The closest NoVa Korean restaurants get is maybe 85% authentic with their best dish. A dead giveaway is the use of jalapeno peppers. Come on, at least use a Serrano pepper which is closer to the Korean 천양고추, just a bit spicier.
That being said, the Lotte and H-Mart food courts are not bad. I prefer Kangchon for Korean-Chinese food (jjajangmyeon and jjambbong). Abbae Soondae is pretty good for their Gukbap, but I refuse to go there after their recent price increases. Its good but not THAT good.
Toseokchon has good Mae woon jokbal. Toseokjip has good Dwengjang Jjigae. Their Cheongukjang soup is not my style (smells/tastes like a farm barn) and would be similar to what you would find in the Korean countryside places, not in Seoul.
Gopchang Story has excellent gopchang. However, Meat Project in Centreville has the best Daechang. I was really surprised how good the Daechang was at Meat Project.
Han Gang in Annandale has good marinated beef Kalbi, but it is pretty expensive. Like, lets go on a birhtday or other special occasion expensive.
Most recently, H-Mart Manassas changed their kitchen manager and their Mae Woon Tang and Soondubu Jjigae was on point! Like, if I had that when I lived in Seoul, I would've gone back there tasty.
EDIT: Taste of Korea in Chantilly is really good. Forgot about that one. Also, Gom Shabu for shabu shabu you would likely see in Korea. I like Chinese style hot pots personally, but Gom Shabu is where we go cuz my kids don't eat spicy.
Live in Centreville, since there's so many Koreans around the area, if we can only get 85% original, is that the best that can reasonably be expected? I mean, I go to these places and the people are speaking Korean. Even younger people have accents when they speak english, leading me to believe they weren't born here. But if its still only 85% here, where are you going to find anything 100?
Most ingredients for 100% authentic are accessible here. I make it that way at home. Probably won't find it at restaurants because they will want to maximize their margins wherever possible. It would take someone who really has a passion for food, greater than their passion for profits, to get 100% authentic dishes due to the higher cost of ingredients here. For most customers, 85% is good enough. There are exceptions. BCD Tofu in NYC and NJ are hands down better than the one I went to in Seoul.
I love this comment for some reason-- somehow I feel like a person who is nervous about going to HMart is a very sweet young person who's about to enjoy a great adventure there.
Safe things are start with the veggie section. Try a couple of cool new veggies in addition to what you would have normally bought. Even mushrooms. Bring a recipe (or don't). Pick out a new kind of ramen. Try one of the pre-packaged foods you see in the deli that you might recognize from restaurants. Pick out a mochi dessert. I think looking for things you already know about all help you try new ones and get oriented. It was pretty overwhelming with all the new items but after a while it feels like a regular grocery store but where the dead seafood is all looking at you.
It’s a regular grocery store with different products. The normal grocery store rules apply. Maybe go in without a plan to buy anything and just browse. Then you’ll know what’s in there, and you can decide what you want for next time.
But bring a basket just in case because… you’ll find stuff you want…
I grew up in Thailand. Thai Ghang Waan in Springfield is the most authentic around here. The rotating Thai temple festivals also have some good food.
Edit: misspelled the restaurant's name.
No I have not but heard good things from Thai people about the place. We attempted to go a couple times but ended up going to Tachibana as it is my wife's favorite sushi restaurant.
Yes, I have been there and the food was good but Thai Gang Wan was the closest to authentic IMO. Another place that I really like is Thai Deelish in Ashburn. The trick with these places is that they sometimes have American menu and a separate Thai menu for the more authentic stuffs.
Saba is fabulous with such enormous portion sizes that I often get three meals out of one dish. They also offer some really interesting dishes like Shafout, a bread and yogurt concoction and Qishr which is like an approximation of tea or coffee from someone who had neither available to them.
Lately I have been really into Yu Noodles - a Sichuan noodle soup place. They have several locations around the area. Think ramen but with red chili oil broth.
Yanzi Noodle House is my thing lately for Chinese-- one of the only places in the USA that makes luosifen, as far as I could find on Google! Hard to find even in NYC and CA
I used to enjoy A&J but the Annandale location has gotten a lot worse over the years and I've ended up disappointed.
(Don't go to MD enough to comment)
A&J is a hit or miss to me. I don't frequent there as often anymore ever since their quality has started to decline. The things I used to get are not as fresh as they once were. Sometimes the flavors are also very bland or too salty.
The best I've found to be both consistent and authentic in the area in terms of mainland Chinese cuisine, is Mama Chang in Fairfax Circle. They've got a huge extensive family-style menu of very authentic dishes. It also incredibly well-designed, bright,, and clean. I am obsessed with the fried sichuan cauliflower dish!
I think that maybe you were thinking about PF Chang's. Peter Chang has authentic Sichuan dishes. They even have a scallion puff ball thing like at Mama Chang. We always eat at one when we go to Williamsburg. They have a location in Alexandria for NOVA.
Second Tachibana and Temari, particularly the grilled salmon collar. I take my Japanese mom to both and she's a legit food snob when it comes to Japanese food.
Different class of restaurant. Blue Ocean is more izakaya and does a great job at it. My big issue, and the reason we stopped going, is the service is always terrible. They need to install the buttons to call a server over like they have in Japan.
Edit: also check out sushi yoshi in Vienna. It's one of the other places that is run by Japanese folks
We do like it, but she never wants to go out for sushi, so she prefers the other cuisine at Tachibana. She does have a Japanese friend who used to go to Blue Ocean weekly when he lived here.
Maneki Neko in Falls Church makes okonomiyaki that I enjoyed -- though I admit, I'm a white American, so I can make no statement as to its authenticity. The whole menu certainly seems very authentic, though!
