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Photo courtesy of Seoul Food.
4 Off-the-Beaten-Path Restaurants Showcasing Flavors of Different Asian Cuisines
October 5, 2023 @ 10:00am
As D.C. grows its presence as a foodie city, here are four places you may not know about serving delicious Asian cuisine.
We have seen an explosion of Asian restaurants in D.C. in recent years – in fast-casual, casual and fine dining – which has made our food scene so much more dynamic. Many of us are familiar with the some of the stars, such as Anju, which offers spectacular Korean food; Rasika, home to some of the best Indian food in the entire country; and the string of Peter Chang restaurants, which gives us the opportunity to have fantastic Chinese food in any neighborhood in the DMV, whether it’s at Peter Change in Rockville, Q by Peter Chang in Bethesda, Mama Chang in Fairfax, NiHao in Baltimore or Chang Chang in Dupont.
But here, we wanted to highlight some of the other exciting restaurants in the D.C. area that are lesser known and slightly off the beaten track, but are still showcasing some awesome food from different Asian countries.
Astoria
Prepare yourself for a Chinese menu with lots of big flavors. The space may be small, but the food is the opposite. There is Impossible mapo, delightfully meaty from Impossible meat and plenty spicy from the Sichuan peppercorn; three different kinds of eggplant dishes, including garlic eggplant, basil eggplant, and salt and pepper eggplant; stir-fried pea shoots, watercress and several kinds of noodles. The cocktails are as well prepared as the cuisine — try the Bourbon Smash, which has muddled lemon, or a classic gimlet or salty margarita. 1521 17th St. NW, DC; astoriadc.com // @astoria_dc
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Seoul Food
The menu of this Korean restaurant is huge in comparison to the small space the restaurant occupies. Diners can choose from handmade dumplings, cauliflower japchae smothered in a silky turmeric tahini sauce, mushroom donburi, kimchi tacos and so much more. Great for anyone with dietary preferences or restrictions, as the dishes are marked at vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free. The one not-to-miss dish is the “KFC sandwich,” with Korean-style gochujang-glazed fried tofu, pickled daikon radish and cucumber kimchi, all served on a brioche bun. 7302 Carroll Ave. Takoma Park, MD; seouldfooddc.com // @seouldfooddc
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Som Tam
From fragrant tom yum soup to spicy papaya salad to a crunchy larb salad to creamy and rich khao soi, there is nothing soft-spoken about the Thai cuisine at Som Tam. Stop by their food stall the next time you are visiting Union Market to indulge in their heady Thai street food. Insider tip: They will soon be opening two more locations in D.C. 1309 5th St. NE, DC; eatsomtam.com // @somtamdc
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1914 by Kolben
This charming Vietnamese restaurant is designed to look like a train car, a nod to the famous Train Street in Hanoi. The narrow street with a working train track in the middle is known for the cafes that line it (and the Insta-worthy photo ops every time a train comes through), although officials have been trying to close down the street for years. The Vietnamese fare at 1914 is as fun as the theme: waffle eggrolls are the crunchiest you will have ever have and the mini mushroom pancakes are delightfully savory, easy to eat with your hands and perfect for sharing. Try the lemongrass tofu, or the fried rice with scrambled eggs if you want a bowl of something all to yourself. Their cocktails are great; the song-cai 75 with gin, sparkling wine, lemon, and simple syrup is cool and refreshing, and the passion-week, with rum, passion fruit and lime is tropical and sweet. 1914 9th St. NW, DC; 1914kolben.com // @nineteenfourteenkolben
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