My wife and I will be in D.C. for two days next month. She loves Chinese food.
Which of the many Peter Chang restaurants should I take her to?
Open to other suggestions as well, but I’ve heard such good things about Chang I figured we should try one, but I also know he’s got over a dozen in the area.
Perhaps the Locals could chime in with more info but here is some recent discussion on the topic
In the DMV for a week! Starting in Falls Church at the Eden Center, then... - #18 by FlemSnopes
None.
To repeat (partially) what I said at the link posted by BierMonk, I’d start with Mama Chang. It’s been a longtime favorite for my wife and me, to the extent that on that terrible Friday night before the country shut down for Covid, we hurried to Mama Chang for one last meal.
It did seem ironic to be eating Wuhan noodles (a menu staple at Mama Chang) as the world was facing a virus that first surfaced in Wuhan.
I lived next door to Peter Chang’s in Arlington, and I really enjoyed going there. But it was not a really good restaurant. It was ok with a few good dishes. I do not know the other Chang restaurants, but from what I have heard, they are all better than the one I used to visit in Arlington.
But I still like the Grandma’s Noodles, the Hunan fish with hot and numbing sauce and the Lettuce wrapped minced chicken. Not great but good if you are in the area.
I am personally, let’s just say, somewhat identified with getting Chang’s fame rolling back in the day, but since alas I don’t live in the DC area any longer cannot provide current advice from personal experience. However, Tom Sietsema, the Post’s restaurant reviewer, has covered his trajectory very extensively, and is a reliable source. His latest review appears in the linked article. Based on what I know from the old days, my guess would be that NiHao should be a good choice, and has the added advantage that it is easily reached on the Metro from downtown if that is where you will be staying. Also it appears you can order more dishes since they are small. If you can order his famous eggplant “french fries” (mentioned in the article as dry fried eggplant) and/or his cumin fish (served in a bamboo “net”) you should definitely give either or both a shot.
“Q” Restaurant in Bethesda is still known as Chang’s main location and is also easily accessed by Metro.
As a side note, I’m not sure why the snottiness exhibited by another response to your inquiry, but Chang was one of five finalists for James Beard Best Chef America in 2022, which certainly in my book puts to shame any negativity shown on an open food board by any random person as was displayed there.
Thanks so much!
And thanks to all who commented.
Nihao Arlington fits the bill perfectly, both because of the distance (10 min drive) from our hotel, and because given that there will be only 2 of us, the tapas-style servings will allows us to try more dishes.
The fundamental principle of a food discussion board is to express different opinions even if they are not shared by some/many others. Just because you like some restaurant/chef doesn’t mean everybody has to agree. Without having any opinion on this particular nomination, James Beard award nominations in general are in my opinion often highly questionable and tend to more rely how chefs (and restaurateurs) are connect to the “right” people
I’ll add a few photos of the dishes we had at Nihao in late June. We were with friends having a lively conversation and the place was LOUD! so I can’t give you details on each and every dish. But maybe the photos will be of interest.
Chongqing spicy chicken - This was excellent, but not covered in a mound of red peppers as this dish often is (and as I understand it was when Peter Chang was just getting started back at his first US restaurant, China Star in Fairfax). Despite the relative lack of peppers, the execution on this dish was outstanding.
Dry fried fish
Duck spring rolls & dry fried green beans - The spring rolls were definitely the weakest dish of the meal, way overfried. The dry fried green beans, a standard dish in Chinese kitchens, was executed by someone talented (I say this as someone who has tried to cook this dish several times, with some success).
Our friends from China, who are temporarily working in the US, said the eggs stir fry was very authentic (and I’ll add delicious), but not a dish you’d likely see at a restaurant in China. It’s mostly made in home kitchens. We’ve been making it at home often the last six months or so (our friends taught us), and it’s quick, easy, and delicious. But this version is a cut above.
I just don’t remember much about this pork belly dish.
I loved the tripe and tendon slices (“Husband and Wife”), but everyone else just nibbled on this. I think (but could be wrong) that it’s kind of a beer-drinking snack food.
The Peter Chang classic, scallion pancake. Always fun and good.
