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Chef Tom Cunanan toasts bitter melon in a wok with garlic, shallots, ginger, red onions and tomatoes. Fermented black beans are tossed with the melon mixture, and a fried egg is thrown in seconds before the plate hits your table.

Cuisine: Filipino • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: Columbia Heights

Photo by Jennifer Chase for The Washington Post

Two silvery and inviting "fishies," as they're described on the menu, are set off by a generous helping of a tart green sauce redolent of parsley, lemon and capers and half of a soft-cooked egg you can mix in or enjoy on its own.

Cuisine: Italian • Dish type: Appetizer • Neighborhood: Logan Circle

Photo by Katherine Frey/Post

An impossibly thin masa shell somehow contains a thick, molten layer of mozzarella and Salvadoran cheeses studded with tiny bits of ayote, a mildly flavored green squash.

Cuisine: Salvadoran • Dish type: Side

Photo by Dixie D. Vereen for The Washington Post

There's no babka in this comfort dessert, but no matter: The little bites of hot, melted bittersweet chocolate and cool scoop of salted caramel ice cream hit the spot.

Cuisine: American • Dish type: Dessert • Neighborhood: Dupont Circle

Photo by Lavanya Ramanathan/Post

Bullfrog's bialy tastes like an English muffin and a bagel had a baby. It's soft, slightly sour and excellent toasted with cream cheese.

Cuisine: American • Dish type: Breakfast • Neighborhood: H Street NE

Photo by Dixie D. Vereen for The Washington Post

These berry-spiked buckwheat pancakes are served only on Saturdays in Eastern Market.

Cuisine: American • Dish type: Breakfast • Neighborhood: Capitol Hill

Photo by Stephanie Merry/Post

This trio of visually arresting fritters look like tumbleweed, and they come in a pool of lobster-ginger butter dotted with corn.

Cuisine: American • Dish type: Appetizer

Photo by Lavanya Ramanathan/Post

These bargain burritos are stuffed with eggs, potato and cheese and are served all day.

Cuisine: Mexican • Dish type: Breakfast

Photo by Larry Kobelka for The Washington Post

This meaty masterpiece is stacked onto buttery, fat Texas toast and topped with vinegar-loaded house-made pickles and crispy buttermilk-battered onions.

Cuisine: BBQ • Dish type: Sandwich • Neighborhood: Bloomingdale

Photo by Joseph Victor Stefanchik for The Washington Post

Stacked with prosciutto, capicola, pepperoni, salami and provolone, the sandwich has a few cheffy touches, too: house-made mayo; a relish made with hot pepper, sweet pepper and onion; a top-secret vinaigrette; and a hearty but non-traditional shaving of Pecorino Romano.

Cuisine: Italian-American • Dish type: Sandwich • Neighborhood: Dupont Circle

Photo by Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post

These hand-formed, fresh-not-frozen burgers are the stars at this mom-and-pop restaurant.

Cuisine: American • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: Sunshine

Photo by George Orndorff for The Washington Post

Made with two slim, seared patties tucked into a golden bun baked in-house, the burger is astonishingly simple, draped with American cheese and topped with a few tart pickles, plus its own mystery sauce.

Cuisine: American • Dish type: Sandwich • Neighborhood: 14th Street

Photo by Amanda Voisard for The Washington Post

This version of the northern Thai dish is kicked up with a base that includes fish paste, shallots and ginger, and is so loaded with turmeric that it's an eye-searing orange.

Cuisine: Burmese • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: U Street

Photo by Marvin Joseph/Post

Made with three kinds of kale (one flash-fried for crunch), sweet apples, smoky nuts and tart tamarind-honey dressing, this dish will change the way you think about the leafy green.

Cuisine: Italian • Dish type: Appetizer • Neighborhood: Adams Morgan

Photo by Marvin Joseph/Post

At Takoma Park's Republic, the ultra-decadent globe of chewy fresh mozzarella encasing a center of rich cream comes atop farro tossed with celery, lemon and basil.

Cuisine: Italian • Dish type: Appetizer

Photo by Catherine Rytkonen

With only two ingredients -- cheese and pepper -- this pasta dish is a delicate dance between fat and salt that, much like a negroni, requires precision.

Cuisine: Italian • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: Barracks Row

Photo by Astrid RIecken for The Washington Post

The spicy South Asian salad mingles crunchy elements with sweet and kicky chutneys, making for an addictive snack.

Cuisine: Pakistani • Dish type: Starter

Photo by Lavanya Ramanathan/Post

The Chinese-inspired chahan, a short-grain fried rice flavored with fragrant shiso leaf, sake, sesame oil and crushed garlic chips, is a popular way to end the night at an izakaya.

