Anybody who is anybody knows and loves Chipotle Mexican Grill & for good reason. Chiptole has based their reputation off of value, fresh ingredients, and consistency. This is why i was so excited to try their new asian concept called the Shop House Kitchen.
Currently, Shop House has only one location which is located in Dupont Circle. If you are still scratching your head, Dupont Circle is in Washington DC. The menu is simple but with complex flavors. You walk down a line, just like at Chiptole, and point out what you want in your bowl or in your Banh Mi sandwich.
First you get to choose your base (white rice, brown rice, or noodles), then your meat (chicken and pork meatballs, chicken, beef, or veggies), and then you move down the line to your veggie choice (brocoli, green beans, eggplant, or corn), and finally off to the toppings (peanuts, sticky rice, and fried garlic shavings). Sriracha sauce lines the wall as the condiment of choice.
The rice/noodle bowl cost about $7.50 which includes tax. The portion is nothing short of amazing! If I could do it again, I would order a Banh Mi sandwich. Why? The flavors were overpowering in the bowl. Almost too much flavor. Everything was very spicy and my mouth was overwhelmed at all times. It forced me to eat at a faster piece than normal. Every bite seemed to taste the same. My guess is that the Banh Mi bread would help neutralize the strong flavors. I also think the layout is too narrow which gives off a claustrophobic vibes.
Shop House is definitely ahead of what should be the next big trend in the QSR (Quick Service Restaurant) world, but clearly has a lot of tweaking to do before they roll this concept out to the rest of the country.
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