🚀 go-pugleaf

About a week ago I posted:
>A girl from California (family in Maryland) is planning a DC-area wedding.
>She and her fiance are looking for a Latin/Cuban restaurant for the
>rehearsal dinner the night before the wedding.
>
>A northwest DC or Bethesda location would be perfect.  E-mail would
>be preferred since I'm not a regular reader of this group.  However,
>I'll gladly post a rollup of the answers.  Many thanks in advance.

Anyway, I got many great responses.  Not only will I forward the info
to my friends, I plan to sample the fare myself!!!  Many thanks to those
who took the time to reply.  So here's the summary:

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There is a cuban restrant in Adams Morgan at Columbia and 18th.  This early
in the morning the name escapes me...  The food was good.

Does brazilian count?  Donatello (close spelling) is on Wisc Ave in 
TenleyTown near the Outer Circle theater.  Also good food

Bruce O'Neel              oneel@heasfs.gsfc.nasa.gov
NASA/GSFC/STX/Code 664
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From: polk@seismo.CSS.GOV (Dana L. Polk)

Hi.  I read your request in dc.dining and would appreciate if you 
could post or e-mail me any responses you may get.  I've been trying 
to find a good latin/Cuban restaurant in the area for years, to no 
avail.  I am also getting married this year, my finance is spanish, 
and I would love to have our rehearsal dinner at a good latin rest. 
My finance is from N.Y.C. and we've been to Victor's Cafe in N.Y.
several times, an excellent Cuban restaurant --- it's a shame there 
is nothing like that around here, that I know of.  

I have been to a good Spanish (Spain) restaurant in N.W. DC.  It's 
called El Bodegon.  Very european in atmosphere, complete with a
flamenco show and guitarist.  I really enjoyed it and the food was 
good.  I'll elaborate further if your friend is interested.  

Anyway, please keep me informed and I'll do the same if I hear of 
anything. 

Thanks, Dana 

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Some suggestions for Latin/Cuban places.  

One old standby that is still good is Omega, in Adams Morgan.  It's a
cuban place.  The drawback is that parking is difficult and the
atmosphere is not all it could be.  Check it out before you decide.  

Another place to consider is El Caribe in Bethesda.  It's in the
Holiday Inn on Wisconsin, but don't let that deter you.  Excellent
food from all over Latin America, including Cuba.  Nice atmosphere,
suitable for a rehersal dinner.  Can handle a lot of people if
necessary.  Parking is easy.  (I like the Lechon Asado con
Llapingachos, usually with a pitcher of Sangria.)

Hope this helps.

		Larry

Lawrence Hunter, PhD.
National Library of Medicine
hunter@nlm.nih.gov (internet)
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My absolute favorite Latin restaurant in DC is Lauriol Plaza, on 18th
and S Streets NW. Good menu with both Mexican and Spanish dishes. All are
well prepared and portions are huge. The atmosphere is much nicer than
most Latin places as well (tableclothes and everything). They also have a
back room that is often not in use, so they would probably have no problem
accommodating a large party.

Hope this helps....

Bruce Hulse
bhulse@auvm.american.edu
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From: jeff@visix.com (Jeff Barr)

Mark,
Here are some good Latin restaurants for your list:

Adams Morgan [18th & S]         Lauriol Plaza
Downtown DC                     El Chalan 
Virginia                        Cuzco Restaurant
Takoma Park                     Machu Picchu
Tenley Park                     El Tamarindo

Hope this helps.  I have eaten at all of them and can recommend each
one.  Lauriol Plaza is the most formal and has the best food in my
opinion.  My wife (who is Peruvian) says that their food has Cuban
elements.  El Tamarindo is down-to-earth and very informal.  I look
forward to seeing the list that you collect.

Jeff;
--
\\\ Jeff Barr      \\\          "Who'd have thought a nuclear 
/// Visix Software ///           reactor could be so complicated?"
/// jeff@visix.com ///                          -- Homer Simpson
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From: romanik@cs.UMD.EDU (Kathleen Romanik)

Takoma Park has several Latin restaurants, since it has a large Latin
population.  There are several near the intersections of Piney Branch
and Flower Ave.  I've been to Tropicana, a Cuban place - good, but not
as good as the places in Tampa, FL.  I've also been to Costa Del Sol
(I believe that's the name), an El Salvadorian restaurant in Bethesda.
I liked it a lot (I like yellow rice, black beans, plantains, etc.).
Good luck in your search!

	Kathleen Romanik
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