Cuisine: Japanese • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: U Street

Photo by Lavanya Ramanathan/Post

This Peruvian chicken purveyor has won over countless fans with its impossibly juicy, crispy birds and wildly popular accompanying sauces.

Cuisine: Peruvian • Dish type: Main course

Photo by Amanda Voisard for The Washington Post

At its best, the chicken at Sardi's is mouthwateringly brown and crisp, with a prominent smokiness and an aroma of char.

Cuisine: Peruvian • Dish type: Main course

Photo by Astrid Riecken for The Washington Post

This vegetarian taco showcases Oaxaca cheese, crisped on the griddle and topped with creamy wedges of perfectly ripe avocado and pungent onion.

Cuisine: Mexican • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: U Street

Photo by Lavanya Ramanathan/Post

Crescent-shaped rye ravioli with fresh spinach and mountain cheese is a reminder that pasta maestro Andrea Pace hails from a part of Italy where German is spoken.

Cuisine: Italian • Dish type: Main course

Photo by Jennifer Chase for The Washington Post

Joojeh, or Persian marinated chicken, and a minced lamb skewer known as kubideh, are layered on a generous pile of yellow rice and accompanied by a made-to-order sheet of warm flatbread.

Cuisine: Middle Eastern • Dish type: Main course

Photo by Anne Farrar/Post

If you have a sweet tooth, Co Co. Sala’s Chocolate Onyx is the sort of sugarbomb that would satisfy a week’s worth of cravings: This gem-shaped pastry, rendered almost entirely in dark chocolate, is three blood-sugar-spiking desserts in one.

Cuisine: American • Dish type: Dessert • Neighborhood: Penn Quarter

Photo by Matthew Worden

It’s a chocolate-chip cookie, but a refined one, made with organic flour, cultured butter and semi-sweet chocholate chips from a French chocolatier.

Cuisine: American • Dish type: Dessert • Neighborhood: Van Ness

Photo by Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post

The legendary crabcakes at this no-frills spot are made with backfin crab and cracker and are seasoned with Old Bay.

Cuisine: American • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: Silver Spring

Photo by Fritz Hahn/Post

Thai Square’s crispy squid, topped with a thatch of flash-fried Thai basil, is so beloved that owner Sunthorn Rojural is reticent to give away its secrets.

Cuisine: Thai • Dish type: Main course

Photo by Kate Patterson for The Washington Post

Baker Erica Skolnik serves her buttery creations in plain, almond, chocolate and savory variations.

Cuisine: French • Dish type: Breakfast • Neighborhood: H Street

Photo by Marvin Joseph/Post

The signature sweet gets a blast from a kitchen torch, yielding a crackled, sugary, just-shy-of-burned glaze that perfectly mimics the surface of crème brûlée, in deep-fried form.

Cuisine: American • Dish type: Dessert

Photo by Nathaniel Grann/Post

Few brunch diners leave without ordering a few of these piping-hot simple yeast doughnuts.

Cuisine: American • Dish type: Appetizer • Neighborhood: Dupont Circle

Photo by Sarah L. Voisin/Post

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.

Cuisine: Chinese • Dish type: Brunch • Neighborhood: Penn Quarter

Photo by Scott Suchman for The Washington Post

It's the last-minute touches -- the slow pan roast that begins the moment an order is placed -- that give this dish its unmatched crispiness.

Cuisine: French • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: Bethesda

Photo by Lavanya Ramanathan/Post

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.

Cuisine: American • Dish type: Appetizer • Neighborhood: Georgetown

Photo by Four Seasons Hotel

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?

Cuisine: Mexican • Dish type: Appetizer • Neighborhood: Columbia Heights

Photo by Lavanya Ramanathan/Post

In the not-too-sweet flaky layers of these Argentinian pastries lies the influence of European immigrants, plus the Latin contribution of a rich dulce de leche filling.

Cuisine: Mexican • Dish type: Breakfast

Photo by Evy Mages for The Washington Post

The fried-to-order falafel and frites are irresistibly crunchy, but the allure of Amsterdam is the toppings bar -- a spread of Middle Eastern relishes, pickles, spreads and condiments.

Cuisine: Middle Eastern • Dish type: Main course

Photo by Jason Berger for The Washington Post

The Lebanese-style falafel is patted into the shape of a burger and served on a soft, glossy olive-oil brioche, stacked with lemon-dressed cucumbers and tomato and smeared with hummus and garlic yogurt.

