Dino

[jm chen]

Anybody else make it out to the opening of Dino last night? Big thanks to MMerrill for mentioning it in another thread, as we had a great meal and a great experience -- and there's just something about being there the first night that's utterly exciting.

Small Italian plates, two floors, boatloads of wine, conveniently located in the former Yanyu space across from the Uptown, 1/2 block from the Cleveland Park metro.

I don't want to yammer on forever (well, I kinda do, but I won't) so I'll just say that every bite was delicious, particularly the smoked mozzarella and the perfectly aged proscuitto. It's a long, long menu so we'll have to go back to try the other 60 or so things we didn't get around to.

Have Chris (I think it was Chris) behind the bar make you a Soprano -- Limon rum, amaretto, and cranberry juice. Lipsmacking start to a delicious evening.

Jael

[hillvalley]

I got to try the menu this weekend during their pre-opening and was quite pleased with what I found.

Highlights included the scamorza (smoked, melted mozzarella), the lasagnette (layers of excellent pasta, creamy meat sauce and melted cheese floating in between), the meat plate and desserts. Two favorites from the dessert menu were the pine nut, honey and thyme tart and the vanilla ice cream topped with aged balsamic vinegar.

The wine menu has a number of wines by the glass that are available in 3 and 8 ounce pours which allowed us to try a wider variety than we normally would.

I fear that the biggest disappointment I will face is trying to drop in for a bite at the bar and finding it full and overflowing.

[jm chen]

Two favorites from the dessert menu were the pine nut, honey and thyme tart and the vanilla ice cream topped with aged balsamic vinegar.

I fear that the biggest disappointment I will face is trying to drop in for a bite at the bar and finding it full and overflowing.

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I will definitely be trying the pine nut tart next time. We found both the Nutella panini and the tiramisu excellent. The tiramisu is unusual -- no coffee or cocoa at all, just a light lemony flavor from the limoncello-soaked ladyfingers. Highly recommended.

The bar is certainly teeny and I have the same fear you do about not finding space. Dean mentioned that they were thinking about expanding it but in the near future I think we're stuck with just those 6 or so seats.

[Busboy]

Don't go to Dino's. Please.

Let me have it for myself. I promise to go often and tip well, so that you don't have to. Unless we all take the time to think this through, we're going to create one of those restaurants that get so popular that nobody goes there any more, and I'm going to find myself in a line snaking down Connecticut Avenue waiting endlessly just to get a bite. When I get hungry, I get cranky and I start deleting posts out of sheer cussedness, and none of us want that.

In an Italian restaurant environment too often defined by red sauce and forgettable pastas on the one side and high-end elegance on the other, Dinos finds another space to occupy, lifting simple, peasant foods to new heights in way that you rarely see in thses parts, outside of 2 Amy's. Based on a relatively modest sampling of the food, only a couple of days after the opening, I think Dino's has the potential to fundamentally change the way Washingtonians think about Italian food.

I never thought anyone cooked octopus better than the Greeks, but Dino's Octopus, braised in red wine and served with a chickpea puree, may have changed my mind in that regard. The crostinis each nailed down a distinct, earthy flavor -- liver, anchovey, garlic, salt cod -- this is not food for the faint of palate. Lasagnette al Ragu Bolognese, wove together a delicate pasta and"rich & creamy ragu Bolognese" with veal breast that made me wish winter were here and such dishes were mandatory.

The place isn't perfect. )Overcooking kicked a rotisseri cooked lamb with olio and tomatoes down from "transcendant" to merely "very good." The roast chicken was kind of OK, but since my wife makes the finest lemon, herbs and garlic chicken on the planet, we're a little spoiled. And if anyone ever asks me if I want "water service" again, I may barf.

Any faults, however, were well within the realm of expected for a restaurant just getting its sea legs. The service was attentive, the owner was prowling the floor, clearing dishes and making conversation, the price is right and the food is only going to get better.

At which point, the lines will start forming and I'll not get my table.

You've been warned.

[bilrus]

I promise to go often and tip well, so that you don't have to.  Unless we all take the time to think this through, we're going to create one of those restaurants that get so popular that nobody goes there any more, and I'm going to find myself in a line snaking down Connecticut Avenue waiting endlessly just to get a bite.  When I get hungry, I get cranky and I start deleting posts out of sheer cussedness, and none of us want that.

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As long as they don't put a 90 minute limit on the early seating and allow people to make reservations at all times of the day, and don't tell people how to behave and order their food they should do OK. Those all seem to be the kiss of death.

I wonder why it took DC a while to catch up to the idea of actual Italian food?

Edited to add little winky thing.

Edited July 11, 2005 by bilrus (log)

[jm chen]

Lo these many months later and I am still loving this place. The blessing and the curse is that nothing ever stays the same -- portion sizes change, ingredients change, the entire middle of the menu (mercato) changes every couple of weeks. But I have to say, if you don't know what to order, ask the staff. They never steer me wrong.

They're also taking reservations now (for half the restaurant), so for those of you who were staying away because you weren't sure you'd get a table, you now have no excuse.

One of these days I will haul ass and get there before 6:30 for the three-course $24 menu. Their website, www.dino-dc.com, has all the relevant info on what's eligible for the special.

[dinwiddie]

On the spur of the moment the wife and I went to Dino last night for dinner.

We decided to graze so we started with the Salumi Artigianali. We had Bresaola, Choriso, Speck(Smoked Prosciutto), Finocchiona, and Petit Jesu (Garlic salame). All were wonderful. We followed with a cheese plate of Guffanti Robiola ai Tre Latti, Guffanti Robiola al Cavalo, and Guffanti Ubriaco al Prosecco. Next were the Tris di Bruschette (caramelized balsamico cippolini & eborinati, goat cheese & oven roasted tomato, and roasted mushroom, pesto and goat chese) All were huge and easily shared. We followed those with the Antipasto di Verdure, grilled vegs and artichokes. Absolutely wonderful. Last was an order of Orechietti ai Funghi (“ear” pasta from Gragnano in Campania wild mushroom ragu with a touch of cream). Absolutely to die for. My wife's favorite. Accompanying the meal was a bottle of sparkling water (wife's choice) and a bottle of Collosorbo Brunello di Montalcino 2000 (my choice, $75). For dessert we shared the house made vanilla gelatto with balsamic. Espresso ended the meal.

Unfortunately Dean had just returned from Italy hours before and was not at the restaurant, so we could not jaw about opera and Italian wine (much to my wife's relief as she hates when I go into full wine geek mode) but it was a fantastic evening none the less. Service was great and the evening perfect.