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

[tripewriter]

The Mrs and I enjoyed a seriously soul-satisfying dinner at Dino last night. We both opted for the three-course special, which is prix fixe but affords an opportunity to try just about anything on the menu. I started with a half portion of linguine Puttanesca.

The real star of my meal was the Tagliata, a pounded and seared sliced steak with shaved cheese and an arugula salad. It was a beautifully cooked and seasoned cut. A 3 oz. glass of Hilberg "Per Allesandra" Barbera dAlba 2008 was delicious with the flavorful beef. Slicing the steak into relatively small bites was the secret to enjoyment -- it's similar to hanger or skirt, highly flavorful but tending toward tough.

For dessert I chose a peach crumble with gelato, and a glass of effervescent Muscato d'Asti (included in the meal price).

[goodeats]

Dean's gotsa have a some 'splaining to do...

[TheMatt]

Dean's gotsa have a some 'splaining to do...

Selfishly, I think Alexandria or Annandale would be a good place. Because, as always, proximity to TheMatt should be priority one in choosing a location.

[saf]

Selfishly, I think Alexandria or Annandale would be a good place. Because, as always, proximity to TheMatt should be priority one in choosing a location.

I would have to say, using that theory but re-pointing it at myself, PETWORTH WANTS FOOD!

[Escoffier]

Because of the proximity of all those good Korean restaurants (and okay, TheMatt), I agree that Alexandria/Annandale would definitely be the better spot. Besides, Alexandria has a higher proportion of highly educated palates just waiting for some of Dean's great food.

[Toogs]

Green line instead of long drive or worse metro? yes please. Hell I might move to Columbia heights.

[bookluvingbabe]

I vote for Capitol Hill and open for lunch.

[hm212]

I think Rockville can use a great restaurant.

[DanielK]

I think Rockville can use a great restaurant.

Yeah, because Dean will be able to put together a great wine program in MoCo, right?

[MsDiPesto]

Falls Church is where it's at. There, it's settled.

[Sundae in the Park]

Because of the proximity of all those good Korean restaurants (and okay, TheMatt), I agree that Alexandria/Annandale would definitely be the better spot. Besides, Alexandria has a higher proportion of highly educated palates just waiting for some of Dean's great food.

Seconded for Annandale. Also, yay for Dean!

[durwoodx]

I have said many times that if Dino was in Alexandria I would eat there multiple times/week.

[lperry]

Another vote for Alexandria, although, according to the article, Virginia isn't even being considered. Is it difficult to get permits or something?

[wahoooob]

Yeah, because Dean will be able to put together a great wine program in MoCo, right?

Dean would be the one to figure it out!

Okay really a shameless plug and another vote for Rockville since it is oh so close by =)

[LauraB]

We had an absolutely delightful meal on Dino's patio early on Sunday evening. The weather was perfect and there was a street musician playing across the street outside the metro station -- his music was mesmerizing. Sadly, he left not long after we were seated. Dean told us that they have tried to persuade him to play at night, but to no avail. I won't review the dishes we had, because so much has been written already. I will say that I was after every tomato dish I could find, since I know Dean uses fresh produce from the Dupont market and the season is winding down. I was quite happy with my Caprese salad, Aglione pasta, and Melanzane entree (half of which made a great breakfast the next day). Ok, just a slight quibble: the pasta in the Aglione was perhaps just a bit too al dente -- maybe just a minute more of cooktime would have been perfect. Even though I'm not a vegetarian, all of my dishes were veg, and I think a vegetarian could do quite well at Dino. My husband loved all of his meat-centric dishes (Baci, Sugo, Salsiccia). We took advantage of the 33% off bottles of wine deal and had a really lovely Adelsheim Pinot Noir.

This was only our second visit to Dino, but, I swear, if we lived near Dino, we'd be there once a week! Dino is truly a gem.

[DanCole42]

Not sure how long it's gonna be around, but the Petto d'Anatra (Seared rare duck breast with onion and mushroom reduction, pickled ramp, and braised rabe) for $22 is a feast unto itself.

