April 13, 2026

Best Dishes Our Editors Ate Last Week

Every Monday, Eater DC editors share the standout meals we've eaten recently. This week’s lineup includes bright pea puree, soup dumplings, fried kibbeh, and more, plus local news bites about chef Michael Rafidi’s latest Georgetown project, a supersized Latin cafe, a food-fueled music festival, and more. Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram for other stories.

Peak spring peas in Virginia

Salmon over peas and orzo at Ellie Bird. | Photo: Missy Frederick/Eater

On a recent weeknight trip to Ellie Bird in my neighborhood, it was the little details that caught my attention. Sure, the fried chicken was great (now also a new takeout project), but it was the accompanying springy Filipino rice-cake-influenced cornbread that stood out for me. Salmon spiked with yuzu was properly seared, but I kept going back for the bright pea puree that set a base for its orzo companion. Spring means peas at Ellie Bird, and wherever they’re featured, the ingredient sings, such as in the Master Peas cocktail, where a pea cordial interplays effectively with vodka and mint. I’m going back for the pea ricotta toast before the season is over. 125 Founders Ave, Falls Church, Virginia — Missy Frederick, editorial director, dining

Chain soup dumplings done well

Dumplings at Nan Xiang. | Photo: Missy Frederick/Eater

Truthfully, I’m really only in Potomac when visiting a close friend of mine who lives there, but we managed to go on a bit of a dining adventure not far from there last weekend, sampling the area’s first location of soup dumpling purveyor Nan Xiang, a national chain (a second is on the way to National Harbor) at nearby Westfield Montgomery Mall. The restaurant proved to be a reliable option for xiao long bao, offered here in a variety of incarnations ranging from truffled to spinach-stuffed, but their classic pork version was the standout of the ones we’d sampled. There are plenty of other dishes to help round out an order, from saucy stir-fried rice cakes to crackling scallion pancakes, including a respectable number of options for my vegan dining companion to choose from. The newcomer will likely draw comparison to that other expanding dumpling chain, Din Tai Fung (rumored to be headed to Tysons Corner): I’d wager the global phenomenon has Nan Xiang beat with its delicate dumpling wrappers and more festive vibe, but I found the dumpling filling at Nan Xiang more umami-laden than my memories of its competition’s Manhattan outpost. 7101 Democracy Boulevard, Bethesda, Maryland — MF

Late-season Florida stone crab in D.C.

Black-tipped stone crab claws at Joe's. | Photo: Tierney Plumb/Eater

I couldn’t remember its time-sensitive deadline, so when I asked Google when Florida’s stone crab claw season officially ends (answer: May 1), I knew I had to make it to Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab ASAP for its namesake attraction. On Saturday night, we went the walk-in route and snagged a high-top bar table for two inside the former bank, surrounded by huge marble columns. A taste of the hand-harvested treasures doesn’t come cheap, especially this season; at Joe’s in D.C., a quartet of medium claws costs $74.95 that night. The restaurant pre-cracks the regenerative crustacean’s super-hard shells for you, making the sweet meat easy to eat (as it should be, at that price). Already feeling fancy, we also sprang for the Madagascar shrimp – a destination dish not many D.C. restaurants offer (think of that carbon footprint!). It requires a knife to break up and dunk pieces into a Key lime aioli ($21.95 per pre-peeled shrimp). Orbs of spinach-stuffed mushrooms were surprisingly filling ($14.95), but the oysters Rockefeller were too heavy, with the actual bivalve getting lost in translation under all that cheese and cream. 750 15th Street NW, downtown — Tierney Plumb, editor, Northeast

16 best seafood spots around D.C.

Mediterranean bites along the Southwest Waterfront

Kibbeh, grape leaves, and dips at Ilili. | Photo: Tierney Plumb/Eater

NY’s Lebanese import Ilili continues to be one of the busier restaurants at the Wharf, and Sunday night’s buzzing dinner service was no different. My girlfriends and I settled down near the bubbling stone fountain and immediately packed the mirrored tabletop with its velvety labneh, lemony hummus (with the add-on of sliced jalapeño for a nice flavor contrast), and a wooden bread basket of warm pull-apart pita that was frequently restocked without asking. The standout starter was the fried kibbeh, consisting of four egg-shaped bites stuffed with spiced beef and pine nuts ($18) and a silky saucer of yogurt to cut the heat. Not to leave out our pescatarian friend, we went with harissa-flecked prawns and octopus surrounded in a smoky sauce made of roasted red pepper and walnuts. It took little convincing to see the dessert menu, and a beautiful bowl of Arabian ice cream with pistachio and lavender honey was a delightfully light finale ($13). Before exiting, grab a take-home jar of Ilili's za’atar ($8). 100 District Square SW, the Wharf — TP

Where to eat and drink along the Southwest Waterfront

Well-spiced beef kebabs

Meaty skewers at Chai Pani. | Photo: Emily Venezky/Eater

We started a group meal at Union Market's bright Indian import Chai Pani with the crispy and crunchy textures of the disco bhel and salty okra fries, which I highly recommend pairing with a refreshingly spicy pani puri martini. I had been told these kebabs were one of the best meat-based dishes on the menu, but the chargrilled sirloin kebabs were the table's favorite of the mains. The beef was incredibly tender after marinating in yogurt, while seasoning with red chile and aromatic masalas really delivers on smoky flavor. I'm not a beef person (barely even like steak!), but this is a must-have order the next time I visit. 1325 5th Street NE, Union Market — Emily Venezky, social media manager

Dining report: Chai Pani

Intel

The pork belly sandwich at the newly expanded Cafe Unido. | Photo: Rey Lopez

James Beard Award-winning chef Michel Rafidi (Albi, La’ Shukran, Yellow) is at it again, this time with a newly announced wood-fired pizza place coming to a Georgetown alleyway off Prospect Street this fall. Building on the success of his “(not) pizza” pop-up dinners at Yellow, Bizzeria will showcase pastry chef Alicia Wang’s sourdough crust and house-made cheeses, along with raw dishes, meze, charcuterie, and pours curated by wine director William Simons.
La Cosecha’s tiny Panamanian cafe Unido expands big time inside its Union Market food hall on Friday, April 17, reopening at the anchor space (where Destino formerly sat) with an all-day lineup of breakfast sandwiches and bowls and nighttime tapas, plus a full bar slinging wines and Carajillo cocktails.
Music festival fans will stay well-fed along Pennsylvania Avenue NW at Project Glow’s outdoor block party headlined by Grammy-nominated DJ Chris Lake on Saturday, April 18. A locked-in list of 13 vendors includes Toki Berry, DC Slices, Bun’d Up, Duke’s Grocery, and Gogi Yogi Korean BBQ.
D.C.’s OG brewery, DC Brau, celebrates 15 years with the release of two limited-anniversary beers — Declaration (Helles Lager) and Baby Wings (Day IPA). A kickoff event at ChurchKey on Thursday, April 16, leads up to a birthday blowout at its Northeast brewery on Saturday, April 18, with live music from the Pietasters and food vendors.