[mappress]

“Where the f— are we,” I thought to myself as we drove up Connecticut Avenue past the Beltway into Kensington, Maryland to find what many consider to be the best Thai restaurant in the greater metropolitan area.  What further catalyzed my reaction was the self-awareness that I had actually grown up in Bethesda, only a few suburban miles away.  Still, I had absolutely no idea where we were and my expectations rose commensurate with each mile I drove away from my home in Northwest DC.

We finally arrived at our destination, Nava Thai, located directly off University Boulevard in Wheaton, Maryland and headed inside where we were greeted and seated by a friendly middle-aged Thai woman.

Cost – $$

Service – C+
We arrived later in the evening (about 8:45 PM) and were some of the last patrons to leave the establishment, so I’m guessing the wait staff didn’t exactly have their A-game on at this point in time.  The litmus test for me was when someone in our group complained about the fact that the floating market noodle soup was served lukewarm and our server essentially shrugged their shoulders, said “OK,” and took it away without warming it back up or reimbursing us on the check.  That being said, they were pretty punctual throughout the meal and delivered everything in a precise manner so I would have probably graded them higher if not for the soup fubar.

Food – B+
For starters, we had the papaya salad and mussel hot pot.  I tend to like dishes with a bit of a kick and the papaya salad sat well with my palette.  The blue mussels were served with a delicious spicy red pepper sauce however they were a bit over-steamed.  For our main course, we had crispy duck kaprow, the floating market noodle soup served with beef and fried flounder.  The kaprow was one of the best Asian dishes I’ve had in a while.  As mentioned before, the soup was served at room temperature and a bit of a downer considering my expectations.  The flounder was solid but nothing extraordinary.

Décor – B
The cozy interior of Nava Thai amuses me: it feels like you’re sitting in a Cracker Barrel located in rural West Virginia except instead of meatloaf, you’re eating Bar Mee Lard Na and sipping on a Lychee Martini.  Maybe the proprietors realized that to simultaneously serve Thai food and design the restaurant with a Thai aesthetic would overwhelm the white folks in Wheaton, Maryland.  Given the abundance of white folks sitting in the restaurant I would say their theory was accurate.  That makes me wonder if there is an opportunity to build a restaurant in a Thai stilt house surrounded by stupas that serves hamburgers.  Probably not.

Feel – B+
I have to admit we had a pretty fun time at Nava Thai.  The place was packed and it was just a fun, lively environment for a nice dinner on a cold, wintery Thursday evening.  If I lived closer I would probably visit the restaurant with some regularity.  If they had just warmed up the damn soup I probably would have given the restaurant higher grades across the board.

Nava Thai is located at 11301 Fern Street in Silver Spring, MD.  They can be reached at (240) 430-0495.

The only thing that makes an Asian happier than rice is noodles.  Yesterday evening, a small group of friends including Dean and myself were wandering around in the U Street, looking for somewhere to eat that did not involve more than an hour-long wait and I remembered the U Street newcomer catching my eye from earlier that evening.  We hit the restaurant up and as soon as we laid eyes on the menu we were happier than pigs in, well you know how that goes.

Cost – $$

Service – A-
The service was top-notch.  Our waitress was incredibly attentive and friendly.  Not only that, the owner, who was hanging out by the bar, came over and chatted with us for a bit and gave us the back-story behind the borderline-controversial Asian caricature on the wall.

Food – A-
The menu has a number of soup dishes that look a bit pho-ish and if anyone reads our restaurant reviews they know that I have a slight addiction for pho (probably stemming from all the MSG) but I decided to go with a more hardier bowl of drunken noodles with beef and was thorougly satisfied.  They also have great liche martinis (although the costs will add up pretty quickly).

Decor – A-
It has a very urban, modern feel with unfinished floors, fantastic lighting and bare walls apart from the unique street art-ish Asian chef caricature.  It feels like a place you might find in the East Village.

Feel – A
We had a fantastic time just hanging out at the venue.  We probably sat there for about 2 or 3 hours just sucking down saki and liche martinis.  I can’t understand why it wasn’t more crowded but that’s everyone else’s loss and my gain I guess.

Noodles is located at 1412 U Street NW.

