DMV Dining

Now that we are officially less than a week 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…

DGS Delicatessen: Already one of the most popular restaurants in Dupont Circle, Barry Koslow’s kitchen will be featuring a four-course prix-fixe Seder menu from Monday, March 25 to Sunday, March 31.  Featuring housemade matzo and bitter herb crusted halibut, this isn’t your bubby’s typical Seder.

$40 per guest with optional $20 beverage pairing. Call 202-393-4400 to make a reservation.

Dino: The Cleveland Park restaurant continues its time-honored tradition of offering a Passover menu starting Monday, March 25 through Monday, April 1. 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 $29 per person. Call 202-686-2966 to make a reservation.

Equinox: Chef Todd Gray will be offering a Passover menu from Monday, March 25 to Tuesday, April 2. The five-course prix-fixe dinner will include items such as quinoa salad with figs and mint, as well as Todd’s Modern Day Brisket (the recipe can also be found in their new cookbook, The New Jewish Table: Modern Seasonal Recipes for Traditional Dishes).

$45 for adults, $60 with boutique Israeli wine pairing. Call 202-331-8118 to make a reservation.

Rosa Mexicano: It’s Mexican Passover over at Rosa Mexicano from Monday, March 25 to Saturday, March 30. Their Penn Quarter, Chevy Chase, and National Harbor locations will feature a “Passover a la Mexicana” menu which puts a south of the border twist on traditional favorites. From tropical haroset to chipotle-marrow matzo balls, Rosa Mexicano offers perhaps the most eclectic selection of Passover dishes thus far. Menu is prix-fixe.

$42 per guest. 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 Monday, March 25th and Tuesday, March 26th. 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.

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.

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 with either fudge or dulce-de-leches drizzle.

Sprinkles: The latest cupcake import from Beverly Hills will be selling flourless chocolate cupcakes, topped with a blue Star of David naturally, from March 25 to April 2.

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.

A few weeks ago, Rachel and I headed out to The Palisades neighborhood for an early Valentine’s Day dinner at Et Voila. We wanted to venture somewhere we haven’t dined before, but that was also romantic, and Et Voila fit the bill nicely.

The space is very intimate, situated in a rowhouse with tables solely on the left and right of the house with a narrow aisle in the middle separating them. It’s a tight fit, so don’t even think about bringing your baby here. Good thing we had a sitter that evening!

The menu focuses around French and Belgian cuisine, and while we’re always a sucker for mussels, we wanted to explore some of the other dishes the restaurant offered. We started the evening off by splitting their warm goat cheese salad.

Situated atop of bed of greens, the generous block of warm goat cheese was sitting on a slice of warm French bread and topped with a sundried tomato. It was a fantastic way to kickoff our meal as we loved every bite. Highly recommended.

For our entrees, I ordered the Flemish beef stew. Simmered in dark beer and served with a side of their pommes frites, it was pure comfort food. Given the cold, dreary weather that day, it was a perfect choice. While the meat was flavorful and tender, it more resembled a bowl of beef chunks than an actual stew. Not that it wasn’t good, but it wasn’t the hearty stew I envisioned when originally ordering it.

Meanwhile Rachel ordered the grilled trout, which was accompanied with leeks fondue and a champagne sauce. The perfectly grilled fish, adorned with beautiful grill marks, paired nicely with the creamy leeks and light sauce.

Given our incredible knack for indecisiveness, we asked our waiter what he recommended for dessert. He immediately suggested the chocolate mousse. The waiter was right on the money as the mousse was indeed heavenly. Beautifully presented with a thin almond pistachio cookie “dunked” into the mousse, it was smooth and rich.

We left Et Voila with a smile on our face. Not only did we get to enjoy an excellent meal without the Valentine’s Day rush, but we discovered a new restaurant that we would happily return to. And once we’re feeling adventurous enough, we will have to try the mussel burger. Yes, there’s a mussel burger on the menu.