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

[jm chen]

Burrata.

[synaesthesia]

Dun know if the short-ribs made it onto the regular menu from the January specials, but they were gooood.

[dinwiddie]

Tris di Bruschette

Orechietti ai Funghi

Linguini ai Fruitti di Mare

WINE !!!

[Escoffier]

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."

Anything Dean recommends you try. He's never lead us wrong yet (and get the cheese plate...OMG!)

[JeffC]

Orechietti ai Funghi

Orechietti ai Funghi is my favorite Dino dish. It's "embarrass your friends in public and lick the bowl clean" good. Be sure to save some bread for sopping up the sauce.

I feel a drive down to Cleveland park coming on.....

[The Hersch]

I nominate the Dino website as one of the very best restaurant websites around. Information is well organized and well presented, the site is intuitive to navigate, there's no annoying sound or video, and the information is kept pretty current. Which leads me to ask Dean, is your posted menu really current as of February 2, 2006?

[deangold]

I nominate the Dino website as one of the very best restaurant websites around. Information is well organized and well presented, the site is intuitive to navigate, there's no annoying sound or video, and the information is kept pretty current. Which leads me to ask Dean, is your posted menu really current as of February 2, 2006?

Due to a computer crash we did not put on the new menu so it is a little ahead of current. There are a couple of things on the menu tonight that are not on the menu that is posted, and the Antipasto di Mare is the old present.

[The Hersch]

2006?

[deangold]

Typo! doh!

Typs? What typo? Says 2007 from where I sit!

[Scott Johnston]

yep, what he said plus snag some of the pickled onions at the bar and try the mushrooms with gordonzola.

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

[JLK]

I caught the tail end of the Restaurant Week promotion. Complete and total steal. My friend and I enjoyed the three-cheese and salumi plates for our appetizers, and short ribs and lasagnette for entrees. Everything was wonderful, through and through. Our desserts were a pear crostada and warm chocolate souffle. Both of us agreed that these dishes fell a bit short after such wonderful starters and entrees. The cake was drier than expected, and although I liked the crust of the crostada, the filling was bland. Still, for $30.07 (plus wine, tax and tip), we left with no complaints, and very stuffed too.

[purplesachi]

saturday night politburo, his brother, and myself had our first meal at dino.

we arrived about one hour early hoping to sit at the bar before our reservation. having never been to dino, we didn't realize the bar was small, but dean graciously seated us at our table an hour early (which ended up being a blessing because we were quite hungry!).

i cannot stress enough how fantastic a time we had! everything we ordered was outstanding (collemattoni (sangiovese) rosso, alma rosa pinot noir, cheese plate, salumi, fritti di mare, cervo, cinghiale, calamari fritti), but i have to say the burrata was phenomenal - i can't stop thinking about how fresh it was! also, my beef short ribs on polenta - heavenly. the meat was obviously cooked with love and was very tender. the 3 cheese polenta that the beef sat on also was a favorite of mine.

one other thing i'd like to mention was the timing of our dishes. we had 2 courses before our entrees came out, so we were filling up rather quickly. if the entrees had come out right away, i don't think we would have enjoyed our meal as much as we did. we did not feel rushed, and we felt quite comfortable talking and having wine and just enjoying the atmosphere of dino. we each thought of this at the table, and when we talked about it later, we all agreed that the timing was perfect.

it's too bad that i don't live in cleveland park, because i would be going to dino several times a week! (but, we don't live that far, so maybe we'll still be stopping by more often).

dean and kay, thanks for a wonderful evening!

[warrenscotte]

Dino has been THE place for me and my girlfriend. Our first trip to Dino was three days after it opened when we were on our way back from an out of town road trip. What began as a simple bite and drink became a three hour tour of the menu. Since then we have been there at least once a month. Dean, Chris, and the gang all treat us so well. The wine is fantastic and I am glad they got rid of the log above the bar. I highly reccommend reserving the bar with friends for a wine and food flight. Carm and I did it for her birthday and we were not let down.

There are other imitators out there (Sonoma) but Dino is more personal and they care. We'll be in right after Valentine's Day for yet another wonderful experience. Thanks Dino for the Memories.

