Rice Bar: Korean Delivery at its Best

Today for lunch, I decided to order Korean delivery from the Rice Bar, located on 19th street in northwest DC. Since I have very little exposure to Korean food, I decided to order one of the traditional Korean dishes: Bibimbap. I looked at all of the menu options online, and decided (judging by the pictures on their website) to also order the Vampire Roll. 

Classic Bibimbap

The Classic Bibimbap, for only $9.25, consists of bean sprouts, carrots, gobinamul, spinach, doraji, ground beef, and of course, egg. The Bibimbap was very good; different than anything I've had before, but a successful combination of vegetables, beef, and egg. Since I had never tried this dish before, I can't compare it to what you would get at a sit-down Korean restaurant, but I can honestly say that it was VERY good, especially considering it was delivery!

Vampire Roll

I also ordered the Vampire Roll for $13. It is a spicy tuna sushi, drizzled in a gochujanjg mango sauce. 

The roll was very good as well;  however, it did fail to meet my expectations in terms of how spicy I thought it would be.  Nevertheless, the sushi tasted nice and fresh, and after finishing Bibimbap, I was completely full from the meal. I would definitely order from the Rice Bar again! 

Sursur Lee: Top Chef Master of Zentan Restaurant

I discovered this video on YouTube, and thought I would add it to my blog, after reviewing the Zentan Restaurant with Top Chef Master Sursur Lee.  If you haven't read my blog post on Zentan- I highly recommend that you check it out-- so far, it is the best experience I have had out of all of the restaurants I've visited. The second video was actually filmed in the Zentan restaurant. Enjoy the videos! :-) 

Asian Spice: The Place To Be For Asian Fusion

On the day of the Cherry Blossom Festival, a group of my friends joined me for lunch at Asian Spice- an Asian Fusion restaurant located conveniently in Chinatown. The inside of the restaurant looked very chic--with a bar along the left side of the restaurant right near the entrance.

We were seated upstairs, which was one of the many different sections of the restaurant. The table settings were nice and neatly decorated, and everything was very clean and well-kept.

When we sat down to order, our waitress was very attentive to our needs, and was extremely helpful. There was definitely a language barrier, but despite that, she smiled the entire time, and was eager to serve us.

Their menu was very extensive--with appetizers ranging from Malaysian Beef Satay to Bombay Samosa.  Carlo ordered the Wonton Soup for an appetizer. It came as a large portion and tasted as good as it looked! He ordered the Pad Thai for an entree-which was probably the best I've had. Nice and sweet-not too salty, with just the right flavoring.

Wonton Soup

Pad Thai

I decided to order Sushi--so I chose the Spicy Crunchy Shrimp Roll.  This was the first time I had ever had cooked sushi.... and to be honest, I think I like it a LOT better! It was absolutely the tastiest sushi I've ever had. Not too spicy, but nice and crunchy, with lots of flavor. It certainly wasn't the most elaborate item on the menu-but if I were to go again, I would order the same thing.

Spicy Crunchy Shrimp Roll

My roommate Trinh ordered the Thai Basil Chicken-which came with slices of chicken breast sauteed with fresh green chilis, garlic and Thai sweet basil leaves. And a side of rice, of course. The sauce was the best part of the dish--she loved it!

Thai Basil Chicken

Trinh's friend ordered Teriyaki Chicken. Plain and simple, but very well made. 

Chicken Teriyaki

Each dish was very presentable, and the portions were just right.

I am definitely going back to Asian Spice. With entrees averaging at about $16-$17, it isn't the cheapest place to eat in Chinatown, but the service, the atmosphere, and the quality of food make it well worth going. I definitely would recommend this restaurant! :) 

Noodle King- Silver Spring's Little Secret

Last weekend, while I was visiting family in Silver Spring, MD, I mentioned to my Aunt that I was working on an Asian food blog--so she suggested that we get carryout for dinner. The place she recommended was called Noodle King, and was a tiny tiny restaurant right off of New Hampshire Avenue.    We placed our order at home and drove to pick it up about 15 minutes later. When I first saw the restaurant, I was somewhat shocked, since I was expecting to see a large, newer-looking restaurant. Instead, it was a small building with a yellow awning.