What’s the Buzz:

February 28, 2009 – Thoughts on DC Noodles (U Street Girl) - I ordered delivery from DC Noodles last night, partially because I had nothing in the fridge and partially because I wanted to try out the food after seeing it had recently opened.  Full article…

February 25, 2009 – DC Noodles (Conoperative) – A Nike project I’m working on with some friends got put on hold, so I spent last Saturday night until Sunday morning painting some characters for DC Noodles.  My friends Mike and Sak recently closed their old restaurant, Simply Home, and reopened it as DC Noodles. Sak is from Thailand and came up with some really good traditional noodle dishes with his chef.  Full Article…

With its rapid growth in the past several years, Logan Circle has begun to develop a laid-back yet cutting-edge identity that is fueled by the amalgamate of hipsters, artists and young professionals who frequent the venues in this area as well as the flurry of restaurants that have sprung up on and around the 14th street corridor. There is a Manhattan lower-east side aesthetic to many of these establishments and Rice would certainly fall into this category.

Cost - $$

Service – A-
The staff is tremendously warm and friendly. I don’t believe that our server necessarily had an expert grasp of the menu however she was prompt, polite and so genuine that there were times I felt like standing up and giving her a bear hug. However, this seemed completely inappropriate so I avoided it.

Food- A-
The menu is contemporary Thai and is split into three categories – house specialties, authentic Thai, and healthy/green dishes (although most Thai food is healthy in my opinion). There was a slight wait when we first arrived and as we were standing by the bar I was jolted by a waft reminiscent of kalbi (one of the most incredible smells in the world) and looked over to see a plate of sliced steak on some guy’s plate and after that it wasn’t really much of a mystery what I was going to order. As anticipated, the grilled NY Steak was mouth watering. What was unexpected was how much I also enjoyed the spicy chicken basil dish we ordered.

Décor- A-
I’m falling in love with unfinished brick and an entire wall in Rice is unfinished. The opposing wall is finished in white that appears a bit bare. The ceilings are high, which does create a bit of a sense of emptiness when taken in combination with the bare white main wall. However, the empty space is offset by warm lighting and the crowd itself. From what I understand there aren’t many nights when Rice hasn’t drawn a good crowd (knock on wood).

Feel – A-
Rice is perfect for dinner on a weekday or weekend evening, probably with a smaller group or just a couple due to seating constraints. I instantly fell in love with the place the moment we walked in and were greeted by the hostess. The synthesis of the service, food and visual aesthetic in the place culminate in a top-tier experience. We actually walked into Cork at first but after being told the 30-minute window on my reservation had expired and I’d have to start at the end of the queue, by a hostess who seemed irritated and frazzled, I didn’t think for a second before deciding to leave and head over to Rice.

Rice is located at 1608 14th Street, NW. They can be reached at (202) 234-2400 and reservations are recommended.

What’s the Buzz:

April 15, 2008 – Rice (Bacon and Blue) – Rice garners a bustling/hip crowd for dinner in the Logan/14th Street corridor – particularly on the weekend. The inside is calming and sleek – and completely met my expectations based on the view from the front window.  Full article…

February 19, 2008 – Thai two ways a la Logan Circle: Rice and Thai Tanic (Kiss my Grits!)  – Rice is very feng shui minimalist chic – spare tables, light washes as a nod to wall décor, and an exposed brick wall.  I recently visited on a Friday night (note: on the early-ish side: 7pm) and was seated right away, although it did get crowded later on.  I wished for a table along the perimeter of the room, but that’s more of a personal preference, and those tables seemed to be reserved for 4 people as opposed to our party of 2.  Full article…

Cost – $$

Service – A-
Extremely friendly and down-to-earth. I was a bit surprised when they didn’t have any sushi on the menu and our waitress went so far as to mention there was a place down the street that served sushi.

“Isn’t that a little odd for you to suggest,” I asked.

“Yeah, but I know how it is if you’re craving sushi,” she responded back.

It might not be the most profitable answer for the venue but it deserves brownie points.

Food – A-
I like strong flavors. In fact, I like flavors that jump up and bite me in the ass. Therefore, Tom Yum infused with habeneros is going to be something I like, as is salmon doused in soy sauce. It was like the chef was reading my mind and saving me the trouble of tainting well prepared food with soy sauce and hot sauce on my own.

Decor – B
Szechuan House Fusion Grill may have an utterly generic and bland name, but that is no indication of the quality of food or the interior in the venue, which is well construed in my opinion. It has a modern, minimalist aesthetic that is complimented quite well by black-and-white photographs that line the walls.

Feel – B+
I visited the venue on a Monday evening and it was relatively quiet in the dining area even though there was a neighborhood crowd gathered at the bar. My guess is that the venue probably makes most of its money during the lunch hour and only peripheral income during the weekday evenings (although I’d be curious to see what it is like on the weekend evenings). It’s a good choice if you’re craving a slick, calm environment and Asian food in the area however if you’re looking for a scene, you’re probably better served elsewhere.

Scezhuan House Fusion Grill is located at 515 8th St SE. They can be reached at (202) 546-5303.

