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"Accessible Italian" for a Special Occasion - 80th Birthday Party


darkstar965

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I'm on the hook to book a spot to celebrate the 80th birthday of a dear Uncle coming into town.  He loves, loves, loves Italian but has more old world, red sauce and even Italian-American tastes.  Something like Roberto's 8 (we'll just be 6) or one of the Fiolas won't work because the food is too elevated and I don't think he'd appreciate it.

I know many of the more moderate Italian spots.  Places like Dino's, a place in Old Town whose name escapes me at the moment, Sorriso in Cleveland Park, Casa Luca, etc.  Bebo Trattoria is a bit too sophisticated and also in flux since Chef Stefanelli has moved on.

But do we have anything in the area (can be MoCo, DC or NoVa) that is really outstanding and special despite being more traditional with it's dishes, maybe with more red sauce options?  A place like JoeH's favorite in Atlantic City, Chef Vola's or just something really special or different in some way befitting the occasion?

I'm really not sure there is a good answer to this question but, if there is, this group is my best chance.  Thank you!!

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Landini Brothers and A la Lucia in Old Town both do good, less-trendy Italian, but I don't know that I would call either of them red-sauce places (but then again, I tend not to order the red sauce dishes, so maybe it's just escaping my memory).

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Trattoria Alberto on Barracks Row is red sauce Italian but how special it is depends on your POV.  I've known people who absolutely love it, and I find it okay for comfort food, though I haven't been in a while.  It's apparently John Boehner's favorite spot, whether that's a recommendation or not.  It does have that classic Italian-American restaurant feel about it, kind of like A-V Pizza did.

(FWIW, not only the yelp reviews are overall decent but so are the ones on urban spoon and trip advisor.)

Pasta Plus could meet your needs, but that's in Laurel.

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Special occasion, old world, red sauce Italian...just gonna throw it out there...don't shoot the messenger...Filomena in Georgetown.

Take in consideration it gets loud and I believe it's downstairs (am I correct on that?)...if those are an issue for an 80 year old uncle.

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Al Tiramisu in West Dupont is really very good (this is old advice, but make sure to ask the price of daily specials). I also think a senior citizen would feel very comfortable there.

Villa Mozart in Fairfax is a good choice in NoVa, but like A La Lucia, it isn't really "red sauce" (the menu is here).

And Sergio is probably your best call in MoCo, with a similar menu to Villa Mozart, i.e., not what we really think of being checkered-tablecloth, red-sauce Italian.

A couple weeks ago I went to Bonaroti and had a similar type of meal.

Maybe Pasta Plus in Laurel?

The problem is that real, honest-to-goodness red-sauce places around here just aren't that good. The places I mentioned are all moderate-to-upscale, old-school Italian serving veal chops, saltimbocca, lemon sauces, carpaccio, etc., and will probably set you back $50 a person all-in. They'll have red-sauce dishes, but not predominantly so. I guess my question is: Do you really want red-sauce, or old-school?

Boy, I haven't been to Trattoria Alberto in about eight years.

If he's fit, you could wait in line for Pasta Mia. :)

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When I think red sauce Italian -American I'd go with Carmine's.  So red sauce/ NY styled Italian American utterly in the style if you like it with the sauces and flavorings from the NY region.

....and you can take some home for the day after.  ;)

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While Roberto's 8 is out, why not eat at Al Dente? We went once when my dad had a craving for a non red sauce which was not in abundance on the menu so Chef Donna made us a bowl of carbonara off the menu. So even if they don't have what you're looking for, with a call ahead, I'm sure they could accommodate.

Carmines would also fit the bill for red sauce in abundance.

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These are awesome ideas so far---thank you!

Weezy, A la Lucia is the Old Town option whose named escaped me in the original post. It could work but maybe not quite special occasiony enough. Not sure. And I'm not familiar with Landini so will look that up.

Pat, that you think Trattoria Alberto "okay for comfort food" is enough for me to rule it out. No comment on the Boehner fave since I don't do politics here. :-). Pasta Plus is possible but, I can't recall much about it despite (I think?) having been there once. Hmmm.

Gadarene, Obelisk is a very interesting idea I hadn't considered. It's smallness and great food make it appealing. It feels like a different, more intimate and thus special-occasion type spot inside. But, it has been at least 5 or 6 years since I was last there. Know I enjoyed it but don't they have a very limited menu each night? I wonder if I could call ahead and request a specific dish like a veal chop?

