Mediocre food scene in DMV

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where are you from that you expect much better food/service? I'm from CA, and I find that there isn't as much diverse ethnic foods here, especially really good Mexican. I miss good Mexican food.

There are different styles of Mexican cooking. Mexicans who live on the east coast generally are from a different part of Mexico than those living in California and prepare the food differently. I'm so over Californians who think that because the food is prepared differently than what they are used to, deems it not good or authentic Mexican.

[Anonymous]

we just moved from DC to the SF Bay Area. DC food is disappointing - how many more "gastropubs" with over priced truffle fries does the area need? I agree with the OP - even the new ones are not so good. We love Rasika and some of the old stalwarts, but after having lived in Philly, the DC scene doesn't compare. I don't want to compare it to SF, because that is not fair, but I think that at least compared to philly, DC could do better. My opinion is that the laws in DC are not very small business friendly and turn off some potential risk taking by restaurant entrepreneurs.

[Anonymous]

If you stay in DC and do not explore MD and VA, I agree that the food scene is quite limited. But the original post is about the "DMV" and it is entirely false that we don't have great food. You have to drive a little bit for some of the best stuff. The one thing we do not have is great Mexican food. Personally, I prefer the great Salvadoran and Guatemalan food which we have in abundance. We also have wonderful Peruvian, Ethiopian and Indian. I understand that if you are from Texas or CA you would miss the Mexican food but if I moved to those places I would dearly miss the food I grew up with here.

[Anonymous]

The best I saw at the DMV was a nasty vending machine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have you tried Baltimore? I agree with your assessment.

I find DC restaurants pretty overrated. And I'm not a fan of chains.

Helmand (Afghani food)

Thames Street Oyster House (seafood)

There used to be a wonderful vegetarian place called The Zodiac on Charles Street, but it shut down.

Sotta Sopra is an Italian place on Charles Street.

And if you are willing to venture into the Baltimore suburbs, Bombay Nights is an Indian restaurant in Perry Hall that is absolutely fantastic.

Agree with all except never tried the poster house. Baltimore has,way better food. A hole in the wall has better pizza/subs than just about anywhere here.

But I think overall, it's not the real fine dining DC is missing so much as everything else- there's virtually no good lunch food or carryout food or middle of the road places. Just nasty reheated pizza slice places, fast food, or yet another restaurant that's some type of mediteranianesque, barely decent, limited menu fare with a geographical point of reference in the name. Honestly, I'm a native and I've never eaten at a good deli in DC in my entire life. I think the MD burbs have better options by far than DC for lunch and carryout, but not VA and definitely not DC.

I think you're on crack. There are a ton of small lunch places in Farragut that are cheap and delicious, like the little greek place on 19th, or Moby Dick, or Bub and Pop's, or Wicked Waffle, or the Korean noodle place on 19th, or a bunch of other sub-$10 lunch places that are delicious. Sounds like you don't know what you're talking about at all, or you're a tourist who thinks the Smithsonian is "downtown."

Delicious?

That Korean noodle place? The only reason it seems popular among some Koreans is because there are very few other options for Korean food in the immediate area. Their bibimbap ingredients are soaked in oil and their soup base is tasteless.

Unfortunately despite the large Korean community in parts of VA and MD, decent food options are sadly almost non-existent.

Signed,
Native Korean

Have you ever been to NoVa (hint: it's part of the DMV OP is bitching about)? Because it sounds like you haven't. LOL, "very few other options" for Korean. "Almost non-existent!" You're killing me!

Unless you're talking about DC proper. But OP wasn't, and too many PPs to count mentioned that the best ethnic food is in the burbs.

P.S. Mandu in Dupont is pretty good and has ridiculously great HH specials (so, cheap and good). Not as great as some of the places in NoVa, though.

Yes, I've been to many of them. I said decent options, not just any options. This is a sentiment shared by a lot of Koreans in the area. There isn't even a decent bbq place. Kogiya? Honey pig? Anangol? Hangang? Seolak garden? Heebeen? Wooraeok? Woomi? Hwa gae jang tuh? Please tell me where to find great Korean bbq. I know some of these got a lot of hype and they do seem to appeal to some people, but overall even the outrageously overpriced ones are just ok.

I rarely have Korean in DC. Mandu? No, thanks. There are less than a handful places I would happily go to to eat in NoVa (that includes Annandale, Fairfax, Springfield), Montgomery county or even further out in Howard county, MD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have you tried Baltimore? I agree with your assessment.

I find DC restaurants pretty overrated. And I'm not a fan of chains.

Helmand (Afghani food)

Thames Street Oyster House (seafood)

There used to be a wonderful vegetarian place called The Zodiac on Charles Street, but it shut down.

Sotta Sopra is an Italian place on Charles Street.

And if you are willing to venture into the Baltimore suburbs, Bombay Nights is an Indian restaurant in Perry Hall that is absolutely fantastic.

Agree with all except never tried the poster house. Baltimore has,way better food. A hole in the wall has better pizza/subs than just about anywhere here.