[jpschust]

Dino has been THE place for me and my girlfriend. Our first trip to Dino was three days after it opened when we were on our way back from an out of town road trip. What began as a simple bite and drink became a three hour tour of the menu. Since then we have been there at least once a month. Dean, Chris, and the gang all treat us so well. The wine is fantastic and I am glad they got rid of the log above the bar. I highly reccommend reserving the bar with friends for a wine and food flight. Carm and I did it for her birthday and we were not let down.

There are other imitators out there (Sonoma) but Dino is more personal and they care. We'll be in right after Valentine's Day for yet another wonderful experience. Thanks Dino for the Memories.

So are you the one who met, got engaged, and is having the rehersal dinner at Dino?

[youngfood]

I highly reccommend reserving the bar with friends for a wine and food flight. Carm and I did it for her birthday and we were not let down.

Now two have recommended this, and I am intrigued. Can someone explain how this works, what it costs, what type of food & drink it involves?

[jpschust]

Now two have recommended this, and I am intrigued. Can someone explain how this works, what it costs, what type of food & drink it involves?

I recently did it. The base was 55 per person for food alone, no wine, then you set a budget for wine and can either order yourself or they will do pairings for you. We did it for 75 per person with another 50 per person budgeted for wine and alcohol.

[Chris Cunningham]

Now two have recommended this, and I am intrigued. Can someone explain how this works, what it costs, what type of food & drink it involves?

Basically you can reserve the bar for your party. As my bar is small and intimate ( seats 7 ) it is very comfortable and easy to see and converse with your dining companions. While I prefer your party to be 7 people, we have done it for 4, which is the minimum on a mon-wed. Thursday-Sat 6 people minumum to reserve the bar with no other diner's joining unless you don't mind meeting a new friend. For 55-75 per person Chef Daniel will create a special menu and presention for your party. I will create 2 cocktails for your group and then a wine pairing with the courses for an additional per person price. It is a really fun experience, and we like to do these more often, right now we do about 1 a week. Please contact me or Dean at Dino and we will be glad to plan your Bar Tasting.

[deangold]

Just to expand a bit on Chris' post...

The response to the tasting menus we ahve done has been very positive. So we are introducintg a tasting menu portion to our menu starting this Friday. It will be available any night with no pre order necessary. It is 5 courses for $57 with a wine matching for $35. If you want to do this at the bar, you can add 2 special cocktails by Chris plus the 5 courses for $75 or you can have us do custom wine matches as well.

The first menu is up on our website right now.

[deangold]

There are other imitators out there (Sonoma)

In all fairness to Sonoma, they opened first so I don't think they can fairly be called imitators. And I truly don't beleive that most passionte restaurant are opened to imitate or compete with anyone. All I know is that I try to do my thing and hope that others like the results.

[jpschust]

In all fairness to Sonoma, they opened first so I don't think they can fairly be called imitators. And I truly don't beleive that most passionte restaurant are opened to imitate or compete with anyone. All I know is that I try to do my thing and hope that others like the results.

I agree, and on top of that Dino seems to be aiming for a different clientel and a different atmosphere than Sonoma. Other than having a lot of wine I'm not sure they are comprable.

[xcanuck]

Basically you can reserve the bar for your party. As my bar is small and intimate ( seats 7 ) it is very comfortable and easy to see and converse with your dining companions. While I prefer your party to be 7 people, we have done it for 4, which is the minimum on a mon-wed. Thursday-Sat 6 people minumum to reserve the bar with no other diner's joining unless you don't mind meeting a new friend.

What's the minimum for a Sunday night? Or do you not do it on Sunday (I assume Chef Daniel has to have a night off sometime).

[purplesachi]

Just to expand a bit on Chris' post...

The response to the tasting menus we ahve done has been very positive. So we are introducintg a tasting menu portion to our menu starting this Friday.

is it correct to assume that you can opt for the tasting menu even if you aren't sitting at the bar?

[deangold]

is it correct to assume that you can opt for the tasting menu even if you aren't sitting at the bar?

Yes. They will be listed on the menu. The only restriction is that the whole table needs to order it (though they do not all need to order the wine match). Menu

Each tasting menu will run for a few weeks or until the ingredients are unavailable. At present we are unable to do a vegetarian tasting menu without pre order, but we will work on that as we go along.

[soapy]

Dino's has to be one of my favorite places in the DC area. My fiancee and I went there last friday for an early Valentine's Day meal. We decided to only order antipasti/small plates and share them since there was a lot of dishes on the menu we really wanted to try.

Cheese Plate: La Tur, Fontina Guffanti Blu with raspberry jam and candied nuts.

