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Moroni and Brothers, Georgia Ave. in Petworth - Jose and Reyna Velasquez's Pizza and Salvadoran Food - Closed


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Y'all: we need your help. It's possible that the best pizza place in DC is going to die for lack of business.

Maybe.

Maybe it's the best pizza; maybe they were just unusually slow (read: empty) on a Fathers Day afternoon.

Anyhow, Moroni and Brothers serves up a truly excellent pie in the middle of a nondescript block in a nondescript bit of Petworth. I assumed that the burgeoning Petworth yuppie contingent would be flooding the spot but, except for a couple of Salvadoran dudes watching the inevitable football match on the TV over the bar, it was empty. We enjoyed a lovely waitress, excellent tamales and several truly memorable pizzas. Perhaps because they screwed it up the first time, the boy's pizza was almost overloaded with pepperoni, the small tasty kind. Mrs. B's pizza was exceptional, with a good crunchy crust and what tasted like actual mozzarela on top. This place is seriously in the running for "best of." My last pizza at 2 Amy's was the best I've had there in years, but it's possible that M&B surpassed it -- and there's no line to get in or squalling children at the next table.

Folks need to check this place out before Jose Velasquez and his wife, Reyna Isabella Acosta (veterans of Pizzaria Paradiso) are forced to fall back on pupusas to pay the rent.

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Y'all: we need your help. It's possible that the best pizza place in DC is going to die for lack of business.

Maybe.

Maybe it's the best pizza; maybe they were just unusually slow (read: empty) on a Fathers Day afternoon.

I wonder if it's a Sunday or Holiday issue. The last couple of times I went, I was confused -- now the website says open, but the menu states "Sunday - closed"

Don't know why I didn't crosspost here from Chowhound:

Yesterday I had lunch at Moroni & Brothers for the first time. It's on the 4800 block of Georgia Avenue in Columbia Heights/Petworth [less than ten minute drive into DC from SS]. It's owned by Salvadoreans who worked their way up at Pizzaria Paradiso [even opening the Georgetown location]. My "Parma" pizza was great [perfectly browned crust] and my dining companion had a quesadilla. There weren't even crumbs left on either plate. Dessert was a plantain empanada (fried plantain filled with cream). They open at 7:00 a.m. and the breakfast menu looks substantial. They may be closed on Sunday, call before you drive. Here's their website [dine-in menu is the same as carryout menu on-line] and WaPo profile:

http://www.moroniandbrothers.com/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?n...ies=Restaurants...

<snip>

Unlike many new restaurant owners, the Moroni Brothers owners have significant resto experience and deftly serve their varied menu of Salv/Mex and Italian/Pizza/Pannini. If it's a good sign: DC police officers individually came in during our lunch to pick up their own carryout. We got to sit in a nice bay window table. Very Chow worthy. Moroni Brothers was a last minute substitute following our arrival at Colorado Kitchen to find they no longer serve lunch during the week [previously Fridays only].

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I wonder if it's a Sunday or Holiday issue. The last couple of times I went, I was confused -- now the website says open, but the menu states "Sunday - closed"

Don't know why I didn't crosspost here from Chowhound:

We went on Sunday because the Wahingtonian Cheap Eats issue said nice things about their brunch. We actually had a bit of a chuckle as the menu says, in bold lettering. "closed Sunday."

funny, we were just at a party at the weekend and met some people who live near Moroni who were talking the place up a lot - we'll probably grab some take-out from there on Friday but it would help if they posted their menu online (unless I am stupidly missing it, it doesn;t seem to be there)
There's a link on the upper right hand side for the carryout menu, towards the end of the paragraph under the "Home" header.
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:lol: yes... shout out to waitman and lydia r. posted while in food coma. :)

Can't wait to go back and work way through breakfast menu. For the record they told me that breakfast menu available all day.

again, recognize waitman and lydia r. :lol:

edited to add:

1) the enchiladas were good but not close to traditional. they use flour tortillas instead of corn, and there was no sauce just melted yummy cheese. While not what I was expecting, it was a really good dish (though it might have been salty).

2) at first it felt like sitting in someone's loud family room, even though there were only 2 two tops occupied. The television was blaring, two competing stereos playing and a woman screaming into a Nextel type phone. When the Italians made a goal in the futbol game, the commentators "goal......" was too much. Once I brought up the cacophony to the server, they turned down the television, turned off one of the stereos. From that point on the meal was much more pleasant...

3) it might be a good place to catch soccer games... beer & pizza.

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Once I brought up the cacophony to the server, they turned down the television, turned off one of the stereos. From that point on the meal was much more pleasant...
I live in neighborhood and eat there semi-regularly. The noise level has been a huge point of discussion locally. The first few times I went in, I had to ask for the jukebox to be turned down. Now they turn it down as soon as we sit down.

