Ren's Ramen - Burn Your Cup-A-Noodles At Once

Ren's Ramen in Bethesda is my favorite kind of eatery: unfussy, affordable, and spectacular in serving up a single signature dish. This shoebox of a restaurant is spare in every aspect, from its narrow confines to the even narrower tables. But Ren's main product--Japanese ramen--is so deliciously luxurious and consistent--what's not on the bare walls doesn't matter; it's what's being cradled in the bowl before you that should capture your attention.

Miso Ramen image from Wikipedia

If, like me, your previous encounters with ramen consisted of a styrofoam cup, then banish that gastronomic memory if you're at all skeptical that ramen noodles can be satisfying. I had never experienced the pleasure of eating these authentic buttery noodles before, and from friends' accounts, Ren's Ramen is the real deal.

My favorite is the Sapporo Miso Ramen ($10), a large serving of chewy noodles swimming in the richest broth I've ever encountered. The noodles themselves are good enough, and the scallions, pork slices, and bean sprouts are fine additions. But it's that pork broth that firmly lodges in your memory. It's both sharp and velvety with the richness of butter but without the artery-clogging sensation of a french sauce. I remember the first time I slurped this golden liquid, my dining companion and I glanced at each other and whispered how we had never had a soup broth like this before.

I always elect for the add-ons of sweet corn ($.75), seaweed, stewed fatty pork ($3.50), and a half-boiled egg ($2). In his Washington City Paper review, Tim Carman described the fatty pork bits as "pig candy". With that kind of description, whenever I'm craving pork, my first thought is of Ren's Ramen. The half-boiled egg adds yet another layer to the broth, as the magma-like yoke melts into the soup when you mix everything together. Bordering on overkill-yes, but don't even think about not asking for it.

With three other ramen soup options--soy, salt, and veggie--your vegetarian friends can accompany you as you seek soup nirvana. Just downplay your reactions as they have to suffice with their pork-less existence.

A single ramen serving is quite large, causing me to always curse the Japanese and their envious metabolism. Instead, I often pair up with my dining companion and get the single serving with extra ramen and all the fixings, which makes for a perfectly sized, cheaper meal. This ramen isn't cheap like pho, so a typical sitting will set you back around $15-18 with all the extras.But I'll take Ren's Ramen over some overpriced downtown power spot any day. This is easily one of my favorite eating spots in DC right now. (May 2010)

Rating: 4 stars (out of 4)
Price: $$ - Inexpensive
Recommended: Sapporo Miso Ramen

Ren's Ramen
6931 Arlington Rd
Bethesda, MD 20814
301-693-0806
Metro: Bethesda Metro Station
Neighborhood: Bethesda

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Let's Try This Again

Wow, I can't believe it's been more than a year since our last post. Let's just say that after the economic meltdown really hits its stride last year, our enthusiasm for exploring DC's food scene took a little vacation. We really shouldn't be surprised, but DC's food explosion continued unabated. With all of the closings of old neighborhood standbys and all of the ever-increasing openings of some exciting options (food trucks!), we've been feeling seriously guilty about abandoning our culinary duties.

And so, dear reader, we're attacking our foodie exploration with newly deepened hunger. Economies may be cyclical, but in DC, there will never be enough burgers and cupcakes.

Tasty Bite: Saigon Bistro

Phở near Dupont! This place doesn't have the wiry little man who looks like he'd rather be shoving bamboo splinters under your fingernails like the Arlington standby Pho 75, but the phở is mean enough to compensate. Even the vegetarian Phở Rau Cái is especially good here, as far as meatless dishes go. It smells of cinnamon and exotic, sweaty climes. Not unlike A-lo.

