Daikaya – Washington, DC

What's NEXT: When in need for a solid bowl of ramen, look no further than Daikaya. 

Located in the Gallery Place-Chinatown neighborhood, Daikaya was built from the ground up, literally. The old building was completely knocked down in 2012 and took a year to build. The shop opened its doors on Valentine’s Day earlier this year. It brings a modern decor with wood tables, providing customers an authentic ramen shop type feel.

Daikaya is a no-nonsense ramen shop where seating is limited and service is relatively quick. Customers are usually in and out in 30 minutes. I usually opt for the Shio or Mugi-Miso Ramen. Both have very clean flavors and bring out the tremendously rich broth. Since this is a Japanese based ramen shop, they also offer a Shoyu (soy sauce) ramen which I've found to be way too salty. There’s also a vegetarian option as well.

Typical with ramen shops, there’s an add-on for everything: nitamago (soft-boiled egg), chashu (roasted pork), butabara kakuni (roasted pork belly), bamboo, extra noodles etc.  At the end of it, you could easily be spending $20 for a bowl of ramen. I usually just stick with the addition of the chashu which I found to be very flavorful. This keeps my bowl of ramen budget friendly at around $15.

All in all, this is a great place to go if you’re craving ramen or prior to an event at the Verizon Center.

FYI - They also have a Japanese Izakaya upstairs which is relatively new. I definitely need to check that out as well!

4/5 Stars

Mugi-Miso Ramen with Pork Belly

Ramen Menu

Store Front

Horace & Dickies - Washington, DC

What’s NEXT: During the summer, one of my favorites things to eat is fried fish. Whether it’s tilapia, catfish, trout, or sea bass, it’s always hits the spot. When I need to satisfy that craving, I head to Horace & Dickies in the  rising H Street corridor. It’s only a few feet away from Toki Underground and H&Pizza which makes it a great option if you want to try out a few different restaurants (or split food) with a few friends.

Horace and Dickies has been frying up fish for decades and most known for their appearance on Man vs. Food. The man, Adam Richman himself, had high praise for the quality of its fried fish. The restaurant itself is extremely small, take out only, and has an assembly line setup where you order, get your food, and pay. They offer a few variations but I usually opt for the 6 piece fried fish meal  ($10) which comes with 6 pieces of  fried fish, white/wheat bread, tartar sauce and hot sauce. What I love about this place is that usually my 6 piece order ends up with about 10 huge pieces of fish. The orders come in styrofoam trays and they are usually piled high with fish. In addition, the fish is taken straight out of the fryer and right into your styrofoam trays. With their bare hands I might add. Insanely hot. Try not to drop a piece of fish on yourself since it’s served scolding hot.

The fish is flaky and tender, the way it should be. With the addition of the tartar and hot sauce, this is the perfect way to enjoy the summer. Just sit outside on a bench and enjoy the delicious meal in front of you. I usually end up packing leftovers since the portions are ginormous. I would recommend getting the 4 piece if you’re not extremely hungry.

I wish this place had more fish options to choose from or better sides, but it serves its purpose: Fried fish at very affordable prices with a very local feel. Amazing.

4/5 Stars

Store Front

Big Mamma's with Coleslaw, Fried Fish, and Bread

6 Piece Fried Fish Meal

UPDATE: 2013 DC Restaurant Week - August 19-25th

In case you're all waiting for the full list of DC Restaurant Week 2013 was just released!
Check out http://www.ramw.org/restaurantweek/ for a full list of restaurants!

To book a restaurant reservation, visit Open Table and check the available times.

Price Fixe 3 Course Meal:
- Lunch: $20.13
- Dinner: $35.13

Some of my Favorite Restaurants I've previously attended during DC Restaurant Week include:

1. Prime Rib DC http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-prime-rib-washington
2. Raskia West End DC http://www.yelp.com/biz/rasika-west-end-washington
3. Zaytinya DC http://www.yelp.com/biz/zaytinya-washington
4. Chima VA http://nextstopdc.blogspot.com/2013/06/chima-tysons-corner-va.html

Il Mee Korean BBQ Buffet - Annandale, VA

What’s NEXT: The Korean BBQ Buffet at Il Mee is definitely one not to miss if you’re a carnivore like me. During normal lunch and dinner hours, they offer a wide variety of hot food, sushi, and Korean food options.

DISCLAIMER: When I come here though, I’m talking about their late night 10pm-2am $12 AYCE Korean BBQ. You get all you can eat cuts of beef bugolgi, pork belly, spicy chicken and side dishes you want. They also have all the fixings such as spicy bean paste, garlic, jalapenos, lettuce, rice etc. They provide a grill for your table and you cook everything yourself. I usually add the spicy bean paste to everything to give it a little more flavor. 

If you’re more into the sides and tofu soups, I wouldn't recommend coming here. However, if you’re just really hungry and need a decent AYCE place without a long wait, definitely give Il Mee a try!

You can’t beat AYCE Korean BBQ for $12 after 10pm!

3/5 Stars

Lots of Meat Everywhere

Banchan

Sushi Yoshi – Vienna, VA

What’s NEXT: If there’s one place to get sashimi in Northern Virginia, it’s Sushi Yoshi in Vienna. This place has been a regular establishment for Japanese locals to enjoy the best chirashi deal in town and other japanese favorites.

It’s so good that I usually drive out once a month to satisfy my chirashi fix. The Chirashi Deluxe Lunch Special ($14) comes with tuna, salmon, whitefish, squid, picked radishes and more! The complex combination of flavors from the raw/cooked fish and radishes really make this dish absolutely perfect.

Every time I've been here at least half of the tables in the restaurant are ordering the special. It's no secret. Each chirashi special comes with miso soup, salad and a hefty amount of rice.

Service is great here and I would highly recommend making reservations if you’re bringing a large party. The entire restaurant serves less than 30 people. If you’re planning to go last minute like me, I would advise getting there when they open at 11:30am. I'm usually accommodated through bar seating which gives me a front row seat at the sushi chefs prepare the chirashi.

This place is truly something special and I hope every sushi/sashimi aficionado makes it here at least once.

5/5 Stars

Chirashi Deluxe Lunch Special