In the past 36 hours I've had amazingly great meals everywhere I've been. Beyond the standard suggestions of Founding Farmers or Busboys.

Two nights ago, for dinner, my group stumbled into a Balkan restaurant/bar waiting for a table elsewhere, but the food was so great, we stayed. They had a $50 per special - unlimited small plates and drinks. Being a new food experience for us all, the food seemed to be a, less heavy, hybrid of familiar German & Mediterranean dishes. Everything ranged from above average to excellent. We probably made it through half of the menu. For the flowing drinks alone, the special was worth it...not to mention splitting the check was a worry free.
- http://www.ambarrestaurant.com/

Last night I had maybe the best pasta dish I've ever eaten, outside of an excellent Italian restaurant in Italy. A place above the Spy Museum, called NoPA, there never seems to be a wait, and they seat large groups in beautiful private dining rooms. The tomato Infused spaghetti, with lobster, chili flakes, garlic shavings, and my favorite Italian secret ingredient - bottarga, is actually the most completely delicious meal I've eaten all year.
- http://nopadc.com/all-menus/

Today, for an early lunch, in honor of Indigenous People today, I went over to the Smithsonian for the best cafeteria food (a little expensive), and only place on the east coast, that I know of, to consistently find American Native foods--outside of street fairs or food trucks. That Pacific Northwest station, with the fiddlehead salad, and salmon hit the spot.
- http://www.mitsitamcafe.com/content/menus.asp

Later in the afternoon, I went for a second lunch in Tysons Corner. Peking Duck absolutely as perfect as the duck served at NYC's Peking Duck House, but for a fraction of the price, and no wait. Plus quick and excellent service, and the bird sliced table-side by the smooth suited and booted 85 year old owner...with his Wash Nationals hat broke off to the side.
- http://www.yelp.com/biz/china-wok-vienna

Tonight, after trying multiple times to avoid the line on different days--unsuccessfully, sucked it up and waited for approximately two hours, and got seated at Rose's Luxury. We spent the wait, during happy hour, at a restaurant/bar with strong drinks and a lot of sassy Brothers, I'm not sure if was a gay bar or not, but there were inexpensive and different specials on food and drink everyday of the week. Anyway, Roses's Luxury, the food lives up to the reputation, host & wait staff friendliness kind of makes it hard to get upset about having to wait. But, If you're alone, and can find a seat at the upstairs bar, you can get around the lengthy line. Plus they supposedly seem to always throw in a free small plate as a thank you.
- http://www.mrhenrysdc.com/
- http://www.rosesluxury.com/

So, aside from needing to relax this gut and adopting a salad only diet for a couple of weeks...I'm sold on the food options in D.C.

In any case, you've made it sound great. I'm a vegetarian and aside from the obvious ingredients, what you mentioned in this post had me salivating. lol

Nice with the links too.

focus on the power lunch, or chains.
I could be wrong!

I still fuck wit Fig & Olive
Barcelona is my go to date spot
Vinoteca
& I live @ the vegetable garden in silver spring & woodlands

I wanna try succotash at the harbor just cuz it's Asian/soul food

I never realized it was a chain.
Those look like good vegan options.

you're talking about Rose's Luxury, or a different place?

the Friday night I went we was deep & I aint mad at it lol.

to me the food is better than nyc.

Except for Ethiopian choices.
But D.C. does now have Shake Shack, Luke's Lobster Rolls, and a Momofuku is about to open.

with the exception of the places that teef takes me to, i think most of the food in nyc is just ok but nothing that wows me.

the only food in nyc that can't be beat is west indian food. i can only think of miami as competition.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/bangkok-54-restaurant-and-bar-arlington

nothing on the menu is over $25

>nothing on the menu is over $25

All the other individual plates are anywhere from $6-$18. A party of two would be good with two individuals and one family style. Plus, I believe they routinely provide a comp individual plate of their choice. When I went, it was Cacio e Pepe...and it was nearly good as any place in Rome.
Cocktails go up to $13, but the majority are between $8-$11, and the beer selection is a decent selection of both swill and fancy options. From the swill beers, they serve PBRs for the same price as Negro Modelos - $3


Edit
Photos that I didn't take, from the over 1000 on Yelp, of what I ordered.
Cacio e Pepe - http://s3-media4.fl.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/HqM0uDuMIBickIcXNwG6JQ/o.jpg
Brisket - http://s3-media2.fl.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/BDMGX5g4phGiv5MwTlltzw/o.jpg
Sausage Lychee Salad - http://s3-media4.fl.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/6wckg09xXh6aqOdnrIJFrg/o.jpg

http://www.thallydc.com/menus/

>

It gives Toki a run for it's money

like that seemingly unnecessary wait at Daikaya, across from the MCI Center?
I've never waited for the ramen there, but that Izakaya restaurant they have through that non-descript door upstairs--is the shit. Up until last week, I considered it my favorite restaurant in D.C.

might go sometime this week.

can't recall the name but it was near U street and umm shit cant recall.

We had brunch the next day at this other spot. They had boozy milkshakes made with cereal. That is correct you could get a captain crunch boozy milkshake. It was damn good. The food was mediocre. That night I finally had Ben's Chili bowl and it was cool. I make better chilli and the hot link I had was alright.