Urbana, P Street in West Dupont Circle - Chef Ethan McKee; Pizzaiolo Anthony Pilla Has Departed

[Tujague]

Closing July 1 for renovations. I hope this is good news; the dining room here was hands-down the annoying space in which I have tried to dine in this city. Absolutely horrible lighting (either too dim or glaring directly in your eyes), noisy, awkward booths. Since the place already has a substantial bar area, as I recall, this suggests that perhaps they are going to steer away from a conventional dinner menu and focus even more on small or shareable plates. Overall, this has struck me as one of those places that is never as good as it promises to be, even with a solid chef at the helm.

[DonRocks]

Closing July 1 for renovations. I hope this is good news; the dining room here was hands-down the annoying space in which I have tried to dine in this city. Absolutely horrible lighting (either too dim or glaring directly in your eyes), noisy, awkward booths. Since the place already has a substantial bar area, as I recall, this suggests that perhaps they are going to steer away from a conventional dinner menu and focus even more on small or shareable plates. Overall, this has struck me as one of those places that is never as good as it promises to be, even with a solid chef at the helm.

Going through some older posts here to check for accuracy, and doling out credit wherever I can:

¨Photos: Urbana Opens With Revamped Menus, More Space" by Jenny Holm on dcist.com

[sheldman]

I am writing here, surprised.

We were heading to another neighborhood (by car) to find a nice dinner but the traffic along the way was just too ridiculous.  So, after sitting through several cycles of traffic light without movement, I grumpily ditched the car at 19th and Q and we were stuck with the question: "ok, where can we walk from here, on this cold night, that might be good and lively and warm?" (and appropriate for a vegetarian).  Stopped into Obelisk as a longshot, but no luck.  Ok, darn, and we were getting cold ... so, ready to just get something/anything to eat and head home, went into Urbana.

First, the limited bad news: crowded, loud, bartender was swamped and therefore drinks took a while to arrive.

Second, the middle-of-the-road news: the pizza was good but not wonderful.

Third, it was actually very nice.  Burrata salad (Burrata, pickled butternut squash, escarole, cider vinaigrette, pepitas, vincotto, $15), and sides of vegetables (Caramelized Cauliflower, almonds, golden raisins, caper berries, $9 and Braised Kale, caramelized onions, crushed red pepper, $8) were quite good.  Drinks and wine were good too.  And, sitting in front of the pizza oven (a "bar"-type space), found ourselves in conversation all along the bar with friendly people from various places because it is, after all, a hotel restaurant.

Will I go again, in a situation not driven by automobile frustration?  Yes, by golly, I probably will.  But certainly if I ever need to ditch my car near Dupont Circle again and find some vegetables to eat, this is where I will come.

[DonRocks]

Third, it was actually very nice.  Burrata salad (Burrata, pickled butternut squash, escarole, cider vinaigrette, pepitas, vincotto, $15), and sides of vegetables (Caramelized Cauliflower, almonds, golden raisins, caper berries, $9 and Braised Kale, caramelized onions, crushed red pepper, $8) were quite good.  Drinks and wine were good too.  And, sitting in front of the pizza oven (a "bar"-type space), found ourselves in conversation all along the bar with friendly people from various places because it is, after all, a hotel restaurant.

Will I go again, in a situation not driven by automobile frustration?  Yes, by golly, I probably will.  But certainly if I ever need to ditch my car near Dupont Circle again and find some vegetables to eat, this is where I will come.

Ethan McKee was Chef de Cuisine at Equinox, so it doesn't surprise me that the food is really good now.

Urbana's pizza oven isn't so great, and the one time I ordered pizza there, I was greatly disappointed, and this is when Anthony Pilla was running things (he was formerly the pizzaiolo at Seventh Hill Pizza).

[DPop]

Anyone know where Anthony is now?  I loved his pizzas when he was at Seventh Hill.

[DonRocks]

Anyone know where Anthony is now?  I loved his pizzas when he was at Seventh Hill.

Anthony is working with the pizza-oven manufacturer, Marra Forni.

[dcs]

I think this place has permanently closed.  Its internet presence is fading.