[MarkS]

Yeah, because Dean will be able to put together a great wine program in MoCo, right?

But no BYOB in MoCo. Dino is my go to place, regadless of corkage, to grab a few bottles from my cellar and enjoy.

[ol_ironstomach]

If you've been curious about Dino's bistecca but too cautious to commit the funding, it's good to know that one order can be shared between two diners as their main course under the current three-course deal without incurring a supplement. And that's exactly what gubeen and I did on a recent visit. I've been obsessed with bistecca alla Fiorentina ever since reading the sidebar in Raichlen's "Barbecue Bible" in the '90s; for a while, I'd tried to figure out when Cesare Casella might have it on his menu at Maremma in NYC (using imported heads of cattle) but gave up once gubeen moved down here. I know that Dean is also obsessed with bistecca, so at least his interpretation would be an informed one.

The aroma as it's being delivered is a head-turner, and most of the nearby tables stared as the Flintstonian plate made its way to our table.

A full bistecca is an enormous cut, a conservative kilo of meat served up on a board with a heap of delightfully roasted potato chunks, and there's enough steak to satisfy two diners pretty thoroughly. I was curious how the flavor would compare, considering that it's neither Chianina nor Maremmana beef, but there were no disappointments here. Gubeen likes hers still moo-ing (she's a raw kitfo fiend, after all) so I didn't get to see what it would be like with quite the customary Tuscan level of char, but the steak had a lot of flavor, was consistent in its cool center even up to the bone, and marvelously tender throughout. I may have to rethink my insistence on marbled fat; in this case, the flavor didn't want for additional fat, and consequently there weren't any issues with fat that might have needed more rendering and more heat. If I understood correctly, he's recently begun sourcing the meat from a local coop with a custom dry-aged beef program, and it comes from a raised-on-grass crossbreed. This change has really raised the bar.

It's too bad you can't order this by l'etto. In fairness, a 1 kg bistecca in Italy would set you back considerably more than the $44 that Dino charges a la carte. And let's face it, for steak lovers, Landrum's places remain in a class of their own for putting near-miraculous value on your plate. But Dino's bistecca is now worth your serious consideration if your dining companion is a like-minded carnivore.

[deangold]

he's recently begun sourcing the meat from a local coop with a custom dry-aged beef program, and it comes from a raised-on-grass crossbreed. if your dining companion is a like-minded carnivore.

The meat is raised on the same farm from birth to retail commitment for your dining pleasure. It is never administered antibiotics. They are butchered within 3 hours of their farm and the butchering is done a day after the animals leave the farm.

There is a grain blend given at the end, but the animal has access to grass its entire life. The T Bones {chops off the center of the loin with a small tender and a large NY portion} are dry aged a full 21 days before cutting and the brisket we use for our arrosto morto {Italian style pot roast} is aged as well, timing depends on how much brisket they are moving. Right ow it looks to be in the 6-10 day range. The burger mix we use is from the same sourcing and contains trim from dry aged cuts as well as fresher cuts. All the farms are in MD or VA. They are third party audited according to a 14 step protocol by the former head of the Virginia Ag Inspection Service.

[deangold]

White truffles from Alba.... $42 on risotto and $38 on taglialini. New cocktails too {a new Negroni & 2 new fall cocktails from Andrew}

Also you can have the Menu della Sera all this weekend all night long at the ba{bar only}

[vickie]

I had a really nice dinner at Dino's last Monday. It was my first time there since I unfortunately don't get to go out much. The stuffed duck neck was excellent and Dean sent us out a nice radish with anchovy sauce appetizer. I had a difficult time picking a wine because there were so many I wanted to drink, but finally settled on the 2007 Sassetti Rosso and it was very good. At the end of the meal, I went with a glass Pieri 2004 Brunello with my cheese course while my husband finished with the Altesino Grappa di Brunello. Hopefully, I'll make it over there again sometime soon.

[DannyNoonan]

Fantastic evening at Dino on Saturday night that cemented this place as one of our very favorite places to eat and drink in DC.

