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40 dishes every Washingtonian must try in 2013 If last year’s list was the road map to area’s iconic dishes, this reader-nominated roundup of Washingtonian’s favorite eats is like a weather vane, vulnerable to capricious appetites of foodies (hello, doughnuts). See whose fried chicken, house-made soda, ramen and Pop-Tarts made the cut, and then make plans to go by clicking on the boldface names to read the restaurants’ reviews, make reservations, and more.
Bacon gorgonzola mac n cheese at Kangaroo Boxing Club
The pastrami burger at this Columbia Heights restaurant has buzz, but it’s Kangaroo Boxing Club ‘s humble, homey side dish that stole readers' hearts. House-smoked bacon is blended into the slightly sharp gorgonzola and then scattered across the pasta for a dish that's creamy and crunchy. It's "heaven in a ramekin," wrote Lyndsey Medsker of the District. www.kangaroodc.com . $4.
Lavanya Ramanathan/The Washington Post
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Pumpkin curry at Thai X-ing
Tender kabocha squash is the sweet counterpoint to the fire and kicky basil in Taw Vigsittaboot's traditional Thai red curry at Thai X-ing . A generous helping is almost always served during a multi-course dinner at the 25-seat LeDroit Park restaurant. If you're lucky enough to get it, it's the dish you will imagine when booking your next reservation. www.thaix-ing.com . Fixed-price, $30-$40 a person.
Stacy Zarin Goldberg
Lard-fried buttermilk chicken at Bar Pilar
Fried chicken doesn't get more Southern than the buttermilk-battered version Justin Bittner prepares at 14th Street watering hole Bar Pilar . His secret is soaking the chicken overnight in a brine laced with rosemary, parsley, bay leaf, lemons and apples. Finally, a coating of seasoned flour and a dip in pork fat renders it crisp. "I dream about it," wrote Judith Humphreys Weitz of the District. www.barpilar.com . $14.
Lavanya Ramanathan
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The Washington Post
Kimchi ramen at Toki Underground
After Union Market shutters for the night, Rappahannock Oyster Bar staffers head for Toki Underground on H Street, Rappahannock owner Travis Croxton wrote in his nomination. There, he said, they dig into Toki's pork-laden, vinegary, kimchi ramen, the perfect soup to invigorate a famished crew. Wrote Croxton: "Topping off a 14-hour day by digging into their steamed dumplings, and then the kimchi ramen, is so satisfying." www.tokiunderground.com . $12.
Joseph Victor Stefanchik
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For The Washington Post
Elote callejero at El Chucho
Dozens of orders of this grilled Mexican "street-style" corn on the cob fly out of the kitchen each night at El Chucho in Columbia Heights. Street-side vendors in Mexico have probably never heard of brown-butter aioli, but who can quibble with authenticity when the corn, chili, cilantro and pungent, Parmesan-like cotija cheese is this delicious? "You can't not fall for the elote," wrote Kerry C. Hamblin of the District. "You just can't."
Lavanya Ramanathan
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The Washington Post
Pop-Tarts at Ted's Bulletin
Forget everything you know about the plastic-shrouded, cavity-inducing breakfast treat of your childhood. In 2010, Ted's Bulletin on Barracks Row transformed the Pop-Tart into legitimate pastry, filling handmade, almost cakey crusts with homemade jams and fresh berries, brown sugar, and peanut butter and bacon. The flavors change regularly; order them with breakfast, or better yet, grab a couple from the pastry case and go. www.tedsbulletin.com . $2.99 each.
Matchboxfoodgroup
Duck fat fries at Bourbon Steak
The spuds at Michael Mina's Bourbon Steak in the Four Seasons Hotel get a flavor boost from being crisped in this unusually rich oil. They come dressed three ways: One, seasoned with rosemary and thyme, is paired with a pickled ketchup; another is pastrami-flavored and served with Thousand Island dressing; and the third is sprinkled with chili-cheese seasoning and served with barbecue sauce. www.bourbonsteakdc.com . Free with dinner service; $5-$6 in the lounge.
Four Seasons Hotel
Spicy crispy tofu with lemongrass at Rice Paper
Rice Paper is a newer addition to Falls Church's Eden Center, and its dishes and striking, mildly clubby interior already are attracting notice. The tender puffs of silken tofu, lightly battered, fried and flecked with lemongrass, won a nod from the Cohen family of Arlington, who wrote: “One bite into the hot, crunchy pieces of tofu leads to pure happiness." www.ricepaper-tasteofvietnam.com . $11.
