Charlie Chiang’s PING Restaurant

If you haven’t been to Charlie Chiang’s Chinese restaurant in Shirlngton lately, you’re in for a happy surprise. Not only is it all sleeked-up and modernized—it has a new name, Ping by Charlie Chiang. Mr. and Mrs. (Christiana) Chiang are still the proprietors with that same personal touch as evidenced by their management and service staff. Ping is Chinese food as Christiana puts it, with a “twist”. But first let me start with Ping’s sushi and sashimi—some of the best I’ve ever had and without a doubt, the most beautiful presentation I’ve seen. Then came a delicious hot and sour seafood soup with crab, scallops and shrimp and Sichuan dumplings, one with a red oil sauce and one with a sesame peanut sauce. Here are just a few of the traditional Chinese dishes with that “twist” I mentioned: red pepper rosemary chicken nuggets in an aged black vinegar based sauce; steak and broccoli using thick slices of choice flat iron steak cooked in an oyster-soy sauce: a whole red snapper, fried, doused in a hot wok-fired sweet and sour sauce and an incredible fried rice with mozzarella cheese. For dessert—the final Ping “twist”---tempura cheesecake-- which is cheesecake dipped in tempura batter and flash fried. You won’t believe how good it is. As I said, every dish has a “twist”—either in the way it’s prepared or the seasonings or the marriage of different ingredients. With that said, Ping’s remains Chinese. There’s a lot to explore at Ping’s which, by the way, also has a full bar. Ping by Charlie Chiang is located at 4060 Campbell Ave. in Shirlington. For more information and reservations, cal 703-671-4900 and check the website at www.charliechiangs.com.

KILROY’s Restaurant in Springfield

You know I love Sunday Brunches. Well, Kilroy’s in Springfield is my latest discovery and what a find it is! The price?---only $15.95 and that includes oysters on the half shell and steamed mussels. Kilroy’s is the neighborhood restaurant we all wish we had in our own back yard. It’s really not that far—take Braddock Road, off Columbia Pike, cross Backlick and just as you get to the Beltway, turn left onto Port Royal Road and you’re there. Back to the food---perfectly cooked eggs Benedict with homemade Hollandaise sauce, made to order omelets, bacon, sausage, grits, assortment of fruits and veggies, hash brown potatoes, Caesar salad, cabbage rolls, lasagna and a pasta station. A selection of desserts including a fountain of chocolate---however, I couldn’t resist the Belgian waffle station. Oh, so good with maple syrup, strawberry sauce and whipped cream. I met a number of people who eat at Kilroy’s several times a week and I can understand why. It’s a real friendly place with dining rooms on the left and a sports bar on the right with about 20 TV’s. I took a look at the regular menu and I can assure you, I’ll be returning to Kilroy’s to try some of their signature dishes, also very reasonable. For more information and reservations, call Kilroy’s at 703-321-7733 and check the website at www.kilroys.com.

CARMINE’s - - Legendary in New York, now in D.C.

Open here in D.C. for less than a year, New York’s famous family style Italian restaurant, Carmine’s, has hit the ground running in the hot Penn Quarter area on 7th Street NW in the District. The thing to remember about Carmine’s is to bring a big appetite or better yet, bring people with you. It’s a family style restaurant with huge platters which they warn, “all portions feed two to four people.” I’m a veal parmigiana nut and Carmine’s didn’t disappoint There are all kinds of hot and cold appetizers and remember, one appetizer will feed two to four. The salads are beautiful and monstrous. In addition to every kind of pasta you can think of, there’s a wonderful selection of seafood, chicken and beef entrees. And, remember, each dish feeds two to four. By the way, they have some pretty interesting sounding hero sandwiches and an extensive catering menu. Carmine’s is a busy place with a bustling bar and valet parking is available. There’s a New York-friendly atmosphere exhibited by genial general manager, Kristopher Diemar. For reservations, call 202-737-7770 and be sure to check the website at www.carminesnyc.com.