Why go: The dumplings, salads, noodles, and curries are a fusion not just of Asian cooking styles but also of rusticity and stylishness. So is the bamboo-bedecked cafe, which weds a tiki bar to a bistro.
What to get: Pork dumplings with cabbage and green onion; “Squash It!” dumplings stuffed with sweet potato, ginger, and squash; firecracker shrimp, enrobed in dumpling skin and fried until crispy; skewered, glazed pork; mee goreng, a hearty noodle dish brimming with fresh, well-cooked veggies and finished off with fried shallots; a stir-fry of basil-strewn chicken.
Best for: Grazing or snacking before or after shopping or a movie.
Insider tip: The bigger plates, including curries and noodles, are sized for family-style dining.
>> See all 2010 Cheap Eats restaurants here
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.
