Le cose che vivi

To commemorate S.'s newly-minted graduate degree, we decided to have a dinner party at Domaso, just over the Key Bridge in Rosslyn, inside the Hotel Palomar - Arlington. I've been to their wine tastings (sign up for the mailing list here), but had yet to eat a full meal. I had sneaked a peek at the dining room - a gorgeous space with an open kitchen, vaulted ceilings, views of Georgetown, and castle-like light fixtures - the place is celebratory by design. Bo Choe, the Private Dining Coordinator and the waitstaff took great care of us - the best laid plans of mice and men are certainly improved by information, a great table, amusements from the bar and kitchen, and early set up.

Domaso bills itself a modern trattoria, and its menu centers on Northern Italian cuisine. With a new winter menu and a focus on seasonal and local products, patrons will find that the dishes at Domaso aren't too "Italian", or rather, deviate from the culinary cliches that we have come to associate with Italian food - the familiar palette of tomato and basil. But reinvention is the essence of modernity, and great food can, and must, defy expectations.

After an amuse-bouche of crab and lobster (and a shot of squash soup for S., who is very allergic to crabs), we ordered a round of appetizers. S. had the braised pork belly, perfectly seared on top of sweet potatoes and broccoli rabe, glazed with star anise. The star anise was reminiscent of Chinese Five Spice, as was the use of the rabe/rapini, but it was a very well balanced dish. The rest of us had tasting portions of pasta (all available as entrees) except for A., who went for a mixed green salad. I had the squash gnocci - perfectly sculpted, with just a dab of fontina (called a fondue instead of a sauce), thyme, and a pesto made with pumpkin seeds. The ratio of filling to pasta was just right, and the pumpkin seed pesto gave it a very interesting texture. B. and F. had saffron scented pasta - pappardelle for B. and spaghettini for F., with a wild mushroom ragu, creamed fennel and parmesan cheese.

For our entrees, I decided to carry on with my comparative study of short ribs in the DC Metro Area, and these have Darlington House beat by a mile. I was happy to see a de-boned short rib, which makes eating them a much simpler task. These came with mashed potatoes, porcini mushrooms and a wonderfully deep and sweet marsala demi glace. S. and B. had the pork osso bucco, a great take on the traditional beef dish from Milan: a simmered pork shank served over polenta, sauteed greens, roasted tomatoes and orange gremolata for a touch of acid. F. and A. had the cedar-roasted artic char, a small trout of northern waters that has been catching on in other over-fishing conscious restaurants, such as Hook. The smoky trout was served on top of lemon risotto, salsify (a small root vegetable, similar to a turnip) and caper butter sauce. The taste was delicate, layered and balanced. We all had a full-bodied red wine from Italy, picked by F. from Domaso's extensive wine list. Our waiter gave us some great recommendations to guide us through the new menu, and was a magician of sorts - he produced two of my favorite things, chocolate-covered coffee beans and a pisco-based cocktails as soon as we were done with our entrees.

By special request, the kitchen prepared S.'s favorite dessert - bread pudding. They must have known that it was our last dinner together before the holidays as well, as they added some lovely golden raisins, effectively giving us a version of panatone, Italian Christmas cake. We all cleaned our plates, donned party hats, and even threatened to sing along to Laura Pausini and Eros Ramazotti, both featured in the music selections at Domaso. A fantastic meal, and a great start to the Christmas season.

Domaso Trattoria Moderna @ Hotel Palomar - Arlington
1121 North 19th Street
Arlington, VA 22209
703.351.1211
www.domasotrattoria.com

Firsts

Low-grade, entirely superfluous instances of unfairness are a particularly grating brand of the annoying. Not content with having two of my favorite restaurants (El Chalan and Kaz Sushi Bistro) around the corner from my gym, I had to try Primi Piatti tonight to add to the culinary minefield that seeks to undo my half-hearted efforts to work out. Mr. Savino Recine's fine Italian establishment has been there for over 20 years. Until tonight, I had persistently walked past it several times a week. I had heard good things about the food and the outside seating always seemed pleasant, but nothing particularly exciting. I chose this place for its location and because I needed some jet-lag appropriate food.