I started with the "spicy salad", which was a plateful of peppery greens, pecorino cheese, and a dressing loaded with garlic. It worked very well together. My wife started with the salad of beets and braised greens, which was beautiful to look at and to taste. The beets were so flavorful. I sampled two of the selections from the negroni menu - the Bianco and the Milano. I was partial to the Bianco as it was a bit more subtle and less assertive than the Milano but I have never had a bad negroni here. My wife was bowled over by her bellini and its powerful peach flavor.

For entrees, I had the chanterelle risotto, to which Dean added truffles. Just a perfect dish. Earthy mushrooms and truffles, perfectly cooked rice, and nutty grana cheese throughout. Comfort food personified. My wife decided on the chicken under a brick, which is a moist, perfectly cooked half chicken served over swiss chard that had absorbed the briny flavor of the accompanying black olives. Again, homey but refined food. A real hit. Side dish of brussel sprouts and pork belly made us wonder how this little vegetable ever became so maligned.

Dessert was a simple apple cake in which apple slices were nestled in a batter (that really did taste like pancake batter) and topped with an impossibly flavorful scoop of vanilla gelato. I can't think of a better dessert to serve in late October. Simply perfect. A glass of house infused raspberry grappa rounded out the evening.

Service was again smooth, punctual and super friendly. It always is.

My wife and I discussed over dinner a recent meal at Citronelle in which we were amazed both by the artistry on the plate and the size of our bill. After being equally amazed (though in a good way) by the size of our bill at Dino, especially given the quality of the food and drink we enjoyed, we both agreed that we'd rather spend a special occasion eating honestly prepared dishes made from responsibly sourced ingredients in the friendly confines of Dino than to "splurge" on someplace fancy. This place is a gem and deserved the accolades it gets.

[bookluvingbabe]

BLPreschooler's bedtime story of choice lately has been the Dino brunch menu. We finally had a Sunday with minimal obligations and went to try it out for ourselves.

It was absolutely lovely. The grown ups had egg dishes that were just perfect. The little guy had meatballs and a burger that was bigger than his head. I love that the children's menu isn't a dumbed down menu but real food that kids can and will eat. BLPreschooler was in heaven, though a little bummed that Ms. Kay wasn't there.

Definitely worth adding to the list of brunch options.

[deangold]

a little bummed that Ms. Kay wasn't there.

I was a little bummed that Ms Kay wasn't there as I had to do my Dupont Market run on my own again and there sure is a lot of lifting!

[Tujague]

Anniversaries usually call for going out to what I think of "special occasion" restaurants--places that I can only afford a few times a year for a special occasion. Marcel's was supposed to fill the bill this year, but life happened and I had a change of heart at the onset of the week. My aunt, the matriarch of my family, died, and logistics prevented my getting to Iowa for her funeral. New humiliations arose at work, and a whirlwind trip to NYC also loomed. I needed someplace less formal, less dress-up, and decided it was finally time to make our way to Dino.

The choice was the right one: Dean met us at the door, and immediately offered us a lovely sparkling apertif to start off the meal. Bob and I didn't stray far from the recommended dishes that have popped up here before: the burrata, boar ragu pappardelle, tubular pasta with duck confit, and maialino (young pig), plus a complementary shot of cold broccoli soup. What we lost in terms of romantic atmosphere (we sat at one of the high tops near the bar) was offset by the warmth and what Don Rocks so rightly describes as the soulful cooking. Dean came over several times during the meal to chat us up with great stories (and I was amazed he not only recognized my DR.com sobriquet, but also remembered Bob's name as well!). Apple cake, nutella "cappuccino," and raspberry-infused grappa rounded out the meal.

In short, I left feeling happy and well-cared-for after a stress-filled week, and that much luckier to have spent 12 years with my wonderful partner. Happy anniversary, sweetie, and thank you, Dean and staff, for giving us a memorable evening!

[ScotteeM]

Anniversaries usually call for going out to what I think of "special occasion" restaurants--places that I can only afford a few times a year for a special occasion. Marcel's was supposed to fill the bill this year, but life happened and I had a change of heart at the onset of the week. My aunt, the matriarch of my family, died, and logistics prevented my getting to Iowa for her funeral. New humiliations arose at work, and a whirlwind trip to NYC also loomed. I needed someplace less formal, less dress-up, and decided it was finally time to make our way to Dino.

