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It seems I have written more and more about food and restaurants lately.  Finding out and trying new restaurants is one of my favorite things to do and there is no shortage of places to try around DC.  I thought that I would start off by writing about places that I’ve eaten at tens of times – my favorite places in Arlington.  Rather than serve up some of the typical favorites of mine (Faccia Luna, Whitlows, Harry’s Taproom) I’ll try to keep it to places that are less typical and more  the “gems” of Arlington as well as give you some inside tips.  All of these places are super cheap, so you can keep going back without it hurting your wallet.

Peruvian Chicken

El Pollo Rico – I was introduced to Pollo Rico almost a decade ago when I was doing some temp work in Ballston.  An employee at whatever place I was working took me there for lunch and my life hasn’t been the same ever since.  There was a short stint where I thought it had disappeared when the 1021 condos knocked down the shady strip mall it used to be in, but found it after college on quiet Kenmore St.

Pollo Rico has the best Peruvian rotisserie chicken, period.  Every place in the area tries to be like it but fails.  Pio-Pio, Edy’s, Crisp & Juicy don’t come close.  They don’t have yucca, but the chicken is the real star. Get extra mild sauce, and mix it with the hot (green) sauce.  Insider tip: for a complete authentic meal, get an Inca Kola.  I couldn’t place the taste until a year or two ago, but Inca Kola tastes like cotton candy.  Don’t judge, just try it.  An order of quarter chicken with fries, cole slaw and and an Inca Kola will run you about $6.  Even Anthony Bourdain dropped by in his DC episode of No Reservations (@ 7:50).  Oh yeah, cash only.

Tons of beers

Lost Dog Cafe – Lost Dog is off the beaten path in the Westover neighborhood of Arlington.  You would probably never run into it unless someone told you to go there.  Lost Dog specializes in having a huge variety of sandwiches to try along with some pretty good pizzas.  My favorite sandwich is the Balboa or the Bureaucrat.  I also highly recommend the chili.

In addition to all the sandwiches and pizza that they offer, they have a few hundred bottles of beer to choose from (and some on tap too).  Half of the restaurant is for selling microbrews and six packs of beer and the other half is the dining area.  Insider Tip: if you’re coming to get bombed, you’ll max out at 3 beers.  Since they’re in a fairly residential neighborhood, they wanted to keep it neighborhoody.  So…order the big beers.

awesome burritos

El Charrito – My sister has been touting this place for a while and I’ve only recently become obsessed with it.  The back story is that El Charrito used to be a mobile taco vendor until they moved into a store front right on Washington Blvd.  I haven’t ventured too deep into the menu, mostly sticking with the burrito supremes (I get the pork, but I haven’t heard a bad thing about the chicken, or the veggie version).  I want to work up the courage to try the goat burrito, but haven’t yet.  The rice and beans are also great.

Don’t plan on grabbing a table, this place is pretty much only walk up and take out orders.  There are some bar stools there, but I haven’t seen anyone eat their entire meal there yet.  Insider tip: Like Pollo Rico, cash only – and tax is included.  There’s something awesome about ordering a $4 burrito, and paying $4.  Rice & beans will run you $3, but could serve two.

Try these places out, and let me know what you think.