raysrestaurants

Hey hey hey everyone,

Hope everything has been going well.  Anyways, I was thinking about varying it up a little by exploring the cuisine of cultures that I’m much less familiar with so I decided to feature an Indian joint called Mehran today.  I don’t know much about Mehran because I only order for delivery, but I must say that it’s quite good.  I hear from friends that going there physically is quite the “hole-in-the-wall” experience, which makes me like it a lot. I also hear that there is an all you can eat lunch buffet available at times so that sounds great.  

In any case, I generally get the butter chicken with extra basmati rice (because I love my basmati rice), and it’s definitely one of the most filling and tastiest takeout meal that I’ve had.  It generally only runs me about 12-15 dollars, which isn’t too bad for the quality and quantity of food that you get, so I highly suggest it.  The chicken tandoori is also very well done and actually goes well with the butter chicken if you feel like mixing dishes.   

So, I hope you check it out.  At least, try and order takeout from Mehran because it’s well worth the wait and the tip to the driver haha. 

Here’s the info:

Mehran Restaurant

2138 Pennsylvania Ave NW
(between N 21st St & N 22nd St)
Washington, DC 20037

Happy eating everyone!

-Ray 

Hey everyone,

So this past weekend, after enjoying some California Pizza Kitchen deliciousness, I headed over to Bed, Bath, and Beyond for some cheap house stuff.  After a hard day of carrying around everything that my girlfriend ended up picking (and no I’m not bitter…because she has good tastes), I was hungry and wanted to enter into the nearest dining institution so as to prevent grumpiness and ensure survival.  In any case, we ended up running into a Thai restaurant called “Thaiphoon,” which I thought was pretty funny and slightly inappropriate, which made it even more attractive.  In any case, word play aside, I thought the place was a pretty cool place.  It had great interior design as well as a chill atmosphere that I always enjoy while eating.  To top it all off, the food was very tasty and quite affordable.  The bill ended up being about 38 bucks for the two of us, and we both had Thai iced tea and a full meal (including soup and Satay). 

I really enjoyed the meal, and the service was really great; although, we unfortunately ended up under-tipping the waitress on accident because we didn’t realize how different Virginia tax is from DC tax (whoops!).  Next time I go there, I’ll be sure to ask for the same waitress and make sure to tip her extra.  In any case, I highly recommend checking it out, and hey, if you don’t like it, it’s not that expensive! 

Anyways, check it out:

1301 S Joyce St
Arlington, VA 22202

Get Directions

(703) 413-8200

 - thaiphoon.com

Happy eating yall!

Rayray

Hi everyone,

So today I want to feature a nice little Japanese place that was recommended to me by a friend. She suggested going to a place called Sushi-taro a little off Dupont Circle because it was one of the very few places that offered authentic sushi, and in this regard she was quite right. Washington is pretty lacking in the sushi department, but this place was quite good. I wouldn’t say it was as good as Makoto (featured earlier in my blog), but it’s still pretty authentic and delicious. I’d say the two things that could use improving are the pretty expensive prices and the “okay” service. As with all sushi in DC, Sushi-taro’s sushi is over-priced, but this is forgivable because it tastes good and is pretty authentic (according to my girlfriend again, not me…and she’s Japanese so I wouldn’t argue with her ). Anyways, the second thing of course was the “okay” service, which was good, but not what I expected for the kind of place that Sushi-taro is. It’s a strange feel because Sushi-taro seems to border on a very nice restaurant but also seems to be slightly casual at the same time. The servers aren’t very engaging, and most of them lack any kind of table talk or the ability to hold a decent conversation with the guests. Of course, there have been a couple of servers who have been extremely nice, and I’m sure all of them are nice people, but some could use some lessons with the small talk - if only to make the experience less awkward.

In any case, I had a good meal (of course a little pricey), but the experience on the whole was a good one (and is usually a good one whenever I go).

I suggest checking it out!

Sushi Taro

1503 17th St NW
Washington, DC 20036

(202) 462-8999

Happy Eating yall!

-Rayray

Hey everyone,

So I had a discussion with my girlfriend yesterday about a place that we consider ourselves “regulars” at.  Of course, we are regulars at this restaurant because she likes it A LOT, which is an opinion which is not shared by me.  Naturally, we started arguing about Moby Dick (the name of this restaurant – if you couldn’t tell by the title) and whether or not it was overrated.  I have to admit, it is a good place and has good food, but my argument to Eri (girlfriend) is that it was OVERRATED and slightly overpriced.   Though the food was good and the basmati rice was pretty tasty, I’d say that I’ve had better Persian food for a lot cheaper.  I would also venture to guess (though I haven’t tried it…YET) that the street vendors in New York have way more authentic and cheaper eats than Moby Dick (a chain restaurant with several locations). Perhaps, it’s also my slight bias towards smaller hole-in-the-wall kind of joints, but I consider myself a fan of some pretty big name restaurants.  That said, I would never say DON’T GO TO MOBY DICK, but I would advise to check out some other local spots near you. Of course, if Moby Dick is the only exposure you have to Persian food, then by all means, you should try it out because it’s good food.  To me, it’s overrated; but of course this is because I’m surrounded by people who think it’s great.  

