Noodle soup, originally uploaded by clcdc.

The blizzard has brought some freezing temperatures and a lot of snow to Washington’s Chinatown. To cope with the severe weather conditions I needed a soup to keep me warm. Having previously had such great experience with the fresh Noodle Soup with vegetables at Chinatown Express, I went there again. This time I was accompanied by my boss, the Executive Director of the German-American Heritage Museum, who tried the Noodle soup with seafood. And let me tell you this: He was just as excited about the delicious meal. So as off right now: The Chinatown Express Noodle Soups are my favorite dish for lunch.

Classic burrito, originally uploaded by clcdc.

After almost two weeks of my lunch challenge in Washington’s Chinatown, I have to admit, I needed a break from the Asian cuisine. Following my cravings on Friday, February 5, 2010, I decided to try California Tortilla on 7th Street. The fast food chain offers a variety of Burritos and won the Washingtonian “Best Burrito Award” 2009. I decided to go for the safe version and ordered a Classic Burrito in a combo with a medium soft drink (free refills if dining in), salsa and tortilla chips.

Here’s my quick critique of the meal:

Meal: Classic Burrito with chicken, lettuce, tomato, rice, black beans, and sour cream and cheese.

Taste: The burrito was fresh. The chicken was warm, well seasoned, not to spicy, but still tasty.

Price: $8:03 (incl. tax)

Things to keep in mind: Since it is a fast food / self-service restaurant, there are no additional cost for tip.

Atmosphere: During lunch hour it can be tough to find a spot to sit. When having lunch by yourself, the seats at the window are perfect, because you can look outside and watch the people passing by.

Peking chicken, originally uploaded by clcdc.

On Wednesday, February 3, 2010 I was happy to introduce one of my friends to the Chinatown lunch scene. Given the very pleasant experience I previously had at Full Kee, I decided to suggest this venue for lunch. Although being tempted to order the delicious sauteed string beans I had the last time, I decided to stick to my plan to try various dishes and ordered Peking shrimp. Unfortunately, there was a misunderstanding between the waitress and myself, and I got Peking Chicken. It didn’t really make a difference for me, so I did not return to wrong meal and had Peking Chicken instead.

Here’s my quick critique of the meal:

Meal: Peking Chicken with steamed rice

Taste: Full Kee’s signature sauce paired with the fresh vegetables was delicious. It was not too heavy but still substantial. I would have preferred grilled chicken instead of fried chicken.

Highlight: The vegetables were cooked “au point” – still crunchy but not raw. Delicious!

Things to keep in mind: The free hot tea definitely is an asset to every visitor, especially during these cold winter days.

Chicken Curry, originally uploaded by clcdc.

After missing lunch in Chinatown yesterday due to a meeting in Virginia, I was happy to continue my Chinatown Lunch Challenge today and ready to explore a new restaurant. I chose Eat First Restaurant on 609 H Street as today’s venue. While the low prices of the lunch specials promised to be a treat for my wallet, I have to admit, that the food did not live up to my expectations.

Here’s my quick critique of the meal:

My meal: Wonton Soup, Chicken Curry

Taste: the Wonton soup ($1.50) was fresh and the crackers served with it were crisp, and freshly baked. The Chicken Curry ($4.95) however was tasteless. The sauce did not have a distinctive flavor – neither did it appear to be freshly cooked. Not a whole lot of fresh vegetables.

Highlight: The Yasmin tea was freshly brewed. The entree was with $4.95 the cheapest I’ve had so far.

Surprise factor: I had to ask the waitress for chop sticks.

Things to keep in mind: The appetizer and the tea can definitely compete with the ones at other restaurants in the area. If you are really on a tight budget, Eat First is a good choice to save an extra dollar, however, the rather average entree is a trade-off.

Pad Thai, originally uploaded by clcdc.

Today, I had a lunch meeting with our incredibly talented designer @NicoleHamam. In order to sit down and talk about the steps ahead, we decided to try Kanlaya, a Thai restaurant right across the street from the museum. Kanlaya has a very calming atmosphere. Especially compared to the crowded Chinatown Express, Kanlaya is the better fit when having a client or work-related meeting.

As a lunch special, Kanlaya offered two meal choices for $9.95 each – each including a soda and an appetizer. The regular menu also includes some dishes for a reduced lunch price.

Here’s my quick critique of the meal:

My Meal: Sweet & sour soup as appetizer, Pad Thai with chicken as entree.

Taste: the soup had a good flavor, not too spicy. The chicken and the mushrooms we well cooked. The Pad Thai was one of the best I have ever had. The sauce was slightly sweet and the dish was served with freshly cut carrots and soy sprouts.

Highlight: Being able to sit down and talk without feeling in a hurry.

Things to keep in mind: The food served at Kanlaya was very good, however, the plates were way too big. Expect to take some left-overs home for dinner.

Noodle soup with vegetables, originally uploaded by clcdc.

Today I went to “Chinatown Express” – a restaurant that I had been standing in front of quite a few times. The first thing you see, when just walking by is the chef in the window who meticulously stretches noodles for hearty soup and noodle dishes. Chinatown Express is known for its “lai mein” noodles and has received multiple positive reviews from the Washingtonian or the Washington Post’s Going out Guide.

So what other choice did I have but try the famous lai mein noodles? I ordered them with soup and vegetables and as soon as the waitress brought me my dish I was doubting that I would be able to finish it. For only $5.95 I received a huge bowl full with fresh vegetables, fried tofu, broth and lots and lots of noodles. Similar to yesterday’s dish at Full Kee, every guest receives free hot tea and a fortune cookie.

Here’s my quick critique of the meal:

My Meal: lai mein noodle soup with fresh vegetables

Taste: A little flat at the time it is served, but guests are asked to take advantage of the large choice of spices and sauces. Once spices are added, very delicious.

Highlight: the vegetables were very fresh, not overcooked. Chinatown Express has large round tables, so even if you’re out alone for lunch, you easily find company for a small talk.

Atmosphere: The restaurant was packed when I got there around 1pm, so I was escorted to the 2nd floor. The room was a bit too cold and I had to ask the waitress to close the door so I could enjoy my meal.

Sauteed String Beans, originally uploaded by clcdc.

January 27, 2010 marks the first day of my Chinatown Lunch Challenge. To start the challenge with high standards, I chose Full Kee – one of America’s Top 100 Chinese Restaurants – as a venue. Full Kee has a selection of approximately 20 different lunch specials between $5 and $7. Every meal comes with free hot tea, a choice of steamed or fried rice, and a fortune cookie for desert. Sounds like a pretty good deal to me.

My Meal: Sauteed String Beans, steamed rice
Taste: Super delicious, little hot, very light
Price: $5.25 + tax & tip
Highlight: free hot tee & the fortune cookie: “Good news will come to you from far away”