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Restaurants Local Chefs Escape to Right Around D.C.

They crave Chinese food and frozen custard, just like anybody else

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Skipping town to go on some far-flung dining adventure is a luxury most working chefs cannot afford. But hospitality professionals have to eat, too, right?

Eater polled members of the restaurant community about the tried-and-true places they race off to for must-have meals. Some provided rather elaborate eating agendas (stay tuned.)

For this installment, Eater focused on spots within an hour drive from the District.

Road Trip Week archive.
[Esra Erol]
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Grace Garden

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Thip Khao chef and former Eater Young Guns nominee Bobby Pradachith vouched for this unassuming, 12-year-old Chinese restaurant. The Baltimore Sun hailed it as “the best Chinese around” just a few years back.

Tail Up Goat

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This year-old addition to Adams Morgan is one of a handful of places James Beard Award-winning chef Mark Furstenberg told Eater he considers a staycation treat. He’s not alone. Tail Up Goat earned a Michelin star last fall and was Eater D.C’s Restaurant of the Year for 2016.

Mintwood Place

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Another of Furstenberg’s staycation picks, Mintwood Place may currently be his favorite spot. “I go to Mintwood probably more frequently than to any other restaurant,” he tells Eater.

Thai X-ing

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Furstenberg said he would gladly spend his time and money at this modest yet award-winning Thai restaurant.

Kinship

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The last of Furstenberg’s staycation picks has quite the pedigree. Chef and founder Eric Ziebold is a fellow James Beard Award winner (2008). And the seasonally inspired half of his two-pronged dining operation — tasting menu-centric Metier resides below — garnered a Michelin star last fall.

Bangkok Golden

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Chef Tom Madrecki, creator of Chicago-style pizza pop-up Vin and Vic’s, and gourmet supper club Chez Le Commis, tells Eater that Bangkok Golden makes his favorite crispy rice salad.

A&J Restaurant

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According to Pradachith, dining at A&J is something of a family tradition. “Whenever I have time to go back to visit my parent's house in Alexandria, I always try to make my way to A&J in Annandale,” he said of the Taiwanese stronghold. “It is my favorite restaurant to go to.”

Madrecki seconded the endorsement, billing it as his  source for northern Chinese cuisine.

The Dairy Godmother

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A self-proclaimed aficionado of frozen custard, Madrecki named this Del Ray shop as an essential stop.

Grace Garden

Thip Khao chef and former Eater Young Guns nominee Bobby Pradachith vouched for this unassuming, 12-year-old Chinese restaurant. The Baltimore Sun hailed it as “the best Chinese around” just a few years back.

Tail Up Goat

This year-old addition to Adams Morgan is one of a handful of places James Beard Award-winning chef Mark Furstenberg told Eater he considers a staycation treat. He’s not alone. Tail Up Goat earned a Michelin star last fall and was Eater D.C’s Restaurant of the Year for 2016.

Mintwood Place

Another of Furstenberg’s staycation picks, Mintwood Place may currently be his favorite spot. “I go to Mintwood probably more frequently than to any other restaurant,” he tells Eater.

Thai X-ing

Furstenberg said he would gladly spend his time and money at this modest yet award-winning Thai restaurant.

Kinship

The last of Furstenberg’s staycation picks has quite the pedigree. Chef and founder Eric Ziebold is a fellow James Beard Award winner (2008). And the seasonally inspired half of his two-pronged dining operation — tasting menu-centric Metier resides below — garnered a Michelin star last fall.

Bangkok Golden

Chef Tom Madrecki, creator of Chicago-style pizza pop-up Vin and Vic’s, and gourmet supper club Chez Le Commis, tells Eater that Bangkok Golden makes his favorite crispy rice salad.

A&J Restaurant

According to Pradachith, dining at A&J is something of a family tradition. “Whenever I have time to go back to visit my parent's house in Alexandria, I always try to make my way to A&J in Annandale,” he said of the Taiwanese stronghold. “It is my favorite restaurant to go to.”

Madrecki seconded the endorsement, billing it as his  source for northern Chinese cuisine.

The Dairy Godmother

A self-proclaimed aficionado of frozen custard, Madrecki named this Del Ray shop as an essential stop.

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