Chinatown

Back in Apr. ’11 I passed on some scuttlebutt that a specialty meatball shop would be launched in Penn Quarter. It turns out the specialty meatball shop, Meatballs, is being launched by none other than Chef Michel Richard of Central and Citronelle fame. Meatballs is going to be located in the retail space next to Luke’s Lobster Shack at 626 E St, NW (though the size is about 3-4 times bigger than Luke’s).

There will be 4-5 different meatballs with various sauces. Choices will include traditional, lamb, crab, fried chicken and vegetarian. You can get a Grinder (“wit or witout” meaning the grinder will be made with garlic bread or regular bread). You can also make your order with pasta or a salad. I’m told the bread has been sourced from “the single most exclusive baker in the country, made fresh for meatballs twice daily. The secret is the pillowy interior.” Sauces include traditional marinara, alfredo, morel mushroom and a special one that will rotate. Prices will range from $6.99-$9.99.

The shop will offer dine in and to go options. They also plan on offering delivery so stay tuned for the delivery radius. I stopped in last week and the build out looked nearly completed. They say the shop will likely open in about 2 weeks. I was lucky enough to try the lamb meatballs and all I can say is that those who live or work nearby Meatballs are very very lucky.

This is gonna be freaking awesome. From a liquor license application:

“This is a tavern that has a ramen shop on the ground level. Diners will be able to order bowls with a variety of fresh toppings. The second level will serve as a bar & restaurant with a Japanese menu.

HOURS OF OPERATION
Sunday through Thursday 11 am – 3 am Friday and Saturday 11 am – 4 am”

Washingtonian has some good details:

“On the ground level, there’ll be a ramen shop inspired by those in Sapporo, one of the Japanese cities famous for the dish. Utagawa will serve three styles of the broth-based soup: miso, soy-sauce-anchored shoyu, and shio or salt—which has a pale color and more-delicate flavor.

Another traditional touch: The ramen shop will be meant for slurping noodles not sipping drinks. “Eating ramen isn’t a very social thing,” says Utagawa. “You look at your bowl and eat, otherwise the noodles get soggy.” For socializing, diners can head upstairs to the izakaya, which will serve as both bar and restaurant.”

Daikaya will be located right next to the super popular Graffiato at 705 6th St, NW.

They’ve applied for a liquor license.

Luke’s is located at 624 E St, NW.

District of Pi is located at 910 F St, NW. For those unfamiliar with St. Louis style pizza – you can see their menu here. We’ll be back for a proper judging after they’ve been open a bit.

A press release says:

“The brick and mortar restaurant, at 910 F Street NW, features seating for 200, 2 full bars, a mezzanine with seating for nearly 50, plus a lower level lounge for those awaiting seating or an after-dinner beverage. In a second phase of construction, District of Pi will add lower level “speakeasy” with a focus on classic cocktails.

“While we’re thrilled to have our full menu of eats, we’re equally excited about our 24 draft handles, with a focus on breweries in regions with high numbers of DC transplants. We have some fantastic beers from California, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Missouri and beyond” added Co-Founder Frank Uible. “Four of our handles are from St. Louis’ largest brewery, The Saint Louis Brewery, which brews the Schlafly beers, including our custom ‘Pi Common’ beer, a California Common, or Steam style beer, which is a first for the DC market.” The impressive cocktail list was designed by award-winning mixologist Adam Frager.

The District eatery, like its St. Louis siblings, focuses on sustainability and minimizing its carbon footprint. The buildout maximizes the use of reclaimed materials, both from the original space and others in the area. The entire wine list is also green, consisting of organic, bio-dynamical and other wines by sustainable wine-makers.

District of Pi will be open 7 days per week for lunch and dinner. The kitchen will stay open till midnight on Friday and Saturdays.”

From an email:

“The restaurant is excited now to be offering delivery and call-ahead pick up service for their customers in the DC area. Just launched, the entire menu is available for pick up or delivery, including the popular market lunch specials and barbecue combos. Where patrons once had to go through the line to get their barbecue packed up to go, they can now call a dedicated line (202.556.2045) to place their order for pick up at the host stand or have their barbecue delivered to their doorstep.

What’s better, during the upcoming Labor Day weekend, Hill Country will even deliver lip-smackin’ barbecue directly to a customer’s picnic blanket on the Mall or the Capitol steps!

Delivery is free with a minimum $20 order in the immediate Penn Quarter neighborhood (H Street, NW down to Constitution and between 4th and 9th Streets, NW). For a minimal delivery fee of $2.50 and a minimum $50 order, Hill Country will deliver to a wider delivery zone in the downtown area (please find a PDF of the delivery zone attached for your reference – U Street is our northern border).”

HC Delivery Map

Hill Country is located at 410 7th St, NW in Penn Quarter.