Don, I guess "old world" (or at least not experimental or innovative and with some red sauce options so things my Uncle would recognize) rather than "red sauce" is the goal. I also don't know Villa Mozart, Bonaroti or Sergio. Is one of those more formal or special occasiony in terms of the venue and service? Definitely not Pasta Mia. My uncle is reasonably fit but would get uber frustrated waiting in any line. Also too pasta centric.

DaveO, il pizzico could work, maybe as my backup plan. My questions here would be whether the quality has held over recent years? Haven't been in maybe four or five. Some worry it'd be too noisy or chaotic inside. My uncle's hearing is still pretty good but that could be an issue. Not sure if that would also be a concern with Pasta Plus.

Lion, don't know aggio but will click that link as soon as I post this.

The Hersch, why am I not surprised you'd suggest La Perla? :-). For this, no, but you and I need to meet for lunch there one day. It's the only way to settle this once and for all!

Dinoue, Al Dente might also be too busy, chaotic, bad service but, the call ahead suggestion might make it a good backup.

Thanks again, everyone. Really appreciate your help with this as I'm feeling some real pressure not to mess this up and am challenged some by needing a place that I might not frequent myself. Probably clearer now that good or better service and a more adult/quieter dining room are important but has to also have at least excellent, if not life-changing, food. No life changing options like Chef Vola's or another JoeH spot which I believe is on or near Anna Maria Island (or N/NW of there) in Florida.

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I second the recommendation for Villa Mozart. It is small, and not terribly noisy, with white tablecloths and somewhat formal service. I usually go for lunch, but the dinner menu is here. The pastas and risottos are reliably excellent. I've loved everything I've eaten there.  There is a very small parking lot behind the building, down a very narrow driveway, and the walk to the entrance is up a small hill.

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On Villa Mozart and Bonaroti, two restaurants I've been to quite a few times (although Bonaroti not very recently): Villa Mozart is a genuine fine-dining destination. It's very special-occasiony, with excellent, fairly formal service, not quite at the level of Marcel's, say, but very good, with waiters in black and white with ties. The food is generally superb, but you will find hardly any familiar old-school Italian-American restaurant dishes--maybe a Caprese salad, definitely a carpaccio--but if you're looking for pasta with a Bolognese ragu, or fried calamari, or saltimbocca alla Romana, or veal Parmigiana or Marsala, you won't find them there. You will find them at Bonaroti, which is very nice, with warm, friendly service, in a slightly less dressy setting, but still quite suitable for a special-occasion meal. And you'll actually find them also at Ristorante La Perla, although God knows I've never dined at that miserable hell-hole <_< .

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Lion, don't know aggio but will click that link as soon as I post this.

Aggio is the restaurant within the restaurant, Range. It's not an old school Italian restaurant, rather a modern take on one. I think the atmosphere which is a basically a private dining room would do well with someone who is older and may have hearing problems. While the food I think is better at Range, Aggio reminds me of Italian American style cuisine.

Sergio's in Silver Spring, Carmine's or Filomena DC, etc...are all kind of the same in the sense they are restaurants from the past. On Joe H's recommendation we went to El Manantial in Reston and it was a good meal. I told my wife that it felt like an adult, i.e. grown ups, restaurant with very nice lighting and low sounds, and that we should bring her parents here when they visited because the decor reminded me of a 1970s era restaurant. Unfortunately, their new restaurant looks modern so that atmosphere probably is lost.

Please post where you go and what the experience is like as well.

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Al Tiramisu in West Dupont is really very good (this is old advice, but make sure to ask the price of daily specials). I also think a senior citizen would feel very comfortable there.

Villa Mozart in Fairfax is a good choice in NoVa, but like A La Lucia, it isn't really "red sauce" (the menu is here).

And Sergio is probably your best call in MoCo, with a similar menu to Villa Mozart, i.e., not what we really think of being checkered-tablecloth, red-sauce Italian.

A couple weeks ago I went to Bonaroti and had a similar type of meal.

Maybe Pasta Plus in Laurel?

The problem is that real, honest-to-goodness red-sauce places around here just aren't that good. The places I mentioned are all moderate-to-upscale, old-school Italian serving veal chops, saltimbocca, lemon sauces, carpaccio, etc., and will probably set you back $50 a person all-in. They'll have red-sauce dishes, but not predominantly so. I guess my question is: Do you really want red-sauce, or old-school?

Boy, I haven't been to Trattoria Alberto in about eight years.

If he's fit, you could wait in line for Pasta Mia. :)

An aside but as I was reading this I thought of Pasta Mia and wondered if it still existed and if so, if it is still any good. I haven't been for well over 10 years.

