Nationals Park Neighborhood Eateries: Kruba Thai and Sushi

Pitchers and Catchers are only 30 days away. Time for our next guest post from Beth - our Nats Park neighborhood resident and food critic.

Kruba Thai and Sushi

3301 Tingey St. SE

Opened: November, 2012

As the second full-service restaurant to open in the neighborhood Kruba was strongly anticipated (people went even before they were serving liquor. we were serious).

I always get a little worried about Kruba, it’s never crowded inside. I think (hope) it’s because they do a robust takeout/delivery business.

I know lots of folks might not think about Thai food and baseball going together but if you’re in the mood for something different or having a hard time finding a seat elsewhere Kruba could be a pretty good option for before or after a game. As I mentioned above, there is almost always room, even for a large party. The decor is striking, full of ornate wood carvings. And the food, especially the curries, is tasty (be warned, if something is labeled spicy, believe it!) and presented beautifully (more on that below. My experience of the service is a little inconsistent, but we’ve always enjoyed our meals.

Go if you’re looking for:

• A place where you can walk in and sit down without a wait
• Sushi or Thai (duh) with a hefty kick
• The opportunity to wow your tablemates with your meal choice. I mean seriously look at this shrimp fried rice in a pineapple! (That’s how they send it to you even for delivery. My photography doesn’t do it justice)

Stop someplace else if:

• You want your cuisine to be as American as your favorite sport
• You’re a craft beer diehard (like most Thai restaurants Kruba has a limited beer menu and focuses more on cocktails)
• You’re starving and on a strict budget. Portions here are a bit small for the price. I would say the quality is worth it, but you’re not going to stuff yourself on the cheap. Unless, you order the shrimp fried rice. That’s enormous.