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Dino, Dean Gold and Kay Zimmerman's Italian Enoteca in Cleveland Park with Beverage Director Fabian Malone - Closed


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Yes, there is a bar.  I didn't take a close look but I think there are about half a dozen seats.  Along the opposite wall are your classic bar tall tables and chairs.

My apologies if this has already been covered. I'm dying to try this place - what is the bar availability on Saturday evening? Say I show up at around 6 - is there a wait? Is it easier to grab a table for one?

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My apologies if this has already been covered. I'm dying to try this place - what is the bar availability on Saturday evening? Say I show up at around 6 - is there a wait? Is it easier to grab a table for one?

We went last Friday at 9-9:15ish and there was only about a 10 minute wait for a party of four.
However, last call is at 10:30 I believe so you don't want to get there too late.
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Thay have loads of it at Empson USA so I can run with it for as long as it sells well!!!

Hint! Hint!

They have loads of it at Empson in New Jersey.

They have 5 cases of it at the warehouse in Maryland.

Unfortunately there is, alas, none left at Dino till Monday night.
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We went to Dino's last night. I was told the wait would be 45 minutes to an hour but in actuality it was 5 minutes! I think the people on the list ahead of us were scared off by the amount of time quoted so they left.

We had all the Crostini's offered, my favorite was the Dino special which was a Point Reyes Bleu cheese spread with a sardine on top. Wh had a Salumi platter (Italian meats) and their large cheese plate. The cheeses were all wonderful but the blue was too pungent for my taste. (The rest of the table loved it.)

Primi piatti's were the Lasagnette, Spaghetti with tomato and roasted garlic, Ravioli with cheese and roasted Baby Squash. My daughter had the Panini with Mozerella and Prosciutto. Also tried, was the heirloom tomato salad with onions and capers. All the pastas were delicious, I personally could have done without the panini....

We also had the wine of the day which was a 1998 Brunello for $48. All in all it was an enjoyable experience and would recommend this place.

Edited by RaisaB
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Spent an enjoyable Friday night parked at the bar of Dino (Newton's first law of motion). The aforementioned Brunello is indeed a terrific bargain, even though it's not exactly a summertime wine. They have an array of tasty bar snacks including highly addictive peppers stuffed with prosciuto and provolone. The market fresh items are not falsely advertized. I tried the heirloom tomatoes drizzled with fine aged balsamic. Quite a summertime tastefest! Also had the chicken which I found to be perfectly prepared, moist and tasty. Enjoyed chatting with Dean and Chris. Finished off the evening by having dessert (Turkish delight) at Zaytinya ( It's just a short hop down the red line, so for those who require a dessert after a good meal keep it in mind as an option.) :P

Edited by FunnyJohn
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We'll be checking it out tonight. I hope the wait is not too long; we plan to meet there at 7:30 (our back-up plans are either Spices or Palena Cafe). I can't wait to get the octopus dish...I love it! Any other must-tries that don't involve pork? Thanks!

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Any other must-tries that don't involve pork?

Thin-sliced proscu.... oh. Right. Nevermind.

The Crostata alla Dino and ravioli special are definitely worth a shot. For dessert both the limoncello tiramisu and the Nutella panini are delicious. Enjoy!

Jael

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We'll be checking it out tonight. I hope the wait is not too long; we plan to meet there at 7:30 (our back-up plans are either Spices or Palena Cafe).  I can't wait to get the octopus dish...I love it!  Any other must-tries that don't involve pork? Thanks!

The Asiago crostini is very good as well as Tagliata di Manzo which is slices of New York steak served with a salsa verde on a bed of arugula with shaved Pecorino Toscano & olive oil.

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Thanks Alan and Jael for the tips!

We started with the crostini sampler, which all of us liked very much. In particular, I liked the cheese and sardine one-- very fresh and complemented the cheese well. Unfortunately, each of us only got one bite of each so I'll have to remember what I liked for next time!

I wanted to try the small plates, as I wasn't really in the mood for a whole entree. I had the octopus, the smoked mozerella, and the baby yukon gold potatoes. While each dish was very tasty alone, taken together, I don't think I created a particularly complementary meal. (I probably would've been happier sharing the small plates and eating half of each dish, and getting to try 3 more.) Nonetheless, I liked the chick pea accompaniment to the octopus-- very flavorful. The potatoes were very good with the olive oil and salt that's left on the table. (I'd been looking for fingerling pototaoes all summer at the store, so this satisfied my craving.)

