y66, on 2012-March-01, 22:33, said:
Arlington Virginia has a pretty decent restaurant scene. Before rents started taking off in the 90s we had a thriving Vietnamese retail community in the neighborhood, including a couple of grocery stores. Most of the old places are gone. But Pho-75, which is a quintessential cheap eats cafeteria with 20 or so pho dishes on the menu, is still packing them in. Best deal in town imo.
I can relate. In Dallas I was a few blocks from a small Chinatown, which offered (for cash only) some great authentic Chinese, and just on the other side of that was a quintessential cheap Indian buffet. <$5 for all you could eat, high quality Indian with rice, naan, and raita.
It was perfect.
All the great food cultures of the world have a great soup or stew defined by flavorful broth, well cooked meats, and fresh accompaniments. It should be quick, cheap, and delicious.