But I think overall, it's not the real fine dining DC is missing so much as everything else- there's virtually no good lunch food or carryout food or middle of the road places. Just nasty reheated pizza slice places, fast food, or yet another restaurant that's some type of mediteranianesque, barely decent, limited menu fare with a geographical point of reference in the name. Honestly, I'm a native and I've never eaten at a good deli in DC in my entire life. I think the MD burbs have better options by far than DC for lunch and carryout, but not VA and definitely not DC.

I think you're on crack. There are a ton of small lunch places in Farragut that are cheap and delicious, like the little greek place on 19th, or Moby Dick, or Bub and Pop's, or Wicked Waffle, or the Korean noodle place on 19th, or a bunch of other sub-$10 lunch places that are delicious. Sounds like you don't know what you're talking about at all, or you're a tourist who thinks the Smithsonian is "downtown."

Delicious?

That Korean noodle place? The only reason it seems popular among some Koreans is because there are very few other options for Korean food in the immediate area. Their bibimbap ingredients are soaked in oil and their soup base is tasteless.

Unfortunately despite the large Korean community in parts of VA and MD, decent food options are sadly almost non-existent.

Signed,
Native Korean

Have you ever been to NoVa (hint: it's part of the DMV OP is bitching about)? Because it sounds like you haven't. LOL, "very few other options" for Korean. "Almost non-existent!" You're killing me!

Unless you're talking about DC proper. But OP wasn't, and too many PPs to count mentioned that the best ethnic food is in the burbs.

P.S. Mandu in Dupont is pretty good and has ridiculously great HH specials (so, cheap and good). Not as great as some of the places in NoVa, though.

Yes, I've been to many of them. I said decent options, not just any options. This is a sentiment shared by a lot of Koreans in the area. There isn't even a decent bbq place. Kogiya? Honey pig? Anangol? Hangang? Seolak garden? Heebeen? Wooraeok? Woomi? Hwa gae jang tuh? Please tell me where to find great Korean bbq. I know some of these got a lot of hype and they do seem to appeal to some people, but overall even the outrageously overpriced ones are just ok.

I rarely have Korean in DC. Mandu? No, thanks. There are less than a handful places I would happily go to to eat in NoVa (that includes Annandale, Fairfax, Springfield), Montgomery county or even further out in Howard county, MD.

Interesting. I am not the pp but I wanted to ask what city would you go to for the best Korean BBQ? Can recommend anything? I had some in NYC that was very good but I really liked Kogiya when I went and did not know that it wasn't considered good by Korean people.

[Anonymous]

Jesus Christ. You people sound like a bunch of spoiled brats. Be glad you have access to food. Yeesh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where are you from that you expect much better food/service? I'm from CA, and I find that there isn't as much diverse ethnic foods here, especially really good Mexican. I miss good Mexican food.

OP here - NYC. That said, I am not basing my comparison on NY. I'm thinking of Charleston, New Orleans, Philly, Richmond, Asheville, etc. In all seriousness, I think a lot of residents here lack culinary awareness.

Asheville? Seriously? I agree that DC has a lot of overpriced hyped restaurants, but you must remember that it doesn't make the food better or more authentic for your server to have tattooed arm sleeves and blue hair a la Asheville.

[Anonymous]

To me the most frustrating thing is that DC / close in neighborhoods have "casual neighborhood joints" that are simply awful yet because of supply and demand they are still packed. These restaurants have zero need to be excellent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Jesus Christ. You people sound like a bunch of spoiled brats. Be glad you have access to food. Yeesh.

+100. What an eye roller of a thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jesus Christ. You people sound like a bunch of spoiled brats. Be glad you have access to food. Yeesh.

+100. What an eye roller of a thread.

Yes ! Pack up to Philly, Charleston, or wherever you came from already!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jesus Christ. You people sound like a bunch of spoiled brats. Be glad you have access to food. Yeesh.

+100. What an eye roller of a thread.

+1
This has to be one of the most ridiculous threads on this forum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yup op, just you. Even in the burbs there are some amazing restaurants and holes in the wall. Try getting away from k street and mosaic sometime

So agree. the burbs are full of amazing little spots that you just have to know about. You can't tell by driving by.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yup op, just you. Even in the burbs there are some amazing restaurants and holes in the wall. Try getting away from k street and mosaic sometime

So agree. the burbs are full of amazing little spots that you just have to know about. You can't tell by driving by.

Yep, OP's assessment is complete and total crap. If she had complained about DC proper, I would have to agree that some of the trendy spots are overrated and all are overpriced but she said "DMV" which implies that she might have ventured outside of the city once or twice. And, in that case, a truly food savvy person, who cares about finding the good stuff, would know that it is all around us. You might not find your ideal Korean BBQ or really great Mexican but those cuisines are simply not what our area is about. We have our own strengths here and, in my opinion, some of them are very strong indeed.

[Anonymous]

Yep, OP's assessment is complete and total crap. If she had complained about DC proper, I would have to agree that some of the trendy spots are overrated and all are overpriced but she said "DMV" which implies that she might have ventured outside of the city once or twice. And, in that case, a truly food savvy person, who cares about finding the good stuff, would know that it is all around us. You might not find your ideal Korean BBQ or really great Mexican but those cuisines are simply not what our area is about. We have our own strengths here and, in my opinion, some of them are very strong indeed.

well stated.