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

[legant]

Welcome bcate3! and congratulations on your first post.

Mistakes happen, but they don’t have to be compounded. Unfortunately, they are when a restaurant reacts with defensiveness or indifference. Happily, Dino acted exemplarily. It’s one of those rare places that combines fantastic food and conscientious service.

Dino has become my favorite "group" dining experience. On a recent visit we, too, had a "bad" experience -- the wine was delivered to the table but remained unopened for at least 10 minutes; the wait staff excused ignoring us... and the delay in opening the wine... by saying she was also waiting on tables on the patio. The graciousness of Dean in acknowledging the situation have endeared these folks to Dino. That and the menu della sera.

[Baccala]

Maybe it is just me but I would prefer that there be no situations that require special attention from the management. I have had issues at Dino's, and was offered a card for a bottle of wine for my next visit, which I refused.

[synaesthesia]

Maybe it is just me but I would prefer that there be no situations that require special attention from the management. I have had issues at Dino's, and was offered a card for a bottle of wine for my next visit, which I refused.

I think everybody would agree with you there. But at the same time, at least your issues were acknowledged rather than ignored or glazed over. That would be far more unsatisfactory.

[DanielK]

Had a lovely meal at Dino tonight after a flick at the Uptown.

We both did the Menu della Sera, which remains an absolute steal. My wife went with the Sformata di Porcini e Pecorino which went so quickly I never even got to ask for a bite. I had a special soup they had today (not on the menu), which resembled a pasta e fagioli, with cannelini beans, sausage, pasta, etc. Very good as well. Had to add a burrata to the appetizers, of course.

For mains, my wife ordered the wild boar pasta. While she enjoyed it very much, I find that I preferred the old recipe - this was too sweet for me. But I am notorious for not liking sweet notes with pasta, or especially meat, so I don't trust my own notes on this dish. I wish she had ordered the lamb pasta instead - I would have preferred a taste of that. I had the Rotolo di Maiale (pork loin). Holy crap - this is one of the best pork dishes I have eaten in my life. But Dean, the portion size on this is just too big. Honestly, you could have served one rolled loin rather than two (and knocked the price down a few bucks, so it didn't require the surcharge on the menu della sera), and I still would have had difficulty finishing the plate.

We shared the chocolate souffle cake and gelato for dessert - a nice end to the meal, if nothing special.

Dean was a great host and picked out some nice vino by the glass to match my dishes. Service was excellent, and it was great to chat for a few minutes with new barman Tom.

Total before tax and tip was under $80. An incredible deal for what we consumed.

[KeithA]

Had a very nice meal at Dino on Friday night. First time there with Chef Bouillon and you can see the changes right on the menu - a bunch more vegetarian options that made my wife happy. I started with the polenta with wild mushrooms which was very good. Less cheesy than the last time I had it, but equally good. Not sure what kind of mushrooms they were, but nice and woodsy. My wife and friend had the butternut squash soup of the day which was very well balanced with cream - not too much and not too little. I had a taste and wish I'd had a second taste, but they ate it all fast. Also I got to try the very good lamb pasta - although I wish it came with a different type of pasta. I've had the gramigna curved tube pasta at Dino before and I just don't like its shape (the taste is fine), it doesn't have an opening wide enough like a rigatoni to hold the sauce and it is big curve causes sauce to splash around when grabbing a bite (although it could be I'm a messy eater ;-) The 2 others split the halibut which they said was very good with a nice farro? unusual grain risotto. Ordering this fish gave our server an opportunity to shine - she noted that it usually comes with crumbled proscuitto which was a godsend because we don't eat pork, so we didn't need to push it off or send the dish back when we were surprised (the proscuitto is not listed as part of the halibut's lengthy menu description, but it should be - it is not like it is parsley or something minor). We also shared the burrata which was good,but didn't wow me over like the last time I had it (seemed like a smaller ball with less ricotta than I remember). What did knock our socks off was taking Dean's wine book recommendation to try one of his Reislings - we had the fruity, semi-dry Montchhoff which was so good, after I left I walked down the block only to be disappointed that CP Wines didn't have it in stock. The wine was a great accompaniment for the food. Overall, a really nice dining experience and with the more varied veggie options one that won my wife over to come back again soon instead of having to drag her there. So thanks Dean.

One bit of constructive criticism, I know all restaurants need to maximize the number of seats, but in the front window 1st floor section, have tables of 3 in the center which are the same tiny size as the 2 tops is not very comfortable. Besides being in the center of the dining room with servers squeezing/bumping by, the table is just too small for 3 people's dishes plus the bread, side plates, and big salt/pepper shakers. When we arrived I asked for a bigger table, but was told that the bigger 4 tops are for parties of 4. Like I said I understand the need to fill seats, but for the odd parties of 3, these 2-3 tables downstairs are too tight IMHO.