My congratulations on your anniversary, and my condolences on the passing of your aunt, and on the badness at work!

You had the better outcome, IMO. My husband and I tried Marcel's earlier this year and had a very negative experience. Dino's is far superior, IMO. Dean and Kay, and their staff are truly invested in their diners having an outstanding culinary experience, and that has been our outcome at each of our visits. I'd return to Dino (and many other restaurants) 10 times before I'd consider Marcel's again.

[Tujague]

My congratulations on your anniversary, and my condolences on the passing of your aunt, and on the badness at work!

You had the better outcome, IMO. My husband and I tried Marcel's earlier this year and had a very negative experience. Dino's is far superior, IMO. Dean and Kay, and their staff are truly invested in their diners having an outstanding culinary experience, and that has been our outcome at each of our visits. I'd return to Dino (and many other restaurants) 10 times before I'd consider Marcel's again.

Thanks, Scottee. I'm sorry to hear your experience at Marcel's was bad; I'd still like to go there, but this wasn't the year to do it. I do look forward to going back to Dino again, and not just for a special occasion. My aunt was sort of your prototypical small-town Iowa cook who was a Pillsbury Bake-Off finalist and had her recipes featured in Ladies Home Journal. As I think about it, even though she wouldn't have known what to make of much of the menu at Dino, celebrating our anniversary there was nevertheless an apt tribute to her, given that she always showed the sort of warm, food-centered hospitality that we received Saturday.

[Dr. Delicious]

Had a very nice meal on Friday night. The restaurant sure knows their way around a pig, and we were able to snag the last cut (or so we were told), even though it was 6:30 on a Friday night. Anyway, a good mix of fat and meat with that charred skin that tastes so much like bacon. Need more charred bacon skin! I also enjoyed their Ribollita, which I found to be much thinner than those I've had in Italy, but certainly well executed and not lacking for flavor.

There was one fairly significant service error: we were set up for a three course meal (apps, a pasta course, and the main course), but they brought out the pasta and the main at the same time. While this was a total bummer, it didn't ruin our meal or anything, it was just unfortunate.

Anyway, no doubt we'll be back.

[JimRice]

My main course, the whole fish, was tasty, but didn't have much sauce or other accompaniment.

If you go for the Feast of Seven Fish, ignore what I said earlier. I had the whole fish again tonight, and it was so tasty it didn't need much sauce, and it had just enough lemon and other seasoning to compliment a very fresh fish. This is after the Linguine alla Pescatore which is probably the best pasta with seafood and marinara I've ever had. The rockfish is excellent as well.

And I haven't even raved about the soup with fish balls.

Just go eat this meal, and remember it ends on December 24.

[neverecho]

I'm sad to say that I was a little disappointed in brunch at Dino - I went with some girlfriends just a week or two after Dino started serving a regular brunch because we all love Dino for dinner. The food was delicious, however the portion sizes were far too small for the prices. I was surprised by this, considering the dinner portion sizes are quite large (I'm never able to finish my meal). Dean - please increase the portion sizes and we'll be back! Thanks.

[deangold]

All of the portion sizes we are currently serving at brunch are the same as dinner {the pastas are half portions but at the half portion price} and the brunch dishes themselves are all new since last August. I don't think you will go away hungry.

[pidgey]

All of the portion sizes we are currently serving at brunch are the same as dinner {the pastas are half portions but at the half portion price} and the brunch dishes themselves are all new since last August. I don't think you will go away hungry.

Agreed. We had brunch there a few weeks ago, and while the Bloody Marys left a little to be desired (too tomatoey and not spicy enough for our tastes), the quality of food and portion sizes did not. We were quite full by the end of two courses. I wish they would serve brunch on Saturdays too!