My husband had the Tagliata di Manzo...he loved the arugula salad (which I was eyeing enviously, since I love arugula), and the steak looked perfectly cooked (medium rare--nice and red in the middle). I think he liked the steak just fine, but it didn't say "wow" to him. He also got to have some of my potatoes, which he concurred had that nice earthy taste, brought out by the good olive oil and salt. Our friend had the lasagna, and didn't leave a drop behind. Even though it sounded like it would be a heavy dish (with all the meat), he said it was light and didn't leave him with a greasy feeling.

Too full for dessert, unfortunately. Maybe next time I'll get to try more of the small plates, dessert, and sample some of the great wine that you all have been talking about!

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By the way... We are back in the 1998 Costanti Brunello business.  We have 5 cases right now and more is on the way.

Also on the wine front the reserve list is coming along.  It will start either this weekend or next week.

Whoohoo! Save a bottle for me. :P I'll be in for my first visit on Friday along with my cousins, who are Dino-ites.

Edited by Alex
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I bellied up to the bar last night to eat my way through as much as the menu as possible. Guided by affable barman Chris, I had most pleasant and satiating evening.

Started off with a glass of the Umbria. A good choice to cool me down as it was a little muggy out. I started by munching on some of the olives on the bar. Proceeding into the menu, I started with a sampler of crostini. A very nice bar snack. The highlight here for me was the "asiago salsa". The gorgonzola and anchovy was slightly to salty for me. Told that they used to use Point Reyes blue for this, I can't help but think that it might have been preferable. On the whole, a very enjoyable start.

Moving on I got a quartin of the Costanti Brunello, which I somehow managed to order over a twisting tongue insisting that it should be "CoNstanti" (you know, what Istanbul used to be). Oh my. Previous praise does not do this juice justice.

Deciding that I felt carnivorous, I had Chris steer me toward the "Affettati Misti". A salumi platter with a little cheese and frittata. The cold frittata didn't quite do it for me being a little too grainy for my taste. Hindsight being 20/20, I think that it might have been cooked at slightly too high a temperature which could account for some of the liquid seperation. The meats, however, were spectacular -- ham, mortadella/bologna (?), Genoa salami, and I was lucky enough to get a couple shavings of prosciutto. The prosciutto is heavenly. The other three were all very good, my favorite among them by a pig's snout being the ham.

At this point, business at the bar began hoppin', but (unusually for me) I felt dessert calling my name. I was glad that Chris suggested the tiramisu. Served in a huge coffee mug this was delicious, especially accompanied as it was by a pleasant Moscato d'Asti.

Pulling on my riot gear I edged my way out through a three-deep crowd, breaking free into the night a happy boy.

I just wish the bar had a few more than the five seats it possesses. On the other hand, it does lie on a direct line between the kitchen and most of the tables, so I was able to eyeball a few of the other dishes as they passed by. I'll certainly have to return so that I can try the more traditionally "dinner" parts of the menu.

Congrats Dean. I think you have a very good space and concept. The food is quite good and the vino is very good. Thanks to Chris for an enjoyable evening.

PS - everyone now needs to ask Chris what the college nickname is that he mentioned the existence of last night but refused to divulge. :P

Edited by JPW
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A Couple of notes....

We have sold through 5 more cases of the Costanti so it may be out of stock for a few days. I will try to get more Monday but it might not be till the end of the week that we have it.

Cheeses- We have cut into a really nice old Asiago and are also offering a triple Creme mixed milk cheese, La Tur, from the Piemonte. We are running low on the Castelmagno and Erborinati (One of the strongest blue cheeses I have ever had) so if you have not had them, try them. Because I air freight these cheeses in, we will not have them again till October at the earliest.

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How are the crowds on Mondays?  I'm headed over there next week with a chef friend of mine, probably around 6-ish.  Can't wait!

Lola, I was there this past Monday night and we got a table with no problem, but we didn't show up til 8.45.

Actually really enjoyed this new addition to the neighborhood - nothing fancy, certainly not event dining, but comfortable, nicely appointed and decent food. Dean was there to welcome and seat us and he is as congenial and obliging as they come.

My highlights were whole wheat pasta with a mix of capers, garlic, anchovies and olive oil that was billed as "pungent", but to my palate was just right, in fact, I can easily imagine having a very satisfying meal of it. My lamb was a bit overdone for my taste, but they did tell me that it comes in just one degree of doneness, so can't please everyone.

