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

[deangold]

From this week's photo of svelte Dean.

Good photographer.... yes. Svelte... no.

[spaztic1215]

A group of 7 of us thoroughly enjoyed the month-long Restaurant Week special at Dino today, and waddled home just now. Every time I go to Dino I'm stunned at the amazing value of the food and wine there. This is especially true during Restaurant Week; in fact, I can't believe Restaurant Week isn't a money-losing venture for them. $35 covers any 2 antipasti, salad, half-order pasta, or dessert as well as a FULL-SIZED entree and after-dinner drink. In fact, since no one in our party has a sweet-tooth, we all chose an antipasti, pasta, and entree, and STILL got dessert b/c of a minor error in which we were given expired menus at the start.

I'm actually not a fan of Restaurant Week at most places. Too often, it ends up parade of mediocre preselected and pre-warmed dishes that are a poor representation of what the restaurant is like on a typical night. Dino is one of the very few places in DC that completely embraces the spirit of Restaurant Week, and truly offers its patrons the opportunity to have the full experience at a fraction of the price, with neither quantity nor quality spared.

Particular highlights of the night were the burrata (a heavenly pillow of luscious and fresh mozzarella), duck confit (stunningly moist duck breast under a perfectly crisp shell of skin), pappardelle al cinghiale (a staple at Dino, really), and whole sea bream. For desserts, the tiramisu and "Nico" were the crowd favorites.

Service was excellent! Our server, Andrew, was both attentive and informative. He pointed us to an incredible 2006 Rosso di Montalcino (33% off!); it was so delicious, we ended up ordering 3 bottles of it instead of sticking to our original plan of mixing up the wine choices. Oopsie.

[ngdb]

I am FINALLY going to Dino for the first time tomorrow night - I've been wanting to go for what seems like forever. We were only able to get a reservation for 4 at 8:45, but since my husband and I are going with a couple we haven't seen in a while, we'd like to meet them earlier to have a drink and catch up.

My question - is there bar nearby that would be good for this? Or should we plan to meet at the bar at Dino. Will there be room for us to hang out there for an hour or so before our reservation?

Also, what should I NOT miss?

Thanks,

ND

[schulju]

I am FINALLY going to Dino for the first time tomorrow night - I've been wanting to go for what seems like forever. We were only able to get a reservation for 4 at 8:45, but since my husband and I are going with a couple we haven't seen in a while, we'd like to meet them earlier to have a drink and catch up.

My question - is there bar nearby that would be good for this? Or should we plan to meet at the bar at Dino. Will there be room for us to hang out there for an hour or so before our reservation?

Also, what should I NOT miss?

Thanks,

ND

There are a number of places on that block where you can meet for drinks including 2 Irish bars. The burrata and wild boar pasta are my usual stand-bys.

[Rovers2000]

I am FINALLY going to Dino for the first time tomorrow night - I've been wanting to go for what seems like forever. We were only able to get a reservation for 4 at 8:45, but since my husband and I are going with a couple we haven't seen in a while, we'd like to meet them earlier to have a drink and catch up.

My question - is there bar nearby that would be good for this? Or should we plan to meet at the bar at Dino. Will there be room for us to hang out there for an hour or so before our reservation?

Also, what should I NOT miss?

Thanks,

ND

Some of my recommendations would be...

Starters: Burrata, Beggars Purse

Pasta: Wild Boar Pasta, Free Form Lasagna

Mains: Duck Breast, Hawaiian Swordfish

Dessert: Vanilla Gelato with Balsamic Vinegar, Pears and Ricotta.

In terms of places to grab a drink, depending on what suited your fancy you could always grab a drink at Bardeo or depending on how casual you wanted to be, either Four Fields or Cleveland Park Bar and Grill.

[deangold]

Also Aroma are nice folk a few doors down.

I would add to the list of recommended items, the duck neck {Tuscan Scrapple}, the scallops and the sausage pasta.