Not quite enough cheese for two people to share, next time we might for the 5 cheese platter. I really liked the Blue and the La tur, the fontina wasn't as great as the other two.

We also ordered a pile of prociutto which was also delcious and I quickly discovered that La tur + procuitto + jam + bread is awesome together. My one complaint about the prociutto was that the first time we ordered it in the summer it was sliced thinly and was really airy. This time it wasn't nearly as light and airy.

Second course of appetizers

Croquette di Patate : Crunchy, had a little bit of pancetta in there that wasn't needed but was still good. Call me plebian but it needed some kind of tangy sauce to go with it, there was this herby puree that was served on top but it didn't really contrast enough to do the job.

Crespelle di Pollo e Carciofi : I really liked this and my fiancee was more meh about it. It's funny becuase the menu makes it seem like you are getting individual crepes: one artichoke, one chicken, one tomato etc but it's all the flavors mixed together. It was still really good in my opinion.

(I came very close to ordering my favorite dish at Dino's the Aglio which is roasted garlic, blue cheese and tomato mostrada served with some bread. I still want to try the polenta as well but that's for annother time.)

For desert he had the Affogato which is gelato dunked in expresso. Delcious. Also insanely good is the gelato dunked in aged balsamic vinegar. Last time we were there we ordered it and my sister thought we were certifiably insane but the contrast of flavors is awesome.

I had this super cute coffee mouse that was served in a tiny demitasse cup with biscotti. Too precious.

[lackadaisi]

double-post, sorry

[lackadaisi]

I was absolutely floored by the dinner that I had last night at Dino; it was fantastic!

Each time I had been to Dino in the past (not very recently), I found it to be very spotty. Some of the food was great, some good, and some not. The drinks were always wonderful, whether wine or Chris's wonderful cocktails. One of our closest friends had been trying to get us to go back over the past few months for a tasting menu at the bar, but our schedules did not permit it until last night. I assumed the drinks would be fantastic and the meal would be perfectly fine. I had greatly underestimated the experience.

Almost all of the dishes served to us were among the best that I have eaten anywhere. They were gorgeous, innovative, made from the best ingredients, perfectly cooked, and wonderfully balanced. And, of course, the paired beverages were as great as expected.

I wish I could describe in detail each of the dishes that we sampled, but my present lack of time prohibits it. Maybe Jlock will chime in. I will note, however, that the lobster pasta (as I never saw a description of what we would be eating, I don't actually know the true name - I'm sure I was told, but I forgot), was remarkable. The flavor both blended and contrasted, and the textures were amazing. A real winner!

Not the cheapest meal that I have ever had, but still a great bargain for the price. And, a wonderful surprise! I feel silly that we didn't go back sooner.

[deangold]

I was absolutely floored by the dinner that I had last night at Dino; it was fantastic!

Each time I had been to Dino in the past (not very recently), I found it to be very spotty. Some of the food was great, some good, and some not. The drinks were always wonderful, whether wine or Chris's wonderful cocktails. One of our closest friends had been trying to get us to go back over the past few months for a tasting menu at the bar, but our schedules did not permit it until last night. I assumed the drinks would be fantastic and the meal would be perfectly fine. I had greatly underestimated the experience.

Almost all of the dishes served to us were among the best that I have eaten anywhere. They were gorgeous, innovative, made from the best ingredients, perfectly cooked, and wonderfully balanced. And, of course, the paired beverages were as great as expected.

I wish I could describe in detail each of the dishes that we sampled, but my present lack of time prohibits it. Maybe Jlock will chime in. I will note, however, that the lobster pasta (as I never saw a description of what we would be eating, I don't actually know the true name - I'm sure I was told, but I forgot), was remarkable. The flavor both blended and contrasted, and the textures were amazing. A real winner!

Not the cheapest meal that I have ever had, but still a great bargain for the price. And, a wonderful surprise! I feel silly that we didn't go back sooner.

Thanks for the comments! Chef Daniel has really seemed to hit his stride and we are happy with the food at Dino as never before.

You were our guinea pigs on the lobster pasta... it will be making its debut tonight on the menu. It is in a creamy sauce of lobster stock, carrot & zucchini julienne & crispy shallots.

Chris whipped up a rye manhattan and a pomegranite honey bellini. I saw the wines but I have forgotten which, I am sure Chris will chime in.