Overall, a satisfying experience for a weeknight, and I look forward to more grazing, great wine and a warm welcome.

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Thank you, Dean.  I hope YOU are there so I can say hello!

I will be there for dinner with a group of friends. We will be the drunk ones int he private dining room making fools of ourselves..... oooops I mean we will be in the private dining room having a sober evaluation of new and old vintages. Yeah! Right!!!

Let Michael know and I will stop by and visit!

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I will be there for dinner with a group of friends.  We will be the drunk ones int he private dining room making fools of ourselves.....  oooops I mean we will be in the private dining room having a sober evaluation of new and old vintages.  Yeah!  Right!!!

Let Michael know and I will stop by and visit!

I certainly will! We will be the drunk ones in the regular dining room making fools of ourselves. :P

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News on the Dino front!

We are starting to roll out or reserve list. You can ask for it starting Saturday night. We will have the red wines in place starting then. Whites to follow shortly. The list follows our pricing policy of list retail plus $10.00 for any wine I can call the distributor and re-order. If its sold out, the wine will be priced to reflect market pricing but I bet it will still be reasonable compared to any restaurant in the area. Right now between the reserve list and the "focus list" we ahve about 250 wines available. Some are fairly limited. There are wines from $20 a bottle to over $500 (retail plus $10 on Dal Forno Amarone is really expensive!)

Some wineries represented:

Valpolicella and Amarone:

Dal Forno

Quintarelli

Le Salette (amazingly good and well priced)

Bussola

Sangiovese:

Cerbaiona (especilly good is the Rosso 2000)

Collemattone (Brunello and Rosso- major wonderful producer, good on value)

Pertimali

Ciacci Piccolomini

Piemonte:

Marcarini

Cantina del Pino

Bartolo Mascarello

L Pira

Mocagatta

Paolo Cordero

Friuli

Jerman Pignacolusse

Ronco del Gnemiz

Zamo

Oddities

Gravner

Lispida

Due Terre

Poggio Gagliardo

California

Ridge (Lots)

Corrison

Ramey

More coming as soon as we can figure out where to put it all!!!

Edited by deangold
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La la la...

Just got home from a fabulous dinner at Dino. Unlike my weekend experience at Metropolitan in Annapolis, and despite being ditched by my original dining partner, tonight was definitely NOT a disappointment!

My two girlfriends and I put ourselves in the very capable hands of Justin, who usually is a manager but luckily for us was serving on this night. He kept bringing us dishes and we kept scarfing them up. We started with the mixed crostini (the cod and the eggplant were my favorites), which Justin wisely paired with a lovely Plozner Grave del Fruili. He followed that with several small plates -- prosciutto, roasted baby squash, scamorza and heirloom tomato salad paired with Arnaldo Coprai "Grecante." At this point, I was ready for entrees, but my friends were leaning toward dessert, so I ordered the balsamico with aged reggiano paired with an absolutely delicious amarone-like dessert wine (can't remember the name).

Not only was the food fantastic -- the atmosphere was perfect and the service was truly superb. Justin was by far the best server I have ever had at a restuarant. It was obvious he cared about the food and he cared about us. Without a doubt, I would recommend Dino to anyone and I will definitely be going back (hopefully next time with people who will want to eat more!).

Also had the chance to say hello to Dean, although he was celebrating his birthday and was focusing on more important things than me.

Night-night. :P

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I'm beginning to think it's dangerous to live only a few block's from Dino's.

Sunday night--tired, exhausted, sweaty from an afternoon at RFK. Cooking is beyond me at this point.

A plate of prosciutto and cheeses beckoned. A parking space was open out front.

Had a lovely early evening with a little wine, a little chat with Dean and Justin, admired the downstairs and went home satiated.

We expanded our horizons into the crostinis--finally! The cod was a bit salty but quite nice and the pate was a clear winner for me.

I'm terrible at remembering the cheeses--I know we had the cheddar and two other mild ones. I'm very much a girl who doesn't want her to cheese to taste much like cheese so I'm a fan of the milder stuff. St. Andres is my idea of a good time. Mr. BLB liked the cheddar and the others, I only really liked the mildest and softest one we had. (The first step is admitting I have a problem, right???)

The stewed fruits and the pickled veggies are a wonderful new addition.

Thanks for a wonderful meal!

