DMV Dining

When Casa Nonna shuttered in the spring of 2012, the District not only lost a great, reasonably priced Italian eatery located in the heart of Dupont Circle, but it also displaced Chef Amy Brandwein. Brandwein, who was a disciple of famed Italian chef Roberto Donna, has reunited with her mentor with the opening of Alba Osteria in Mount Vernon Square. Rachel and I, who are big fans of Donna’s work at Al Dente, went out to dinner at Alba Osteria last weekend with a few friends.

Unlike Al Dente, Alba Osteria’s menu focuses on the Piedmont region of Italy, with a heavy emphasis on rich cheeses, filling pastas, and a wide selection of antipasti. In fact, there are more than a dozen small plates to choose from on top of a handful of soups and salads. Alba Osteria also features six or so freshly made pastas that can be ordered as a small dish or entrée-size as well as a trio of entrees such as beef tenderloin and rabbit. Furthermore, there’s over a dozen wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizzas to pick from on the reverse side of the menu. And to top things off (literally), you can add duck liver to any dish for twelve dollars.

With six people in our party, we decided to try a variety of Piatti Caldi as well as a handful of pastas. Oh, and a couple bottles of wine for good measure.

We started the evening off with Birille di Carne, tiny meatballs with a hint of mint, served in a cast-iron skillet and accompanied with a Piedmontese red sauce. It wasn’t your typical marinara sauce as it was also prepared with red peppers and vinegar, which I rather enjoyed as it was a subtle departure from classic Italian fare.

Next was the Ratatuia Piemontese, a Piedmont take on ratatouille. Prepared with cauliflower, cardoons, squash, garlic, onion, and an anchovy sauce, both Rachel and I remarked how much we liked the blend of flavors on the kitchen’s rendition of this French classic.

The Barbabietole was a beautifully arranged beet salad with arugula, pistachio, Pecorino cheese, and balsamic vinaigrette.

The Batsoa, or fried pig’s feet, were topped with pickled vegetables, accompanied with Mostrada, and situated under a bed of salsa verde. It was an interesting flavor combination to say the least.

We also split the Cavolfiore alla Cavour, which was prepared with grilled cauliflower, Parmesan, anchovy, and egg.

The table’s favorite small plate of the evening goes to the Fegatini e Porcini – sautéed chicken livers blended in a Marsala wine sauce and Porcini mushrooms, all under a bed of rich and creamy polenta.

After we finished our antipasti, we then moved onto the pasta course by sharing a handful of dishes amongst the table. The first was the agnolotti al brasato, and it was outstanding. Stuffed with braised beef and lightly adorned with beef jus, shaved bone marrow, and Parmigiano Reggiano, the agnolotti was cooked al dente and was a very hearty, rewarding selection.

My younger brother ordered the seafood special, which consisted of mussels, shrimp, and squid in a white wine and garlic red sauce, but it was the squid ink spaghetti that really stood out.

The Cannelloni alla Barbaroux was one of the richest items we ordered that evening. Stuffed with veal, beef, Bescamella, and Parmigiano Reggiano, this is one dish you might want to share given how heavy it was.

The tajarin with veal ragu was also excellent, but what’s really remarkable is that the kitchen uses 42 egg yolks per kilo to produce this ribbon pasta!

The Gnocchi Verdi was my personal favorite. The small, pillowy dumplings were stuffed with spinach and potato and dressed with a succulent sausage ragu.

For dessert, we had the Frittelle di Mele and Polenta Bianca. The former was a fried, sliced apple dipped in rum batter, drizzled with caramel, and served with a scoop of vanilla gelato sprinkled with sage.

As good as the Frittelle di Mele was, the Polenta Bianca was even better. Served in a style similar to that of crème brulee, the snow white polenta was topped with a thin layer of crunchy caramel and accompanied with one of the best scoops of chocolate gelato you’ll find in the District. Easily one of the best dishes of the night.

Alba Osteria is a terrific addition to the Mount Vernon Square neighborhood and offers a taste of Italy that’s substantially different than what you’ll find at other osterias in the area. On top of that, the prices are very reasonable and makes for a fun night with a group so everyone can sample the extensive list of dishes on the menu. Just be sure you finish your meal off with the Polenta Bianca.

