Doesn’t Thip Khao have a sister restaurant, too?
Yes, Padaek is Falls Church is great.
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I would imagine it is Blue Catfish rather than Snakehead. MD and VA Game and Wild life is pushing to get folks to eat/fish them because they are so invasive (supposed to taste very good). Here is one from one of our crab pots 
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I can’t find it now, but I saw somewhere on the District Fishwife’s webpage or Facebook page that the Invasive Fish Sandwich special will be either snakehead or the catfish, depending on the day. I haven’t had snakefish that I can remember, but having grown up in Mississippi where blue catfish are native species, I can state for sure that it is a delicious fish.
It’s a different fish. Adult blue catfish are not bottom feeders, so they don’t get the “muddy" taste of standard catfish. Tastes closer to striped bass. Both snakehead and blue catfish taste good.
The NOAA site says it’s the same fish.
It has been a couple years, but I had a very nice meal at BdC. Started with asparagus soup and split an order of escargots in a butter sauce. Super rich and delicious! I think my entree was sausage over couscous, good but not as good as the escargots.
But the dish I remember best wasn’t at my table. The people next to us got cassoulet and it looked and smelled phenomenal. I have always wanted to go back for the cassoulet but never have done so.
OT. When I was in Germany I ordered asparagus soup since it was in season and it was a very nice creamy dish. Really liked it a lot. The chef came out and chit chatted a bit with us about where we were from, what kind of foods we were looking for in Germany and all that.
Without really thinking about it, I asked “Where do you get asparagus like that?” Because it was perfectly crisp and fresh, not even slightly woody… It turns out that sources of asparagus are a tightly guarded secret in parts of Europe and for a second or two the chef thought that I was trying to get his super secret supply of asparagus. His immediate reaction instantly showed me that my innocent question was not welcome. Then he laughed about it and explained how he had his places that he didn’t share with anyone. Kind of an interesting glimpse of what good chefs will do for a dish.
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I have enjoyed Bistro du Coin many times, though sometimes my tartiflette (an Alpine dish of cheese, potaoto, and onion) seemed previously frozen. When it was right, it was wonderful .The dish on the menu now that inspires me the most to return is the casserole of rabbit in a mustard sauce with crozette, a tiny Alpine pasta often cooked like you would expect a risotto. But I have yet to try it.
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I spent some time in and around Union Market yesterday. I was hoping to find some worthwhile gems. My opinion, overall, hasn’t changed: this is a trendy spot that is more expensive than good.
In fact, my two favorite things to eat in the area are the decidedly old school Deli City (combo corned beef and pastrami) and MGM Roast Beef (fatty brisket with brown gravy.) Both make me swoon.
Getting back to Union Market, I stopped in at Las Gemelas. Everything I ordered came sloshed liberally with their quite vinegary salsa verde. I suppose without it I could taste the difference between the hongos and the carnitas, but as it was everything tasted pretty much the same. The blue corn tortillas are well executed. Their Mexican pizza is just a yucky mess.
Next up was the red pepper and crab soup at Rappahonnack Oyster Bar. With sherry and cream, I was hoping for something elegant, but it tasted like it wanted to be all thigns at once, including spicy, and there were shreds of crab posing as lump crab meat.
I then went to Luna for Argentinian empanadas. Nice, but not as good or inexpensive as Panas which used to be on P Street near Dupont Circle. The dough is ok, but kind of odd and pasty for an empanada.
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