My out of town dinner companions wanted beer but the selections (Moretti, Bud Light, Heineken and Corona) was not to their liking - no Sam Adams or Peroni. We had a surprisingly good Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. I did not order it, so I'll have to go back and figure out what winery it came from. For a first course we ordered a crostini with ricotta cheese that came with slices of pepperoni at room temperature. The cheese had a wonderful texture - firm but creamy. I seldom have ricotta as a stand alone, but it was a perfect counterpoint to the crunch of the bread and the slight fire of the meat. For a hot appetizer we had Mozarella In Carroza, a lightly fried mozzarella cheese with whole wheat bread and flavored with anchovy-caper sauce. Though there was no meat, the consistency reminded me of a croque monsieur. The sauce gave it a good amount of seasoning without competing with the cheese.

Though Primi Piatti is famous for its pizzas, we opted for pastas and a Veal Scaloppini. The veal came with a light sauce of marsala wine, oyster mushrooms and thyme, with a side of sauteed spinach. The fettuccini came with mixed wild mushrooms and was perfectly cooked. I had the Tonnarelli, a Roman specialty consisting of thick fettuccini with sea scallops flavored with spicy tomato sauce. I will order pretty much any dish with scallops, but this was a pleasant surprise. The sauce was acidic enough to complement the taste of the scallops and the pasta cooked to the point were the textures could be differentiated while eating. I don't think I've seen this on any other menu in DC, and I really enjoyed it.

The portions are quite generous, so we skipped dessert. If the pictures on the wall are any indication, I'll have to go back for the sweets and the magic shows.

Primi Piatti
2013 I St NW
Washington, DC 20006
(202) 223-3600
www.primipiatti.com

The masque of Italy

As soon as I walked into Teatro Goldoni last Thursday, my suspicions were confirmed: this is the quintessential K Street power lunch venue. Having their target audience down pat, they do not need to put in extra effort to reap the benefits of Restaurant Week - introducing more people to your menu and aesthetic. After mushing through the snow to make my reservation, I met my party at Teatro with a minute to spare. Though there was hardly a crowd, the hostess seemed quite frazzled; checking my coat took several comings and goings. Again, not a place that is used to many late dinners.

I walk by Teatro Goldoni often on my way home. I've always been curious about it, but had skipped it on previous Restaurant Weeks because of their very limited offerings. I had heard a lot about its decor and though I love an exposed kitchen (a great innovation back in 1999), Central and Brasserie Beck have this kitchen beat by a mile. From where I was seating I could see the service corridor more than anything that was happening in the line itself. The lighting scheme and carnevale maks are quite theatric, but the overall impression is of a dialed-down Las Vegas. The music featured jazz vocalists, which works very well.

B. had the roasted carrot soup for a first course, while the rest of us had Prosciutto di Parma. It could have been a run of the mill Italian appetizer, but the ingredients were superb - fresh with just the right amount of fat, and paired with oven roasted tomato, bell peppers and aged balsamic vinegar reduction. I've never had bell peppers and prosciutto in the same bite without bread, but it was a wonderful surprise.

For second course, B. had the salmon (oh so pervasive on Restaurant Week menus for all the obvious reasons). The salmon came with giant beans stew, and roasted rapini, and was herb crusted. A pleasant dish. F. had the Parmesan Style chicken breast with crispy eggplant, fresh mozzarella and tomato sauce. Though the presentation was lovely and eggplant is always hard to get just right, F. declared it a dish he could replicate. He ordered a side of pasta from the open menu. J. and I had the
buckwheat fettuccini with Bolognese sauce. The sauce was perfectly made - meaty without being soupy. The pasta was freshly made, as anyone should expect at those prices. The parmesan did not get to me until halfway through my entree, but it was an excellent addition.

The dessert options were a Pandoro amerene cherries pudding with illy espresso sauce and mint ice cream and a bittersweet warm chocolate cake with gingered mango sauce. I don't associate mangos or ginger with Venice, so I had the cherries pudding which reminded me of a bread pudding made out of pannatone for a very interesting effect, and the mint ice cream was powerful without being overwhelming.