Evy Mages for The Washington Post
Sev batata puri at Rasika
Nothing recalls the street food of Mumbai like Rasika ’s crispy little rounds topped with potato, sour raw mango and the crunchy threads of fried chickpea batter known as sev. The chaat that's best devoured in a single bite won a nod from Arena Stage's Molly Smith. "It's like heaven in your mouth," she wrote. www.rasikarestaurant.com . $7.
Lavanya Ramanathan
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The Washington Post
Burrata appetizer at Mintwood Place
Made with three kinds of kale (one flash-fried for crunch), sweet apples, smoky nuts and tart tamarind-honey dressing, the delicious appetizer at Mintwood Place , Cedric Maupillier's cozy Adams Morgan haunt, is so complex it could give Rasika's famous palak chaat a run for its money. "I am a card-carrying carnivore who must unabashedly vote for a vegetarian dish," wrote Kim Le of the District. "Seriously, I have never been so moved by kale ." www.mintwoodplace.com . $17.
Marvin Joseph
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The Washington Post
Gintonic at Estadio
Though British-born, the gin and tonic has been adopted by the Spanish as their own. At Logan Circle's Estadio , mixologist Adam Bernbach showcases the drink's Spanish twist, coupling Old Raj gin with his own orange-flower tonic, or Tanqueray No. 10 with elderflower. "Adam pairs each gin with the right flavor profile in each crafted tonic," says Fiola bar manager Jeff Faile, who nominated the cocktail. "While I love the food at Estadio, I go there for a gin and tonic." www.estadio-dc.com . $11-$12.
Stacy Zarin Goldberg
Grilled cheese at Stoney's
With its American cheese and salty, buttered toast, the Stoney's sandwich isn't particularly imaginative. But it's a classic, a perfect version of the gooey comfort food from your childhood. When you find yourself at this Logan Circle haunt, geeking out at trivia night, we dare you to order the Super. It's layered with bacon, rounds of juicy tomato and enough onion to warrant an Altoid or seven.
Kathryn Norwood
Macarons at the Sweet Lobby
Getting the ideal crisp-yet-chewy texture of a macaron is hard enough. Barracks Row sugar shack the Sweet Lobby also has managed to create the city's most inventive flavor profiles. The creamy sweet potato is unique, the passion fruit/milk chocolate heady. But if you're truly adventurous, try a black-and-white bubbly (made with champagne), a peanut butter and jelly, or a cheese-laced variety. www.sweetlobby.com . $1.60 each.
The Sweet Lobby
The cheeseburger at Palena
In a city that teems with burgers, few are more revered than the one chef Frank Ruta serves at his Cleveland Park restaurant Palena . Angus beef laced with dry-aged steak, truffled cheese and a brioche bun made in-house make the difference. "Take one bite into the incredibly tender, juicy patty, and you're in for a transcendent experience," wrote Bethesda's Brett and Rachel Gellman, who blog about their culinary adventures at DMV Dining. www.palenarestaurant.com . $14.
Frank Ruta
Margherita DOC at Pupatella
It's nice to have the "DOC" certification, which signifies a pizza made in the old-world Neapolitan fashion, with San Marzano tomatoes, milky mozzarella di bufala and just a handful of ingredients in the dough. But it's better still to know that one of the proprietors of Pupatella , the food truck-turned-respected Arlington pizzeria, grew up in Italy, soaking up the secrets of a perfectly charred crust and creamy mozzarella.www.pupatella.com . $12.
Bill O'Leary
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The Washington Post
Freshly fried doughnuts at Tabard Inn
Before Washington developed its obsession with designer doughnuts covered in bacon, filled with creme brulee and glazed in a puree of local berries, the title of best fried dough in the District easily belonged to these simple yeast doughnuts, served at Tabard Inn each weekend during brunch. Few diners leave without a few of the piping-hot treats, nominated via Twitter. www.tabardinn.com . $1.50 each or $9 for six.
Sarah L. Voisin
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The Washington Post
Urban's Soul Rolls at Urban BBQ Company
Rich, smoked brisket is Urban BBQ Company 's strong point, and one way the local chain serves it is wrapped in cheese and tucked into this Southern-fried version of an egg roll. Clearly the restaurant recognizes the inherent silliness of this decadent dish: Each platter is sent out with an accompaniment -- a cup of cheese-covered chili that the restaurant calls Redneck Fondue. www.urbanbbqco.com . $6.99.
