Text 1600, 93 rader
Skriven 2008-01-31 02:24:00 av MICHAEL LOO (1:123/140)
Ärende: restaurant week 782
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Restaurant week is a phenomenon in the bigger cities wherein
you get to try places you've not been before (or even where
you have been before) at low, low introductory prices.

The first Restaurant Week DC Flyertalk (Flyertalk being a
frequent flyer group that I am part of) meeting was set for I
Ricchi, so I thought, yummy, let's go. And as I'm now (when
in town) convenient to downtown, I was off to Dupont Circle.
A jolly crew of five for dinner: a lawyer, a student, two
financial consultants, and myself - so I was only the second
poorest person at table.

A glass of Pinot Grigio got people going at the bar - I
didn't get the manufacturer, but it was crisp and tasty.

On the special menu, you get a prix fixe of starter, main,
and dessert for $20.08 at lunch or $30.08 at dinner. The
choices seem limited wherever you go, but there appears to
be something for everyone most places.

I started with a winter risotto with zucchini, carrots,
green beans, cabbage: it was excellent, perked up by the
decent pre-grated Parmesan offered on the side.

I could not convince the abstemious crowd to join me in a
glass of the only thing I could afford that I wanted to
drink (it's an amazing wine list and an expensive one).
The Felsiner Berardenga 04 (Chianti) was ripe and smooth,
plummy-stone fruity with its tannin smoothed right out.
Quite a pleasant experience for the first three glasses,
then I sort of flagged for the rest of the bottle. It went
great with my main course, a "mixed grill" of turkey and
pork that turned out to be a roulade with pig loin and
ham wrapped around a strongly rosemaried spinach stuffing,
the outside being turkey breast. It was nice but not at
all what I expected. The largish serving came with a big
block of fried polenta (one of the starches I love - used
to go to Bob Evans just to get fried mush, which is about
the same thing), and slightly overgreased green beans.

A chocolate pear tart was balanced slightly toward the
chocolate side, which didn't break my heart at all.

We all had so good a time that we resolved to meet at
Le Monocle the next day for a repeat. Also scheduled to
join was my brother, Jonathan.

Later in the afternoon, the decision was made by
two of the organizers to seek an alternative site, as
Monocle's menu looked limited, and there were other choices
that appeared to have better variety and better desserts; 
Tivoli, right at the Rosslyn Metro, was the winner.

Allowing tons extra time for public trans, I got there half
an hour early and so had a beer at the rather hopping bar
downstairs; then went up the staircase right at 7 to find
Pranu and Debbie waiting. Shortly thereafter Greg showed up,
and as we constituted a quorum, we were seated. A few minutes
later, Charles arrived, and half an hour later, no sign of
my brother, so we decided to order. Somewhat after that,
Jonathan came in, unapologetic.

On the table: focaccia and olive bread with a rather nice hummus.

I started with the artichoke and coppa salad, which was
fresh artichokes marinated in such a way as to become a
facsimile of tinned ones, surrounded with many thin slices
of a tasty cold-cured ham.

Pappardelle with shrimp, crab, and crawfish in a saffron
cream was decent but not exciting, the seafood fresh-
tasting, the sauce not too saffroned. The pasta was
nicely al dente.

I thought the Livio Felluga Pinot Grigio 05 was exemplary
with both dishes. This was split two ways and added a
chunk to the bills of Debbie and myself.

Tiramisu was pretty good though not so moist as I prefer.
Tea was from an Earl Grey bag.

Jonathan, even after being first gently encouraged to
order from the special menu, then warned, got lentil
soup from the regular menu (the special soup was cream
of mushroom) followed by a pork chop from the regular
menu. His tab came to quite a bit more than 30.08, so
he was required to pull out the difference out of his
own pocket.


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