Sally's Middle Name in DC makes you want to try everything from first(name) to last....(2-25-18)

I was headed to the Atlas Performing Arts Center last night on H Street, NE and needed a place to grad dinner and totally forgot about SALLY's MIDDLE NAME right across from the theater. At 530pm the palce had just opened with several tables occupied and I was able to get a table, but by the time I left at 650pm, the place was jammed and indeed quite noisy as it has to be one of the hottest spots in the 'hood.

The décor is simple and unpretentious with wooden tables and floors and about two dozen seats downstairs(not sure if there is more upstairs)....and a dozen high bar stools. The menus are in black on the white tile walls and drinks are on the chalkboard; a pile of used cookbooks was on a shelf near me which I enjoyed checking the titles of.... The napkins are checked blue and white cotton dish towels.

My server Amy seemed to be handling the entire restaurant and she later explained the hostess did not show! The bartender was helping as well in what was a team effort that went fairly smoothly except when I needed a glass of wine as my main course arrived a bit earlier than I expected.

I started with a wondrously herbaceous NORONIC which is Mezcal chilled with nonino amaro and vermouth.

Amy suggested two dishes saying they should be shared, but two per person is about right. The Grilled Carrots (see FB) with Harissa, Herbs and Shallots packed a punch and I loved the herbs:dill, parsley, chervil, cilantro and micro greens. For my main course I had the super moist and juicy Cajun Brined Chicken Breast with "Stuffing Cornbread" and a divine Red pepper sauce. The cornbread had mushrooms and was seared crispy and a glass of Saint Cosme Cotes du Rhone was a nice pairing. 

There are many vegetarian options bus steak, sausage and more were also on the wall...this is a place I could return to over and over for sure.

DC's SFOGLINA sure fits the bill for family fun and more (2-11-18)

These days it seems that any restaurant Fabio Trabocchi opens is a surefire hit and it's no different with SFOGLINA located in the Van Ness neighborhood up the block from UDC. It's a fine addition to an area that never really had many finer dining options. While I use the term fine dining, I am referring to the food as Sfoglina (http://www.sfoglinadc.com) has the most casual of feels. We were pleasantly seated at the extreme rear in a comfy fabric booth which went from floor to ceiling (quieter as well than the central area open to the bar and kitchen) and the first thing we noticed was the "antique" feel of the plates and silver; one dish arrived at the next table in one of those 1970's Corelle/Corning cornflower saucepans! 

The menu is very simple with about 7 starters, 7 pastas, 2 mains and a couple of sides with a special here or there. The best deal is easily the option of three pasta choices for $68 (each is $24, so you save $4.00!). 

Will and I ordered a bottle (the wine list is much bigger then the whole menu) of Zenato Ripassa 2013 Valpolicella Ripasso which was a dream (as any Zenato tends to be) and drank well with our very varied choices. Sam and his friend tried the three mocktail options: Eve's Temptation of Cranberry, Sparkling Apple Cider, Lemon & Soda Water; Pompelmo Frizzante of Grapefruit, Agave Syrup, Lime Juice & Soda Water and the one Samuel declared the winner was the Spiced Melograno of Pomegranate, Cinnamon Syrup, Lemon & Club Soda (and I had to agree...the cinnamon was barely noticeable).

While the bread and olive oil were good, we liked it better for mopping up the awesome sauces.

Samuel started with the Arugula & Bibb Lettuce Salad, Ricotta Salata & Autumn Apples which was quite huge indeed. His friend had the Grilled Spicy Calamari which was cooked perfectly and served with a kicky Romesco Sauce for dipping.

Will and I split two starters: Fisherman Style Octopus Bagna Cauda had two large tentacles cooked to perfection and just slightly crunchy on the outside with a super sauce, while the Buffalo Milk Mozzarella came with a Tuscan Tonnato Sauce. Tonnato is almost always served with cold thinly sliced veal and the sauce's tuna taste is often muted by the meat, but here the tuna flavor was evident and the sauce a perfect compliment to the cheese; who knew?

Our server Maurico was a gem and we had others checking on us all the time to insure that everything was going well, and it did indeed. Just as at his other super fine dining establishments, the service here is top notch.

Samuel chose the Marche Bianchetti White Truffle Pappardelle with Parmigiano Reggiano which was quite divine and the rest of us split three pastas, each better than the next:

Basil Infused Tortellini are filled with rich Goat Cheese and served in a tomato based sauce with Brussels Sprouts

Squid Ink & Paprika Cannelloni Curls are more akin to mezzalune (ravioli) and are filled with Baccala (cod) and served with Lobster & Peperoncino in a to-die-for sauce.

