Tyler Cowen has good taste for sure. If I lived in Va, I'd definitely check out more of the restaurants he likes.
Tian and Masala Country out in Centreville. Two awesome restaurants right next to each other. Tian does the Korean version of Chinese food, and Masala Country does the Indian version of Chinese food. Amazing coincidence?
Udupi Palace in Langley Park. Authentic South Indian food. Don't get the Northern Indian stuff.
El Pollo Rico in Wheaton. Man, I love this place. It burned down a while ago and recently reopened, and is as good as ever.
Vit Geol (Lighthouse Tofu?), locations in Rockville and Annandale - Spicy soft tofu in stew pots, spicy squid and octopus and noodles sizzling away on hot plates, man I'm getting hungry now.
Moby Dick, multiple locations but I like the Bethesda location best - I guess it's kebabs. I love this place. Simple skewered and well-seasoned chicken and ground beef, and the torshi goes perfectly with the fresh baked bread and rice.
Woomi Garden in Wheaton - Our go to restaurant, since it is so close to our house. Does all things well, and I really like the kalbi here.
Woo Lae Oak in Tyson's Corner - this restaurant does all things Korean almost perfectly. Pretty darn expensive, but nothing on the menu that I've gotten has disappointed.
Ruan Thai in Wheaton - a Tyler Cowen reference that lives up to the hype. I like this place better than Nava Thai, though Nava Thai definitely has some 'unique' dishes.
Irene's Pupusas III in Wheaton - I love pupusas, I guess they're fried corn batter with cheese and meat inside?
le mannequin pis in Olney - Tyler Cowen puts this place down, but I like it. Tons of Belgian beers, and the mussels and other dishes taste great.
And to second elgreco, Pho 75, A&J, and Temari are all favorites. Fuck, I like everything. I also really like Jaleo. Where else can you choose from a large assortment of Spanish sherries at a restaurant that won't totally fuck up your credit card account?
And if you're Korean, is 'American' food ethnic? I love Five Guys and Hard Times, and get steak on rare occasion at Ray's the Classics. I love getting fried red snapper at the Washington Fish Wharf, and blue crabs at Cantler's. Urban BBQ for ribs.
Oh, there are so many.