701 Restaurant * Brado * West End Bistro * Eatonville * The Source
October 1, 2011
Alex Barron
Restaurant Critic
Bon Appetit
1.) Ray’s Hell Burger
This Arlington Burger joint, the brother of Ray’s the Classics in Silver Spring and Ray’s the Steaks also in Arlington, was good enough for President Obama to pay a visit – twice, in fact. Complicated foie gras and bone marrow burgers are available, but for most, the classic Hell Burger with lettuce, onion, and tomato will do quite nicely.
Ray’s Hell Burger
1713 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, Virginia
(703) 841-0001
2.) Oohhs & Aahhs
Oohhs & Aahhs has its own instant review hanging in the front window: “Wow!” Don’t be fooled by the interior – just a few tables and a tv – the soul food at this humble U Street hole-in-the-wall is the best you can expect to find in DC. Chicken and Waffles and Shrimp and Grits are the highlights, and best of all – they cater.
Oohhs & Aahhs
1005 U Street Northwest
Washington, DC
(202) 667-7142
3.) Cafe La Ruche
Just south of Georgetown’s busiest shops sits the unassuming Cafe La Ruche, which just might be the most authentic French cafe in DC. Coffee and crepes are always fresh, but the real winners are the cozy wooden interior (during winter) and the secluded garden courtyard (during summer). It just isn’t easy to find a better spot to while away a few hours with a book and a bottomless cup of coffee.
Cafe La Ruche
1039 31st Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20007-4401
(202) 965-2684
4.) Four Sisters
To find the most authentic Asian food in the area, it is necessary to range outside of the district – specifically to the suburbs of Montgomery County in the north and Fairfax County to the south. Four Sisters, located in a nondescript strip fall in Falls Church, just may be the best Vietnamese restaurant this side of Hanoi. If diners are willing to deal with the crowds that are starting to discover this once-hidden gem, they are guaranteed to find something to love on the expansive menu.
Four Sisters
8190 Strawberry Lane
Falls Church, VA 22042
(703) 539-8566
5.) Tony Cheng’s
A popular topic of conversation in these parts is the supposed lack of decent Chinese restaurants. While the food at Tony Cheng’s is reliable, if unspectacular, the ambiance makes this two-story Chinatown restaurant a winner. At ground level, Tony Cheng’s features a buffet-style Mongolian BBQ, while upstairs is an always festive, traditional Chinese dining hall. On a cold winter evening in particular, entering its doors – guarded by two menacing lions – can feel like sweet relief.
Tony Cheng’s
619 H Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20007-3731
(202) 842-8669
6.) Ted’s Bulletin
It’s decidedly not for health nuts, but boy is this place fun. Ted’s serves up heaping portions of your favorite comfort food — burgers, mac and cheese, chicken fried steak are among the highlights — the way it’s meant to be. This is a great place to enjoy the Norman Rockwell childhood you may or may not have actually experienced, while coloring on a place mat and watching a Popeye cartoon. Don’t forget the adult milkshake!
Ted’s Bulletin
505 8th Street Southeast
Washington, DC 20003-2835
(202) 544-8337
7.) 2Amy’s
Since its opening a little more than ten years ago, 2 Amy’s has already become something of D.C. institution, serving top notch Neapolitan pizza at more than reasonable prices. Detractors will cite the legions of families with young children who sometimes descend on the trattoria, especially on weekday nights. But with pizza this crispy and cheesy, who cares?
2Amy’s
3715 Macomb Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20016-3868
(202) 885-5700
8.) Meskerem
For the best Ethiopian in DC, check out Etete or Ethiopic. For some good Ethiopian food in a unique, festive atmosphere, it’s Meskerem. The balcony, which looks over the entire ground floor, and even out the front the windows onto the buzzing stretch of Adams Morgan, is the perfect place to sit on a cushion, stuffing your face with injera (spongy bread) dipped in flavorful stews, and catching up with a few old friends.
Meskerem
2434 18th Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20009-2004
(202) 462-4100
9.) Raku
Sushi places these days tend to be either nondescript cookie-cutters at the low end or uber-trendy clubs at the high end. Raku fits nicely in middle, offering creative rolls and generous bowls of noodles, and stylish a atmosphere that doesn’t take itself too seriously. (Exhibit A: Check out the giant chopsticks suspended from the ceiling.) Both locations are excellent, although the Bethesda branch tends to be less of a zoo.
Raku
7240 Woodmont Ave
Bethesda, Maryland 20814
(301) 718-8680
10.) Rosemary’s Thyme
On a pleasant stretch of 18th Street, east of Dupont Circle, just down the street from the trendy chaos of Lauriol Plaza, sits Rosemary’s Thyme, which very accurately calls itself “a neighborhood restaurant with a welcoming atmosphere.” Strictly speaking, one would have to classify its menu as Mediterranean, but there are enough miscellaneous crowd-pleasers on the extensive menu: nachos, calamari and brick oven pizza to please the pickiest eater. Combine the reliable food options with a varied, affordable wine list, throw in the ambiance of several outdoor tables (quickly – before the season changes!), and you have the type of cozy, classy place that so many others try to imitate.
Rosemary’s Thyme
1801 18th Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20009
(202) 332-3200