Let me preface by saying that I fell in love with the Red Hen the moment I walked into the Bloomingdale restaurant. I don’t know if it was the raised ceilings, the bustling yet homey atmosphere, or the exposed kitchen towards the back, but the place felt real and not manufactured. Rachel and I had been meaning to check out Michael Friedman and Sebastian Zutant’s new venue since it opened to rave reviews back in April, so I thought it would be an excellent dining destination to celebrate Rachel’s birthday.

First of all, Red Hen takes reservations! Considering how many new restaurants in the District have opened over the past year that only offer walk-ins, it was incredibly refreshing to know there would be a table reserved for us when we arrived. What a novel concept!

And then there’s the menu. Oh look, an actual list of appetizers and entrees! Judging by my sentiment you can probably tell that I am completely tired of small plates (with Rose’s Luxury being the rare exception), so I was thrilled when glancing over Red Hen’s menu that not only do they offer a traditional carte du jour, but the prices are rather reasonable, too. Like, really reasonable. But more on that later.

After a drink at the bar (which featured some amazing Heroes of the Torah glassware), we were seated towards the front of the house with a terrific view of the neighborhood from our table. We started the evening off with an appetizer of grilled octopus. Topped with frisee and crispy capers while under a bed of Romesco sauce and shelling beans, the octopus was perfectly grilled and had some nice char to it. Both Rachel and I remarked how wonderful it tasted as it was a sign of things to come.

Given how cold it was outside, we opted to split a bowl of their autumn squash soup. Prepared with pumpkin seeds, toasted squash oil, and a dollop of sage cream, the soup was simply phenomenal. Rich and flavorful, the soup warmed us right up as the bowl was scraped clean in a matter of minutes.

Red Hen offers a handful of pastas as well as large plates, but each category represents an entrée-sized portion, so we decided to order one of each as our main course. We ordered the Creste de Gallo, which was prepared with braised duck, wild mushrooms, sweet potato, and basil. The homemade pasta blended seamlessly with the hearty, tender pieces of duck. We really loved this dish, and considering it only cost $17 and was a slightly larger portion of pasta than what you’d find at, say, Casa Luca (where most pastas run for over $20), this was an exceptional value.

As for the large plates, while we initially decided upon the grilled short ribs, we thought it might have been too heavy after ordering the pasta with braised duck, so instead went for the wood-grilled chicken ‘Fra Diavolo’. It turned out to be a great choice. The incredibly moist chicken rivals Palena’s excellent bird, though the Red Hen’s recipe offers more of a kick with its spicy seasoning. Placed atop a bed of Swiss chard, roasted potatoes, and currants, this was one terrific piece of poultry. Juicy and tender, we loved each bite.

We also ordered a side of their crispy Brussels sprouts. Blended with a dill and anchovy aioli, we absolutely adored this side dish. The Brussels sprouts had just the right amount of crispness while the mild sauce really complemented the vegetable.

Closing out the evening, we split a dessert of pumpkin cake with hazelnut sauce and brown sugar gelato. Accompanied with a birthday candle, it was delicious but may have been the weakest course of the night. We were expecting a warm cake but it was actually served room temperature, but the sauce made it delicious while the homemade gelato made for a great ending to a spectacular meal.

And while the service was a little slow at times, I was more than happy with our experience at the Red Hen. Rachel and I kept remarking how great it was to not only see a restaurant offer outstanding food without resorting to a small plates menu, but also offer reasonable prices too. It’s something this city lacks, and I am extremely jealous of those who live in Bloomingdale as they have a neighborhood spot to call their own without having to trek to other parts of the District. We can’t wait to go back.

While I have only been to Fiola, chef Fabio Trabocchi’s Italian gem of a restaurant, just once, I was elated to find out that he would be opening a more casual, affordable venue within the same square mile of downtown Washington. His trademark lobster ravioli remains one of my favorite dishes, but given the high price tag, I was hoping his sister establishment would be a little more reasonable for those just looking for a nice Italian dinner.