[ngdb]

Perfect.

Thank you all!

[durwoodx]

Also, what should I NOT miss?

urrata, burrata, burrata, and also the burrata.

[u-bet!]

Also, what should I NOT miss?

The Maialino.

[deangold]

New crop Iranian saffron in house. Try our saffron panna cotta with Uncle Matt's organic Florida citrus & chopped pistachios {eat dessert first, you never know!}, or our seared scallops or Silk Road spiced veal short ribs atop saffron mashed potatoes. Or just come in for 3 courses for $35.10 AND 33% off wines $50+ until the end of the month.

[hopsing]

I've been to Dino's about 6 or 7 times since they've opened and the meals have been really good or really bad. The other night, I went again and the results were mixed. The bread was good, the saltimbocca meatballs were terrific. I ordered the much-lauded lasagna and it was terrible. It was obviously reheated and very dry and who knows how many days old. Now, the lasagna used to be my favorite dish in the past but I guess only if I get it fresh. I wish they would not serve really old lasagna. My dinner mates all liked their meals (short ribs, flat iron steaks, linguini pescatore). I guess I should just give up on the lasagna and go with other dishes. The 33% off wine was great and we were able to try terrific wines that we would never ordinarily try. So I guess if somebody suggested Dino's I would go, but I would stay away from the lasagna because I wouldn't know if I was getting it fresh or getting it old.

[deangold]

I've been to Dino's about 6 or 7 times since they've opened and the meals have been really good or really bad. The other night, I went again and the results were mixed. The bread was good, the saltimbocca meatballs were terrific. I ordered the much-lauded lasagna and it was terrible. It was obviously reheated and very dry and who knows how many days old. Now, the lasagna used to be my favorite dish in the past but I guess only if I get it fresh. I wish they would not serve really old lasagna. My dinner mates all liked their meals (short ribs, flat iron steaks, linguini pescatore). I guess I should just give up on the lasagna and go with other dishes. The 33% off wine was great and we were able to try terrific wines that we would never ordinarily try. So I guess if somebody suggested Dino's I would go, but I would stay away from the lasagna because I wouldn't know if I was getting it fresh or getting it old.

I am sorry you did not like the lasagne but it is made fresh to order. Just thought you would like to know!

[lekkerwijn]

Dino was the perfect place to have dinner on a cold wintery night. The papardelle with wild mushrooms was great as was the Maialino and Short Ribs. We are so lucky to have this restaurant in our neighborhood!

[Rovers2000]

On a(nother) snowy night, a walk up the street to Dino was the perfect way to spend some time getting out of the house (and kitchen).

I had the mushroom polenta to start (the +1 had the various crostini's but they were gone before I could sneak a bite), the soft warm polenta being a great way to jump into the meal as I watched the snow begin to fall outside. As an entree I had the veal short ribs. My god, buttery and falling off the bone they were perfect. The safron mashed potatoes were a nice complement as I was greedily mopping up the sauce from the short ribs with them. The +1 had the Canneloni which, while very rich, were another great complement to the wintry weather outside. We shared a bottle of the Degani (oh, how I wish I could get my hands on Degani's Ripasso and Amarones outside of Dino...) Ripasso and then moved on to desert. The waiter recommended the wine poached pears with a heavenly ricotta mouse, drizzled with aged balsamic for desert and this was a grand slam. The pears had a perfect texture and the tartness of the wine stood up well with the soft ricotta and sharp balsamic. The +1 had the chocolate and hazelnut gelato, but I barely even noticed it as I greedily ate the pears.

Once again Dino delivered...and once again I couldn't be happier to have this place in my neighborhood.

[susanmab]

We did our civic duty to support local businesses by having a particularly well-earned dinner last night at Dino.

I have had the lasagne a few times - last night it was my go-to comfort food, and was just as spectacular as ever. Honestly, at this point, if for some reason it didn't come out the way I have come to expect it, I would probably ask if there was something amiss because my experiences have been consistently right on.