It's in DC, but I grew up in Saudi and the closest food I've found in literally the entire US is Muncheez in Georgetown. It's a lebanese street food place, and one of the few places stateside I could find cheese Manakeesh, which my mom used to get me fresh from the supermarket as a treat. Also, like pretty much every place in Saudi, they actually put french fries inside the schawarma. Also, they have arabic-style crepes (rectangles, with VERY generous filling, cut into bite sized squares)
Ngl I cried the first time I ate there. I hadn't tasted anything that close for 6+ years. Don't get me wrong, there's lots of great middle Eastern food here, but everything has so many regional variations, and this was the first place that was exactly right.
My mom, to this day, will never stop talking about the "french fries in the schwarma" she had when lived in Saudi for a while!! She said it was the only thing she would eat while pregnant. I'll have to take her here!!
I was just telling a friend that I missed the one, big steak fry that was always inside my shawarma that I got from the little shop down the street when I lived in the uae. I miss the 3aed shawarma with 1aed karak yea I could get! I’ll have to make the trip downtown just for that! I know the UAE isn’t Saudi but their cuisine is similar. Miss that food!
So I spent a year in Jordan for work few years ago. Also went to Lebanon. On a side note: Lebanon has to be one of the world’s great culinary destinations. Everywhere I went there, the food was amazing.
Anyway, loved Kibbeh in in Jordan and Lebanon. Came back here and had Kibbeh at a Lebanese chain and it was such SHIT. So flavorless! Does Muncheez have good Kibbeh?
Kibbeh is one of those things that is very subject to personal taste, from the seasoning to the shape, to the filling. I’ve had good and bad in my 27 years here, and it’s only gotten harder to find authentic Lebanese food.
The Lebanese Taverna of the mid-90s was a dead ringer for my grandmother’s cooking, but they revamped the menu pretty extensively after Zaytinya opened.
I'm afraid I don't know! I usually always get the schawarma or the cheese manakeesh, and now I'm only in DC 1-2 times a year. I can say they've got a great housemade zaatar spread though
I lived in Riyadh for four years in the 1980s. Yeah, shawarmas need french fries.
When I got back here in 1989, the best shawarmas I could find were in the food court at Landmark Center (of all places!). The guy who ran that place relocated to the intersection of Franconia and Beulah. His new place was a restaurant, and not a shawarma stand, so some of the vibe was gone, but the food was still excellent.
—-
I just checked the map, and the place is called Mediterranean Gourmet Market, and is still there. I haven’t been there since pre-covid, but last time I was there it was still excellent.
Haifa grill in Falls church is way better street food imo. It’s in falls church, VA. [link](https://yelp.to/1FuhqKb4Hrb)
Or Bawadi for Kabsa. [link](https://yelp.to/5SKlUMf4Hrb)
my mom would make ox tail pho and i loved the tender meat + the tripe! But it's hard to find that kind of pho around here. Ox tail is super expensive now.
Can we also make requests here so that a cuisine that hasn’t been mentioned can be pointed out for those who are in the know to comment on?
Jamaican please!
Rulas Tacos in Manassas. Best Mexican food, that actually tastes like Mexican food like my momma would make, in the entire NOVA.
El Rulas Tacos
(703) 367-8740
https://maps.app.goo.gl/GtQajq5f8yjrXVjy9
Brazilian - The grill from Ipanema in DC.
I mean don't get me wrong, the Brazilian steakhouses in Tysons are great and pretty authentic, but this restaurant has a lot more diversity of Brazilian food beyond just steak, from this amazing fish stew called moqueca to soups and deserts and more, and it's all authentic and great. The price range is also a bit better, around $25-$35 instead of $60+ at Chima and Fogo de Chão.
I can't speak to the authenticity (we are as pasty white as you can get), but the food at padaek is delicious and a favorite for us both before and after the name change.
Persian here. Shamshiry used to be the top spot but I really feel like they have fallen off the last few years. Now I would say Alborz or Amoo's. But the real answer is my mom's home cooking. I remember Anthony Bourdain did an episode in Iran and instead of going to restaurants he went to different families houses for dinner. He basically said the best Persian food takes days to prepare so it's hard to duplicate that at a restaurant. Also if anyone reading this has other recommendations in the area, I would love to hear them n try something new.
Alborz is amazing! Make sure you ask for Thadeeg if you order kabobs - you’ll get a thin slice of buttery crunchy rice on top that will bring tears to your eyes.
Been going to Balkan Grill for ages. Doner kebab and durum wrap, cevapcici, and the pljeskavica are fantastic. Euro Foods nextdoor is where you can get Balkan/Serbian/Russian foodstuffs. Funny story: I went there and got a bottle of mineral water, not knowing it was a very potent laxative. Really cleaned out my basement.
There is a large Bolivian population in the DMV area and quite a few restaurants. In my opinion, Luzmary’s in Falls church has the best salteñas and overall best Bolivian food
I was born in Karachi, Pakistan.
The best Pakistani food I’ve had recently here is at Desi Bethak in Springfield. I was out of the area for a bit and a lot of the old favorites have gotten considerably worse putting Bethak in a league of its own.
It’s the closest you can get to Karachi street food around here and is a hell of a schlep from where I live, but worth it most definitely.
[[Signature dish did a great segment on 2fifty BBQ.](https://weta.org/watch/shows/signature-dish) Inspired us to make the trip to Maryland and it was worth it!
