East Street Cafe — Restaurant in Washington

So, I was looking forward to trying East Street Cafe at the Union Station since it had been recommended by many friends in Washington, DC. I tried their Grilled Garlic Shrimp (Malaysia) house special during my visit to this place. I must say that I was a bit underwhelmed by it. This dish had a nice coconut flavor to it but the choice of noodles for the dish was mediocre, I believe it was Linguine pasta. This dish does not come with a lot of vegetables, so if you are a vegetable person like me, this is not for you. Also, this dish is not as spicy as advertised on the menus. I had to ask one of their staff to bring me a cup of spicy sauce to turn up the spiciness a notch. For a dish pricing at $15-$16, I was hoping for a better-quality Asian dish. Three stars only because of their friendly staff. I might return one day to try...

So tasty, what a gem!! I ordered the CURRY LAKSA NOODLE Soup, pictured. It can be all plant based - I asked for mushrooms, spinach and broccoli to be added/substituted for the chicken, and with no hesitation they accommodated me! I'm so pleased with this Union Station fast casual option, located on the second level. If you take the stairs opposite the Amtrak ticket counter, you'll find it with big open air seating. This dish also includes tofu, vegetables, rice sticks & egg noodle combination in a coconut curry broth, with bean sprouts, fresh! green beans, and corn. Amazing, and spicy warm. They have non spicy foods, too. I'll upload the...

Of all the food choices in Union Station, this one stands alone far above the rest. It succeeds at being a true asian bistro offering a blend of Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese and Phillipino cuisine. The service is abrupt at times but we've learned they are of a "Soup Nazi" mentality... they don't have to be nice, they will always reach capacity within 10 minutes of opening for lunch. I frequent East St. Cafe at least once a week, sometimes twice. The food is delicious and consistent which will keep you from punching your server in the face. Try the green or red curry, spicy ginger beef, drunken noodles or any of the house...