On Sun, 27 Apr 2008 18:46:44 GMT, "James Silverton"
> wrote:

> blake wrote on Sat, 26 Apr 2008 14:08:20 GMT:
>
> ??>> blake wrote on Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:38:07 GMT:
> ??>>
> ??>>>> Hello, All!
> ??>>>>
> ??>>>> Does anyone have any strong opinions as to the most
> ??>>>> authentic Indian restaurants in the Washington DC
> ??>>>> metropolitan area? To take an example, where would, say,
> ??>>>> a Bengali go for homestyle cooking? There are a number
> ??>>>> of Indian restaurants that I like but I know little
> ??>>>> about their authenticity and I will never learn Hindi or
> ??>>>> Urdu.
> ??>>>>
> ??>>>> James Silverton
> ??>>
> bm>>> james, i can't help you out of personal knowledge, but in
> bm>>> case you don't know of it, here's a pointer to tyler
> bm>>> cowen's guide to ethnic restaurants in the metro area:
> ??>>
> bm>>> this one is searchable, with some bullets for regional
> ??>> cuisines:
> ??>>
> bm>>> <http://www.tylercowensethnicdininggu...m/2006/09/welc
> bm>>> om e_1.php>
> ??>>
> bm>>> this is most of the same information in a different
> bm>>> format, along with some comments about eatin' that kooky
> bm>>> ethnic
> ??>> chow:
> ??>>
> bm>>> <http://www.gmu.edu/jbc/Tyler/tyler_cowen.htm>
> ??>>
> bm>>> as far as i can tell, he knows his onions. for instance,
> bm>>> on joe's noodle house in rockville:
> ??>>
> bm>>> Superb Szechuan food. Many little items. You order and
> bm>>> they bring it to your crowded table. As close to real
> bm>>> Chinese food as you are going to get around here. A very
> bm>>> exciting place to visit, highly recommended. Plus the
> bm>>> best dumplings around.
> ??>>
> bm>>> he's been doing his blog quite a while, and covers a lot
> bm>>> of places.
> ??>>
> bm>>> good luck.
> ??>>
> ??>> I tried the first URL but the response was glacially slow.
> ??>> Perhaps, I'll give it another try at a different time.
> ??>>
> ??>> James Silverton
>
> bm> hmm, i just tried it, no problem.
>
> bm> i take it, then, that you're not familiar with it? it's a
> bm> fine resource for restaurants in the d.c. area.
>
>No, it was new to me! I tried again this afternoon and speed was
>fairly normal. He certainly has gotten to an impressive number
>of restaurants and I was pleased to find myself in agreement
>with him on a few that I know, particularly "Passage to India",
>Faryab and Minerva.
>

he does seem to have good taste (that usually means 'he likes the same
stuff i do').

>I have not studied the Guide in detail yet but there are
>certainly some that I must try, particularly Indique and Ruan
>Thai. I don't get over to VA much so I won't try a number that
>he recommends.
>
>Another thing I have wondered about that he mentions is the
>"Chinese Menu" that is sometimes recommended. What exactly are
>those? I don't suppose most of us can really read Chinese
>characters.

just a guess, but i think he's talking about the list of specials in
chinese that is sometimes appended to the menu (or displayed on the
wall) in places with a heavily chinese clientele.

>
>It may not be the easiest place to get to but I have a personal
>recommendation for Pho. I find Pho Nam on Shady Grove Rd to be a
>standout for Pho, IMHO. I am surprised that it never seems
>listed in the guides. It is quite popular, the service is fast,
>the prices are good and they have a favorite of mine: Pho Ga,
>chicken Pho with white meat
>
>Thanks again!
>
>James Silverton

i don't get out that way too often, but i'll bear it in mind. have
fun with the guide.

your pal,
blake