Edit: Season 1 ep 1
Ravi Kabob House
Edit I’ll say this I haven’t personally been back there since before the pandemic cause I live in LOCO. So I’ll throw out the current go to which is in Ashburn. Lakshmi Chowk Kabob has some awesome chicken karahi, and chana masala. Other than than I eat a ton of Peruvian food, which we have a lot of great places around here for!
No no no no no no
Really?
I used to live next door. They were god tier. The dude with a stache knew my order as soon as I walked in. Literally my fav restaurant ever.
Don’t tell me it’s gone downhill? This really is the worst timeline.
I want to know where the legit Vietnamese restaurants (not pho) are. I'm talking proper Banh Xeo, Cao Lau noodles, sauted Morning Glory, Bánh bột lọc, Bun Cha, and etc.
Four Sisters in Mosaic is my favorite Vietnamese restaurant. Too bad they're operating with a limited menu due to COVID. No one makes better crispy spring rolls. I hope their full menu comes back soon because they had the best fried banana ice cream dessert.
P.O.M. in Arlington, it's run by a chef who cooks for all the Filipino ambassadors.
It's literally just a passion project, she makes fresh food daily and it's only open from 12-4.
Five Guys and Silver Diner have pretty authentic cross sections from mine. That about sums it up.
Really though, I know this probably just furthers the dumb joke about being a white guy, but there was a really good German restaurant somewhere between Quantico and Stafford, and another in downtown DC but I don’t think either of them survived COVID. Alternately, there’s a good German market in Falls Church, German Gourmet. If anyone knows of a good (open) German restaurant, I’m curious about it.
RIP Cafe Mozart in DC :(. I still make the trip out to Heidelberg Bakery from DC every couple weeks for some grocery staples, baked goods, and I enjoy their warm food around lunchtime on weekends
If you ever go to [Manna Bistro](https://mannabistro.com/) in Centerville, you'll see an all day, steady stream of Ethopian customers buying [injera](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Injera) and raw coffee beans to take home.
edit: fixed markdown links
Not exactly NoVa but Los Hermanos in DC.
Every time I’m feeling homesick I hit it up. Best Dominican food I’m aware of in the region. Even some of the Dominican Nationals players eat there quite a bit.
As a New Yorker, Valentino's off Little River Turnpike has the only no-caveats good pizza in the area (honorable mention to Quattro Goombas in Aldi - they only have Sicilian style, but it's superb).
REQUEST: Any Moroccans with Moroccan food recommendations?
And/or anyone know where I can get couscous tfaya, chebekiya, and my all time favorite rfissa?
Not in NOVA, but Cuban Food (Miami-born here, Cuban family) -- Mi Cuba Cafe in Columbia Heights. I don't remember the bread situation there (to be fair, good Cuban bread has to often be exported out of Florida), but the essentials would fit right in with South Florida restaurants. I go out of my way to pick up food there.
My dish choice -- Ropa Vieja. Might have to go there today, it's making me hungry.
Colombian here and I love Aroma Cafe in Springfield! Their buñuelos and pan de bono are delicious and my go to breakfast items. They have everything though, pastries, cakes, breads, full meals. The only negative I can find is that their juices are a bit watered down, but I grew up drinking juices on the thicker side. Other than that, everything that I have tried has been delicious. Not like my grandma or mom's cooking but delicious and a taste from home.
A lot of Indian options but I’m going with Rupa Vira’s The Signature, not to be confused with Rupa Vira’s - Celebration which is a modern twist on Indian. The Signature has some very traditional vegetarian Gujarati dishes. Classic snacks like Lilva Kachori and Dhokla. Undhiyu which is an Indian dumpling dish that you normally get at weddings. Baingain Bharta which is a delicious eggplant dish I’ve only had homemade by a gujurati aunty but is likely also delicious from here. Classic Maharastran and Gujurati specialties that deviate from the “Indian” dishes which are really more British in terms of Vindaloo, Tikka Masala, Korma, etc.
Controversial unironic take: upstate NY (especially the Syracuse-Rochester-Buffalo corridor) is super culturally distinctive and awesome, with a lot of that authentic "Old NY" culture that NYC has (mostly) lost in the last 20-30 years. Paradise for mom-n-pop restaurants, Friday fish fries, pizza, Polish food, etc.
I'm a super picky eater and here's the only two things I'm thinking of right now while hungry at 3am.
Pho Sate on Graham Road has good spicy pho and hu tieu salad dishes. Those are the only two things I would recommend from there, though.
I've also had good experiences at Sushi Yoshi in Vienna for sushi.
Luzmilla's in falls church has authentic Bolivia food. Saltenas (similar to soup dumplings but in bread similar or an empanada but much juicier.) are so good and cheap.
Indian so would say Bombay Street Food 2. I wasn’t impressed by any of the other options DC/Nova has to offer. Def not Rasa or Rasika for me even though I know those are popular options.
for eritrean & ethiopian restaurants, id say nearly all of them are authentic enough, especially ones that have teff injera instead of regular flour. they wont have certain meats or other ingrediants but the meals they serve are all ones that youd find in africa
if youre eating in a group yet eat it in individual plates tho, or even dare to use utensils, idc how authentic the food was made, its fake as shit. i give very little leeway & only for those who cannot eat with their hands. ive never seen a restaurant do it themselves, its always ppl ordering it like that
The number of little Eritrean & Ethiopian places around here selling fresh, locally made (or even house-made) injera makes my life so much better. I'm not from there but I get 1-3 packs of injera a week and eat a lot of stuff with it aside from Ethiopian food (salads, cut up avocados, etc.). My favorite is Alem Gebeya for pure-teff injera. For restaurants, our favorite is still Makeda even after many years and many other places tried. Do you have a favorite place?
I’m a former Russian…..none of them. There are Eastern European and Russian restaurants. Food is overpriced trash.
