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

[deangold]

Dean, can you give us an idea of what gelato flavors you might be offering? I am always intrigued by homemade gelato.

Gelati

Triple chocolate chip (milk, bittersweet & nibs)-mint

Espresso amaretto

Pumpkin spice

Vanilla

Sorbetti

Pineapple

Apple cider & cinamon

Lime & rosemary

Subject to change!

[JLK]

Any chance of you adding some savories like olive oil or gorgonzola? I tasted the apple cider and cinnamon in Chris's new Apple Jax cocktail. Tastes like alcoholic applesauce (in a good way).

[deangold]

Any chance of you adding some savories like olive oil or gorgonzola? I tasted the apple cider and cinnamon in Chris's new Apple Jax cocktail. Tastes like alcoholic applesauce (in a good way).

Give us time.... I see horeseradish next summer with our tomato soup or salads... But I am sure we will have some fun stuff soon.

[chickenlover]

I'll be dining at Dino this weekend to celebrate my GF's bar passage. Any dishes that we should not miss?

[legant]

I'll be dining at Dino this weekend to celebrate my GF's bar passage. Any dishes that we should not miss?

Ate there last night. My favorites from two separate ocassions: the salmon and the mushroom ragu. I deliberately ate only half of the ragu so I could have leftovers. Which was hard 'cause TxAggie wouldn't give me back my plate. But to be fair, I kept my fork poised above her mozzarella, waiting for her to drop her napkin on the floor.

[deangold]

I'll be dining at Dino this weekend to celebrate my GF's bar passage. Any dishes that we should not miss?

If I may chime in.... a 3 cheese plate with the Robiola Tre Latte (thick enough to eat with a knife or fork, but use a spoon as you wouldn't want to miss a runny drop), Ubriaco al Prosecco (tender mild cheese aged in barrel with prosecco) and either Fontina or Erborinati.

[youngfood]

Gelati

Triple chocolate chip (milk, bittersweet & nibs)-mint

Mmmmm.... this is GOOD! Great mix of different high quality chocolate slivers in a lovely mint gelato - just the thing after totally stuffing yourself full with pasta, cheese, and bruscette.

And Wine Madness is great.

I wish Dino could be my neighborhood restaurant.

[FunnyJohn]

Got a call from a buddy suggesting we meet up at Dino last night for a drink after work with another old friend. Usually we all get there at the same time just as the door opens at 5:30. Last night I encountered difficulty extracting myself from the bureaucratic goo that permeates my office building and was fairly late. Grateful to good ol' Dean for ensuring that my buds were well oiled and fed by the time I got there.

After their departure, I stayed for a plate of the polentawith sausage. My god is this stuff good! Creamy polenta accentd with a few different kinds of cheese, topped with some of the most excellent sausage and strips of roasted red pepper. This is thee best comfort food for this time of year. Also started my tutorial, courtesy of Chris, in grappa. Quite a selection there at the bar -- and some surprisingly smooth aged ones.

[deangold]

Just to let you know!

Feast of the 7 Fish
Friday December 22 thru Sunday December 24
$55 per person {served mostly family style!}
In almost every part of Italy, but especially so in Napoli, there is a traditional meal served Christmas Eve:
The Feast of the 7 Fish. It is an all seafood meal that usually includes fried fish, seafood soup, ravioli and a whole fish. The specifics vary from village to village, & even family to family. Join us as Chef Daniel Amaya makes his version which is sure to be "Not your nonna's feast!"

Fritti di Mare
An assortment of fried fish & shellfish
rustic tomato sauce with a bit of a kick

Nozze di Mare
Our "fishy" take on Italian Wedding Soup
Seafood broth, greens & fish "meatballs"

Raviolo di Mare
Lobster & cuttlefish ravioli, lobster sauce

Your choice of:
Frutti di Mare o Pesce al Forno (per due o piu)
light saute of shrimp & scallops, olio, herbs & garlic
Or: a whole fish served for 2 or more
Your choice of Dolce

The feast will be available for the entire table only {kid's menu available}

Wine match available: 5 - 3 oz. pours for $25

[Seanchai]

Coming into DC on one of our rare visits without the we'uns, we decided to head to Dino this past Saturday night. The food was very good (we had the small prosciutto plate, half order of the wild boar pasta and the lasagnette al ragu) with the exception of the polenta with sausage, which was excellent and quite distinctive in taste. However, I do have to give a special shout-out to the hospitality of the floor staff.

After placing our food and drink order, we received our wine quickly but the small plates were missing in action for about 15 minutes. Living in a college town, we are sadly used to , shall we say, service lacking in alacrity, so didn't really notice any delay as it was Saturday night anf the joint was jumping. Just as I was about to comment to my wife that the first course seemed a bit slow, the floor manager came over and apologized for the delay, saying there was a mixup in the kitchen. We were somewhat bemused but appreciative of the thought and the rest of the food arrived promptly. Service and good eats proceeded apace until it was time for the bill, when I realized to my astonishment that they had taken both small plates off the bill. Somewhat stunned, we doublechecked with the waiter to see if there was a mistake and he again apologized for the delay and confirmed the final bill. Needless to say, we were very impressed by the graciousness and the hospitality extended and very much look forward to our next visit to Dino.

