There’s a new District spot providing a heavy dose of quality American food that separates itself from all the other burger and pizza joints because of its quality New York City-inspired dough.
As I walked into the newest addition to the FUEL Pizza chain at 1606 K St., I got the feeling of a small-town diner where everyone knows each other – emphasized by the employees’ banter both with one another and with customers.
Describing the restaurant’s environment as “up-beat – fast – but casual and comfortable,” Zach Current, one of the restaurant’s three partners and manager at the new D.C. location, says that FUEL Pizza, which opened Jan. 18, exudes a “New York attitude.” A combination full-service restaurant and fast food joint, customers order at the front counter, but have their food delivered by peppy servers.
Believing that attention to detail is the mark of good pizza, Current guarantees hand-stretched dough and sauce made daily with the freshest, highest-quality ingredients.
I decided to go for a pepperoni slice ($2.99) to see how well FUEL does a simple staple. The crust was soft and perfectly doughy, accompanied by a savory sauce that was not too spicy or bland.
The diverse American menu offers pizza, wings, salads and subs – enough variety to keep a large group happy. FUEL also gives customers the opportunity to make a custom pizza with various crust, sauce, cheese, meat and vegetable options.
The restaurant’s extensive wings menu is one that should not be overlooked. Customers can order traditional or boneless wings covered in any one of 13 different sauces ranging from mild buffalo to “#!^%@< HOT!”
As someone not accustomed to eating wings, I was unsure as I followed Current’s suggestion to order nine Hot Honey BBQ wings ($7.79). Despite my reservations, the honey provided the right amount of sweetness to counteract the heat. Wings come in a single with nine wings, a double ($14.79) with 18 or a homerun ($34.79) with 45.
The service-station-themed pizza shop also offers salads including a spinach and bacon option ($5.99) with carrots, tomatoes, red onion and bleu cheese, topped off with balsamic vinaigrette. Garlic knots are another doughy option, and are especially tasty when dipped in marinara sauce. Fuel offers three for $1.49, six for $2.89 and 13 for $4.99.
Current bid me adieu with an oh-so-casual fist bump (earning him and FUEL major points). When I asked him what he would like customers to walk away thinking after dining at FUEL Pizza, he responded, “Let’s go back.”
He took the words right out of my mouth.
Fuel Pizza is located at 1606 K St., NW