Overall, a perfectly pleasant meal, but not enough of a preview to convince me to go back and order from their open menu for dinner any time soon. I'll have to try their bar menu for lunch one of these days.

Teatro Goldoni
1909 K Street, NW
Washington DC
www.teatrogoldoni.com

You are where you eat

The problem with holiday meals - if you can call it a problem - is that the food takes a backseat to the company. Unless every single one of your friends is equally enthusiastic about ingredients and menus, convenience prevails. This is especially true when you have to juggle offices all over the Metropolitan area, parking, kids, significant others, and an ever-changing table composition. You're lucky if you can squeeze your party of 12 to a centrally-located casual-dining outpost.

This weekend I was pleasantly surprised to get a table for 6 with minimum hassle at the very reasonable hour of 8 PM at Tosca. I've eaten lunch there several times - since they do full menu, it's one of my Restaurant Week staples - and thought it's been around for more than 5 years, Massimo Fabbri comes up with gorgeous seasonal menus.

Tosca features Northern Italian cuisine that is on this side of hip. The menu is pretty straightforward yet it encourages adventurous ordering: on the one hand, every pasta dish is available as an appetizer or side order and on the other, anything on the tasting menus is available a la carte.

I started my meal with the Radicchio Salad. I had it the first time I went to the restaurant and I've happily eaten it since. The salad has radicchio and Bartlett pears, with a Gorgonzola cheese terrine and toasted walnuts. Each component is separate on the plate, and I especially like forming separate types of bites on my fork. B and S had the chestnut soup, a thick heavy concoction with Porcini mushrooms and ricotta cheese topped with Pancetta. The waitress suggested that the soup be stirred to incorporate all the ingredients. F and J had appetizer portions of the linguini with seafood.

Though S was dissapointed at the lack of Osso Bucco, there are plenty of protein options on the Tosca winter menu, including a perfectly cooked and somewhat intimidating Braised lamb shank with Barolo wine and vegetable ragu on a bed of polenta, Grilled pork tenderloin in a rosemary and Porcini mushroom crust, and a lovely rack of veal in a rosemary sauce. For a main course I ordered one of the pasta dishes from the Grande Degustazione Menu - Carrot pappardelle with a very well-seasoned rabbit ragu in a white wine sauce. Also from the same menu, B had a black truffle and pork sausage Risotto. The bite I managed to sneak was creamy and balanced - I could taste and smell everything on the dish. Our famished 6th - straight from DCA - had the roasted veal and proscioutto ravioli.

I love clementines and was happy to see a Clementine Panna Cotta on the dessert menu. It was a refreshing end to my meal and I had it while sipping espresso, combining two very good things (I feel the same way of the gorgonzola cheese ice cream on the menu).

Finally, a meal to match the company.