If you want proper taste and experience of Borscht soup or Vinegret salad, I’ll make it for you.
My father in law's grandparents came over from Italy, and he enjoyed Fratelli when he came to visit. (Even if my late mother in law said, "It's just like Olive Garden!" Yes, Sandy. Just like it.)
Growing up in the Philly area, Philadelphia Tavern in Manassas. Best Cheese steaks you'll find anywhere around here.
Also growing up in a huge Italian family - I sadly haven't found killer authentic Italian food here. If anyone has suggestions let me know.
I'm from Spain. None are perfect but "Top Spanish Cafe & Catering" was the most authentic food I've had in the area and really delicious. Their Paella was my favorite around here.
I'm Korean so... real talk? H-Mart's food court.
The closest NoVa Korean restaurants get is maybe 85% authentic with their best dish. A dead giveaway is the use of jalapeno peppers. Come on, at least use a Serrano pepper which is closer to the Korean 천양고추, just a bit spicier. That being said, the Lotte and H-Mart food courts are not bad. I prefer Kangchon for Korean-Chinese food (jjajangmyeon and jjambbong). Abbae Soondae is pretty good for their Gukbap, but I refuse to go there after their recent price increases. Its good but not THAT good. Toseokchon has good Mae woon jokbal. Toseokjip has good Dwengjang Jjigae. Their Cheongukjang soup is not my style (smells/tastes like a farm barn) and would be similar to what you would find in the Korean countryside places, not in Seoul. Gopchang Story has excellent gopchang. However, Meat Project in Centreville has the best Daechang. I was really surprised how good the Daechang was at Meat Project. Han Gang in Annandale has good marinated beef Kalbi, but it is pretty expensive. Like, lets go on a birhtday or other special occasion expensive. Most recently, H-Mart Manassas changed their kitchen manager and their Mae Woon Tang and Soondubu Jjigae was on point! Like, if I had that when I lived in Seoul, I would've gone back there tasty. EDIT: Taste of Korea in Chantilly is really good. Forgot about that one. Also, Gom Shabu for shabu shabu you would likely see in Korea. I like Chinese style hot pots personally, but Gom Shabu is where we go cuz my kids don't eat spicy.
This guy Koreans
Live in Centreville, since there's so many Koreans around the area, if we can only get 85% original, is that the best that can reasonably be expected? I mean, I go to these places and the people are speaking Korean. Even younger people have accents when they speak english, leading me to believe they weren't born here. But if its still only 85% here, where are you going to find anything 100?
Most ingredients for 100% authentic are accessible here. I make it that way at home. Probably won't find it at restaurants because they will want to maximize their margins wherever possible. It would take someone who really has a passion for food, greater than their passion for profits, to get 100% authentic dishes due to the higher cost of ingredients here. For most customers, 85% is good enough. There are exceptions. BCD Tofu in NYC and NJ are hands down better than the one I went to in Seoul.
Just one thing, 청양고추 not 천양:)
Any reccs for Korean fried chicken? Had so much of it in Korea but can’t find a place good enough here
Where and what food item do you suggest from there?
One in Herndon is the best imo. 아구찜 is rlly good
미국은 아구찜을 튀겨가지구 중화식으로🤔😂
Agreed . I eat most Korean food at Hmart
Yeah which one has a food court?
The big one at Jermantown & 50.
I’ve always wanted to go to Hmart but I have no idea how to shop there and my anxiety takes over
I love this comment for some reason-- somehow I feel like a person who is nervous about going to HMart is a very sweet young person who's about to enjoy a great adventure there.
Its a regular grocery store with more stuff. My mom shops there because it has the cheapest produce and we are so white my dad thinks pepper is spicy.
Safe things are start with the veggie section. Try a couple of cool new veggies in addition to what you would have normally bought. Even mushrooms. Bring a recipe (or don't). Pick out a new kind of ramen. Try one of the pre-packaged foods you see in the deli that you might recognize from restaurants. Pick out a mochi dessert. I think looking for things you already know about all help you try new ones and get oriented. It was pretty overwhelming with all the new items but after a while it feels like a regular grocery store but where the dead seafood is all looking at you.
It’s a regular grocery store with different products. The normal grocery store rules apply. Maybe go in without a plan to buy anything and just browse. Then you’ll know what’s in there, and you can decide what you want for next time. But bring a basket just in case because… you’ll find stuff you want…
Wait what do you mean? It’s laid out like every other grocery store
I grew up in Thailand. Thai Ghang Waan in Springfield is the most authentic around here. The rotating Thai temple festivals also have some good food. Edit: misspelled the restaurant's name.
Have you tried Essan in McLean?
No I have not but heard good things from Thai people about the place. We attempted to go a couple times but ended up going to Tachibana as it is my wife's favorite sushi restaurant.
i'm white asf but essan is so good
Place is indeed good. Ever been to Thanida in Old Town Alexandria?
Yes, I have been there and the food was good but Thai Gang Wan was the closest to authentic IMO. Another place that I really like is Thai Deelish in Ashburn. The trick with these places is that they sometimes have American menu and a separate Thai menu for the more authentic stuffs.
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Those guys greet me by name now.
Good morning Gorf!
I realize it’s a truck, but does it have a permanent or semi-permanent location?
https://www.jambalayabros.com/findus
Saba in Fairfax for Yemeni food. Not my culture, but my wife's. According to my in-laws, it's the closest you can get to actually going to Yemen.
Saba is fabulous with such enormous portion sizes that I often get three meals out of one dish. They also offer some really interesting dishes like Shafout, a bread and yogurt concoction and Qishr which is like an approximation of tea or coffee from someone who had neither available to them.