[mame11]

First, in the event that anyone reading this board suffers from mild cases of the "I wish Spring would arrive soon" blues, I highly recommend the seafood pasta at Dino. It looks like a beach on the plate. The clams and mussels arrive in the shells over pasta in sauce (there were shrimp too). On a cold winter night, it was a delight.

Second, I ate my first meal at my new neighborhood Italian spot last night with my mom. I appreciate the guidance that Dean and his staff provided to help us taste a bit of everything on the menu.

Third, the pumpkin bread pudding with cranberries is the opposite of the beach dish... it is the perfect reflection of Fall and Winter on a plate. Yum.

Fourth, I love the way the wine is presented on the menu. I am not a wine person but know I tend to like less bold reds and that is exactly the way the menu is presented for wines by the glass... from light to bold. Tres cool.

[deangold]

Chris had wanted to list the wines by the glass in an easier to read presentation, so I am glad it works for you. See you all when we return from Montalcino.

[dinwiddie]

My wife and I decided to actually take the opportunity to go downtown to dine last night so we decided to go to Dino. We were indecisive about what to eat so we decided to graze. We started with the Salumi Artigianali. We had Bresaola, Choriso, Speck (Smoked Prosciutto), Finocchiona, and Petit Jesu (Garlic salame). All were wonderful. We followed with a cheese plate of Guffanti Robiola ai Tre Latti, Guffanti Robiola al Cavalo, and Guffanti Ubriaco al Prosecco. Next were the Tris di Bruschette (caramelized balsamico cippolini & eborinati, goat cheese & oven roasted tomato, and roasted mushroom, pesto and goat chese) All were huge and easily shared. We followed those with the Antipasto di Verdure, grilled vegs and artichokes. Absolutely wonderful. Last was an order of Orechietti ai Funghi (“ear” pasta from Gragnano in Campania wild mushroom ragu with a touch of cream). Absolutely to die for. My wife's favorite. Accompanying the meal was a bottle of sparkling water (wife's choice) and a quartin of a Rosso di Montalcino (my choice). For dessert we shared the house made vanilla gelatto with balsamic. Espresso ended the meal.

Unfortunately Dean had just returned from Italy hours before and was not at the restaurant, so we could not jaw about opera and Italian wine (much to my wife's relief as she hates when I go into full wine geek mode) but it was a fantastic evening none the less. Service was great and the evening perfect.

[synaesthesia]

Last night a friend and I headed to Dino's. The chicken, basil and tomato soup was amazing - this is coming from someone who was sick and had been eating chicken noodle all week. I wish I could have asked for a Thermos full to take home. Petit Jesu and the finocchiona salumi were fantastic. Plus the good old standby of Palacios Spanish chorizo. Cornichons are better at Dino's too - not as vinegary. Mmm... I ordered the salmon with horseradish crust - the salmon was cooked perfectly. Orechietti ai Funghi - always awesome. My friend had the cranberry bread pudding, which looked good. I had the creme caramel with pineapple and coconut. Yum!

I can't wait to send my sister and bro-in-law.

[Waitman]

Is my memory failing or has the section of really small plates disappeared from the menu (and did it happen months ago and I just noticed it). I was in last night craving some cod, but there was none to be had.

[deangold]

Is my memory failing or has the section of really small plates disappeared from the menu (and did it happen months ago and I just noticed it). I was in last night craving some cod, but there was none to be had.

I wouldn't dream of questioning your sobriety, memory, age or..... well shit. Its still on the menu, just atop polenta right now in a tomato sauce. It used to be on the corstini.

[Waitman]

I wouldn't dream of questioning your sobriety, memory, age or..... well shit. Its still on the menu, just atop polenta right now in a tomato sauce. It used to be on the corstini.

I was in polite company last night and well-behaved (for a change). But it seems as though there used to be a longer section of nibble-type things that perhaps I couldn't find.

My father-in-law also wonders why there is not Vin Noble de Montepulciano on the wine list,as it is a favorite type of his. He was, however,quite pleased with the Brunello de Montalcino (go ahead, make fun of my spelling) we settled on.

And we all enjoyed the fine meal btw, even the odd brother-in-law.

[deangold]

I was in polite company last night and well-behaved (for a change). But it seems as though there used to be a longer section of nibble-type things that perhaps I couldn't find.

We moved some of the nibbles to the sides and veggie section as we have been expanding the small plates that are more of a primi size. In looking at the sales mix, we ahve killed off some of the nibbles so it might be back to the drawing board for another try...