When we arrived for our 8:30pm reservation, the bar was nearly two rows deep. Whether it was the Friday happy hour crowd or people simply waiting for a table, Casa Luca was incredibly busy. We weren’t even seated until almost half an hour later – not the best way to start the evening, but we had a glass of wine while we waited for our table to be ready.

We started the meal off by ordering the Luca Antipasto Misto, a platter of prosciutto, pecorino fieno (sheep’s milk cheese), and a couple of small bites. The heirloom beets, which featured stracciatella and walnut pesto, as well as the lentil salad were well-received by our party of five.

And while we enjoyed the thin-grilled crescia, having to pay $8 for a small amount of bread for the table was slightly off-putting.

As for the pasta course, we decided to share three dishes amongst the five of us. All housemade, the bucatini was prepared with guanciale, tomatoes, and pecorino.

Meanwhile, the pappardelle was blended with Borlotti beans, rosemary, duck livers, and Parmigiano Reggiano – an interesting, if not slightly intimidating combination for those of us not a fan of all things liver, but thankfully it didn’t overwhelm the dish and made for an enjoyable pasta.

My favorite pasta, however, was the smoked potato gnocchi. Engulfed in a hearty duck ragu with a smattering of Cremini mushrooms, the soft, pillowy gnocchi perfectly complemented the outstanding sauce.

We also decided to split the Grigliata Mista di Pesce amongst the table, which was a heaping family-style platter of grilled seafood. It included bronzino, calamari, prawns, clams, and scallops and made for a great sharing dish between our group. The fish was impeccably cooked while the grilled calamari was excellent.

While the service was fine, my one qualm with Casa Luca was the prices. Given how expensive Fiola is, I had assumed that Casa Luca would be more affordable, but when looking at the menu, the majority of the pastas still cost over $20. And not only that, but the portions weren’t even that generous. In short, it turned out to be a more expensive meal than anticipated which was slightly disappointing.

On the flipside, Casa Luca also offers 20 bottles of wine for $28, a very reasonable price that helps offset the cost of the otherwise expensive food menu. It was a very good restaurant, but if Casa Luca were to either slightly lower its prices or increase the portion of its dishes, I probably would have left dinner a little more satisfied.

It’s been well documented how the restaurant scene on 14th Street has blown up over the last year or so. The Washington City Paper reported that no less than eight restaurants have opened up on the 14th Street corridor within the last month! Rachel and I learned first-hand how the demand for tables is sky-high no matter what day of the week it is.

For example, we ventured down to Logan Circle on a Tuesday evening to check out Ghibellina, the new Italian gastropub by the owners of Eastern Market’s outstanding Acqua Al 2. We were quickly taken aback as we found out the wait for a table of two would be one hour. And this was on a Tuesday!

I’m sure the same could be said for the bustling Le Diplomate, whose patios were filled to the brim with diners across the street eating al fresco in the warm, summer weather. Pearl Dive Oyster Palace was adjacent to Ghibellina, so we grabbed some barstools at their outdoor bar and had a few drinks while we waited for our table. Exactly sixty minutes later, the restaurant had called informing us our table was ready.

Unlike Acqua Al 2, Ghibellina’s menu is focused around small plates, featuring everything from salads to meats & cheeses to pizzas and pastas. Rachel and I started out the evening with their Salame Toscano, which featured salami sourced from California’s Fra ‘Mani. Topped with picked vegetables, this was a nice way to kick off our Tuscan meal.

Our next course was a cheese plate – Quadrello Di Bufala. This creamy buffalo milk cheese was accompanied with raisin walnut bread and fig jam. All three items really complemented one another as we spread the soft cheese across the bread and lightly topped it with the fig jam.

Next was the Insalata Ghibellina, the restaurant’s signature salad. Featuring arugula, avocado, confit, tomatoes, Emmenthaler Swiss cheese, pine nuts, and pesto, this made for a light and refreshing dish given the summery weather. The ingredients really worked well together and we loved the subtle touch of pesto in the salad.