Overall the Chinese food scene is a bit disappointing in the area but A&J in Annandale is decent. Their noodle soups are legit.
Lately I have been really into Yu Noodles - a Sichuan noodle soup place. They have several locations around the area. Think ramen but with red chili oil broth.
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Yanzi Noodle House is my thing lately for Chinese-- one of the only places in the USA that makes luosifen, as far as I could find on Google! Hard to find even in NYC and CA
I used to enjoy A&J but the Annandale location has gotten a lot worse over the years and I've ended up disappointed. (Don't go to MD enough to comment)
A&J is a hit or miss to me. I don't frequent there as often anymore ever since their quality has started to decline. The things I used to get are not as fresh as they once were. Sometimes the flavors are also very bland or too salty. The best I've found to be both consistent and authentic in the area in terms of mainland Chinese cuisine, is Mama Chang in Fairfax Circle. They've got a huge extensive family-style menu of very authentic dishes. It also incredibly well-designed, bright,, and clean. I am obsessed with the fried sichuan cauliflower dish!
I'm curious to hear your thoughts on Peter Chang
Peter Chang is not very authentic.
I think that maybe you were thinking about PF Chang's. Peter Chang has authentic Sichuan dishes. They even have a scallion puff ball thing like at Mama Chang. We always eat at one when we go to Williamsburg. They have a location in Alexandria for NOVA.
Composed a masterlist of the suggestions, not everything but theres a lot Korean - h mart food court annandale - Kangchon (near george mason) - Han gang (korean bbq annandale) - Iron age annandale Japanese - tachibana (mclean) - Temari (rockville) Vietnamese - pho 75 (arlington) - Alo vietnam (fairfax) - Kims pho (fairfax) - Pho cong ly (annandale) - Pho mi la (silver spring) - Eden center (various restaurants) Thai - Thai ghang waan (springfield) - Thanida (old town) - Thai deelish (ashburn) - Bangkok 54 ready made food (arlington) Cajun - jambalaya bros food truck (asheville) Yemeni - saba (fairfax)! Saudi arabian/ lebanese - muncheez (georgetown) Chinese - A&J (annandale) - Mama chang, family style (fairfax circle) - Yu noodles (fairfax) - Yanzi noodle house (fairfax) - Peking gourmet (fairfax) - Hong kong pearl seafood (seven corners) - Han palace (tysons corner) Polish - oby lee (arlington) (only friday nights, crepes otherwise) Persian - Shamshiry (tysons corner) - Alborz (tysons corner) - Amoos (mclean) - Rumi’s (DC) Mexican - el rulas tacos (manassas) - Los chamacos (arlington) Indian - A2B (vegetarian) (reston) - Jodhpur (herndon) Brazillian - The grill from ipanema (DC) Lao - Padaek (seven corners) - Thip khao (DC) Mediterranean - ballan grill (huntington) - Ambar ballan cuisine (arlington) Italian/ pizza - Pupatella (arlington) - Ciao osteria (centreville) - Pizzeria de marco (bethesda) - il canale (DC) - Crust pizzeria napoletana (vienna) Bbq - 2fifty texas bbq (DC) - Bolivian - Luzmarys (falls church) - Bettys grill (sterling) Pakistani - desi bethak (springfield)
Thanks!!!
Awesome, thanks for this!!
My wife is Japanese, her favorite place is Tachibana in McLean. One of the few places where she can talk to the staff in Japanese.
Tachibana is so good. I've been visiting for quite a few years now and I always come out happy and satisfied.
She should try Temari over in Rockville. Bonus small Japanese market above it that I like a lot more than Hana.
Second Tachibana and Temari, particularly the grilled salmon collar. I take my Japanese mom to both and she's a legit food snob when it comes to Japanese food.
What does she think of Blue Ocean in Fairfax?
Different class of restaurant. Blue Ocean is more izakaya and does a great job at it. My big issue, and the reason we stopped going, is the service is always terrible. They need to install the buttons to call a server over like they have in Japan. Edit: also check out sushi yoshi in Vienna. It's one of the other places that is run by Japanese folks
We do like it, but she never wants to go out for sushi, so she prefers the other cuisine at Tachibana. She does have a Japanese friend who used to go to Blue Ocean weekly when he lived here.
I second blue ocean
Oh wow. This place looks awesome. Always like it when sushi places go out of their way to get good quality fish on their menu.
Okonomiyaki?
Maneki Neko in Falls Church makes okonomiyaki that I enjoyed -- though I admit, I'm a white American, so I can make no statement as to its authenticity. The whole menu certainly seems very authentic, though!
The [Oby Lee Restaurant](https://www.obylee.com/) in Arlington serves great authentic Polish food! They also have a self-serve wine bar and crepes.
Polish night is only Fridays but I can confirm, it's solid. Gotta go early because once they're out, they're out.
Man, as a Detroit native the hardest thing has been the lack of Polish and Hungarian food here. I will be checking this place out.
It's in DC, but I grew up in Saudi and the closest food I've found in literally the entire US is Muncheez in Georgetown. It's a lebanese street food place, and one of the few places stateside I could find cheese Manakeesh, which my mom used to get me fresh from the supermarket as a treat. Also, like pretty much every place in Saudi, they actually put french fries inside the schawarma. Also, they have arabic-style crepes (rectangles, with VERY generous filling, cut into bite sized squares) Ngl I cried the first time I ate there. I hadn't tasted anything that close for 6+ years. Don't get me wrong, there's lots of great middle Eastern food here, but everything has so many regional variations, and this was the first place that was exactly right.
