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Hi Everybody,

Despite all appearances, this is not in fact Eat The District (not anymore at least).

For the freshest thoughts on all the food to be found across our nations capitol, please instead direct your attention to the new and improved eatthedistrict.com!

Check it Out: Sichuan Pavilion

So its been about 2 months since my last post, and I apologize for that, but the truth of the matter is that I haven't eaten any food since mid-February... really, I promise.

Well, maybe not. The real truth is that I've been busy. Like really busy. So busy, that despite having discovered a host of fantastic new eateries in and around the District, I have had nary a moment to share them with you fine folks. Some spots however demand that time be made, and I count Sichuan Pavilion among their number. This place is the cat's pajamas, for real.


also, sorry for the lack of pictures, but every time I've been my priorities have been elsewhere - namely eating.

Nestled next to the Radio Shack on K St. between 18th and 19th, Sichuan Pavilion falls decidedly at the good end of the Chinese food quality scale I laid out a while back. Which is to say not greasy, not stuffed with MSG, and above all, not Americanized. I was brought there initially by my friend Bo, whose friend's friend (who was actually from China) had said it was far and away the finest Chinese food he had been able found in the city. Usually these friend-of-a-friend arrangements end in tears, but considering it was Foggy Bottom-based (and thusly didn't require a metro ride) I was willing to give it a try. At least I wouldn't have to travel too far to have my hungry hopes dashed on the table. Judging by the tone of the previous paragraph though, I'll leave it to you to figure out how it went.

Every time I've gone, I've ordered the Ma Po Tofu, and boy howdy, if it isn't a little bit of terrific. I was jumped in to the Ma Po Tofu game by my friend Taylor, when we went to Bob's Noodle 66 out in Rockville back in November, and it has quickly become my go-to dish at Chinese restaurants that serve, you know, actual Chinese food. There is something about the spicy, gooey goodness that I just can't get enough of. I've also tried a few of my friends' dishes, and they were all on point as well. In fact, I imagine it's all pretty good. You can check the menu here, if you're so inclined.

The restaurant itself is best described as rich. Replete with sumptuous red carpets and Shan Shui on the walls, even without the food the experience alone would be well worth the $15 you will likely end up spending. The service is terrific. Even the tea you get with your meal seems more flavorful than usual.

I may sound like a proud mother, but Sichuan Pavilion sits securely among the best eateries that I've stumbled upon during my time in DC, high-end or not. So, considering the pittance they ask in return for what is easily some of the finest Chinese you will have in this city, It would be criminal for you not to at least check it out. Just make sure to give me a call when you do, because I'm always down for a trip to the Pavilion.

The Happiest Hour: Part 1

More often than many of us would like to admit, after a long day cooped up at the office/classroom/library-cubicle, the big hand's arrival at 5 on the clock can't come soon enough. Its not that we don't enjoy our work (or so we keep telling ourselves), but once the day starts winding down, and the sweet smell of freedom begins to waft distractingly through the office like cookies fresh out the oven, the last thing on our mind is the pile of papers in the inbox. You know - a grass is always greener type of thing.

Sweet though the prospect of escape is however, sometimes just just breaking free isn't enough enough to wash away the workday wear.  But fear not dear readers, we at Eat the District have just the fix: The Happiest Hour. Everyone knows that nothing takes the edge off like a nice stiff drink, so to that end we have sifted through the city's many specials to bring you only the finest drink deals the district has to offer. The next time a vicious case of the Mondays has you down, take heart, the Happiest Hour is right around the corner.


For starters, the establishment many have lovingly dubbed “GW’s cafeteria” may always hold a special place in our hearts, but let’s be honest – sometimes you just don’t feel like waiting upwards of twenty minutes at Nooshi so you can run into everyone you’ve ever met and never want to see again while attempting conversation over the raucous clangs of sake bombs detonating around you. Fortunately, a similar yet significantly chiller alternative can be found two doors down at Singapore Bistro. While this particular establishment may once have been the setting of many an awkward frat party, the happy hour scene is a different story entirely.

From 4 pm to 7 pm Monday through Saturday, you can get $3.95 flavored martinis and glasses of wine and $2.50 beers and hot sake – deals that somewhat resemble those offered at Nooshi.  However, unlike its more popular neighbor, Singapore Bistro has food specials too. They have a pretty extensive 99 cent nigiri menu as well as special maki rolls and a $1.95 order of edamame. The first floor tends to be the most relaxed, but if you find yourself seated on the second or third floor, you can sake bomb away without really bothering anyone.

