If you are really into seafood, then there is a place for you in DC. At the Le Diplomate restaurant, they will serve you two or three level towers. We got the three level, for 4-6 people. It cost around $180. The photo doesn’t do it justice. When they brought it out, I took video and that was much more impressive (check out the video on YouTube or Instagram).
We asked for warm butter to dip our lobster, crab, and shrimp. While all seafood can be eaten raw, some of the items are cooked such as the mussels, shrimp, lobster, and crab. The oysters, clams, salmon, and scallops are raw.
We had this as our main course and it was a lot of food for three people. We also got other cheeses, cheese balls, and dessert. We also got complimentary champagne.
Now that I have lived in the Washington, DC, area for over a year, these are my favorite restaurants. They are not in any particular order.
The hamburger meat at Franklin’s is locally sourced and tastes like real meat.
Franklin’s, Hyattsville, MD: American food in an old mercantile. The restaurant owns several shops and a tiki bar. It’s a whole day outing. Serves locally sourced meat.
Ruthie’s All Day, Arlington, VA: Southern food. They have excellent “white sauce” wings. Outdoor seating.
Woodmont Grille, Bethesda, MD: American food. Dark wood and they ask you not to speak too loud. Classy place.
Penny Royal Station. Mt. Rainer, MD: American food. Another secret place.
Caphe Banh Mi, Alexandria, VA: Vietnamese food. Serve banh mi with liver pate. One of the few places that still serve have this “classic” style.
Mandu Erang, Annandale, VA: Korean food. It’s an old school place in a tiny house in the middle of a parking lot.
Mum Aroi, Baileys Crossroads, VA: Thai food. Best authentic place we’ve found so far. “Mum aroi” is “it’s tasty” in Thai.
Le Diplomate, Washington, DC: French food. Busy, but the cheese balls and the seafood tower are worth the crowds.
L’Ardente, Washington, DC: Italian food. Best “cesare” salad evah!
IndoChen, Alexandria, VA: Indian Chinese food. Stick with the Indian food. The chicken breast marinated in yogurt is a weekly food for me.
Y Noodles, Falls Church: a new place that serves authentic (no tea served here!) spicy noodles and other Chinese food from Chongqin.
Cielo Rojo, Takoma Park, Maryland: High class, world class, cosmopolitan, Mexican food. Also includes a vegan menu. Really good food.
