Kuma Kitchen + Bar

"A new restaurant serving Cambodian food and twists on Southeast Asian classics just opened in the heart of Georgetown, and there's a bánh mì smashburger involved. Kuma Kitchen’s menu also includes natang dip, garlic noodles, mango salad, and a few drinks. But it looks like the adjacent sister bar 1988 offers more options for beer, wine, and cocktails. We recently checked out Kuma Kitchen. Read our first thoughts on it here." - kayla sager riley, aimee rizzo, gabe guarente

"Amid all the old brick buildings and bars in Georgetown, the polished-looking Kuma Kitchen + Bar serves Cambodian dishes with a couple of twists—though they don’t always work. Their all-day menu includes a bánh mì smashburger involving shredded pickled vegetables on top of a beef patty with cheese. We don’t mind the tang of toppings, but the bland soft bun just makes us miss baguettes, and the chunky cucumber doesn’t add much. And while we really like their shoestring fries in fish sauce glaze, other appetizers like the oily natang dip and overly sweet mango salad can be skipped. The upside is that the dining room is chill enough during the afternoon (with jaunty Chappell Roan songs playing), so it’s not a bad place to order a strong Vietnamese iced coffee and get work done. You can always get a better banh mi at Voi Cà Phê down the block." - Gabe Guarente