When we walked in, the waitress greeted us immediately, with a huge smile across her face. She assisted us without hesitation, and even initiated small talk, despite the language barrier. While she was talking to my Aunt, I looked around, and noticed that ALL of the clientele was Asian. After reviewing a handful of Asian restaurants up to this point, this is the first time I have seen such cultural dominance in a restaurant. I mentioned it to my Aunt as we walked out, and she reminded me that it was simply an indication of how authentic their food is.  

Unfortunately, I was limited to ordering a seafood and vegetable dish, since it was a Friday during Lent. I ordered the steamed shrimp with mixed vegetables for $10.95, while my Aunt ordered the Egg Fo Young for $8.95. We also ordered the egg drop soup, which was only $3.50 for a quart, and two orders of egg rolls, which cost $2.50 for 2. 

Although the pictures may not LOOK very appetizing, all I can say is, the food was above and beyond what I expected. The shrimp was amazingly fresh, and the vegetables were cooked to the perfect consistency. The Egg Fo Young was also exceptionally good. It was the first time I had ever tried it, but I was very pleased. The soup was fresh and the egg rolls were crispy. Overall, it was a very satisfying meal, and I will definitely ask to order from there again in the future! 

Tony Cheng's Restaurant: All You Can Eat Mongolian BBQ

This past week, I chose to eat at Tony Cheng's restaurant, located in Chinatown. This restaurant stood out to me among all others in Chinatown, since it actually has two different restaurants within one; the ground floor serving Mongolian food, while the upstairs hosts a Chinese restaurant. I went out to eat with about 15 of my friends from the area, and to shorten the waiting time, we all decided to order the Mongolian all you can eat buffet. We were seated at a large table to the left of where they were serving the food.  Rather than displaying the food on a cart, this restaurant actually had a circular grill in the middle of the ground floor, with chefs cooking from behind the counter. Around the grill, there were a variety of ingredients to make a stir-fry, such as broccoli, noodles, sprouts, mongolian beef, chicken, seafood, carrots, and many other vegetables. Once we were finished adding our ingredients, we handed our bowls to the chefs, who asked us to choose our sauces (garlic, spicy, etc...) and proceeded to stir-fry our meals right in front of us. The meal was ready in less than 5 minutes, and the chefs were very accommodating. As soon as I got my plate, the chef that cooked my meal asked me to try it and see if I liked it before taking my seat. The food was WONDERFUL. A bit salty, but very, very good. After finishing my first two bowls, I could certainly tell why they created the 'all you can eat' option... everyone at my table went back for more. The cost was only about $16 each, which I thought was a very good deal.  I took a look at the regular menu, and realized that their a la carte menu was actually a lot cheaper-- with most of the items under $14. I am still glad I chose the buffet, as I tried a variety of stir-fry combinations each time I got more.

The scenery was very nice inside-plain, but very restored. The chinese restaurant upstairs looked a little more formal- and had a long wait to get in, so I would be curious to try that next!

The Magic Gourd Restaurant: Convenient, and Cheap for GW Students

Being the busy students we are on the GW campus, Carlo and I decided to stop in at the Magic Gourd restaurant, located in the Columbia Plaza apartments on 23rd street, right on the Foggy Bottom campus.

The Magic Gourd can be described in three words: quick, cheap, and average. We arrived at the restaurant around 6:15, and were seated immediately in the (almost) empty dining room.

The decor was nice at the entrance, but the remainder of the restaurant was plain and outdated. There wasn't much of an atmosphere at all; while the restaurant has the potential of being described as quiet or calm, my experience was nothing of the sort. The only other customers in the restaurant were a large party seated at a round table across the room from us. They were a very loud group, and although they were the only people around, we could hear their entire conversation. It was very distracting, and would have been a much better experience if the restaurant had music of some sort in the background.