[jigones]

I found Dino's trolling DR.com two months ago and love it! Unfortunately, due to my recent schedule, I have only been there three times. However, I have recommended it to many friends and everyone has had a great experience. I can't say enough about their food and ingredient pairings, which form a delicious meal.

On the meal:

I had the lamb chops and fish on my visits. Both were were perfectly seasoned and cooked to perfection.

Service:

Our first visit was on a very busy night and the service was impeccable. This has been the case to date. The staff is also very knowledgeable about the menu.

Other:

While we brought our own bottles and took full advantage of the free corking, I checked out the wine menu and must say that Dino's also probably has the best as well as most detailed wine menu around DC.

Hope the stick around and they keep up the good work.

P.s. This is my first post ever and English is my second language, so please don't flame me.

[alan7147]

I found Dino's trolling DR.com two months ago and love it! Unfortunately, due to my recent schedule, I have only been there three times. However, I have recommended it to many friends and everyone has had a great experience. I can't say enough about their food and ingredient pairings, which form a delicious meal.

On the meal:

I had the lamb chops and fish on my visits. Both were were perfectly seasoned and cooked to perfection.

Service:

Our first visit was on a very busy night and the service was impeccable. This has been the case to date. The staff is also very knowledgeable about the menu.

Other:

While we brought our own bottles and took full advantage of the free corking, I checked out the wine menu and must say that Dino's also probably has the best as well as most detailed wine menu around DC.

Hope the stick around and they keep up the good work.

P.s. This is my first post ever and English is my second language, so please don't flame me.

I would have never thought that Englisth was your SL based on your writing. Don't give it a second thought as you write better than some native speakers I know. Check out the Beer & Wine section if you don't believe me.

[jigones]

I would have never thought that Englisth was your SL based on your writing. Don't give it a second thought as you write better than some native speakers I know. Check out the Beer & Wine section if you don't believe me.

Thank you.

[Adam23]

Also I got to try the very good lamb pasta - although I wish it came with a different type of pasta. I've had the gramigna curved tube pasta at Dino before and I just don't like its shape (the taste is fine), it doesn't have an opening wide enough like a rigatoni to hold the sauce and it is big curve causes sauce to splash around when grabbing a bite (although it could be I'm a messy eater ;-)

We went on Wednesday with some friends. Ordered a few bowls of the lamb pasta. I'm going to agree that the pasta, while excellent tasting, didn't really work with the lamb sauce. It was very cumbersome to eat though tasted great. I think I would have preferred rigatoni or a flat noodle. But anyhow, the wife got some of the squash flan which was very good. Nice flavors, nice texture and the balsamic worked well with it. We also ordered a few of the Wine wednesday things. Some very nice wines and some very nice little eats to go with it. We enjoyed the beet carpaccio and the polenta cake. But the third item, and i'm blanking out what it was exactly (maybe Dean can help) was outstanding. A nice crisp breading around some pork? and cheese. Delicious. My friends were fighting over them. With I could have ordered a plate of them.

[brettashley01]

The 2 others split the halibut which they said was very good with a nice farro? unusual grain risotto. Ordering this fish gave our server an opportunity to shine - she noted that it usually comes with crumbled proscuitto which was a godsend because we don't eat pork, so we didn't need to push it off or send the dish back when we were surprised (the proscuitto is not listed as part of the halibut's lengthy menu description, but it should be - it is not like it is parsley or something minor).

I ordered the halibut last time I was at Dino, and ended up sending it back as soon as I saw the chopped prosciutto spread across the top (I don't eat pork). Our server neglected to mention this component, so maybe it was my actions that prompted this change. This really should be something listed on the menu. The rest of the dish- the farro with pumpkin sauce- was delicious, but the halibut on top was noticeably dry. Just sayin.

PS I still love Dino.

[DonRocks]

We went on Wednesday with some friends.

Say hello next time.

[deangold]

I ordered the halibut last time I was at Dino, and ended up sending it back as soon as I saw the chopped prosciutto spread across the top (I don't eat pork). Our server neglected to mention this component, so maybe it was my actions that prompted this change. This really should be something listed on the menu. The rest of the dish- the farro with pumpkin sauce- was delicious, but the halibut on top was noticeably dry. Just sayin.

PS I still love Dino.

This was definitely a mistake. As soon as we realized it, we reprinted the menu, of course forgetting to correct it. That's when we made sure the waiters were telling folk till we reprinted it again. Now crispy prosciutto is clearly stated.

But the third item, and I'm blanking out what it was exactly (maybe Dean can help) was outstanding. A nice crisp breading around some pork? and cheese.

