Suki Asia

Suki Asia has had its ups and downs. Through the past year it's gone through three owners, and its food and service quality has bounced around like the Dow Jones Industrial Average. But finally, this little Asian lunch place found a rightful owner who treats it and its customers well. Lines have formed again starting at noon, and orders of boologi bibimbap have risen just because it's fun to say.

Located in the very office-central area between Dupont and Farrugut North, on Rhode Island Avenue, Suki Asia is one of the more desirable lunch places in an otherwise hungry-for-lunch ideas. All food is ordered at the counter, or you can call ahead to place an order and have it be ready for pick-up when you arrive. Take lunch to go or stay in its bright, clean and simple restaurant with a few tables, Japanese kimonos on the wall, Chinese lanterns and free iced green tea. 

Its portions are now so huge you'll have to share or save for the next day. Popular options include a Bento box, the aforementioned bibimbaps which are colorful Korean-style rice bowls with eggs, spinach, carrots, daikon radish and beef (or not, depending on your choosing), and chili pepper sauce. On colder days, the udon soup and giant noodles are a Japanese equilvalent to comfort food.

There’s also a selection of ramen, which is a far cry from your college staple and comes with vegetables and meats of your choice. There's a sushi chef on site forming rolls before your eyes at the counter (try the spicy tuna!). The Bento boxes come with teriyaki chicken over rice, salad, sushi and miso soup, can easily fill two people or two days of lunch.

Even during the lunch rush of noon-1pm, the orders are filled quickly and without much wait time. There’s a constant flow of traffic, so the waiting space gets crowded. Management is always pleasant, friendly and eager to please, making Suki Asia a nice break from the regular office day. Dinner’s available, too, if you don't feel like cooking at the end of the day.

- by Rin-rin Yu, Washington Reporter for HelloMetro  (Click to leave a message)

Rin-rin Yu

Rin-rin is an award-winning writer and journalist based in the Baltimore-Washington area. Her work has appeared in China Daily, DAYSPA magazine, Luxury Home Design, Aquatics International, Not For Tourists and other publications. Rin-rin has also worked for ABC News, WHDH-TV (NBC) in Boston and Hanley Wood Business Media. She has a master's degree from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. She is an avid world traveler and maintains a travel blog, www.mytravelhats.com.