The Washington Post’s Tom Sietsema has been the newspaper’s food critic for nearly 25 years. Today he he released his list of “The 40 Best Restaurants in and Around D.C.“. 28 of the restaurants included in his list are in D.C., eight of them are in Virginia, and four of them are in Maryland (all in Montgomery County). We look at the food Maryland restaurants below:
Chennai Hoppers (Gaithersburg): Chennai Hoppers opened at 136 Paramount Park Dr. in Gaithersburg’s Spectrum Town Center. The restaurant offers exotic Indian dishes with emphasis on cuisine of Tamilnadu, the southern state of India where the city of Chennai is located. Chef and Owner John Rajoo describes himself as “a culinarian from Southern India who believes in deep-rooted culinary traditions and diverse indigenous ingredients, and in the power of sourcing old cooking techniques with a contemporary touch that emphasize fresh herbs and roasted spices. His efforts towards understanding and appreciating Indian regional cuisines, by reconnecting them with their roots through regional food and local and seasonal ingredients. John completed his culinary Arts & Science in Chennai, India and later graduated from Baltimore International College with a Master of Science in Hospitality Management.” Sietsema writes that “Rajoo doesn’t pull punches in the kitchen. He wants customers to enjoy the level of spice they might experience in southern India. Rajoo adjusts the heat with a combination of roasted black peppercorns and dried red chiles.”
Lime & Cilantro (Silver Spring): Lime & Cilantro opened in the space that was most recently home to Crown Fried Chicken and previously occupied by Krazy Steve’s and Armand’s Pizza at 1909 Seminary Rd. this past spring. The restaurant refers to itself as a “modern Latin casual restaurant focusing on new twists on familiar Latin favorites” and has quickly become a neighborhood favorite, often positively reviewed in local Facebook groups. Sietsema previously referred to the restaurant as having a “masterful take on Latin food.” According to Lime & Cilantro, Chef Danny Chavez’ passion for cooking started from an early age. “You could say it was destined, as Danny’s mother is an excellent cook. As soon as Danny was old enough to work, he was learning the discipline, finesse, and creativity it takes to work in a fine dining establishment.” After being accepted to the Culinary Institute of America, Chavez had to decline the opportunity and move to Washington, D.C. to help his family through a tragic time. Since then, Danny has honed his skills and love for cooking at Michelin star,”Plume” and,”Gravitas.” He made his way to Capitol Hill as executive chef at “Art & Soul”. While there he received his initial mentioned from Sietsema in a glowing review where he wrote, “Hurry, chef, hurry! I plan to be first in line” in regards to Chavez opening his own restaurant. Lime & Cilantro has earned a 4.8/5 rating on over 70 reviews on Google and a 4.8/5 rating on Yelp with over 20 reviews.
Melina (North Bethesda): Melina opened at 905 Rose Ave. in late 2021.The inspiration behind Melina was the desire to share traditional Greek recipes and techniques, but with a creative spin. Chef Dimitri Moshovitis explained that after years in the restaurant industry, he has seen how Greek cooking has evolved and he wanted a new opportunity to showcase modern Greek cuisine. The time to start a new venture felt right when he met Chef Aris Tsekouras, owner of Microwheat Bakery. Dimitri felt inspired by Aris’ ideas and thought that they could create wonderful things together. Sietsema writes that “the menu tastes like you’re eating closer to the Aegean than the Atlantic, too, foremost with soft roasted eggplant splayed over a walnut dip and ringed with tahini-miso cream and a charred lamb kebab garnished with pickled onions and paired with a dollop of yogurt. The food proves as attractive as it is delicious.”
Sabor Mixteco (Wheaton): Sabor Mixteco opened recently at 2460 Ennalls Ave. in Wheaton. The restaurant is located in the space previously occupied by Kantutas, which moved to a larger location at 2400 University Blvd W in 2023. Menu items at Sabor Mixteco include carne asada. chilaquiles (breakfast), enchiladas, tacos, and tortas. Sietsema praises the tacos, “I appreciate whatever meat — zesty chorizo, earthy braised beef tongue, pork sweetened with pineapple — dresses his warm, saucer-size corn tortillas.” He says “the taqueria excels with the sandwich” regarding the tortas. The chiles rellenos may be the best he has ever had, “The list of daily specials might include one of the best chiles rellenos in memory.” The full article can be seen here. In addition to the love from Sietsema, the restaurant has earned a 5 star rating on Google with 49 out of 50 reviews giving the restaurant five stars. On Yelp, Sabor Mixteco has a 4.9 rating on 21 reviews with 19 of the 22 reviews giving the restaurant 5 stars.