the arugula files

"America is the Best Country in the World" and Himalayan Heritage

In my quest for trying all of the restaurants on the Washingtonian Cheap Eats List, Marcus and I landed at Himalayan Heritage on Saturday night.  The restaurant is only a short walk from our apartment, and we would have missed it had it not been for Amelia at Gradually Greener, who mentioned it in a comment on my cheap eats post. 

So, we ventured up the hill for a taste of Nepal and India, and were promptly greeted with perfectly spiced edamame and ginger.  Our waiter at Himalayan Heritage provided the best service I've had in a long time, maybe the best service ever.  Water glasses were filled to the rim, he described each of our plates with caring detail, and happily shared that he thought "America was the best country in the world," a refreshing statement from a Nepalese immigrant, who I'm guessing was in his early twenties, and reportedly had been in the U.S. for about a year in a half. 

How had we missed this place? (Careful you could miss it too: the signage isn't that great).  Everything was so enjoyable--the service, the soft Nepalese music in the background, and a nice reminder about feeling lucky to live in the U.S. (as opposed to, say, Iran). 

Afghan Raviolis

 

I will never make dumplings, or anything having to do with wonton wrappers again.  I'm just not cut out for it.  Wonton wrappers are a basic concept: you make a filling, stuff them, and then steam them or fry them.  What this doesn't tell you is the arduous process of stuffing those dumplings one by one.  It takes time and patience, two things which I seem to lack.  The thing is, the meat sauce I served with these raviolis was simply delicious.  I simmered lamb with coriander, cinnamon, cardamom, and cayenne pepper and then topped it with mint and yogurt.  The sauce was just as good as my favorite dish at Helmand.  It makes me want to make this dish again, but then I think about making the dumplings.  And the thought makes me want to lie down on the couch.

Delicious Chinese Food in NYC

There are not many good Chinese food restaurants in DC, so when Marcus and I traveled to visit friends in NYC the idea of going to Flushing for Chinese was super exciting.  We ended up at Spicy and Tasty where I had the best dumpling I've ever eaten.  The dumpling was served in chili oil with garlic and was filled with fatty, salty pork.  We also ordered crab sichuan style; the sauce struck a number of notes: garlic, chilis, ginger, and plums and was topped off with fresh cilantro.  Although the sauce was good enough to drink, it made it difficult to break apart the crab.  We did a lot of sucking on shells and finger licking.

Cheap Eats: Nava Thai

Todd Kliman, food critic at the Washingtonian, has been talking up Nava Thai for the last year. At his insistence we stopped at Nava for lunch the other day, and, after having eaten there, my gut instinct is cover Kliman’s mouth with heavy masking tape to prevent him from telling anyone else about the place; it’s that good. Nava Thai is a deserving newcomer to the Washingtonian's cheap eats list.

For an appetizer, I had the hot and sour squid.  This is no frozen squid; it was tender and the sauce—THE SAUCE WAS AMAZING.  Lemongrass, hot sauce, lime, cilantro were key ingredients.  Just thinking about this sauce makes me unconsciously lick my lips. For lunch, I had the Pad Thai, which was also quite good, and Marcus’ Pad Gra Pow pork was the best I have ever tasted.  We will definitely go back to try other dishes.

Nava Thai is located in Wheaton behind an Asian supermarket at 11315 Fern Street, which is a few short blocks from the Wheaton Metro.  If you are unfamiliar with this area of Maryland—it is a wonderful Mecca for ethnic food and shopping.

Best Ethiopian Food in DC

Man, I love Ethiopian Food., originally uploaded by abbyladybug.

Ethiopian is the only cuisine I’ve never tried cooking at home, though I would love to learn how to make cabbage with root vegetables and spicy red lentils. I’ll save that for the day I move to the country when walking two blocks for some injera is no longer an option. Until then, here are the places I like to eat. You should know that Marcus and I always get the same thing: spicy lamb tibs and a vegetarian platter.

Etete - The vegetarian platter here is lighter than others I've tried. Order it with a whole fried fish. The service is inconsistent, but I think the food is worth it. I would rate Etete the highest in DC for the vegetarian platter. It's about $40 for two with drinks.

Lalibela - This is where we eat most frequently. It's cheap ($35 for two with drinks), the service is prompt and friendly, and Marcus thinks the lamb tibs are the best. He describes them as greasy, spicy and perfect.  At Lalibela he usually doesn't talk to me while we're eating dinner, a sure sign he's paying attention to the food. The vegetarian platter is heavier and spicier than other places. Don’t expect much from Lalibela in terms of décor (unless you want flat screen TVs).

