Delicious Foodstuffs Tour of DC Begins with Fish in the Hood
posted February 10, 2015 2:05 PM   RSS | iCal | +googleCal

Sat March 14 at 7:00 PM, Fish in the Hood
3601 Georgia Avenue Northwest, Washington, DC, USA (Map & Directions)
The winner of our food poll is Fish in the Hood, located in Park View, DC. (Easy walk from Georgia Ave-Petworth Metro.) (Also, potentially, in the 'hood?) I'm going to go ahead and simplify this process and pick out a date myself: Saturday, March 14, 2015 at 7:00 PM. It's near some great bars so a Saturday night should be pretty ideal for anyone who wants a night out on the town. Hope to see you all there!
I'm keeping a Google Doc of the rest of our options so we can regroup for April.

Our Sichuan Hot Pot event was super successful and because I really enjoy dining with you all, I wanted to gauge interest in having some more fun, delicious, and unusual dinner meetups. I'd love to hear what everyone's schedule is looking like for March and also get some suggestions for holes in the wall and hidden gems to add to my own, in case we want to make this more of a regular thing.

Poll to choose where we'll go in March: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1MbeKiPae-FqW6kguudhbrMPZorxACcyPB4G-3Pq4QQE/viewform
Some thoughts I've had for places so far:
* Fish in the Hood - soul food
* DC3 - hot dogs
* Panda Gourmet - DC's best and most secret Chinese restaurant ever according to Tyler Cowen
* Surfside Dupont - I'm thinking start at a bar (RECESSIONS) and then go here for midnight tacos
* Dim sum somewhere in Rockville? I don't know Rockville at all so I haven't a clue where to start.

Please add yours to the list!

n.b. I can do pretty much any Monday, Thursday, or Saturday evening in March and I could probably swing most Tuesdays or Sundays too. I'm busy Fridays but it's because I go to the Star Trek MeFi meetups, so we could maybe combine this with that if enough people are interested.
posted by capricorn to Meetup (32 comments total) 2 users marked this as a favorite

I'll keep an eye on this! I'm around until March 14 with potential access to DC, especially on weekends.
posted by ChuraChura at 2:11 PM on February 10, 2015


Afghan Grill in Woodley Park is pretty good.
posted by everybody had matching towels at 2:25 PM on February 10, 2015 [1 favorite]


I don't know if I'd call it "hidden," but El Pollo Rico is my personal all-time favorite Peruvian chicken joint. There's one in Wheaton and another near Virginia Square.
posted by zombieflanders at 4:16 PM on February 10, 2015 [1 favorite]


A Litteri is another one I'd like to offer up - Italian grocery and sandwich shop in the Florida ave wholesalers market. The Italian store in Arlington is also delightful if we want to venture further out.
posted by capricorn at 7:11 PM on February 10, 2015


Panda Gourmet on New York Ave NE. It's actually the restaurant for the Days Inn on New York Avenue. And it's really, really good. A friend of ours took us there after reading about it in the local Chinese newspaper.

And of course, there's always Oohs & Aahs!

As our resident Rockvillite, I ought to know where to get dim sum in my neck of the woods, but I have no idea.
posted by duffell at 3:45 AM on February 11, 2015


Oh! Completely missed Panda Gourmet in the original post. But yeah, anyway, it's good.
posted by duffell at 3:53 AM on February 11, 2015


DC3 is just hot dogs, and not particularly great ones. It's near my house and office and the Eastern Market Metro, but I, for one, would still rather go somewhere else. Not opposed to it, though.

Panda Gourmet will be a bit difficult to get to via Metro, but I'd love to give it a try, and it's in my neck of the woods.

Litteri would be fine, but there's not really a place to sit and talk. Union Market next door might work--big, lots of offerings, easy to park, near the New York Avenue Metro. Then folks could go over to Litteri to get yummy stuff to take home.
posted by MrMoonPie at 6:33 AM on February 11, 2015


Now that I'm not on my phone anymore, here's the link for A. Litteri. I'd love to go over there on a Saturday so we can hit up the flea market too.
posted by capricorn at 6:34 AM on February 11, 2015


Union Market would work too, MrMoonPie.
posted by capricorn at 6:36 AM on February 11, 2015


For the carnivores, how about late-night (all you can eat) Korean BBQ at Il Mee in Annandale?

Or if not late-night, at Honey Pig or Yechon? (Which are very, very different.)
posted by QuantumMeruit at 7:48 AM on February 11, 2015 [2 favorites]


I have been wanting for more than a year to go to Hill Country with a group on a Monday night, when they offer all-you-can-eat, family-style dining (PDF) for $27 per person. I'd have to drive down from Aberdeen, and cancel my weekly Italian lesson, but it would be worth it!
posted by ubiquity at 8:14 AM on February 11, 2015 [1 favorite]


There is a Travelzoo voucher deal for Hill Country right now that works out to about that price per person. It's not AYCE in the true sense but it's way more than I can eat in quantity. And I can eat. It's usable anytime.
posted by phearlez at 8:39 AM on February 11, 2015


If one has to make the drive all the way from Aberdeen for BBQ, better make it DCity Smokehouse, and I say that as a Texpatriate who has made a thorough study of BBQ in the DC metro area. Sadly, it's more of a takeout joint, but once the weather warms up, I'd be happy to do a big pickup order and meet everyone for a picnic at Hains Point.

