The Washington Post’s Tom Sietsema has been the newspaper’s food critic for nearly 25 years. In his latest dining guide, highlighting “5 great affordable restaurants in the D.C. area”, he includes two Maryland restaurants– both located in Montgomery County.
The first Maryland restaurant on the list is the new Peter Chang, located at 637 N Frederick Ave in Gaithersburg in the space previously occupied by Ichiban Restaurant (closed in September 2021 after 35 years in business).
Peter Chang opened in April of this year and serves tapas-style dishes, dim sum, and signature items that include Chengdu Garlic Steamed Pork Belly, Hot & Numbing Stone Pot Flounder, Shredded Tofu Skin Salad, and Steamed Pork Soup Dumplings.
“The small plates hover around $8 on average. Equally enticing, the list runs nearly 70 choices long.” Sietsema writes. “The Gaithersburg location stands out for its broad windows, red walls painted with birds and clouds, and what serves as a family photo album in the entry: framed pictures of Chang and kin through the years”
Next is Nicaraguan restaurant El Chante Comedor y Fritanga Nica, which now occupies the full space it used to split with Frank’s Burger Place at 11265 Triangle Ln. It’s owned by Frank Matamoros, who moved Frank’s Burgers to a new location at 11230 Grandview Ave in Wheaton-Glenmont (former site of Umberto’s) and shares a space with District Bistro.
“When it comes to quantity, this Nicaraguan outpost delivers.” Sietsema writes. “My strapping, $20 entree is the most expensive item on the menu and tastes of care as much as bitter oranges, garlic, oregano and mildly nutty annatto in the marinated flap steak. The rice is unusually delicious, too; the red beans in the mix are cooked a day ahead, then refried before serving, intensifying their flavor. The spread is prettier for its banana leaf backdrop”
Photo courtesy @elchante_comedoryfritanganica on instagram