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My boyfriend and I love dining out on Valentine's Day. Even though I KNOW its the "novice" day for eating at restaurants, there is something about it that I love. That said, every year we try to go somewhere new. Neither of us have been to I Ricchi. Has anyone been? Any comments? Any other ideas of nice romantic restaurants? (Because of it being a weekday and because of work, the restaurant needs to be in DC).
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I Ricchi, 19th & Jefferson Streets NW Chef Christianne Ricchi in South Dupont
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#2
- Qui Nihil Sum
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Posted 10 January 2006 - 09:58 AM
I am constantly thankful that my wife has a distain for Valentine's Day, I cannot think of a most ghastly day to eat out. As for I Ricchi I have been twice and have found it to middling. The food is serviceable, the room is too ferny, and the wine list is not offensive. Also, it is not really my idea of romantic, but I do not look for romance in a restaurant. I doubt that you would have a bad meal, just not one worth the price on the bill.
“I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food.”
W.C. Fields
W.C. Fields
#3
- leviathan
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Posted 10 January 2006 - 10:33 AM
alisa7, on Jan 10 2006, 09:48 AM, said:
My boyfriend and I love dining out on Valentine's Day. Even though I KNOW its the "novice" day for eating at restaurants, there is something about it that I love. That said, every year we try to go somewhere new. Neither of us have been to I Ricchi. Has anyone been? Any comments? Any other ideas of nice romantic restaurants? (Because of it being a weekday and because of work, the restaurant needs to be in DC).
#4
- Don't Ask
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Posted 10 January 2006 - 10:44 AM
If not I Ricchi, then where? Your preference is for a new place. What other places fall into the "new" category for you? If Italian is your preference, consider Notte Bianchi.
Please unload all firearms and remove ski masks before entering establishment.
#5
- leviathan
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Posted 10 January 2006 - 11:00 AM
Having eaten at I Ricchi about five times now, I feel pretty confident in my opinions about the place.
The breads are usually awesome. This is a pro/con thing - it's easy to fill up on these breads because they taste so good. I love the pastas I have had (particularly anything with a butter sage sauce), however the prices are pretty outrageous, IMO. Entrees in my experience have not been as good (e.g., dry veal, boring beef dishes, etc.) and yet the prices are still in that outrageous realm. Again, my opinion, YMMV.
On my own dime, I would not go to I Ricchi. There are too many other good spots out there (and many, for a smaller check).
The breads are usually awesome. This is a pro/con thing - it's easy to fill up on these breads because they taste so good. I love the pastas I have had (particularly anything with a butter sage sauce), however the prices are pretty outrageous, IMO. Entrees in my experience have not been as good (e.g., dry veal, boring beef dishes, etc.) and yet the prices are still in that outrageous realm. Again, my opinion, YMMV.
On my own dime, I would not go to I Ricchi. There are too many other good spots out there (and many, for a smaller check).
Jennifer
#6
- leviathan
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Posted 10 January 2006 - 01:35 PM
deangold, on Jan 10 2006, 11:39 AM, said:
We will be doing a fixed price menu (actually two of them) with wine pairings available. See our website for the details.
[Penalty: Dino thread locked until tomorrow.]
#7
- ventworm
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Posted 13 January 2006 - 12:15 AM
Went for Restaurant Week tonight. There were 3 choices for the first course and the main course and choices for the dessert. I had the ribollita - a vegetable and bread soup. It was good and thick, but I kept having flashbacks to the amazing bread soup at Komi with the lamb sausage and it just didn't compare. Friend had the aurgula and radicchio salad, which was good. The third appetizer which we didn't try was a risotto.
My main course was the fresh grilled salmon fillet with olive oil, rosemary and breadcrumbs. The olive oil/rosemary flavor was good, but I'm not sure if it was just not very good salmon or it sat on the grill too long, but the salmon itself was not very tasty and was dry - normally I expect salmon to have a stronger flavor and this didn't. My friend had the Florentine boned loin of pork, breast of turkey and rolled, stuffed veal roasted in red wine and mixed herbs (Arista, Tacchino E Vitella Arrosto Agli Aromi). It was good, but didn't wow us. The rosemary potatoes it came with were quite good. The third entree which we didn't try was pasta quills with peas and mushrooms. With the meal came two types of foccacia bread and white italian bread. Foccacia bread was a bit heavy on the salt.
Dessert was choice of vanilla/chocolate gelati or a lemon-lime creme. We tried both. The gelati was what's expected, but nothing memorable. The lemon-lime creme was excellent - just the right tartness (with a graham cracker crust) to refresh the palate.
The place was packed full - and filled with balloons, apparently it was also I Ricchi's birthday. We had a very pleasant waiter, but it was apparent that he was very, very busy. Food was prompt. They need to get longer-burning candles..... we were there 2 hours and went through 3 long candles.
I have to agree with JLK though, the regular prices are pretty high - the entrees alone would've been about $30, the desserts were $9 and the appetizers were about $8. So it's a good deal for RW, and I'm glad I finally tried this place, but can't help feeling like I could've had a better RW meal somewhere else. In prior restaurant weeks, I went and tried places like Corduroy and DC Coast and got wowed and went back again when it wasn't RW. Didn't get that same feeling tonight.
