The DMV Dining Guide to Passover: 2012 Edition

Now that we are officially two days away from Passover, we thought we would take the time to compile a list of DC area restaurants that will be offering Pesach-friendly menus.

After all, just because it’s Passover doesn’t mean you can’t go out for dinner! So put down that box of matzo meal and start reading…

Dino: The Cleveland Park restaurant continues its time-honored tradition of offering a Passover menu starting Friday, April 6 through Friday, April 13. Not only will Dino be opening early the first two days of Passover to allow diners enough time to get to services, but they will also lend you a Seder plate as well! The prix-fixe menu features four courses which include a choice of entrees served family-style.

$59 for adults and $25 for children. Flight of four glasses of wine(non-kosher)  is an additional $24 per person. Call 202-686-2966 to make a reservation.

Hudson: Chef Demetrio Zavala has prepared a special Passover menu for Hudson that will be available this Friday and Saturday night. Entrees include roasted chicken, leg of lamb, grilled Atlantic salmon filet, and braised brisket.

Call 202-872-8700 to make a reservation

Rosa Mexicano: It’s Mexican Passover over at Rosa Mexicano from Friday, April 6 to Friday, April 13. Part of the restaurant’s Flavors of Mexico calendar, their Penn Quarter, Chevy Chase, and National Harbor locations will feature a “Passover a la Mexicana” menu for both lunch and dinner which puts a south of the border twist on traditional favorites. From red snapper gefilte fish to duck & beet borscht, Rosa Mexicano offers perhaps the most eclectic selection of Passover dishes thus far. Menu is a la carte.

Call 202-783-5522 (Penn Quarter), 202-777-9959 (Chevy Chase) or 301-567-1005 (National Harbor) to make a reservation.

Mon Ami Gabi: The French bistro located in downtown Bethesda will be offering a prix-fixe Seder menu on Friday, April 6 and Saturday, April 7. Dinner will feature classic Passover dishes such as matzo ball soup, chopped liver with egg and onions, and beef brisket. Rachel and I went a couple of years ago and really enjoyed it.

$36.95 for adults and $15.95 for children under 12. Call 301-654-1234 to make a reservation.

Casa Nonna: Chef Amy Brandwein will be featuring several Passover-themed dishes at the Dupont Circle restaurant. From April 6 to 14, the Italian eatery will offer items such as Sfoglietti, a type of pasta made from matzo flour and eggs that is baked before boiling. Diners have the option of ordering items a la carte as well as a tasting menu for $40.

Call 202-629-2505 to make a reservation.

Perry’s Restaurant: Chef Mark Furstenberg will be serving a Passover menu starting Saturday, April 7th through the following Saturday. Diners will have a choice of sautéed chicken livers or tsimmis with flanken for their entrée, in addition to gefilte fish served with homemade horseradish. The most appealing part, however, is the matzo ball soup featuring chicken stuffed matzo balls! The meal even includes a glass of kosher wine.

$45 per guest (entire table must participate). Call 202-234-6218 to make a reservation.

Tragara: The Italian restaurant located in Bethesda offers a Passover-friendly menu throughout the holiday. While classics like homemade gefilte fish and matzo ball soup will be available, Tragara also offers some unique entrees such as matzo-crusted rack of lamb.

Call 301-951-4935 to make a reservation.

Vince & Dominic’s Pizzeria: Just beacuse it’s Passover doesn’t mean you can’t eat pizza. The Bethesda-based pizzeria will be serving up unleavened pies all throughout Passover. Make sure to place your orders ahead of time as demand will be high during the holiday.

Call 301-365-4190 to place your order.

Crumbs: Keeping with the tradition of their NYC stores, the DC location will also serve up flourless cupcakes during Passover. Flavors include the Holy Moses (chocolate cake, fudge filling, chocolate cream cheese frosting covered in chocolate fondant and sprinkles) and Raspberry Red Sea (nut cake filled with raspberry preserve, raspberry vanilla cream cheese frosting, sliced almonds and raspberry drizzle). Please note that while they are kosher, they are not kosher for Passover.

Georgetown Cupcake: DC’s most famous cupcake outpost will be selling a variety of Passover Macaroon cupcakes at both their Georgetown and Bethesda locations. These flourless coconut macaroon cupcakes will be available in plain, chocolate drizzle, and caramel drizzle.

Sprinkles: The latest cupcake import from Beverly Hills will be selling flourless chocolate cupcakes, topped with a blue Star of David naturally, from April 6-14.

Fancy Cakes by Leslie: The Bethesda bakery will be offering an extensive list of Passover desserts, ranging from French macarons to almond-crusted lemon tarts.

If you know of any area restaurants not listed above that are offering Passover menu options, please let us know by either leaving a comment or emailing us at dmvdining AT gmail DOT com.