These were Hungarian sweet orange peppers stuffed with ricotta & ground veal. I don't think we will see these again as we got the peppers by mistake thinking they were full sized peppers for our grilled veggie plate and these little cute things came in. Tuscarora is at the end of its pepper run so I don't think they will be back this year. Boy were they good. Kay and I wanted to share a Wine Wednesday food plate for dinner that night and they were all long gone by then!

Just a note, coming up next week is Largrein and the week after is Rosso di Montalcino 2005 for Wine Wednesday. 3 - 3oz pours and a antipasti trio for $25.

[jpschust]

It looks like we'll be in this coming Saturday night I'll be calling to make a reservation in a day or two when we have a final headcount but we're gathering a group so anyone who wants to join us, drop us a line!

apologies to those who pm'd me- i'm pm'ing you now. due to a change in our arrival plans this won't work for us (we're going to be in town for less than 24 hrs now and can't include a real sit down dinner at the moment). We'll be back though!

[deangold]

We will be offering a Hanukkah Dinner Tuesday December 4 thru Thursday December 6. Hanukkah menu.

We will again have our Feast of the Seven Fish from December 20 thru December 24. Feast menu.

During both events, we will have wine pairings and we will offer a slightly limited version of our regular manu. A kid's menu will also be avaialable.

[JLK]

Dino Revisited

[zoramargolis]

After I did pre-T-day prep all day, the family took pity on me and took me out for dinner. Palena was packed with a long wait, but we managed to get a table at Dino. Since it was a quarter to seven, we still qualified for Dino's version of the early-bird, which is a major deal -- three courses for $24. I had the Tucan bean and farro salad, the wild boar pasta, and dessert, and the wine flight of the day--three different rossi di Montalcini for $15. My conservative-eating husband ordered potato croquettes, what was described as hanger steak, but was actually a flatiron, and dessert. My MIL had a half-order of braised rabbit, and shared our apps and dessert. We also had a chance to taste the savory flan--a warm, garlic-y custard topped with grated parmesan and drizzled with balsamico, which was delicate in texture and bold in flavor. Really nice. The portions were huge. I liked the chunky texture and flavor of the boar meat with the pasta, which was perfectly al dente. My MIL's rabbit dish was delicious--I'm ordering that when I go back after 7 p.m.--it wasn't one of the "menu de la sera" offerings. The gelati were a good choice for dessert. The service was friendly. The wine was delicious. What else can I say? Excellent meal, good deal. Thanks Dean and Kay!

[mikeskaj]

Dino for many reasons has become one of my favorite restaurants in DC in the year and a half that I've lived here. I was reviewing my Opentable reservations recently and realized that I've eaten here 12 times since my first visit last December. My first post on DR was my review of the Feast of the seven fishes dinner last Christmas Eve.

Last Sunday I went with my mother and we ordered off of the Menu della Sera. We ordered 2 starters apiece and an entrée which they happily delivered in 3 courses. Everything was excellent but the highlights of the meal for me were the vegetable antipasti, the squash flan, the faro salad, and the hangar steak. We finished with a great cheese course including one of the funkiest gorgonzolas, in a good way, I've ever had. I could still smell it on my fingers the next day. This along with a '99 Mount Eden Cab made for a great meal. The pricing on the Menu della Sera as well as the discount for Wine Madness nights has to be one of the best deals going.

Dean as always was a warm and gracious host and the wait service was both professional and warm. I really like the direction Chef Stephan is taking the food. There seems to be an evolution of the previous menu toward a lighter style with the flavors becoming more pure and distinct. One of the things I like about Dino is that I always leave full but in a very comfortable way.

So I don't come off as a total shill there are a few things I'm not crazy about. I've never had a really good cup of espresso there and I've never really liked the desserts except for the crostada, which isn't currently on the menu, and the gelato with balsamico. Also, Dean keeps promising he's going to start serving more offal and has yet to produce. He had the most amazing sautéed chicken livers once and I've heard rumors of a tripe dish as well.

I was initially hesitant to post this as the Dino page always seems to be up front on the restaurants page and the reviews for the most part are very positive. But, after having as many good meals and good experiences at Dino in the last year I think Dean and Kay deserve credit for a job well done.

[Baccala]

I agree with your comments. I was there a few weeks ago and had a wonderful meal. The food, wine and service was excellent. I told a few friends at work at Dino and they came back with a excellent review as well. I have upcoming reservations for this weekend and on Christmas eve and look forward to going back.

[rkduggins]

Last night my fiance and I took his mother and sister to Dino for the first night of Hanukka. We all chose to order from the special holiday menu and were not disappointed.

First came latkes; crisp on the edges and soft inside tasting richly of onion, potato and apple. Topped with a dolop of creme fraiche and caviar, they served to whet our appitites for what was to come.

