DC chefs impressing you?

Danny Lee and Scott Drewno of the Fried Rice Collective (tfrc.com), Anju (anjurestaurant.com), Mandu (mandudc.com), Chiko (mychiko.com) and I Egg You (ieggyoudc.com). Also, Micheal Rafidi of Albi (albidc.com) and Yellow (yellowthecafe.com). I also love the work of Zach Ramos and Amy Phan of Ama Ami (amaami.com) and soon-to-open Two Nine Omakase (omakase29.com)

We Washingtonians love a good brunch spot. And if you’re anything like us, we’re always down to expand our weekend dining roster. So when we learned that ChiKo’s Capitol Hill location launched a new Dumpling Brunch menu, we locked down a visit to experience it firsthand.

As the saying goes, the show must go on. Or, in the case of Capital One Arena, the games, concerts and monster truck shows must go on, regardless of the announced plans to move the Washington Wizards and Capitals to a proposed new site in Alexandria, with all the amenities and taxpayer-funded facilities that a billionaire owner could want.

Sometimes “me time” shouldn’t mean binging on Netflix and takeout in your jammies. And while some restaurants give solo diners second-rate treatment, many know how to treat number one well. From warm bowls of ramen and crab-topped deviled eggs to cornbread muffins and kale chips, there’s something to fit everyone’s taste.

D.C. restaurants mastered the art of takeout and delivery during the pandemic as a means to survive. Nearly three years later, many have kept up to-go capabilities, while newer places have incorporated delivery into business models from the start. As a result, the range of food options to enjoy at home is wider than ever before.

Offering takeout and delivery is still a necessity for many area establishments still in recovery mode. Remember to tip your courier at least $5, and place an order over the phone or through a restaurant’s website, as opposed to a third-party delivery app, whenever possible.

Brunch is arguably the best deal of DC’s Winter Restaurant Week. Most places offer $25 for three courses (or two and a drink), and there’s no rush to get back to work like a weekday lunch. As always, add-ons like booze can make it less of a steal; But in the age of $18 cocktails, those $20 bottomless mimosas feel indulgent in the right way. Here’s where we’d book (the earlier the better) for a Saturday or Sunday funday.

For a week, the Chinese-Korean restaurant will serve a special menu featuring chicken and rabbit dumplings, whole branzino, and jjim dak, chicken thighs with Korean chili peppers. An $80 menu for two with dishes such as shrimp and apple kimchi, chilled black bean clams, and soy-glazed lotus root will be available on January 23. Pre-order the meal online.

Welcome the arrival of spring with the Lunar New Year, this year celebrating the ‘Year of the Rabbit’. The Lunar New Year lasts 15 days, beginning on Sunday, Jan. 22, and acts as a period for feasting, honoring ancestors, cleaning, and ushering in good energy for the upcoming year. Traditions vary amongst Eastern and Southeast Asian cultures, so there are truly a variety of ways to celebrate. We’ve rounded up the most fabulous Lunar New Year celebrations in the DMV area that you should explore for a prosperous start to the ‘Year of the Rabbit’.

Looking for a stellar brunch spot, designer evening wear, mid-century furniture or a personal trainer to hold you to those New Year’s resolutions? Look no further than Best of Arlington 2023, featuring reader and editor faves in 65 categories.

Graze on a family-style dim-sum brunch and give to a good cause at the Bethesda location of Chiko (7280 Woodmont Ave.) on Saturday, July 23. Chef Scott Drewno will sling crispy shrimp; pork-and-kimchi potstickers; cumin-lamb dumplings; and more, and proceeds will go towards culinary scholarships. Tickets are $75, and include food and two beverages.

The AAPI Heritage Month chef collabs continue at Chiko (locations in Dupont, Capitol Hill, Bethesda, and Shirlington). The newest dish—khao soi—comes courtesy of Thip Khao/Padaek chef/owner Seng Luangrath. Try it Monday, May 16 until Thursday May 19. Proceeds from the dish will go toward EmbraceRace.

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. And nothing celebrates the beauty of a culture better than its cuisine. Throughout AAPI Heritage Month, D.C.’s Fried Rice Collective — the restaurant group behind Anju and CHIKO — is set to host a series of special dinners and dishes created by the Asian/Pacific Islander chefs that keep the DMV eating well.

On May 17, Anju will host the critically-acclaimed Chef Dave Park of Jeong Chicago for a one-of-a-kind collaborative dinner. Chef Park will feature four a la carte dishes to cook alongside the Anju dinner menu and has dedicated the night’s proceeds to EmbraceRace, an organization dedicated to instilling anti-racist values in children. Reservations for the second-floor dining room have already sold out, but walk-in space the day of will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis at the first-floor dining area and bar.

Don’t panic if you are busy on May 17, though. Each week at CHIKOs throughout the DMV this month, they will host a dish made by one of the area’s leading AAPI tastemakers. Proceeds for the dishes will also go to EmbraceRace. Here is the schedule for all the featured chefs and their selected dishes.

NOODLES GALORE: Pull up for Noodle Week at all locations of ChiKo, where exclusive specials will be available all week. Place an order for the noodle tasting menu available Monday, including an ahi tuna tartare, dan dan noodles, chicken lo mein, crispy noodle snack mix, and crispy wonton noodles. (ChiKo locations, $60)

Chiko’s “orange-ish” chicken and other popular Chinese Korean dishes have landed in Shirlington in the former DAK Chicken spot (4040 Campbell Avenue). Shirlington’s 1,300-square foot cafe is the fifth location (and the first in Virginia) for the lauded local mini-chain that debuted in Barracks Row in 2017. In addition to the regular menu hits, the Arlington location is dishing a char siu fried rice with Chinese roast pork and a makrut lime custard with blueberry compote, fresh blueberries, and crunchy, candied sesame crackers.

A special three-course menu inspired by the five blessings of the Lunar New Year, available from Feb. 1-6, includes shrimp spring rolls, longevity noodles with fried chicken, and tangerine custard with pomegranate and candied walnuts, for $35 per person.

For people across the globe, the first of this month marks the start of the new year and an occasion for indulging in some of the best food of the year. Lunar New Year, often considered one of the most important days of the year across several Asian cultures, is a time for celebration, excess, and most importantly, symbolic food.

“The culture around Lunar New Year is all about bringing as many blessings to the table as possible for the year to come,” explains Erik Bruner-Yang, the chef behind popular DC restaurants like Maketto and Yoko and Kota. “Different dishes have different symbols or metaphors to represent those blessings.”

For the 44th year, Washingtonian asked readers what they’ve loved most about our food scene. From new restaurants to cocktail spots, fine-dining destinations to pizza shops, here’s where you most loved to eat this year.

A former hot dog shop is now the scene of some of D.C.'s most creative Asianb restaurants, served fast-casual style. The buzzy Chiko offers dishes like double-fried chicken wings, orange-ish chicken with candied mandarins, kimchi stew, and wok-blistered Chinese broccoli. Order a bunch of dishes to share (prices for entrees start at $9). Or you could try an interactive dining experience at the kitchen counter, with seatings at 6:00 or 8:30 for parties of 2 or 4. That costs $50 per person, excluding tax, tips, and beverages, and you can try everything the kitchen is dreaming up at the moment.