Although I like Asian Fusion restaurants like Raku I’ve always been a bit dubious about restaurants that advertise themselves as sushi / [insert other asian cuisine] restaurants so even though I’ve walked by Thai Chef and Sushi Bar hundreds of times and admired the design I’ve never dropped by, opting for places like Regent Thai if I’m in the mood for Thai food and a place like Japone if I’m in the mood for sushi in the Dupont area. On a whim I decided to try Thai Chef and Sushi a couple of weeks ago and was pleasantly surprised.

Cost – $$

Service – B
Nothing memorable however they did accommodate my obsessive compulsive desire to switch tables at least two or three times when I first arrive, without batting an eyelash so they get some brownie points for that.

Food – A-
Actually I was pretty damn impressed with the sushi at Thai Chef. I probably would say it is even better than Japone but not as good as Sushi Taro. I had a few standard rolls and also tried a few of the specialty rolls. It was so much food I wasn’t even able to finish everything (admittedly my stomach had not made a full recovery from the previous night out).

Decor – B
I dig it. They open up the street-side wall when the weather is nice, giving the place a nice, open feel. inside, it is well conceived although my one complaint would be that they don’t create a lot of privacy with their seating. Our first table was literally pushed next to another couple and I felt like we were a foursome. Now, the flip side to that would have been if their conversation was something worth eavesdropping on but it wasn’t so we asked to be moved to a different table.

Feel – B+
It’s a fun place that attracts a diverse, younger clientele. I’d say it was a good spot for dinner on a weekday evening but maybe not the best destination for groups or a romantic dinner.

Thai Chef is located at 1712 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20009.

There are a few safe bets for people looking for good Asian fusion in the DC area and Raku definitely falls into this category. With two locations (that I know about) in Bethesda and Dupont Circle, Raku provides a consistent dining experience and lively ambiance that has made it a mainstay in DC.

Cost – $$

Service – B
Raku seems to have an entirely Asian workforce (On a side note – is it legal for a business to only hire Asians?) who can speak English with varying levels of proficiency. The service tends to be solid if not spectacular.

Food – B
For hardcore Asian cuisine aficionados, Raku is going to provide an average dining experience. They have Thai, Chinese, and Japanese dishes that individually don’t rank as well as restaurants that focus on these regions. However, the synthesis of all these different dishes provides a good menu and pretty good dining experience from a purely culinary standpoint.

Decor – B+
The decor is what differentiates Raku from most Asian fusion places and allows them to sell dishes at somewhat higher prices. It has a fun, open aesthetic that people seem to enjoy because the place is normally packed. I like the layout and design of the Bethesda location slightly more than the Raku in Dupont although the Dupont Raku has ample outdoor seating.

Feel – A-
As I mentioned previously, Raku consistently draws pretty decent-sized crowds and for good reason: they offer solid Asian food and a decent price in a fun environment. Their locations are also prime: in Dupont they are just off Connecticut and Bethesda they are right on Bethesda Row, so they have clearly made some pretty strategic decisions about location. Raku is a pretty safe bet for a weekday evening or dinner with friends.

Raku is located at 1900 Q St NW near Dupont and at 7240 Woodmont Ave in Bethesda.

Asia Nine is the latest endeavor by Boonrod Yotmanee and Nuthinepan Tantivejakul, the couple that runs Rice and Spice Thai Cuisine in Alexandria. As a person who spends most of their life in Penn Quarter, I was looking forward to the opening of a convenient restaurant with a selection of Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, and Thai cuisines. I had read that Asia Nine was going to be mid-priced and casual so on my first visit with Jiyan, I was a little surprised on how expansive and well put together the place was. Truth be told, the hooks for me here are the flat screen televisions at the bar, sushi and the extensive sake list.

Cost – $$

Service – B+
I have eaten here a number of times since the doors opened in March and the service has been consistently good. Like most new establishments, there are kinks that will have to be worked out but the attentive and friendly attitude of the staff as a whole makes up for it. Expect the grade for service to improve once the sushi chefs start taking sake bombs with me.

Food – C+
The drawback of restaurants, especially Asian ones, with menus that span a variety of cuisines (fusion aside). Although the food in general can be good, the offerings tend to be the more popular safe dishes. Asia Nine fits into that mold and the dishes and sushi range from pretty good to average. Some may find the number of salads on the menu a plus.

Decor – B
As I alluded to above, I have come to expect most casual Asian restaurants to be a little thrown together including decor that falls along those lines but Asia Nine differs here. The space is open with high ceilings but the use of red, gold and orange color palette helps maintain a comfortable feel. Overall, I would say it’s a stylish restaurant.

