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Sette Osteria

cjsadler

By cjsadler
in D.C. & DelMarVa: Dining

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laniloa

laniloa

Posted
Posted

I played hooky on Friday and went to Sette for lunch. I arrived at 1:30 and the place was packed. Just one tiny table in a corner -- perfect for me and my book. I'd been really crabby about the reappearance of winter but the baked gnocchi made me glad for it -- this would seem too heavy for spring. The sauce was a tad too salty (and I'm a salt fiend) and I would hae liked more basil, but neither of these things stopped me from cleaning my plate. I was stuffed for hours but had a big smile on my face.

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JennyUptown

JennyUptown

Posted
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Stuffed from Sette.

It's a lovely place with friendly service by our waiter Giuseppe and very reasonable prices. Once Tom reviews it, it will be a zoo which is sad. For now, it's just nicely lively.

My friend and I skipped drinks (boo, I know, but I'm still feeling the effects of Saturday night out) and started our meal with the Insalata Caprese which was a great way to satisfy my craving for mozzarella di bufala. Yum.

We both moved on to pizza. My friend had the marinara with mushrooms; I had the prosciutto (which was so good) and rucola version. Both were great (and large).

For dessert, we had creme brulee with raspberries, a perfect end to an enjoyable meal.

The grand total before tip? $39. I only wish DC had more places like Sette.

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MCJB2

MCJB2

Posted
Posted

I went on Friday night (Sat. morning) at 2am, at that time they were only serving pizza & desserts, which was kind of disappointing, but then again it was open at 2am. I had a simple Margarita pizza which was excellent, not as good at Two Amy's, but better than most other pizza in the district (esp. Paradiso). The waiter was very attentive and friendly. The chocolate cannoli is indeed great (came with berries) & the coffee was better than average too. I agree, it will be impossible to get in after it gets reviewed, hopefully it still won't be too bad late at night.

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JennyUptown

JennyUptown

Posted
Posted

Here are the details on the proposed DC egullet festivities at Sette:

Wednesday, March 31

Sette Osteria

1666 Connecticut Avenue

6:30 pm cocktails and mingling at the bar

7:00 pm food

I realize that this is on the early side, however Sette doesn't accept reservations so early is safer than late. I plan to give them a heads-up that we're coming once I have a tentative number of attendees.

Interested? PM me to confirm that the date and time work for you, as well as to let me know if you'll be coming on your own or with a guest.

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JPW

JPW

Posted
Posted

It'll be a zoo anyways, as it was just done up in this month's Washingtonian.

If someone writes a book about restaurants and nobody reads it, will it produce a 10 page thread?

Joe W

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BigWyoming

BigWyoming

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Posted

Is there any room in this Sette lovefest for a slightly dissenting opinion?

Although there were a couple of the typical young restaurant service problems (no fork with dessert, etc.), I thought the wine, appetizers and desserts were top notch, especially for the price..

My only complaints are that the mozzarella in the Caprese seemed a touch ripe and that the pizza was substandard, especially when compared to the offerings at Two Amy's or even Matchbox.

No one loves a simple pizza sauce more than me, but the pizza I had at Sette was covered with some sort of pinkish paste that was completely devoid of any flavor. All the tomato-ness seemed to have been pulverized right out of it in some sort of evil food processor.

In Sette's defense, my date loved the mussels, and the potato appetizer and dessert of pastry balls stuffed with Nutella I tried were spot on.

And cheers to the owners for opening an affordable and high-quality Italian spot just off the Circle. I'll definitely be back, but I'll be sticking with pasta.

<img src= "http://forums.egullet.com/uploads/photo-14279.gif"><p>You haven't had foie gras until you've had it in Big Piney, Wyoming...

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DonRocks

DonRocks

Posted
Posted
Is there any room in this Sette lovefest for a slightly dissenting opinion?

I was thinking yesterday that this thread is beginning to make Sette sound better than it actually is. I have enjoyed all the pizzas I've tried, and I love the winelist, but not everything has fired on all cylinders all the time. Two examples: a Peperoni e Melanzane salad I had was pure garlic (and I love garlic) and too mushy for my taste, and a recent appetizer of calamari featured good-but-not-great calamari with batter that was way oversalted (and I love salt).

