Vapiano, andiamo!

After enduring one too many disappointing happy hour experiences at the pan-Asian cafe/sushi spot/bar across the street from our office, my co-workers and I decided that it was time to branch out. In search of a suitable alternative, we wandered around the nightlife-challenged no-man's land that surrounds our office building, and were about to give up and go to Mackey's after collectively rejecting both Rumors and Sign of the Whale, where you can get hit on by aging frat boys wearing Ralph Lauren polo shirts in almost any hue in the color spectrum, or lose a slingback to the interminably sticky, beer-stained floor, respectively.

And then we stumbled upon the airy, casual-yet-sophisticated Vapiano, and after a quick peek inside revealed a refreshingly spacious layout, fresh rosemary growing in terracotta pots on each table, and a welcoming ceramic bowl of Gummi Bears, it was determined that Mackey's would have to wait.

Vapiano is actually a German-owned chain that serves upscale, but surprisingly affordable Italian-ish fare, and has a habit of opening locations in urban neighborhoods densely populated by, ahem, yuppies hungry for a slightly more grown-up iteration of your typical happy hour. (Area locations include M Street, Ballston, and - soon - Chinatown). Essentially, my co-workers and I are their target demographic, an observation confirmed by the scores of other post-work young professionals already populating Vapiano's space when we arrived at approximately 5:07 p.m.

It soon became clear why Vapiano has been consistently crowded since it opened the M Street location. From the cheerful, contemporary decor to the wide selection of build-your-own pasta and pizza to the nicely varied wine list (available by the bottle or the glass), Vapiano distinguishes itself amid a sometimes indistinguishable mass of preppy DC watering holes.

Another unique aspect of Vapiano is that every patron receieves a card upon entering (pictured above) on which you keep track of your purchases. At first, I was skeptical of the idea, as it seemed like it was just adding another step to the payment process, but in truth, it was pretty nice not to deal with cash all night, and to bypass the whole divvying-up-the-bill mess that sometimes accompanies happy hour with a group of people.

We ordered a bottle of Pinot Grigio and a bottle of Malbec (which turned into several bottles of each as the evening progressed). We were also charmed by Vapiano's food menu, featuring thin-crust pizza (try the Capricciosa with ham, mushrooms, artichokes, olives, and mozzarella or the Rucola with parmesan and arugula - pictured above). At $7.25 to $10.25 per pie, it feels like a steal. Our order of bruschetta was also notable for the toasted garlic bread that stayed crisp even as it sagged under a bright pile of garlicky tomato and basil with olive oil.

Several hours later, we were happily full of aforementioned wine and pizza, and we left Vapiano already discussing our plans to return. The handfuls of Gummi Bears that we snagged on our way out seemed like the perfect ending to a thoroughly delightful evening. Indeed, Mackey's may have to wait a long, long time.

Good to know:
Vapiano is located at 1800 M Street, NW, an easy walk from either the Dupont Circle Metro or Farragut North Metro on the Red Line.

Photo by Flickr user Liquidx.