Cuisine: Mediterranean • Dish type: Sandwich • Neighborhood: Penn Quarter

Photo by Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post

This piece of shoulder meat, playing dress-up as a hearty rib-eye, is not only a cut above the average steak, but also a bargain at $24.

Cuisine: American • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: Shaw

Photo by Kate Patterson for The Washington Post

The Fire & Smoke stands out as one of the city's spiciest pies, with roasted red peppers, smoked gouda and a chipotle-spiked sauce.

Cuisine: Pizza • Dish type: Pizza

Photo by Anne Farrar/Post

Beer battered and deep fried to crispy, flaky perfection, strapping pieces of fresh Pacific cod are paired with equally golden-brown wedge chips.

Cuisine: British • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: Union Market

Photo by Emily Featherston for The Washington Post

The fries are skinny and served with the skin on for crunch, and the battered, fried cod arrives hot and flaky.

Cuisine: American • Dish type: Main course

Photo by Lavanya Ramanathan/Post

With molehills of mousse, sandy chocolate and sprigs of fresh tarragon, this dish looks like a "Top Chef" quickfire challenge gone off the rails, and yet it's dessert at its most avant garde.

Cuisine: Balkan • Dish type: Dessert • Neighborhood: Capitol Hill

Photo by Goran Kosanovic for The Washington Post

The New England-inspired foot-long is a monster among sandwiches, stacked so high with salami, coppa, mortadella and soppressata that it clocks in at more than two pounds.

Cuisine: American • Dish type: Sandwich • Neighborhood: Georgetown

Photo by Anne Farrar for The Washington Post

Add a pile of golden brown duck to a classic soup loaded with fresh noodles and you get the very definition of savory.

Cuisine: Chinese • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: Chinatown

Photo by Alex Baldinger/Post

This particular fried chicken is a crunchy, tears-of-joy-inducing dish that's perfectly in keeping with the high-concept/lowbrow fare of the downtown power spot.

Cuisine: American • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: Downtown

Photo by Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post

Based on a traditionally long-braised dish but inspired by Korean fried chicken, the poultry here is double-fried for a super-crispy crust. Along with mushrooms, shallots, garlic, potatoes and bacon, it's covered in a reduced-wine glaze.

Cuisine: French-American • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: Shaw

Photo by Dayna Smith for The Washington Post

Your first impression might be the fried chicken's sweetness, but hold tight: It won't be long before you feel the unmistakable numbing spice of Sichuan peppercorns.

Cuisine: Taiwanese • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: H Street

Photo by Melina Mara/Post

A platter of popcorn chicken, redolent of pepper and five-spice seasoning and fried with basil, is a classic example of Taiwanese street food.

Cuisine: Chinese • Dish type: Appetizer

Photo by Lavanya Ramanathan/Post

These tiny freshwater fish with the mild flavor of a largemouth bass but with such rustic character that they rarely appear on restaurant menus. They arrive fried and tossed with vinegar-soaked peppers.

Cuisine: American • Dish type: Snack • Neighborhood: Adams Morgan

Photo by Lavanya Ramanathan/Post

The lowly Frito pie is among the nostalgic junk-food basics given the gourmet treatment at Meats & Foods, with chili that’s made with love — and rich, fatty beef.

Cuisine: BBQ • Dish type: Side • Neighborhood: Bloomingdale

Photo by Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post

Pair this slow-simmered Korean short-rib soup with the other house speciality: dumplings.

Cuisine: Korean • Dish type: Main course

Photo by Justin Rude/Post

The beef short rib dish known as galbi brings spice-lovers from across the region. Cooking it over an open flame adds just the right hint of smoke.

Cuisine: Korean • Dish type: Main course

Photo by Kate Patterson for The Washington Post

Garnished with cilantro and fresh cheese, the carnitas mixture will not only poke through its protective shell, but it'll lodge itself in your long-term memory.

Cuisine: Mexican • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: Mt Vernon Square

Photo by Dixie D. Vereen for The Washington Post

The baked-to-order gougeres are tender, light and airy, with a bit of crunch from the dustings of poppy seeds and flaky salt that adorn them.

Cuisine: French-American • Dish type: Appetizer • Neighborhood: Barracks Row

Photo by Scott Suchman

With its American cheese and salty, buttered toast, the Stoney's sandwich isn't particularly imaginative, but order the Super with bacon and tomato for something a bit more over the top.

Cuisine: American • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: Logan Circle

Photo by Kathryn Norwood

The house-baked baguette, warm and so fresh that it’s crunchy and soft at the same time, is the ideal vehicle for the red-hued pork, crunchy daikon, jalapeno, cilantro and rich Vietnamese mayonnaise that make up the No. 2.

