On Monday night I am thinking Addis Ababa in Silver Spring, 7:30-ish. Send an email if you might want to go so I can call ahead for a table. Beck and Lauriol Plaza both sound like fun, especially that beer list at Beck, but I feel iffy about the price (Beck) and waiting too long for a seat (both). Let me know what you think.
DC
by Tim F| 26 Comments
This post is in: Bleg, Blogospheric Navel-Gazing
M-Pop
I probably don’t live anywhere near you, but I think it’s so cool that a front-pager posts asking if folks are going to go to a show and should he reserve a table? Consider my mind blown. I love this blog.
Yutsano
Where the hell is Valdiva? She’ll be all over this like shit on stink. And you could definitely do worse for dinner company than a hawt sexy Jewish Latina. I haz mad jelus now, I live in wrong Washington!
schrodinger's cat
I so wish I could be there, I used to live in MD not that far from Silver Spring. I hope everyone has a great time. I await the day when Tunch holds his own meet-up.
@Yutsano: I thought you lived in DC.
Yutsano
@schrodinger’s cat: ‘Fraid not. Never in my life. Been there though, had a lotta fun in the Smithsonian.
Just Some Fuckhead
I dunno, gotta work tomorrow (sorta) and it’s a 4 hour drive. I’ll think about it.
Xantar
Huh. So if I can make it to this thing, I get to meet some of you and find out if you’re willing to say the sorts of things in person that you say to each other on the internet?
Well now…
Duncan Dönitz (formerly Otto Graf von Pfmidtnöchtler-Pízsmőgy, Mumphrey, et al.)
Muy interesante. I also know a really good Italian place in Bethesda called the Pines of Rome. My wife and I used to eat there a lot when she worked in Bethesda and we lived in Greenbelt. Now we live in Virginia, near Fairfax, so we don’t get up to the Pines as much as we’d like.
schrodinger's cat
@Duncan Dönitz (formerly Otto Graf von Pfmidtnöchtler-Pízsmőgy, Mumphrey, et al.): We lived in Greenbelt too! Do I know you?
Tom Levenson
I’d love to suck down some doro wot. I miss Ethiopian food from my now distant DC days; Boston is not a great center of same, and my wife doesn’t love it anyway.
And it would be good finally to put face to handle…but alas, I got miles to go before I sleep.
have fun.
PeakVT
The Pines is good, though it’s been a while since I’ve been there.
While Tyler Cowen is a dishonest glibertarian wanker on economics, his DC area ethnic dining guide is pretty good.
dadanarchist
Excellent choice. My roommate from college lives in Silver Spring and I’ve been there many a time, always wonderful.
Hit up the Quarry House for a beer before/afterwards – their beer selection is staggering.
Thoughtful Black Co-Citizen
Dude, if you’re going to be in SS you must go to Mandalay.
Burmese.
Awesome.
You’ll hate yourself if you don’t.
Poopyman
It’s going to be a last minute thing for me, or at least mid–afternoon thing. I’ll let you know.
I lived in Laurel, Bowie, and College Park, but I worked at Goddard about half of my career (so far).
And just for the record, there’s no place in Greenbelt to eat if you’re traveling further than, say, Lanham.
Poopyman
And you might want to repeat this PSA tomorrow AM when folks get back online.
I gotta hit the hay….
Yutsano
@Tom Levenson: I lurve lurve LURVE doro wot! Ya gotta love any stew that gives you your own hard-boiled egg in it. Plus it’s spicy and hearty and belly filling. I went to an old friend’s family-owned Ethiopian restaurant before, it was brilliant.
BTW thanks for whoever gave me the inspiration to listen to The Pines of Rome. Brilliant piece.
LGRooney
Wrong side of the beltway for me. I’ll hold out for a hometown run around Arlington or DC if the time works for this family man – helping out the 1st grader with homework can drain me at times.
Paul Belliveau
As the one who suggested the place, I now feel obligated to go! And to mention that that the above mentioned Quarry House has one of the top four burgers on the planet, to my semi-informed taste, anyway (a bit of burger bragging; I’ve hunted for the best burgers in DC, Montana, New York and Paris).
Paul Belliveau
As the one who suggested the place, I now feel obligated to go! And to mention that that the above mentioned Quarry House has one of the top four burgers on the planet, to my semi-informed taste, anyway (a bit of burger bragging; I’ve hunted for the best burgers in DC, Montana, New York and Paris).
Brandon
My gosh, first time that something happens near me ever. I live walking distance in Takoma Park. Addis Ababa is a good restaurant. I would go except that I have my mother in town and a sick baby.
Quarry House sounds like a good night too. I would avoid Mandalay unless you like waiting for an hour. Jackie’s Sidebar is a decent option for drinks. Lotus Cafe is next door and tasty. I am also a huge sucker for the stuffed baked shrimp at Crissfield.
Awktalk
If you want a true Ethiopian/Eritrean treat, don’t wonder out to Maryland. Go to Meskerem at 2434 18th Street Northwest, Washington D.C., DC 20009
It is in the middle of Adams Morgan, the best nightlife in DC, great food, great ambiance, and I live about 100 yards away. We can all come back to my place for drinks. My Swiss wife will treat you all to a delightful afterparty.
Karen
I wish I knew about this sooner because I live in Aspen Hill and when I take Metro access I have to call a day in advance. Maybe next time?
nathaniel
Honestly those are awful choices. If you want Ethiopian, try one of the places on 18th or U st. (I also second mandalay if you are in Silver Spring) Lauriol is just not good food, and is one of those places like Ben’s Chilli Bowl that is overrated because very few people eat there when sober. I would eat at any of the random Salvadorian restaurants that are scattered through out the city.
Beck is good, but if you are looking for a beer list and a lower price, just ear at churchkey, it has decent enough cheap food and the best beer in the city. Though I must say Beck’s prices are pretty standard for DC.
Paul Belliveau
@Awktalk
Meskerem is great, but the clientele will has been DC professional types every time I’ve been there. I got the impression that that Tim F. was looking for something more off the beaten path. Plus, I’ve eaten at Dukem, Meskerat, and Zed’s repeatedly. I think Addis Ababba (and a few other Silver Spring Ethiopian places; there’s about 7 of them) offer better food, prices, and more authentic ambience.
Now if the goal was to gorge on Doro Wat and kitfo and tibs before starting a bar crawl, then I’d agree with you that Adams Morgan was the way to go.
Brandon
You people crack me up. How did this become about finding the “best” Ethiopian? For those not in the know, Addis Ababa used to be on 18th and I think was the first Ethiopian restuarant in Adams Morgan, back when 18th street was a shady hell hole that no one went to. All the taxi drivers would be at Addis Ababa having drinks in the bar and up the street all the interns would be at Mescarem. Well, Addis Ababa has moved to become a foothold in another Ethiopian community in Silver Spring and the taxi drivers are still there. In any event and if “best” is the goal, the only real answer is Dukem. And to end this conversation, I have had that validated by actual Ethiopians during a recent trip to Dire Dawa.
horse dave
Well crap,
I wish I’d seen this before Monday morning. I luv Ethiopian food and work just up in Columbia. The beers at Brassiere Beck are incredible, now if I could pronounce them. Next time.
Paul Belliveau
@Brandon
I’m not proud, but if I’m brutally honest with myself, you just described why I like Downtown silver Spring and why I like Adam’s Morgan twenty years ago.