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Dining in Woodley Park


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Woodley Park by all rights should be a dining mecca in Washington. It is a centrally located neighborhood that includes two of the largest hotels, if not the largest hotels, in the city/region. While it is home to one of the great DC restaurants, New Heights, it is generally a foodie wasteland. Open City serves the neighborhood and hotels well with affordable, decent fare one step up from a diner.

However, most of the restaurants in the area, whether one of the three Indian restaurants or one of the many Italian places, seem to rely on the constant flow of tourists for support, not the neighborhood. Many an evening I have advised tourists to go around the corner to New Heights instead of to any of the myriad mediocre restaurants on Connecticut. I'm not sure many heed my advice because the prices seem more expensive at New Heights (they are, but not by that much and the quality is so much better at New Heights). (I also advise them to go to Afghan Grill and Mama Ayeshas, as well as up to Cleveland Park)

The point of this rant is that one of the three Italian places on Connecticut has given up its space so that Hot N Juicy Crawfish can open an outlet in DC. I have not seen the Man v Food episode in which it was featured but with a Tackle Box opening in Cleveland Park, I suspect I'll be directing tourists to go up the road for dinner. (Oh the Italian restaurant giving up the space is moving into one of the spaces now occupied with an Indian restaurant so there will still be 3 Italian restaurants!)

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The little basement pizza place is also worthy of attention.

Anyone know why that particular block has such a concentration of India, not only the three (or soon to be 2) restaurants but also that Indian bazaar shop (which by the way has ridiculously high prices for what they sell...avoid!)

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Woodley Park by all rights should be a dining mecca in Washington. It is a centrally located neighborhood that includes two of the largest hotels, if not the largest hotels, in the city/region. While it is home to one of the great DC restaurants, New Heights, it is generally a foodie wasteland.

...

Many an evening I have advised tourists to go around the corner to New Heights instead of to any of the myriad mediocre restaurants on Connecticut. I'm not sure many heed my advice because the prices seem more expensive at New Heights (they are, but not by that much and the quality is so much better at New Heights).

A very astute post about Woodley Park, aka "Kickback Park." Take a look at the hotels' concierge lists of recommended restaurants sometime, and you'll see why mediocrity has thrived there for as long as it has (the Marriott Wardman Park (1,332 rooms) is indeed DC's largest hotel, (the Dupont Hilton is the second-largest with 1,201; the Omni Shoreham has 836)).

FWIW, according to their websites, the entrees at Petits Plats average $26.77, whereas the entrees at New Heights average $25.33.

Anyone know why that particular block has such a concentration of India, not only the three (or soon to be 2) restaurants but also that Indian bazaar shop (which by the way has ridiculously high prices for what they sell...avoid!)

From what I hear, that block may eventually only have one Indian restaurant (the awful Rajaji). Little India is closing and turning into an Italian restaurant. I also heard a rumor that Taste of India was closing - I called just now, and the gentleman laughed, asked me where I heard that, and said "we're not closing anytime soon."

Cheers,

Rocks

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