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To be brutally honest, DC's food scene sucks.
Yes there are fantastic restaurants in the DMV, a lot are hidden gems, but DC is too chain heavy and the quality isn't Nyc or Philly.
There are good restaurants in DC, but a majority of the best quality ones are here in the 'burbs, especially for many kinds of foreign foods.
I'm surprised the creator of this thread - a thread you specifically made about variety - can't grasp how two of the most diverse areas of the country (much like NYC & CHI) would offer "the best and most food variety". And then goes on to mention Memphis.. along with New Orleans & Philly - which granted are pretty good food towns (especially New Orleans) - but don't exactly have the necessary ingredients relevant to this specific thread when compared to the aforementioned cities of NYC, CHI, LA & SF.
I'm originally from the Philly 'burbs, and spent 6 years in DC before heading west, and you are spot on.
The thing I never liked about DC's food is that it all seems "top down" and corporate. You get the sense that every high end restaurants there is a formula created by a committee: Lets get [INSERT WELL KNOWN CHEF] to do fusion cuisine that combines [INSERT ETHNICITY 1] and [INSERT ETHNICITY 2], and have the interior design done by [INSERT WELL KNOWN DESIGN FIRM]. Its always about the bottom line, and the result is sub par food for sky high prices. Philly on the hand is always a pleasant surprise every time I visit. So many gastropubs with unexpectedly amazing and creative food.
EDIT: I will stand up for the enthic food in the Maryland and Virginia suburbs. There's some outstanding Indian, Korean, and Vietnamese restaurants in the far corners of the DMV.
Also pretty good Peruvian, Afghani, Thai, Ghanian, Columbian, Salvadorian, Ethiopian, Kenyan, Senegalese, and Pakistani here in the suburbs. Rockville, MD has some nice Chinese offerings and Langley Park, MD has a nice mix of Salvadorian, Honduran, and Mexican joints, especially hole-in-the-walls (LP is a kinda rough around the edges though). Some decent West Indian food places here on the Maryland side of the DMV (probably not as good as New York's, never been to the NYC's Caribbean restaurants).
DC itself on the ethnic dishes seems to fall short for the most part in comparison to other cities. However, it does have great Ethiopian and Salvadorian. It also has a few decent Italian and French restaurants and it's home to Rasika: Rasika chef Vikram Sunderam wins James Beard Award - The Washington Post
DC as a restaurant city is definitely much better than from what it used to be as simply a city of expense account steakhouses and French restaurants. It still has a lot of work to do before it can match the likes of SF, Chicago, NYC, LA, and even Philly but it's definitely on the up and up.
Here's what sent shock waves throughout the DC food scene last year: What
And here are a handful of the many responses and rebuttals that followed shortly thereafter: Onswipe
There is a critical mass at some point when I think of quality of ethnic food.
I currently live outside Dallas. I used to live in LA. The biggest difference between the two is not the authenticity of ethnic cuisine, its the number of options. Korean food here doesn't taste any different than it did in LA. But the good stuff is confined to a few areas of town instead of widespread. Its hard to compare to East Asian and Southeast Asian cuisine in LA. No other city compares. There is a much larger emphasis on Indian food here than in LA though.
Long story short, there is nothing I could get in LA that I haven't been able to find here. I speak of authenticity and quality. However, where Dallas pales in comparison is the number of options for the most part. The one exception that leaps to mind is Indian (especially South Indian) food.
Also pretty good Peruvian, Afghani, Thai, Ghanian, Columbian, Salvadorian, Ethiopian, Kenyan, Senegalese, and Pakistani here in the suburbs. Rockville, MD has some nice Chinese offerings and Langley Park, MD has a nice mix of Salvadorian, Honduran, and Mexican joints, especially hole-in-the-walls (LP is a kinda rough around the edges though). Some decent West Indian food places here on the Maryland side of the DMV (probably not as good as New York's, never been to the NYC's Caribbean restaurants).
DC itself on the ethnic dishes seems to fall short for the most part in comparison to other cities. However, it does have great Ethiopian and Salvadorian. It also has a few decent Italian and French restaurants and it's home to Rasika: Rasika chef Vikram Sunderam wins James Beard Award - The Washington Post
DC as a restaurant city is definitely much better than from what it used to be as simply a city of expense account steakhouses and French restaurants. It still has a lot of work to do before it can match the likes of SF, Chicago, NYC, LA, and even Philly but it's definitely on the up and up.
Here's what sent shock waves throughout the DC food scene last year: What
And here are a handful of the many responses and rebuttals that followed shortly thereafter: Onswipe
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