Friday, June 15, 2007

Chinatown Express, H Street, Washington, DC



This restaurant was submitted for one of the dirtiest in DC. Let me tell you something; I feel like I need to bathe after this experience. Chinatown Express is a tiny little place on 6th and H in Chinatown. The restaurant walls boast of its mention in The Washingtonian as one of the best cheap eats circa 2004. Fortunately for the them, the criteria had nothing to do with the cleanliness of its bathroom. Although, I'm not sure how the person who chose it got past the the dirty fish tank with grime floating on top of the bubbles and clinging to the sides of the tank! The fish looked like Potomac/Anacostia river fish. Now that I think about it, my husband mentioned he saw a man fishing at Haines Point and it appeared he was taking his catch to a restaurant. I think I know which one. I ordered a vegetable eggroll which I had no intention of eating, but I had to get something in order to gain access to restroom. It was in the back and up a couple of filthy looking stairs. I opened the door and oh horror of horrors!! How do people eat at this place? There was a dirty, and I mean BLACK dirty, mop in a dirty blue bucket, the walls were bulging as if something was trying to come out but had been taped over with duct tape and then plastered. There was an exhaust fan that allows one too see outside into an alley. What do you want to bet someone can't look in and see you there on the toilet? I, my dear readers, will NEVER know because you couldn't pay me enough to go into that alley! The door to exit the bathroom was positively filthy. Look people, if you're going to keep your bathrooms dirty, don't use white paint. It shows everything...then again maybe that's the point. Maybe they think their food is so darn good, that you will still eat there in spite of the grime that makes no attempt to hide itself. Ack!! As I was waiting for my egg roll, which I had no intention of eating, I caught a glimpse of the kitchen as the door swung open. There was crap all over the floor and that was it. I was just about to leave without the darn egg roll, when it was handed to me in a nice clean brown paper bag. I'm assuming it was brown...maybe it was just dirty.

I'm going to have to go back, oy, and get more photos. These came out green...I
think my camera got sick.
6/14/2007 - I went back for video. Check it out!

9 comments:

Dangerfield said...

Mr. Lady I saw you on fox news you are doing righteous work. I am adding you to my blog roll and thank you very much.

Watna said...

ewwww, gross.

how'd you get started on this (lav blogging) lav lady, seems an almost random thing to do but highly interesting, haha.

Dangerfield said...

Sorry I meant to say Mrs. Lady. Sorry about that your work is righteous as far as Im concerned.

Keep doing your thing Lady.

Lavatory Lady said...

Thanks Mark,

I am enjoying reading your blog as well. I know you meant Mrs. I didn't think I looked that bad on the news! LOL!!

Lavatory Lady said...

1986,
I've been wanting to start a blog for awhile but I never could figure out a topic that wasn't already covered. Since the bathroom thing became such an issue during pregnancy and even more so with 2 little boys; I figured this was it. Bathroom products are coming next!!

Anonymous said...

Worldwide, I think the numerous "warnings or dangers" of China's public toilets speak for itself...

http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Asia/China/Warnings_or_Dangers-China-BR-2.html

Here is a guide for pleasant/disgusting toilets if you ever visit Japan..

http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~AD8Y-HYS/index_e.htm

Jonne Austin said...

This blog is the most original blog I have seen in a while! And I am seriously disgusted at some of these lavs. SICK!!!

Lavatory Lady said...

Thanks Mrs. Beatnick! I have been very disgusted at witnessing it up close and personal myself.

Mary1975 said...

Hi Lavatory Lady, Because I must be totally crazy, I went to Chinatown Express the other night, a semi-holiday tradition with friends. I wondered if the bathrooms had changed at all since my last visit a year ago, and took my camera to the restroom just to get a few snaps. I realized that on my first visit I HAD USED THE MEN'S ROOM which for whatever reason was the only one available that time. I'm so glad you did not see the men's room. A bonus: at the end of our meal, we saw a mouse flittering up the stairs near the fish tanks. I will admit, the food is good. If you can time your drinks so that you don't have to use the restroom, if you can deal with the grime, and you don't have a compromised immune system, go ahead and eat there.