On the hunt for the freshest new spots in Southwest Washington? From Latin American locales to a Southeast Asian spot, read on to see the newest restaurants to land in this part of Washington.
Maizal
429 L'Enfant Plaza SW, Suite 450
Maizal brings South American street food to the L’Enfant Plaza food court.
The menu features customizable rice bowls and arepas — stuffed corn-flour flatbreads popular across South America. Its multicultural dishes feature flavors from Colombia, Venezuela, Argentina and Peru.
Create your meal from an array of bases (cilantro lime rice, Peruvian fried rice and more), proteins (like pulled pork and grilled steak) and toppings.
Maizal is off to a strong start with 4.5 stars out of eight reviews on Yelp.
Brent F., who reviewed the new spot on April 25, wrote, "Great new addition to the L'Enfant Plaza food court! If you are like me, and you have never heard of an arepa before, just order two of the signature arepas. Food is good in taste, portion and cost, and it is made quickly."
Yelper Gellie E. added, “Extensive menu and a welcome addition to L'Enfant Plaza. Its point of view is different enough — rice bowls (similar to Roti) and arepas — to add into the lunch rotation."
Intrigued? Stop in to try it for yourself. Maizal is open from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. on Monday-Friday. (It's closed on weekends.)
Kaliwa
751 Wharf St. SW, The Wharf
Head to the Wharf for Kaliwa, a restaurant whose menu offers a blend of Filipino, Thai and Korean cuisines.
Specialties include the spicy panang curry: tofu, cubed pork belly, gochujang pepper paste, lemongrass, shrimp paste, two types of Thai chiles, garlic, basil, shallots and more. For dessert, try the Korean-style doughnuts or mango sticky rice.
Kaliwa currently holds three stars out of 101 reviews on Yelp, indicating fair reviews.
Yelper Elizabeth J., who reviewed Kaliwa on May 8, wrote, "The food was delicious! I would get the spring rolls every time. The ceviche was crisp, and my fiancé loved their version of steak tartare."
And Yelper Eddie K. wrote, "Service was great, and our food came out pretty quickly. I agree that it's a little pricey for what you get, but because I enjoyed everything we ate, I really can't complain."
Kaliwa is open daily from 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m.
Mi Vida Restaurante
98 District Square SW, Southwest Waterfront
Located at 98 District Square SW, Mi Vida Restaurante brings upscale carnitas, chicken mole tacos and more to the neighborhood.
According to its website, Mi Vida is helmed by chef Roberto Santibañez, a Mexico City native who has "served as an ambassador of Mexican cuisine for over three decades."
Shareables include queso fundido, made of broiled Chihuahua and Oaxaca cheeses, chorizo and salsa verde atop hand-pressed tortillas. Ready for more? Try the carne asada: grilled skirt steak slathered in mushroom cream sauce and served with roasted poblanos.
Mi Vida Restaurante's current Yelp rating of four stars out of 168 reviews indicates positive feedback from customers.
Yelper Ashley S. wrote, "This is an upscale Mexican place that has a cool vibe. It's right on the water at the Wharf, so lots of people watching. Their margaritas are good and the bartenders have a heavy pour, which is also nice! They have a pretty expansive drink menu."
Cynthia J. added, "Finally an authentic Mexican restaurant in D.C. that's tasty where you can actually enjoy the food/drinks. ... The first-floor level is tiny and condensed while the top level is bigger along with an outside terrace area to eat. I recommend this area just for the view that overlooks the boats and water."
Mi Vida Restaurante is open from 11:30 a.m.–11 p.m. from Monday-Thursday, 11:30 a.m.–midnight on Friday, 11 a.m.–midnight on Saturday, and 10 a.m.–10 p.m. on Sunday.