[ktmoomau]

Brother and his Wife, Husband and I and two friends had dinner at Dino for New Years Eve. Five courses, limoncello, two bottles of wine? maybe three and a glass of prosecco for about $100 a head, what a good night! And the food was very good. The sausages with white beans were great, the pates were extraordinary! I enjoyed everything I had. Our whole party had a really good time and our server was really nice. Making sure we had whatever we needed. All in all really good evening. Everything we ate was prepared nicely and it didn't feel like a typical harried New Year out.

[dcandohio]

We had brunch today. $25 for a Bellini, a starter and a main. Great deal. I had beets with greens and riccota salata; and then the sausages with lentils and fennel. +1 had the Brussels sprouts and the boar ragu. The food was really tasty, the service was good, the atmosphere was relaxed...sadly, the place was empty. What a nice way to spend an early Sunday afternoon! Brunch at Dino is a great experience.

And, to add perspective to that of earlier posters, we were full as ticks when we left - could barely move! Portions were generous by the most demanding standards.

We walked from Cleveland Park to Dupont Circle to work off some of that yummy brunch.

[Escoffier]

We took two out of town friends to Dino last night. The food was amazing (and there was a LOT of it). We had four courses and paired wines. Dean's version of bahn mi was unbelievable. There was way too much food to list, but suffice it to say, our friends left full and very happy (apparently there's no Italian food in NJ because they kept saying how wonderful the food was ).

[DannyNoonan]

My wife and I dined at a not-very-crowded Dino Saturday evening and had a wonderful meal. I know it was New Year's Day but I didn't expect the parking lot across the street to be almost completely empty. Good for us though as we were whisked by the friendly host to our comfortable window seats right away.

I started, as usual with a selection from the negroni menu (the Bianco), which was wonderful as usual. I was intrigued by the description of the radici salad and decided to give it a try. Basically, thin slivers of radish, turnip, and kohlrabi dressed with a warm, garlicky bagna cauda. The warmth and flavor of the dressing elevated the lowly root vegetables and made for a fantastic dish. My wife had the beet salad with braised greens and enjoyed it as well.

I ordered the canneloni verde as my entree and my wife had the pesto di Pomodoro. My canneloni were fantastic. Super tender sheets of pasta wrapped around cheesy greens and covered in a cheesy tomato sauce. It was worked wonderfully. My wife reported enthusiastically on her entree as well. Both entrees paired well with 8 oz pours of Bisceglia (her) and Arcangelo (me).

Dessert was three scoops of gelati: impossibly chocolatey Valrhona chocolate, intense cinnamon, and pistachio. The amount of flavor in each creamy scoop is unreal and married perfectly with the moscato I was drinking.

Dino is a gem. Food of this caliber, prepared with obvious care for the ingredients used, and served in such a warm, inviting environment seems like it should cost way more than it does here. How can you not feel welcome when Dean himself walks thru the dining room thanking everyone for coming out on New Year's Day? I am guessing not many of the out-of-town "celebrity" chefs that have flooded our town in recent years don't take the time to make that gesture.

[ktmoomau]

Dessert was three scoops of gelati: impossibly chocolatey Valrhona chocolate, intense cinnamon, and pistachio. The amount of flavor in each creamy scoop is unreal and married perfectly with the moscato I was drinking.

I forgot to mention that on the NYE special the trio of gelato's was fantastic! Hubby ordered it, I stole quite a lot. It was done in a slab like neopoloitan ice cream and was rhubarb, chocolate and banana maybe? I was too busy eating the chocolate and rhubarb section. Mmmm. Hubby doesn't even like rhubarb very much, but he loved it.

The cinnamon gelato with my flourless chocolate cake was really good too, it added a nice spice to the cake.

[TheMatt]

The cinnamon gelato with my flourless chocolate cake was really good too, it added a nice spice to the cake.

I had that. That gelato was the cinnamon-iest thing I've ever had...and it was good!

I think the highlights for me were the Brussels sprouts and the rockfish. Mmm...

[deangold]

like neopoloitan ice cream and was rhubarb, chocolate and banana maybe?

The cinnamon gelato

The white layer was cardamom scented vanilla.

We grind real cinnamon bark, not cassia, for the cinnamon which is usually part of our gelato trio and also with our apple cake.

