A new restaurant coming to U Street hopes to redefine the sports bar experience.
The Prospect is slated to open this Saturday at 1214 U St. NW, which is the former home of Ulah Bistro.
The eatery is the latest creation from the restaurant group behind Provision No. 14. Provision chefs James Duke and John Leavitt will come along to help the restaurant serve a “stadium-inspired” menu. Perhaps the most eclectic item on the menu will be “hog wings,” a bone-in pork shank delicacy described as a cross between a chicken wing and a turkey leg doused in seven different sauces.
The bar also seeks to please patrons with a specialty cocktail menu, rustic decor spanning multiple floors and more than 40 Ultra HD televisions, controlled individually with a wireless app.
Restaurant manager Brian Dombrowski was hard at work on Tuesday morning preparing the restaurant for its weekend opening.
“Everything is homemade and fresh, and our chefs take a lot of pride in how the make their food,” he said. “It’s exciting because it’s not just your junk bar food. It’s unique and that’s what we want to cater to.”
“We want to bring that unique flavor to the U Street area,” Dombrowski added. “It’s something I hope will stick in people’s brains.”
(Updated at 3:55 p.m. on Monday, July 27) A U Street Bistro will close next week.
Ulah Bistro, located at 1214 U Street NW, will close its doors for good, said an employee at the restaurant by phone this morning.
A Facebook status confirmed the restaurant will close its doors on Tuesday, July 28.
The bistro served a varied menu of pizzas, sandwiches and entrees in large portions.
Borderstan contributor and food blogger Aparna Krishnamoorthy gave the bistro high marks in a 2012 review.
“Ulah would be a great option the next time we are looking for a comforting bistro meal that does not break the bank,” wrote Krishnamoorthy.
Photo via Facebook.com/UlahBistro
From Rachel Nania. Check out her blog, Sear, Simmer & Stir. Follow Nania on Twitter @rnania, email her at rachel[AT]borderstan.com
We’ve all been there: Saturday night, group of friends, 14th and U Street area… 17th Street — hungry and looking for a good night out.
After several minutes of suggesting, bantering and countering each others’ ideas, the group finally decides on a place highly recommended by The Post, Thrillist and City Eats.
There are some places where you can avoid the lines in the neighborhood. (Luis Gomez Photos)
You stroll into the restaurant, scope out the bar scene and head to the hostess stand with all the confidence in the world… only to hear the three most dreaded words in a restaurant junkie’s vocabulary: Two hour wait.
What? You’ve got to be kidding me. Two hours? (But I’ve already been chewing this 11-hour-old gum in a desperate attempt to not eat my own hand!)
If there’s one thing the Borderstan area is not short of, it’s a plethora of quality up-and-coming restaurants — a characteristic that is both a blessing and a curse for the strip’s hungry and culinary curious patrons. Thankfully, you can still grab a delicious meal in the area, without a two hour wait — or even a wait at all!
Here are a few places where we’ve dined and recommend you try the next time you are looking for a quick bite and a brew before hitting up a night on the town. Of course, I cannot guarantee there won’t be a snag in your plans — they are all good places.
Ulah Bistro (1214 U Street NW): This American bistro serves the classic fare, from bar-type appetizers to homemade pizzas, sandwiches and entrees. The two-level restaurant (with patio seating), is consistently full, yet rarely has a wait. The good food, diverse menu, dynamic drink specials and reasonable prices keep this U Street eatery a go-to when Café Saint-Ex or Bus Boys and Poets turn you away. Check out Aparna’s review, Ulah-lah: Bistro Classics in the Neighborhood.
Judy Restaurant (2212 14th Street NW): Yes, El Centro is just down the street, but that doesn’t stop neighbors from frequenting Restaurant Judy at 14th and W Streets NW (just up a few blocks!). Trust us, the four-block walk is worth the effort. If you live in the area, chances are you’ve walked by this Latin/Salvadoran hole-in-the-wall several times without even noticing the no-frills façade. Traditional fare, cold beers, good prices. Enough said, but check out Luis’ review, Judy Restaurant Delivers Authentic Food at Good Prices.
Agora (1527 17th Street NW): Nestled a few blocks away from U Street, Agora offers Mediterranean-fusion foods and cocktails at economical prices. The next time Masa 14’s rooftop is a mess, try a combination of Agora’s spreads, mezes and flatbreads (with a glass of wine) and call it a night! See what Sarah had to say about Agora: Sunday in the Mediterranean at Agora.
Coppi’s Organic Restaurant (1414 U Street NW): The name says it all. This neighborhood café offers the freshest local, organic ingredients, cooked with old-time Italian recipes. From antipastos to pizzas and entrees, you are sure to tickle your Tuscan taste buds here. And, yes, Coppi’s is staying open during the construction of the Louis at the southwest corner of 14th and U NW.
Taylor Gourmet (1908 14th Street NW): When in doubt, grab a sub. I am not sure when that became a frequently recited phrase in my vocabulary, but it totally does the trick. The boys behind Taylor Gourmet are keeping more than just The president happy– The food joint’s extensive menu keeps DC residents coming back for more. And the fact that it’s open until 3:30 am (yes, you read that correctly), makes this locally owned sub stop the fancy (and more delicious) Jumbo Slice of 14th Street. Don’t believe me? Read Ashley’s Why I Love Taylor Gourmet (A Very Biased Review).
