If you have been eagerly awaiting the Georgetown debut of ShopHouse, the fast-casual Southeast Asian concept from the Chipotle people, good news: The M Street location will start serving on Monday, August 19, according to press materials.
This will be the second ShopHouse restaurant; the first debuted in Dupont Circle in 2011. The Washington Business Journal, which has been following expansion plans closely, revealed that there are three more local locations in the works. Look out for outposts in Chinatown, Bethesda, and Rockville. Chipotle will also bring four ShopHouses to the Los Angeles area.
Like a number of new fast-casual concepts not owned by the company, ShopHouse functions a lot like Chipotle—diners walk down the line picking options from a limited menu made up of ingredients designed to work well with one another. The model has served businesses like Cava Mezze Grill, an offshoot of sit-down Mediterranean chain Cava Mezze. Thai spot Tom Yum District, new to Rosslyn, has also found early success with a similar setup. For the concept to appeal, however, it is crucial that there be a flexibility of flavors—at the short-lived Meatballs in Penn Quarter, clashing sauces, proteins, and bases often resulted in unsavory combinations.
Head to 2805 M Street, Northwest, on the 19th to sample the goods.