I didn't think we were quite that insistent. But I do appreciate not having my ears blasted.

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even though my dumb ass couldn't find the menu link last week, it did manage to track down the phone number for Moroni last Friday.....

....ordered 4 pizzas, some pupusas and some tamales....they offered to deliver to Upper Caucasia despite it being outside their delivery zone

Pizzas arrived piping hot and in great shape - Waitman is right - these are a contender for best in show here in DC, beautiful thin crust, tasty toppings....the only one that struck a bit of a sour note was the Puttanesca which was too garlicky and too hot peppery although that may be an individual taste issue, the La Capra with Spinach, garlic, goat cheese and onions was delicious

Pupusas were ok

Tamales were incredible....easily the best tamales I've had in years

These guys are absolutely worth a try.

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even though my dumb ass couldn't find the menu link last week, it did manage to track down the phone number for Moroni last Friday.....

....ordered 4 pizzas, some pupusas and some tamales....they offered to deliver to Upper Caucasia despite it being outside their delivery zone

Pizzas arrived piping hot and in great shape - Waitman is right - these are a contender for best in show here in DC, beautiful thin crust, tasty toppings....the only one that struck a bit of a sour note was the Puttanesca which was too garlicky and too hot peppery although that may be an individual taste issue, the La Capra with Spinach, garlic, goat cheese and onions was delicious

Pupusas were ok

Tamales were incredible....easily the best tamales I've had in years

These guys are absolutely worth a try.

Hmmm....must try "too garlicky and too hot peppery."

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They deliver? I didn't see that on their Web site. Any chance they come all the way to Adams Morgan??

I called and asked about delivery and was told delivery was to immediate vicinity/Petworth only, "unless its a large order". Its probably on a case by case basis....

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While searching for cheap gas on Georgia Ave.* I discovered Moroni and Brothers is a 5 minute drive from work! I stopped in around 12:30pm to find an empty restaurant. After looking over the menu I decided for the basic margarita pizza to go. My first few bites in the car were wonderful. The pizza is just as everyone above describes. By the time I was back at my desk the cheese was no longer as stringy but the whole thing was excellent. I don't know that it quite at the level at 2 Amy's for me, but it is a very close second. My lunch time options just improved immensely.

*I found it at Georgia and Upshur.

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I called and asked about delivery and was told delivery was to immediate vicinity/Petworth only, "unless its a large order". Its probably on a case by case basis....

They delivered five pizzas to Mt. Pleasant for us. But we're so damn polite on the phone. :lol:

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Had dinner last night, three of us each had small pizzas that were all fantastic, I loved my Capra!

Many tables filled at about 8PM on a Tuesday, so it looked like they were doing alright. I am going to spread the word here in Takoma Park - its only two miles away. What a find!

Noise from the TV -Nickelodeon no less- was the only issue.

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Can anyone comment on how big the dining room is and how fast the service is? My volunteer group is working on a project nearby for a few weeks and this seems like a good lunch option, if they can handle a group of 6 to 10 slightly grimy people hoping to be in and out within an hour.

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Can anyone comment on how big the dining room is and how fast the service is? My volunteer group is working on a project nearby for a few weeks and this seems like a good lunch option, if they can handle a group of 6 to 10 slightly grimy people hoping to be in and out within an hour.

I'm pretty sure you can do that.

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Can anyone comment on how big the dining room is and how fast the service is? My volunteer group is working on a project nearby for a few weeks and this seems like a good lunch option, if they can handle a group of 6 to 10 slightly grimy people hoping to be in and out within an hour.

I took a group of 20 sweaty runners there one afternoon and they were very acomodating.

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Four of us split three 12-inch pies (Diavola, Diosa, and Puttanesca) and it was the perfect amount of food. Consensus was that the Diavola and Puttanesca were the best, though they were all fairly close in quality IMO. The Diavola could've been a bit spicier, and the Puttanesca could've had more anchovies. In any event, I loved the texture of the crust though it could have used a bit more salt.

I haven't been to 2 Amy's in over two years -- apart from Pete's this was definitely the best I've had in a long time.

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Stopped into Moroni for some pizza on Saturday night and was glad to see it still in good form. I have to say that the crust at Moroni proved to be far better than a recent visit to Red Rocks, with a lot more crispness and an airier texture. Modifying one of silentbob's observations, three of us split two of their 12 inch pizzas - the Pollo and the Explosive - and that proved to be a good amount of food for all of us. The Explosive had a nice heat level from the red pepper flakes, though it may have had something to do with the temperature inside the restaurant. The place has no AC (or it was inoperable) but tried valiantly to criss-cross the room with fans.

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