Sort Of What The Doctor Ordered

No beans, garlic, onions, raw vegetables, dairy products or "spicy food" for at least three weeks.

It’s a foodie’s worst nightmare.

All right, that may be overstating the case. But I’m less than thrilled with this particular set of doctor’s orders. Though not such a problem when you’re cooking for one, try to find a restaurant which doesn’t prominently feature garlic, cheese or heat. It’s unfortunate when Applebee’s theoretically counts as a restaurant.

All complaining aside, I managed to find a dish which (kind of) fit my stringent requirements over at Tony Cheng’s Seafood Restaurant in Chinatown. All right, I’d be surprised if there wasn’t some garlic hidden in my chicken with asparagus dish ($14.95). But it’s not a spicy offering, and there were no huge chunks of onion prominently featured, so I think I was safe. And man, was it tasty.

Tony Cheng’s a bit pricier than your typical Chinese fare, but it does a nice job with the basics, and has a classy atmosphere. They have a good selection of (mostly tropical-themed) drinks, with catchy names such as Virgin's Downfall (I enjoyed a coconut-flavored offering, the name of which escapes me, for around $6). Tea is well-brewed, won ton soup is salty and satisfying, and I hear the spicier dishes are first-rate. Not that I would know.

Tony Cheng's Seafood Restaurant
619 H St., NW
Washington , DC
202/371-8669