Jennifer

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I'm terrible at remembering the cheeses--I know we had the cheddar and two other mild ones.  I'm very much a girl who doesn't want her to cheese to taste much like cheese so I'm a fan of the milder stuff.... Mr. BLB liked the cheddar and the others, I only really liked the mildest and softest one we had.  (The first step is admitting I have a problem, right???)

The stewed fruits and the pickled veggies are a wonderful new addition.

I think you had the Pecorino Fresco Putzulu and the La Tur of I recall correctly. The La Tur is a soft and creamy cheese that is a litttle pungent when ripe. The ppecorino fresco is really tender like a monterey jack but with a ot of flavor and a touch of tang. Arthur, our sous chef, is the force behind the stewed fruit and the pickles.

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Also had the chance to say hello to Dean, although he was celebrating his birthday and was focusing on more important things than me.

Night-night.  :lol:

I was hearing the siren call of the wines we drank tonight......

Collosorbo Rosso di Montalcino 2002

Fieldstone Petite Sirah 90

Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon 1984 Jimsomare Vineyard

Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon 1986 Montebello Vineyard

Kistler 1985 Cabernet Sauvignon Kistler Vineyard (the wine Kay and I drank at the alter at our wedding ceremony!).

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he La Tur is a soft and creamy cheese that is a litttle pungent when ripe.

A top-notch cheese and another reason why we have to get to Dino in the not too distant future . fyi - Jill also has it at Cheestique

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Ah, La Tur. I recall it's a very creamy, innocuous, accommodating cheese. Tastes like virgin's thighs.

I am althogether too old to recall that flavor... Luckily I can just order a case of La Tur from my vendor... don't have a reliable source for virgins at an affordable price...

Edited by deangold
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I left a message on the Dino answering machine in the hopes for reservations for a party of 6 this Friday night to celebrate my upcoming and my boyfriend's belated birthdays. I'm keeping my fingers crossed (since it's late notice) that they can take us...that nutella and mascarpone panini sounds unbelievably wonderful.

If they can't take us, we may just ditch the rest of the party and stop by early by ourselves. :lol:

*ETA: Just received a call back from Mike at Dino to confirm our reservation. Looking forward to it!

Amy

Edited by amyblues
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Say cheese.

Torta Basilico mascarpone, La Tur, Montenebro goat, Neal's Yard Cheddar, Neal's Yard Stilton.

Is there anything better than cool, soft, yielding cheeses with a glass of Iron Horse Rosato, crusty raisin bread, and fresh tangy raspberry moustarda? Very little.

The Stilton was especially fantastic. Great tang. As it gets warmer the La Tur seems to develop something akin to a bite, but the last taste of that one -- vanishing on the tongue -- was the best taste of all.

Jael

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I finally made it to Dino last night for the first time. And I'm still kicking myself that it took so long seeing as I live in the neighborhood. Well as I told our waitress last night, we will definitely be back very frequently.

There were four in our party and we had a great time making our way through the menu. First, while waiting for our table we sampled the very nice assortment of olives at the bar while sipping the old vines Pellegrini that Chris recommended (thanks! it was delicious).

It was a group of very close friends and my wife - so I was able to get bites of almost everything :P Then we started our meals we two salads: the special watermelon, olives, and watercress which was such a perfect mix of sweet and tangy flavors and the insalata misticana which was quintessential italian cooking - simple preparation of great ingredients. Both were delicious.

I also had the scamorza which was not what I expected. It was like a gooey cheese dip that you then spread on the toasted bread that accompanies it. Albeit a smoked mozzarella, scrumptous gooey cheese dip. It was a little heavy for my taste and could use a few more tomatos in my opinion.

Then we had a full portion of the Bogoi in Salsa whole wheat pasta full of salty capers, anchovies, and aromatic onions and garlic. I loved this dish - pretty much because I'm a sucker for anything with onions and capers. My friend didn't like it at first but as he dug deeper in the very large, very full bowl (read great deal to share for $11), he liked the dish better because the pasta at the bottom had more oil. I think the dish was right on, but the bites from the top of the bowl were alittle dry which was exaggerated I think since it was whole wheat pasta. Maybe a extra toss of the pasta before eating it would fix this minor problem.

Then we moved onto entrees: the special whole sea bass with herbs, lemon, and olive oil, the cheese ravioli special with tomatos, and the agnello lamb. All were good, but the first courses were better.

I mostly ate the sea bass which was delicious, but not very different from similar preparations at other restaurants nor their price at $25. So if you love this kind of fish and don't mind the price, go for it. If you'd rather take advantage of Dino's greater, typically lower price search elsewhere.

