FORKED UP

TAIWAN MAZESOBA

We have it on good authority that this humble little noodle shop is one of Shirokiya’s top sellers every week — and that’s no surprise to us. Mazesoba distinguishes itself from regular ramen because it is “brothless.” Diners instead mix together a small amount of oil and flavoring with the noodles and toppings. In this case, we went with the Taiwan style, which included green onions, a poached egg, spicy pork and nori, among other seasonings. It’s definitely not for everyone, but it’s a refreshing alternative to Shirokiya’s endless parade of ramen varieties.

ROASTED VEGGIE PIZZA

Moku Kitchen is an obvious favorite of Metro. What we can we say? The location is great (right next to our office), and the food is always good. We discovered on a recent trip that its pizzas are probably one of its best Happy Hour deals (with all pizzas dropping to a reasonable $9), so we happily tried the Roasted Veggie Pizza, a meatless wonder atop pesto sauce and a light, crispy crust. So good! We definitely need to get the actual Vegetable Roasted Plate next time we go, with a selection of corn, squash, cauliflower, hearts of palm and other tidbits that change daily, based on availability.