best unique/ethnic/exotic restaurants in DC area?

What are the best unique/exotic/ethnic restaurants in DC area?

Besides the normal Chinese/Italian/French/Mexican/etc foods. I%26#39;m looking for different types of dishes, like Ethiopian or Peruvian or such.

A plus if they serve unique dishes like bison, yak, eel, octupus, alligator, or any unique meals like that.

best unique/ethnic/exotic restaurants in DC area?

Ethiopian isn%26#39;t hard to track down, just go to 18th street in Adam%26#39;s Morgan. My personal favorite is Meskerem. However, it is no longer the case that you *have* to go to AM for Ethiopian; there are several other DC neighborhoods with authentic Ethiopian enclaves. In fact, AM is practically a one-stop shop for ethnic eateries, even if they aren%26#39;t the top-rated options in the city.

Gator? Try RTs in Arlandria. I believe that it is on Mt. Vernon blvd. It is a %26#39;cajun%26#39; style place which has delicious alligator soup.

Brickskeller, a beer joint with some obscene (400?) number of bottled beers on hand also carries buffalo burgers. Yum!

Not sure if you consider %26#39;middle eastern%26#39; food to be exotic, but the Fantastic Lebanese Taverna in Woodley park is well worth a visit. Or, visit the somewhat homier Mama Ayesha%26#39;s on Calvert St. between Woodley and Adam%26#39;s Morgan.

best unique/ethnic/exotic restaurants in DC area?

Check out this website:

tylercowensethnicdiningguide.com

Tyler Cowen is an Economics professor at GMU who has over the years sampled much of what the DC Metro area has to offer for ethinic dining.

For Ethiopian food, Etete, 1942 9th St., NW made Washingtonian Magazine%26#39;s list of the top 100 restaurants in the DC area, plus this restaurant is Zagat-rated.

Moroccan food: Marrakesh is yummy, and it%26#39;s a really unique experience! (Belly dancers, etc.)

http://www.marrakesh.us

Second the vote for Meskerem for Ethopian in Adams Morgam -- have been there 2x and it is great. And inexpensive.

El Chalan on I Street NW near the Farragut West Metro station is a little family-owned restaurant with a good selection of Peruvian beers and lomo saltado that%26#39;ll make a native homesick. Their potatoes are also good too (I think they originated there). Note that it%26#39;s a FAMILY-RUN restaurant, so service may be slow on some days, and the salt in the food varies depending on the chef%26#39;s mood and/or taste buds (I guess that%26#39;s what happens when you don%26#39;t use a standardized recipie!).

El Tamarindo, on Florida Ave NW along the eastern edge of Adams-Morgan, is a favorite Central American diner among those in the know. Parking is likely to be difficult, although some homeless residents make a living off of ';finding'; parking spaces for you.

Oh yeah - and several of the Chinese restuarants downtown (like the cash-only Full Kee) serve squid (cooked various ways), ducks feet, duck tongues, pigs knuckle, and dried pigs blood, if you%26#39;re as adventurous as you claim you are!!! :-)