And, wow, I'm not sure how I have gotten by in life without ever trying the Nutella Cappuccino. I was very pleased I had saved room for dessert.

thanks for the good time with the fizzy reds. the evening was even more fun than we had projected.

[susan]

Thank you Dino and Daniel for a memorable evening! Wow, I don't even know where to start, every single course just got better and better...from the baby crispy artichokes to the small plates ( the rumaki, the bahm mi and the terrine were some of the standouts among gems), the the luscious free form ravioli, it just got better and better. Then came the most luscious panna cotta this side of the atlantic, topped with the crispy sweet duck cracklings! What a triumphant ending to a magnificant meal. Thanks for a great time!

[zoarster]

Just went to the Everything but the Quack Duck dinner at Dino and it was amazing! Dan and Dean, pay no attention to the detractor (attendees will know who I'm talking about) because this was an amazing dinner for a great value. Thanks again to Dan for setting the event up and Dean for cooking up an amazing meal!

[Skysplitter]

You know you're in for it when the words Dean, duck fat and DonRockwell.com are mentioned in one sentence. All you can do is hope your lunch was light enough, the company great enough, the drinks delicous to live up to what ended up being just an outstanding evening of food and friends. I certainly have never dreamed duck could be put on a plate in so many ways and that I would never get one bit tired of duckduckduckduck on 10 dishes. Today I still can't figure out what my favorite dish was, but certainly I'm still daydreaming about the duck liver rumaki, the duck bahn mi, the duck ravioli with "duck cream" that should be illegal it was so perfect, and of course, the duck butt. I've been away from Dino for too long and I was glad to be reminded that I need to kick myself into getting over there more often.

Without further adieu, here are the pictures:

Dino Duck Dinner Photos

Feel free to comment away, make any corrections, or enjoy the visual fest and kick yourself for not going.

[DanielK]

Nicole, there are some fabulous pictures in that album! Thanks so much for taking and sharing them.

[Tweaked]

After some digestion and reflection...and if forced to name my three favorites, I would probably go with

Duck Liver Rumaki - an explosion of fatty flavor

the confit duck neck and crispy duck butt - the perfect little nibbles

Tuscan duck scrapple - I think I could have eaten the entire platter!

but really that isn't fair since every dish was damn good! Thanks Dean and I hope the Bahn Mi goes down just ducky at the Beard House!

If you can, can you comment on how you were able to get the pasta on the raviolo so amazingly thin and perfectly cooked...

[Skysplitter]

Nicole, there are some fabulous pictures in that album! Thanks so much for taking and sharing them.

No problem, I like any chance I can get to play photographer!

[dcandohio]

Four of us used a birthday and Dine for Life as an excuse to hit Dino last night. The server heard us make a toast to the birthday girl, and without any prompting he put a candle in her dessert. Very nice. The apps were delightful, especially the burrata which I had not experienced before. This is a heavenly dish, silky on the tongue and very comforting. I was disappointed in my dover sole, though. I wanted something kind of light, to make me think of spring. The filets were gorgeous and perfectly cooked, but utterly lacking in flavor...of any sort. The bright green sauce added color but no flavor. I used the sea salt and pepper grinder, which helped, but not enough. The grilled whole fish was leagues better, but needed a vegetable to accompany. That's a lot of uninterrupted fish. Next time, we'd probably order the whole fish and something to serve as a side. House made gelato was luscious. Overall it was a nice experience but I wish I had ordered better. I think I like the pastas here much better than the proteins.

[Miami Danny]

I love the fact that at Dino they sell a quartino of pretty good red for $8. Especially when it seems that wine pours have gotten smaller recently. Decent amount of very good cheese for $4, and the duck scrapple is completely not what I thought it was going to be, but was, incredibly, scrapple. The owner seemed relaxed and the place maintains a really nice energy.

