It’s finally happened. A great restaurant has been open for months in the DC area that I knew nothing about, and if it wasn’t for this posting on Fast Gourmet, I probably still wouldn’t.
But I’d like to think I can be forgiven. First of all, I’m not even sure which DC neighborhood to put this in. I could look at a map of neighborhood borders, but the truth is that, dining-wise, it’s just one block north of Busboys & Poets off of U Street, and this place deserves to go toe-to-toe with each and every restaurant on the U Street corridor.
Furthermore, it’s hidden inside of an obscure gas station on the corner of 14th and W Streets called “Lowest Best Price.”
Huh?
Once you walk inside, however, you are transported – not to Uruguay (even though Fast Gourmet is run by two Uruguayan brothers), but … to somewhere else, and I’m not sure where. It’s almost like Pupatella deliberately opened a second branch in the most hidden place they could think of.
But Fast Gourmet will not stay hidden for long because the secret is out.
The Chivito ($13) was one of the greatest sandwiches I’ve ever had in my life, period. I feel no need to describe it, because unless this place changes or goes downhill, you’ll be reading about it in the press, perhaps even the national press. Go now, trust me.