Johnna’s Pick of the Week: Vapiano’s (D.C.)

[ 0 ] May 11, 2009 | Johnna

Pasta on the Go. No, Good pasta on the Go. That is the best way to describe what you’ll find coming out of Vapiano’s. Vapiano’s is the place you go if you want pasta, pizza and a bar. It is fast and pretty much self-service. Here’s how the process works: As soon as you enter, you are given a card by the Hostess and told you can sit anywhere in the restaurant that’s free/open. You proceed to the pasta or pizza line and place your order based on the menu options (*Ranging anywhere from basic pesto to granchi de fiume which translates to pasta with crawfish in a light creamy lobster sauce.). After you order and your food is ready, you swipe your card on the little machine by the cook and sit and eat. Simple as a high school lunchroom cafeteria line.

The process is cool because after eating one bowl you may decide you really want to take some of this home for you to enjoy later, so instead of pulling out your credit card one more time you can just add it to their little card and pay for everything all together. You probably won’t have to order twice, however, because you will be more than stuffed after a bowl of the pasta and if you tack on a side salad, you’re definitely good to go. The flash cooking technique they use makes the process go very fast so your in line a total of 10 minutes or less and that’s mostly spent on waiting on your food. There really is no customer service relationship built here because you really don’t need to communicate with anyone but the cook (*to place your order) and the hostess (*to get your card and to pay at the end).

Our favorites when we visit: We just can’t seem to shake the granchi de fiume everytime we go here, the snap peas are a delicious, crunchy additive to the creamy pasta. Add on a side salad and you will be quite pleased with your lunch (*We suggest going for a lunch break @ around 1 or so, it is usually not crowded and provides for a cool atmosphere for work lunch dates).

Were we all in all pleased?? Yup, we would go back;-)

*This is not just a local thing…Vapiano’s are springing up all over, check it here.

Picture source: http://www.vapianointernational.com/news.html

Category: cultural cooking, Johnna's Pick of the Week, restaurant reviews, Washington D.C.

About the Author (Author Profile)

Johnna French is a Harlem NY native with deep roots in Panama, Washington, DC and North Carolina. All four places have heavily influenced her life and the foods she loves today. After graduating Howard University School of Law and beginning her life as a young professional in the city she was led to start Johnna Knows Good Food in November 2007 to keep family, friends and colleagues updated on where to go and what to eat while dining in the nation’s capitol. French, who still practices law, leads a team of three writers to cover the ever expanding Washington, DC food scene. French has been featured in print and television, appearing in Washingtonian Magazine and is a regular contributor to various local TV affiliates including WUSA 9, FOX 5 DC and WJLA (ABC Affiliate) News Channel 8. During the 2016-2017 football season, Johnna aired on Comcast Sports Mid-Atlantic (CSN) show, Redskins Life, as the weekly tailgate host. Johnna is currently a regular contributor to the FOX Baltimore Weekend morning show.