Anyways, I usually get the steak and rice platter, which has basmati rice covered in butter, sumac on the rice, and peppered steak which is good.  Anyways, just thought I’d let y’all know about it.  I’ll try to find some vendor in New York that I can refer because as you know…I’m all about the small businesses. 

Here’s the info:

Moby Dick

1070 31st St NW

Washington, DC

(202) 333-4400

Happy eating everyone,

Rayray

Hi everyone,

So I’ve noticed that I have pretty stellar reviews of all the restaurants that I’ve gone to. My blogs seem to be pretty ecstatic about most of the restaurants I’ve visited, but that’s only because I wanted to start off with some really good ones. I figure it’s time to shake it up a little bit by featuring a restaurant that I thought was “okay.” To be sure, I wouldn’t advise against this place, I think for this post, at least, I’ll tone it down a notch.

So the featured restaurant for today is called Murasaki, which means “purple” in Japanese. It’s a Japanese restaurant located near the Tenleytown metro stop on the Red Line. It was average in terms of food quality. The sushi is pretty tasty, but a little overpriced for the quality. The entrée I had was tonkatsu (which is a fried breaded pork cutlet), and it was pretty good. There was a lot for what I paid for (about 11 dollars) so that was definitely a plus. The service was nice, and they also have outside dining for when the weather permits. Those were two very nice things about the restaurant. Overall, I’d say the restaurant was average. It was a bit over-priced on some areas of the menu, but this was balanced out by good service and a nice ambience.
So, hopefully that was a little more level-headed in terms of review quality. I’d suggest, however, that you check it out for yourself. It was a good experience regardless of the downsides.

Here is the info on it:

Murasaki

4620 Wisconsin Ave NW # D
Washington, DC 20016

Get Directions

(202) 966-0023

Happy eating everyone!

-Ray

Hi everyone,

So, it goes without saying that today’s featured restaurant isn’t exactly a “hole-in-the-wall” restaurant, by any means.  That being said, I wanted to feature 1789 simply because of the summer special that is going on, which is a great deal for a really high class restaurant.  1789, for those of you who do not know, is one of Georgetown’s classiest restaurants, offering American cuisine to its patrons at a pretty high price.  Generally, entrees go for about 30 bucks on average, and both first and second course selections are around 8-10 dollars, with desserts around 8.50.  What I wanted to feature today was the summer special, in which you can receive a three-course meal (first/second course, entrée, and dessert) for only 37 dollars.  It’s a great deal and you get to experience what would be a 60 dollar meal for a discounted price.

I recently went to 1789 and enjoyed the 37 dollar summer special immensely.  I ended up getting the Steak Tartare, the Rack of Lamb, and the Strawberry shortcake.  Other selections for the first/second course are Cavatelli, Hamachi, Romaine Salad, Manila Clams, among others.  Other entrees included King Salmon, Porkchops, New York Strip Steak, Braised Chicken, and Lobster.

The service is first-class, and the ambience was great.  The summer special lasts until September I believe so I urge you all to try it out.

Here is the website and address:

http://www.1789restaurant.com/main/index.shtml
1789 Restaurant
1226 36th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20007
Phone: (202) 965-1789
Fax: (202) 337-1541

Happy Eating,
Ray

Hi everyone,

It’s Ray again, here to drop a few lines on some scrumptious eats that you can find across the nation. Today’s featured restaurant is a favorite of mine located on Georgetown’s Waterfront, a great date location if anyone is thinking about romantic places to take that special someone. In any case, Bangkok Joe’s is a Thai restaurant that incorporates a kind of modern flare to traditional Thai dishes. The great thing about Bangkok Joe’s is the variety on the menu and the relatively affordable pricing.

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To start off with, I’d recommend taking a look at the dumpling bar, which features different small appetizer like dumpling/sushi rolls/spring rolls in various manifestations. The crispy crab finger roll is one of my favorite, but everything on the dumpling bar menu is particularly good. I also suggest trying out the panang chicken bun as it is also very good. Anyways, after you’ve had your fair share of appetizers, you’re lucky to have a wide variety of great Thai food that is creative and well presented. Certainly, there are some non-Thai platters, which are also very delicious, so no matter what you get, you’re in for a treat. Some of my favorites are the Drunken Noodles, the Panang Curry with chicken (which is presented wonderfully), the Fliet Mignon (pricey but worth it), and the Seared Ahi Tuna – my absolute favorite as it is prepared with sprouts, wasabi mayo dressing, and mango slices which combine to make a great flavor.

In any case, I’d definitely check this place out if you have the chance. It’s been the date spot for me and my girlfriend on various anniversary occasions and also a place to go to just enjoy the ambience. It also has great Thai tea which tastes great with a little rum (if you’re of age of course ).

