Maketto
Cold Brew – Sugar Cookie
Vegetable Lo Mein – Sweet Soy, Assorted Mushrooms
Shrimp Rice Noodle Rolls – Shrimp, Sweet Soy
Frangipane French Toast – Powdered Sugar, Whipped Cream
Sesame Balls – Red Bean, Chocolate
Maketto Fried Chicken – 5 Spice Caramel, Homemade Bread
Fallen Mess – Huckleberry, Black Pepper, Key Lime
Egg Tarts – Vanilla, Huckleberry, Crumble
Without a doubt one of The Capital’s most interesting dining concepts, the sizable space at 1351 H Street NE spread across two buildings and six distinct spaces including a Retail Store and two entirely different Restaurants, it was for Sunday’s Dim Sum brunch that a party of three sat down in front of the open kitchen at Maketto, their non-traditional offerings completely in step with the place’s vibe as was the loud overhead music matching the street-style garments and shoes for sale in the lobby.
Owned by the duo of Erik Bruner-Yang and Will Sharp, the plan to create an all-purpose space incorporating indoor and outdoor elements fully realized with a two-story patio and rooftop deck separating Kitchen from the retail space featuring an upstairs Coffee Shop, it was after a lengthy search for parking that the group passed through a first dining room and courtyard before arriving at a hightop, a young African American gentleman dressed in the store’s gear offering great service throughout a ninety minute stay.
Offering lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday with the Dim Sum Brunch taking ideas from each and adding several additional small plates on Sunday, it was after several minutes of indecision with a housemade Cold Brew in hand that the decision was made to order both traditionally and atypically, the seven item selection proving far more than enough food for three which unfortunately prevented a visit upstairs for some of the Café’s highly regarded Pastries.
Drawing a diverse crowd for the mix of Cambodian and Taiwanese cooking, most fairly young but a wide range of races represented both in the kitchen and in the dining area, it was after perhaps ten minutes of Kendrick Lamar and waiters bustling back and forth between the two spaces that plates one and two arrived, the Vegetable Lo Mein easily enough to feed two hungry adults with a flavorful mélange of Mushrooms and Tempeh tossed amongst Noodles slicked in Sweet Soy while the tender Rice Noodles were stuffed with three plump Shrimp a piece.
Requesting that items be coursed out instead of arriving all at once, a good idea for those who want to taste each item hot from the kitchen as well as for those dining at the fairly small tall-boys, it was with several Noodles boxed to go that tasting transitioned temporarily sweet, the Bread Pudding Style French Toast made from Almond Croissants and Vanilla Custard topped with a small dollop of Frangipane and Berries an unexpected stunner while Sesame Balls stuffed with Chocolate and Red Bean Paste effortlessly walked a fine line between sugary and savory.
At this point sated but not stuffed and happy with everything thus far served it was just past noon when Maketto’s famous Fried Chicken was presented, the dish typically only available at dinner consisting of two pounded cuts of Meat double-fried crisp with sticky Caramel Sauce and a bit of heat proving every bit as good as rumors have suggested and easily sharable amongst a big group while a duo of Desserts proved equally impressive, the Egg Custard Tarts eating more like Chess Pie than the typical Chinese or Portuguese version while the “Fallen Mess” riffed on one of England’s few culinary treasures with tangy Key Lime Curd and Black Pepper Crumble atop the forgivingly light Meringue.
