Where I've Been + What Was Good
Where I've been eating and what was good ...
There are weeks of eating around DC that leave me wanting, and there are weeks that knock my socks off. Last week was one of the latter.
• Et Voila
Cold Sauvignon Blanc and hot sea urchin cream mussels at Et Voila wasn't a bad way to kick off what turned into a truly over-the-top eating week. Read about the mussels in Eat This.
• Bibiana
More gorgeous shellfish arrived during lunch at Bibiana in one of the best bowls of pasta I've had in a while. Chef Nick Stefanelli's 'scialatielli' with fat little clams took the classic linguine with clams to another level. The housemade pasta, which is made with milk, is cut into plump strands that keep a nice texture and soak up the sauce like little mops.
• Fiola
Lunch at the brand spanking new Fiola, with its make-me-swoon handsome dining room, made it pretty clear that there's a new culinary powerhouse in town. For starters, the housemade bread, like the savory love child of foccacia and a croissant, is seriously addictive. Fabio Trabocchi's silky mushroom pappardelle, lobster ravioli and chickpea fritters were standouts. And do not miss the ricotta bomboloni. Or the lemon basil granita.
• Restaurant Eve
An overdue return visit to chef Cathal Armstrong's tasting room at Restaurant Eve kicked off with a deviled quail egg canape. Maybe the cutest lilliputian dish around? And if your foodie hipster radar hasn't already gone off ... ramps have arrived! I found the wild and pungent vegetable tucked alongside a Polyface chicken egg around the fifth course in the dreamy Eve meal.
• Estadio
Ramps showed up again, boasting a nice smoky char from the grill, at Estadio on Friday night. My aunt visiting from out of town proclaimed the cranberry, star anise, gin slushito one of the best things she's ever tasted. It is damn tasty.
• Pitango
Spicy chocolate gelato with a pleasant burn from hot pepper and cool pear sorbetto, backed up by a creamy cappuccino, made for a perfect Friday afternoon treat.