[youngfood]

If you aren't on Dino's email list, you might want to sign up. Dean does weekly emails about what is new and shares great stories about the supplies they use, where they find new recipes, new specials/events, etc. A lot of these used to get posted here, but no longer do and they are always a great read in the same way that many of the best posts on this site are both an education and a pleasure. Today's email is entitled "The Story of Our Food" and gives the full scoop on all of Dino's protein purveyors. It's online at the website as well. I haven't been to Dino in a while and don't know when I'll go next, but I thoroughly enjoy reading Dean's emails even when I don't make it in to try what he's touting in them.

[DannyNoonan]

If you aren't on Dino's email list, you might want to sign up. Dean does weekly emails about what is new and shares great stories about the supplies they use, where they find new recipes, new specials/events, etc. A lot of these used to get posted here, but no longer do and they are always a great read in the same way that many of the best posts on this site are both an education and a pleasure. Today's email is entitled "The Story of Our Food" and gives the full scoop on all of Dino's protein purveyors. It's online at the website as well. I haven't been to Dino in a while and don't know when I'll go next, but I thoroughly enjoy reading Dean's emails even when I don't make it in to try what he's touting in them.

Thanks for pointing out their newsletter, especially the latest. It is amazingly forthright without being preachy and made me wish I had similar insights into how other restaurants approach their supplier decisions. This missive alone makes me likely to visit Dino more frequently.

[susanmab]

Dean, thanks for another fantastic wine class. Between Sunday's and the fizzy reds a few months ago, my friends and I are hooked.

[ktmoomau]

Hey Dean,

Are you having a special menu for Mother's Day? I didn't see it on your website, but am interested.

[deangold]

Hey Dean,

Are you having a special menu for Mother's Day? I didn't see it on your website, but am interested.

click

[MarkS]

Dinner with friends at Dino on Saturday night left my friends asking why they have never eaten there before...Fantastic.

We shared 3 appitizers the scallops, Asparagus and Fried Artichoke..All great

Shared Two pasta Spagetti and Meatballs(My friend is a purist) and Mushroom Polenta..Great

Shared Two Mains_whole FIsh and a huge Steak..I was already stuffed but this was great

Shared two deserts..The Tiramasu was the best my friend ever had.

Shared two bottles of Brunello I brought from my cellar...Mistake not to have brought two more(next time)

Weather was perfect for outdoor dining..

I need to hit Dino up for happy hour soon

[bookluvingbabe]

Do you ever go out and realize your dining companion has ordered so much better than you have?

That was me at Dino tonight. I had a perfectly lovely flat iron while Mr. BLB had the burger.

And didn't share.

And then raved about it all the way home.

And it is a 40 minute drive.

He won't post so I will say on his behalf that he ranked it in a league with Palena, Ray's and Central. He said it was an immediate contender for top tier burger rankings.

And he didn't share...

Not that I'm bitter or anything...

I just need to get back soon!

[xcanuck]

Lisa and I celebrated our 10th anniversary at Dino on Friday night. We were restricted in what we could order because Lisa's been ordered to eliminate sodium from her diet (as much as possible) for the remainder of her pregnancy. Dean and Kay were able to accommodate us wonderfully!

Lisa started with a simple mixed green salad while I dived into the Tuscan Banh Mi. Fantastic flavours in the banh mi - everyone should try it at least once! I especially liked the pickle and aoili which gives the banh mi it's closest resemblance to the original item.

Our mains were the flat iron for Lisa and the Gramignia con Sugo d'Agnello (lamb pasta) for me. I have to admit that the lamb pasta has quickly surpassed the wild boar as my favorite simply because of the gramigna pasta. It's got a toothiness that I absolutely love. A great pasta that combines nicely with the lamb sauce.

Strawberries are featured on the cocktail menu, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. It's a great seasonal addition that shouldn't be passed up if you go in anytime soon.

Thanks, Dean and Kay, for a wonderful anniversary dinner. The bar at Dino is one of the best hangouts in the DC area!!