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Ulah Bistro at 1314 U Street NW. (Aparna Krishnamoorthy)
From Aparna Krishnamoorthy. Email her at aparna[AT]borderstan.com. Follow her on Twitter @aparnakris.
I have to confess; I walk past Ulah Bistro almost every day but never think of it when picking a restaurant. I finally stopped by for dinner, and have to say, I was pleasantly surprised.
The restaurant, which is located right by the U Street metro, has a cool space with two floors, separate bar areas and a decent size patio, which is an ideal spot for the perfect summer evenings we’ve been having lately.
It is a great Happy Hour destination, too — $5 margaritas, rail drinks and wine, $4 beers and food offered as well.
The dinner menu is varied and extensive, offering up traditional American bistro fare with a wide range of price points. I found myself thinking it would serve large groups and picky eaters well — the kind of place where there is something for everyone, be it a sandwich, pizza or a full entrée.
Our drinks and appetizers both came out very quickly, although the restaurant was almost full at the time. The mussels were fresh and plentiful, and the white wine and garlic sauce that they were prepared with hit the spot. After polishing off every last bit of bread and broth, we eagerly awaited our entrees, looking at the long line of tourists lining up at Ben’s Chili Bowl, which is literally right across from Ulah. But we didn’t have to wait as long as they did!
I got the roasted chicken, and my dining partner got the fish of the day. Both of us had requested substitutions on the sides that were offered with our dishes, which our server graciously accommodated.
The chicken, served with a red wine sauce was simple but flavorful and the portion was large, I could only finish half of it. The fish of the day, grilled salmon in a mushroom broth was fresh and tasty. Our accompaniments — sautéed bok choy, mashed potatoes and the house salad — were all good and came in large portions.
While the flavors were delightful, the freshness of the ingredients and the exceptional service we received through our meal stood out. We left satisfied and full, concluding that Ulah would be a great option the next time we are looking for a comforting bistro meal that does not break the bank.
If you have been, what do you recommend we eat the next time we go?
Ulah Bistro: The Details
- Where Am I Going: 1214 U Street NW (Between 12th and 13th on U)
- When Am I Going: Monday to Friday: 11am to 11pm (2 am on Fridays); Saturday and Sunday, Brunch from 10 am to 3pm. Happy Hour and late night menus offered.
- Paycheck Pain: Pizzas and sandwiches priced at about $13. Entrees cost $17 to $24.
- Say What?: Tables are fairly close together and the place gets busy and loud late at night. Upper lounge area is good for large groups, lower floor good for smaller groups and for conversation.
- What You’ll Be Eating: American bar and bistro food.
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Here are my picks for things to do during the weekend in Borderstan, really close by or in the city… restaurants, galleries and theater.
Ulah Bistro, 1214 U St. NW. (Photo: Luis Gomez)
Vinoteca, 1940 11th St. NW. (Photo: Luis Gomez)
Nellie’s Sports Bar, 900 U St. NW. (Photo: Luis Gomez)
Ulah Bistro, located at 1214 U Street NW, has become a destination place in the U street corridor… delicious food and great prices. If you go once, you are sure to return.
Vinoteca, Wine Bar & Bistro, 1940 11th St. NW. Jose Manuel (my wine expert) says it is the perfect place to learn about wines. Has a great menu with a nice selection of charcuterie and cheeses.
Nellie’s Sport Bar, 900 U Street NW. This is a mix of gay bar, sports bar and neighborhood restaurant. Nellie’s has TV screens everywhere so you can follow your favorite teams. During the weekends the rooftop terrace is the place to be: crowed, noisy and fun.
“Zero Hour” at the Jewish Community Center, 1529 16th St. NW. (Image: washingtondcjcc.org)
“Phèdre” at Sidney Harman Hall, 610 F St. NW. (Image: shakespearetheatre.org)
“Dublin Carol” at the H Street Playhouse, 1365 H St. NE. (Image: scenatheater.org)
“Zero Hour” at the Jewish Community Center, 1529 16th Street NW: “Channeling Zero Mostel’s wild moods, crazy humor and righteous anger, Jim Brochu reintroduces us to this funny, fantastically contrary man whose penchant for truth-telling has been sorely missed.”
“Phèdre” is at the Sidney Harman Hall, 610 F Street NW. Helen Mirren stars in Phèdre, an adaptation of Racine’s tragedy.
“Dublin Carol” at the H Street Playhouse, 1365 H St. NE: “Set in present-day Dublin on Christmas Eve, Dublin Carol relates the story of John Plunkett, a funeral parlor worker. John recounts memories of the drinking and womanizing of his youth with his younger assistant Mark. However, when his estranged daughter Mary arrives with sobering news, he is forced to face the more disastrous side of his past. Dublin Carol is a dark Irish comedy that follows John as he takes stock of his choices and their consequences–leaving us all more aware of our own lives and mortality.” – H Street Playhouse