[Escoffier]

our apple cake.

Thanks for reminding me about the apple cake...OMG! that was wonderful. I'm still in a food fog from all of the food last night but the mention of the apple cake made me feel like one of Pavlov's puppies.

[deangold]

We will be featuring an Asparagus menu including amazing wild domestic Asparagus from Oregon and local Asparagus from Spring Valley of West Virginia. Some WV ramps will show up too! 4 courses with 5 asparagus dishes plus dessert for $39 starting tomorrow till the wild asparagus run out!

[porcupine]

I risk having Rocks chide me for being a shill for Dean, but I have to post anyway. I spent several hours last night on the top floor of Dino, a guest at a wedding reception for 50. The food was delicious, but the staff deserve public praise for being friendly and professional and, especially, unflappable. From passed hors d'oeuvres to wine pouring to family-style service for a very excited and animated group of people, they did a fantastic job. And I loved the way the servers engaged the children and treated them like real people and kept them happy.

If you've been in that part of the restaurant, you know how cramped it is, with the service door and stairs being where they are. Now imagine it with 50 people wandering around for three hours. Servers and bussers were unfailingly polite and good-humored the whole time.

Well done, Dean, Kay, and crew. Thank you.

[goldenticket]

After a completely unsatisfying (and unfinished) attempt at dinner at that seafood joint down the block, we stopped in for a second try at the bar at Dino. And I learned that if you haven't tried the $12 Burger and a Brew deal (at the bar), you're really missing out on one of the better deals and, IMHO, better burgers, around. The ciabatta bun is a perfect match for the large, juicy, grass-fed beef patty - it stands up to it and has a nice chew; the beef is wonderfully flavorful and was cooked to a perfect, pink medium-rare. The sriracha/anchovy mayo is unbelievably good - like, lick the bowl good. Add in an interesting selection of beers to choose from and you really can't go wrong for $12. If you're looking for a typical burger, this isn't it - it's WAY better.

We also enjoyed some interesting variations on classic cocktails (mixed up quite handily by Andrew). The fig Sazerac didn't exhibit any of the bitterness that usually puts me off* - a hint of cinnamon syrup gave the drink a nice warmth that cut the sweetness of the fig. A sour cherry variation on a Corpse Reviver and a peach bourbon Manhattan each showcased the infused fruit spirits. While not close/convenient enough to home to be on our regular rotation, I think we'll be making an effort to get back to the bar again before too long!

* Sazeracs, negronis, etc. - my palate just doesn't enjoy that profile.

[bookluvingbabe]

Mr. BLB swears that the Dino burger is the best in town. And he has tried them all over the years.

[Popover]

I'm a big fan of anything Dino's I just wish they were closer so that I could eat there more often. Whatever happened with the rumor that they were moving/opening another restraurant in the MD burbs?

[deangold]

While a move is entirely possible, {we are getting nowhere with our landlord on a reasonable renewal rate}, the MD suburbs are not very likely due to lack of interest from the folk I know who want to be a financial part of our future. Most interest is for us to move in DC to parts south and east of us.

[dcs]

While a move is entirely possible, {we are getting nowhere with our landlord on a reasonable renewal rate}, the MD suburbs are not very likely due to lack of interest from the folk I know who want to be a financial part of our future. Most interest is for us to move in DC to parts south and east of us.

Why not look at the old Alpine space in Arlington (I suggest selfishly). That place has been empty for a year and a half.

[ktmoomau]

Dean,

Are you still serving that White Truffle Risotto? I mean be coming up your way at some point soon.

[goldenticket]

Dean,

Are you still serving that White Truffle Risotto? I mean be coming up your way at some point soon.

I saw (and smelled) the white truffle risotto on Saturday - it looked wonderful. Definitely worth a call!

[Rieux]

While a move is entirely possible, {we are getting nowhere with our landlord on a reasonable renewal rate}, the MD suburbs are not very likely due to lack of interest from the folk I know who want to be a financial part of our future. Most interest is for us to move in DC to parts south and east of us.

How about moving to Mount Pleasant!!!