ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen Opens in Chinatown – Now with Kale!

710 7th Street, NW

From a press release:

“hopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen, the Southeast Asian restaurant developed by Chipotle Mexican Grill, will open the doors to its fourth East Coast location at 710 7th Street NW, in Washington, D.C, on Tuesday, May 6. The first ShopHouse location in Washington, D.C. opened in 2011 in Dupont Circle (1516 Connecticut Avenue NW) and was followed by the openings in Georgetown (2805 M Street NW) and Bethesda, Maryland (4820 Bethesda Avenue) in 2013.

The menu at ShopHouse is influenced by traditional ingredients, flavors and cooking techniques of Southeast Asia, and the restaurant gets its name from traditional shophouses, a common form of architecture in Southeast Asia in which families live upstairs and operate restaurants or fresh markets on the ground floor. The ShopHouse model closely resembles Chipotle, including a commitment to serving food made with highest quality ingredients from more sustainable sources, preparing food in an open kitchen using classic cooking techniques, and serving customers in an interactive format that allows each individual to pick and choose exactly what goes in to their own order.

“I believe that Chipotle’s success isn’t necessarily based on burritos and tacos, but rather a unique system that combines our passion for using great ingredients, classic cooking methods, and an interactive service format that allows customers to pick and choose exactly what they want to eat,” said Steve Ells, founder, chairman and co-CEO of Chipotle. “Many different cuisines could fit into this model that will help to redefine fast food. I am excited that at ShopHouse we will bring to customers the authentic ingredients and flavors of Southeast Asia in a way that is entirely unique.”

At ShopHouse, guests customize their meal by choosing a base including jasmine rice, brown rice, chilled rice noodles, or salad; add grilled chicken satay, steak laab, pork and chicken meatballs, or organic tofu; a choice of various wok-cooked fresh vegetables; one of three sauces that include green curry, spicy red curry or a tamarind vinaigrette; garnish with green papaya slaw or pickled vegetables; and top with a choice of crispy toppings that include toasted rice, crushed peanuts or crispy garlic. The entire ShopHouse menu is gluten- and dairy-free.

The menu at ShopHouse features bold, assertively spiced dishes that are remarkably light and well balanced. ShopHouse’s chicken satay is made with naturally raised chicken, marinated overnight in coconut milk, dried spices, lemongrass, and other herbs, and then grilled. Steak laab takes naturally raised beef, which is crusted in spices and seared, then tossed in a cilantro-lime fish sauce and mixed with toasted rice.

Vegetables are cooked in a hot wok, and include green beans with roasted chili jam and shallots; eggplant with Thai basil; and charred corn with garlic and sesame.

As of May 5, ShopHouse is introducing seasonal vegetables in each of its locations. Sourced from local farms whenever possible, wok fried kale with chili-vinegar will replace broccoli as the spring/summer seasonal offering. Beginning Tuesday, April 29, each ShopHouse location will begin replacing broccoli with kale, with all locations offering kale as the seasonal vegetable by Monday, May 5, 2014.

Priced well under $10, dishes are prepared using traditional Southeast Asian herbs and spices like galangal, lemongrass, ginger, cilantro, and chilies. Customers order at the counter, and can see directly into an open kitchen — a format similar to the one that has become a hallmark of Chipotle restaurants.

“In deciding to serve kale and seasonal vegetables, we looked at our menu and thought that we could work with our growers to add variety throughout the year by serving what is at its peak growing season.”

ShopHouse recently introduced its first-ever dessert: coconut rice and mango parfait. Made from a combination of Jasmine rice, creamy coconut milk, pureed mango, salt and sugar, the dessert is finished with sesame seeds and toasted coconut flakes and served chilled.

ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen is located at 710 7th Street NW (between H Street and G Street). The restaurant will be open seven days a week, 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.“