Cuisine: Vietnamese • Dish type: Sandwich

Photo by Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post

Cake filled with hazelnut milk chocolate is served on a swath of dulce de leche, with vanilla gelato.

Cuisine: Italian • Dish type: Dessert • Neighborhood: Navy Yard

Photo by Bonnie Benwick/Post

The dish, particularly when doused with the citrusy salsa verde, is the closest thing this town has to a Texas-worthy breakfast taco.

Cuisine: Mexican • Dish type: Taco

Photo by Lavanya Ramanathan/Post

This simple Italian sub, which is stacked with capicola, mortadella, black-peppered ham and provolone and then doused with oil and vinegar, is, at less than $5, one of the city's best deals.

Cuisine: Italian • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: Union Market

Photo by Evy Mages for The Washington Post

Cooks at this no-frills South Indian vegetarian restaurant transform house-made paneer cheese into a flavor bomb, thanks to a proper dose of green chilies, cilantro, turmeric and mustard and cumin seeds.

Cuisine: Indian • Dish type: Main course

Photo by Emily Codik/Post

Adapted from a Chinese dish, jajangmyeon is little more than noodles covered with a fermented, caramelized black-bean sauce.

Cuisine: Korean • Dish type: Main course

Photo by Dixie D. Vereen for The Washington Post

The doughy Georgian delicacy is filled with ricotta, feta and mozzarella, baked, then presented at your table piping hot, with a heart-stopping pat of butter and runny egg.

Cuisine: Georgian • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: 14th Street

Photo by Greg Powers for The Washington Post

The khao soi gai at Baan Thai is a big bowl of bottomless delights, with cyrry paste, coconut milk, fish sauce and palm sugar heightening the pleasures of the accompanying chicken thighs and egg noddles.

Cuisine: Thai • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: 14th Street

Photo by Ricky Carioti/Post

Toki's pork-laden, vinegary, kimchi ramen, is the perfect soup to invigorate anyone who's hungry.

Cuisine: Japanese • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: H Street

Photo by Emma McAlary for The Washington Post

This rustic Eritrean staple features crusty flatbread tossed in clarified butter, fenugreek, cardamom, garlic and the crimson chili berbere.

Cuisine: Eritrean • Dish type: Breakfast

Photo by Evy Mages for The Washington Post

Korean chicken is about technique: It's barely battered, dipped into the fryer once, rested and then fried again so it's as tender as it is crisp.

Cuisine: Korean • Dish type: Main course

Photo by Amanda Voisard for The Washington Post

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.

Cuisine: Mediterranean • Dish type: Main course

Photo by Camille Powell Kilgore/Post

The kale is rendered delicate with egg yolk, and grated pecorino dusts the kale like freshly fallen snow. Finally, sourdough croutons crusted in corn flakes and anchovy puree are dropped artfully over the plate.

Cuisine: American • Dish type: Salad • Neighborhood: Friendship Heights

Photo by Lavanya Ramanathan/Post

The spicy, tender chickpeas dished out by this popular kebab house are the stuff of legend among heat seekers.

Cuisine: Pakistani • Dish type: Side

Photo by James M. Thresher for The Washington Post

Denver-cut lamb ribs are slow-cooked before they're rubbed in a spice blend, grilled and served with sumac onions and seasonal garnishes such as fresh fava beans and preserved lemon.

Cuisine: Mediterranean • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: Adams Morgan

Photo by Jennifer Chase for The Washington Post

Start with the restaurant's cumin-rubbed lamb, dry-fried and served under a forest of cilantro, chilis, fat slices of garlic and bell pepper.

Cuisine: Chinese • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: Gateway

Photo by Amanda Voisard for The Washington Post

This stick-to-your-ribs stew pairs clams steeped in white wine with sauteed lamb, plus pigeon peas (formerly white cannellini beans) and a sofrito of peppers and tomato.

Cuisine: American • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: Union Market

Photo by Lavanya Ramanathan/Post

The pork shoulder is marinated with mojo -- the bitter-orange-and-garlic sauce at the heart of Cuban cooking -- before it's roasted, chopped and topped with a tangle of grilled onions.

Cuisine: Cuban • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: Columbia Heights

Photo by Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post

The beef tongue is just one of a dozen fillings that could fill your soft corn tortilla at R&R Taqueria, but it gets the vote as a rare offering you need to try for yourself.

Cuisine: Mexican • Dish type: Main course

Photo by Sean McCormick for The Washington Post

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.

Cuisine: Chinese • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: Logan Circle

Photo by Lavanya Ramanathan/Post

Getting the ideal crisp-yet-chewy texture of a macaron is hard enough, but this shop also has managed to create inventive flavor profiles.