For me, this is a terrific late-night wine and pizza bistro that fills a very useful purpose in this town. But I'm not sure it's anything more than that (and perhaps it doesn't need to be).

Cheers,

Rocks.

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John W.

John W.

Posted
Posted (edited)
For me, this is a terrific late-night wine and pizza bistro that fills a very useful purpose in this town.  But I'm not sure it's anything more than that (and perhaps it doesn't need to be).

I don't think they want to be anything but.

But credit where credit's due...for the first month they've been open, and the QPR, I would say Sette is pretty good at what they do. Maybe I've been lucky, but the only clunker food-wise has been the penne with pancetta and pecorino. And I've said as much. The service is really friendly, and the fact I can get a good $6 glass of wine in addition to good to really good food at all hours (seemingly) is quite attractive to me.

Edited by John W. (log)

Firefly Restaurant

Washington, DC

Not the body of a man from earth, not the face of the one you love

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JennyUptown

JennyUptown

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Posted

I don't think anyone is saying Sette is perfect. But it's just the kind of place DC needs more of - the food is quite good, the prices are great, the service is friendly and relaxed.

If I could change it in any way, I'd have them add another pasta choice or two, and maybe some entree selections (which only exist as specials presently). But I'm glad it's there.

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morela

morela

Posted
Posted (edited)

The mere fact that the chairs fall backwards, is enough to keep me happy. It's like a sport; pin the drunk on the floor. Anyone who really knows me is aware that I only eat so that I can drink more.

I sort of get heartburn from Sette, but I like it anyway.

PS: I am only about half as cynical and drunk in real life. Truly, I'm lovely.

Edited by morela (log)

...

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hillvalley

hillvalley

Posted
Posted
My lame-o friend just canceled so no Sette for me tonight. :angry:

hillvalley? Al_Dente? JPW? Rocks? Other DCers - Who's up for going next week after work one night?

JU, is it just the two of us next week?

We know that John W. thinks he has a good excuse, but what about the rest of ya?

True Heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic.

It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost,

but the urge to serve others at whatever cost. -Arthur Ashe

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JennyUptown

JennyUptown

Posted
Posted (edited)
My lame-o friend just canceled so no Sette for me tonight.   :angry:

hillvalley?  Al_Dente?  JPW?  Rocks?  Other DCers - Who's up for going next week after work one night?

JU, is it just the two of us next week?

We know that John W. thinks he has a good excuse, but what about the rest of ya?

Nope. I have a number of PMs from people interested in attending. I wasn't going to post the names out of respect for privacy.

However, here is what I have so far in terms of RSVPs minus one:

bilrus

DonRocks

cjsadler

mdt

JPW + Mrs JPW

hillvalley

me

Anyone else?

Edited by JennyUptown (log)
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hannnah

hannnah

Posted
Posted

Put me down as a maybe - I'm waiting for my husband's boss to make a decision (watch me not hold my breath :rolleyes:) so I know whether I have to pick the husband up at the airport Wed. evening or whether I can come have pizza.

"Tea and cake or death! Tea and cake or death! Little Red Cookbook! Little Red Cookbook!" --Eddie Izzard
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mnebergall

mnebergall

Posted
Posted
My lame-o friend just canceled so no Sette for me tonight.   :angry:

hillvalley?  Al_Dente?  JPW?  Rocks?  Other DCers - Who's up for going next week after work one night?

JU, is it just the two of us next week?

We know that John W. thinks he has a good excuse, but what about the rest of ya?

Nope. I have a number of PMs from people interested in attending. I wasn't going to post the names out of respect for privacy.

However, here is what I have so far in terms of RSVPs minus one:

bilrus

DonRocks

cjsadler

mdt

JPW + Mrs JPW

hillvalley

me

Anyone else?

I might be available.

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Al_Dente

Al_Dente

Posted
Posted
Is cigar smoking permitted?

Doubt it, but you could always go a block up the street to BdC where cigar smoking seems to be encouraged.

peak performance is predicated on proper pan preparation...

-- A.B.

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