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Morini is a great idea. Actually had that one already; we're taking him there the subsequent night since close to Nats Park. :)   Thanks Tujague!

Went last week and thought it was wonderful; the bar area was pretty noisy. Both the pastas and the desserts here are fantastic.

It is so *odd* for me to be here, look to the *Northwest*, and see the area that used to be Waterside Mall (where I worked for years). Those who used to spend time down in SW 10-20 years ago will know what I'm talking about. If I recall, this is close to where The Follies used to be, and was not the best part of town.

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Went last week and thought it was wonderful; the bar area was pretty noisy. Both the pastas and the desserts here are fantastic.

It is so *odd* for me to be here, look to the *Northwest*, and see the area that used to be Waterside Mall (where I worked for years). Those who used to spend time down in SW 10-20 years ago will know what I'm talking about. If I recall, this is close to where The Follies used to be, and was not the best part of town.

It's still not the best part of town a few blocks away but changing fast. Have been to Morini a few times and agree on the food and possible noise.

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Left Sergio's off my previous rec since they don't have a lot of red sauce, but if you are looking for quieter, the regular dining area never get's too loud, but they also have smaller rooms. Our family group of 8 was seated in one of the rooms once. We actually used to go to Al Dente a lot before we discovered Sergio's and took a liking to it. (We also live in DC across from downtown Silver Spring) Ah yes, and the bad service at Al Dente seems to be the continuing plague of any Roberto Donna restaurant.

On Aggio, it tends more towards the formal, though when we were there, there were a few tables in jeans and some young children, so it's not to the point of being stuffy. It would be quiet, though you can also hear conversations pretty clearly from other tables around you. It doesn't necessarily specialize in the hearty red sauce style, but they have some options.

Now we actually eat more at home now that we introduced the kids to home made pasta, which they love, though not so much helping with the cleanup afterwards.

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After much consultation with family and the restaurants, decided to book Obelisk. This is for next week.  It felt like it might be the best in terms of specialness and formality given the 8-decade milestone.  A little risk in that they won't take a request for a specific dish, even for an 80th birthday (sacre bleu!  kidding.) but do have a veal chop on menu from time to time, including the night last week I called. If that's on the menu when we go, I'll be deemed a genius. If not, I may be regretting this choice but we'll see.

Decided to also do a second night with my Uncle's 2nd favorite (or maybe first depending on what day you ask him) cuisine: German.  We actually have an old thread here on the local German options but it hasn't been updated in 5 years.  For my uncle, a spot like Old Europe could work but I'd love to find something better/newer.  Leopold maybe a bit too hip for him and Cafe Mozart (downtown, if even still there?) and Old Europe are kind of the same bucket.  Have we made no progress as a fast-transforming restaurant city in German/Eastern European cusine...in five years?!?!  Any ideas?  Thank you all once again.

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Obelisk is a good choice. We went last weekend to Osteria Morini and enjoyed the food however the noise level was quite high and conversation was hard for four people across the table.

A very small place on Capital Hill, Cafe Berlin perhaps? Wasn't my thing but recall the wife and a friend enjoyed it however that was 3-4 years ago.

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Obelisk is a good choice. We went last weekend to Osteria Morini and enjoyed the food however the noise level was quite high and conversation was hard for four people across the table.

A very small place on Capital Hill, Cafe Berlin perhaps? Wasn't my thing but recall the wife and a friend enjoyed it however that was 3-4 years ago.

Many thanks, Lion. Hadn't thought of Cafe Berlin for this but might be a better choice than Old Europe.

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I really, really doubt it.

Perusing the linked thread carefully, could say the feedback was mixed with those against a bit more fervent than those who approved. That said, the Old Europe thread is more unanimous in its positive reports.

Reading both though, two things really came to mind. First, neither has many posts despite both being decades old. And, second, are there really no newer and decent German/Austrian places in the DMV? In full disclosure, the only reason why I haven't already booked Old Europe is because we took him there once before, several years ago. Maybe he won't remember or care.

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There are no good German restaurants in the Washington area. Old Europe is "not bad" at best, and it's the best. Wí¼rzburg Haus, which was out in the Maryland suburbs somewhere (Rockville, maybe?) used to show up on Washingtonian's best list year after year, along with some other really terrible restaurants. It was terrible. Terrible! To be fair, a lot of typical German restaurants in Germany are pretty damned awful, and I love German food. It's much easier to get a hideously bad meal in Germany than in, say, Italy or France. Perhaps even easier in the Netherlands, though.

