red and moe

Columbians have long wondered what, if anything, was going to come of the space that housed Trattoria Strada Nova, on Ninth Street next to The Blue Note. For years it has sat empty, a ghost in one of the city’s most prime locations. Not for much longer. Recent returnees Ellen and Tom Rippeto will be opening “red and moe” shortly. A sign in the window says red and moe will be a locally-sourced and seasonal pizza restaurant. When I stopped by to get the scoop, however, Ripetto wouldn’t talk to me. Not about what they were going to serve, what the focus was, when they would open, nothing. He complained that other people had been asking about it and he wouldn’t talk to them either. He’s afraid of swamping the restaurant early on, he said. Now that’s not an unwarranted concern, but it does fall squarely into my box labeled “You Problems” (to be distinguished from that “Me Problems” box).

“Still,” I thought, “that’s fair enough. I guess we’ll just have to wait until they open to learn more.”

Or – and this is really classic – you could just swing by their live freaking website!

Awkward brush-offs aside, the interior (from what I could see) looks to be near completion and rumor has a mid-September opening. Their menu looks tightly focused and awesome (after the jump). Just don’t ask them about it.

soup & small plates of the day

chilled tomato and sweet pepper soup $6

bowl of Ingrid’s mussels with garlic, white wine, tomatoes and

peppers $16

bowl of seasonal fruit $6

salads

simply the best tomato salad with fresh basil, kosher salt and extra virgin olive oil $9

green bean salad with cherry tomatoes, walnuts, stilton cheese and sherry vinaigrette $9

quinoa salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, sweet peppers, feta, shaved onion, oregano and red wine vinaigrette $9

cucumber-watermelon salad with shaved onion, tomatoes, mint and red wine syrup $9

pizza: 12 inches, thin, crisp crust $15

rip’s traditional

housemade tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese pizza

$1 per topping:

salami

marinated mushrooms

housemade fennel sausage

basil pesto, fresh mozzarella, sliced tomatoes and black olives

fresh peaches, roasted peppers, goat cheese, basil and balsamic syrup

roast chicken, roasted pablano and sweet peppers, tomato, jack cheese and cilantro

gruyere cheese, serrano ham, sliced tomatoes and rosemary

dessert

brownies & cookies $4

homemade pie $7

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