100 Very Best 2015
Eat Great Cheap 2018Kob is the nickname of chef Phak Duangchandr—and trust us, the woman has earned the right to emblazon her name out front.
This is Thai food for Thais, and if you’re accustomed to a sweeter, more Americanized brand, the effect will be as bracing as downing a shot of grappa on an empty stomach. You can expect the flavors to be more pungent than you’re probably used to, almost certainly sharper and more defined, and Kob isn’t afraid to bring the heat.
Part of the pleasure of eating here is customizing your dishes with the terrific condiment tray, which includes, among other treats, wonderful chili vinegars. Another, greater part of the pleasure: the realization that for $35 for two, you can have more thrills than with some three-digit tasting menus.
Don’t miss:
- Chicken himmapan (a stir-fry with cashews and chilies)
- Glazed pork skewers
- Spicy basil fried rice
- Crispy whole fish with fried basil sauce
- Jungle curry
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