[Waitman]

We moved some of the nibbles to the sides and veggie section as we have been expanding the small plates that are more of a primi size. In looking at the sales mix, we ahve killed off some of the nibbles so it might be back to the drawing board for another try...

Dang. I knew I should have eaten there more often.

[deangold]

In almost every part of Italy, but especially so in Napoli, there is a traditional meal served Christmas Eve: The Feast of the 7 Fish. It is an all seafood meal that usually includes fried fish, seafood soup, ravioli and a whole fish. The specifics vary from village to village, & even family to family. Join us as Chef Daniel Amaya makes his version which is sure to be "Not your nonna's feast!"

Feast of the 7 Fish

Christmas Weekend 2006

Friday December 22 thru Sunday December 24

Fritti di Mare

An assortment of fried fish & shellfish rustic tomato sauce with a bit of a kick

Nozze di Mare

Our "fishy" take on Italian Wedding Soup Seafood broth, greens & fish "meatballs"

Raviolo di Mare

Lobster & cuttlefish ravioli, lobster sauce

Your choice of:

Frutti di Mare o Pesce al Forno (per due o piu)

light saute of shrimp & scallops, olio, herbs & garlic

Or: a whole fish served for 2 or more

Your choice of Dolce

$55 per person {served mostly family style!}

a limited version of our regular menu will also be available

The feast will be available for the entire table only {kid's menu available}

Wine match available: 5 - 3 oz. pours for $25

Dino will be closed Christmas Day

[deangold]

Our new Winter Menu is up on our website. Especially of note is our Antipasti di Maccelleria which includes home cured lightly smoked pancetta, tongue & cotecchino.

[jpschust]

Our new Winter Menu is up on our website. Especially of note is our Antipasti di Maccelleria which includes home cured lightly smoked pancetta, tongue & cotecchino.

Ate at Dino again last night- I think that makes 15 or so times for me at this point. Took the girlfriend there- it's where we had our first date 4 months ago last night. Anywho, the food report:

Drinks at the bar with Chris- she had some sweet fizzy drink (sorry Chris, I can't remember what it was- I don't drink super sweet stuff like that) and I drank a glass of the La Selva. I adore this wine. It's the perfect dryness, flavor of tobacco and punch of berries all at once for me. I keep reminding myself to go pick up a case of this to keep at home. We both had the artichokes which as always were phoenomenal.

Dinner:

Ordered a bottle of wine I'd never had before. If Dean reads this he might remind me what it was, but I've got the cork at home. Basically a red from Tuscany with a little bit of CO2 to it, but these wonderful fruit flavors. The taste of blackberries is still lingering on my tongue.

She had the gorgonzola salad which is always great, and then she had the 3 cheese polenta with sausage. I'd never had that before and I stole a bite. I was then jealous of my girlfriend as she ordered what I should have ordered.

I had the Lasagnette- nothing out on a limb for me, but I was craving it all day and thus I wolfed it down as though it was my job. The ragu on this is simply incredible. That beautiful mix of veal and pork is so rich and tasty. I'm getting hungry thinking about it again.

No dessert, but I had what might be the best cup of espresso I've ever had.

Cheers to Dean and thanks for making a place in my area that I can go to time and time again!

[TedE]

Ordered a bottle of wine I'd never had before. If Dean reads this he might remind me what it was, but I've got the cork at home. Basically a red from Tuscany with a little bit of CO2 to it, but these wonderful fruit flavors. The taste of blackberries is still lingering on my tongue.

Grotte Del Sole "Gragnano" (Aglianico & Local Reds ) Campagnia ???

I seriously love this wine. We've got a case of it as our "house" red right now. I find it to be a perfect party red and very versatile come meal time.

[jpschust]

Grotte Del Sole “Gragnano” (Aglianico & Local Reds ) Campagnia ???

I seriously love this wine. We've got a case of it as our "house" red right now. I find it to be a perfect party red and very versatile come meal time.

I'm going to guess at $80 a bottle it isn't your house wine

[TedE]

I'm going to guess at $80 a bottle it isn't your house wine

Nope, not at that price point. The CO2 comment made me think of it, though, since I knew it was on the Dino list.

[MeMc]

Fun!

[deangold]

I'm going to guess at $80 a bottle it isn't your house wine

Vel Aules 2003 from Poggio Gagliardo in Monte Scudaio. It is made following an 18th centuary text on local winemaking: The grapes are left whole and put in the fermenter. Then louvers are opened at night so the fermentation is very slow and then stops. The grapes are covered in CO2 and remain unfermented until spring, when the temperature rises and fermentation restarts and completes in 72 hours or so. Basically this is a non technological version of carbonic maceration. The grape blend is ancient vine Malvasia Nero (78%) and Colorino. We are looking forward to the next vintage as Jonathon got the last bottle!

