Good Eats in D.C.

D.C. has one of the most ethnically diverse selection of cuisine. It's famous for its sausage stands and happy hours. If you're going to be in D.C. for a weekend, make sure to try foods that you have never tried before. Go to the U-Street/Cardozo area to make use of your fingers and have some Ethiopian; check out Dupont Circle for some trendier asian fusion selections; Georgetown is a great area for brunches, waterfront dining, and people watching; the downtown southwest part of D.C. is good for more all-American burgers and steaks; or head up the Bethesda, MMaryland for nice brews. You can really find anything in this tiny city.

Quick Tips:

The best thing to do is check out washingtonpost.com; their restaurant reviews are extensive and extremely helpful. They tell you exact locations, hours of operation, what to expect, and what their favorites are. Also, there's a weekly newpaper that comes out every Thursday called the City Paper. They should be located in just about every bookstore, Starbucks, and convenient store. They list events and special offers that shouldn't be missed!

Also, be sure to take advantage of D.C.'s very active happy hours. Almost every restaurant offers deals anywhere between 3 to 6pm. Whether it means half-price appetizers, buy-one-get-one-free deals, or beers and dollar margaritas. You can eat a feast for tops if you take advantage of a happy hour, so do it!

Best Way To Get Around:

D.C. is extremely easy to naviagate. There are metro stops in every major area, and you won't ever have to walk more than 15 minutes before finding what you need. The streets run numerically and alphabetically, and there are diagonal streets named after states; look at a map of D.C. and you'll understand. Just don't get confused with the northwest and southeast of D.C., which can get confusing. If you're not up for walking or metroing, taxis are plentiful and fairly cheap when within the city.

La Creperie is located in Pentagon Row, which is outside of the Pentagon City Mall in Arlington. It's a very cute, little restaurant, perfect for a light brunch or fun for dessert after one of the other Pentagon Row restaurants.

They have a wide selections of savory crepes ($5 to $9), including mushroom and spinach, ham and cheese, salmon and dill, and many more. They also have a variety of sweet crepes ($3 to $6), including lemon and sugar; Nutella; or, my favorite, Creme de Menthe. If you're not a fan of crepes, they also have small salads, soups, and croissants. Their drink selection is also quite extensive. They have a full bar, and also a variety of espresso, coffee, and other drinks.

It's really a place you can go any time of the day. Sit in the cutely decorated restaurant that will remind you of a cafe in Provence, or sit al fresco and watch the easygoing young couples walk the row.

Pizzeria Paradiso is a pleasant, casually run restaurant. It's a trendy place to go for lots of reasons. For the health conscious, you'll be happy to know that they offer the freshest ingredients on their pizzas, and that the dough is very light and baked in a wood oven - you don't get the oily glob that you think of when you go to Pizza Hut or Dominos. There are a variety of different toppings you can put on your pizza, or you can try one of their specialty pizzas. My favorite is the mushroom, spinach, onion, and tomato combination. There really is no taste like it. The cheese they use also is not like regular mozzarella; I believe they use buffalo mozzarella, but I can't be sure.

They also offer salads in large portions; sandwiches; and their dessert menu is simple, yet delicious. Their tiramisu comes in a little round cup, and they do the lady finger version. It's very good. They offer a number of delicious wines and coffees served to your taste. Usually the pizzas run from $8 to $16.

I'd recommend steering clear of the P Street location, which is near Dupont Circle. I went for lunch with a coworker, and it was crowded! However, the service is always wonderful, no matter if you go to the Georgetown or Dupont location. The service is quick, and the servers are so nice. This is definitely a fun place to try out.

The first time I went to DC Coast, I went with my boss. It was a very fancy lunch. The actual dining area of the restaurant is quite large, and you find yourself rubbing elbows with alot of DC's hot shots, but don't let that frighten you.

When I went, I ordered the DC Coast Salad, which was basically mixed greens topped with finely chopped boiled egg, bacon, tomatoes, and blue cheese. I then ordered the crabcake appetizer as a lunch meal, which came with two chunky crabcakes and a large side of thick french fries. My coworker had the salmon topped with caramalized onion, and both were extremely delicious. I've heard, however, that the seafood isn't exceptional, so I'd stick to the crabcakes, which happens to be their specialty. My boss's favorite is the gumbo, as he evidently gets that every time.

For dessert I had the Warm, New Orleans Style Beignets, which came with Café Au Lait Crème Brulée. The Crème Brulée was just right, and the dessert was certainly large enough to share, as it came with four of the beignets topped with powdered sugar.

It's certainly not a place you'd want to try often because your wallet would run dry, but it's definitely a place you'd want to check out once for a special occassion.

D.C. has sausage and hotdog stands at almost every corner, but by far, Ben's Chili Bowl is D.C.'s most famous hotdog house. Many people may wonder why a little hotdog joint is so famous. Well, try a half smoke with everything on top and you'll know why.

Located in the culturally rich and historically jazzy part of D.C., Ben's is one place that brings people of all colors together. Starting with their extremely thick and creamy milkshakes, the thick slices of chocolate cake, and their french fries goooing with chili and cheese, here people leave Atkins and South Beach at the door, and let all their inhibitions go. No one cares about clogged arteries or heart-attacks here.

Ben's however is aware that there are those who aren't quite the hotdog enthusiasts, so they offer veggie burgers, but really, I wouldn't even bother. Their hotdogs are the real thing.

Talk about a fun place to be! There's hardly ever a time you won't find this restaurant completely filled to its maximum capacity, and on weekends, don't be surprised to wait up to 45 minutes! LP doesn't take reservations, but those waiting in line know that the LP is well worth the wait.

Located in the trendy Dupont Circle area, LP is housed in a large, airy building with lots of windows and rooftop seating for the summers and spring. The waiters are friendly -- even while juggling massive amounts of customers, they never fail to greet you with a smile. This summer, while interning in DC, my co-workers and I had many half-days at work where we'd lock the doors early and head out to LP to beat the crowds of other interns, public policy champs, and the like.

Although it costs about 24 bucks, the pitchers of peach-rita (blended, not on rocks) are well worth it and so pretty to look at! They also offer mango-ritas and stawberry margaritas. Along with pitchers of margaritas, you could get a classic Sangria. They also have a selections of tequila shots, cervesas, and a long list of wines.

The food, of course, is a mix of your classic Tex-Mex faves, but on top of that, they offer some Spanish specialties like my favorite, paella, which comes loaded with seafood and tastes wonderful. I never eat it alone, though -- the portion is quite large, so usually a friend and I split an order of quesadillas and the paella. Some other dishes I've tried and have enjoyed are the Brazilian Salad, the chicken and beef combo fajitas, and the chicken platter that came with chicken enchilada, chicken taco, and chicken tamale.

The prices are anywhere from $4-10 for appetizers, $8-10 for salads, and $8-15 for main dishes. I highly recommend going to Lauriol many, many times.

PHEW! To say the least. Similar to Vinny T's of Boston, or Maggianos located along the east coast, Buca is not for romantic dinners for two. It's for Mama's Italian cooking for the family, plus friends. The portions are made large to share, and the tables are in circles so everyone can eat, drink, and be merry, while staring at each others beautiful stuffed faces. The last time I went to Buca, we went in a group of 15. They put us in the special Pope Room, which honestly felt a bit sacreligious, since we were eating in Bacchanalian style. There isn't anything special about the food, it's just your standard Italian favorites, it's the atmosphere that makes this place special. It may seem way overdone, and the lighting might give some a headache. But it is recommended for something a bit out of the norm.