[Chris Cunningham]

I started them with a Eycalyptus honey simple syrup, mixed with pomegranite and blue berry juice, topped with prosecco.

The nexy cocktail was A Manhatten made with Old protrero Rye, Maple Syrup, Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth, A dash of orange bitters and top with orange zest.

The wines began with Elana Walch Sauvignon Blanc, Giacomo Conterno Barbera D'Asti, Neyers Tofanelli Ranch Zinfandel, finishing with Brachetto D'Aqui with dessert.

It is extremely rewarding to see a wonderful group of people enjoy their dining experience, and Daniel has really outdone himself on each of these Bar Dinners we do.

[Jlock]

Due to Chris' cocktails and wine selections, my memory may be slightly impaired, but the courses that I still remember vividly include:

Roblio cheese and Anchovy "Cheese-stick" - a happy little anchovy surrounded by roblio cheese all fried a golden brown. A great take on the "traditional" fried mozzarella bar food - paired perfectly with the first cocktail that Chris described in the post above. The sweetness of the drink worked as a great counter-point to the salty flavor of the anchovy.

Tempura oyster and scallop on a bed of microgreens with a line of thai chili sauce and basil oil. The scallop was a real stand out and the sauce added a great kick! This was paired with the Manhattan (made with rye and not bourbon) - a great combination of heat and slight sweet.

The Lobster Pasta - for me this was the best dish we had. The flavors and textures really came together - such as how the crisp strips of carrot worked well with the delicate pasta. The shrimp and lobster were done perfectly and added a real "pop" to the delicious, but light dish. Paired with a Barbera d"alba - it's a hard dish to beat! Certainly a "must try" if it moves to the regular menu!

There were many other courses but I am not sure I could do them justice here.

The meal was fantastic!

Oh -- and the Brachetto d'Aqui was an amazing and flavorful dessert wine!

[ScotteeM]

My husband and I made our first visit to Dino tonight. We had put it off because it seemed like such a long trek from Burke, but I looked at the map and decided that we could cut through Rock Creek Park and we were there in no time at all. We arrived covered in snow from our 1-block walk from the car in the brief blizzard that hit Connecticut Avenue just before 6:00. We shook off the snow and warmed up quickly at our table by the window (nice baseboard heating system). I thought the dining room was nicely designed, feeling comfortable and warm. At the height of things, when just about every table was full, the noise level was high but not impossible. We could still carry on a conversation.

I loved the Antipasti della Casa, and the Bruschetta were wonderful and about twice as big as I expected. My husband's polenta with roasted wild mushrooms was rich and satisfying (and he let me have a little nibble). He had the wonderful lasanette and I the braised beef shortribs--both were delightful, and I have the best leftovers to take to work for lunch tomorrow! The gelatos and sorbetto we had for dessert were fabulous.

The bottle of Terre Nere "Guardiola" (Nero Mascalese) Etna, Sicilia 2004 that our server recommended was right on target as an accompaniament, and a steal at 1/3 off!

I was happy to finally meet both Dean and Kay in the flesh, and was glad to see some familiar faces in the dining room (Hi XCanuck & "fThe Porcupines"!). It's always a good sign when my husband talks about what he wants to order "next time," before we've even finished our meal!

[xcanuck]

Oh, what a meal to have on a crappy, snowy night. Lisa and I took our neighbours to Dino's for their first ever meal there.

Openers - salumi artigianali, a three-cheese plate (of Dean's chosing), three-cheese polenta with pancetta in pomodoro, minestrone soup, and green salad.

Mains - whole fish, beef ribs, lasagna, and rib-eye steak.

Deserts - gelato w. balsamic vinegar, crostata, limoncello, and a truly decadent torta cioccolato caldo.

Two bottles of La Giaretta Valpolicella and a lovely, lovely, lovely martini made with Bulldog gin rounded out our evening (Dean - put me firmly in the camp that martinis with Regans orange bitters is the way to go).

I can't speak for what my dining companions had - they wouldn't give up tastes of their mains. My lasagna was unlike anything I've ever had. Rich with a veal and pork ragu with chunks of a crunchy veal bacon, it was really a satisfying and delicious meal for such a cold, wintery evening. My torta for desert was also very rich - almost too much. Not that it's a bad thing but I truly envied Lisa for her gelato with balsamic. I probably could have done with a lighter desert like hers instead of the torta but that's not to say that I didn't enjoy it. But I was definitely in a serious food coma afterwards.