[jpschust]

Vel Aules 2003 from Poggio Gagliardo in Monte Scudaio. It is made following an 18th centuary text on local winemaking: The grapes are left whole and put in the fermenter. Then louvers are opened at night so the fermentation is very slow and then stops. The grapes are covered in CO2 and remain unfermented until spring, when the temperature rises and fermentation restarts and completes in 72 hours or so. Basically this is a non technological version of carbonic maceration. The grape blend is ancient vine Malvasia Nero (78%) and Colorino. We are looking forward to the next vintage as Jonathon got the last bottle!

Now I think Robyn and I should feel bad about this, but I just spoke with her- neither of us feels bad for getting the opportunity to experience such wonderful wine

Thanks Dean!

[alan7147]

Ate at Dino again last night- I think that makes 15 or so times for me at this point.

Only 15 times, that is about a two month period for us

[JLK]

I was there last night too. My friend and I started with the always delicious burrata and the meatballs. While I think they meatballs are good, they have never bowled me over. I doubt I'd ever order them myself but various dining companions seem to find their menu description irresistible. For my main, I also had the cheesy polenta with sausage. It was tasty, but not what I expected. I think I had envisioned a simpler dish, just polenta studded with crumbled sausage; what came out was polenta largely masked with slices of sausage links and peppers. Too many peppers for my taste, but YMMV. I didn't not like it, but it wasn't my favorite thing I've had a Dino. The lasagnette, on the other hand...

[rbh]

In almost every part of Italy, but especially so in Napoli, there is a traditional meal served Christmas Eve: The Feast of the 7 Fish. It is an all seafood meal that usually includes fried fish, seafood soup, ravioli and a whole fish. The specifics vary from village to village, & even family to family. Join us as Chef Daniel Amaya makes his version which is sure to be "Not your nonna's feast!"

Feast of the 7 Fish

Christmas Weekend 2006

Friday December 22 thru Sunday December 24

Fritti di Mare

An assortment of fried fish & shellfish rustic tomato sauce with a bit of a kick

Nozze di Mare

Our "fishy" take on Italian Wedding Soup Seafood broth, greens & fish "meatballs"

Raviolo di Mare

Lobster & cuttlefish ravioli, lobster sauce

Your choice of:

Frutti di Mare o Pesce al Forno (per due o piu)

light saute of shrimp & scallops, olio, herbs & garlic

Or: a whole fish served for 2 or more

Your choice of Dolce

$55 per person {served mostly family style!}

a limited version of our regular menu will also be available

The feast will be available for the entire table only {kid's menu available}

Wine match available: 5 - 3 oz. pours for $25

Dino will be closed Christmas Day

I took my parents to Dino tonight for the Feast of the 7 Fish... my parents were a bit apprehensive about it being too much food... but we finished everything and it wasn't until dessert that we felt we overindulged. The entire meal was outstanding. There were two types of fried fish which were lightly fried whole as well as calamari. The anchovies could be eaten whole... while the sardines needed to be taken off the bones. The kick was hot peppers in a light tomato sauce. The soup was very good... and the fish balls which tasted like they had some shrimp in it could put some of the chinese fishballs to shame. the ravioli had an excellent lobster sauce... including a large amount of seafood slathered on it, including lobster and scallops. My dad was lopping up the sauce with the bread. The fish was branzino and because there were 3 of us... it came with the scallops and shrimp... the branzino was nicely roasted with the flavor permeating nicely through the fish.... the whole fish is brought out and the meat fell nicely off of it. We're not used to getting whole fish (much less 3 types of whole fish) in non-Chinese restaurants. Choice of dessert was the tiramisu for my mom, the apple tart for me, and the pumpkin spice bread pudding for my dad. My mom was very impressed by the tiramisu... it wasn't too sweet at all. I loved the apple tart with the currants and a dollop of gelato. Also included was a glass of moscato (or grappa). I also got the wine match tastings... sadly all I remember is the Russian Hill Pinot Noir which came with the fish. There were 3 whites that went with the fritti di mare, the soup, and the ravioli... but I'll need Dean's help with those.

Only small issue was the pacing... the first three courses were quick... almost too much so... I was falling behind on my wine tasting by the ravioli... and I don't consider myself a slow drinker... a couple more minutes digestion time between the courses would have been useful. But overall a great experience and good attentive staff. Thanks for putting together the special menu!

[deangold]

There were 3 whites that went with the fritti di mare, the soup, and the ravioli... but I'll need Dean's help with those.

Fritti di Mare with Erbaluce di Caluso by Ferrando- crisp white from Piemonte

Nozze di Mare with Kerner by Abbazi di Novacella from Alto Adige- a spicy racy white, very dry with lime overtones.

Ravioli with Tocai Friulano by Ronco del Gnemiz- one of my old standby producers from Friuli, full bodied with a nice oniony earthy spice.

The Whole Fish was with Rusian Hill Pinto Noir, ripe juicy russian river fruit.

Sorry about the first courses being a little fast, if that ever happens just let us know and we will slow down the rest of the meal.

[deangold]

Our New Year's Eve menu is here.