Cuisine: French • Dish type: Dessert • Neighborhood: Capitol Hill

Photo by The Sweet Lobby

Fabio Trabocchi has been making his luxe lobster ravioli for 15 years. Attribute its popularity to the rich, outsize pieces of lobster, which Trabocchi tucks into folds of delicate wonton to retain the crustacean’s top billing.

Cuisine: Italian-American • Dish type: Pasta • Neighborhood: Georgetown • Note: Also on the menu at its sister restaurant, Fiola. (601 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. fioladc.com.)

Photo by Scott Suchman for The Washington Post

The mushroom tacos' robust pop of flavor comes mostly from the few simple toppings: sour shards of pickled onion, a verdant leaf or two of cilantro and a drizzle of citrusy, mezcal-laced tomatillo salsa.

Cuisine: Mexican • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: Shaw

Photo by Lavanya Ramanathan/Post

The "DOC" certification 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.

Cuisine: Italian • Dish type: Main course

Photo by Bill O'Leary/Post

This Neapolitan pizza -- with its buffalo mozzarella, basil and slightly charred crust -- is made to the exacting specifications of the Italian government.

Cuisine: Italian • Dish type: Pizza • Neighborhood: Cleveland Park

Photo by Michael S. Williamson/Post

This family-style restaurant's typical meal-ender is a platter of Thai-style pork ribs marinated in a sugarcane-based Mekhong whiskey, caramelized and stacked with crisp shallots and dill.

Cuisine: Thai • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: Dupont Circle

Photo by Scott Suchman for The Washington Post

The snowball-like pastry consists of whipped cream or ganache sandwiched between layers of meringue, all covered in another layer of whipped cream and chocolate flakes or other adornments, such as nuts, crumbled meringue or even cookie crumbs.

Cuisine: French-Belgian • Dish type: Dessert • Neighborhood: Dupont Circle

Photo by Becky Krystal/Post

House-made pasta is the vehicle for a slow-roasted tomato sauce spiked with garlic, butter and sausage made with local pork, toasted fennel seed, pepper and floral fennel pollen.

Cuisine: Italian • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: Bloomingdale

Photo by Lavanya Ramanathan/Post

One of Joe's atypical dishes is a dry-sauteed beef sprinkled with ground cumin and cilantro that's an unexpected combination of Chinese and Mexican flavors.

Cuisine: Chinese • Dish type: Main course

Photo by Lavanya Ramanathan/Post

The mussels in this rich dish are swimming in a broth of white wine, shallots, pork belly and blue cheese.

Cuisine: Belgian • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: H Street

Photo by James M. Thresher/Post

Dirty South Deli eschews pulled-pork minimalism, piling up juicy meat, pickled jalapenos, a slice of nutty manchego cheese and cilantro on a buttery brioche bun.

Cuisine: American • Dish type: Sandwich • Neighborhood: Downtown

Photo by Maura Judkis/Post

This Southern Indian rice-batter crepe is the spiciest at Woodlands, having been rubbed with a thin layer of chili paste.

Cuisine: Indian • Dish type: Main course

Photo by Lavanya Ramanathan/Post

The herbaceous fried-rice salad naem khao is a Lao staple. Jasmine rice is mixed with coconut, rolled into balls and fried, then crushed and tossed with cilantro, scallions and sausage; to call it a salad is to downplay its sweet, garlicky and crunchy perfection.

Cuisine: Laotian • Dish type: Salad • Neighborhood: Columbia Heights • Note: Also on the menu at Bangkok Golden. (6395 Seven Corners Ctr., Falls Church. chefseng.com)

Photo by Lavanya Ramanathan/Post

Pitango sources roasted hazelnut, or nocciola, paste from a producer in Italy's fertile Piedmont region, and the result smells as intoxicating as it tastes.

Cuisine: Italian • Dish type: Dessert

Photo by Noah Dan

The chocolate-hazelnut spread that tops the thin crust pizza is produced just outside Turin, hometown of proprietor Carmine Marzano. Marshmallows broiled to the point of subtle smokiness, and a generous sprinkle of sea salt, keep the whole affair from being too cloying.

Cuisine: Italian • Dish type: Dessert

Photo by Scott Suchman for The Washington Post

It's hard not to notice diners oohing over bowls of this paper-thin, flash-fried spinach appetizer -- lightly tossed in tamarind chutney and sweet yogurt and flecked with red onion.