My future SIL and I ordered the lamb appetizer. Perfectly cooked to rare, the skewered lamb rested on a grilled raddichio half. The herbed yogurt sauce was excellent, and definitely had my fork working to get as much as I could out of the dish. My fiance and future MIL had the yellowtail crudo, which they said was wonderful. I didn't get a chance to sample as I was too involved with my lamb.

For the third course olive oil poached salmon came on a bed of greens, sharpened by pomegranite molasses and studded with chickpeas and olive oil slow cooked chicken with potatoes was so tender knives were unnecessary.

We ordered the olive oil cake, vanilla gelato with balsamic and Nutella crepes to round out the evening. The olive oil cake had a good crumb and strong almond flavor, which I really liked. My future SIL was dubious about the balsamic and gelato, but was all smiles after the first spoonful and the crepes were rich and delicious.

Dean and his staff were so gracious. My new family was very pleased with their meal, and impressed with the restaurant. In fact, we got a call later that night from my MIL thanking us again for a wonderful dinner. I can't take credit; I only made the reservations, so thanks to all at Dino.

[legant]

My new family was very pleased with their meal, and impressed with the restaurant. In fact, we got a call later that night from my MIL thanking us again for a wonderful dinner. I can't take credit; I only made the reservations, so thanks to all at Dino.

Second! If you want to make a truly good impression on folks go to Dino. The food has been consistently good and I'm oft greeted... by wait staff, bussers, barkeep... as a distant relative who really should stop by more often. Whether dining with a group or semi-solo at the bar, I couldn't ask for a better dining experience.

[Halloween]

Many thanks to Dean, Kay, and Tom for taking such good care of my mother on her birthday. She and I stopped by for apps at the bar (yes, I got my mother to sit at the bar), and we had a wonderful time. It was her first visit to Dino, but she had heard about the pork shank (which was not on the menu that night) from my brother. At some point, she said to me, "Where is Dean? I have a few questions to ask him." Hilarious.

[deangold]

Many thanks to Dean, Kay, and Tom for taking such good care of my mother on her birthday. She and I stopped by for apps at the bar (yes, I got my mother to sit at the bar), and we had a wonderful time. It was her first visit to Dino, but she had heard about the pork shank (which was not on the menu that night) from my brother. At some point, she said to me, "Where is Dean? I have a few questions to ask him." Hilarious.

Now we know where Halloween gets her demure and lady-like personality.

[Sthitch]

Just for Dean a tribute to the designers of his shirts.

[Escoffier]

Just for Dean a tribute to the designers of his shirts.

I think he and Michael must share a tailor when it comes to shirts.

[Baccala]

Went to Dino last night for diner and had a wonderful time. The food, wine and service were excellent. We started with the Antipasti plate, calamari, gorgonzola plate and Salumi Artigianali. The Antipasti and Salumi was great. The antipasti has is a nice combination of items from roasted peppers to caper berries. The Salumi plate is an amazing selection of artisan made meats. The bresaola is a standout for me, but all are exceptional. This plate is an amazing value considering the exceptional quality of the meats and the portion size. It is nice to see a charcuterie plate with more then one piece of each meat. Personally I think it is one of the best values in town. The calamari was perfectly fried and tender and served hot. The gorgonzola, described on the menu as fierce, spicy and funky, is amazing. I love it and always want more after I finish it. For mains we had halibut, salmon and the free form lasagna. The halibut was prepared as ordered and was flavorful and tender. The lasagna was described as good and something that would be ordered again.

We rounded out the evening with deserts and grappa. It was a good time with great food and wine. This was the first time at the restaurant for our friends and they loved it as well and talked about returning. I look forward to going back again

[Rieux]

I don't know why it took me so long, but I finally made it to Dino last night. I had read all the good reviews here, but, since I live in Dupont/U st, Cleveland Park seemed like a hike, and I assumed I'd get there some time.

Finally, we went there for a friend's b-day, on my suggestion, and everyone loved it. I had the buratta and the boar pasta, my friends had salads and the hanger steak and the lamb pasta. All were thought to be great, and to rival what we have all eaten in Italy. The plain green salad was a huge hit, with a dressing that was everything that you want a dressing to be, and more. Seriously, we all commented on the simple salad. It was that good.

We ordered a wine from where my ancestral people come from, Abruzzo, and it was very good. Service was excellent and prompt. The only SLIGHT issue was that the espresso wasn't that good. But it was more than made up for by the gelato! I was shocked (in a good way) when we got the bill. With tip and tax the bill was cheaper for 3 people than what I have paid for 2 at other, similar, Italian restaurants in DC. Dino is entering my frequent rotation ASAP.

