Food

Dirt Cheap Eats 2008: A&J Restaurant-Annandale

The tabs at these spartan, cash-only dim sum houses will make your eyes pop—in a good way. How can a spread of such generous small plates cost so little? The best bang-for-your-buck dishes include brittle-skinned fried chicken over rice ($6.25), a deep bowl of noodles with stewed, ground pork ($5.95), peanutty dan dan noodles ($4.25), and sesame biscuits with sliced pork or beef ($1.95). And don’t forget smaller nibbles such as the addictive boiled peanuts ($2.55) and an unusual but delicious salad of dried bean curd, cilantro, and peanuts ($2.55). Open daily for lunch and dinner.

>> See all Dirt Cheap Eats Restaurants

Ann Limpert
Executive Food Editor/Critic

Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.