The service was very fast, but not friendly. Our waitress barely said 2 words to us and was almost like a robot. Both of us being in the hospitality industry, we were not impressed. Although there was a definite language barrier, the waitress could have said a few more words to welcome us into the restaurant, and maybe even smiled!

The menu provided a lot of traditional options- with appetizers ranging from $1.50 egg roll to a $11.95 Pu -Pu platter. Carlo ordered Fried Wontons with sweet and sour sauce for $3.50, while I got the Pan Fried Vegetable Dumplings for $5.75.

The Fried Wontons were a good choice- very tasty, and served hot. The dumplings were also very good-although if they aren't dipped in the soy sauce, they VERY bland.

Fried Wontons

Pan Fried Vegetable Dumplings

For our entrees, Carlo ordered the General Tso's chicken, while I ordered the Sweet & Sour Chicken. The service was so fast, that we hadn't even finished our appetizers before being served the entree. The waitress, again, wasn't very accommodating. Rather than moving our plates over to make room for the entrees, she put the plates on the edge of the table, leaving us to clear the space, and turned to walk away without saying a word. I realize that this isn't a high end restaurant, but if I were the waitress, I would have at least waited until we moved our small appetizer plates over before putting the entrees on the table.

Both offered descent sized portions, and were served at a very hot temperature. The General Tso's chicken was very well-made. The sauce was flavorful and sweet, and the chicken was good, yet a little chewy.

General Tso's Chicken

 The Sweet & Sour chicken was not as crispy as I would have liked it to be, but the sauce was perfect, and the chunks of pineapples on the side added a perfect addition to the dish.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Overall, the restaurant was average. While the food was good, it was only one notch above what you would get for a chinese delivery. The convenience and price made up for the difference in service quality. I am not sorry I went, but I am not overly eager to return.

Stay tuned for more blog posts!

Zentan: A Luxury Restaurant in a Luxury Hotel

About seven blocks from the White House, The Donovan House, a Thompson Hotel, provides luxury hospitality as well as a sophisticated dining experience in their restaurant, Zentan. Zentan's chef, Susur Lee, was a former finalist on Top Chef: Masters (earning the highest points in the show's history) as well as Iron Chef America, where he tied with Food Network Star Bobby Flay. Zentan is not only unique in its decor, but the food is absolutely amazing.

The Donovan House, located on 14th Street, NW

To enter the restaurant, passing through the hotel lobby is a unique experience on its own. With strings of lights hanging down from the ceiling, the lobby embraces a modern design, with a chic lounge area.

Carlo sitting in one of the chairs outside of the restaurant

The restaurant was just as upscale as Oya, which I have previously blogged, but overall, was much more satisfying. The atmosphere in the restaurant was very relaxed; while Oya is certainly considered to fulfill the description of fine dining, Zentan provided a more personalized experience. The service was friendlier, more committed (due to the fact that the restaurant was much quieter, and not overcrowded), and allowed us to eat at a slower pace. In fact, our entire meal, from start to finish, took about 2 hours!

We were seated right beside the window facing Thomas Circle... with a beautiful view!

The inside of the restaurant is illuminated by candles hanging by platform from the ceiling, and above the seating area along the street side of the restaurant are colored lanterns.

Before choosing an appetizer, Carlo and I ordered two mini-bottles of Sake, served warm. It was the first time we had both tried Sake, and it took some time to get used to. It was very strong, warm, and thick; each sip tasted like a battle between a less powerful vodka and white wine.

For our appetizer, we ordered calamari, which had a spicy citris smoked, chili mayo drizzled over it, chicken satay, and shrimp chips. The calamari was perfectly fried, a little bit crispy, but not too much breading, and the sauce added the just right amount of flavoring. The chicken satay was very juicy and had a light butter glaze. Everything was great!