Cuisine: Indian • Dish type: Appetizer

Photo by Melina Mara/Post

It's a soup dumpling crossed with a fluffy Chinese pork bun, and when drizzled with a ginger-black vinegar condiment, the sheng jian bao delivers a rare combination of sensations: crustiness, meatiness and soupiness.

Cuisine: Chinese • Dish type: Main course

Photo by Tim Carman for The Washington Post

Tim Ma's perfectly seared scallops arrive in a deep bowl atop fragrant coconut risotto and a scoop of basil ice cream, which melts into the grains to form a sticky, savory support for the mollusks.

Cuisine: Pan-Asian • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: Shaw

Photo by Nicole Crowder/Post

This real-deal funky salad is made with shrimp paste and a side of pork rinds. Mix it together and sop it up with the rice. It’s unlike any papaya salad you’ve had before.

Cuisine: Thai • Dish type: Salad

Photo by Amanda Voisard for The Washington Post

Chef Victor Albisu turned the humble pie into a showstopper, charring kale, chard and spinach for complexity, and then layering them in a flaky pastry crust with rich bechamel, caramelized onion and smoked maitake mushrooms. It’s topped with a runny egg, then an avalanche of Parmesan.

Cuisine: South American • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: Penn Quarter

Photo by Lavanya Ramanathan/Post

This iconic dish comes with a show, as Wang Wen Fang, the elegant, 85-year-old marvel behind the double-cooked Long Island duck, methodically breaks down the bird tableside. Once he's finished, you get to enjoy the skin and flesh in a homemade pancake slathered in hoisin sauce.

Cuisine: Chinese • Dish type: Main course

Photo by Kate Patterson for The Washington Post

This hearty beef-broth soup comes packed with light and dark meat chicken, with bean sprouts, basil and lime on the side.

Cuisine: Vietnamese • Dish type: Main course

Photo by Stephanie Merry/Post

There are 17 varieties of pho on the menu at Pho 75, and the best are topped with steak, brisket or meatballs. It’s up to diners to pile on bean sprouts, basil and jalapeno.

Cuisine: Vietnamese • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: Rosslyn

Photo by Lavanya Ramanathan/Post

A jaunt through Greece isn't necessary to appreciate this wrap filled with marinated pork shoulder, drizzled with tzatziki and stuffed with thick-cut French fries.

Cuisine: Greek • Dish type: Sandwich

Photo by James M Thresher for The Washington Post

Ted's Bulletin transformed the Pop-Tart into legitimate pastry, filling handmade, almost cakey crusts with fillings such as homemade jams and fresh berries, brown sugar, and peanut butter and bacon.

Cuisine: American • Dish type: Dessert

Photo by Matchboxfoodgroup

This is an outstanding pork chop: Double-cut, enough to feed two, and served sliced and fanned, with bone-in ribs.

Cuisine: American • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: Dupont Circle

Photo by Dixie D. Vereen for The Washington Post

Together with pork, the intensely floral, fleshy litchi delivers nirvana in a mix of mint, cilantro and Thai basil, a broth scented with biting habanero and a jumble of textures, including coconut powder, crunchy peanuts and garlic chips served just shy of charred.

Cuisine: American • Dish type: Appetizer • Neighborhood: Capitol Hill

Photo by Astrid Riecken for The Washington Post

An herb-laden broth mixed with pork fills these delicate purses of dough, but the dumplings don't burst -- until, that is, you take a bite.

Cuisine: Chinese • Dish type: Dim sum • Neighborhood: Rockville

Photo by Dayna Smith for The Washington Post

Tender kabocha squash is the sweet counterpoint to the fire and kicky basil in Taw Vigsittaboot's traditional Thai red curry.

Cuisine: Thai • Dish type: Main course • Note: Available only as a $30 or $40 set-price menu. Also available at Thai X-ing, 2020 Ninth St. NW.

Photo by Stacy Zarin Goldberg for The Washington Post

The pupusas, stuffed with cheese or pork or vegetables, arrive soft and hot off the griddle.

Cuisine: Salvadoran • Dish type: Side

Photo by Lavanya Ramanathan/Post

The Salvadoran stuffed corn cake is as common in the Washington area as the taco is in Texas. But La Casita's are a popular favorite, with a thinner-than-average shell and a broad array of fillings, including cheese and green buds called loroco.

Cuisine: Salvadoran • Dish type: Side

Photo by Astrid Riecken for The Washington Post

Chef Roberto Castre makes a spectacular salad from quinoa tossed with all sorts of delicious supports: creamy avocado, toasted marcona almonds, cubed mozzarella, fresh mint and tangy dressing.

