DC Dopers: recommend a good casual restaurant

In My Humble Opinion
1

I’m going to be in DC next week for a conference, and I’m meeting an old friend for dinner one evening.

I’m staying at the Washington Marriott, 1221 22nd Street NW, so I’m sure there are plenty of great places easily reachable on foot or by Metro.

Where do you like to eat?

What we’re looking for:

[ul]
[li]I’m a strict vegetarian, and my friend is a devoted carnivore.[/li][li]Any ethnicity OK.[/li][li]Quiet, not too fancy: we won’t be carousing, just having a long conversation.[/li][li]Affordable would be nice. In Seattle I’m accustomed to paying $11-$17 for a main course.[/li][/ul]

Do you have any interesting favorites? Places I’d be unlikely to discover on my own?

Thanks in advance,
E.

2

There’s a neat Asian restaurant right around the corner from where you’re staying (like a 2min walk) called Meiwah. Another option might be Sakana (mostly Sushi) on P street (which is 5-10min walk from your hotel). The good thing is that you’re right next to Dupont Circle so there’s a ton of stuff to choose from - Thai Chef is a good option as well on Conn Avenue (10-15min walk) who happen to do a pretty good sushi. Then there’s Raku on Q and 19th.

Oh well you get my drift - plenty of choices but I mentioned some of my favs I visited while living in DC.

3

You won’t need to take the metro, there are hundreds of restaurants within walking distance of 22nd and M streets, where you’re staying. Dupont Circle, Georgetown, and Adams-Morgan are all close by.

If you have the time, you might go for a walk first, just up M Street (as far as 34th), and see pretty much most of what Georgetown has to offer, and then back in the other direction.

If you’re interested in a real exploratory experience, take New Hampshire Avenue up to Dupont Circle (about 3-4 blocks), then up Connecticut Avenue, go another 3-4 blocks to Columbia Road. Another 5-6 blocks down Columbia Road is the Adams-Morgan neighbourhood (centered on 18th Street) and there is another ton of good restaurants there (besides the popular Madam’s Organ). My favorites in Adams-Morgan are Fasika (Ethiopian) and The Diner (a very reasonably priced place - clean, great food), but there are dozens of places to try and most will be well within your price range.

Last time I went to Meiwah (a couple of months ago), I did not enjoy the food.

There’s a very nice sushi bar within walking distance – Uni on P Street.

In Dupont Circle, there’s a nice Asian fusion tea room called Teaism (besides the tea, they have very good food). There’s another fusion place, Raku, next to Kramerbooks. (And there’s Kramerbooks’s own cafe, Afterwords). I haven’t been to Raku a while, though, so I don’t know whether it’s still good.

You’re also not far from Georgetown. If you want to take a longer walk (or a cab), one of the best Thai restaurants I’ve ever been to is **Busara **on Wisconsin Avenue. Another nice tea room on Wisconsin – Ching Ching Cha – this one’s more traditional than Teaism.

There’s a good Ethiopian restaurant in Georgetown – Zed’s – they have vegetarian platters too. That one is definitely walkable from 22nd Street. (I walk to that area from 25th Street often)

For even more casual, you can go to La Madeline, a French bistro in Georgetown (near the Barnes and Noble).

Eastward on M Street, away from Georgetown, you’ll find another row of restaurants and there are some popular ones there.

You’re also close to K Street just north of the White House, which has a lot of famous and popular restaurants.

4

If you want Ethiopian food, go to U Street. There is a metro stop there on the green line. My favorites are Dukem and Roha.

5

Also in Adams-Morgan, at 18th and S is Straits of Malaya, a really good Malaysian restaurant.

6

Thanks, everyone. These are great suggestions. I hadn’t thought of Ethiopian (which I love!). I’ll probably suggest that.