Anne Kenderdine
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The Washington Post
Duck bao buns at the Source
During Saturday dim-sum service the Source rolls out this snack of moist duck tucked between the folds of a doughy, traditional Chinese steamed bun. Making the Peking-style duck is a three-day production, according to chef Scott Drewno. The result? "This is the most perfect piece of cooked duck ... perched inside an amazing bun with slivers of crunchy cucumber," wrote reader Merry Ambos Richon of the District. "We often think we should ask to have it served as our dessert." www.wolfgangpuck.com . $7.50.
Scott Suchman for The Washington Post
Deep-fried, bacon-wrapped peanut-butter cups at the Passenger
This pair of fried orbs doesn't look like much, but it's what's inside that counts. Javier Duran, the Passenger 's chef, wraps mini peanut-butter cups in fried bacon, dips them into a cola batter and serves them warm to customers looking to splurge. "If you had one day to live," wrote Matt Barr of the District, "it would not be ill-spent abusing every artery in your body with this bacon-y, chocolatey, deep-fried treat." www.passengerdc.com . $7.
Lavanya Ramanathan
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The Washington Post
Vegetarian ramen at Sakuramen
Ramen, the artful bowl of noodles, meat and soup that hails from Japan, is on the rise in Washington (three ramen spots have opened in the past year). Reader shout-outs came via Twitter for the unconventional meatless bowl served at Korean-inspired Adams Morgan restaurant Sakuramen . Called the Sakuramen, it features a broth of Japanese kelp and layers of bamboo shoots, corn and mushrooms marinated like Korean bulgogi. www.sakuramen.net . $11.
Lavanya Ramanathan
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The Washington Post
Fish and chips at Ford's Fish Shack
The fries are skinny and served with the skin on for crunch, and the battered, fried cod arrives hot and flaky. Casual, New England-style seafood dominates the menu at Ford's Fish Shack , but for Matt Daigle of Leesburg, it's all about the fish and chips. The dish, he wrote on the Going Out Guide blog, is "as authentic as anything you'll find in New England." www.fordsfishshack.com . $13-$15.
Lavanya Ramanathan
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The Washington Post
Lambs & clams at Rappahannock Oyster Bar
Rappahannock Oyster Bar ’s executive chef Dylan Fultineer pairs Olde Salt Middleneck clams steeped in white wine with sauteed, grass-fed lamb from fellow Union Market vendor Border Springs for this stick-to-your-ribs stew that won a nod from a reader of the Going Out Guide blog. Tender white cannellini beans add more substance, while the sofrito of red and green peppers and tomato kicks things up gently. www.unionmarketdc.com . $14.
Lavanya Ramanathan
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The Washington Post
Nocciola gelato at Pitango Gelato
To achieve the subtle nocciola, or hazelnut, flavor he remembers from childhood summers in Italy, Pitango owner Noah Dan sources his roasted hazelnut paste from a producer in the nation's fertile Piedmont region. The nuts, he said, bear a more flowery note than their American cousins, a taste Dan likens to orange blossom. Indeed, the gelato, nominated by Michael Ventura of Silver Spring, smells as intoxicating as it tastes. "Anything else next to it," Dan said, "is just peanuts." www.pitangogelato.com . $4.99 for a small.
Noah Dan
The vegetarian combination at Shagga Coffee
There are surprises among the brightly hued Ethiopian salads and stews ladled onto spongy injera at Shagga Coffee : the fuchsia-colored beet and potato salad that's brightened with only lemon, the string-bean fosolia, the spicy chickpea mash, none of it as oil-laden as you might find at other restaurants. It's no wonder that the platter won a nod from Steve Hill of College Park, who wrote: "You get the sense that your food is lovingly prepared and not just thrown together in a rush." www.shaggarestaurant.com . $11.50.
Lavanya Ramanthan
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The Washington Post
Fried potato tots at Food, Wine & Co.
In last year’s list, readers gave a nod to the fresh-from-the-fryer pail of tater tots served at Sticky Rice. This year, they took a more high-brow approach, offering a nomination via Twitter for Food, Wine & Co. 's version of the snack. Never mind its name: With gooey Gruyere cheese and parsley ensconced in creamy potato and a Sriracha-spiked ketchup, these are no mere cafeteria tots. www.foodwineandco.com . $6; at happy hour, $4.