Most decadent was the Spaghetti Chitarra served with Pancetta, Escarole and served Carbonara Style with a soft egg on top to break and enhance the rich creamy sauce.

As I said, these sauces needed major wiping up with the bread!

Desserts were a Tiramisu Panna Cotta with Zabaglione and Cocoa Nib Dentelle (a bit too crunchy for me, but novel, and Will loved it, as I prefer my panna cotta smooth) and Apple Hazelnut Coffee Cake with Vanilla Chantilly & Cider Sauce which I declared the winner.

Will's glass of Huckleberry-Cello was cloyingly sweet, but my 2010 Colosi Zibibbo Passito di Pantarella was a wonderful glass of the Sicilian sweet wine that is from the Marsala area.

There were some families, some couples, but in general a lot of small groups of folks just enjoying the good food, wine, service and atmosphere....

Restaurant Week really does go on at DINO's in DC (2-4-18)

Washington's Winter Restaurant Week may have ended for many places over a week ago, but Dino's in Shaw does seem to make it last forever with a $35 menu that is running now thru February 8th.

What's even better is you get the standard 3-course meal for $35 with appetizer, main course, dessert or cheese and they add on an extra starter if Deviled Egg and White Polenta Square with Roasted Mushrooms and Parmeggiano Reggiano as a hefty amuse and a post meal shot of Limoncello!!

We arrived just as the Super Bowl started, so the places was very quiet with only about 1/2 a dozen tables occupied by the time we left! Service from Omar and the team was superb and we had a truly amazing meal as well. Will started with a Raspberry Beret of infused raspberry gin, simple syrup, luxardo, velvet falernum and lemon which a  hint too sweet for my tastes, so I returned to my Mexigroni of Mexcal, Casmpari, Cinzano and Rhubarb Syrup that really was a treat on this chilly wet night. On Sunday(as well as many other nights) there are wine deals to be had and anything over $60 is 1/2 priced, so we reveled in the $79(down to $39.50) bottle of Le Casematte 2014 full bodied Sicilian blend of Nerello Mescalese, Nero d'Avola, Nerello Cappuccio and Nocera from Faro that reminded us of the wonderful wines we had last summer in Sicily (oddly the wine is misspelled on the menu as Casemente!).

Starters included the "Tuscan Bacon" & Spiced Asian Pear which is a spice rubbed pork belly that is braised and then crisped to super crunchiness with the grilled Asian pera and balsamic. Octopus Cooked under a Paper Bag is a novel name for the tasty braised, grilled then marinated cephalopod which is served in citrus with tasty Borlotti & Corona beans for a truly filling and huge starter indeed. I had never had the Ceviche here which has a true Italian flair and (see FB fotos) has the bay scallops, Mexican shrimp on one side, a large slab of salmon in the center and the spicy chiles and onions opposite so you can mix it to your spice level preference. The dish has a kick and it is truly huge as well! Stracchino is a fried cheese sandwich with anchovy first dipped in egg, then fried and served with a spicy tomato sauce, while the Greens and Fresh Mozzarella Bruschetta is served with the toppings underneath the grilled olive bread so it does not get soggy!

We were getting full even before the mains arrived, so there were three doggie bags to go when we left for sure! Winter Squash with Sage and Balsamic Risotto was Sam's veggie choice of kabocha squash, herbs, butter, veggie stock, preserved lemon and 24 month old parmesan that was rich and satisfying again on the cold dreary night. Will's Sausage Alla Calabrese was spicy greens with spicy chili sauce over rigatoni and my amazing Overnight Brisket was super tender pull apart local dry aged Angus beef that melted in your mouth and was accompanied by a very rich four cheese polenta....I guess that will appear for dinner at home this week as well.

Desserts were a Crema di Cioccolato that Will liked, but Sam passed on save for the whipped cream topping; I think he prefers molten chocolate to the pudding type.

Cheeses here are always a treat and Will & I shared four:

Note d'Giusto pecorino tartufato with truffle

Abbondanza "pecorino more selvatiche" raw sheep with wild blueberry and myrtle

Abbondanza "merlino" and

Toma, a rustic cow.

they were all delish and followed by a shot of tasty Limoncello sent us home very full and very warm.

Kudos to the whole Dino's team who always make our visits there like a Sunday family dinner!