But I did want to post the wine pairings:

$40 per person

Russian Hill Pinot

Camigliano Brunello di Montalcino 1999 or Albert Mann Gewurztraminer 2004

Monte Faustino Valpolicella La Traversiana 2000 or Ronco del Gnemiz Tocai Friulano 2004

Hilberg Pasquero Nebiolo d'Alba 2003 or Gravner Ribolla Gialla Anfora 2001

Marchesi di Gresi Moscato d'Asti La Serra 2005

$90 per person

Mt Eden Santa Cruz Mountain Estate Pinot Noir 2003

Argiano Brunello di Montalcino 1999

Paolo Conterno Barolo Bric Ginnestra 1999

Dal Forno Romano Valpolicella 1999

Vin Santo Poggio Bonellli 1997

[mikeskaj]

I had the pleasure of dining with my family at Dino on the 23rd for the feast of 7 fishes. This was my first time at Dino and everything was outstanding. The consensus highlights for the table were the lobster ravioli and the whole roasted fish. My mom who usually doesn't like fish as much as the rest of us even raved about it. The pacing of our meal was just right with everybody feeling that the amount of food was just right.

As there were 5 of us I asked Dean if we should go with the wine pairings or choose individual bottles. Dean said he could find us something "interesting" and he more than came through. For close to the price of the wine pairings he came through with 3 bottles. We had a Legrein and a Kerner that I can't recall the producers name that matched the first courses perfectly. The coup de grace though was the Mt Eden Vineyards pinot noir with the main course. I've enjoyed pinot with fish before but this came together beautifully. Dean's enthusiasm and knowledge of wine helped make the evening a great success and I will definately be back to explore more of the menu.

[deangold]

IWe had a Legrein and a Kerner that I can't recall the producers name that matched the first courses perfectly.

That would be the Abazia di Novacella Lagrein and the Bbbazia di Novacella Praepositus Kerner (The one from the reserve list and not the one on the focus list).

[deangold]

Just a reminder:

Restaurant Week starts tonight at Dino:

3 courses, 30.07

Wine Madness extension: We will offer wine madness all this week thru January 8, then continue it as usual Sundays and Mondays thereafter.

Velenitnes day menu and reservation up shortly.

[dinwiddie]

We took my sister and nephew to Dino last year for RW and now my nephew has asked if we can do it again. So I agreed and they are coming into town from Richmond just to eat Italian at Dino again. I guess if he only comes to town once a year, making a tradition of Dino for dinner is not a bad thing.

[baczkowski]

Made the journey down before, as Dean said when he seated us, "they close the border [between Frederick & self-proclaimed civilization] at 10:30" and we had the pleasant dining experience that so many posters have corroborated. My wife said, and the three others concurred, that we don't eat Italian out very often because it seems so easy to make at home, but we were so pleased with what we saw on the menu and then validated with our mouths. Our meals were all made with quality ingredients with successful attempts at creativity--ricotta wrapped in mozzarella and lasagne without ricotta cheese being my two highlights.

Two out of the four of us took advantage of Dino's offer of restaurant week prices all month with no upcharges and plenty of food; it's gotta be one of the real deals of January (I doubt I would have tried the delicately sliced prosciutto without the price and I would have missed out). I have to say that I really enjoyed having quality food in a non-pretentious environment for a very reasonable price. Just what every neighborhood needs. Keep up the good work Dean!

On a side note, Rocks, you owe me $17. When our bill came one of our entrees that wasn't part of the RW deal wasn't on our bill. My three companions were jazzed. Normally I would have been, too, but b/c Don had to go and create this virtual sandbox, I felt like I'd be stealing one of my playmate's GI Joe action figures. Yeah, I felt guilty simply b/c I had read this guy Dean's postings each day, even though I hadn't said more than 7 words to the man. So I let him know about the check--and lost two dining companions (my poor wife is stuck eating with me, but she has promised to never let me see a bill again). And I thought I was free and clear when this grinch's heart didn't grow at Christmas...no one warned me that the new year could make me grow a damn conscience. Rocks, I accept paypal.

Pax,

Brian

[Barbara]

Made the journey down before, as Dean said when he seated us, "they close the border [between Frederick & self-proclaimed civilization] at 10:30" and we had the pleasant dining experience that so many posters have corroborated. My wife said, and the three others concurred, that we don't eat Italian out very often because it seems so easy to make at home, but we were so pleased with what we saw on the menu and then validated with our mouths. Our meals were all made with quality ingredients with successful attempts at creativity--ricotta wrapped in mozzarella and lasagne without ricotta cheese being my two highlights.

Two out of the four of us took advantage of Dino's offer of restaurant week prices all month with no upcharges and plenty of food; it's gotta be one of the real deals of January (I doubt I would have tried the delicately sliced prosciutto without the price and I would have missed out). I have to say that I really enjoyed having quality food in a non-pretentious environment for a very reasonable price. Just what every neighborhood needs. Keep up the good work Dean!

