Carving Room NoMa
Restaurant · NoMa ·
Shawarma, flatbreads, deli classics, & craft cocktails
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19791386/FE37F80E_B374_46C0_A75C_3A2C6D90BE7F.jpeg "Carving Room NoMa by Tierney Plumb/Eater DC")
Shawarma, flatbreads, deli classics, & craft cocktails
"I saw that CR Noma, Oded Weizmann’s NoMa outpost, recently added a patio where you can sit under an umbrella and dine on Middle Eastern meatballs, bright veggie dips, and oven-baked flatbreads at the year-old location." - Tierney Plumb
"I noticed CR NoMa, a Middle Eastern–leaning deli in NoMa, taking a humorous approach to attract customers by branding its happy hour as a meeting for “germaphobes anonymous.”" - Tierney Plumb
"The second location of this Mt. Vernon triangle deli opened in NoMa earlier this year, bringing on its signature pastrami along with a selection of dips and salads, flatbreads, and a variety of Israeli-style meatballs. Open for lunch, happy hour and dinner, CR Noma is a nice spot for a relaxed meal or a couple of drinks." - Aparna Krishnamoorthy
"Located at 130 M Street NE, this stylish, industrial-chic sister spot from Oded Weizmann expands the Carving Room concept into nostalgia-inducing Middle Eastern territory with a cavernous 3,000-square-foot dining room near the NoMa-Gallaudet Metro stop. The menu imports core items from the original—pastrami, 100-percent brisket burgers, and fried Moroccan “cigars”—while introducing four types of k’tzitzot (traditional Israeli meatballs), rockfish and whiting balls packed with cilantro, cumin, and Moroccan red sauce (a Friday night and holiday staple), and Sephardic dips and salads including a roasted beet dip with pequin chile, yogurt, honey, feta, and goat cheese. Flatbreads are baked in a domed, tile-lined oven and drizzled with an olive oil infused with garlic and anchovies (a flavor many diners do not request to leave off); highlights include a meat-lover’s pie topped with very slow-roasted whole rib roast, provolone, garlic, thyme, onions, and pickled serrano harissa, a ribeye flatbread served at brunch with runny eggs, and a braised lamb rib flatbread that crisps up—prompting ideas for Arabic-style lamb tacos. The opening lineup also features a pork-and-brisket meatball trio in roasted tomato-poblano sauce with parmesan and basil (served as an individual order or shared appetizer) and sandwiches and a charcuterie-style board built from deckle corned beef paired with pastrami, cured and smoked duck, manchego, and house pickles. The beverage program includes a standout watermelon-lemon-basil vodka cocktail, a draft “Sexy Mexi,” the rum-and-pineapple “Love & Pride,” 15 beers on draft, a dozen wines by the glass, and a consistently packed happy hour from 3:30–7 p.m. at a sun-drenched blue tile bar." - Tierney Plumb
"I'm expecting the new sister spot, dubbed CR NoMa, to open in the next two weeks at 130 M Street NE with a stylish, Mediterranean vibe and an industrial-chic interior that will largely focus on flatbreads baked in a domed, tiled-lined oven; the menu is still being finalized but should include some sandwiches from the original, plus flatbreads, braised meats, and meatballs, alongside 15 beers on tap and two draft cocktails. Seating will include a strip of stools for a front-row view of the cooking action and operable windows at the entrance for fresh air; the 70-seat layout designed by Eric Gronning aims to evoke a crashing coastline with driftwood wall paneling, glowing orbs wrapped in twine, aqua-colored booths and banquettes, and a slick teal subway-tile backsplash resembling fish scales. I expect it to open for lunch, happy hour, and dinner to start (with breakfast and brunch later) and likely stay open until midnight on weekends depending on demand." - Tierney Plumb