Calamari, chicken satay, and shrimp chips 

Shrimp chips-light, crunchy, and tasty

For dinner, I ordered the Stir Fried Pearl Noodles, with scallops, shrimp, and fresh vegetables. The noodles were dense, but not too heavy, and the shrimp and scallops were very tender. This very well could have been the best asian dish I have ever had! I highly recommend this dish-although, with such an amazing chef, I am sure everything on the menu is just as amazing.

Stir Fried Pearl Noodles

Carlo ordered Shang's Crispy Garlic Chicken, which was served with white rice. The dish was very carefully displayed, and tastes just as good as it looks. The sauce was similar to a very high quality barbeque sauce, with a touch of garlic.

Shang's Crispy Garlic Chicken

By the time we made it to dessert, we were both ready for some chocolate! Our meal was spaced out, and after sitting at the restaurant for almost two hours, we were craving something sweet. We ordered a chocolate lava cake, served with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream. The lava cake was rich and creamy with a warm center... very delicious!

Needless to say, we left the restaurant with a hefty bill. The entire dinner, including tip, came to $130. As costly as this seems, the entire experience was worth it! The food was perfect, the atmosphere was great, and the service was outstanding. I will definitely go back to Zentan- it is certainly one of the best asian restaurants in Washington DC! 

Local Asian Cuisine: Foggy Bottom's Thai Place Restaurant

This week, I decided to review Thai Place, a small restaurant located on the George Washington University's Foggy Bottom campus. The reason I chose this restaurant was to give those traveling to DC an idea of where to go for a low-key, local place to get good food. 

the bar

The restaurant is small and very casual... perfect for a relaxing evening! It's a very popular place among university students, so prices are reasonable. 

For an appetizer, my friend Carlo and I split an appetizer of the fried calamari. The calamari itself was very tasty-but what really made the appetizer stand out among others that I've tried was the sauce. It was mildly spicy, but sweet at the same time. Very delicious! I would go back to Thai Place just to get the calamari again!

calamari

I ordered the Pad Thai entree, with rice noodles, chicken, egg, bean sprouts, and ground peanuts. What made this dish really outstanding was the consistency of the noodles... they were cooked just enough--not over-cooked in the least. It was a very balanced combination of sweet and salty, and the chicken was beyond satisfactory. 

pad thai

Carlo ordered Pad See Eww, with wide rice noodles, brocolli, and a special soy sauce with chicken. It was  a very good dish.... salty, but tasty, with a lot of soy flavoring. The broccoli was cooked perfectly; steamed to the right level of firmness, and a perfect addition to the dish. If I didn't like my own meal so much, I would have wanted his! 

pad see eww

Overall, Thai Place was a provided a very authentic experience. The dishes weren't elaborately decorated... the scenery wasn't picturesque... but the quality was undoubtedly very impressive. The prices were very reasonable; most entrees didn't exceed $10-$14 dollars, and the portions were just right. Not too much, but not too little. Whether it be a casual meal, or a late night bar run, Thai Place is a guaranteed to give you a local taste of DC's thai cuisine. Yum!

While you're on Foggy Bottom's campus, take a stroll down Virginia Avenue and visit the shops in the historic Watergate Building. If you are interested in classical music, plan the night around a performance at the John F. Kennedy Center. If you don't want to spend money, the Kennedy Center's Millenium Stage offers free performances Monday through Friday at 6 PM. Get a taste of the George Washington University's beautiful campus, or take a stroll down to the historic waterfront, where you can enjoy after dinner drinks at an outdoor bar, or grab dessert at the local gelato place.

If you want reasonably priced, authentic Thai cuisine, with a variety of options within walking distance, I would definitely recommend Thai Place!