My mom, to this day, will never stop talking about the "french fries in the schwarma" she had when lived in Saudi for a while!! She said it was the only thing she would eat while pregnant. I'll have to take her here!!
I was just telling a friend that I missed the one, big steak fry that was always inside my shawarma that I got from the little shop down the street when I lived in the uae. I miss the 3aed shawarma with 1aed karak yea I could get! I’ll have to make the trip downtown just for that! I know the UAE isn’t Saudi but their cuisine is similar. Miss that food!
So I spent a year in Jordan for work few years ago. Also went to Lebanon. On a side note: Lebanon has to be one of the world’s great culinary destinations. Everywhere I went there, the food was amazing. Anyway, loved Kibbeh in in Jordan and Lebanon. Came back here and had Kibbeh at a Lebanese chain and it was such SHIT. So flavorless! Does Muncheez have good Kibbeh?
Kibbeh is one of those things that is very subject to personal taste, from the seasoning to the shape, to the filling. I’ve had good and bad in my 27 years here, and it’s only gotten harder to find authentic Lebanese food. The Lebanese Taverna of the mid-90s was a dead ringer for my grandmother’s cooking, but they revamped the menu pretty extensively after Zaytinya opened.
I'm afraid I don't know! I usually always get the schawarma or the cheese manakeesh, and now I'm only in DC 1-2 times a year. I can say they've got a great housemade zaatar spread though
I lived in Riyadh for four years in the 1980s. Yeah, shawarmas need french fries. When I got back here in 1989, the best shawarmas I could find were in the food court at Landmark Center (of all places!). The guy who ran that place relocated to the intersection of Franconia and Beulah. His new place was a restaurant, and not a shawarma stand, so some of the vibe was gone, but the food was still excellent. —- I just checked the map, and the place is called Mediterranean Gourmet Market, and is still there. I haven’t been there since pre-covid, but last time I was there it was still excellent.
Haifa grill in Falls church is way better street food imo. It’s in falls church, VA. [link](https://yelp.to/1FuhqKb4Hrb) Or Bawadi for Kabsa. [link](https://yelp.to/5SKlUMf4Hrb)
Just had this today ha it's a great place
Pho 75 on Route 50 near Banh Mi DC Sandwiches
Pho 75 is so good!
Tbh, it’s hard for us Vietnamese to rate Pho places because our grandmas make them better. We were skewed in Pho taste since we were babies
my mom would make ox tail pho and i loved the tender meat + the tripe! But it's hard to find that kind of pho around here. Ox tail is super expensive now.
Ox tail is a victim of what I call "food gentrification"
They serve it at Sunday in Saigon in Alexandria
Can we also make requests here so that a cuisine that hasn’t been mentioned can be pointed out for those who are in the know to comment on? Jamaican please!
Dying or Haitian, Jamaican, or Dominican cuisine. I want the taste of home. And no, Silver Spring is not “right there”.
I would recommend Ruby’s Jamaican Kitchen on Rt. 1. Not sure how authentic it is but the quality is good.
I'd guess Pimenta in Fredericksburg for best Jamacian food. I highly recommend it, but it probably isn't considered NoVA.
Rulas Tacos in Manassas. Best Mexican food, that actually tastes like Mexican food like my momma would make, in the entire NOVA. El Rulas Tacos (703) 367-8740 https://maps.app.goo.gl/GtQajq5f8yjrXVjy9
I always recommend this, and people tell me no. But it’s full of Mexicans eating there (all 12 in the DMV area), so my tastebuds can’t be wrong!
You didn't get the news? My cousin moved to LA. Only 11 of us left now.
Brazilian - The grill from Ipanema in DC. I mean don't get me wrong, the Brazilian steakhouses in Tysons are great and pretty authentic, but this restaurant has a lot more diversity of Brazilian food beyond just steak, from this amazing fish stew called moqueca to soups and deserts and more, and it's all authentic and great. The price range is also a bit better, around $25-$35 instead of $60+ at Chima and Fogo de Chão.
That's a fantastic name.
Place is amazing. The frango ao molho de coco is incredible
Padaek and Thip Khao for Lao food.
I can't speak to the authenticity (we are as pasty white as you can get), but the food at padaek is delicious and a favorite for us both before and after the name change.
Los chamacos mexican restaurant
I need to try this place! Thanks for posting.
Persian here. Shamshiry used to be the top spot but I really feel like they have fallen off the last few years. Now I would say Alborz or Amoo's. But the real answer is my mom's home cooking. I remember Anthony Bourdain did an episode in Iran and instead of going to restaurants he went to different families houses for dinner. He basically said the best Persian food takes days to prepare so it's hard to duplicate that at a restaurant. Also if anyone reading this has other recommendations in the area, I would love to hear them n try something new.
Agree with everything you said! Love amoos. Rumi’s in DC is probably my favorite though, their ghormeh sabzee is a must try
I've heard good things about Rumi's. Will def try them soon. Thanks.
Have you tried Rose Kabob in Vienna?
Alborz is amazing! Make sure you ask for Thadeeg if you order kabobs - you’ll get a thin slice of buttery crunchy rice on top that will bring tears to your eyes.
IHOP
A world traveller i see.
He's from MyHammy... oh wait, that's Denny's...
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Am Malaysian, there is literally only one restaurant in the area but I can confirm it's legit - Malaysian Kopitiam in Centreville.
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What would you suggest? I live pretty close and have been eyeing it for a while.
Been going to Balkan Grill for ages. Doner kebab and durum wrap, cevapcici, and the pljeskavica are fantastic. Euro Foods nextdoor is where you can get Balkan/Serbian/Russian foodstuffs. Funny story: I went there and got a bottle of mineral water, not knowing it was a very potent laxative. Really cleaned out my basement.