[deangold]

Just a litttle reminder of upcoming stuff at Dino:

Feast of the 7 Fish

Thursday December 20 theu Monday December 24

5 courses for $59 with wine pairings available

Feast of the 7 Fish Menu

New Year's Eve

Monday December 31

Reservations from 5pm till 6:30: 5 courses for $75 with wine pairing available

Reservations from 7:00 till 10:30pm: 5 courses for $95 with wine pairing available

Both options include a glass of prosecco to start.

New Year's Eve Menu

Restaurant Month at Dino

January 2 thru January 31

3 courses for $30.08 (6 or so items with an upcharge)

Note we will not offer Wine Wednesday, free corkage or menu della sera from January 14 thru January 26

Menu

[pidgey]

Dino has probably become the restaurant that we visit the most because of its convenient location, its whimming ability (especially on a weekday night), its reasonable prices, and it great food and atmosphere. Its also become the restaurant where we are most apt to take out of towners or celebrate special occasions. In fact, we talked up Dino so much that some of our friends got engaged there earlier this year. And the question we always ask friends who have recently visited Dino is, "Did you get the burrata?"

Soon after Chef Daniel Amaya left, we went to Dino and ordered the boar pasta, which is when we realized that Chef Stephan Boillon had changed the recipe. The sauce was more broth-based, and it was good, but not as good as the previous recipe. Tonight, we stopped in at Dino's on a whim because as my husband put it, I was "under-wined", and ordered the Menu della Sera. I was seriously considering ordering the lamb pasta but decided at the very last minute to go for the boar pasta. Boy, am I glad I did. The sauce is now a wonderfully rustic tomato sauce, which only lightly coats the pasta. I was delighted to see it, and loved every minute of it. Every part of our meal was delicious, although my husband admitted that his meatballs could have used a little bit more seasoning.

Overall, though, I have been incredibly pleased with Dino. Keep up the good work!

[JeffC]

Soon after Chef Daniel Amaya left, we went to Dino and ordered the boar pasta, which is when we realized that Chef Stephan Boillon had changed the recipe. The sauce was more broth-based, and it was good, but not as good as the previous recipe. Tonight, we stopped in at Dino's on a whim because as my husband put it, I was "under-wined", and ordered the Menu della Sera. I was seriously considering ordering the lamb pasta but decided at the very last minute to go for the boar pasta. Boy, am I glad I did. The sauce is now a wonderfully rustic tomato sauce, which only lightly coats the pasta. I was delighted to see it, and loved every minute of it.

I could have written this two weeks ago. My first experience of Chef Boillon's wild boar pasta was underwhelming, but on a whim I decided to try it again after longing for the "old" wild boar pasta for months. Thank goodness for the bread basket, otherwise I would have picked up the bowl and licked it clean. This is the best version yet, so it's back at the top of my Dino menu rotation.

[Baccala]

We generally eat at home for the holidays, but after a few recent positive experiences at Dino's, and the special 7 fishes menu, we thought we would give it a try. We were glad we did, the food, wine and service were excellent. As usual the cheese, specifically the gorgonzola was phenomenal. A number of people ordered the special 7 fishes and others ordered off the menu. The special was good, with some exceptional items, like the Zuppa di pesce. The broth was perfect, not fishy, which in my opinion, most suffer from. This dish was not thrown together. The soup was well stocked with fresh clams, mussels and fish. One person had the Bistecca alla Florentine, and raved about it. It was ordered medium rare and was served as ordered. The quality of the meat and the preparation was perfect. The person who ordered it is from eats a lot of beef and told me that it was the best steak he has had in years. I sampled it and will be ordering it next time we go. A number had the Gramigna con Agnello, which was another perfect dish. The flavors were perfectly paired with tender pieces of lamb. The pasta selected for the dish was perfect, nice body for the dish. It is nice to see different pasta shapes and cuts. For desert we had a selection of gelato and the creps with nutella. Served cold, which was unexpected, but when you eat them you can understand why. The nutella is creamy smooth like a moose, it was excellent. The food, service, including the pre-dinner bar service, and wine was attentive and responsive to our needs. The quality of the food and wine for the cost is amazing. I look forward to going back soon. It was nice to see the Dean was offering the Wine Madness even though it was a holiday, was a pleasant surprise.

[mr food]

Dean and our server Ashley (sp) guided the two of us through an terrific Italian journey of food and wine last night. I left my notes at home but we thoroughly enjoyed the wines and various dishes we tried. I will try and get more specific comments posted in the near future but Dino is a very different place in terms of cuisine and service than the last time I visited. The wines have always been outstanding-extensive and very fairly priced. Bravo!

[Steve R.]

I have been here exactley twice and like it and take it for what it is. A great local place. What is interesting to me is difference in comments on here vs Chowhound. They are not as kind. I often wonder what is the difference in the posters ? Are we just being nice here or are they getting it all wrong ?

