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!
