Eastern Market is the place to go when you want to have a real American snack in an European-style indoor market. They have counters selling bagels, pastries, and cheese while the small Market Lunch counter in the corner sells hamburgers, sea-food and other greasy but good dishes. On weekends, there's a flea market outside the building where you can find paintings, photographs, posters, and furniture among other things. The market is located on Capitol Hill, where Congress interns and staffers live in shared townhouses. Capitol Hill is one of the cosiest and most laid-back neighbourhoods in DC and as it is becoming safer (between the Congress and Lincoln Park), it's worth visiting.

Central Americans are by far the dominant immigrant group in Washington these days, and their legacy is a renaissance in latin cooking all over the city. There are tons of Mexican and Salvadorean places popping up everywhere. One of the older of these is a local chain called Guapo's. My favorite is up in Tenleytown, and it's a perfect neighborhood restaurant. The food is fresh and flavorful, and the salsa tastes like it gets handmade every hour or so. The margaritas are generous, and the beer served very cold in frosty mugs. The price is reasonable, and the service is friendly and attentive, something that is ever-more rare these days.

As a visitor to DC, you'll probably end up in Dupont Circle at some point, and maybe you'll go by Metro. Just around the corner from the Q Street Metro exit, Raku offers "pan-asian cuisine" in some of the most expensive real estate in the city. You may be tempted to eat there on the terrace and people watch. Unless you're dying for some non-descript, pricey kinda-asian food, keep moving. Neither Japanese, Viet, Chinese, nor Thai, this restaurant offers a bunch of non-American food. Boiled soybeans, pad thai, and sushi are all offered, and none of these would pass at a restaurant that specializes. Plus, you get the added bonus of indifferent attitude from a staff that knows the tables will always be full. Walk a few blocks east to Sushi Taro and get some real Asian food.

I know these restaurants are chains, and not indigenous to DC. But still, the Outback steakhouse seems to be a good contrast to some of the other restaurants in town. I'm always going to mid-priced ($15-25) restaurants and walking out half full, or complaining about the quality. This place is quite different. The steaks are bigger and tastier than some of the famous, fancy steakhouses. You may not see any political heavyweights, but you'll walk out stuffed and happy, despite 2 hours of exposure to cheesy pseudo-Australian decor.

Sushi Taro is a restaurant good enough to earn a half-hearted shrug from my Japanese friends. This is their way of saying, "Great restaurant-it somewhat resembles real Japanese food. Good enough until I get home." Hey, gaijin, that's a four star review coming from a Japanese person! The atmosphere is cool, with tatami and the longest sushi bar in Washington. The hospitality is tops, with a loud "Irrashai!" resounding from the staff when you come in the door. The sushi is rather fresh, and the gyoza dumplings are tops. Great place for an after-work drink, and pretty nice for dates.

"Butterfield 9" 13th and F, downtown is definitely one of the hottest new restaurants in town. The food is noveau French-American, with everything from Chicken with fig sauce to Cod in a clam/corn chowder to Bison with greens. The desserts are mouthwatering (i suggest the strawberry-rhubarb tartlet) and there is a phenomenal wine list. Architecture is funky and so are the photographs on the walls.

Okay they may not be Bombay Saphire, but they are beyond good value. The Fox and Hounds on 16th Street ( I think!), near Safeway, is the best value G & T's you will get. A full glass of Gin is given with a bottle of Tonic for you to slowly top up. The food is okay, but hey after three of these you will think you are eating at Spargo's!

Kramer Books is a very nice bookstore with an attached restaurant. GREAT FOOD and unbelievable deserts. It's by on connecticut avenue just above dupont circle.