Interesting. Take this for what you will, me being a New Yawker and all & knowing almost nothing of the DC food scene. I'm visiting DC tomorrow thru Monday so I've been busily perusing Chowhound, Mouthfulsfood (both of which I am very active on in NYC) and here. I did a search on CH for Dino's (since I've seen this thread and Dean's posts around this site) and came up with a large # of posts that highly recommend it for the wine list, the authenticity and the price. Hardly anyone with substantial negatives, just some "not a destination place but a very good local place" reviews. That is, except for a recent 7 post "disappointed" thread. Since I'm so active in CH in NYC (Outer Boroughs board mainly), I've developed a familiarity with posters I trust & use CH that way, throwing out reviews from one time posters. Since I dont really know the CH posters here, I look at their names and see what else they like/dislike and compare to what I've heard elsewhere. Basically, a hunt for familiar names that seem to have written reasonable posts over time of places recommended here and elsewhere. So... all that to say that I noted none of the usual respected names on the one 7 post negative thread (did I miss something or someone?) so I sailed past that thread, gave more credit to the other threads w/familiar names and put Dino's down as a Sunday possibility for my visit.

Just saying that, to tell you the truth, this outsider thought that this thread was tougher on the place (scroll up this page a bit... yowsa... some tough comments) than anything I read on CH.

[Steve R.]

Okey dokey. Night #3 of our 3 night stay in D.C. (Sunday, 12/30) and we went to Dino's. First of all, let me just start by saying that, if this place was in my neighborhood, I'd be there 2 nights/week. Of course we dont eat at home at all so we're at various restaurants 8 nights/week. This is one of those places where you can eat little or eat a lot, spend little or spend more and be happy. And we ate a lot and were very happy.

We decided to take advantage of the Sunday night 33% off wine special, spent 10 minutes kicking around the possibilities with Dean, then went with a very nice Tedeschi 2003 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico. Starting with a wine that wasnt lightweight led us to start with a cheese plate as well, something we've done in NY several times, yielding some very rude comments from our food board friends. Well, Dean said it was okay to do, so there. And the cheeses were very nice. A pungent chestnut leaf wrapped one was my favorite (too stinky for Ginny) and the fontina was hers (I liked it as well). The third was also quite good but I cant remember the details: more crumbly, from the same provider as the fontina. Dean can elaborate if he feels the urge. Next up was the salumi platter. More food than we anticipated so I had to carry some of Ginny's responsibility to finish it. These were good enough meats to have been had in our trip to Parma last year... just missing the puffy bread. Bread and cheese, then bread and meat is my type of eating. At this point, the waiter was clearly amused and Dean came over regularly to check up on things, probably to see if the arteries were clogging yet.

Most would have stopped there, and we could have. However, we were moving at a nice slow pace &, as I've said before, I have capacity. So, next up was an order of the saltimbocca (3 very large tasty meatballs in a tangy tomato sauce), an order of the eggplant/chard/tomato side dish (loved it) and an order of the squash flan (at Dean's urging, and we're glad he did.... this is great stuff). Ginny was on tilt by now, but I had to continue (research is hard work) so I ordered (& ate) a half order of the boar papardelle. I eat this at 2 favorite places here in Brooklyn... the fresh pasta was as good, the boar actually better. No desserts. A couple of bottles of sparkling water with dinner... $170 all in, with tax and tip. This was a bargain for both quality and quantity.

I understand why Dino's wouldnt be heralded as a top Italian destination place in a U.S. city. It's of a style that isn't necessarily lauded by all. But it's our type of place, familiar to us when in Italy and hunted down by us when home. We love eating this way and honestly cant think of anything we had that could have been improved upon. Well.. maybe some gratis olives... we'll hit him up for that next time . Seriously, this is a gem & we left impressed.

Before leaving, it was good to find Dean and Kay eating at the bar and to get a chance to talk before rolling out and making the block long trek to the car. Looking forward to staying in touch.

[bookluvingbabe]

Steve R.,

Glad you had a good meal at Dino. That is the sort of experience we enjoy when we go--often just for a plate of cheese, a few cured meats and a taste of wine I would never have thought to try before.

We stopped in a few weeks ago after Mr. BLB 's office Christmas party and it was the perfect end to the evening.

[Sthitch]

I had planned on taking a friend to bar at Cityzen for a nice meal, but thankfully I checked the website and discovered that they are closed until the 10th, so I told him to meet me at Palena, but they also were closed (the sign on the door stated that the restaurant would reopen today), so it was off to Dino.

The "Restaurant Month" deal is spectacular, and for $30.08 I had the Polenta with mushrooms, a Flintstonian size boar chop, and a great Mascarpone Flan. My only complaint would be the addition of some not-so-seasonal ingredients (asparagus with the meat, strawberries with the flan), but otherwise it was a very enjoyable meal.

