While Damian, the chef, shows a fondness for French sauces and duck confit at Persimmon, he happily slings wings and pizzas here. The humbler fare—such as a Parmesan-heavy artichoke-and-spinach dip and a classic wedge salad with a buttermilk-blue dressing—can be very tasty. Pizzas are great, anchored by a not-too-thin crust that remains sturdy under the weight of such trimmings as artichokes, tomatoes, mushrooms, onion, and peppers.
Salvatore falters a bit on more refined dishes—tough hanger steak with oversalted kale, too-buttery steamed mussels—but patrons don’t seem to mind: Even on a Tuesday, the place was filled with customers, from families with small children to a pair of high-school coaches. In other words, the neighborhood thinks it fits right in.
Wild Tomato, 7945 MacArthur Blvd., Cabin John; 301-229-0680. Open Tuesday through Sunday for lunch and dinner. Starters $4 to $12, entrées $9 to $19.
This article appears in the April 2011 issue of The Washingtonian.
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