Eat Great Cheap 2019
About Eat Great Cheap 2019
This article is a part of Washingtonian’s Eat Great Cheap feature, our annual list of where to eat (and not break the bank) right now. Our food editors put together the best new restaurants around DC where you can find Detroit-style pizza, Japanese egg-salad sandwiches, chicken-nugget-filled tacos, and more—for $25 or less per person.
Nick Ongsangkoon, who also owns Soi 38, and chef Ben Tiatasin, formerly of Esaan, are Bangkok natives enchanted by the spicy, funky flavors of their neighboring Laos’s cuisine. Start with crunchy rolls wrapped in lettuce, lemongrass-laced pork sausage, or pickled-papaya salad. A whole fried rockfish hewed into crunchy, tamarind-glazed pieces is worth the splurge, though don’t underestimate modest-sounding dishes such as grilled chicken. The charcoal-kissed bird, dipped in vinegary chili sauce and paired with a cold beer, is transportive on the balmy patio.
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.
Jessica Sidman covers the people and trends behind D.C.’s food and drink scene. Before joining Washingtonian in July 2016, she was Food Editor and Young & Hungry columnist at Washington City Paper. She is a Colorado native and University of Pennsylvania grad.
