New Columbia Heights Restaurants

I headed to the new pizza place, Pete's, in my neighborhood for take out this weekend. Since trying an entire pizza is not a good idea for a solo eater, I just got a slice of cheese (the clam pizza was out and they didn't know when they would have another one), and a salad. The pizza was nothing special, so I need to go back and try another kind, but the salad was delicious. The Spinach Olivada Salad is supposed to consist of baby organic spinach, caprino, oven-dried tomatoes, pinenuts, and Olivada dressing. Though mine was missing the pine nuts, the flavorful caprino and thick olive dressing more than made up for it. There's also an enticing gelato case, though I have yet to try this, which is surprising, given my passionate love for gelato.

Another new spot, Julia's Empanadas, is in danger of causing an addiction. This is the third location in the District, (the other two are in Dupont Circle and Adams Morgan), and though it isn't open till 4 a.m. like the other two are, I'm hopeful that it will extend its hours past 8 p.m. to accommodate the Wonderland and Red Derby crowds, since late night options in Columbia Heights are nonexistent. I had the saltenas, (chicken, potato, green peas, hard boiled egg, raisins, green olives and onion), which was pretty fabulous, and am looking for an excuse to go back to try the spinach, (spinach, mozzarella and ricotta cheese, and spices), and the Chilean style beef (ground and chopped beef, raisins, hard-boiled egg, onion and ripe olives).