Len Depas
Brussels sprouts at Graffiato
A bed of creamy yogurt is plated first. Then comes a mound of crackling, nearly blackened Brussels sprouts, tossed in a dressing of maple syrup and Italian pancetta, followed by a sprinkling of hard-boiled egg. "People think it's weird," concedes Graffiato chef and owner Mike Isabella, who cited breakfast as his inspiration. Via Facebook, reader Jake Fratangelo described the sprouts as "sweet, smoky, crispy, tender and porky. I'm still dreaming about them months later." www.graffiatodc.com . $8.
Lavanya Ramanathan
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The Washington Post
Facturas at Tango Pastry
These popular Argentinian breakfast pastries, nominated by reader Teresa D. Correia, are a metaphor for that nation's diverse culture: In the not-too-sweet flaky layers lies the influence of Italian, Austrian, French and German immigrants. The rich dulce de leche filling? That's the Latin contribution. "It's modest, but its taste is huge,” said Tango Pastry owner Sandra Comiskey. ”It's perfect for an espresso." www.tangopastry.com . $1 each.
Evy Mages for The Washington Post
The Hottie pizza at Comet Ping Pong
The wood-fired pies with such toppings as clams, fried egg and broccoli rabe draw hipsters and toddlers to Comet , the modern pizzeria in Northwest. Among the loyal clientele: The artistic director of the Washington Ballet, who regularly settles in for a beer and this popular pie, dotted with pepperoni and jalapenos. "It's a guy's pizza," said Septime Webre. "I grew up in South Texas, and jalapeno flavor is just in my blood. It's so spicy, and Allagash White accompanies it perfectly." www.cometpingpong.com . $11.
Amy Joyce
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The Washington Post
Kitcha fitfit at Cafe Aurora
This rustic Eritrean staple features crusty flatbread tossed in clarified butter, fenugreek, cardamom, garlic and the crimson chili berbere. For American palates, it might seem too rich, but Cafe Aurora owner Dahab Beyene explains that the hearty dish was created as nourishment for a culture that walks everywhere. "The kitcha fitfit at Cafe Aurora in Alexandria has become an essential breakfast eat for my boyfriend and me," wrote a reader of the Got Plans? chat. www.cafeaurorausa.com . $7.75.
Evy Mages for The Washington Post
Fresh noodle soup with duck at Chinatown Express
Chinatown doesn’t boast many Chinese restaurants anymore, but at decades-old restaurant Chinatown Express , noodles are still stretched by hand. Columbia Room owner and mixologist Derek Brown nominated the classic soup loaded with fresh noodles, to which he adds a pile of golden brown duck. "The duck is rich, meaty and the very definition of savory. I practically live on this soup," Brown wrote. www.chinatownexpressdc.com . $6.95.
Alex Baldinger
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The Washington Post
Lemongrass beef banh mi at Song Que Vietnamese Deli
When Anthony Bourdain explored Washington's food scene, he headed for this spare Vietnamese deli in Falls Church's Eden Center. At Song Que , for less than the price of a Frappuccino, you can nosh on some of the area's best banh mi. For palates not quite ready for the head cheese, a reader suggested the lemongrass beef, which comes on a warm baguette stacked with cilantro, jalepeno, onions and pickled carrots and daikon. www.songquedeli.com . $3.75.
Lavanya Ramanathan
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The Washington Post
Mysore masala dosai at Woodlands
Several restaurants in the region serve dosa, the Southern Indian rice-batter crepe. Only at Woodlands in Langley Park, however, is the paper-thin dosa roughly half the size of the table. The showy dosas here, nominated by Joshua Wu of the District, come many ways, but the Mysore version is the spiciest, having been rubbed with a thin layer of chili paste. No matter which you order, dip it in the cooling coconut chutney. You'll need it. www.woodlandsrestaurants.com . $7.95.
Lavanya Ramanthan
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The Washington Post
Ma po tofu at Great Wall Szechuan House
The star of Great Wall ’s Szechuan "ma-la" menu is the ma po tofu, a kicky dish of soft tofu dotted with tongue-numbing Szechuan peppercorns and tiny black beans that add a smoky saltiness. Though there are other incarnations of this tofu dish in the area, Great Wall's version remains the gold standard.www.greatwallszechuanhouse.com . $10.95.
