It doesn’t matter whether you’re on a diet, watching your carbs, or whatever, everyone has that one favorite dish that you can’t say no to in a time of need. Maybe it reminds you of something you’re mother made growing up, maybe it’s become your culinary security blanket when you’ve had a stressful day. Whatever the reason, there’s nothing better than indulging in your favorite comfort food dish. Below, DCist writers share their favorite comfort dishes in and around the D.C. area.
Pho fixins’. Photo by caroline.angelo.
MA PO TOFU AT SICHUAN PAVILION: More like discomfort food, amirite? But this scorchingly spicy dish is just what the unseasonable cold calls for. If you believe there can be good Chinese food on K Street, you might come around to theirs as the best in D.C., less oily than Great Wall, spicier than Joe’s Noodle House, not that I couldn’t run off a list of favorite comfort foods from those places either. — Pat Padua
Sichuan Pavilion is located at 1814 K St NW
SWEET RICE DOUGH WITH SWEET CRUSHED PEANUTS AT JOE’S NOODLE HOUSE: A mild, soothing chaser to the numbing peppers of their Spicy Tasty Pork Chop. A mattress-sized version of it would almost certainly send you into sweet form-fitting dreams. The saucer-sized portion may not provide that kind of comfort, but it only costs $2.50. — Pat Padua
Joe’s Noodle House is located at 1488 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Md.
PHO AT PHO 14 (OR ANY OTHER PHO JOINTS): Chicken soup may be the Jewish penicillin, but Grandma is not around anymore to make me her chicken noodle version. Thankfully we have the Vietnamese! Pho—the ubiquitous beef noodle soup of Vietnam—has also earned the penicillin nickname. And if you’re more in the mood for a fowl version for old times’ sake, many pho joints will serve up pho ga as an alternative option to the beef broth/cow cuts option. With two Pho 14 locations around me and Pho Viet just a little further up 14th street, I no longer have to travel to Pho 75 in Rosslyn to get my fix. It’s a medicine best taken at the restaurant. But, if you’re looking for a cold remedy delivered to your doorstep, most shops will bundle the soup separately from the noodles, beef, and veggie condiments so you can assemble the fresh ingredients yourself. But it’s not the same as a steaming bowl being set in front of you with everything already swimming inside. — Josh Novikoff
Pho 14 is located at 4201 Connecticut Avenue NW, 1769 Columbia Road NW, and 1436 Park Road NW.
Photo by leklund
BUTTERMILK CHICKEN FRIED STEAK AT TED’S BULLETIN: Pretty much the entire menu at Ted’s Bulletin can be classified as comfort food. It’s classic American cooking at its best, reminiscent of home-cooked meals of your childhood, but better. However, some dishes stand out as especially comforting. Take the buttermilk chicken fried steak. Delectably crispy fry on the outside, moist and tasty steak on the inside. It’s huge, and you’ll swear you can’t eat the whole thing, but then you will. It pairs with two sides, with comforting choices like bacon and bleu cheese Brussels sprouts, chunky golden delicious apple sauce, green beans with bacon, or creamed corn. Even after all that you’ll probably follow it up with an alcoholic milkshake, because if you’re going for comfort, you might as well go overboard. — Lis Grant
Ted’s Bulletin is located at 508 8th Street SE and 1818 14th Street NW.
SUPER GRILLED CHEESE AT TUNNICLIFFS TAVERN: A grilled cheese sandwich is arguably one of the most comforting foods on earth. Simple, delicious, and cheesy, it always brings on that cozy feeling.
Tunnicliffs Tavern is located at 222 7th Street SE.
HOT AND SPICY NOODLE BOWL AT BEAU THAI: While this soup bears little resemblance to the chicken noodle soup of my childhood, it is no less comforting on a chilly day. Minced chicken or pork (your choice) and crunchy peanuts float in tangy lime and chili-suffused broth. Beau Thai offers a choice of rich or egg noodles in varying widths, so you can slurp on delicate or thick and chewy strands. Either way, it’s an explosion of sweet and sour flavors, with enough heat to seriously clear your sinuses if you have a head cold. — Alicia Mazzara
Beau Thai is located at 3162 Mount Pleasant Street NW and 1700 New Jersey Ave, NW.
Photo by Davin Tarr
ABURA TSUKEMEN AT TOKI UNDERGROUND: There are few things that bring me as much joy in life as Toki’s Abura Tsukemen. Is there anything more comforting than a bowl of noodles cooked in pork fat? It’s like eating a hug from your mother. Sarah Anne Hughes
Toki Underground is located at 1234 H Street NE.
FRIED CHICKEN AND WAFFLES AT OOHH’S AND AAHH’S: Fans of Parks and Recreation know that Amy Poehler’s character often snarfs down whipped cream-covered waffle in times of stress. Leslie Knope is on to something, but I argue that she doesn’t take it far enough. Fried chicken and waffles is the ultimate unholy comfort food alliance. It’s breakfast and dinner; you don’t even have to choose. U Street’s Oohh’s and Aahh’s is a soul food staple, and knows what it’s patrons want after a night of drinking. Stop in late on Friday or Saturday for a platter of crisp and juicy wings and waffles. — Alicia Mazzara
Oohh’s and Aahh’s is located at 1005 U Street NW.
FRIED WHITING AT FISH IN THE ‘HOOD AND HORACE AND DICKIES: Fried whiting has a history in this town. Although it doesn’t get the attention of the half-smoke, a crunchy filet of mild whiting is plenty comforting but with far less of the gastrointestinal distress. Both Fish in the ‘Hood and Horace and Dickies fry their whiting to order, ensuring a crisp cornmeal exterior and moist, tender interior. You can dress your fish sandwich up with a panoply of sauces, from traditional hot or tarter sauce, to a sweet-spicy mango rendition that the house specialty at Fish in the ‘Hood. — Alicia Mazzara
Fish in the ‘Hood is located at 3601 Georgia Avenue NW. Horace and Dickies is located at 809 12th Street NE.
PIEROGIS AND CHICKEN SCHNITZEL AT BISTRO BOHEM: It’s hard to choose between all the comfort foods at Bistro Bohem. The borscht, potato pancakes, and slew of sauerkraut and slow-roasted options are close contenders. But the hearty pierogi special, which changes daily, and the perfectly cooked chicken schnitzel will bring you back to the eastern European motherland regardless of whether you have one. And the excellent service and intimate ambiance makes the experience both delicious and relaxing. — Nicole Dubowitz
Bistro Bohem is located at 600 Florida Avenue NW.