We moved onto the main courses with the carne portion of the menu. If there’s one item to order it’s definitely the Stracotto. The dish features a very generous portion of succulent pot roast prepared with white wine and tomato. This was my favorite dish of the evening as the beef was incredibly tender and flavorful, plus this was a perfect amount to split between two people.

For the pasta course, we ordered the Tortelli Di Patate Al Ragu, which was basically potato-filled ravioli. Topped with a wonderful beef ragu and sprinkled with Parmesan, we had no problem finishing it off. Granted it was a little heavy, especially since we already had the Stracotto, but it was a still a great pasta selection.

Our final dish of the evening was their Napoli pizza. Prepared with tomatoes, anchovies, olives, oregano, garlic, and mozzarella, this pizza had some bite. It might have been just a tad too spicy for Rachel, but we both remarked how chewy the crust was while being soft and gooey in the middle. And yes, the pizza was uncut, which is how it should be since Ghibellina serves Neapolitan-style pies.

Overall, we had a lovely time at Ghibellina. We enjoyed everything we ordered, the plates came out in a timely fashion, and we never felt rushed despite how packed it was. If you’re looking for a casual Italian eatery with plenty of options to choose from, we cannot recommend Ghibellina enough.

Rachel and I have wanted to try Acqua Al 2 in Eastern Market for quite some time, so a few weeks ago we finally checked out the D.C. outpost of the legendary Florence eatery.

Our friends Kelley and Ari fell in love with the original Acqua Al 2 when they were in Italy, and once they found out the restaurant would be opening in Washington they instantly became frequent diners of the establishment. Because of that, we left the ordering in their hands.

We kicked the evening off with the kitchen’s homemade burrata. Served over heirloom tomatoes and a bed of arugula, the double-cream mozzarella was spectacular. Rich and creamy, this is a must-order dish. The only other burrata that was just as good as Acqua’s was the one found at Obelisk – so yeah, that’s high praise.

We also shared a Greek salad, which featured escarole, tomatoes, black olives, cucumber, scallions, feta, salt, pepper and olive oil.

Next was the Parmigiana al Forno, which was baked eggplant with tomato sauce and Parmigiano. I really enjoyed this appetizer, but then again, I’m a big fan of all the listed ingredients. The abundant eggplant blended with the gooey cheese and homemade tomato sauce was a hit amongst the table.

Following the trio of appetizers, we then moved onto the highly-recommended pasta tasting. Priced at $15 per person, the tasting includes five vegetarian pastas selected by the chef.

Our first tasting was Orecchiette ai Broccoli, ear-shaped pasta served in a light broccoli sauce. Rachel liked this pasta the most out of the five we sampled.

Next was Riso Sugo Verde, Arborio rice prepared with parsley, basil and rosemary. Both Rachel and I really enjoyed this dish, particularly the parsley sauce.

Our third plate was Topini al Zucca, gnocchi with pumpkin sauce. The gnocchi were light and fluffy while the pumpkin sauce was pleasantly not too heavy.

The classic penne and vodka sauce, or Maccheroni alla Vodka, was our fourth dish. And despite its simplicity, it was excellent.

The best was saved for last with the Fusilli Lunghi alla Fiaccheraia. The spicy tomato sauce gave the dish some kick, while the thick and long housemade fusilli was a delight in its own right. This was my personal favorite.

It was a brilliant idea to do the pasta tasting amongst the four of us not only because Kelley is a vegetarian, but also that we were able to try so many pasta dishes without feeling overly full.

And that brings us to the secondi piatti: Ari ordered two of their hand-carved filets to share between the three of us – one topped with a balsamic reduction and the other with their famous blueberry sauce.

Both toppings have their merits, but I have to admit, I was big fan of the blueberry sauce. It definitely sounds like an odd pairing on paper. I mean, steak and blueberries? But after the first bite, the blueberry flavor is subtle yet effective, and not as sweet as first perceived. It just somehow manages to work.