On a side note, Rocks, you owe me $17. When our bill came one of our entrees that wasn't part of the RW deal wasn't on our bill. My three companions were jazzed. Normally I would have been, too, but b/c Don had to go and create this virtual sandbox, I felt like I'd be stealing one of my playmate's GI Joe action figures. Yeah, I felt guilty simply b/c I had read this guy Dean's postings each day, even though I hadn't said more than 7 words to the man. So I let him know about the check--and lost two dining companions (my poor wife is stuck eating with me, but she has promised to never let me see a bill again). And I thought I was free and clear when this grinch's heart didn't grow at Christmas...no one warned me that the new year could make me grow a damn conscience. Rocks, I accept paypal.

Pax,

Brian

Brian, the last two times I pointed out that something was left off the bill, I was thanked and COMPED. If you must know, these times were at Ray's the Classics and Corduroy. I'm starting to feel kinda embarrassed. And Rocks can't possibly afford to make up for all the freebies some of us get. Just don't tell ANYONE that you are with DR.com. That's unethical.

[Ferhat Yalcin]

people dont really have a choice when they receive a gift. they cant say `no` because it is a present. Some people appreciate others and express their feelings that way.

nobody should feel embarrassed because they receive a small gift.

[synaesthesia]

My friend and I stopped in at Dino's last night, forgetting that it was RW. We were so lucky though. Our waitress, Shannon, was wonderful and my friend has a little crush on her now. The food was fantastic. Prosciutto was great as always. My friend ordered the bruschetta (onions with balsamic and some kind of bleu cheese, some sort of tomatoey thing and white bean spread with mushrooms and pesto). I got to eat all of the bread from the bruschetta, since my friend is on a low-carb diet. That part was truly amazing. We both ordered the short rib special, which was magical. My friend was upset he couldn't eat more of the rich, creamy polenta. I personally do not want to know how much cream and butter went into that. The short rib meat was tender, mellow and rib-sticking. The flavors were balanced and fantastic. I had a blood orange cosmo, which was nice and yummy, but left me a bit tiddly. (I'm such a lightweight.)

We should find a way to petition Sietsema and Kliman to go review Dino's. I always enjoy myself there, and it's a treasure for the neighborhood.

[jpschust]

A mini review and also a comment on the previous post:

First the comment- Let's not get Seitsma to review our favorite local place as then the masses are going to get there and I'm not going to be able to get a seat at the last minute Setting that aside, let me talk about Saturday night.

As some of you know, this week has been quite the rough one for me. Mentally I'm in a tough spot and my spirits were low. Robyn (the girlfriend) and I had spent Friday night together, and while relaxing and pleasant, my mind was still a touch a mess. Saturday she needed to do work and so I went home to make stock (wanted to make duck stock, but couldn't find the time to drive into MD to get the duck parts I needed, so I settled on making good chicken stock). At the end of the day I decided to just go for a meal by myself, a favorite pasttime.

There's something special about taking a good book and getting lost in a good meal by oneself. It allows you to listen in on others conversations, watch the flow of the restaurant, see who is ordering what, and get a feel for your space. It's something I reccomend everyone do at least once in a while.

I sat at the bar next to Chris (a master mixologist) and while he and I chatted here and there for a bit, mainly I was left to myself, which was exactly what I wanted. After a glass of a cab I ended up ordering the Crispelle and the Blu salad. I wasn't terribly hungry, so I figured these two would fill me up, and they did. Two comments about the food- first, the Crispelle is a little heavy on the oil. I know it's supposed to be very rich, but it's also very very heavy, Additionally, I'm not sure the description on the menu of the Blu salad really depicts just how much blu cheese is on this thing. Both are very good, though.

I decided I still wasn't completely full and hadn't really had my share of cheese for this meal, and thus I ordered a glass of Moscati and the Guffanti Reggiano 7 year with Balsalmic vinegar. This was exactly what I needed. Rich, smooth, clean texture, sweet, savory and so traditional. This was it. My spirits were lifted. Mentally I was simply in a better place.

This begs the question as to why. I've been pondering why I keep coming back to the places I frequent- Dino, The Reef (for beer, not for the food), and Bourbon. The other day I finally put my finger on it. Each of these places, and especially Dino and The Reef for their beer are examples of individuals' life work come together for their job. They do their work with a firey passion that comes out in their food and beer respectively. With Dean I can sense his love for his food, how much he cares about it, and how much it brings him back to Italy. For Brian at The Reef, with the ritual line cleanings, the frequency of Belgian Beers, an absolute obsession with DeKonick, these things transport him home. It is this passion, and being a part of this passion if even for a moment that makes the meal for me, and Dean's food shows it.

Cheers to you, Dean, for all the work you do and for the sustenance you bring to the table.

