Checking out one of the few inexpensive restaurants to make the Washingtonian’s top 100? Good idea.
Checking it out right after the magazine hits the stands? Less inspired.
Three friends and I went to Bangkok 54 last weekend to see why the Arlington Thai restaurant was earning such raves.
We were greeted with about a half hour wait sans reservation, which wasn’t bad at all considering how packed the place was, and the fact it was a Friday night. More frustrating is that it took the entire thirty minutes for us to get our drinks from the bar, and one of them was incorrect. I enjoyed my mango ginger margarita, though.
Once we were seated, service was inattentive and frazzled. A waitress took 20 minutes to “be right back” to take our orders. Appetizers took a considerable amount of time to arrive. A friend’s main dish order of pineapple fried rice lacked, well, pineapple.
But boy, was the food good. Won ton soup was perfectly spiced; papaya salad was a cool choice for a chilly night, but still delivered. I ordered 54’s Spicy Roast Duck, which was similar to a dish I’d had at a neighboring Thai restaurant a week before, but in a different league. Topped with basil and fried to a crisp (though slightly greasier than I might have liked), the dish finished with such a hot, savory kick that friends who sampled it said they had trouble tasting their own meals afterwards. Which was really too bad – one had ordered the five-spice braised pork, and it was absolutely delicious, sweet without being cloying. Jasmine tea was a nice accompaniment.
Overall, the restaurant probably deserves a break for being swamped during such a busy time, and the bustling atmosphere might have appealed to a more patient crowd, as it sure felt like a “hot spot”. But next time I go, I’m making it a weeknight.
Bangkok 54
2919 Columbia Pike
Arlington, VA 22204
703.521.4070

Ah, tapas. You and your cured meats and your rich cheeses and your rich marinades and your small-plates-that-falsely-lead-me-to-believe-I’m-not-gorging-myself.
I love you so.
I renewed my love-affair with the late night Spanish dish when a friend and I took out a visitor from Pasadena to Jaleo’s Crystal City location last week. Three of us didn’t really need nine tapas. But boy, did we enjoy them. The roundup:
Quesos de Espana: Jaleo’s cheese plate includes Murcia, Picon, Idiazabal and Manchengo, if you can’t stick to just one. The portions aren’t giant, but they end up being more than you need, once you order other items. I’m always partial to manchengo, though picon was a little pungent for my liking; overall, I enjoyed all four choices.
Spanish sausage: If you get the variety plate, Jaleo provides you small slices of chorizo, soria, butifarra, salchichon, with a toasty bread to match. Rich and spicy.
Duck confit with pear sauce: One of my favorite dishes, this was incredibly rich – the duck was juicy without being too fatty, and the sauce nicely balanced the bird’s sauciness.
Octopus with paprika: Eh. It tastes as you’d expect it to taste. Didn’t mind the rubbery texture, but the overall effect was a little more bland than I’d hoped.
Tortilla de patatas: This was probably my choice as top dish, though it wasn’t anything particularly unique. Served warm, to my surprise, this tortilla was savory and flavorful, despite there not being much to it. Very filling and satisfying.
Spanish mackerel: I could have done without this choice, but my two dining companions raved, so I’ll chalk it up to my antipathy towards fishy-tasting fish. Simply prepared, showing off the fish itself.
Steamed mussels: This is a great buy at Jaleo as they give you more mussels than you’d expect for a tapas order – I’m not sure we even fished them all. The bay leaves are really prominent in the broth’s taste, and that’s a good thing.
Marinated beef: I’m frustrated with myself for not remembering this dish exactly – I think it was slices of beef tenderloin, cooked rare. No complaints; thin, juicy beef with a melting texture.
Spinach with pine nuts: A surprise hit, there was just enough olive oil and sweet accent (raisins) to make this vegetable stand out.
You can’t really go wrong with Jaleo – it’s priced moderately, the waitresses are friendly and low key, the atmosphere is colorful and laid-back. Though the sherry lemonade isn’t anything to brag about – we should have picked up some sangria at the bar before heading to our table. Next time.
Jaleo
2250 A Crystal Drive
Arlington, VA 22202
(703) 413-8181
Other locations in Bethesda and downtown

No beans, garlic, onions, raw vegetables, dairy products or “spicy food” for at least three weeks.
It’s a foodie’s worst nightmare.
All right, that may be overstating the case. But I’m less than thrilled with this particular set of doctor’s orders. Though not such a problem when you’re cooking for one, try to find a restaurant which doesn’t prominently feature garlic, cheese or heat. It’s unfortunate when Applebee’s theoretically counts as a restaurant.
All complaining aside, I managed to find a dish which (kind of) fit my stringent requirements over at Tony Cheng’s Seafood Restaurant in Chinatown. All right, I’d be surprised if there wasn’t some garlic hidden in my chicken with asparagus dish ($14.95). But it’s not a spicy offering, and there were no huge chunks of onion prominently featured, so I think I was safe. And man, was it tasty.
Tony Cheng’s a bit pricier than your typical Chinese fare, but it does a nice job with the basics, and has a classy atmosphere. They have a good selection of (mostly tropical-themed) drinks, with catchy names such as Virgin’s Downfall (I enjoyed a coconut-flavored offering, the name of which escapes me, for around $6). Tea is well-brewed, won ton soup is salty and satisfying, and I hear the spicier dishes are first-rate. Not that I would know.
Tony Cheng’s Seafood Restaurant
619 H St., NW
Washington , DC
202/371-8669

Thanks, DCist, for this heads up – Ledo Pizza will be celebrating its 50th Anniversary by giving away FREEEEEEEEE pies all day today. If you’re Bethesda-accessible, what are you waiting for? The mozzarella is calling!