Ristorante Tosca
1112 F Street NW
Washington, DC 20004
www.toscadc.com

Dinner at Sette Bello

Sette Bello is a lovely, fairly relaxed Italian restaurant right in the heart of Clarendon near the metro stop. Owned by the same folks who do Cafe Milano in Georgetown and Sette Osteria in Dupont, Sette Bello is a great go-to place when in Arlington and in the mood for Italian fare. The ambiance of warm yet modern - earthen brown tiled floors, warm lighting and simple yet quite attractive decor of authentic Italian prints, large wine bottles and various types of plants lend to a really appealing atmosphere for dining. The menu is quite similar to that of Sette Osteria, but has also has a Tapas or small plates menu, which is perfect for sharing a couple of items to start a meal. We decided to go with Calamari Panarea and Spiedino Caprese to start. The calamari was perfectly cooked and was beautifully cut into thin but still substantial ringlets. The squid was served in a tasty and thick tomato sauce flavored with capers, black olives, oregano and a good hint of garlic. The sauce reminded me of a thicker version of that which would come with steamed mussels done in an Italian style. The capers added a briny essence to the sauce and really enabled the juice of the olives to pop in your mouth. The Spiedino Caprese is brochettes of mozzarella and cherry tomatoes served with a nice bed of arugula which was very lightly dressed in olive oil, and the dish was sprinkled with a chiffonade of basil which was a really nice accent. The dish worked well as a small starter to whet the appetite a bit. For my main course, I ordered my usual Campagnola Salad with grilled chicken. The salad consists of arugula and shaved fennel with thick slices of shaved Pecorino and lemon vinaigrette. The fennel really makes the salad. The paper-thin shavings add the perfect anise-like flavor which cuts the fruitiness of the lemony dressing and also works nicely with the arugula. I love the kitchen at the Settes prepares meat - generally the cuts are pounded quite thin which makes for even-cooking and a moist and tender quality. I think that if you aren't doing a salad or a meat dish as a main course, the the way to go at the Settes is pizza, but Mezzeluna Alla Contadina on the pasta menu looked especially interesting so I recommended trying it out. The dish is pumpkin and amaretti filled pasta with butter and sage sauce. I think the amaretti adds a bit too much sweetness to the dish, and thought it could have used a sauce more heavy on the sage and brown butter instead of pumpkin, but it was still quite enjoyable. A bottle of Lagaria Pinot Grigio was the perfect thing to drink with the meal, and its crisp and refreshing quality worked with all of the dishes we had. I am already looking forward to a return visit to Sette Bello for another enjoyable, tasty and relaxing meal.

Sette Bello

3101 Wilson Boulevard in Arlington, VA

http://www.settebellorestaurant.com/

Italian Dinner on Saturday

My Dad was at baseball camp (of sorts) in Florida all of last week and returned late on Friday night, and my brother Aaron and cousin Karen were both in from out of town this past weekend, so we decided to get together for a casual dinner on Saturday evening. My Dad's girlfriend joined us as well. I picked Sette Osteria for it's convenient location, and more importantly the warm and casual ambiance and generally appealing menu. If you know Aaron the menu aspect is of special importance, as are prices. Karen and I met a friend of mine for drinks before dinner, and arrived at Sette a bit before the rest of the group. We were doing an early dinner, so it was easy to find a seat at the bar and relax a bit before the meal. Karen and her hubby are expecting (so exciting! can't wait to be informally "Aunt Leah"), so we ordered some bread for her to munch on while we waited. The bread was fresh and grilled so it was still soft but provided a hearty crunch as well. The olive oil it came with was fruity and was a beautiful golden color. The rest of the group arrived shortly thereafter and we were seated in a nice, round table in a cozy spot near the front of the restaurant. We started with a bottle of Farnese Montepuliciano. The wine was well-balanced and a bit tannic, and smooth and delicious. I started with Rucola e Finocchio with grilled chicken, a simple salad of arugula, shaved fennel, grated Pecorino cheese and lemon vinaigrette. The salad was fresh and delicious, and I particularly enjoy the way Sette does grilled chicken - it is pounded so it is super thin, and it is always light and moist. I also ordered my usual favorite, the Al Funghi pizza, which has a deliciously crisp crust thanks to Sette's wood-fired ovens, and is topped with zesty tomato sauce, wild mushrooms and lots of gooey melted mozzarella. The pizza was for the table really, and was delicious. My Dad had gnocchi served with a hearty tomato sauce. The gnocchi was melt-in-your-mouth rich and yummy. Aaron had Paccheri al Ragu Napoletano, which is large rigatoni with a Neopolitan meat sauce. The pasta was nice and al dente and the sauce was quite tasty and hearty. Karen and my Dad's girlfriend opted for one of the specials, which was spaghetti with a light red sauce with half a steamed lobster and prawns. The lobster was gone before I got a chance to try any, but I liked the simple tomato sauce the dish came with as it wasn't overpowering at all, and whenever lobster is in the mix I think a simple sauce is best. Everyone was happy with the dinner, and it was lovely as always to catch up with everyone.

Sette Osteria
1666 Connecticut Avenue in NW DC
www.setteosteria.com