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