Why go: The most interesting restaurant in Rockville Town Square is this Indian dining room with billowing jewel-tone silks. The menu—crafted by Passage to India owner Sudhir Seth—is just as colorful, ranging from traditional curries to Bombay street fare to coriander-spiked margaritas.
What to get: Miniature potato-stuffed dosas with spicy coconut chutney; chili-cheese toast, an excellent bar snack; dahi papri chaat, a cold salad of potatoes, chickpeas, tamarind, and yogurt; bread pakora, chutney sandwiches with a ketchup-like dipping sauce; chicken tikka masala with an unexpected kick; chicken malbari; lamb stew with apricots; tandoori-charred pineapple; lychee mojito and martini.
Best for: A date that doesn’t feel budget; cocktails and bar snacks.
Insider tip: Weekdays from 5 to 6:30, you’ll find discounts on beer, wine, martinis, and some of the best small plates around.
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.