Rating: n/a
Recommended: Phở Rau Cái, Phở Tái Chín


Saigon Bistro

2153 P St. NW

Washington, DC 20037

Get Directions

(202) 558-6188

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A Second Look: Ipoh

Roti canai is sooo good, and everyone I know likes it. Can it be so hard? Why aren't there roti canai vendors on every street corner? A big pot of chicken curry, and whatever they use to cook that crispy, flaky, chewy pancake. Food cart entrepreneurs take note!

Until someone implements my fantastic business ideas, Ipoh does as fine a roti canai as you'll find anywhere in DC. It's only a tad spicy, too much so for A-lo's delicate innards, but nothing your average curry-friendly fellow can't handle. With excellent green curry and pad thai, and some easily avoidable misses like the mango chicken (life tip: in the daring game of pan-asian menu navigation, "mango" is always a minus, and "crispy" a massive plus), Ipoh should be dominating the Woodley Park asian delivery scene. If they do a good General Tso's, I can finally say a sweet goodbye to Mr. Chen's.

Rating: 3 stars
Recommended: Roti canai, green curry, pad thai


Ipoh Asian Cuisine

2625 Connecticut Avenue NW, 2nd FL

Washington, DC 20008

Get Directions

(202) 332-3636

• Yelp

Buzzworthy: Taylor Gourmet

The one convenience that I wish we had more of around here in the District would be more bakeries. Sure, there are Marvelous Market and Firehook, but they range from OK to not-so-OK.

Gourmet Taylor, an Italian-style sandwich shop in the too cool H St neighborhood sounds like a step in the right direction. Yeah, it's not a bakery, but they still deal in some baked goods—and truck bread in daily from Philly apparently!—so I think we should be grateful for that small crumb (ha!).

Both the Post and the City Paper have some recentish write-ups, and they appear to describe Gourmet Taylor as a quality hip establishment. I haven't tried it yet, but any new retail option enticing enough to get me out of my usual neighborhood circuit is enough for my Buzzworthy list. Hmmm, sounds like the perfect solution for the upcoming barrage of Spring picnics (if Spring ever decides to show its allergy-ridden face.)

Rating: n/a
Recommended: not yet tried


Taylor Gourmet

1116 H St NE

Washington, DC 20002

Get Directions

(202) 684-7001

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Tasty Bite: Ipoh - Superb Asian Delivery Finally?

One of the few negative aspects of living in Adams Morgan/Woodley/Dupont Circle is the lack of a reliable and worthy Asian delivery option.

Ipoh Asian Cuisine opened in the last few months in Woodley Park, and it promises to end our gastro curse. It's one of those nondescript Pan Asian restaurants that cooks everything from pad thai to lo mein to sushi. Normally, I would avoid such a place. The range of cuisines, while convenient, means the kitchen doesn't turn out anything memorable (see Banana Leaf in Dupont). But all these other offerings are mere distractions from the star attraction: Malaysian food. Apparently Ipoh is a city in Malaysia, and if there is one Maylaysian dish that can draw me in, it is the heaven sent, Roti Canai!

Roti Canai is a flakey, slightly greasy pancake, usually accompanied by a small side of chicken curry liquid for dripping. You just rip the roti apart, dip the buttery crispy chunks in the mildly spicy chicken curry sauce, and chomp away. It's a fantastic appetizer or light meal, and I'm happy to report that Ipoh's version is excellent. I'll admit that I'm no expert on Maylasian food, but Ipoh's rendition is the best that I've ever had. And best of all, they offer free delivery.

I haven't tried any of their other dishes, but I will definitely be rushing back, so keep an eye out for a review in the future.

Rating: n/a
Recommended: Roti Canai


Ipoh Asian Cuisine

2625 Connecticut Avenue NW, 2nd FL

Washington, DC 20008

Get Directions

(202) 332-3636

• Yelp

El Pollo Rico - Does it Live Up to the Hype?

Frequented by both cops and models, Arlington's El Pollo Rico is known as the place in DC for Peruvian-style rotisserie chicken. After having sampled a few of its competitors around town, I finally made it out to Arlington with Mistress KGB, our photographer, and Tintin in tow, eager to find out if El Pollo's chicken wares were worth the raves.