We were really tempted to go with the tasting menu, but having a variety of dishes (especially for the openers) was too hard to turn down. I guess that's the downside of having a great menu to choose from. Maybe next time we'll reserve the bar and go with the tasting menu.

Dean and Kay were wonderful hosts. Our neighbours were impressed and will definitely be coming back. As for us....we'll see you on Friday for happy hour!

[alan7147]

The Lobster Pasta - for me this was the best dish we had. The flavors and textures really came together - such as how the crisp strips of carrot worked well with the delicate pasta. The shrimp and lobster were done perfectly and added a real "pop" to the delicious, but light dish. Paired with a Barbera d"alba - it's a hard dish to beat! Certainly a "must try" if it moves to the regular menu!

I normally don't post about Dino that much because we eat here so often (I hate to put myself in the sacred cow camp), but that Lobster Pasta is fantastic. Get to Cleveland Park and try some...you won't regret it.

[JeffC]

I normally don't post about Dino that much because we eat here so often (I hate to put myself in the sacred cow camp), but that Lobster Pasta is fantastic. Get to Cleveland Park and try some...you won't regret it.

I'll second that, in all respects! Saturday night, Dean suggested that I try the Lobster Pasta in lieu of my beloved Wild Mushroom pasta, so I took the plunge. I've learned to listen to his suggestions and this was no exception, as the intensity of flavors really took me by surprise.

[porcupine]

Last night's light meal at Dino hit the spot without breaking the diet too much: vegetarian minestrone and a side of braised greens, with a glass of Edmunds St John "Rocks and Gravel". For dessert, just a few bites of the tiny but intensely flavored mocha mousse. Nice to see fellow Rockwilers there, too.

[davidphotek]

I'm not sure if this was mentioned earlier on the thread, but the Oct. 2006 issue of Food and Wine (I was browsing it at friend's house) lists Dino as one of the top 50 wine experiences in the U.S. citing their Sunday and Monday deal of 1/3 off bottles of wine $50 and over. I dined there during restaurant week and can assure that you will not be disappointed. The Lasagne is mmmmm.

[Lydia R]

I'm very happy for Dean & Kay because this means more to readers here than stars from TS:

for a long time, I've been hesitant to write a glowing review of Dino, partially because the owner is so active on the website (and I've been careful about remaining neutral), but mostly because the restaurant used to suffer from inconsistency, however the last two visits have shown that Dino is no longer just a great place to drink wine, but has blossomed into an excellent restaurant as well, Croquettes di Bosina ($6) were robiola cheese, anchovy, and parsley rolled into panko and deep-fried, the runniness of the cheese preventing any dryness, and the saltiness of the anchovy cutting through all the fat, Polenta with "house-cured Pancetta" ($10) was a decadent little dish smothered in pomodoro and bursting with meat (the "Pancetta" is actually Niman Ranch pork belly), this was just what the doctor ordered on a cold, snowy evening, Fritti di Mare ($8) was a fried sardine with fried baby anchovies, served with a spicy tomato and anchovy sauce, Barbabietole ($11) is a fancy name for a beet and goat-cheese salad, but it was a very good version served with excellent oil (the oils at Dino are always first-rate), if you're a vegan (and after this week, I'm thinking of becoming one), order the Timbale di Farro ($8), a cylinder of farro, served at room temperature, mixed with sliced veggies and artichoke, and finished with a lemon olio herb dressing which lends an acidic complexity to a grain which has a tendency to be dangerously monolithic, except for the Polenta dish, this entire meal was without red meat, and Dino is one restaurant that does more than pay lip service to vegetarians, if I wasn't running around trying to keep up with every place in town, Dino would be in my regular rotation, how was your week.

[porcupine]

A big Thank You to cucas87 for arranging a wonderful happy hour for us. And to Dean, Chris, Kay, and chef for the hospitality, drinks, and tasty treats. And to the rest of the Dino crew for tolerating our noisy, wandering group. And to everybody for being swell people to hang out with on a Friday night.

[legant]

What a wonderful HH at Dino tonight. It's always good to see familiar faces and welcome newcomers. Although that woman by the door must have been asked 50 times if she was with our group. After the fifth time, I would have just said yes and saddled up to the bar.

Thank you cucas87 (for organizing), Dean & Kay (for hosting), Chris (for pouring) and "B" (for an even -- and forgiving -- temperament).