WRT to Rockville foodstuffs, I'm tremendously partial to Mama's special dumplings from China Bistro. Their recent remodel means there's more seating, so it would also be a great place for a meetup.
posted by evoque at 9:10 AM on February 11, 2015 [1 favorite]


I forgot about China Bistro! Never been there, but used to order out when they delivered. Big ups to their dumplings.

Hill Country is always good. Very filling, though--All You Can Eat is sort of a superfluous distinction, because I don't think I've ever been able to finish what I ordered there.

If people want yet another Chinese option, the noodles at Chinatown Express at 6th & H NW in Chinatown are yummy and cheap.

If we end up in Eastern Market/Capital Hill, we could make a whole night of it--go to Sweet Lobby for macarons, then to Labyrinth for board games...
posted by duffell at 12:36 PM on February 11, 2015 [1 favorite]


Salt and Pepper Grill is a hole in the wall Indian joint near Howard U. The problem is it is a pretty small place.
posted by MS_gal at 2:20 PM on February 11, 2015 [1 favorite]


There is also dim sum in Silver Spring just outside DC at Oriental East. Can be crowded though.
posted by zennie at 8:28 PM on February 12, 2015 [1 favorite]


Thank you all for helping brainstorm, it sounds like we have a really excellent list of places! So what I think I'll do is make a google poll or something this weekend where we can vote on the list and put together a schedule based on priority + timing, since a couple things like dim sum and the flea market need to be done on a weekend morning. wow very food much excite
posted by capricorn at 6:30 AM on February 13, 2015


OK, poll is here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1MbeKiPae-FqW6kguudhbrMPZorxACcyPB4G-3Pq4QQE/viewform

I pulled a few options that'll be better in nicer weather (A. Litteri, Surfside, DCity Smokehouse) so we can look at those for future meetups.
posted by capricorn at 12:20 PM on February 15, 2015


Just out of curiousity, has anyone been to Woodlands in Langley Park? I realize it's a pain in the ass without a car, but omg there is no better vegetarian Indian food ANYWHERE and their lunch buffet is truly majestic.
posted by nonasuch at 1:26 PM on February 15, 2015


Woodlands is good South Indian food... but service is spotty. If you have a large party you might be there approximately a thousand years unless everyone gets the buffet.
posted by zennie at 6:15 PM on February 17, 2015


Huh, really? I've been there with groups of 7-10 people more than once (for dinner) and not had a problem.
posted by nonasuch at 7:02 PM on February 17, 2015


One quick note, Fish in the Hood is cash only so be sure to hit the ATM before you arrive.

Bars: DC Reynolds and Looking Glass are on the block; Meridian Pint, Wonderland, Room 11, and Kangaroo Boxing Club are over on 11th; and then a bit more of a walk to Petworth Citizen to the north or Red Derby and Lyman's Tavern to the west. DC IS BEAUTIFUL :')
posted by capricorn at 12:34 PM on February 19, 2015


Alas, I won't be making it after all. We're throwing a Pi Day party (3/14/15, y'all!). Get me next time.
posted by duffell at 5:31 AM on February 22, 2015


My mom's in town that weekend so we are otherwise engaged.
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 8:58 AM on February 24, 2015


So it looks like we will have warm weather on Saturday with a little bit of rain that will hopefully clear up by the time we get to Fish in the Hood. It's a bit of a small establishment, so if we end up arriving in waves, the best thing to do is just order when you get there so we don't overwhelm the kitchen. And if weather allows, we may be able to go enjoy our delicious fried things (and sweet potato pies for Pi Day) outside somewhere. Looking forward to seeing everyone!

Here's a review of Fish in the Hood with some highlights from the menu.
posted by capricorn at 6:38 AM on March 12, 2015


Well, damn. Some last-minute shenanigans with a team project ("It's not my fault!") will keep me from delicious deep-fried goodness. Y'all enjoy it for me!
posted by zombieflanders at 2:35 PM on March 14, 2015


Sadly, I have to miss this one as well. Sorry about the last minute notice, couldn't be helped.
posted by Riki tiki at 2:42 PM on March 14, 2015


Yum!
posted by zennie at 5:16 PM on March 14, 2015


Most of us have migrated over to the looking glass basement patio. Come join us!
posted by capricorn at 5:19 PM on March 14, 2015


For those finished with or skipping FitH, we are at Looking Glass across the street in the back patio.

Squeeze past the bar, to the right, down the stairs, and out the back.
posted by zennie at 5:23 PM on March 14, 2015


This was lots of fun, great to see everyone who made it! I'll definitely be a repeat customer to Fish in the Hood.
posted by capricorn at 3:46 PM on March 15, 2015


Soooo my husband and I came out and got food but I had a sudden attack of shyness and wasn't able to actually say hello to anyone. So hi and hopefully next time my social anxiety won't take over! The fish was super delicious, btw
posted by brilliantine at 1:51 PM on March 17, 2015



This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments