Melissa5

YES I actually made a decision about where to stay in DC! It's time for an e-party! Wahoo! I booked 2 rooms for my family at the Embassy Circle Guest House, which is a newer guesthouse owned and renovated by Raymond and Laura Saba, owners of the Woodley Park Guest House.

The Embassy Circle Guest House is at 2224 R Street, NW, located along Embassy Row. It's a 5- to 8- minute walk to the Dupont Circle Metro.

Wow, I'm really looking forward to staying at a guesthouse as I find them comforting, and fun to meet anyone who wishes to chat at breakfast. I think it's the right combination of a quiet place to sleep, without losing convenience to the sites.

Now I want to hear about your #1 favorite dining experience in the Dupont Circle area. What's your favorite eatery, cafe, restaurant, coffee house...what do you like? Tell me...I want to smell the coffee and taste the spices, so feel free to go into delicious details.

Here's how we choose where to eat on vacation. I make a list for each area of town, and xerox it so it fits in my purse or pocket. Then we arrive in the area, and wander around...when we spy one of the places on our list, and it smells good, we eat there. This is a lot easier than selecting one single place and wandering around trying to find it.

We have 5 nights in DC so that should be enough time to try several places in the Dupont Circle area. We might also get up to Adams-Morgan for dinner one night. It looks like we can walk to Georgetown as well.

I'd like to hear what YOU like. As far as what we like...we tend to like casual places where we don't have to dress up...and we especially love ethnic foods of all types, and family-run, locally owned places are our favorites.

Really looking forward to trying Ethiopian food. We like Thai food, Vietnamese food, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Italian, Mediterranean, Greek, Cuban, Mexican, etc. We already have tried a lot of Mexican food in San Diego so will probably not be looking for that in DC.

Thanks everyone who has already helped me on this forum.

nicegirl512

I love food and DC has some good places to eat. I compiled a list of cheaper restaurants (organized by location, including DuPont and Adams Morgan) on my blog a while back. http://gretchenthehouseholddeity.blo...ats-in-dc.html

One place I'd definitely recommend a visit to for a casual lunch in DuPont is Teaism, and I also highly recommend Sette Osteria for a nice dinner one night. Raku is also a great casual place for dinner in DuPont.

If you like ethnic, you should *definitely* get some Ethiopian while you're in DC. There is a large Ethiopian expat community and the food is wonderful (and now with the smoking ban the atmosphere is so much more pleasant). There are several recommended on the above-linked blog post.

MRand

Melissa5 - My teenage boys and I had a great time watching them make (and then eating) "stretched noodles" at Chinatown Express in D.C.'s Chinatown a couple of years ago:

http://www.washingtonian.com/restaur...iews/1052.html

It's inexpensive by Washington standards, and a business colleague also told me that one of his Chinese friends likes to go there whenever he visits Washington.

RuthMc

The Lebanese Taverna on Connecticut Ave. just north of the Rock Creek Park Bridge is wonderful--just order the small plates of whatever appeals to you.

jgg

We just returned from 6 nights in Washington DC. We stayed at the Hotel Palomar in DuPont Circle, just a block or so away from Embassy Row. It is a great location.

Our two favorite meals in the DuPont Circle area were Al Tiramisu (2014 P St.) and Hank's Oyster Bar (1624 Q St.). Al Tiramisu was excellent Italian food. Reminded us a lot of the wonderful trattorias we have eaten at in Italy. Hank's Oyster Bar was a wonderful seafood place, with a large selection of oysters and wonderful lobster bisque. (They do have a seafood other than oysters and my son had a great duck breast that night which was their nonseafood special).

We also enjoyed Larry's Ice Cream (1633 Conneticut Ave.) had it 3 times and it was delicious!!

coldwar27

I love City Lights of China in the Dupont Circle area.

kit

Luna Cafe...just south of the circle proper, on the east side of Connecticut.

treble

We especially enjoyed Levante's (Mediterranean)--DH and I shared a huge appetizer plate with two of everything typically Greek. We dined outdoors and the setting was fab...Also ate at Taj Mahal, food and service both places were great. Also had a more fancy steak dinner (and much more expensive) at Sam and Harry's. The elegant and quiet setting was just what we needed that night. All were within a short walk from the Westin Embassy Row (great location, lovely rooms and exceptional staff)) where we stayed.

GranthamMommy

bkmrk

mlgb

Adding to the DC FOOD Thread.

Dupont Circle Area (near Hotel Palomar)

Pizza Paradiso, great woodfired pizza, to go or dine in (small room and bar seating). 2029 P Street just down the block from Hotel Palomar.

Teaism, 2009 R St. Another fan. Delicious smooth curried lentil soup. Bought some gourmet rice krispie treats as a gift for the housesitter.

Wanted to try but thwarted by holiday closures, also on P Street: Mark and Orlando's, (2020 P). Prices look very reasonable.
Sala Thai (2016 P St), Pesce (next to Sala Thai). Sala Thai has happy hour specials on appetizers.

Downtown/ Restaurants.
Taberna del Alaberdero, East side of 18th Street a few doors down from I. Metro Farragut West/Farragut N. Happy hour M-F 3 pm to 7pm, half off tapas and sangria in the bar. There isn't much room in the bar, just three small tables and some bar seating. This was a great place for eating after a museum visit and on the way back to Dupont Circle via Metro. The room is more elegant than Jaleo (red walls, white moldings, crystal lights). Tapas average $5 each with the discount.

Jaleo, Metro Archives. West side of 7th Street at E St. Walking distance from National Gallery. Recommended: Bocata(sandwich) de cordero asado (lamb).


Zatinya, Metro Gallery Place, at 9th Street & G just across from the Gallery Place Metro exit and the National Portrait Gallery.
Recommended: Kofte sandwich, Maroulosalata, pistachio ice cream.

Although these two specialize in tapas or mezze (small plates) the lunchtime sandwich special at about $10 is a great deal. You get a large sandwich on great bread and a choice of sides. The ambience is casual, almost like a nice fast food place, but the food was great.