Cuisine: Peruvian • Dish type: Appetizer • Neighborhood: Dupont Circle

Photo by Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post

Mike Isabella roasts his cauliflower to the brink of char and tops it with salty, fried shishito peppers, blackened whole scallion stalks, mouth-puckering pickled shallots and an array of fresh herbs including mint and sprigs of dill.

Cuisine: American • Dish type: Sandwich • Neighborhood: 14th Street

Photo by Lavanya Ramanathan/Post

The dish begins with two skin-on thighs lightly seasoned and seared. They're then braised in the oven while a jus is made from chicken stock, wine, aromatics, coriander, peppercorn, thyme and lemon.

Cuisine: Mediterranean • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: Woodridge

Photo by Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post

Chef Victor Albisu submits a 12-ounce wagyu skirt steak to smoke and flames before layering it with dijon mustard, burnt onion jam, rosemary, parsley and Parmesan cheese.

Cuisine: South American • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: Penn Quarter

Photo by Alex Baldinger/Post

The secret at Ren's is stir-frying ground pork, garlic and the shoyu spices in scallion oil first to release their aromatics, giving this soup a headier flavor than the others. The rich pork broth is added next before it’s ladled onto those famed Nishiyama noodles.

Cuisine: Japanese • Dish type: Soup

Photo by Camille Kilgore/Post

Served with a mild curry sauce, they're the Sino equivalent of tortilla chips at a Mexican restaurant -- crunchy, savory and excellent for kicking off a meal.

Cuisine: Chinese • Dish type: Appetizer

Photo by Lavanya Ramanathan/Post

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.

Cuisine: Indian • Dish type: Appetizer

Photo by Lavanya Ramanathan/Post

The Yemeni appetizer offers layers of buttermilk, chopped almonds and walnuts, spring onion greens, mint leaves and lahoh, a spongy flatbread similar in texture to Ethiopian injera.

Cuisine: Yemeni • Dish type: Appetizer

Photo by Dixie D. Vereen for The Washington Post

Bite into chef David Chang's shrimp buns, and your first impression will be their fast-food-like simplicity: the pillowy bao bun, the spicy mayonnaise, the pan-fried shrimp patty and iceberg lettuce.

Cuisine: Korean • Dish type: Appetizer • Neighborhood: Downtown

Photo by Dixie D. Vereen for The Washington Post

Sweet, smoky salmon is the heart of this BLT, flaked generously over earthy flaxseed bread and layered with salty bacon, tart mustard-dill aioli, tomato and bitter greens for a delicate take on a classic.

Cuisine: American • Dish type: Sandwich • Neighborhood: NoMa

Photo by Lavanya Ramanathan/Post

This burrito-sized sushi log packs Sriracha mayo-slathered morsels of tempura shrimp, avocado, pickled cabbage and carrot, expertly engineered to balance crunch and creaminess, sweetness and spice.

Cuisine: Japanese-American • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: Downtown

Photo by Becky Krystal/Post

Smoked brisket is wrapped in cheese and tucked into this Southern-fried version of an egg roll, served with a cup of Redneck Fondue (cheese-covered chili).

Cuisine: BBQ • Dish type: Appetizer

Photo by Anne Kenderdine/Post

A murky, blackish beef broth, rich with meat and spiced with anise, chili bean sauce and Sichuan peppercorns, serves as the vessel for the thick ropes of hand-pulled noodles that are the house specialty at Taiwanese restaurant A&J.

Cuisine: Chinese • Dish type: Soup

Photo by Lavanya Ramanathan/Post

Tender puffs of silken tofu are lightly battered, fried and flecked with lemongrass.

Cuisine: Vietnamese • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: Seven Corners

Photo by Evy Mages for The Washington Post

The crunchy, golden-brown exterior hides soft, seasoned rice, which in turn hides a center of mozzarella.

Cuisine: Italian • Dish type: Appetizer • Neighborhood: Cleveland Park

Photo by Lavanya Ramanathan/Post

The traditional roe spread is turned on its head at Kapnos, where steamed cauliflower, raw onion, kicky chives and an artful dab of caviar make it unusually refined.

Cuisine: Greek • Dish type: Appetizer • Neighborhood: 14th Street

Photo by Lavanya Ramanathan/Post

This school-cafeteria staple is vastly more crunchy and delicious than what you remember.

Cuisine: American • Dish type: Appetizer

Photo by James M. Thresher for The Washington Post

The Green Monster eschews marinara sauce for pesto and comes topped with zucchini, kale, feta cheese and mozzarella.

Cuisine: American • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: Petworth

Photo by Holley Simmons for The Washington Post

This is a conoisseur's burger, where the beef is the star and the sparse toppings - a barely-there sliced of truffled cheese and a thin veneer of house-made mayo - are intended to enhance the main attraction.