[bmcdonal6674]

Went to Dino last night and had a great experience. The food and level of service were on par with previous posts. Shared the salumi and grill veggies to start and enjoyed the Boar Rack while the wife had the Boar Pasta. We shared four cheeses for dessert.

The star of the night was the 2001 Collemattoni Brunello which Dean recommended. Spoke to Dean who made this rookie feel as welcome as any regular. Will definitely return and will be added some of the Collemattoni to my collection.

No reason to avoid Dino during restaurant week! Thanks for the great time Dean.

[Dave Pressley]

Went to Dino last night and had a great experience.

I also went to Dino last night and had a great meal at the bar. Service was friendly and efficient. My wife and I had the saltimbocca meatballs, the burrata, wild boar pappardelle, hanger steak, tiramisu and another chocolate dessert that I didn't catch the name of (the bartender recommended it). Everything was very enjoyable and the evening lived up to every expectation I had. Congrats Dean! You really run a fine establishment.

[DanCole42]

Finally made it to Dino on Sunday night - it actually took less than 30 minutes all the way from Fair Oaks! It was my first real Italian meal in a very long time (excluding those regularly cooked inside the home) and given the frigid temperatures outside, the rustic...ness(?) really, really hit the spot.

Everything was delicious, but the real standouts were the Bufala Cheese - air freighted from Campania every Sunday & Thursday, fresh ricotta stuffed fresh mozzarella, with olive & red pepper tapenades, oven tomatoes, olio, basil, which was almost more like a savory ice cream than any sort of cheese I've ever had. The Bistecca alla Fiorentina was intimidatingly huge and featured a juicy, earthy beefiness. I had actually already settled on the Rack of Wild Boar - apricot jus, cave aged cheddar & potato gratin, sauteed organic Florida green beans when Dean came over and recommended it (I consider choosing of my own accord what ends up being the recommendation of the proprietor to be "winning" at Restaurant), and it did not disappoint. I also enjoyed a rare treat of some melt-in-your-mouth cappo as part of the Salumi Artigianali.

For the wine, I went with Dean's recommendation (from his refreshingly informatively laid out wine list) of the  "Pithos" {Nero d'Avola, Frappato} Sicilia 2005. Dean explained that this wine was made very traditionally (that is, aged in buried amphorae rather than barrels - "traditionally" as in 2,000 years ago, not 100). Regardless of whether this makes any contribution to the wine (it did), I love that sort of thing.

As expected, Dean was an incredibly gracious host - describing each ingredient in detail, what made them unique*, etc. This was clearly a man who was knowledgeably passionate about his field.

Now that I know the travel time is not excessive, I'll definitely be making my way back very soon for my Italian fix.

*I really dig this sort of thing. Anyone can learn to cook, but what makes the restaurant experience special for me (with some exceptions) is the chance to try things of a type or quality I simply don't have access to at home.

[mdt]

Now that I know the travel time is not excessive, I'll definitely be making my way back very soon for my Italian fix.

FYI, yesterday was a holiday so your travel time may increase on a regular business day.

[soapy]

Dino's continues to be one of my favorite places in DC. My fiancee and I took his parents out to dinner last night to celebrate his mother's birthday. We ended up doing the Resteraunt week Monday special which is a great deal. I had the mushrooms over polenta and wild boar pasta. For dessert I had the crepes with nutella that were fine but just not as much to liking as some of the other deserts (gelato with either expresso or balsamic vinegar is still my favorite) anyway since it was her birthday My mother in law to be recived a complimentary glass of muscat and a chocolate molten cake so we ended up with 5 deserts.

[DonRocks]

My fiancee and I took his parents out to dinner last night to celebrate his mother's birthday.

Say hello next time.

Monday nights in February ARE a great deal at Dino (click) - a convergence of Restaurant Week and Wine Madness. Dean's florid descriptions imply the 2004 Pertimali Rosso di Montalcino is too young; ignore him and order it anyway. Normally $57, this Burgundian little beauty was only $38 last night.

Part of the Restaurant Week deal is that you can substitute an $8 appetizer for a dessert, so I got two cold first courses, and had them brought out together while I sipped my Pertimali. Tris di Crostini were three little crispbreads with cherry tomato and diced onion, a baccala tapenade, and mushrooms with pesto. While these were more refined, I surprisingly preferred the simpler, more rustic bruschetti tricolore I had a few days ago at Cesco. However, enjoyed alongside the Burrata ($12), served with a well-prepped trio of olive tapenade, red-pepper tapenade, and oven-roasted tomatoes, I had a virtual banquet before me, and noshed happily for what must have been thirty minutes.