[Escoffier]

Thank you Kaye and Dean for providing the space and accompaniments for our Remembering Stephen meeting last evening. The service was impeccable, the appetizers were wonderful and Dino once again out-did itself. Some of us stayed for dinner afterwards and the food was the perfect ending to the evening. On behalf of all who attended last evening, I want to convey my warmest thanks and appreciation for everything.

[kat6185]

It's been much too long since I have visited Dino. I'm hosting my wonderful, Manhattan-ite, slightly persnickety Sicilian grandfather and his wife this weekend. They announced this afternoon that they were looking for "good, low key Italian." Dino fit the bill perfectly.

We started sharing the caprese salad and fried squash blossoms (and a pretty solid attack on the bread basked) - all truly delicious. The caprese reminded me that I need to visit my friends from Blue Ridge more often at Dupont Farmers Market. The blossoms held an unexpected delight with a "hidden" sardine with the blossom. My grandfather was still talking about how delicious these were well after the plates were cleared.

For entrees we shared the Lasagnette, Canelloni and an extra appetizer portion of the fried artichokes. Ridiculously. Delicious. Best part? I got the leftovers! Breakfast tomorrow is going to be sooooo good.

We closed the meal sharing a Gianduia "Nico" - my grandfather is NOT a dessert guy and he thoroughly enjoyed this dish. Delicious deep flavors of chocolate and hazelnut, crunchy toasted hazelnuts, chocolate sauce and fresh whipped cream. I'm running extra miles tomorrow with a smile on my face. Totally worth it.

Many thanks to Dino for impressing my hard-to-impress family with a delicious, affordable and comfortable evening. We'll be back much sooner...

K

PS - I enjoyed a glass of a delicious "explosive" red that started with an "O" - it doesn't seem to be on the online wine list so if anyone stops by and notices it on the menu, would you please let me know what it was? Thank you!

[deangold]

- I enjoyed a glass of a delicious "explosive" red that started with an "O" - it doesn't seem to be on the online wine list so if anyone stops by and notices it on the menu, would you please let me know what it was? Thank you!

Odoardi Savuto from Calabria, a blend of mostly Gaglioppo, Greco Nero, Nerello Cappuccio, Magliocco, Canino and 3% or so of Bordeaux varieties.

[kat6185]

Odoardi Savuto from Calabria, a blend of mostly Gaglioppo, Greco Nero, Nerello Cappuccio, Magliocco, Canino and 3% or so of Bordeaux varieties.

Thank you Dean! And, thank you to you and your team for a great night.

Cent'Anni!

[bettyjoan]

Dino played host to my project team dinner on Sunday night, and it couldn't have been a more perfect choice. Service was attentive while still allowing us to socialize and do our business. And it was great to see Dean, of course!

The Tuscan Banh Mi was sooooooo good. Want more, please. I got quizzical looks from my colleagues when I ordered the burrata, but they all fell in love when they tasted it.

Wild Boar pasta was as good as ever, and the berries with balsamic was the perfect summer dessert. Everyone who ordered the tiramisu raved about it.

Everything was lovely - thanks to Dean and Dino for making me look good!

[TheMatt]

A query for the board on Dino. I'm thinking of heading up to Dino tomorrow night for a solo (3-days-pre-)birthday dinner. The one time I've gone to Dino, I took the Metro because it was a weekday and, well, it was obviously easier. But, I'm wondering, on a Saturday is it viable to find parking around Cleveland Park around 5:30 pm? Or should just load up the iPod and nestle in for the hour-long Metro ride to Cleveland Park?

(This also has double meaning as I'm thinking of bringing my sister and parents to Dino for a "parents on vacation + pseudo-celebration of a time in between my sis and my birthdays" dinner in a couple weeks, so I'm looking ahead at planning car or Metro. No matter what, though, it's great to have a restaurant like this that can cater to vegetarians, pescetarians and omnivores, as this quartet will be, with more than the usual single veggie dish on the menu. Thanks Dean!)

