Oh this comment makes me want to laugh and cry at the same time. While I totally get wanting to try those internationally famous restaurants to feel like you've had the American experience, you should be forewarned that the quality of the ingredients used at those types places (Chipotle excepted) is very low and they hide that fact behind loads of sugar and salt (and gigantic portions) that many non-Americans find unappealing. Be prepared for heartburn and feeling very tired if you eat the whole portion.

One of the coolest parts about DC's food scene is that you can eat relatively authentic food from most of the world's continents here. Our most famous immigrant ethnic group in DC is Ethiopian where we have the largest Ethiopian diaspora in the world. Their food is *amazing* and there are lots of options. We also have a ton of Central American restaurants, but you'll want to check about whether they use pork fat in their frying before ordering. My favorite Pakistani restaurants is Sakina Halal Grill. You should eat there and tell us your review!

One very urban American experience is to eat lunch on a weekday from a food truck. They cluster at various places in the city where office workers are. Make sure you are NOT eating from the ones near the museums (low quality, unhealthy food) but the ones farther north where all the office buildings are.