Our Chinese friends were excited to see this Beef Chow Foon on the menu. I actually thought Beef Chow Foon was a Chinese-American dish, but I guess not.
IMO a curt one word answer is not helpful just snarky.
Looks like a great Szechauny Meal to me.
I agree, and it happens far too often here. Sometimes users seem to think they’re being original or witty by doing so 
This is an easy answer. Especially if you are not part of a group. Nihao is his ‘small plates’ version, yet portion size is considerable and makes this a good value as well as seriously good food. This will enable you to try more things. Located near the Crystal City Metro Station. Or easy free parking in the garage evenings and all day on the weekends. The menu is not just Sichuan dishes, many other possibilities.
Some of the restaurants in his empire have gone downhill considerably with expansion and over time. Richmond, Charlottesville, and his ‘original’ in North Arlington, VA. But Nihao is his latest and greatest.
Most of the other top choices will be further out in the suburbs, particularly Rockville (East Dumpling House or Sichuan Jin River), but also College Park (Northwest Chinese Food) and Fairfax (Yanzi Noodle House and Nanjing Bistro). Northwest Chinese Food is my favorite right now.
As you probably know, its is important to avoid ordering all fried or all mala items and go for a variety.
All things considered, including convenience and dish size, I might end up choosing Nihao over Mama Chang. But as far as just the food quality is concerned, Mama Chang has a clear edge over Nihao (based on just my personal experiences, of course). And Mama Chang is much quieter (the old man notes).
I adore those Luosifen Spicey Sour Soups from the South West of China ( Guangxi Zhuang)
Yanzi Noodle House in Fairfax is the best luosifen soup I’ve ever had. It’s also the worst luosifen soup I’ve ever had, since it’s the only luosifen soup I’ve ever had.
I thought it was excellent, really delicious. Have you eaten there?
No I haven’t.
I have had it here in the SF Bay Area.
It has been many years since I lived in greater DC area. So wish that places like that existed / I had known about back then.
I am back in the area fairly regularly as my folks live in Annapolis. It’s a bit much for them to go to Virginia for lunch.
Thanks again all for the suggestions.
We did in fact go to Nihao Arlington (a.k.a Crystal City), and it was great.
The kung pao chicken, of all things, was what blew me away. Never had one so light with such tender chicken while still having all the flavor.
The chicken with snow peas and peppers and the dry-fried eggplant were the other spectacular dishes we had (although for the last, even a tapas-size portion was at least twice as much as the two of us could eat).
I hadn’t paid full attention to the picture above of the scallion pancake, so was surprised by - and enjoyed - what it was.
The garlic cucumber salad and the lotus leaf were also very good, with the cucumbers especially refreshing.
The soup dumplings were very good, but I’ve had better elsewhere.
Not that impressed with the string beans or the mala ribs.
We will definitely go back next time we’re in the area.
P.S. the best dish we had in DC was the Korean-style beef ribs main course at Rose’s Luxury. If you can get there before they change that out, I highly recommend it. We enjoyed most of the dishes there, but that dish was just spectacular, without being rich or fatty. I could probably eat it 2 or 3 times/week for the rest of my life…
Glad you liked it. The last time I had Peter Chang’s kung pao chicken, it was an abomination. Served at his North Arlington restaurant which has always been lacking. it is an authentic Sichuan dish, should be served mala, which I think is best dry-fried. I remember his kung pao from back in the day before he became famous.
But the important thing is that you had a really good meal at a place that has been firing on all cylinders. I am not surprised to hear that you can find better soup dumplings elsewhere. The stellar ones are at places that specialize in it.
I ate at Rose’s Luxury three times before the pandemic when it was a la carte. Have not gone back since it became prix-fixe, which I avoid. I very much enjoyed the personal touches (do they still gift you a course?), and the bread. Basically, mini-loaves of warm bread is a winning idea that will endear you to a lot of people. Overall, it was a really good time. Though I can’t understand why anyone ever thought the pork and lychee was clever or original. Nor did I think the uni scrambled eggs were anything more than really good scrambled eggs.
It’s hard to figure out how much they charge now…
