Restaurants manifest the spirit of capitalist multiculturalism.  Entrepreneurship, international trade and migration, and cultural exchange all come together in these communal eateries.

In the last fifteen or so years, the Washington D.C. area has become a leader in ethnic restaurants.  We lag behind New York City and Los Angeles, but we vie with Chicago and the Bay Area for third place in the United States.  In some areas, such as Ethiopian cuisine, we are number one.

This guide is intended to help individuals enjoy good food, and keep my favorite places in business.  Effective consumer choice improves your eating and, in the long run, improves the quality of available restaurants. 

Tyler Cowen (Economist / Foodie) writes up a dining guide to DC that’s current and good.  Everything I see on there I agree with (that I’ve been to) but I really want to try some more now.  Yes, I live in the DC area so this matters to me, and probably not to most of you.  Tyler Cowen’s Ethnic Dining Guide – January 2009, 25th edition