Dukem - This joint is tough to get into some nights. I've never had to wait for a table at an Ethiopian restaurant until I ate here. Service is friendly, but a bit slow. The food is good, but the draw, for most people, is the entertainment (offered seven nights a week). If you are up for music then Dukem is your place.

Zed's - This place is tasty, but expensive. It used to be that Zed's had the nicest decor of the Ethiopian restaurants in DC, but Etete and Dukem changed that. If you are in Georgetown, it's worth a stop. It will cost you, though. A check at Zeds for two hovers around $50-$75 with drinks.

Cheap Eats: Ruan Thai

Ruan Thai is one of six Thai restaurants named on Washingtonian’s Cheap Eats list.  This small, dull looking eatery, located in yet another strip mall in Wheaton, Maryland, has a stellar reputation among foodies and professional critics. Everyone on chowhound.com raves about the place.  If you visit the boards, you will find an interesting cyber conversation that has a little bite. Giving Ruan Thai a mediocre or bad review? Be prepared for some major push back that includes ad hominem attacks. Ruan Thai’s defenders won’t disagree with your assessment of how the pad thai tastes, they will tell you that you are not “ordering like a chowhound” or that ordering pad thai is not for “serious eaters.”  How absurd is that?  What has the foodie world come to?  Shouldn’t we give all food (and peace) a chance?

With that said, let us get to the important stuff…my two cents.
I really liked my entrée at Ruan Thai, but was disappointed with the appetizers.

My main was pad se ew. The dish had a lot of flavor, the beef was tender, and the chef cooked the noodles perfectly.  I would return to Ruan Thai for this dish, if I happen to be in Wheaton.  I tasted a few bites of my friends pad thai, which was quite good. She also ordered the coconut soup, and reported that it was slurpolicious (well…okay, she actually said delicious). 

For appetizers, we ordered yum nuea (beef salad), crispy calamari, and kanom jeeb (steamed dumplings).  I would not order any of these dishes again.  Ever.  The salad lacked kick, the calamari tasted previously frozen, and the steamed dumplings were hard, as if they were re-heated in the oven. 

Let me end on a positive note.  The bill, not including tip, for four people (four dinners, four appetizers, two alcoholic drinks, and three sodas) was $86.14.

Mandu

If you are looking for a good Korean place in the city, Mandu is worth a visit.  It is located on 18th and S in the spot that formally housed Mount Everest, which I was sorry to see go. 

The food at Mandu is tasty, the price is right, and the service is attentive.  Try the restaurant’s namesake dumplings or the bibim bap in a hot stone.  And the seafood pancakes are a good starter.  A nice touch is the panchan—little side dishes filled with kimchi, spicy zucchini, and potatoes—that are complimentary.

My bibim bap is featured in the photo above.  I really wanted to take the photo before I stirred the dish.  I just thought it would look better with the egg on top.  Of course, as soon as I got it, I stirred my spoon around and dug right in.  Only about half way through did I remember that I didn't take a photo.  I always feel like a donkey taking pictures of my food in restaurants. Usually I fake taking a picture of Marcus first and then quickly take a picture of my dish. 

There is lots of chatter on the internets about food blogging and taking pictures.  One restaurant in NYC banned photos all together.  From the comments here, it seems that this policy is making a lot of people angry, especially food bloggers. Viva La Resistance!

Dusit Thai

Enjoying the best ethnic food in the DC region requires a vehicle.  Want delicious Thai food?  Hop in your car and drive 25 miles to Wheaton, Maryland.  There, set in an ugly little strip mall, you will find the perfect blend of sweet and sour. This is the best thing about Dusit: the chef clearly understands balance and shows restraint with sugar.  Lime, basil, lemongrass, chilies, cilantro, ginger...you can taste them all.  Try the Yum Nuea (beef salad); the lime and cilantro make it a great summer dish. The spring rolls pack a flavorful punch with the perfect amount of grease and the grilled shrimp with lemongrass is lip smacking goodness.

I’ve heard lemongrass cures acne and baldness.  Okay, not really, but lemongrass is so GOOD that you won't care about your acne or baldness.  Lemongrass is the new pomegranate.  I'm sure we will see it in a martini soon. 

So get in your car, sit in traffic, and risk your life vying for one of Dusit’s five parking spaces.  Think of it as an adventure.  Also, there is a Target close by, if that means anything to you.

Dusit Thai Cuisine
2404 University Blvd. W.
Wheaton, MD
Phone: 301.949.4140