Nam-Viet/Pho 79 — Cleveland Park

It was a little chilly a few weeks ago and so I decided to grab some Pho soup.  To me, Pho is like a bowl of chicken noodle soup, only better.  It feels like a little bit of home (even though when I grew up, Pho wasn’t ever made nor consumed).  Anyway, I’m trying to find the best Pho in DC (among my many other goals) and decided to try Nam-Viet/Pho 79.

 

• Food: No surprise here, but I ordered Pho soup.  While some places let you pick what cut of beef you want in your soup, there was no option.  Also, thanks to a tip from a commentator, I now always ask for the beef to be raw.  That’s when my server told me that large bowls of Pho always come with raw beef (yay!).  As soon as I got home and had a chance to dig in, I briefly heated the broth for about 2 minutes just in case (though I don’t think I had to since it was still pretty hot).  Anyway, as soon as I opened the lid, there was an intense aroma of star anise.  The styrofoam container held the raw beef; underneath that was the rice noodles; then on the left was bean sprouts; lime slice; and on the right side was cilantro and onions (white and green).  I was bummed there were no jalapeno slices, but I’m sure if I would have asked for them, they would have put some in.  Thankfully, I had some in the fridge!  They did include a little side mixture of hoisin and sricachi sauce.  The Pho was good because of the broth. 

    

So I went back again and this time, ordered the vegetable garden roll with tofu.  While it was a bit bland (yet chalked full of healthy veggies), the sauce made the rolls yummy.  And yes, I ordered the large bowl of pho again which was good!

     

• Service: I ordered to go and that means when you walk in, you go straight to the back of the restaurant to the bar.  There a server will take your order. 
• Atmosphere: While it has more atmosphere than some places, it’s not going to impress anyone. 
• Attire: Casual
• Price: $$
• Overall: If you’ve never been and car-less like me, add this to your list of places to go for Pho.  It’s good and it’s incredibly convenient to the Cleveland Park metro stop. 

Details:

• Hours: Daily 10 AM-10 PM
• Address: 3419 Connecticut Avenue, N.W.; Washington D.C. 20008
• Ph: 202-237-1015

 

2Amys Neapolitan Pizzeria — Cleveland Park/Woodley Park

I enjoy a good pizza and have been eating a lot of it.  In fact, I was thinking I’ve been over-doing the pizza thing until I was recently in the 2Amys neighborhood.  Then I remembered their hot, yummy wood-burning pizza and I had to get one. 

• Food:I’ve been several times and have always enjoyed the pizza.  Most recently, I ordered a Margherita pizza with tomato, mozzarella di bufala, and basil (pictures below).  The “big” thing about 2Amys is their wood-burning oven which gives the crust a unique flavor.  2Amys is the only pizzeria in Washington, DC that is recognized by the Neapolitan Pizza Police (officially called Verace Pizza Napoletana Association).  In order to be certified, they must use “only soft-grain flour, fresh yeast, water, and sea salt may be used for the dough, and only Italian plum tomatoes, mozzarella di bufala, extra-virgin olive oil and fresh basil or dried oregano may be used for the toppings.” 

 

While 2Amys doesn’t have happy hour, they do have a couple of “specials” that I thought should be mentioned.   Sfogliatelle is served on Tuesday nights with fiore di latte ice cream.   According to the Web site, it is a “clam-shaped pastry filled with a sweetened ricotta and semolina mixture surrounded by a flaky, crunch and shell.” 

They also serve homemade doughnuts on Saturday and Sunday at lunch. 

• Service: They’re polite and courteous. 
• Atmosphere: If you need to have an intimate conversation, this isn’t the place to go during their “rush hours” (which is really between 5:30-8:30 PM daily).  I haven’t ever been for lunch, but I have to believe it’s packed then too.  When you go and are told to wait (which you inevitably will be), go to the back and try to stand a spot at the bar. 
• Attire: Casual
• Price: $$
• Overall: Everyone loves 2Amys and it’s easy to see why with their fresh dough and toppings.  

Details:

• Reservations not accepted (total bummer if you go during peak times, just be prepared to wait).
• Hours: Sun 12 noon-10 PM; Mon 5 PM-10 PM; Tues-Thurs 11 AM-10 PM; Fri & Sat 11 AM-11 PM
• Address:3715 Macomb St NW; Washington, DC 20016
• Ph: 202-885-5700