The 38 Essential Restaurants Around D.C.

"At this Malaysian restaurant in Columbia Heights, chef James Wozniuk navigates a balance of pungent, spicy-sweet, and funky umami flavors that vary in intensity but never veer out of control. Wozniuk’s condiments — sambal made from bird’s eye chiles, palm sugar, tamarind, and fried anchovies; appetite-piquing pickled limes with prune and golden raisin; and peanut-based satay sauce — assert themselves in an array of rice and noodle dishes. The bar mixes complex tropical cocktails, like a blackstrap rum and pineapple Jungle Bird, that can be enjoyed either in the breezy dining room or on the patio. For fall, try aromatic PEI mussels dressed dried shrimp and lemongrass or veggie curries. The Makan space also houses Spicebird, a Southeast Asian takeout offering savory spice-rubbed roast chicken and sides, or head to underground sibling Thirsty Crow for a tasty bar bites menu." - Tierney Plumb, Emily Venezky