100 Very Best 2016With its tucked-away alcoves and ruddy brick walls, this rowhouse is one of the more romantic addresses in the 14th Street corridor. But it’s not just about atmosphere. There are excellent cocktails, especially if you’re a fan of herbal flavors and amari; a prodigious roster of Italian meats and cheeses, including obscurities such as salty Moliterno cheese from Basilicata; and a wealth of fresh pastas. We like to kick things off with cipolla, a grilled onion stuffed with a gooey “fondue” of cheeses studded with olives. Bread comes with it, but it’s the sort of thing that begs for a spoon.
Don’t miss: Paccheri carbonara with seafood; garganelli with rabbit ragu; grilled branzino; sirloin with arugula pesto; Brussels sprouts with mortadella; crispy polenta; coffee ice cream With Nutella; “Rye Bandit” cocktail.
See what other restaurants made our 100 Very Best Restaurants list. This article appears in our February 2016 issue of Washingtonian.
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.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