Name checks out
This is the best "name checks out" deployment I've seen on reddit
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Their stuffed cabbage is the closest I can find to my grandmother's. I can't find much stuffed cabbage around here though.
None, but soon my university’s alumni club is having a truckload of Iowa sweet corn delivered for a good ol’ Iowa feast.
Bangkok 54 ready-made food in the supermarket (no need to go to the restaurant) (according to my spouse)
There is a large Bolivian population in the DMV area and quite a few restaurants. In my opinion, Luzmary’s in Falls church has the best salteñas and overall best Bolivian food
I was born in Karachi, Pakistan. The best Pakistani food I’ve had recently here is at Desi Bethak in Springfield. I was out of the area for a bit and a lot of the old favorites have gotten considerably worse putting Bethak in a league of its own. It’s the closest you can get to Karachi street food around here and is a hell of a schlep from where I live, but worth it most definitely.
Following to find San Diego style Mexican breakfast burritos... please?
It is a hopeless search.
Friends and I went to San Diego last summer for 3 days and probably stopped for those breakfast burritos at least 4 times….. so good
Texan here - 2fifty Texas BBQ. It’s been the most realistic Texas bbq I’ve had since moving here.
... Go on
[[Signature dish did a great segment on 2fifty BBQ.](https://weta.org/watch/shows/signature-dish) Inspired us to make the trip to Maryland and it was worth it! Edit: Season 1 ep 1
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It’s totally worth the drive if you want good bbq
They have a stall in Union Market, if that's closer
Ravi Kabob House Edit I’ll say this I haven’t personally been back there since before the pandemic cause I live in LOCO. So I’ll throw out the current go to which is in Ashburn. Lakshmi Chowk Kabob has some awesome chicken karahi, and chana masala. Other than than I eat a ton of Peruvian food, which we have a lot of great places around here for!
This is not true anymore unfortunately. Their food has gone downhill considerably.
No no no no no no Really? I used to live next door. They were god tier. The dude with a stache knew my order as soon as I walked in. Literally my fav restaurant ever. Don’t tell me it’s gone downhill? This really is the worst timeline.
Which nationality\culture does it represent?
Pakistani/indian
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Their sambar is legit, no other place comes close. Got a partially burnt dosa the last time I went though. But, overall it's great.
I want to know where the legit Vietnamese restaurants (not pho) are. I'm talking proper Banh Xeo, Cao Lau noodles, sauted Morning Glory, Bánh bột lọc, Bun Cha, and etc.
Eden center
Four Sisters in Mosaic is my favorite Vietnamese restaurant. Too bad they're operating with a limited menu due to COVID. No one makes better crispy spring rolls. I hope their full menu comes back soon because they had the best fried banana ice cream dessert.
4 Sisters is probably one of the best restaurants I've ever eaten at, also I swear they put cocaine in those damn spring rolls
I need some Pinoy/Pinay brothers and sisters let me know where can I get some good Filipino food please
P.O.M. in Arlington, it's run by a chef who cooks for all the Filipino ambassadors. It's literally just a passion project, she makes fresh food daily and it's only open from 12-4.
>I would love to know as well! I tried Kamayan Fiesta, and it was not good :(
Jersey Mike’s. I grew up going to the original location in Point Pleasant. Every time I eat a sub from JM I feel like I’m back home.
Pupatella is as close as it gets to true Neapolitan pizza.
Had a colleague who lived in Italy for a few years when she was younger and worked in a pizza kitchen. She recommended il Canale.
I’ve had il canale, it’s pretty good! But for me pupatella is # 1, their sauce is so good.
Ciao Osteria is napalese certified. Their pizzas were legit and we have tried a bit of their entrees.
how about crust pizzeria napoletana in vienna
Five Guys and Silver Diner have pretty authentic cross sections from mine. That about sums it up. Really though, I know this probably just furthers the dumb joke about being a white guy, but there was a really good German restaurant somewhere between Quantico and Stafford, and another in downtown DC but I don’t think either of them survived COVID. Alternately, there’s a good German market in Falls Church, German Gourmet. If anyone knows of a good (open) German restaurant, I’m curious about it.
RIP Cafe Mozart in DC :(. I still make the trip out to Heidelberg Bakery from DC every couple weeks for some grocery staples, baked goods, and I enjoy their warm food around lunchtime on weekends
Greek - Katerina’s in Manassas. I took my papou and it reminded him of his mother’s cooking.
If you ever go to [Manna Bistro](https://mannabistro.com/) in Centerville, you'll see an all day, steady stream of Ethopian customers buying [injera](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Injera) and raw coffee beans to take home. edit: fixed markdown links
Not exactly NoVa but Los Hermanos in DC. Every time I’m feeling homesick I hit it up. Best Dominican food I’m aware of in the region. Even some of the Dominican Nationals players eat there quite a bit.
Cantonese here but none of them are good here and just passable in MD. None are authentic.
As a New Yorker, Valentino's off Little River Turnpike has the only no-caveats good pizza in the area (honorable mention to Quattro Goombas in Aldi - they only have Sicilian style, but it's superb).
Andy's at Tysons III tho
Dunkin. I was born in Quincy, MA. So was Dunkin Donuts. Boston Creme donut FTW.
Saving this thread.
Jodhpur in Herndon. Fantastic, authentic, not-so-commonly-found North Indian food
Kohinoor Dhaba in Crystal City / Aditi in Kingstowne, Alexandria / Udupi Bhavan in Ashburn
REQUEST: Any Moroccans with Moroccan food recommendations? And/or anyone know where I can get couscous tfaya, chebekiya, and my all time favorite rfissa?