Cuisine: American • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: Georgetown

Photo by Alex Baldinger/Post

This popular pie, dotted with pepperoni and jalapenos, is a staple on the menu of wood-fired pizzas.

Cuisine: American • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: Chevy Chase

Photo by Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post

This sandwich features a baked chicken breast served on a pita with mozzarella cheese, lettuce and garlic mayonnaise.

Cuisine: American • Dish type: Sandwich

Photo by Greg Hitt for The Washington Post

The ooey gooey Pimiento features classic Southern pimento cheese spread with the namesake peppers, mayo and a mixture of coarsely grated cheese, including a spicy habanero for extra heat.

Cuisine: American • Dish type: Sandwich

Photo by Chris Barber/Post

The smoky-sweet taste of a campfire s'more is captured in liquid form at celeb chef Spike Mendelsohn'sGood Stuff Eatery.

Cuisine: American • Dish type: Dessert

Photo by Lavanya Ramanathan/Post

Chef Eric Ziebold's torchon of white mushroom has a decadent feel and taste thanks to a generous amount of butter pureed into the mix that also includes caramelized garlic and onions.

Cuisine: French-American • Dish type: Appetizer • Neighborhood: Mt Vernon Square

Photo by Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post

Sandwiched between this dessert's layers of cake, doused in a sauce of evaporated milk, condensed milk and vanilla, are pineapple and strawberry jams, and whipped cream, which also provides the smooth white topping.

Cuisine: Latin American • Dish type: Dessert

Photo by Dixie D. Vereen for The Washington Post

This unorthodox tuna tartare-meets-beet salad begins with rare tuna and heightens it with the acidity of oranges, horeseradish and tiny fried capers.

Cuisine: American • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: NoMa

Photo by Lavanya Ramanathan/Post

The unagidon bowl features fatty barbecued eel piled onto a half-cooked egg. Crunch and color come last, as the bowl is decked out with ginger, daikon and cucumbers.

Cuisine: Japanese • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: Adams Morgan

Photo by Sarah L. Voisin/Post

A creamy, comforting side dish goes vegan with soy milk, enriched by olive oil, garlic and yeast, which creates a heavenly cream with a cheesy flavor.

Cuisine: American • Dish type: Side • Neighborhood: Columbia Heights

Photo by Anne Farrar/Post

Woks full of shredded Brussels sprouts, carrots, leeks and onions are worked to a pitch-perfect saute before topping a broth enriched with shiitake mushrooms, seaweed extract and pepper.

Cuisine: Japanese • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: Chinatown

Photo by Scott Suchman for The Washington Post

Among the brightly hued Ethiopian salads and stews ladled onto spongy injera: the fuchsia-colored beet and potato salad, the string-bean fosolia and the spicy chickpea mash.

Cuisine: Ethopian • Dish type: Main course

Photo by Lavanya Ramanathan/Post

The unconventional meatless bowl features a broth of Japanese kelp and layers of bamboo shoots, corn and mushrooms marinated like Korean bulgogi.

Cuisine: Japanese • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: Adams Morgan

Photo by Lavanya Ramanathan/Post

Chef Hiroshi Seki serves the fish with head and tail intact, with the meat of the belly exposed for devouring. The leftover bones are then deep fried for you to finish.

Cuisine: Japanese • Dish type: Main course • Neighborhood: U Street

Photo by Jennifer Chase for The Washington Post

The Chinese-style yellow egg noodle soup sports a five-spice-rubbed duck thigh; the earthy broth, so scented with anise, cloves and cinnamon that it's nearly black, is then dotted with bok choy and mushroom.

Cuisine: Vietnamese • Dish type: Soup • Neighborhood: Seven Corners

Photo by Lavanya Ramanathan/Post

Don't miss this salad that's fried and woven through with shrimp, squid, cashews, lime and a generous sprinkle of fried shallots.

Cuisine: Thai • Dish type: Appetizer

Photo by Marge Ely for The Washington Post

The griddle-cooked corn bread, made with a type of red heirloom "bloody butcher" corn, is served in a cast-iron skillet and is more savory and dense than what many of us are accustomed to.

Cuisine: American • Dish type: Appetizer • Neighborhood: Shaw

Photo by Maura Judkis/Post

The spicy shrimp dish camarones a la diabla was inspiration for this taco, which features a paddy of corn-spiked rice made green with cilantro, and a daisy chain of saffron-hued shrimp drizzled with jalapeno crema.

Cuisine: Mexican • Dish type: Main course

Photo by Lavanya Ramanathan/Post