollary to the politics/showbiz comparison.
We stopped by there two Sundays ago on the way back from Reagan Airport. It was late so I expected easier parking, but it was a mess. Maybe they have more parking now, but it didn’t seem to help much. It could have been the cherry blossom rush. The plaza definitely looked interesting. One of us jumped out the car to make a run to District Doughnut and we headed out.
There are multiple District Doughnuts around town. Not the best, but they have fun flavors and are a great value at $15 for a half dozen of “scratch” doughnuts.
There are also a couple NYC chains open now: Levain and Mah-Ze-Dahr. I prefer going to Baked & Wired because it’s local, but I find most of our visitors gravitate toward these (including a recent visit by middle and high schoolers, FWIW.) I just let it go sometimes, fighting the Instagram is a lot of work.
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There are two types of unique eats. One are items that the DC considers ‘homegrown’ or at least regional. The other are immigrant cuisines of populations that have settled here, maybe even more than other cities.
Starting with the most unique food here, I’d say most cities do not have much in the way of Chifa cuisine, from the Chinese in Peru. So if you want something unique, then head to China Chilcano, a Jose Andres restaurant that specializes in that cuisine. It is extraordinary. Of course, you can find Ethiopian in a lot of places nowadays, but maybe not too many places like Habesha Market which is half market and half restaurant. High quality throughout.
You can go to Quarterdeck for crabs, but beware of sticker shock, you might want to call first to find out prices. I adore the mesquite shrimp there, btw.
Thip Khao, as mentioned above, is a landmark for Lao cooking.
Half Smokes are another homegrown culinary highlight. The best are at Meat 'n Food, a tiny place not necessarily located in a convenient spot. But if you don’t need the best then you can get them at Eastern Market which is a historic market on Capitol Hill, but check hours before heading over there. It’s not a restaurant. Only the spicy ones are worth it.
Also as mentioned above, Seylou Bakery makes whole grain breads and pastries from African grains. This is one of the best bakeries anywhere, and I mean it. And it is fantastically unique.
There is a type of ‘food court’ that has gained tremendous popularity in the DC area. Small, Asian places in which three or four tiny counter service spots share the same address. These are more in the suburbs, but there is one in DC, the Block. Right now it has only two places running. One is Pogiboy which I call modern Filipino burgers and bowls. These will be cheap and wonderfully delicious. The other place is Rose Bakery, which is seriously great. They sell out their stuff quickly and then close.
Oohhs and Aahhs is Coastal Carolina soul food. it is a true dive with an upstairs dining room. Go for grilled shrimp and rice with gravy. On the flip side of the coin, economically, is The Dabney which features Chesapeake regional food. Since the pandemic it is serving an expensive set menu. You can order a la carte in the bar area, but no reservations.
We the Pizza is a counter service joint. I mention it because they have some wickedly good homemade sodas (they mix them to order), is a cheap meal for four, and the butcher block pizza is a winner.
I’ve limited my suggestions to DC itself, of course the suburbs are full of so many great eats.
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I literally signed on to say, “I wonder if Steve has migrated over from CH.” And to recommend Thip Khao. Thanks for all the reviews of this place on CH, it finally got me to visit. Doesn’t Thip Khao have a sister restaurant, too?
I’ve been keeping an eye on Seylou Bakery forever. Now I know to visit soon.
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Glad you liked Thip Khao, it’s a very special place. And good to see you over here. Are you still in B’more?
The Quarterdeck is a tremendous place for crabs. It’s a true hole in the wall, so if you’re looking for elegance or style, this isn’t the place for you. But their steamed blue crabs are the best in the DC area, in my opinion.
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The original location of Jaleo is in DC and it is much better than the now-closed Crystal City location. But it’s usually crowded and can get very expensive if you’re not careful about what you order.
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Thip Khao (Laotian) if you can do spicy.
Check put an Ethiopian restaurant while you are here. (My favorite (Etete) closed in 2018 but there are others. )
Rose Ave bakery (Asian influenced doughnuts and cookies) and Pogiboy (Filipino friend chicken and burgers) at the Block DC food hall.
Maybe some ramen at Daikaya or Bantam King (chicken ramen and friend chicken)? The kids would probably like it.
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Yup, still in Baltimore. Looking forward to reading your posts here on HO!
Do you follow Charm City Chowhounds?
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This is gold. Many thanks! Getting hungry just looking at menus…
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This is also enormously useful. We’re still not quite ready to dine indoors, so we’ll probably be going off of takeout and outdoors dining. So The Wharf looks like a solid candidate for crabs, and this list might well keep us happy all week, in addition to crabs and wood-fired Q!
One more question of this group: is there any place you like for authentic Colombian cookery?
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