Feel – B
I recently had dinner on a weekend and the place was full with a good buzz. It was nice to see a diverse crowd of people that seem to range from people on a date to casual diners to those who looked like they were warming up for a night on the town. A consistent solid experience be it happy hour or a Saturday night dinner.

Asia Nine is located at 915 E Street NW. They can be reached at (202) 629-4355.

What’s the Buzz:

March 26, 2008 – Asia Nine (Washington Post) – “I haven’t seen cocktails in these colors since spring break!” A buddy makes a nostalgic, and accurate, point as three of us ease into dinner at the sweeping Asia Nine Bar and Lounge in Penn Quarter: Our spirit-laced drinks form a Day-Glo rainbow of pink, yellow and blue on the tabletop, which is all but hidden by multiple menus that have been distributed to each of us. Full article…

March 18, 2008 – Asia Nine (DCfabulous) – Penn Quarter location. Check. Sushi menu. Check. Looks of what can be a trendy place to have sushi. Check. Tables full of children and tourists…ummmmm. I have been waiting for Asia Nine to open for a long time. And I was excited when I stopped by last Wednesday for the soft opening. Full article…

The Regent, or Regent Thai, or the Regent Thai Cuisine (personally, I called it Regent Thai for three years until I wrote this review) is a relatively new Thai restaurant on the 18th Street corridor between Adams Morgan and Dupont Circle. The owner is Chuchart “Bobby” Kampirapang, who worked as a waiter and cook at the former restaurant in College Park, Chef’s Secret.

Cost – $$

Service – A
The service is great, hands-down. This may piss some politically correct people off, but I am going to stereotype and say that I think Thai people are as friendly as they come. I honestly have never had a bad experience at a Thai restaurant with the service – particularly not at the Regent.

Food – A
The menu is the brain child of Saowaluk Wiyagul (of Busara fame) and it is pretty damn good. The ingredients are fresh and the dishes are mouth watering. This may sound strange, but the fact that the portions are European sized (you don’t get a big plate full of rice and cheap meat) furthers the appeal of the restaurant.

Decor – A
You may be noticing a trend with the grades that The Regent is receiving but I think the world of the place. I don’t know who Bobby Kampirapang got to direct the place, or if he decorated it himself, but it is just a sexy, cool place adorned with tasteful Thai fixtures and ornaments.

Feel – A
The place scores high across the board. In fact, the first time I ever visited the place was because Lauriol Plaza was too damn crowded and I was starving. That was the best decision I could have made because now when people want to go to Lauriol Plaza for dinner I tend to say, “why not just go across the street to a good place.” It is my favorite Thai restaurant and possibly my favorite restaurant in the DC area.

The Regent is at 1910 18th Street, N.W. Washington DC 20009. They can be reached at (202) 232-1781.

What’s the Buzz:

January 19, 2007 – The Regent (The Gourmet Pig) – There are a few restaurants on 18th St. just below Adams Morgan, a stone’s throw from where I live, but I’ve never really tried any of them out. The other night, though, James, Julie and I and were looking for somewhere to go and no one was particularly motivated to choose a restaurant, so when Julie suggested Thai, I remembered I’d wanted to try the Regent. Full Article…

January 19, 2007 – The Regent (The Gourmet Pig) – There are a few restaurants on 18th St. just below Adams Morgan, a stone’s throw from where I live, but I’ve never really tried any of them out. The other night, though, James, Julie and I and were looking for somewhere to go and no one was particularly motivated to choose a restaurant, so when Julie suggested Thai, I remembered I’d wanted to try the Regent. Full Article…

October 24, 2004 – Regent Thai Cuisine (Washington Post) – THE LOUD SIZZLE preceding the arrival of my beef entree, neua krata, seems out of place in the context of the serene Regent Thai Cuisine, where the only other sounds on a slow weeknight have been gentle background music and the tinkle-tinkle of a nearby fountain. Full Article…

Cost – $$ 

Service – A
Both proprietors came to the table to talk with us after we were seated, and the server had a perpetual smile on her face and was extremely helpful and gracious.

Food – A
They have a great menu, a good wine list, and the food delivers. They use fresh ingredients that are prepared to perfection. I’d say they have some of the best Thai food in the DC area.

Decor – B+
It has a modern, charming feel to it. It sort of reminded one of my friends of Rice in DC.

Feel – B
It is a restaurant in Ashburn, so you’re not really going there to socialize or meet other people.

What’s the Buzz:

December 23, 2007 – Bangrak Thai Cuisine (Drift Reality) – Yesterday evening I was down in Ashburn visiting some friends when we decided to search for a good place to eat before heading to watch I am Legend. Full Article…