Only three items have upcharges on the Restaurant Week menu, and I sprung for one of them. Costolette di Cinghiale ($32, +10 for RW) is a triple-chop rack of wild boar, ordered and cooked to a proper medium-rare, served with an interesting gougeresque gratin of potatoes and cave-aged cheddar, and apricot jus. It was a good dish, even in the chef's absence, and while I probably won't order it again, that's only because I reiterate that Dino can be enjoyed without spending a lot of borgata.

All this food, at full price, would have been $109, but because of the two overlapping promotions, it came to only $78.08; without the supplemental entree it would have been $68.08. Especially given the quality of the wine, it's very difficult to beat this in terms of value.

Cheers,

Rocks.

[soapy]

A pity we missed one annother but then I don't think we've ever been properly intoduced. In any case my fiancee also had the boar and enjoyed it heartily. And Dean I was the young lady who inquired about the lost roasted garlic appetizer that used to grace the menu. I suppose that now that it's gone I could try and make it myself at home. Might need to learn a good mostrada recipe.

[deangold]

Monday nights in February ARE a great deal at Dino (click) - a convergence of Restaurant Week and Wine Madness.

Just to clarify the nights & offers at Dino:

Sunday & Monday- Wine Madness 33% off wines over $50

Monday & Tuesday- "Restaurant Week" 3 courses for $30.08

Tuesday & Thursday- Free corkage

Wednesday- Wine Wednesday 3 wines plus antipasto trio

[xcanuck]

I know how many people love the boar pasta. You'll want to give the boar terrine a try. We had it last night and it was great. I loved the chunky texture of it. Went really nicely with the antipasti della casa. As usual, we were very happy with our meal and the service. And the three ladies I was with all enjoyed their "Very Sexy Cocktail" from Chris.

[jm chen]

Some people make Restaurant Week two weeks long. Or a month long. And then there's Dean. January's restaurant week special... still going in March, on Monday and Tuesday nights. A most delightful time warp.

(It's just a hop to the left...)

Proscuitto. Porchetta. Gianduja. A quartino of... something with lots of grapes in it. $40 plus tax and tip. Best I can remember, non-RW menu price would have put that at around $48 even before the wine. So, in sum: Tuesday. Good day to be in town.

Can you be stuffed to the gills if what you're stuffed with is mostly pork?

[dirtymartini]

Mmmm, boar...with barbera....thanks for a great meal!

[jaimetown]

Had dinner at Dino last week with a few wine buddies - great meal as Dean took care of us as usual!

[dinwiddie]

Had dinner at Dino last week with a few wine buddies - great meal as Dean took care of us as usual!

That he did, the food was as good as the wine and the wine was great. I've never had a meal at Dino where Dean didn't make a great recommendation, either about the food or the wine.

[tripewriter]

Me 'n the missus finally made it back to Dino this past Saturday. After a crazy annoying afternoon of errands that involved driving through gusting winds on I-395 to haggle with a dishonest frame shop, we called to see if our reservation could be moved up from 8 p.m. We needed ... to relax.

And so it was done, we arrived in Cleveland park a bit on the early side and killed time working the Post Sunday Magazine crossword in the car. At 5:30, we walked around the corner to Dino and enjoyed great hospitality, a comforting and tasty meal, and some excellent atmospherics thanks to the early evening hailstorm that blew outside of the large windows next to our table.

We started our meal each with a glass of prosecco and the burrata plate (fresh ricotta stuffed fresh mozzarella, with olive & red pepper tapenades, oven tomatoes, olio, basil). By the time we were halfway into this, I could feel the residual consumer rage from our earlier endeavors beginning to melt away. We then each moved onto three-cheese polenta (hers plain, mine topped with an earthy melange of grilled mushrooms). We were ordering wine by the glass that night, relying on whatever the house recommended (thanks Biljana!) so I can tell you the pairings we very nice but can offer no specifics.

For our main course the missus had the wild boar triple chop--although I recall it being "quadruple"--and she generously shared a slice with me. With a bit of sea salt (I ate it without the jus) it was pig heaven. Apologies to any diners who took offense at the sight of me gnawing the cracklin' off the bone. On second thought, make that regrets. They wouldn't know what they were missing.

My main was the braised lamb pasta, as was the polenta, a perfect blustery day dish.

We also enjoyed the cheese and seed breads, par-baked offsite and then finished in Dino's oven. We learned they are never frozen, so the loaves have a better opportunity to develop full flavor and texture.

Then decaf and dessert--the warm chocolate cake (key concept here: "warm" on a cold day = "good") and the passion fruit creme brulee, which was wonderfully creamy but would have benefited from a bit more fruit flavor, if only from a squeeze bottle garnish of puree.

Wheel me home, James ... it's time to feed the angry cats ...

[Walrus]

... it's time to feed the angry cats ...

Next time we should take home the boar chop bones and toss them in the door to appease the beasts. Then again, what's a finger here and there if it means getting dinner at Dino?