Fast Gourmet, U Street Corridor

(See the February 15, 2011 Review here.)

I’ve been raving to Matt about the Chivito at Fast Gourmet, and on Saturday night we decided to make a special trip to get one. Of course, we unwittingly drove right through (the cordoned off) Dupont Circle during the Capital Pride Parade, and it took a full hour to get there and park.

Hangry, we walked into a blessedly empty restaurant, and lucked out because we were told that there was only one Chivito ($13) left – we ordered it without hesitation.

I went with the Milanesa ($12) on the condition that we were going to split everything.

The Chivito was just as good as it was before, with tenderloin, mozzarella, Black Forest ham, bacon, green olives, egg, homemade escabeche, and thin fries. I knew the Milanesa couldn’t possibly be as good, and it wasn’t, although it still kicks the pants off most every other sandwich in town – it’s made with breaded NY strip, egg, and green olives, and also comes with thin fries.

Unlike the Chivito, which needs absolutely nothing, the Milanesa is relatively dry, and would really benefit from a runny egg instead of the hard-boiled version that Fast Gourmet uses – it might turn it from a good sandwich into an excellent one.

Matt got a Fanta Root Beer ($1.70) from the fountain, and since it’s not self-serve, we felt a bit sheepish asking for a refill. Nevertheless, they gave us one happily (and got an extra tip for doing so).

The Milanesa is available in several variations here including a dinner platter, but after three visits to Fast Gourmet, the Chivito remains the main draw for me. Was it worth the hour drive to get there? No, but if you were to tell me I could never have one again, then yes.

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