[xcanuck]

I finally got to Dino's last night some other board members and had a fantastic dinner. Why oh why have I been so remiss in not checking this place out earlier (oh yeah....it's on the OTHER side of the Red Line!). But I've learned my lesson - it's worth the extra 10 minutes on the subway to have my taste buds pampered and spoiled.

The evening started off with the possibly the best martini I've ever had (very classic style and made with Cadenhead's Old Raj gin). We nibbled on flame raisins, pickles, and olives while chatting and enjoying our drink (jpschust - I can totally see why you love the bar there so much).

We moved to our table where Dean recommended the La Giaretta Valpolicella "I Quadretti" 2003 to go with our assortment of starters: prosciutto, salumi, and assorted cheeses (my favorites being the bufala and the Guffanti Erborinati di Valpusteria, the latter drizzled with honey).

The entrees were no less delicious. I had the braised beef short ribs which were served on top a decadent three cheese polenta. The meat was rich and succulent and the polenta was cheesy and creamy. The two were almost too much for me, especially after our starters. I had some of my wife's wild boar pasta, which was also very tasty (but perhaps a little dry - I think I came out on the better end of the deal!).

I finished my meal with Very Old Balsamic over vanilla gelato. No idea how old "Very Old" is but it made my eyes roll back. Sweet, dark, and syrupy....oh, wow.

Thanks again to Dean and Kay for a great dinner. We will definitely be back very soon and with friends in tow.

[deangold]

No idea how old "Very Old" is but it made my eyes roll back. Sweet, dark, and syrupy....oh, wow.

Minimum age of the vinegar is 20 years but sice they use a modified solera method, there are vinegars much older. Its by Carrandini and imported by Neil Rosenthal.

[cucas87]

We had a wonderful dinner at Dino on Saturday night. I'll go into more detail below but I have to recommend 2 things to everyone: (1) some lovely Barbera wine and (2) the wild mushrooms and gorgonzola appetizer. Thanks to Dean, we enjoyed the Hilberg (Barbera) d'Alba. This was delicious. My father was in town from NJ this weekend and we were happy to partake of the last few nights of Dino's Restaurant Month and we all just shared everything. We had a nice bread basket to start with, along with olive oil for dipping, the potato bread in particular was good. For apps: (1) wild mushrooms and gorgonzola. There is no way to describe how good and creamy and earthy and mushroomy this is. My father is still emailing me about how much he loved this dish and how he's going to try to recreate it this week at home; (2) the famed prosciutto; and (3) a cheese plate with pecorino, Crescenza and Caseficio dell'Alta Langhe "Robiola Bosina." For mains we moved on to (1) the dorade special (a lovely whole fish that was delicious and perfectly cooked). Dino's really does seafood well, and fish in particular; (2) the rotisserie chicken which was served on some delicious vegetables (I loved this, Scott thought it was a little dry); and (3) the lasagnette which was rich and earthy and a mix of textures and tastes and I can't believe I had not ordered it prior to Saturday. For desserts we had (1) the pumpkin bread pudding. Really wonderful. Dean said that pumpkin would be phased out of the bread pudding soon since it is getting difficult to obtain it; (2) the trio of gelatos (the banana gelato in particular is incredible); and (3) the vanilla gelato topped with the luxurious balsamic vinegar. This is (as others have posted) amazing and really should be tried. We also treated ourselves to glasses of moscato with dessert. This was a lovely evening with such good food and wine and my only disappointment is that we had had a few drinks before heading over to Dino so we didn't partake of any of Chris' inventions. The service was superb, from the attention we got from the staff to the timing of the dishes.

[Sthitch]

Go to Dino and if they are offering it, order the Venison special. Wow that is good stuff, my dinning companion raved that it reminded him of veal. It was fantastic.

They were indeed Regan's. WHat is interesting is that they basically did not color the 209 martini but they did add an interesting orange glow to the Brokers martini I had tonight. There is no end tot he personal and professional sacrafices I will make on the behalf of the board in the interest of schiece ... damn ... shienze ... syance ... allright drunkeness!

PS Steve... you're so wrong on the Pierre Peters but I will defend to the death your right to say so.... wrong as you may be!

Now I never said it sucked, I only said that it is not rave worthy. OK, well maybe after two mixed drinks, and two bottles off of your fine wine list, I was not as clear as I hoped to be.

[jpschust]

On Tuesday night Robyn, myself and two friends reserved 4 spaces at the bar to do a fixed price tasting menu. The two friends had never been to Dino before, though Robyn and I have been there more times than I can count as well as on our first date The dinner turned into a little bit of a celebration dinner as Robyn had just found out that her trial was going to settle so she and I would be able to spend valentines day together. Dean, Kay, Chris & Chef Amaya worked very hard to come through with a unique menu, and for your imposed jealousy here is my thorough review:

Drinking Course 1: Eucalyptus Honey Pomegranite Prosecco

This should be the first testament to Dean for hiring Chris as well as a testament to Chris' abilities as a "mixologist". In essence this was a basic prosecco which on it's own would have been enough *dyenu*, but no, Chris made a simple syrup with the other parts and added it to the prosecco, creating for a sweet, but not overpowering drink to calm everyone down from a long day before having a fine meal. It was what we needed- sparkling with excitement and sweet with desire. Immediately everyone was in a great mood.