My wife and her friend raved about the ravioli as not only wonderful tasting but extremely filling and with such great tomatos. Maybe I shouldn't be upset at myself for waiting to go to Dino's until prime tomato season.

The lamb dish was probably the least favorite. Only my friend ate it and he said it was kind of dry and needed some more sauce.

Lastly, we were so excited about the great menu, we ordered everything at once at the beginning which left us with too many leftovers including only a nibbled on panini of grilled vegetables and goat cheese. This was sad though because I tried it and it was wonderful. Next time I'm looking for a quick meal, I'm going to go straight to this $7 panini.

We finished with just one dessert since we were mostly stuffed. We had the gelato/sorbet combo which typically comes with 3 scoops. I think it is primarily 3 scoops to go with the cute 3 section dish it is served in. However, my wife and her friend each wanted 2 scoops of peach sorbet and mint chocolate chip gelato(which was very different - lots shavings of chocolate with mint cream holding it together - very unusual and good) and were told they could get an extra scoop on the side. Now, I made the classic mistake of forgetting to ask how much for the extra scoop. Well the check came and the dessert of 3 scoops was $7 and the extra scoop was $4. Not sure how an extra scoop costs almost double (maybe cleaning the dish :lol: , but it was a small annoyance at the end of an otherwise delightful meal.

Overall the service was friendly and helpful. The only awkwardness was the giving and taking away our plates since we were sharing lots of dishes. On occassion I had a plate but no food and then when I still had food, my plate was gone. But I could see the staff working hard from our cozy table across from the kitchen where I had a great view of special prosciutto slicer.

We'll be back soon hopefully. I bet next time, we'll try more small plates and some of the tastes of wine. Oh I almost forgot I have to complement Dean on the great little extras like the salts and the very good oil for dipping the bread in.

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Some wine, fresh heirlooms, amazing prosciutto, tasty cheese (that La Tur is some incredible stuff!), and a sweet tiramisu made for a good evening at the bar.

As I was leaving and walking past the crowded bar I heard some guy telling his friend about this site called donrockwell.com. I would have stopped to say hi but I could not tell who said it and I had to leave. I guess I will have to give a loud toast next time. :lol:

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I guess I will have to give a loud toast next time.

I had a "to Rocks!" toast with my bar neighbor there on Wednesday after she asked Chris about "that wine that Dean's always talking about on the internet." (Which I think is exactly how I phrased it when I'd asked him about the Brunello myself.)

Jael

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Hello bar neighbor. Great meeting you. It seems we weren't the only members of the rockwell cult at Dino's on Wednesday. We're taking over. To Rocks!

I had a "to Rocks!" toast with my bar neighbor there on Wednesday after she asked Chris about "that wine that Dean's always talking about on the internet." (Which I think is exactly how I phrased it when I'd asked him about the Brunello myself.)

Jael

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Going the Dino for the first time tonight (finally!) with a group of friends.  The idea is to get there 6:00 or 6:30ish for snacks and vino at the bar.  How crowded has it been early on recently?

I got there right around 6 yesterday and the bar was relatively empty, but filled up rather quickly. How large is your group? There are about 8 seats on the semi-circular bar and 4 2-tops.

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I got there right around 6 yesterday and the bar was relatively empty, but filled up rather quickly.  How large is your group?  There are about 8 seats on the semi-circular bar and 4 2-tops.

We'll be 5-6, so hopefully we'll be able to snag some bar seats. Depending on timing and groupmood we may just sit down for a light dinner. I take it the Brunello is still available?

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We'll be 5-6, so hopefully we'll be able to snag some bar seats.  Depending on timing and groupmood we may just sit down for a light dinner.  I take it the Brunello is still available?

It was on the menu last night, but I did not have any myself.

BTW, get the La Tur!

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We will be closed Labor Day and Tuesday September 6 as well. But we will begin service 7 nights a week thereafter. Our first Tuesday dinner, September 13, is a benefit for the American Red Cross and we will be donating 25% of revenue to their disaster relief programs.

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Ate my first meal at Dino last night. It's a very lovely restaurant - definitely a place I'd recommend for a first date...if the people have good palates!

Highlights of the meal were the proscuitto crudo, "La Tur" cheese, gorgonzola, the cranberry & walnut bread served with the cheese platter, the fruit compote, peach sorbetto and my new favorite, pistachio gelato. I could eat a whole gallon of that stuff.

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