Eat Great Cheap 2013The Eden Center—the dining mecca for expat Vietnamese—can feel labyrinthine even for those who aren’t novices. This charming cafe lies in one of its deepest corners, and it’s a testament to the kitchen that the place is usually full. Banh cuon, the signature dish, is a gelatinous rice crepe with various fillings (the shrimp is superb), topped with bean sprouts and cilantro. Douse it with tangy nuoc mam sauce from a Mason jar.
See all of our 2013 Cheap Eats picks.
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.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
