Popular DMV food blogger Nomtastic Kim has shared her “Top 10 Best Eats from September,” highlighting dishes from restaurants, bakeries and markets across the DMV (Maryland, Virginia and Washington D.C.).
The monthly list ranges from dim sum and Filipino barbecue to sushi, pastries and Korean noodles, with four of the ten selections coming from Maryland. Here’s the full Top 10:
1. Almond Croissant – Sub Rosa Bakery, 620 N 25th St in Richmond, Virginia (beyond the DMV): Kim called herself “obsessed” with the Richmond bakery and said everything she tried was good, but the almond croissant was her favorite.
2. Niku Tama Udon – Marufuji, 8520 Leesburg Pike in Vienna, Virginia: The beef-topped udon came from Marufuji, a Japanese food court in Vienna. Kim also gave a shoutout to the restaurant’s tonkatsu, calling it “fantastic.”
3. Toro Power Roll – Ariake, 8708 Little River Turnpike in Fairfax, Virginia: Kim said the Northern Virginia sushi restaurant “blew me away,” describing the toro-heavy selection as one of the best rolls she’s had recently and recommending it for toro lovers.
4. Chunky Chocolate Chip Cookie – Double Bunny at Fell’s Point Farmers Market in Baltimore, MD: The highest-ranked Maryland item was a massive chocolate chip cookie from Double Bunny. After trying several of the bakery’s fall flavors, Kim said she “couldn’t get over this classic” and had been dreaming about the cookie since eating it.
5. Braised Octopus – Alfie’s, 1228 1/2 31st St NW in Washington D.C.: The braised octopus at Alfie’s, a Thai restaurant in Georgetown, landed at No. 5. Kim called the restaurant a “MUST” for anyone planning a trip to DC and said diners “can’t go wrong with anything on the menu.”
6. Pork BBQ Skewers – Manila Mart, 5023 Garrett Ave in Beltsville, MD: Manila Mart earned the first of two spots on the list with its pork barbecue skewers. Kim described them as extremely flavorful and among the best Filipino skewers she has had.
7. Jjampong Sujebi – Myung Ga Kimbap, 9643 Fairfax Blvd in Fairfax, Virginia: Kim tried jjampong sujebi for the first time at Myung Ga Kimbap, highlighting its generous portions and $14 price. The spicy seafood soup features sujebi, Korean hand-torn dough pieces.
8. Ube Buchi – Manila Mart, 5023 Garrett Ave in Beltsville, MD: Manila Mart appeared again with its ube buchi, a fried sesame-covered treat filled with purple ube. Kim told ube fans they “NEED to try this,” promising they wouldn’t be disappointed.
9. Shrimp Balls – Mai Dragon, 2647 Annapolis Rd in Hanover, MD: Kim called Mai Dragon her favorite dim sum spot and recommended visiting on weekends for cart service. Along with the crispy shrimp balls, she specifically mentioned the restaurant’s pineapple buns and shumai.
10. Toasted Coconut Donut – Newberry Cafe, 140 N Bond St in Bel Air, MD: Rounding out the list was the toasted coconut donut from Newberry Cafe. Kim said she was disappointed she didn’t get to try the cafe’s famous cronut but “absolutely loved” the coconut donut and recommended getting the yeast version.
Maryland accounted for four entries on the September list, with Manila Mart taking two spots on its own. The other Maryland selections came from Mai Dragon in Hanover, Newberry Cafe in Bel Air and Double Bunny at Baltimore’s Fell’s Point Farmers Market.
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