In the event you’re seeking a slightly more refined escape, you need not look further than Washington Circle. Circle Bistro, located in the One Washington Circle Hotel, offers moderately priced specials Monday through Friday from 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm. Each delectable libation is served up by Jane, a wiry old lady with a delightful British accent who I secretly wish were my grandma. All martinis and specialty cocktails are $6 and domestic and “almost premium” beers, rail drinks, and wines by the glass are half price.

I would highly recommend the “Silly Goose,” a sweet and smooth mix of vodka, Hypnotiq, and white cranberry juice, not only because it’s scrumptious but also because it’s blue! Their burgers are also half price during happy hour, but the rest of the food is rather pricey. It tends to be very sparsely populated so bring your own entourage and enjoy the classy depart from your usual college bars.

That should provide you with a few weeks worth of diversions (unless you're one of "those" people), so until next time, bottoms up!

The Sunday Dinner: Inspired Fajita Edition

About a week ago, having just gotten up, I stumbled bleary-eyed into my living room to a television set still aglow from the night before. The emblem in its lower right corner indicated the food network, so I, not yet able to muster the strength myself, opted to slump down and watch someone else slaving away in the kitchen. The lesson for the day was how to prepare the perfect, home-made tortilla chips and guacamole, which, according to the impossibly cheery lady on the screen were quick and simple to boot.

Perfect guacamole you say, and simple too? I like all these things, do go on cheery lady of the morning.

It turned out that she was not lying, so all day afterwards visions of a mexican feast began slow cooking in my mind. Guacamole would of course be invited, Fajitas too, and rice. No, just any rice won't do. Cilantro-lime rice. Now were talking.

With the meal in mind, several friends and myself set off that evening to Trader Joes, and returned rearing to cook armed with a bagful of fresh ingredients and an appetite to match.


The Guacamole: As the lady on the TV told me, a great guacamole needs nothing more than 2 or 3 avacados, mashed up and drizzled with a whole lime to keep from browning. Mix in a half an onion (finely diced) and a pinch or two of salt and you're done. Sure tomatos and garlic are nice, but sometimes simple is better.

The Cilantro-Lime Rice: Starting with about 2 cups of regular old rice, we mixed in around 2 tablespoons of salt, half a cup of chopped fresh cilantro, a pinch of garlic powder, and then squeezed a lime and a half over the whole concoction.


The Fajitas: For the Fajitas, we started with a pre-packaged carne asada flank steak, threw it in a cast iron pan, sprinkled it with lime and cooked it along with garlic, chopped onions and peppers. Once done, we diced it up and served it alongside the cilantro lime rice, shredded cheese, sour cream, etc. on a warm tortila. Done and done.

A couple of Pacificos (with limes of course) washed the whole thing down in style.

The meal was truly as simple as it sounds, and almost criminally tasty, so if you're looking for some culinary inspiration of your own, the search stops here.

Fresh Grounds: Chinatown Coffee Co.

Yea yea, its been a few months since our last post, but hey were busy people, so these things happen. That said, two months off means we've got two months worth of great DC eats queued up and ready to be served. So if your stomach has been growling for something new, something exciting, or something thats just plain tasty, than check back over the next few weeks and let eat the district help soothe the savage beast.

For starters, I'd like to present another entry in to our "Fresh Grounds" series: Chinatown Coffee Co.. Located in Chinatown on H St. NW between 4th and 5th, Chinatown Coffe is the third and latest offering from the people who originally brought you Murky Coffee. Serving top quality beans delivered all the way to the district from Chicago-based roaster, Intelligentsia, the joe is more than adequate. I had a cup of "Ethiopia Yirgacheffe" which supposedly had notes of chocolate, apples, and strawberries. Now I'm not so sure about all that, but it certainly was tasty. The baked goods, provided by the likes of Whatsa Bagel,Hawthorne Pastry, and Bakeshop(who just opened a new store out in Clarendon fyi) were fresh and complimented the coffee nicely.


The building itself has a very cool, contemporary vibe (that is not even remotely communicated by their potbellyesqe logo), with plenty of space to people watch while you enjoy a cuppa.

These days, coffee is an integral part of many of our mornings, and while there there may be a Starbucks conveniently located on every corner, independent jobs like Chinatown Coffee exist for a reason: they're great. So if you find yourself around chinatown and desperate for your daily dose of caffeine, than Chinatown Coffee Co. is well worth a visit.

Check it Out: Bob's Noodles 66

For starters, I feel I do need to admit that being out in Rockville this particular gem definitely pushes the limit on what can be considered “eating the district.” Now that's out of the way though, Bob's Noodles 66 is so far beyond worth the trip that you would be a fool not to drop by for a bite.