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I really, really doubt it.

I'm curious--do the 2012 comments in the link to Cafe Berlin represent the restaurant after it was taken over by new ownership? I haven't been there in years, but I wouldn't write it off simply on the basis of three-year-old comments when there has been a change of hands fairly recently.

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I'm curious--do the 2012 comments in the link to Cafe Berlin represent the restaurant after it was taken over by new ownership? I haven't been there in years, but I wouldn't write it off simply on the basis of three-year-old comments when there has been a change of hands fairly recently.

Excellent question. Not sure anyone before you mentioned there had been a change of ownership. When did that happen and any reports since then?

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It's still not the best part of town a few blocks away but changing fast. Have been to Morini a few times and agree on the food and possible noise.

I, a petite white woman, would walk around that neighborhood without any more concern than I would any other neighborhood in DC.    Moroni would keep me away before safety concerns.  I wasn't that impressed with my one visit; the pasta was fine and the octopus unremarkable.

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I wanted to close the loop on this request for help since just seems right to do that when people make an effort to help.



Most importantly, big, big thank you to:  weezy, pat, tweaked, gadarene, don, lion, daveo, thehersch, dinoue, ScotteeM, Tujague, Choirgirl21, Mark Slater and hillvalley for helping me with this challenging problem. I so appreciate it.  As you'll read, you really did help and, in one case, I might have followed a suggestion different from the one I did if I had another bite at the apple.



We took challenging but much-loved Uncle to Obelisk the first night and to Old Europe the next night.



First, on Obelisk, this turned out to be a very bad choice I wish I could take back.  Not because the food or service was so bad but, rather, because it wasn't familiar enough for him, he didn't much enjoy what he had and thus it felt like a colossal waste of money.  There were three entrees on the menu the night we went.  A cod dish sounded great and I might have ordered that left to my own devices.  A pork chop also sounded great and I was sure (but dead wrong) that's what Uncle would order.  I'd been hoping they'd have their veal chop on the menu since that could have changed everything but, even though I'd asked about it when booking and they have it semi-regularly and my Uncle was celebrating his 80th, no go.  So, he ordered a spatchcocked chicken dish which was only available for two. So, I dutifully shared this with him.  It was fine. Good even but a bit ordinary.  He thought the same but was surprising more critical of the pork chop which he tasted (I didn't) that another member of our party had ordered.  A lot of this has to do with the personality and age involved. Family can be difficult. But, from my own POV, the antipastos were the best course and thus, for the money, I'd favor other spots.  But this just didn't work for him.  That said, the rest of our party loved it. And, they did put a candle in his cake.



Old Europe, on the other hand, was a huge success!  This probably says something about the persona but everything from the kitchsch and decor, charming servers in costume, hearty German fare and "the best black forest cake [he'd] ever eaten" made it a huge success. And, in addition to a cake candle, four of them led the entire place in a rendition of Happy Birthday with the 1-2-3 count in German.  He loved that.  At less than a third the cost of Obelisk, I realized my mistake fully at this dinner.



I'll post a bit more on the Obelisk experience on that thread but, again, just wanted to thank all of you. You're all awesome!  If I had it to do again, I'd have probably gone with Il Pizzico along with Old Europe.


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I'll post a bit more on the Obelisk experience on that thread but, again, just wanted to thank all of you. You're all awesome!  If I had it to do again, I'd have probably gone with Il Pizzico along with Old Europe.

Thanks for the followup! Trying to treat someone with a special dinner is always challenging, especially older people. I was wondering what the reaction would be. My experience the past few years in trying to do some special things for my wife's grandfather who is in his 90s definitely presents a challenge. The last food presents from German Gourmet were a hit.

 I think the higher the kitsch factor, the higher enjoyment which is a bit ironic.

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I haven't been to Old Europe in quite some time. What all did you have? I'd love to go back if the food is good. I'd probably rather go to Old Europe for German food than all the way to Germany.

Answered this on the Old Europe thread, TH. Guessing that's what Don would have wanted.

Thanks for the followup! Trying to treat someone with a special dinner is always challenging, especially older people. I was wondering what the reaction would be. My experience the past few years in trying to do some special things for my wife's grandfather who is in his 90s definitely presents a challenge. The last food presents from German Gourmet were a hit.

 I think the higher the kitsch factor, the higher enjoyment which is a bit ironic.

LOL.  Absolutely on the kitsch/enjoyment correlation, which I'm still finding highly amusing since never really considered that in maybe 15 or more visits over the years until this one.

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