[Rovers2000]

I'd probably lean towards taking the metro at that time on a Saturday since you'll be battling zoo goers/other restaurants/and folks heading to the Uptown for parking.

That said, if you were willing to walk a bit, you could probably find parking up closer to Van Ness and walk down if you are concerned about the hour metro ride.

[Pool Boy]

Dino is a block away from Palena and I almost always drive in and park. I am not going to divulge my own parking methodology, but it is reasonably easy to find parking within a 5 minute walk from Dino, absolutely.

[JeffC]

We used to park just across the Ordway, in the lot for the strip of stores that include Petco....it's a small pay lot and will cost around seven bucks, but at 5:30 you should have no problem getting a space. Not much more expensive than Metro, but far more convenient. Later on Saturday that lot becomes first-come, first-served....but we've never failed to get a spot. There was another "secret" lot nearby that we used for a time, but a couple years ago they started ticketing and towing unauthorized cars, so we gave that up. And sometimes you can get lucky on Ordway.....

[deangold]

5 years ago tonight, we opened Dino. Kay and I want to thank those of you who have supported us in our dream these last 5 years.

We alwayscelebrate our anniversary by offering some wines from our cellar for you to taste with your meal in the month of July. Tonight we will be opening a Podere Colla Bussia 97 Barolo, an 84 Ridge Jimsomare cabernet and more. Just say the magic words: "Happy Anniversary"

Thanks again!

(Deets!)

[JeffC]

Congratulations on a great five years!

I can't tell you how much we miss hopping in the car and driving down for a great meal--we always came on a whim and you always found a way to accommodate us, no matter how busy you were. We were there from the beginning, so it's been a pleasure to see how your hard work has paid off. Sorry we can't come by and taste some of your cellar specials, but know that Geri and I will come by as soon as we come back that way.

[deangold]

Montalcino Menu starts tonight thru August 1. 3 Brunello di Montalcino wine flight for $25

[xcanuck]

Montalcino Menu starts tonight thru August 1. 3 Brunello di Montalcino wine flight for $25

OK - you did it. We're coming tomorrow. We expect Uncle Dean to be available for babysitting and diaper changing duties.

[xcanuck]

Lisa, Devin and I came here for dinner last night. Wow - the 5th Anniversary special is a total deal and a delicious one at that! Four courses for $45, plus a cellar selection.

Lisa went completely for the boar last night. Appetizer was a number of different boar preparations (prosciutto, salami, etc), followed by a primo of the wild boar pasta. Her main was a HUGE and tasty wild boar chop, cooked just perfectly. She finished her meal with some chocolate and hazelnut gelato.

I had the Montalcinese appetizer, which was chicken liver pate (fegataini) on crostini, tripe simmered in saffron, and a tongue "pate" with salsa. The chicken liver was especially delicious. I loved the slightly coarse texture, the creaminess, the rich taste - all without any bitterness that sometimes comes with liver. Fantastic!! I also had the wild boar pasta for a primo and then I hit the jackpot with a main of seared duck breast with a spring onion "confit". Perfectly crisped skin, pink and moist duck breast,, and sweet onions on top. Mmmmm.... I'd like to see this stay on the menu. Dessert was fresh fruit "adult" sorbetti. It was like eating frozen fresh fruit (which, I guess, is what it essentially is). So rich and evocative of the season. The raspberry sorbetti was especially tasty.

The Montalcino flight, at $25, was another bargain. The Le Macioche 2001 was a real winner!

Devin slept through pretty much the entire dinner and the staff was gracious in accommodating our infant. It was also good to see other dr.com folks at Dino. We may just have to make another trip there before the current special ends. It's just that good!

[deangold]

The chicken liver

It is duck liver.

I'd like to see this stay on the menu.

The duck breast is a regular. This prep will stay as long as we can get good spring/fresh onions

Devin slept through pretty much the entire dinner and the staff was gracious in accommodating our infant.