Flanked at 305 North Washington Street by an alarmingly-ethnic candy shop and a liquor store, Bob's Noodles lies nestled in the middle of a in a nondescript, Rockville strip mall. Its quirky neighbors aside however, the restaurant itself is as unassuming as it might be. No flashing light or bright colors here, just a name odd enough to give someone a moments pause, written in an equally odd (and oddly appropriate) cursive typeface. Unsurprisingly, things are not much different on the inside; with all the usual trappings of an Asian restaurant, Bob's is pretty vanilla. When I ate there it was at 4 pmish however – the restaurant was understandably empty – and as such the bulk of the staff had busied themselves with chopping up a heap of leek-like somethings at a nearby table. It seemed to slow the service down a tad, but we were in no hurry so it gave the place a welcome dash of home-cooking intimacy.

Last paragraph not get you revved up to make the hour plus trek out to Rockville? I'm not surprised. I haven't talked about the food yet. Anyone who has been fortunate enough to eat “real” Chinese / Taiwanese food knows that it's infinitely less greasy than its sauce-heavy American counterpart. The result being delicious food that packs a ton of flavor but doesn't leave you feeling bloated and foolish afterward. I was brought to Bob's by a friend who regularly frequents the joint, so I just let him handle the ordering. Largely unfamiliar with Taiwanese cuisine I had no idea what to expect from oyster pancakes, mapotofu, sizzling flounder, an sacha noodles. What I did know is that this place was legit. The food arrived and was incredible; interesting new flavors and textures coupled with huge portions and cheap prices to make Bob's one of the more memorable dining experiences I have had since coming to DC. In short, whoever this “Bob” character may be, his noodles are on point.

Yes its a hike (Metro ride + bus ride + 10 minute walk), but if you even remotely like Taiwanese cuisine, its one that's well worth your time. Suck it up and get going, Bob is waiting.

Check it Out: Hook

Ever since I stumbled across Georgetown's Tacklebox a year or so back, I had been dying to try its sister restaurant (and neighbor) Hook. Where Tacklebox represents the family-style, quasi soul food, end of the seafood spectrum, Hook is all class. Located in Georgetown, right on the main drag (M St.) between Wisconsin and Potomac, it's central location makes it the perfect place to either wrap up a day of shopping, or kick of a night at the bars.


While they do offer the odd steak or salad, the real draw here is the fish. The flavors are delicious, but more importantly (in my opinion at least) they are combined in interesting ways. Anyone who pairs raw mahi mahi with pickled watermelon is ok in my book. The menu is set up in such a way that there are four courses (Crudo, 2nd course, 3rd course and desert respectively) but its ultimately up to you how it all goes down. I started with a Crudo dish; 1 type of fish served raw in 3 small portions, each accompanied by its own unique garnish, and then had 2 appetizers (the tuna tartare and the blue mussels) as a main course. All three were great, especially the mussels which were served in a Thai inspired red curry / coconut milk broth.

I'm a sucker for well-done interior design, so in addition to the food, I couldn't help but appreciate the stellar job that was done on communicating the restaurant's aquatic theme throughout the dining rooms / bar area. Blue and white tones blend with soft lighting and fantastic photographs to great effect. Its almost worth the price of admission in and of itself.

The prices are on the steep side, but not prohibitively, so if you're looking to splurge on some fantastic seafood, this is your place. Who knows, you might even get hooked. (sorry for that, I couldn't help myself)

Check it Out: Thai Kitchen

For a good part of my life, I had foolishly overlooked Thai cuisine as no more than Pad Thai and Tom Yum soup. It was tasty to be sure, but never enough to ensnare my senses the way that other things had. As such, up until this summer, I had carried on woefully ignorant to the vast, untapped, and tasty world of complex flavors and tantalizing textures that is Thai cooking. The turning point came around early August, when some friends and I decided to check out a little known joint way out by 5th and Georgia named Thai X-ing - the food was far better than I could have ever imagined, and ever since then I’ve been on a pretty serious Thai food kick.

Located just north of Foggy Bottom on M St. between 23rd and 24th, I had passed by Thai Kitchen countless times. Never really motivated to drop in either on account of the garish orange gate that guards its street-level entrance, or my aforementioned indifference to Thai cuisine. Ultimately however, a few weeks back, it appeared that I had exhausted the rest of the area’s meager restaurant offerings, and as such, I opted to bite the bullet and check it out.


At fist glance the dining room is - for lack of a better word - funky. The semi-subterranean restaurant is replete with an enormous gaily-colored bar, faux plants and the kind of kitschy art that one comes to expect from this breed of ethnic eatery. The whole spectacle bathed in soft light that gives it a decidedly (and appropriately) vintage feel. And I mean absolutely none of that in a negative way.