My main course was the fresh grilled salmon fillet with olive oil, rosemary and breadcrumbs. The olive oil/rosemary flavor was good, but I'm not sure if it was just not very good salmon or it sat on the grill too long, but the salmon itself was not very tasty and was dry - normally I expect salmon to have a stronger flavor and this didn't. My friend had the Florentine boned loin of pork, breast of turkey and rolled, stuffed veal roasted in red wine and mixed herbs (Arista, Tacchino E Vitella Arrosto Agli Aromi). It was good, but didn't wow us. The rosemary potatoes it came with were quite good. The third entree which we didn't try was pasta quills with peas and mushrooms. With the meal came two types of foccacia bread and white italian bread. Foccacia bread was a bit heavy on the salt.
Dessert was choice of vanilla/chocolate gelati or a lemon-lime creme. We tried both. The gelati was what's expected, but nothing memorable. The lemon-lime creme was excellent - just the right tartness (with a graham cracker crust) to refresh the palate.
The place was packed full - and filled with balloons, apparently it was also I Ricchi's birthday. We had a very pleasant waiter, but it was apparent that he was very, very busy. Food was prompt. They need to get longer-burning candles..... we were there 2 hours and went through 3 long candles.
I have to agree with JLK though, the regular prices are pretty high - the entrees alone would've been about $30, the desserts were $9 and the appetizers were about $8. So it's a good deal for RW, and I'm glad I finally tried this place, but can't help feeling like I could've had a better RW meal somewhere else. In prior restaurant weeks, I went and tried places like Corduroy and DC Coast and got wowed and went back again when it wasn't RW. Didn't get that same feeling tonight.
#8
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Posted 13 January 2006 - 12:22 AM
rbh, on Jan 13 2006, 12:15 AM, said:
It was good, but didn't wow us.
“I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food.”
W.C. Fields
W.C. Fields
#9
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Posted 13 January 2006 - 07:19 AM
rbh, on Jan 13 2006, 12:15 AM, said:
My main course was the fresh grilled salmon fillet
Nice to know some places still rock Restaurant Week old-school.
Jake Parrott
Ledroit Brands, LLC
Bringing new and rare spirits to DC
Follow me on twitter: @jakehparrott
Read my wine recommendations in Northern Virginia Magazine!
Anyway, I need f (4, 2) resolved to an integer value....
Ledroit Brands, LLC
Bringing new and rare spirits to DC
Follow me on twitter: @jakehparrott
Read my wine recommendations in Northern Virginia Magazine!
Anyway, I need f (4, 2) resolved to an integer value....
#10
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Posted 22 August 2007 - 10:23 AM
bf and I went to I Ricchi during the restaurant week 2007.
It's been a few weeks since we went, so my memory is a bit hazy but I do remember this:
The service was decent but the food was another story.
For my entree I got the jumbo grilled shrimp skewer with bell pepper and polenta.
The shrimp was chewy, presentation was insipid and the bell pepper even came with the produce sticker. urgh
Oh yeah, the sparkling water was served tepid, a big no-no.
To be fair, we were happy with the calamari (just not the price) appetizer we ordered on the side.
Think we'll put this restaurant on our blacklist for a while.
It's been a few weeks since we went, so my memory is a bit hazy but I do remember this:
The service was decent but the food was another story.
For my entree I got the jumbo grilled shrimp skewer with bell pepper and polenta.
The shrimp was chewy, presentation was insipid and the bell pepper even came with the produce sticker. urgh
Oh yeah, the sparkling water was served tepid, a big no-no.
To be fair, we were happy with the calamari (just not the price) appetizer we ordered on the side.
Think we'll put this restaurant on our blacklist for a while.
#11
- leviathan
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Posted 22 August 2007 - 11:22 AM
SuasorDC, on Aug 22 2007, 11:23 AM, said:
bf and I went to I Ricchi during the restaurant week 2007.
It's been a few weeks since we went, so my memory is a bit hazy but I do remember this:
The service was decent but the food was another story.
For my entree I got the jumbo grilled shrimp skewer with bell pepper and polenta.
The shrimp was chewy, presentation was insipid and the bell pepper even came with the produce sticker. urgh
Oh yeah, the sparkling water was served tepid, a big no-no.
To be fair, we were happy with the calamari (just not the price) appetizer we ordered on the side.
Think we'll put this restaurant on our blacklist for a while.
It's been a few weeks since we went, so my memory is a bit hazy but I do remember this:
The service was decent but the food was another story.
For my entree I got the jumbo grilled shrimp skewer with bell pepper and polenta.
The shrimp was chewy, presentation was insipid and the bell pepper even came with the produce sticker. urgh
Oh yeah, the sparkling water was served tepid, a big no-no.
To be fair, we were happy with the calamari (just not the price) appetizer we ordered on the side.
Think we'll put this restaurant on our blacklist for a while.
Washington D.C.: I'd like to take my husband to I Ricchi for his birthday.
Haven't been there in years. What do you think?
Tom Sietsema: I think you might consider another upscale Italian restaurant.
Palena would be my first choice. Al Tiramisu would be my second. And while I like Dino in Cleveland Park --- which recently introduced a new chef, Stephan Boillon from Chef Allen's in Aventura, Florida -- its very good heirloom tomato salad, whole grilled fish and balsamic-drizzled steak are served in a loud environment that might not be conducive to a romantic birthday dinner.
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