Once we finished our steaks, we ordered the Assaggio di Dolci, a sampling of four desserts. Included on the plate were panna cotta, flourless chocolate cake, tiramisu, and ricotta cheesecake. The tiramisu was my personal favorite followed by the panna cotta. Again, this was a great way to try a variety of their desserts given our party of four.

We had a lovely time at Acqua Al 2 and were very impressed not only by the food but also the first-rate service. Being a former waiter, I notice the little things like clearing plates and refilling waters, and the staff at Acqua was very consistent about things like this. Rachel and I would return here in a heartbeat, especially since it’s so easy to park around Eastern Market. All I can tell you is that the pasta tasting will be ordered on each and every visit.

First of all, it’s great to be back. We have been on hiatus since welcoming our first child into the world, but we also have plenty of content to share with our readers that we obviously have not had time to get to. Until now.

So let’s flash back to last month’s Restaurant Week. Rachel, I, and a couple of our friends were looking for a restaurant participating for lunch. We were in search of a place that we had not tried before, offered a good value compared to ordering a la carte, and that was kid-friendly for our friend’s 17 month old.

Rachel and I had been meaning to check out La Forchetta (which has recently been renamed to Al Dente) since news broke out that Roberto Donna would be helming the kitchen.  It’s amazing that our visit to the short-lived Galileo III was not even over a year ago, yet just ten months later, Chef Donna has already found a new residence.

As for Al Dente’s lunch menu, it might have been one of the very best deals for Restaurant Week given the $20 price tag for three courses.  For the first course, diners had a choice between paninis, soup, salad, pizza, as well as appetizers of the day. Considering that some of the pizzas top out at $13.95, it’s an incredible value. And if you think that’s impressive, Rachel’s grilled sea scallops, one of the special appetizers, was $16.95.

Value aside, the trio of scallops was excellently cooked. As for my first course, I ordered the burrata with slow-roasted vine ripe tomato. Soft, creamy, and swimming in a pool of olive oil, the burrata was a terrific starter.

For our main course, diners had a choice between a selection of house made pastas, main dishes, and entrees of the day. Rachel ordered the basil pesto gnocchi, which was blended with fava and string beans. The potato dumplings were soft, delicate, and practically melted in your mouth. The pesto sauce was just as good as it was rich with flavor and really complemented the pasta.

I went with one of the day’s specials – sautéed rockfish with pizzaiola sauce. I’m not one to typically order fish as my entrée, but Chef Donna hit this one out of the park. Not only was the fish perfectly cooked, but the pizzaiola sauce was simply fantastic. I seriously wanted a jar of this stuff to take home with me. Oh, and on top of that, this dish would have cost $26.95 a la carte. Yeah, I couldn’t believe it either.

For dessert, we had a choice between tiramisu and biscotti, so Rachel went with the former while I ordered the latter. Even Al Dente’s dessert presentations were top notch as my biscotti was accompanied with a glass of moscato while Rachel’s tiramisu was artfully arranged.

It’s not often that Rachel and I are blown away not only by the food but also the value of a Restaurant Week participant, but Al Dente wildly exceeded our expectations. Not only do you get to take pleasure in Roberta Donna’s masterful cooking, but the prices, regardless if it’s Restaurant Week or not, are very reasonable. Oh, and ample parking is always a nice plus. Welcome back, Chef Donna.

Rachel and I, as well as our friends Mike and Randi, scheduled a “dinner and a movie night” last weekend. We were planning to see The Artist at E Street Cinema later that evening, so Mike suggested we get dinner beforehand at Potenza. We haven’t been to Potenza in years, and given their reasonable prices and the proximity to the theater, it was an ideal choice.

After receiving a basket of fresh bread along with a plate of oil and vinegar, we put our orders in with the waiter. Rachel decided to get the Mezzelune con Pollo Affumicato while I went with the Funghi pizza.

When the pizza arrived, I happily surprised by the size of the pie. Cooked in their 6000 pound ceramic pizza oven, this was a generous portion, and for the price of $15, it’s enough to split between two people. As for the actual quality of the pizza, I thought it was rather good.

