Tom Sietsema Finds Intriguing Vegetarian Food at Malgudi

For his first bite, Tom Sietsema stops by the recently transformed Malgudi in Glover Park, and likes the vegetarian options there.

The evidence appears with a snack of what look like hush puppies but turn out to be Mysore bonda, fritters whipped up from rice and lentil batters and flavored with chilies and fresh coconut in their fluffy middles. Further proof you won't miss meat: cauliflower florets rolled in rice batter and fried to a fine crackle with ginger, garlic and chilies. There are fine dosas, too, in nearly a dozen styles.

The critic finds co-owner Mitul Tuli to be a helpful guide when walking through the restaurant's dishes. [WaPo]

For the $20 Diner, Tim Carman highlights Chinatown's New Big Wong. The restaurant is a big favorite among chefs, and Carman talks to several who weigh in with their favorite dishes there.

I called in ringers: chefs Mike Isabella of nearby Graffiato and Nick Stefanelli of Bibiana, both of whom have spent many a late night at New Big Wong...with zero need for a menu, Isabella and Stefanelli start bombarding the waitress with orders: jellyfish with "pork loin," deep-fried spicy pork chop, deep-fried shrimp in shell, pig navel in black bean sauce, dry scallop fried rice, stir-fried intestine with sour cabbage, eggplant with garlic sauce and sauteed snow pea leaves with garlic. [WaPo]

David Hagedorn reviews DGS Delicatessen in DC Magazine, and classifies it as more than just a deli.

But a pastrami sandwich alone does not a deli make, and even though Koslow's is sublime, to call DGS a delicatessen is a misnomer. It is, more aptly, a restaurantessen with an eclectic, Jewish-inspired, chef-driven menu; an up-to-date cocktail program; and a well-chosen wine list. [DCM]

Jessica Voelker visits Taylor Charles Steak & Ice and discovers a proper cheesesteak.

It's best to keep it simple with a plain cheesesteak, some thick-cut fries dipped in whiz (we prefer the original over the white version), and a sweet-and-sour lemon ice. There are salads, too, but ignore those. Healthy food is anathema to the spirit of cheesesteak, which is all about relaxed indulgence—and respect for a sandwich that requires no further embellishments than those dictated by tradition. [Washingtonian]

Don Rockwell visits the new Daikaya izakaya and likes everything he orders.

I once claimed I didn't love Rappahanock oysters, but boy I sure loved Daikaya's Grilled Live Oysters ($2 each) which I assume were alive earlier in the day. Grilled in-shell with sake and oyster salt, the grilling and the sauce really made this *the* perfect oyster for the dish. In today's world, $2 per oyster at non-happy hour prices is almost cheap, and if you take into account the preparation involved, these are a fine value for the money. [DR]

Tyler Cowen adds two restaurants to his ethnic dining guide. Of Alegria, he says, "The chile relleno is the real thing. High standards of quality". Meanwhile, he visits Gharer Khabar and finds that "breads, curries, and odds and ends are all first-rate and original at that. It reminds me of the early days of Thai X-Ing." [TC]

THE BLOGS: Bitches who Brunch award a B+ to Chez Billy...Eat More Drink More has a ball at Barmini...Borderstan calls Tortino a "little Italian secret."

New Big Wong [Photo: DouG!!/Flickr]