None of us had been to El Pollo Rico before, and a friend had described the exterior as resembling that of a dry cleaner, which surprisingly turned out to be a spot on observation. The industrial illusion turned out to be appropriate, as inside, the lines were long and the counter-staff were churning out chickens like a factor assembly line. Place your order–quarter, half, or whole–and bam, it's plopped down almost immediately in front of you.

Now normally, such quickly-produced food would warrant some suspicion. Perhaps these chicks had been sitting under a heat lamp and all the moisture had been sucked out. But alas, the food lived up to the hype. This chicken was thoroughly juicy, almost bordering on being too moist. The rotisserie flavors were strong and blunt, with a surprising, tangy edge that I hadn't experienced so fully at other chicken joints.

Tintin and I agreed that the chicken was indeed really good, making it easy for El Pollo Rico's chicken to rank as the best I've had in DC. Mistress KGB concurred, but claimed her favorite place in Falls Church produced equally good food.

Unfortunately, the accoutrements disappointed slightly. No traditional yuca fries were offered; instead stock french fries were served in their place. Normally, Cisco fries (if that's what they were) aren't my idea of good cooking, but these seem to have been cooked/thawed in the same grease and seasonings as the chicken, so they were surprisingly serviceable.

The coleslaw was forgettable, but the sauces were downright terrible. Almost more than the main dishes, I love the little green and white sauces that come with Peruvian fast food. I have no idea what they're called, but I expect them to be savory and spicy. The sauces at El Pollo Rico were too thick, bland, and almost inedible. Steer clear and opt for some ketchup instead, if you need some sauce for your fries.

While the chicken was superb, I have to admit that the overall experience left me a bit wanting. My favorite Peruvian place in the city, Granja de Oro, offers chicken that is almost as good on its best days, along with tasty yuca fries and spicy sauces. Otherwise though, El Pollo Rico has some of the best chicken around, and that's what you're looking for, right?

Rating: 3 stars
Recommended: Chicken, duh.


El Pollo Rico (also in Wheaton)

932 N Kenmore St

Arlington, VA 22201

Get Directions

(703) 522-3220

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Best of DC: Burgers

Sir Noshalot hungers for:

1. Central Michel Richard - They probably make some other good shit here, but I wouldn't know because they serve the single most delicious cheeseburger this side of my childhood.




2. Ray's Hell-Burger - The meat is quality, and you can taste it. Options for au poivre, blackened, or straight up. A whole menu of cheeses, several hard to pronounce. Gratis sherried mushrooms and other fine toppings. Dominion root beer on tap (floats!), and Dracula's Blood (soda) in the bottle. It makes me sad when I think of all the other burgers in the world that could be Ray's burgers.
   
3. Elevation Burger - As close to In-N-Out as you can find in these benighted eastern states.

Still skeptical: Good Stuff Eatery hides dry, over-seasoned patties behind a shamelessly twee menu.


A-lo is launched into a food coma by:

1. Ray's Hell-Burger -Ray's is edged out by Central for the tastiest burger in town, but considering that a meal at Ray's will set you back by at least half as much, Ray's get the nod from my frugal self. Like Sir Noshalot, I'm partial to the "au poivre," blackened with pepper and topped with Ray's special sauce. Cut that sucker in half in order to handle it.
2. Central Michel Richard - My burger here was supremely tasty, but it had better be for $17. The patty was packed with beefy flavor, without being distracted by overpowering cheeses and sauces. My biggest complaint was the amount of meat juice which had made the otherwise excellent bun soggy. Sir Noshalot, usually sulking in the corner of the restaurant by himself, tells me that soggy buns aren't usually an issue.
3. Urban Burger - They have a lone, out of the way location in Rockville, but it's well worth stopping by, if you're in the area.
4. Busboys & Poets - The food at Busboys can be hit or miss, but the burgers are reliable and inexpensive, and the U-street location is always hopping. My favorite is the Gorgonzola burger, which also benefits from the best burger buns in town. If only Ray's used these babies...
5. Elevation Burger - I've never been to In-N-Out, but lord knows we East Coast folk are tired of hearing about it. I like these burgers for their compact size and tasty companion fries, so I don't leave the restaurant feeling like I need to run to the gym immediately (see Central and Ray's).
   