Topped with Portobello, domestic and oyster mushrooms, tomato sauce, fontina, and parmesan, the two of us really enjoyed this pizza. With a charred, chewy crust and just the right amount of sauce, I nearly finished the entire pie. (And yes, while I could have, I would have been most likely passing out during the movie).

Rachel really enjoyed her mezzaluna dish of smoked chicken-filled ravioli, tomato parmesan sauce, house-made mozzarella, and crispy celery leaves. While there were only a few pieces on the dish, they were incredibly filling and she could barely finish what was there. The smoked chicken flavor was very pronounced yet delicious, and she didn’t think the sauce was too heavy. The mozzarella was beautifully drizzled on top and really went well with the chicken and sauce.

Considering that I nearly forgot about Potenza amidst all of these new restaurants opening up around town, I’m glad we came back. We both really liked our entrees and felt that the price was right considering the portions as well as the quality. And while it was a little bit of a walk to the theater, it was probably for the best considering how much pizza I consumed that night.

A few weeks ago, I was able to visit the new and improved Cesco Osteria and Co2 Lounge on Woodmont Avenue in Bethesda. Most people would be familiar with this locale from its predecessor, McCormick and Schmick’s, known for their fresh seafood and famously good happy hour. Unfortunately, their lease was up and they decided not to renew, so Cesco decided to jump into the space.

Cesco has for years lived on a corner block on Cordell Avenue, and earned a reputation over the years for quality Italian food from head chef Francesco Ricci. Brett and I have always wanted to try their food but never had the opportunity. So when I went to lunch with a few coworkers and vendors we do business with, this was one of the first places that came to mind.

Walking in, the space was huge. It seemed even bigger than when McCormick was there. We were seated right away and I immediately recognized our waiter from Mussel Bar. I guess they had recruited him over to the new digs. For lunch, there are essentially two menus to choose from — the main menu has more formal signature dishes from the chef, while the casual menus (which were also our placemats) included pizza and build-your-own pasta or salad with different ingredients.

I ordered the soup of the day, which was lobster bisque with angel hair pasta. It wasn’t cream-based so I didn’t find it very heavy, and it served as a nice starter. I tried not to consume all of the pasta in the soup since I knew I wanted pasta for my entrée.

I decided to try a homemade pasta dish and went with the gnocchi with roasted vegetables, ricotta, and a light tomato sauce. I have to say, this might have been one of the better gnocchi dishes I have had recently. The potato dumplings themselves were light and fluffy and paired really well with the roasted vegetables that seemed almost like a ratatouille. There was just enough sauce to bind everything together but it wasn’t too much where that was all you tasted. I really loved my entree and could have easily finished the very large portion but somehow made it home with enough to share with Brett. He agreed that it was a great gnocchi preparation and expressed his eagerness to try Cesco as well.

Overall, everyone was happy with their dishes and enjoyed the service and atmosphere. I would come again to try one of their build-your-own pasta dishes and see what their happy hour is like.

I should state that this review is solely for Cesco Osteria and not its new counterpart lounge, Co2 Lounge. There are many things I could say about that, but I’ll just let the press release speak for itself. One bit of advice for the restaurant: we know you want to be exclusive for your club, but just having a sign-up form on your website is not an inviting way to get to know a restaurant. It would be helpful to also post information on the restaurant, the chef, and the menus. In the world of Yelp and Facebook, no one wants to be surprised with menus or prices before eating somewhere.

Over the past couple of years, I have gone all out for Rachel’s birthday when it comes to surprise dinners. Not only is it a great gift, but it’s also a fun way to try new restaurants as well as expand our palette. This time, however, I wanted to do something a little more romantic and intimate, but also dine at a restaurant we had never been to before. One destination instantly came to mind: Obelisk.

It’s amazing that after all these years that we had never to been to one of DC’s finest Italian restaurants up until last month. I felt it was an ideal destination given the intimacy (the dining room only hosts a handful of tables) as well as the universal praise. Oh, and compared to past birthdays, it was an incredible value.

Obelisk features a prix-fixe menu – five courses for $75 per person. And while that may appear steep to some, between the quality and quantity of food, it is well worth the money.

