Chinese food. Who doesn’t like Chinese food?   So money.   Over the past week, I’ve eaten w/ friends at two of my favorite Chinese restaurants in the DC area — Peking Gourmet in Bailey’s Crossroads and Miewah in DC.

Lots of people Peking Gourmet at President Bush’s favorite Chinese restaurant but locals know it as the place serving the best Peking Duck in the area (although Duck Chang’s in Annandale has been a long-time favorite for the past couple of decades).  Man, that meal at Peking Gourmet was off the hook — hot n sour soup, fried dumplings, pork fried rice and the house specialty – the Peking Duck.  The place is highly recommended.

Miewah and City Lights are my two fav Chinese places in the city.  But, I prefer Miewah since it’s easier to park and the place is consistently good.  My go-to meal there is hot ‘n sour soup, spring rolls, and the chicken and broccoli.

I also have to throw props to China Garden since that’s where we hosted our fabulous Asian-American LEAD dinner last month.   That’s a terrific, traditional Chinese restaurant.

Of course, none of this is like eating at the authentic Chinese restaurants in Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong.  Holy smokes — some of the traditional dishes there are unlike anything I’ve ever seen here in the U.S.  My friends in China love to order these dishes and watch me squirm as I attempt to eat what they ordered.   They love to tease that I eat Chinese food like an American.  Guilty!