Review of Penn Quarter/Chinatown restaurants

It's amazing how the 7th Street (NW) corridor has developed over the years. When I lived in Shaw over five years ago--before it was "the new U"--walking down 7th, and 9th, was a little sketchy. Walking from the L St Safeway to the Mt. Vernon Sq metro is still sketchy, but south of K Street, it's a whole different neighborhood.

Some things are still true: there aren't a lot of places to go out to eat near the Mall. I remember when my parents came down for my graduation and we went museum hopping... and then ate at Teaism. And I've eaten at Teaism three times in the last two months with different sets of museum-hoppers.

Now, Cafe Atlantico is across the street from Teaism, but orders of magnitude out of my price range; 701 is nearby, but I'll never go there again after they asked us to leave because they had a party waiting. Jaleo used to be the old standby in the neighborhood, but I maintain that it's gone downhill in the last few years. I don't care for La Tasca, either. I tried Oyamel for the first time on Monday--that's where Jay and I met for lunch--because it was one of the few places in that area that I hadn't tried. He accused me of going to a Heatheresque restaurant because I'd later told him that the celebrities that the Post had been stalking had eaten there, but I assure you that that didn't figure into my decision calculus. Oyamel was good--definitely better than La Rosa Mexicana, where they may make guacamole fresh at your table, but they don't even use lime! Who's heard of guacamole without lime? Although these days they're making guacamole without avocado.

This evening RM asked me where in the city to go for dinner. I told him I knew Chinatown best, since that's where I worked, and suggested a few of my favorites: Zaytinya, Rasika, Matchbox. Maybe the Chophouse (they have good pizza, should you be wondering what a vegetarian would eat at the Chophouse). I like Kanlaya for Thai, but Em said Thai Royal, recently opened, was better. I've heard/read good things about Tony Cheng's-- both the Chinese and Mongolian parts--but have not been. I've had lunch at Wok & Roll; it was okay.

Of the brew pubs, Gordon Biersch has the best food (yes, I know it's a chain). Clyde's and RFD are okay, and the Irish Channel is pretty good.

I always mix up Proof and Poste-- I can vouch for the drinks at both, and I can say that the famous truffle fries at the latter are overrated. There's just no point in frying potatoes in truffle oil. There just isn't.

All these places are a five-to-ten minute walk from my office, but I usually bring my lunch. Nonetheless, there are celebratory lunches, other lunches, all kinds of happy hours, etc.

What do you think?

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BTW, Tom Sietsema (the Post's restaurant critic) just moderated a chat on the area's most overrated restaurants.