After ordering a few glasses of wine and noshing on their delicious bread basket, we chose our primi, secondi, and dolci from the handwritten menu. However our first course, or antipasti, was completely predetermined by the kitchen.

Our waitress soon brought over a variety of plates within minutes of each other, the first of which was their homemade burrata. My goodness was this delicious. Drizzled with olive oil, the cheese was creamy, delicate, and really got our taste buds flowing.

Up next was a salt cod frittata that featured a pleasant balance of sweet and salty. Soon after, we received a fennel and radish salad, fresh-roasted sardines topped with house made breadcrumbs, and finally, swiss chard stewed with wine and crostini. While the burrata was our favorite of the antipasti course, the swiss chard was a close runner-up thanks in part to its savoriness.

After finishing our quintet of plates, it was time to move onto the primi course. Rachel ordered the butternut squash ravioli. Meanwhile, I went in a completely different direction and ordered the lentil soup after the waitress remarked how much she loved the house ground sausage that’s in it. Well, it turned out she was absolutely right – the meat was outstanding. It also wasn’t your typical lentil soup since the beans were pureed, resulting in a much thicker consistency. It practically felt like comfort food considering how cold it was outside. It’s not often I opt for soups for a first course, but I’m really glad I took the waitresses’ advice in this case.

Rachel’s butternut squash ravioli literally melted in her mouth. She savored each bite and reluctantly gave me some to try, which I agreed were incredibly light while at the same time rich in flavor.

For our main/secondi course, I went with the roasted duck breast. Cooked medium-rare, the duck was tender, succulent, and generously portioned. I often forget how fatty duck is, and given the size of the portion, there’s a considerable amount of fat to work around. Nonetheless, I have to tip my hat to the kitchen on the execution of the dish. It was wonderfully juicy, full of flavor, and cooked at exactly the right temperature.

Rachel had the grouper which was lightly seared with artichoke, pork belly, and onions. The fish was superbly cooked and even I agreed how well the artichokes and pork went with the fish, and I’m not even a fish person. To put it succinctly, I would have ordered this dish for myself.

Following our excellent entrees, we then moved onto the cheese (formaggi) course. We received three different varieties of cheeses as well as a side of sour cherries. I’m not going to lie, we forgot to take notes at this point in the meal (blogger fail), but to my recollection, we had Pipe Dream Farm’s goat cheese, Bonrus (a soft sheep’s milk cheese), and Pecorino (a harder sheep’s milk cheese). Again, I am not entirely sure if these were the exact cheeses we received, but the sour cherries were a nice accompaniment.

We had finally reached the dolci part of the evening, and given how much food we had consumed up until this point, it was a good thing that this was our final course! Naturally, it did not disappoint. I went with the chocolate cake accompanied with a mint crème anglaise. I, like others I’m sure, love the combination of mint and chocolate and this dessert absolutely nailed it. The chocolate cake was wading in a small layer of anglaise which contained just the right amount of mintiness. An excellent dish all around.

Rachel didn’t want to get the same dessert as me, so she got the pear polenta tart with basil ice cream. This was the only dish she was a slightly disappointed with as it was tasty but didn’t really wow her. She felt she should have ordered the chocolate cake after she tried a bite of mine, but what is the fun in that?

We had an exceptional meal at Obelisk and I was very glad we ended up going here this year for Rachel’s birthday. The service was pleasant, helpful, and we never felt rushed. We were even more amazed that we received so much food for just $75 per person. While DC is in the midst of opening more restaurants than ever before, it’s good to know that Obelisk has proven that they are still one of the very best in the city.

A few weeks ago, I went out to dinner for a girls’ night with a bunch of my close friends in DC. We weren’t celebrating any special occasion, but it had been awhile since all of us were together and we decided to have a fun night out at Fiola, one of the newer and more acclaimed restaurants to open this year.

While I had never been to Fabio Trabocchi’s original restaurant, Maestro, I have always heard great things about his food and reputation, and I was very excited to try his new venue that has been receiving rave reviews all year. We knew this meal would put a dent in our wallets, but we were ready for a fun and memorable evening.

