This perfect hand pie packs a flavorful punch in Virginia-Highland

I eased my fork into the crust of Ela’s lamb hot pocket, but what I really wanted to do was grab it with both hands and devour it. However, we had ordered plates to share, so I followed protocol.

This was a perfect hand pie, like the ones you reminisce about your grandmother teaching you how to make, or the ones your friend’s mom would deliver each time she was in town (true story). It was presented in gorgeous ceramic (totally unnecessary, as I would have eaten it from a paper bag) and was adorned with herbs. It was baked beautifully — golden and crisp. Tucked into the flaky, crunchy pita pastry was a seriously meaty filling in richly seasoned gravy and melted cheese.

The ground lamb itself was well-seasoned, with a blend of spices — cumin, red pepper and coriander — plus sweet onion. The filling was both juicy and hearty. Our server sold me on a plate of sauces, but this pouch pie needed no saucing. It was flawless without any addition.