6. Honorable Mention - Call me crazy, but quite possibly the best burger I've had in DC was at the TGIFriday's in Foggy Bottom. I won't even dare suggest that TGIFriday's is an overlooked purveyor of fine American foods. Instead, there must have been a burger maestro working his magic at the grill on those two occasions years ago that I experienced such greasy bliss. I remember it was elevated by the fried onion rings within the burger that provided a contrasting but complementary crunch.

Best of DC: Pizza

A-lo's picks:

1. Pizzeria Paradiso - I don't care what the naysayers scream—this place is still the best.
   
2. 2 Amy's - A different style than Paradiso, but a far more comprehensive menu.
   
3. Pupatella - A pizza cart run by a cute couple in Ballston. Simple, cheap, and good enough.

Yet to try: Moroni Bros (forged in the Paradiso kitchens!), Posto (had some pasta but no pizza), Comet Ping Pong (I know, I need to get over there)

I tried Pete's Apizza once, and I can't say I'm eager to rush back. I'll give it another shot eventually.


Sir Noshalot champions:

1. Pete's Apizza - A-lo's on crack. This isn't exactly New Haven style, but it may be better, sitting very comfortably somewhere between generic pizza and the froofy kind.
   
2. Pizzeria Paradiso - I could eat an Atomica every day of the week.
3. Comet Ping Pong - Great crust, great toppings, great ideas, great space. If it were on the Metro, I'd actually think about going now and then.
   
4. A trip to Providence, RI for the deliciousness that is Al Forno
   

The Invasion of Pho & Shawarma?

The explosion of diverse, cheap food options Northwest DC continues, this time bringing not just one but 4 new locations of Pho and Shawarma spots (not all together)! Now all we need is a Camelot in Adams Morgan, and Sir Noshalot won't leave the neighborhood.

Holy Shawarmymuthu (Tamil joke...)
In Adams Morgan, two Shawarma options have recently appeared, helping cement Adams Morgan as the most well-rounded and inexpensive dining neighborhood. You can go from Brazilian to Drag Queen brunches to Himalayan in just a few blocks. Take that Crystal City.

Scooped from Prince of Petworth, Shawarma Spot is right in the middle of the neigbhorhood, taking over the once-anticipated but short-lived hot dog den, M'Dawg (which closed I think because of a dispute among its operators, and also because it wasn't worth the prices).

A little bit further along Columbia is Shawarma King, which looks polished from the pics. Let's hope both places are able to survive!

Shawarma Spot
2418 18th St
Washington, DC 20009

Shawarma King
1654 Columbia Road
Washington, DC 20009


Pho 5839101234340981
There are plenty of good pho options across the Potomac in VA, but the few places scattered around DC aren't terribly good, which is why the introduction of these new places in Metro-accessible neighborhoods is exciting.

Saigon Bistro on P Street in Dupont seems a little pricey from their menu and for pho, but some early tasting by Miss Crotchety suggests that Saigon Bistro could be worth it.

Meanwhile, over in Columbia Heights, Pho 14 will be opening soon (Feb?).

2 pho and 2 shawarma places within walking distance could mean my weekend lunch plans for the next few months are set. Coincidence that they're all opening with a new regime change in town?

Saigon Bistro
2153 P St. NW
Washington, DC 20037 (Dupont Circle)

Pho 14 (not yet open)
Near Park & 14th St NW
Washington, DC (Columbia Heights)