Here’s the info, and visit the website if you can!

http://www.bangkokjoes.com/

Bangkok Joe’s

3000 K Street, NW

Washington DC 20007

202-333-4422

Happy eating everyone,

Ray

Hello all,

It’s ray again! And today, I’m back with a little sushi gem that’s related to my earlier post on Makoto (the pricey but wonderfully delicious Japanese restaurant).  Like I said before, my girlfriend and I often frequent the sushi restaurant located above Makoto.  It’s called Kotobuki, and it is a great place to go if you’re looking for affordable and tasty sushi.  Kotobuki is a great hang out spot where the sushi chefs are friendly.  You can enjoy your meal while also listening to some Old School Beatles music, a great deal if you ask me. 

In comparison to other sushi places which charge around 4 dollars for 2 pieces of Nigiri Sushi (the pieces of fish on top of rice), Kotobuki charges 1 dollar for 1 piece of sushi which means that you will end up spending half the money you would spend at any other Sushi restaurant! The sushi rolls are also of good quality and cost about 3 dollars per roll, which is also a great deal relative to other sushi restaurants.  I would also recommend the Seaweed salad, the Plum wine, and the Mochi Ice cream (for dessert). 

 If you add up the great music, environment, and sushi, then there’s just no reason not to check this hot-spot out.  It gets crowded around dinner time, so be sure to arrive early. They also take orders for pick up so that’s a convenient option as well. 

4822 Macarthur Blvd NW

Washington, DC

(202) 625-9080

Happy eating everyone!

Ray

I recently celebrated my 18 month anniversary with my girlfriend, and I decided to take her to a Japanese restaurant in the Washington DC area called Makoto. My girlfriend is from Japan and loves Japanese food, but I hadn’t yet found a place that offered really authentic Japanese cuisine in DC. I had heard about Makoto from a friend, who said that it was a great experience with great food. So, I decided to make reservations so that I could try it out when my girlfriend was in town. We had both been to the sushi restaurant located above Makoto, but had never gotten the time to venture below and try it out.

We walked into the restaurant and were greeted by a friendly Japanese woman who began speaking to us in Japanese. She asked us to take off our shoes and offered us slippers to use. She took us to our table and showed us the menus. All the while, the various staff members called out “Irasshaimase”, which means “Welcome” in Japanese. Though the menu featured quite pricey items, it was well worth it. My girlfriend and I each opted for the chef’s tasting menu which included about 8-10 smaller courses of authentic Japanese food. The first dish was a seafood soup (with mussels and clams) served in a real conch seashell, the presentation of which was amazing. We were then served a refreshing salad, with cherry tomatoes, avocado, greens and a small cracker and a house dressing (I believe it was a ginger based dressing). We then moved on to our sashimi course, which was raw fatty tuna (very very delicious creamy part of the tuna). Afterwards, we were served a seafood course including squid, eel, and clams, served with wasabi mayo sauce. Afterwards, we had a green bean soup with slightly cooked salmon. Then, we were served three pieces of very delicious sushi (yellowtail, salmon, and tuna). Afterwards, we had grilled fish (I had salmon and my girlfriend had a fish called Saba, though I’m not quite sure what that means in English). After the salmon, we had Japanese soba which was very delicious and refreshing. We ended the night with Yuzu (sort of like a lime) sorbet, which ended the night perfectly.

Along with the delicious food, the Makoto servers were very polite, helpful, and gracious. They took their jobs very seriously and would wipe the smallest drop of soup or drink from our table as if they would be fired had they not!

Certainly, the meal was quite expensive, but like I said, it was very worth the money spent. My girlfriend was very impressed, which is hard to do because she is from Japan.

I urge you all to try it out! It’ll make your tummy happy.

4822 MacArthur Blvd. NW

Washington, DC 20007

Phone: 202-298-6866

Happy Eating,

Rayray

Hello all!

For my first feature, I’d like to introduce everyone to Casa Fiesta, a Salvadorian/Mexican fusion restaurant that is both affordable and delicious. At Casa Fiesta, I had some of the tastiest pupusas that I’ve ever eaten. Pupusas, for those of you who don’t know, is a thick handmade corn meal tortilla that can have cheese, beans or any kind of meat cooked within it. On top is a combination of cabbage and carrots which is often eaten in conjunction with the corn meal tortilla along with salsa if desired.

Casa Fiesta’s pupusa’s were some of the best I’ve tasted in awhile. Being from Texas, I’ve been to my share of pupuserias, and Casa Fiesta offered some of the tastiest pupusas at a very low price. I got a combo of one pupusa, one tamale, beans, Mexican rice, and friend onions for only 10.00.

The menu also features affordable combinations of chimichangas, fajitas, and other Salvadorian and Mexican treats that I truly miss being far away from Texas (where I grew up).

In any case, please check it out sometime. It’s in Tenleytown, a couple of blocks from the metro stop. Here’s the address if you’d like to visit soon!

4910 Wisconsin Ave NW
Washington, DC 20016

(202) 244-8888

Good eating everyone!

Ray