| Address | Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, DC 20004 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (202) 312-1250 |
| Fax | (202) 312-1251 |
Great italian food. Too bad the place seems to be constantly understaffed. Come here for the food but not if you are in a hurry. The half size plates are a good option.
Great food. The Pappardelle Bolognese is fantastic. Go with the half order, as the full order is not much larger. A word of caution, the service at Aria is notoriously slow and can be maddening if in a rush. Aria would easily get 5 sporks if it could bring on the necessary qualified staff.
Aria is in the space previously occupied by Jordan's and the improvements in the food, value, and service are all much improved. It's a simple Italian place. The menu is relatively short and simple: some brick oven pizzas, pastas, sandwiches, and entrees. The food is reasonably priced and the portions are good without being too much. (Half portions of pasta are available.) The real draw is the antipasti bar, which is quite a good deal (you pay by the plate and there are three sizes to choose from) and has a lot of variety. On any given day there will be a selection of salami and cheeses along with an assortment of other simple dishes: white bean and shrimp salad with pesto, roasted vegetables, eggplant baked with pesto, peppers, cucumber and bread salads. On my most recent visit I had a half order of pasta and a small plate of antipasti and was quite pleased.
We had a large party and were treated pretty well. I had a personal pizza. The crust was a bit chewy and the toppings were skimpy. I've visited for happy hour and the pizza was better then, although our waiter admitted that the place is understaffed for happy hour as the crowd really thins at 7:30.
Lunchtime also features an extensive antipasa buffet which generated raves.
A great spot to get lunch and enjoy a little entertainment while the summer stage lasts on Wilson Plaza. A word to the wise though - if you arrive at peak lunch hour, you're best served by having a reservation.
Portabella paninis were a great value at $7 - loaded with roasted peppers, caramelized onions, arugula, tomato and smoked mozzarella, a vegetarian can do well here.
