Where in DC should I eat before moving back to CA?

[Anonymous]

We are here only a couple of years. DH is working in DC. I could go to lunch with him once or twice a month. We haven't been--he goes to a fast food type chain place nearby his office every day, and says, "I have no idea where to eat!"

Where do you recommend we go? I don't want to move back home and have someone say, "You lived there two years and you didn't eat at (place) that has the most incredible (type of food)?" (not because of peer pressure, but because I don't want to miss something great!

Where should we go, and what should we order? (and if you have parking info that would help, too)

TIA my DCUM foodie pals!

[Anonymous]

Toki Underground

Rose's Luxury (dinner only)

Ethiopic (lunch on Fridays and weekends)

For Toki and Ethiopic, street parking is easy during the day.

[Anonymous]

Rumba Cafe (dinner, get the tapas).

[Anonymous]

Well, Old Ebbitt and Tabard Inn are DC classics.

I would definitely try Ethiopian food b/f you leave b/c DC has the largest population of Ethiopians living outside Ethiopia/Eritrea.

I would try a restaurant run by famous chefs like Bryan Voltaggio or José Andrés.

[Anonymous]

What neighborhood does your husband work in OP? It would be helpful to know before making suggestions.

[Anonymous]

For expensive and delicious:
Cityzen
Komi
Bibiana

For more moderate
Blacksalt

[Anonymous]

Rasika
Oyamel
Jaleo
Oval Room
L'Auberge chez Francois (not convenient to downtown for lunch but they do a lovely lunch - might be best to do this one on a weekend).
Ted's Bulletin

[Anonymous]

Joe's noodle house
Great Wall (Ma la dishes)
Max's for the schwarma
Ray's

[Anonymous]

Little Serow
Thai Xing (Crossing)
Mintwood Place
Makoto
Perry's for Drag Brunch!
The Inn at Little Washington

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rasika
Oyamel
Jaleo
Oval Room
L'Auberge chez Francois (not convenient to downtown for lunch but they do a lovely lunch - might be best to do this one on a weekend).
Ted's Bulletin

I second Rasika (Indian) and Jaleo (tapas) for sure.

[Anonymous]

For upper end, City Zen, Volt, Restaurant Eve, Komi, Inn at Little Washington, and Sushi Taro Chef's counter. These are the places that have the rep beyond DC that people are going to recognize as among the best in the country. Jaleo is good, but I think Jose Andres is expanding his empire out west so not so special for DC only.

Then you get into things like previously mentioned Ethiopian food, crabs which I personally prefer Cantler's, and of course Ben's Chili, which I think the chili actually sucks, but it is famous and won't bust your budget just to say you ate there and you might see Bill Cosby. The half smokes are OK, but nothing great either.

Finally, there are the places that are great for DC, and likely only going to be known by someone who is local, but are great restaurants such as Little Serow, Seki Izakaya, Mintwood to name a few, some of which have already been mentioned. They're more niche restaurants that you could probably actually get same quality back in California since they're ethnic or in Mintwood's case, actually similar to what many think of as California/Napa style cooking. So they are great restaurants, but not so much in context of what you might be accustomed to in CA.

[Anonymous]

Inn at Little Washington
Marcel's
Komi
CityZen
Rasika
Bens Chili Bowl
Teds Bulletin
Makoto

[Anonymous]

Ben's Chili Bowl
Five Guys
Somewhere with good grits
Anywhere where there is Mumbo sauce

[Anonymous]

Don't want to highjack the thread but I had the same question (also relocating) and now have an 'add on' : For those who've been to the Inn at Little Washington, is it worth staying overnight at the Inn and/or has anyone hired a car/driver for the trip? We'd like to be able to have wine with dinner and don't want to drive (obviously) afterwards.

[Anonymous]

Op here…14th and L, I think (MacPherson Sq. metro)

And 21:51, I have the same question about the Inn at Little Washington. And then there's the kids…what to do with the kids…bring them and break the bank, or leave them home (of course, we don't have anyone to stay the night with them so that's put us off. I'd really like to figure that one out)