by DCist contributor Alex Beall
Date night in Washington doesn’t need to mean spending your last pay check on a prix-fixe meal complete with a bottle of wine and candlelight, or fighting with the crowds for a reservation. Finding a restaurant hidden away from the noisy rush could refocus the meal on what’s important: making a connection and having fun. So take the pressure off with one of these non-traditional date spots for casual conversation, good food, and a relaxed date. And if you’re not ready to call it a night—or day—these spots also come with some recommended nearby activities.
(Photo by Fish Taco)
Dama Pastry & Café: If you and your date are looking for atypical date fare, consider Ethiopian, a staple of D.C. ethnic cuisine. This local spot, tucked away in Arlington and run in tandem with an Ethiopian pastry shop, doesn’t look like much from its exterior, but it offers quick service and a quieter ambience where you won’t be rushed or struggling to talk over the noise. Dishes to share, served on a family-style serving of the traditional injera bread, run from $11 to $17, and include lamb, beef, chicken, or vegetarian options. A good option is to pair the vegetable combo with the awaze tibs and the lamb alcha. After you’ve eaten, comfortably linger over a ginger tea. If you need to walk off some of your meal, stroll around the United States Air Force Memorial, located just down the road.
Dama Pastry & Café is located at 1505 Columbia Pike, Arlington.
Dumplings and Beyond: With a renovation completed in October, this Chinese restaurant is ready to host two to three times the clientele. One drawback: the expanded layout no longer lets you catch a glimpse of the chef assembling the dumplings. Located in Glover Park not accessible by Metro, the restaurant and surrounding area are never too busy. The menu includes a range of Chinese dishes, but the $10 plates of dumplings—pan-fried or steamed—are the star. They’re stuffed to the size of a lemon and dunked in their special dumpling sauce. The pace here is slow, giving you plenty of time to consider the menu and talk over your meal. And if you want to secure your table, this one takes reservations. If the meal goes well, head for a round of pool or shuffleboard at BreadSoda, just down the street.
Dumplings and Beyond is located at 2400 Wisconsin Ave. NW.
Fish Taco: You probably won’t find too many couples at any of Fish Taco’s three locations, all located outside of the D.C. center. But it’s great for a casual meal, especially lunch, where you order at the register. This taqueria, inspired by cuisine from Baja California, Mexico, and the Southwestern states, lives up to its name with crispy beer-battered fish tacos and burritos, priced between $10 and $12. For a healthier option, order grilled or blackened fish, chicken, or even vegetarian. And look out for their specials, like a fish stew, to try something not usually listed. One note: this might not be the best option for a first date if you plan to bite into one of their Chipotle-sized burritos.
If you’re headed for the Cabin John location during the day, stop to check out the art galleries at Glen Echo Park.
Fish Taco has locations at at 7945 MacArthur Blvd in Cabin John, 7015 Wisconsin Ave. NW in Chevy Chase, and 10305 Old Georgetown Rd. in North Bethesda.
El Sol: While Washington, D.C., is not known as Mexican food mecca, El Sol is consistent in its quality and located in a trendy area of town. Start your meal with a shared appetizer of queso fundido con chorizo, a sizzling cheese fondue that comes with freshly made tortillas, followed by carne asada or carnitas tacos or a savory plate of mole. Lunch and dinner dishes range from $10 to $15. Keep in mind that this place also offers up a good $17.95 three-course brunch. El Sol is conveniently situated near Dupont Circle and the 14th Street Corridor, which offers plenty of options to stroll the neighborhood.
El Sol is located at 1227 11th St. NW.
Hai Duong: There’s plenty of good Vietnamese food in D.C., but you’ll find some even better options if you make the drive out to Eden Center in Falls Church (6751 Wilson Blvd.). Hai Duong has the space and feel of a nicer sit-down restaurant, and you can take your time and have a conversation without the bustle of downtown. The large bowl of pho, loaded with a choice of protein and priced at $7.95, maintains the authenticity and quality of a hole-in-the-wall shop. If you’re looking for something more unusual, try #52, Hu Tien Hai Duong, a deliciously unique soup that includes quail eggs, shrimp, pork heart, tongue, and blood. Complete the experience by stopping in any number of the surrounding shops for Boba or Vietnamese pastries.
Hai Duong is located at 6795 Wilson Blvd. in Falls Church, VA.
La Limeña: Though it requires a trip into Rockville, this Peruvian restaurant will not disappoint fans of the country’s cooking. There may be a wait to be seated, and tables may be closer together, but it boasts the buzzing ambience of a popular restaurant while letting you get away from city center. Settle in for some traditional plates like lomo saltado or aji de gallina, which will run you about $15 to $17. Pair your meal with a beverage from the cocktail, beer, and wine list—perhaps a pisco sour? A few miles down the street is the Pike & Rose shopping development, which includes the posh iPic movie theater.
La Limeña is located at 765 Rockville Pike, Rockville.
Mi Cuba Café: A popular local spot, this Cuban restaurant hosts a lively crowd, made even more vibrant by its bright green walls. While the wait may be longer than other hole-in-the-walls, Mi Cuba Café whisks you and your date off to the Caribbean with a plate of fried plantains, ropa vieja (shredded beef cooked in tomato sauce at $13.95) or lechon asado (Cuban-style roasted pork at $11.95), and black beans and rice. Finish up with a dessert of guava empanadas and coffee, and then venture into the Columbia Heights neighborhood where you can continue the night at shops, bars, or entertainment venues. As a bonus, you can grab tickets for a performance or exhibition at the GALA Hispanic Theatre, housed in the historical building of the former Tivoli Theater just across the way.
Mi Cuba Café is located at 1424 Park Rd. NW.