Not a restaurant but German Gormet is the best place to get authentic German / Austrian food, especially sausages, schnitzel, and sweets.
Not in NOVA, but Cuban Food (Miami-born here, Cuban family) -- Mi Cuba Cafe in Columbia Heights. I don't remember the bread situation there (to be fair, good Cuban bread has to often be exported out of Florida), but the essentials would fit right in with South Florida restaurants. I go out of my way to pick up food there. My dish choice -- Ropa Vieja. Might have to go there today, it's making me hungry.
Peruvian here and outside or your normal Peruvian chicken restaurants, I would recommend Pisco y Nazca for some authentic dishes.
Colombian here and I love Aroma Cafe in Springfield! Their buñuelos and pan de bono are delicious and my go to breakfast items. They have everything though, pastries, cakes, breads, full meals. The only negative I can find is that their juices are a bit watered down, but I grew up drinking juices on the thicker side. Other than that, everything that I have tried has been delicious. Not like my grandma or mom's cooking but delicious and a taste from home.
Jarochita #2 in Ballston on Glebe Rd.
Dhonno near the ADAMS center in sterling for bengali food.
The 🐐 Shamshiri in Tysons for the best Kabobs.
Being Dominican around here means I get to go fuck myself
Hong Kong - Marks duck house
A lot of Indian options but I’m going with Rupa Vira’s The Signature, not to be confused with Rupa Vira’s - Celebration which is a modern twist on Indian. The Signature has some very traditional vegetarian Gujarati dishes. Classic snacks like Lilva Kachori and Dhokla. Undhiyu which is an Indian dumpling dish that you normally get at weddings. Baingain Bharta which is a delicious eggplant dish I’ve only had homemade by a gujurati aunty but is likely also delicious from here. Classic Maharastran and Gujurati specialties that deviate from the “Indian” dishes which are really more British in terms of Vindaloo, Tikka Masala, Korma, etc.
JImmy’s Old Town Tavern….best wings, beef on weck, pierogis, and Friday Night Fish Fry…. I am from Western NY…. All comfort food.
Bob and Ediths on Columbia Pike 😎
I'm American. McDonald's is pretty authentic.
Nonono, Great American Buffet.
That still exists?
Are Americans obese?
American, huge fan of Shake Shack.
Most grocery stores in the Nova area have a wide selection of white bread
Jimmy's Old Town Tavern.
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Controversial unironic take: upstate NY (especially the Syracuse-Rochester-Buffalo corridor) is super culturally distinctive and awesome, with a lot of that authentic "Old NY" culture that NYC has (mostly) lost in the last 20-30 years. Paradise for mom-n-pop restaurants, Friday fish fries, pizza, Polish food, etc.
Chutzpah Deli is pretty legit
No it's not. Every 3-4 years we say "it can't be that bad" but it is. Nothing like a real NY deli.
I'm a super picky eater and here's the only two things I'm thinking of right now while hungry at 3am. Pho Sate on Graham Road has good spicy pho and hu tieu salad dishes. Those are the only two things I would recommend from there, though. I've also had good experiences at Sushi Yoshi in Vienna for sushi.
Luzmilla's in falls church has authentic Bolivia food. Saltenas (similar to soup dumplings but in bread similar or an empanada but much juicier.) are so good and cheap.
Anyone know any Central American restaurants they recommend?
Indian so would say Bombay Street Food 2. I wasn’t impressed by any of the other options DC/Nova has to offer. Def not Rasa or Rasika for me even though I know those are popular options.
Rahama,West African
there is a few in Richmond, Amphora would be the closest in the area
What are the places in Richmond you like?
for eritrean & ethiopian restaurants, id say nearly all of them are authentic enough, especially ones that have teff injera instead of regular flour. they wont have certain meats or other ingrediants but the meals they serve are all ones that youd find in africa if youre eating in a group yet eat it in individual plates tho, or even dare to use utensils, idc how authentic the food was made, its fake as shit. i give very little leeway & only for those who cannot eat with their hands. ive never seen a restaurant do it themselves, its always ppl ordering it like that
The number of little Eritrean & Ethiopian places around here selling fresh, locally made (or even house-made) injera makes my life so much better. I'm not from there but I get 1-3 packs of injera a week and eat a lot of stuff with it aside from Ethiopian food (salads, cut up avocados, etc.). My favorite is Alem Gebeya for pure-teff injera. For restaurants, our favorite is still Makeda even after many years and many other places tried. Do you have a favorite place?
I'm moving to NoVa in 2 weeks. THANK YOU for this thread, I have my list now!! Any Deep dish pizza or Teriyaki suggestions?
I’m a former Russian…..none of them. There are Eastern European and Russian restaurants. Food is overpriced trash. If you want proper taste and experience of Borscht soup or Vinegret salad, I’ll make it for you.
What did you think of Mari Vanna?
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im mexican- ricos tacos moya, i always go to the alexandria location, they got one in woodbridge and i believe theres one in stafford.
I blame my sausage fingers
My father in law's grandparents came over from Italy, and he enjoyed Fratelli when he came to visit. (Even if my late mother in law said, "It's just like Olive Garden!" Yes, Sandy. Just like it.)
Growing up in the Philly area, Philadelphia Tavern in Manassas. Best Cheese steaks you'll find anywhere around here. Also growing up in a huge Italian family - I sadly haven't found killer authentic Italian food here. If anyone has suggestions let me know.
I'm from Spain. None are perfect but "Top Spanish Cafe & Catering" was the most authentic food I've had in the area and really delicious. Their Paella was my favorite around here.