First things first, we had to find Fiola! A word to the wise: while the address says Pennsylvania Avenue, it actually leads you to the back of the restaurant. Turns out that you need to go around to Indiana Avenue to come across the entrance. Tricky, indeed.

Once we all gathered and had some cocktails, we were seated to our table. I had heard that Jeff Faile’s cocktails weren’t to be missed, so I ordered a Milan Mule, which was his take on a Moscow Mule but was concocted with Plymouth gin, Amaro Abano, lime juice, and Blenheim ginger ale.

There were seven of us, so we split two bottles of tasty prosseco throughout the meal. The first item brought to our table was their incredible homemade rolls. These were more like buttery croissants or brioche buns as opposed to traditional rolls, and they were a great indication of what was to time. I swear I would go back to Fiola in a heartbeat just for these rolls alone.

We split two appetizers for the table and were very happy with both. First up were the Fiola meatballs, topped with a sunny side up egg and Pecorino Toscano. I’m starting to learn that everything tastes better with a runny egg on it, and these were no exception. The meatballs were wonderful and the sauce was irresistible. The bread we had wasn’t the best for dipping, but we made sure there was nothing left in the bowl.

Next up was one of the restaurant’s daily specials. If they are offering it, do not hesitate to order the dates stuffed with fois gras wrapped in prosciutto and served with generous shavings of Parmesan and drizzled with balsamic. There were only a few dates, so we cut them up for everyone to try. It might not have been the best way to sample it as it is meant to be a singular burst of flavor, but I still savored each bite.

There were so many appealing entrees to choose from that it was hard to make a decision, especially since you can order most fresh pastas as half portions if you are torn between pasta and something else. In the end, I knew I had to get Fabio’s signature dish that was a carryover from Maestro, and that would be the lobster ravioli. It just sounded too good to pass up, and I definitely wasn’t disappointed.

The waiter informed me that the dish consists of one and a half pounds of lobster in total, and I believed him once it was placed in front of me. In the dish were giant chunks of lobster claw and tail sitting in a lobster broth, not to mention even more chunks of lobster stuffed inside the ravioli, which more closely resembled thin wontons. I loved the delicate pasta with the meat inside as opposed to the commonly found version of pureed lobster with cheese. The lobster itself was infused with ginger and the sauce was creamy but somehow not heavy at all. I was in heaven. I don’t think I’ll order it if I come back, only because there are so many other appealing dishes on the menu that I want to try.

We were completely stuffed at this point, but we wanted to try at least one dessert to see what they were like, so we ordered the Bombolini. The dolce comprised of donuts filled with ricotta and were topped with powdered sugar. There was also marmalade and gelato to dip the donuts in, and they were great fluffy bites to share amongst the table. They reminded me of the zeppoles from Graffiato, and I have to admit, I think these were even better.

With the bill came more sweets, including a tiny macaron and a piece of chocolate with cream inside. I always love when restaurants give an extra treat to send us home.

I should also mention just how wonderful the service was. We were a large party with a baby and stroller and they were definitely accommodating to us. When our entrees came, a few of them seemed to be more room temperature as opposed to hot, and when we said something, the waiter quickly took them away and brought up fresh dishes for us within minutes. While some of us were waiting for our dishes to come back, he even poured some extra prosecco into our glasses to make up for the delay. We certainly appreciated the gesture.

Overall, we were all very full and content when we left the restaurant. Fiola is certainly not somewhere I would go on a regular basis as it was certainly an expensive meal, but everything tasted like it was prepared with great care and simply tasted of a higher caliber. I was definitely eying some of my friends’ dishes, like the homemade lasagna, the short ribs, arctic char, bucatini, gnocchi, and scallops.

I should note that Fiola also has a “Presto!” lunch special where you have your choice of entrée and a beverage for only $15.  There are only half a dozen entrees to choose from, but it’s a great way to try Fiola without breaking the bank. There’s also a happy hour from 4pm to 6pm that features $6 cocktails and glasses of prosecco. So whether you go for lunch, happy hour, or dinner, do not miss out on Fiola. I’m sure glad I didn’t.