RSS
Home
Five best places to grab a bite at Hoyas games
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
A trip to see the Georgetown Hoyas can be a nice change of pace from the usual Georgetown area activities. The Verizon Center, Georgetown’s home court, is surrounded by what remains of Chinatown.
As it stands, the Chinatown neighborhood of 10 years ago is being muscled out by gentrification; Stores that served the area’s Chinese population are closing rapidly, while larger corporate outfits, like Bed Bath and Beyond, McDonalds, and Urban Outfitters hang bilingual signs in English and Mandarin outside their entrances. In short, a trip to Chinatown may feel less authentic, but the upshot is a choice of restaurants and businesses that cater to the casual consumer. But as H St, one of the lingering vestiges of Chinatown, shrinks, there are still plenty of delicious places to eat before or after the game.
1. Chinatown Express (746 6th St NW Washington, DC 20001)
Chinatown Express specializes in the simplicity of noodles and dumplings, both of which are handmade in front of a a giant window. As I waded through a crowd of window watchers, I sat down to a meal that was fast, as well as good. Noodles are served in a soup, or pan-fried, and you can eat them straight, or ladle in a smorgasbord of condiments. There is often a line around game time, but the speed of service, combined with the quality of the noodles, makes this a fast and affordable choice.
2. Burma (740 6th Street NW Washington, DC 20050)
You may have second thoughts as you ascend the gray stairwell that leads to Burma, a Burmese/Vietnamese restaurant that sits on the second floor of an aging building.
Burma has a variety of quality dishes, such as the pork with mango pickle and the curries, but no meal is complete without ordering one of the fabulous salads. The sour mustard greens with shrimp stand out, as does the tea leaf salad, which was crunchy and layered in flavor. If you’re looking to add another course, opt for dessert; the coconut cream cake is worth a visit on its own.
3. Momiji Japanese Restaurant (505 H St NW Washington, DC 20001)
Momiji’s quality of fish and proximity to the Verizon center makes it a suitable destination for Hoya sushiphiles. There’s a nice choice of drinks, both alcoholic and nonalcoholic, although points are lost for not having a Japanese beer on tap. The fish is of high quality too, and while the menu lacks innovation, the chefs understand that sushi works best in its simplicity. Sure, the dragon roll with eel and tempura is outstanding, but traditionalists will be content with the sashimi, which melts in your mouth.
4. Potbelly Sandwich Works (726 7th St NW (between N G St & N H St) Washington, DC 20001)
Those unmoved by the prospect of asian culinary fare will find Potbelly Sandwich Works at the corner of H St and 7th St. The sandwiches are tasty, affordable, and customizable. I recommend the “Wreck”, which when toasted with salt and pepper, is a delicious piece of contraband to smuggle into Hoyas games.
No trip to Potbelly’s would be complete without either a milkshake, or the crème de la crème: the ice cream sandwich, which involves smashing a huge scoop of homemade ice cream in between a pair of independently outstanding cookies.
5. Vapiano (623 H Street NW Washington, DC 20001)
Vapiano combines pizza, pasta, and a bar into a self-service Italian restaurant that is great for groups. When you enter, you’re handed a card that is swiped any time you order anything; if you buy a drink, the bartender swipes your card, and hands it back to you along with your beverage. The process is repeated for the pizza and pasta lines. The rewarding part of using a card to track your purchases is that it eliminates the need for elaborate accounting techniques once the check arrives. Users can order what they want, and then take their card to the cashier at the exit. The pizza (big, and made from quality ingredients) ain’t bad either.
Related Articles:
Add a Comment
