If I were handing out awards for best restaurant logo, Aago in South Riding would most certainly be in the running. The restaurant’s name is portrayed in an angular script. A single flame combusts from the end of the cross in the ‘a.’ Why do I mention this? If you play your cards right this Meatless Monday, your tongue will likely follow suit.
Though Aago offers an Indian menu of significant scope (vegetarian options include all the classics, from palak paneer to baingan bhartha), those seeking a dose of fire in a hard-to-find form should turn to the final page of the menu, which focuses on Nepali dishes. Many are served in vegetarian versions. Those include noodle soup thukpa, chile paneer, and veggie hakka noodles. “Do you like spicy?” my server asked. When I answered in the affirmative, she pointed me toward the vegetable chow mein.
Far from the oily Chinese-takeout version, these skinny wheat noodles are woven with fresh, colorful veggies including scallions, peppers, and onions, and pack a punch. When ordered “spicy” the chow mein at Aago offers a burn that keeps on giving, leaving a diner’s lips tingly.
I paired mine with a milder but still well-spiced order of momos. The vegetarian dumplings at Aago feature thin skins pleated pleasingly at the top. Inside is a cumin-redolent mix of veggies, relying heavily on tender cabbage. The dumplings are accompanied by a plastic cup of chilled dipping sauce flavored with tomato and sesame, which adds an additional layer of spice.
That small flame in the logo may be a bit of an understatement, but it hints at a meal that meat-free spice lovers will likely find becoming a regular craving.
25421 Lizzio Center Dr., South Riding
Feature image by Alice Levitt
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