And... Holy One/God/Creator/Divine Spirit/Azacca/Chef: thank you for the polenta & pork belly.

(Damn Porcupine! How'd you beat me home?)

[cucas87]

A huge thank you to Dean and Kay and Chris and Chef Amaya and everyone at Dino and here ar dr.com for such a great happy hour.

[xcanuck]

We had a great time last night! It was so good to see many familiar faces and meet some new ones, too. Thanks to Dean, Kay, Chef Daniel, and Mixologist Chris for the good times. I wish I could have stuck around for the tripe soup and tongue. It sounds fabulous!

ps. Some of us were discussing the hangover inducing properties of darker alcohols, sweet mixes, and drinking too many different types of booze in one night. My clinical research came to the conclusion that mixing martinis, wine, and cheap beer is an effective way to garner a fuzzy head. I will take another one for the team tonite at EatBar and Iota. The sacrifices I make in the name of science....

[porcupine]

(Damn Porcupine! How'd you beat me home?)

It's what I do, you know.

[hm212]

We had a great time last night! It was so good to see many familiar faces and meet some new ones, too. Thanks to Dean, Kay, Chef Daniel, and Mixologist Chris for the good times. I wish I could have stuck around for the tripe soup and tongue. It sounds fabulous!

I have to add my thank you for last night too. I have not previously had the opportunity to eat dinner at Dino, but certainly this is now on my to do list.

The gelato with aged vinagrette was incredible!

Thank You again.

[deangold]

I wish I could have stuck around for the tripe soup and tongue. .

The Tripe Soup was staff family meal. But it was so good it will probably make its debut on the menu soon. The tongue sold out last night and we couldn't get any today (they shipped the deli style pickled tongue, not fresh) but should be back on Tuesday.

[deangold]

Dino will be closed today due to the bad weather. See you tomorrow! Stay warm, dry (in the non alcohol related sense) and safe!

[rkduggins]

I have to second all the thanks offered for a great HH at Dino. I knew I would have a great time, but my plus one was nervous. His misgivings were quickly disspelled by the warm greetings and conversation! Cucas87, Dean and Kay, Chris and Chef Amaya... thanks!

[deangold]

Dino is offering a Passover dinner this year. We will serve it Monday April 2 thru Wednesday April 4. Plese be sure to reserve nd specify you want the passover meal. It will be a combination of Venetian (sephardic) tradition and reciped from my mom that I remember from growing up. BYOH!*

Menu

*=Bring your own Haggadah.

[xcanuck]

*=Bring your own Haggadah.

I assume you'll be adding Manischewitz to the wine list??

[deangold]

I assume you'll be adding Manischewitz to the wine list??

Our corkage fee is $20... actually we will wave any corkage for bottles of kosher concord....

[cloax]

stopped in at 5:30 on sunday for dinner with a friend.

Friend started with the chicken crepe, which was delicious. I had the soup of the day which was chicken and vegetable. It was good not great, but hit the spot on such a blustery day.

Friend had the lasagna and I the lobster & shrimp pasta. Lasagna as always was phenomenal. My lobster and shrimp pasta was alright, but definitely wasn't a stand-out. In retrospect I wish I had gone for the venison.

Enjoyed the wine madness special and had a nice russian river valley pinot noir. Quite tasty.

Another solid meal at one of my favorite spots.

-joe

ps - Dean et al... please bring the olive oil poached octopus w/ chickpeas and sun dried tomato vinaigrette back at some future point. To date that dish haunts my dreams. It was transcendent!

[dinwiddie]

My son and I ate at Dino last night and had a fantastic meal. (Note to the old lady on the sidewalk as we left, that is my son, so no he is not too young for me. )

Started with a five cheese plate, the Guffanti Blu di Moncenisio, Cora Robiola "La Rossa", and the Guffanti Reggiano were all superb. Next came the 3 Cheese Polenta with roasted wild mushrooms and the Tris di Bruschette. My son ordered the Spaghetti con Aragosta e Gambretti and loved it, and since I figured I'd get to taste his I ordered my old standby, the Orechietti ai Funghi. All were washed down with an excellent bottle of the 2003 Bussola "TB" Valpolicella. Thank you so much for the recommendation Dean. Dessert was the Gelati Fatti in Casa for my son and the Sogno di Limoncello for me.

Once again, an excellent meal with a wonderful host.