"Chicken Bowl at ShopHouse in Washington, DC Rice Noodles topped with Grilled Chicken, spicy Charred Corn, Mild Curry, pickled Vegetables, Herbs (Cilantro, Mint, Thai Basil), and crispy Rice, Garlic, and Peanuts On this quick low-key trip to The District, I was most excited for this meal. Why? ShopHouse is Chipotle's Asian spinoff whose name comes from the buildings (or row of buildings) that have restaurants in the bottom floor and living quarters up top. ""Asia's version of fast food."" I was impressed. It was really good. Not the portions of its big brother yet; but I was still full after it all. The chicken was great, the spicy corn was the best thing in the bowl, and the sauces and garnishes all added something. I just wish I got the spicier curry. Small misstep. Oh, and the noodles. They were cold - but apparently that's on purpose. Haven't caught on to that one yet. Maybe it'll grow on me. Will it be the next big thing? It's hard to say. I mean, I doubt it. Americans are a lot less familiar/comfortable with Southeast Asian food right now than they were with Mexican before Chipotle arrived about 10 years ago. However, I could definitely see Steve Ells propping a few of these up in the major cities. It's not like he needs to make a ton of money with these; he's already made enough for 10 or 12 lifetimes on the backs of overstuffed burritos and amazing guacamole. But we'll see. I hope I'm wrong."
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