Viet Gul Tofu House (Annandale, VA)

This place is a little hard to find but once you get there, you are in for a spicy-hot meal.  A typical meal at this Tofu house consists of a Tofu Hot Pot (extremely spicy, and that’s saying something for a Korean girl who likes hot) with your choice of Seafood or Kimchi (cabbage) for flavor, rice on the side, hot and steaming from the rice pot, one uncooked egg, and four to five vegetable side dishes.  Ask them to turn down the spice if you don’t like hot.  Follow these instructions.  First, crack the egg inside the hot pot, so that the egg will cook as you stir and break up the tofu.  Then you may either add the rice into the pot, or you may eat it on the side.  Don’t be suspicious when your waitress pours hot tea water into the rice pot.  That’s your dessert.

Peking Gourmet Inn (Alexandria, VA)

As this famous, decade-old family restaurant attests, gourmet is about what’s on the plate.  Not as fancy a place as some, its fame is attributed to the Bush family, particularly George Bush Sr., who was considered a regular at this discreet dining location.  Remember, GHW Bush was once the ambassador to China, so he knows a thing or two about the house specialty, Peking Duck. Its current price of $35 is easily justified by the size of the meal.  And if you aren’t getting to Beijing before the Olympics in 2008, you won’t find a better place for it in DC.  Our other favorites are Four Season String Beans and Bean Curd Family Style, which make excellent vegetarian choices.