Things to do in Chinatown: Oya Restaurant & Lounge

For my second blog post, I decided to go to Oya, a contemporary Asia-French fusion restaurant in Chinatown. It was certainly a lot different from the previous restaurant, Meiwah, that I reviewed last week. I expected it to be a nice restaurant, but when I first walked into Oya, I was truly impressed. To the right, there is a marble desk (similar to that of a luxury hotel) with two hosts ready to welcome you. I was greeted immediately, and was encouraged to over toward the bar area where they were having happy hour. Looking over toward the bar, I could see the rectangular marble fireplace built deep into the wall, with a low flame spanning the length that connected the two sides of the bar. The walls were ornate and decorated with a combination of shimmering light gold & black and white swirled wallpaper, to match the black and white marble that was found all throughout the restaurant. Directly in front of the restaurant is a lounge area, with couches, black and white throw pillows, and marble tables with candles in the center.

the lounge/bar area

When my friends arrived, we were seated in the main dining area, which was very loud. In addition to the music that was on in the background, the restaurant was very loud in general. I could barely make conversation with my friends without repeating myself once or twice. We had a reservation for 7:30, which seems to be a very busy time for the restaurant, and although they had a room or two for private parties, I think the overall noise level would be better if the restaurant were split up into different parts, rather than one big dining room.

one of the private rooms to the side

fireplace in the main dining room

the main dining room

When we were seated, the waiter was very nice and welcoming. Of course, I had to repeat my order twice, because it was so loud! He brought us small bread puffs while we looked at the menu. They are small but very good!

bread puffs (for a lack of a better name)

The menu had a lot to offer--everything from sushi, to fish & chips, lobster mac and cheese, and BBQ sticky ribs. Each item on the menu had its own asian twist, which I found to be very interesting. While it would be easy to spend a lot of money on one of their entrees, it is possible to order cheaply. I ordered the spicy california rolls, as well as the spinach-eggplant dish as a side dish, which total $14 without tip. The portions were just the right size~and I didn't leave the restaurant overly full.

spicy california rolls

japanese eggplant & spinach. yum!

Both of my dishes were amazing! The eggplant was very flavorful, and the sushi was perfect! I would definitely order both of them again!

My roommate Trinh ordered the shrimp bowl and the Mai Thai chicken salad. I tasted a bite of both, and they were just as good as mine! I especially liked the shrimp bowl; the rice wasn't the least bit dry, and it went really well with the shrimp. The chicken salad was also good- i've never had anything like it. It was a combination of green papaya, bean sprouts, mint, cilantro, peppers, crispy noodles, and a sesame honey vinegarette.

mai thai chicken salad

shrimp bowl

My friend Alex got the roasted chicken, which came with coriander risotto, asparagus, and mushroom stew. It tasted as good as it looked!

roasted chicken

My friend Anna ordered the grilled beef serloin, which came with coriander pepper, ginger carrots, and fingerling potatoes. I tried a bite-and was very impressed! The meat was perfect, but the potatoes were a bit bland. The carrots were my favorite-the ginger definitely added a special touch!

grilled beef serloin

Even the restrooms looked nice! 

nice bathroom!

the walkway to the bathroom.....and my roommate being silly 

Since it was a full house, it did take a long time to get our food. While the service was friendly, I left the restaurant feeling as if they could have been more attentive to our table, especially since there was a long wait. The waiters seemed very rushed and distracted, which is something the restaurant could use improvement on.

Overall, I was very pleased with Oya. The food and decor were amazing; and if it hadn't been for the noise level in the restaurant, I would have said it was the perfect restaurant. I would definitely recommend to go for an early dinner or happy hour. From the six dishes I tried, I have a feeling that anything on the menu would exceed expectations!

If you are looking for other things to do in Chinatown, there are a variety of options.  Located right beside the Chinatown metro (about two tenths of a mile from Oya- about a 4 minute walk), there is a bowling alley, a sports bar, a movie theatre, and a Haagen Dazs all within the same indoor complex. Click the link below for movie show times!

Click here to see what's showing at the Gallery Place Regal Cinema

The Lucky Strike Bowling Alley is also a convenient before or after dinner activity for those who want to spend more time in Chinatown.

The Verizon Center is also located right beside the Chinatown metro. Click here to view upcoming Verizon Center events, ranging from music to sports!

Whatever you choose to do in Chinatown, Oya Restaurant & Lounge is a very unique, trendy restaurant to enjoy a meal, and is sure to please!