It’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for! If by all I mean, like, three of you.
The Post unveiled Tom Sietsema’s latest dining guide in today’s online edition (it will appear in Sunday’s print copy, I believe). The critic’s theme this year is “In The Mood”, attempting to find a restaurant for every occasion or whim.
For regular readers of Tom’s weekly chats, most of the choices won’t be too surprising – after all, how many times have we heard him rave about 2 Amys or Buck’s Fishing and Camping? But the guide still remains a great one-glance stop when you’re trying to figure out what’s for dinner.

I’m always on the lookout for a good shrimp enchilada. Despite being disappointed by most seafood/Mexican combinations I’ve tried when restaurant-hopping, I still hold out that someone’s going to blow me away. But whether it be the chain offerings at Chevy’s, or Alero’s bland attempt, I’ve yet to be impressed.
But when I went to Mexicali Blues in Clarendon Friday night, I was pleasantly surprised that their take on the dish was a little unique and definitely delicious. The enchiladas are served in an orange-colored, creamy sauce that really makes the meal. Portion sizes are sufficient, but not overdone. The rest of our trip was less impressive – slow service, mediocre mojitos, pupusas that can’t hold a candle to Samantha’s – but loved those enchiladas.
Has anyone encountered a more deserving candidate for the Best Shrimp Enchilada crown?

Sometimes when you go to a restaurant, you wonder if your experience there is all about mindset. The first time I went to News Café in Georgetown, I had spent the day traipsing around Georgetown during the blizzard. My friends and I were starving and just looking for anything edible – with the less-than-authentic name, we expected serviceable Italian at best. We ended up with a delicious dining experience in a beautiful space (my love of wrought iron and maroon definitely endeared me to the decor).
Somehow the night has been mythologized in our minds since then, and the same group of friends who hit it the first time decided to join me there again when in town for my birthday. And this time, our irrationally high expectations resulted in merely competent results.
Our first trip featured a delicious Pinot Grigio recommended by the restaurant, perfectly light calamari, and three entrees we gobbled up eagerly. I enjoyed my crabmeat stuffed shrimp, accented with lemon; my sister gave raves to her prosciutto-topped veal, and we all were wowed by my friend Becky’s creamy pesto spinach fettucini with salmon, which was one of the night’s specials. In fact, I’d hoped that same special would be available this time around.
News Café seems super-eager to keep its customers. They sent me a $10 gift certificate for my birthday (I neglected to read the weeknights-only fine print, so it will have to be used another time). They awarded my sister a coupon for free dessert for recommending the place to her friends, one of whom sat at our table with her own coupon for free chocolate covered strawberries.
Celebrating my birthday and armed with our many coupons, the night was starting to feel like an event. And it still ended up an enjoyable one, if not as amazing as we’d expected.
The $25 bottle of Pinot Grigio we ordered wasn’t as tasty as we’d remembered (inflated memories?), but that didn’t stop us from ordering two bottles of it. Our waitress wasn’t the cheerful, accommodating woman full of suggestions we’d had the last time, but she was certainly fine (though we were denied the use of one of our dessert coupons for no real reason). Fresh mozzarella and tomato was nothing overwhelming, but hit the spot. And man, that calamari was still tasty.
But the entrees seemed a bit more mediocre. No complaints from my sister about her veal, but my tortellini with prosciutto was definitely too salty. A friend’s shrimp pesto pizza was a bit more bland and congealed than I’d like to see, though she enjoyed it. And sadly, no salmon pesto special available.
But to be honest, if we hadn’t been expecting the moon, we probably would have been more than satisfied with our visit. So give News Cafe a shot – just don’t expect the meal of a lifetime.

Sometimes I think Sunday brunch is my favorite meal. It’s usually associated with friends, it’s well-priced and it has a leisurely pace unmatched even by the most luxurious dinners.
My sister and I spent our lazy hazy Sunday this time around at Tallula in Arlington, and it had all the elements of a great brunch. Our waitress was friendly and laid-back, the Bloody Marys were spicy and the food was comforting. If my sister didn’t live in Pittsburgh, we could have a weekly tradition on our hands.
While my sister went with the omelet ($8), I decided to go a bit more unusual and try the short ribs over cheesy grits (at $15, the most expensive selection on the reasonably-priced brunch menu). Though the spice factor of the sauce was a bit much with my peppery drink, it nevertheless was a breakfast that really woke me up. The rich grits were complimented by a green salsa, and the meat was as tender as you expect from a good pair of short ribs. I was less impressed with Mandy’s omelet and home fries, but I’m notoriously fussy about my restaurant eggs, and she enjoyed it heartily. We split a single biscuit with pancetta gravy ($3), and cursed ourselves for not getting our own orders of the rich, creamy dish.
The atmosphere is low-key but elegant, with the sounds of the restaurant’s centerpiece-waterfall lulling you out of your cranky morning mood or pesky hangover. This won’t be the last time I start my Sunday at Tallula.