Drinking Course 2: Prickly Pear Margaritas for the women and Blood & Sand for the men

I was hoping to get a cheat sheet from the website, but I didn't. I can tell you this- compass box scotch in the blood and sand has never tasted so good. It was sweet, strong, and by this time the couple that was with us was starting to feel the acohol a touch. Oh yah, did I forget to mention that they are both bartenders? They can handle it.

Food course 1: Prosciutto, Mortadella, Genoa Salami

This was a very basic salumi plate, but perfectly executed. Each piece of meat carrying its own perfect savory sense. If I could get in touch with Dean's proscuitto dealer I'm sure I'd end up eating the stuff every single day for the rest of my life. Which would be until next week sometime The Mortadella I've never been a huge fan of, but it's a personal flavor thing. The Genoa Salami is just the perfect salami. It's how salami should look and taste.

Carpaccio of Breasaola

Air cured beef with microgreens in a lemon dressing, granna shavings, olive oil

I love this course. I adore carpaccio in all its forms. This is simple. Savory, flavorful, so much so that you can actually taste what it was that your dinner actually ate before it gave its life for your pleasure. Sweet, delicious, pleasure.

Drinking Course 3: Gewurztraminer Nussbaumer 2004 Cantina di Tramin Alto Adige

OK, I'm going to admit it. I despise Gewurztraminers. I absolutely hate them. Except for this one. How does this man do it? Talk about a perfect pairing to go with our next course. Robust, strong, slightly sweet, just teriffic.

Food Course 2: Antipasto di Maccelleria

Butcher's plate- pickled tongue crisped on the grill, hot italian sausage, cotecchino, house cure pancetta, lightly smoked

OK, Robyn isn't a fan of tongue. I can't blame her for being wrong. Anyways I got her to try it and it was certainly great. Wonderfully spiced, great texture. The sausace, cotecchino and pancetta were all excellent as well but the tongue sticks out the most for me. Yummy.

Drinking Course 4: Giacomo Conterno Barbera d'Alba 2004 Cascina Francia

I love Barbera's. So round and flavorful. That taste of the earth gets me every single time.

Food Course 3: John Dory from New Zealand

Orata from Itlay

Whole fish crisped on the grill in olive oil and pan roasted

Everyone except one person (not me) adored the John Dory over the Orata, but the other gentleman preferred the Orata. When I say prefer I mean we all fell in love with both but Carl couldn't help scraping the bones of the Orata. Both were so fresh and so simply prepared. In the words of Batali "Don't fuck with the seafood." The guy is right- simple is better and the flavors will show themselves.

Food Course 4: Kumquat sorbet served in Kumquat skins

A simple palette clenser. One of our group members hadn't ever had kumquat before. It baffled my mind. In any event this course did exactly what it was supposed to do- sweeten and clean the palette before the next course.

Drinking Course 5: Abbazia di Novacella Lagrein Dunkel Praepositus 2003

I'll be honest, at this point in the night my memory of the wine was getting hazy, but I remember the pairing perfectly. I remember it bringing out the flavor of the next course so well. You'll see what I mean in the description.

Food Course 5: 1/2 Rabbit served three ways:

Boneless saddle stuffed with prosciutto & roasted

Confit of the legs and back

Roasted rack

served on a bed of braised cabbage, peas & prosciutto

Earlier in the day Kay had asked me, "So do you think your party will like rabbit?" My response, "If it tastes good we will eat it." Thankfully no one in my group has a personal affection for thumper. We destroyed this course, especially the confit and the saddle. The wine brought out the saltiness normally there in the rabbit as well as the spicyness of the game meat. A perfect pairing combined with a favorite meat of mine.

Finally we had a selection of the desserts from the menu along with espresso. I've reviewed the desserts here and there before so I won't bore you with the details.

A major bravo to Dean, Kay, Chris and Chef Amaya. This was perfectly executed and I think you now have 2 more life long customers.

Cheers!

[dinwiddie]

Drinking Course 5: Abbazia di Novacella Lagrein Dunkel Praepositus 2003

This is a wonderful wine. I had a bottle my last trip to Dino and it was superb.

[plunk]

My wife and I get to make our first trip to Dino tonight - I'm very excited. I have an idea of what we might get, but please feel free to throw out any "must haves."

Report to follow this weekend.

[jpschust]

My wife and I get to make our first trip to Dino tonight - I'm very excited. I have an idea of what we might get, but please feel free to throw out any "must haves."

Report to follow this weekend.

Saltambocca, Polenta, Lasagnette, Whole Fish of the Day, Cheese Plate, Proscuitto