From February 2005 Dirt Cheap Eats
The woman at the head of the line proclaims, out of nowhere, "I love this store!" The Italian gourmet shop is filled with treats: One table is piled with platters of Italian-grandmother cookies. A dessert case holds house-made cannolis ($1.89 to $3.99). There are pots of olives, shelves of imported cheeses and meats, jars of preserves and honey.
It's hard not to go wild and run up the tab, but stick to the pastries and high-quality sandwiches ($6.99 to $7.99), like transparent shavings of prosciutto with balsamic, olive oil, and provolone, and Italian roast beef with Gorgonzola sauce.
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
