En brodo

I owe Pipón capsule reviews of a handful of restaurants we've visited lately, including El Rincón Español (1826 Columbia Rd. NW), a great tapas joint in Adams Morgan; Mama Ayesha's (1967 Calvert St. NW), a popular Middle Eastern restaurant in Woodley Park; and Thaiphoon (2011 S St. NW), a mediocre local Thai chain that competes with Thaitanic (locations in Columbia Heights and Logan Circle) for the most clever Thai pun. (kg has promised some penitent guest blogging after ditching me for great meals at The Diner (2453 18th St. NW), run 24 hours a day by the good people at Tryst, and Volt (228 N. Market St., Frederick, Md), that most talked about of Frederick attractions.)

In the meantime, we've done a bit of cooking. Above, my new 30 Minute Meal, cheese tortellini, sauteed mushrooms and onions and baby spinach served in vegetable broth (en brodo) instead of red sauce.


To get people to drink some wine with us up on the roof, our Argentine friend Lara mashed up some gnocchi and kg whipped up some crème brûlée. Below, proof that Lara has not become too American to make make gnocchi, at least on the 29th, and kg's newest pizza eccentricity, toppings underneath.

Hamburg, Dupont

It is opening in Detroit next year, so I guess that's pretty interesting. Otherwise, Vapiano (1800 M Street NW) is just a mediocre, gimmicky German chain. It clearly believes it's an interesting idea, "defining the future of fast casual," an "innovative European" and "revolutionary concept" born in Hamburg in 2002 and since exported to 16 countries, where diners get to experience an "urban-European atmosphere." Sounds exciting, right? All I saw tonight at the Dupont Circle location were a couple of basil plants on the tables and made-to-order fresh pasta and pizza that you have to order cafeteria-style from a line of short-order cooks. Sure, the pesto pasta was tasty. But for $10, I would not have complained if Vapiano had hired a waiter or two to bring over a glass of water.

Crabby

Two quick, capsule restaurant reviews.

The other day, I recommended Penang, a Malaysian joint on M St. (1837 M St. NW). I tried a very nearby, non-chain competitor last weekend, Malaysia Kopitiam (1827 M St. NW). The menu is extensive and apparently pretty authentic. The roti is pleasantly cheap and chewy. The beef rendang, on the other hand, is bland and dry, not at all what you'd expect from meat "simmered in thick curry gravy with coconut milk and various spices." Props to the Vegetarian Curry Laksa Noodle Soup, however, which is hilariously voluminous and features slow roasted eggplant.

Even on a snowy night, with many restaurants shuttered, I don't recommend finding safe harbor at Ulah Bistro Bar and Lounge (1214 U St. NW, see map above), as I did last night. The bait-and-switch facade is all "Bistro," but inside, it's all "Bar and Lounge." Gaudy, multicolored Christmas lights. Bright flat screen TV. Long bar just inches from the tables, complete with barflies loudly cheering the Dallas Cowboys while following other games on their laptops. In Ulah's defense, the upstairs, as photographed for the restaurant's Web site, looks beautiful. Still, not even the second floor couches could have saved the wood-fired, Ulah pizza, a disappointing pairing of lump crab meat with cherry tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, fresh basil and shaved Parmesan ($15). Fortunately, I was in generally good spirits anyway, happy to be out of the snow and pretty pipón after polishing off the enormous fried calamari appetizer, served with a rich and spicy orange-horseradish marmalade ($9).

Vetoed

I had bright ideas for a feta pizza with arugula and kalamata olives ("dark eggplant color" with "a flavor that can be rich and fruity"). But I was vetoed, so to protest against the alternative ingredients (shredded mozzarella, caramelized onions and bottled tomato sauce), I did an embarrassingly poor job kneading my Harris Teeter dough.


At the very least, the carbs in today's lunch, refried beans tacos with diced plum tomatoes and shredded cheddar and Monterrey Jack cheese, were served perfectly flat. (Side note: though it sells made-to-order papusas, the new Latin market on Ontario and Kalorama does not yet carry fresh vegetables or even queso blanco.)



Chopped salad: Cucumbers, vine-ripened tomatoes, endive and sunflower seeds.