As for the food itself (sorry for rambling), its fantastic. I’ve gotten the Panang Chicken Curry the handful of times that I have eaten there and still can't get over how awesome it is. I’ve also gotten their Tom Yom soup with is tasty as expected (albeit mushroom heavy), and have heard good things about the noodle dishes as well. I would say that the ambiance at Thai Kitchen alone is well worth the trip, but to eat food that delicious (for 10-15 bucks a head), I wouldn’t hesitate to travel twice as far or pay twice as much. The portions are more than generous as well, so come hungry.

You may have noticed that I don’t usually comment on a restaurant’s service. In my mind, if its good, its good, and if its truly bad enough to warrant a comment, than there is really no reason for me to recommend you go there. That said though, I am going to make an exception in this case, because the service I’ve consistently enjoyed at Thai Kitchen has been phenomenal. The waitstaff is attentive (glasses always full and what not), and the food comes out so fast at times suspect that they read your mind at the door.

Thai Kitchen is everything I could have hoped for in a local Thai spot; great food, great service, and great prices. If you’re looking for something new, something delicious, or something that's just plain awesome, you need look no further than Thai Kitchen.

Fresh Grounds: Leopold's Kafe & Konditorei

There are meals that satisfy the stomach, others that charm. While both can be fantastic in their own right, occasionally there are those times where delicious food combines with perfect weather and picturesque settings to create a truly memorable dining experience.

Last Thursday I was thusly blessed when I decided to stop by Leopold's Kafe & Konditorei (which, for obvious reasons, will henceforth be referred to simply as Leopold's). Found out in Georgetown just beyond the intersection of M and 33rd, Leopold's is actually located down a little alley on the south side of the street. This placement just off of the main drag is fantastic because it affords the cafe the convenience of Georgetown, without the oft unavoidable Georgetown affectedness. To be honest, as it is a cafe faithfully in the Austrian tradition, one would not be remiss to forget mid-meal that the little square was in Washington DC rather than some quaint European village.


The service is excellent, the restaurant itself is spectacularly decorated, and the food was delicious. I only went there for breakfast, so I cant speak to the rest of the menu, but if the Joghurt Musli (Yogurt-parfait granola with fresh berries) that I enjoyed is any indicator, than I assume you would be hard pressed to go wrong at Leopold's. The prices on some of the entrees can be a bit on the steep end, but for breakfast my friend and I paid about 20 bucks total for two coffees and two food items.


If you haven't gathered, this place is awesome, but to be honest words could never do the place justice. You owe it to yourself to check it out, so on that note I'm going to wrap this up, and you should make your way over to Leopold's Kafe & Konditorei.

Check it Out: Goody's Corner Eatery

Loyal readers, in my search for the best meals in DC, sometimes it possible for me make a mistake. Overlooking a place in favor of extolling the virtues of another. But in the name of quality, and all things delicious, I am not too proud to admit it; in fact with this post I plan on doing just that. A month or two back, I reviewed the restaurant Alberto’s, even going so far as to declare it my favorite pizza in the district. Well friends, while Alberto's still serves up a mean slice, I would be remiss not to tell you that I have found a new favorite in the form of Goody's Corner Eatery.

Located literally right next door to Alberto’s, Goody's is a recent upstart on P Street. In fact I wandered in a number of weeks ago searching for a sandwich and was disappointed to learn that they only serve pizza. After a less than satisfactory experience at Alberto’s however, I had promised myself that the next time I craved pizza Goody's would be my destination.


I held true to my word, and as pizza cravings are certainly not an infrequent affliction of mine, it was this past weekend that I first experienced the goodness that is Goody's. While the pizza was amazing, Ill get back to that, because people were mores. Angelina, the woman behind the establishment greets you the moment you enter with a smile and a warm personality that makes you feel as if you had instead walked into the kitchen of your favorite aunt. She is one of the most wonderful people I have met in all my experiences with DC restaurants, but not only is she is friendly, she's serious about her pizza too. This 30 year kitchen veteran loves her customers and pulls out all the stops to make sure they walk away happy.


And walk away happy you will. The pizza is amazingly fresh (hand-tossed and made with top-notch ingredients) and the portions are more than generous. A quarter of a pizza will run you no more than $5. It is light and cheesy with a delicious crust, and unlike at Alberto’s next door, you can sit and enjoy it in-house.

Pizza is best when it is made with love, and at Goody's that is the main ingredient. Next time you find yourself in Dupont, take a chance on Goody's and their wonderful pizza, you won't find disappointment anywhere on the menu.

P.S. Tell Angelina I sent you.