The menu at Ethan Stowell’s new Capitol Hill homage to Roman food, Rione XIII, holds some knockouts—off a late-summer menu I was impressed by the housemade mozzarella with a peach mostarda, and a plate-filler of a veal chop: faultlessly tender, wrapped in prosciutto, and served on a bed of juicy escarole.

I’ve always been fonder of Stowell’s meats than his pastas, so it surprised me to find that my personal winner off his menu was a sturdy bucatini swathed in a bold amatriciana. Built from pork shoulder and someone’s unstinting hand with the chiles, this sauce (done here with tomatoes too) was at once brave and crowd-pleasing—a rare combo—and served in generous portion for $14.