DC Gastronome: Restaurant Week Dinner at Sette Bello

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Restaurant Week Dinner at Sette Bello

I think Restaurant Week is a really great thing in that it gets folks out to new spots, and encourages trying new cuisines and thinking and talking about food. Since I dine out fairly often anyhow and also don't generally eat dessert, it isn't really the best deal for me. But I usually do at least one outing during each Restaurant Week. Last night I dined at Sette Bello in Clarendon, the sister restaurant to Sette Osteria in Dupont and Cafe Milano in Georgetown. Sette Bello may be my favorite of the three - it's casual and airy space lends itself to the fairly simple menu and the vibe is always upbeat. The Restaurant Week menu is actually quite generous in that you get four courses, each of a healthy size as far as portion goes. You start with a choice of Fiori di Zucca Ripieni con Salsetta al Pomodoro, or stuffed zucchini blossom with tomato sauce and field greens, or Vitello tonnato con Capperi, which is roasted veal in a tonnato sauce and Pantelleria capers. The zucchini blossoms got rave reviews. Then there is an interlude featuring Tagliolini con le Vave Pancetta e Pecorino, or tagliolini pasta with fava beans, pancetta and pecorino cheese. The fava beans were deliciously fresh and really a beautiful burst of green in the dish. Each dish was generally reviewed positively. For the entree, the two choices are Incontro di Agnello al Forno, or roasted lamb two ways with potatoes and aglianico red wine sauce, or Rana Pescatrice in Guazzetto di Zucchine e Patate, or monk fish with a zucchini and potatoes guazzetto. The dessert is Torta di ricotta con Salsa alla Vaniglia, or Italian-style ricotta cheese cake with vanilla sauce. The thick and rich ricotta made for a really tasty and filling dessert, for the few who had any more room left for more. I opted for my standard Calamari Panarea, or sauteed calamari with capers, olives and tomato for a starter, and had the Campagnola Salad, which features arugula and shaved fennel with pecorino Campano and lemon vinaigrette, and topped it with grilled chicken. We all enjoyed a few bottles of crisp Pinot Grigio with the meal. The service wasn't quite stellar, but we really enjoyed the other elements of the evening. A great choice for Restaurant Week for sure.