What a cutie in his Chicago Black Hawks jersey! The way he drank on his bottle and slept showed he is a chip off the block of his daddy!

[Pat]

We met a friend for dinner at Dino last week and I forgot to write it up, so now I now I pretty much forget the details . In short, we enjoyed the meal and our friend (from Baltimore) was impressed with the restaurant. I had the anniversary menu, which differed that day from the online menu, so I can't recount it in detail with too much confidence. I started with a plate of prosciutto and salami accented with apples (?) and followed that with polenta with sausage. I got the whole chicken with lemon and olives, which was cooked perfectly. Crisp skin and it smelled wonderful. I loved what the flavor of olives added to the chicken. It was served over kale, I think. I was too full to eat very much, so we took the rest home and my husband had it for lunch the next day, along with some chocolate cake that would have been my dessert. I felt stupid getting my dessert to go, but our server insisted it was fine to do that. I believe he was the same server I had on my last trip to Dino, and he did a great job keeping up with everything, even though the restaurant was slammed for a midweek night.

My husband and our friend got the Menu Della Sera, and all I recall is that our friend got some kind of pasta with pesto and a cheese plate and my husband got some type of beef and a cheese polenta with mushrooms that looked beautiful.

Summary: another enjoyable meal at Dino.

[DannyNoonan]

Dinner at Dino this past Saturday made me wonder why it has taken me so long to dine here. First glance at the menu revealed a separate section devoted to several iterations of one of my favorite cocktails, the negroni. I tried two of them, though I am not recalling the names or ingredients. Rest assured, they were fantastic and perfect for a summer evening. Caprese salad was the embodiment of August, with the creamy mozzarella, perfect tomatoes, and judiciously applied basil, olive oil, salt. Entree of pesto sauced pasta with zucchini and potatoes was equally enticing. Just fantastic. Finished up with a dessert comprised of a scoop of vanilla ice cream, peaches, and a crumbly topping. Outstanding. I also availed myself of the extensive after dinner drink menu, trying a blackberry infused grappa and then a more traditional rocket fuel type.

This place is an awesome place to eat, drink, and hang out. It's the unusual combination of fantastic, uncomplicated food in a relaxed neighborhood setting. i love the approach the owners take to running this place as well. We'll be back soon.

[JimRice]

Dinner at Dino this past Saturday made me wonder why it has taken me so long to dine here. First glance at the menu revealed a separate section devoted to several iterations of one of my favorite cocktails, the negroni. I tried two of them, though I am not recalling the names or ingredients. Rest assured, they were fantastic and perfect for a summer evening. Caprese salad was the embodiment of August, with the creamy mozzarella, perfect tomatoes, and judiciously applied basil, olive oil, salt. Entree of pesto sauced pasta with zucchini and potatoes was equally enticing. Just fantastic. Finished up with a dessert comprised of a scoop of vanilla ice cream, peaches, and a crumbly topping. Outstanding. I also availed myself of the extensive after dinner drink menu, trying a blackberry infused grappa and then a more traditional rocket fuel type.

This place is an awesome place to eat, drink, and hang out. It's the unusual combination of fantastic, uncomplicated food in a relaxed neighborhood setting. i love the approach the owners take to running this place as well. We'll be back soon.

That's what I thought too a couple of years ago when we finally got there for dinner. We've been semi-regulars since. You forgot the wine cellar, though. Jesus, what an amazing list. I swear I think Dean runs the restaurant as a eleemosynary organization to cover for his wine cellar hobby, or the wine cellar is the nonprofit (at least on the Sunday-Monday Wine Madness) and the restaurant makes the money to cover the wine cellar. Either way, I've had way too much good wine there at great prices.

[deangold]

RW continues thru Labor Day along with 33% off wines $50+. Sunday Brunch starts Sunday. Le Chiuse Brunello, one of my favorites, is finally here in DC!