Lavanya Ramanathan
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The Washington Post
Babka bread pudding at DGS Delicatessen
There’s no babka in this comfort dessert, Barry Koslow, the chef at DGS , confessed to us. "What makes bread pudding really good,” he said, ”is [when] the whole thing comes together with the bread and the custard in one homogenized, creamy, really good dish." Challah produced that effect best, but for the name, alliteration prevailed. No matter: The little bites of hot, melted bittersweet chocolate and cool scoop of salted caramel ice cream hit the spot.www.dgsdelicatessen.com . $7.
Lavanya Ramanathan
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The Washington Post
The kufta sandwich at Astor Mediterranean
Astor nestles beef, lamb and a cool, dill-laced dip with feta and cucumber in the folds of a warm pita for this popular sandwich that channels the flavors of the Mideast. "The fillings are plentiful," wrote Liz Coffin of Arlington, "and the sauce drips down your arm if you aren't careful . . . but who cares? Yum!" www.astorfoods.com . $6.50.
Camille Powell Kilgore
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The Washington Post
Fried chicken with spiced salt and basil at Jumbo Jumbo Cafe
A platter of popcorn chicken, redolent of pepper and five-spice seasoning and fried with basil, seems like a strange partner for bubble tea. But this classic example of Taiwanese street food is an excellent reason to visit the small strip-mall storefront Jumbo Jumbo Cafe in Rockville. Wrote reader Natalie Cheung: "Almost everyone refers to this as 'crack chicken' because it's so addictive." www.jumbojumbocafe.com . $5.75; entree with ground pork with rice, $7.25.
Lavanya Ramanathan
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The Washington Post
The Italian sub at A. Litteri
One block from glossy newcomer Union Market, the vestiges of old D.C. remain. On Morse Street NE, A. Litteri has served as one of the city's few great sources of Italian fare for more than 80 years. The nomination came for Litteri's simple Italian sub, which is stacked with capicola, mortadella, black-peppered ham and provolone and then doused with oil and vinegar. It's the deli's most popular sandwich and, at less than $5, one of the city's best deals. www.litteris.com . $4.95.
Evy Mages for The Washington Post
Blue crab and rock shrimp fritters at Coastal Flats
This trio of visually arresting fritters, served at two Coastal Flats locations, look like tumbleweed, and they come in a pool of lobster-ginger butter dotted with corn. Wrote reader Laura Terpstra of Arlington, "We literally lick the plate because the accompanying sauce is to die for." www.greatamericanrestaurants.com . $9.
Lavanya Ramanathan
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The Washington Post
Pineapple soda at Buffalo & Bergen
Because the very words "pineapple soda" conjure visions of Fanta, the first thing that might cross your mind when 's foamy tropical fizz is placed before you is, "Thank goodness it's not neon." The bubbles served by longtime bartender Gina Chersevani at her soda bar Buffalo & Bergen taste like the real fruit that flavors them. www.unionmarketdc.com . $5.
Lavanya Ramanathan
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The Washington Post
Mongolian beef with cumin at Joe's Noodle House
On a stretch of Rockville Pike that’s teeming with Szechuan food, you'll find Joe’s Noodle House . Ann Dorough of Bethesda nominated one of Joe's atypical dishes: a dry-sauteed beef sprinkled with ground cumin and cilantro. "Hard to describe, but it's an unexpected combination of Chinese and Mexican flavors," Dorough wrote. "If one combined a bowl of classic Texas red chili with a hit of ginger (minus the fixin's) you'd get close." www.joesnoodlehouse.com . $11.50.
Lavanya Ramanathan
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The Washington Post
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Section:/goingoutguide
![There’s no babka in this comfort dessert, Barry Koslow, the chef at <a target='_blank' data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/restaurants/dgs-delicatessen,1244720.html'>DGS</a>, confessed to us. 'What makes bread pudding really good,” he said, ”is [when] the whole thing comes together with the bread and the custard in one homogenized, creamy, really good dish.' Challah produced that effect best, but for the name, alliteration prevailed. No matter: The little bites of hot, melted bittersweet chocolate and cool scoop of salted caramel ice cream hit the spot.<br>
<br>1317 Connecticut Ave. NW. 202-293-4400. <a target='_blank' data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.dgsdelicatessen.com'>www.dgsdelicatessen.com</a>. $7.](/rf/image_606w/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2013/02/13/Weekend/Images/babka2.jpg)
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