"I feel like a pig, but a happy pig"

In a city with so many dining choices, I am often weary of places with a long line and an overflowing (or simply non-existent) waiting area. Perplexed as I am by the hordes outside of Lauriol Plaza or Café Bonaparte on any given weekend (hardly worth the aggravation or the wait), I've come to accept the line outside of Georgetown Cupcake as part of its charm/business model.

With my penchant for reservations (and the honoring thereof)it is no wonder I hardly ever make it up to 2 Amys. But M. is back in town for a few weeks, and she had a hankering. More importantly, we had a car, and it was almost 9 PM. As is true of most things in life, the secret to 2 Amys is timing. The five us got there 30 minutes before the pizza oven was shut for the evening and were promptly seated in a smaller room, accessible through the back of the main dining room. Since the restaurant is great for families, this gave us some extra insulation from the hustle and bustle, if slightly slower service.

M. and I went for white wine, while the rest of the group had dark beer on tap and tea. My glass of Botromagno was chilled and fruity, extremely aromatic with hints of lemon and lime - a hint of the Amalfi coast in my glass, to further bolster 2 Amy's Neapolitan credentials (certificates on the wall and all).

M. announced her intentions of having half for dinner and half for lunch the next day. It is safe to say we all intended to follow suit, but the warm, thin crust, alone or dipped with the excellent olive oil provided, was too much to resist. B. and I had the Vongole, a white pizza with garlic, capers, parsley, hot pepper, cockels and grana, a hard, mature cheese. The cockels were left on the shell, infusing the entire pizza with a distinct saltiness. J., M. and O. went for the classic Margherita (tomato, mozzarella di bufala, basil), though M. had hers topped with house-made sausage and J. followed suit with prosciutto,fresh slices laid horizontally across the entire plate. These are dishes made with care, and ingredients are there to complement each other. I kept sprinkling my portions with their dry crushed pepper mix. The pizzas are slightly smaller than a dinner plate, and though 2 Amys has an extensive list of appetizers and some very good desserts, we were as full as one should be at 10.30 PM.

Just another reminder of how some things are worth the wait - and enhanced by luck.

2 Amys view menu
3715 Macomb St NW
Washington, DC 20016
(202) 885-5700
www.2amyspizza.com