| Address | 3435 Connecticut Ave., Washington, DC 20008 |
|---|---|
| Hours | Mon-Thur, 6 p.m.-9.30 p.m., Fri-Sat, 6 p.m.-10.30, Sun, 11 a.m-8.30 p.m.; Brunch: Sun, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. |
| Phone | (202) 686-2966 |
| Fax | (202) 686-3761 |
| Website | http://www.dino-dc.com |
Dino dropped the ball on a busy Friday night - prepped the veal short ribs very nicely, seasoned and cooked just right, and then served them up cold. The kitchen failed to finish the dish, the waiter failed to notice, and no one asked us how we liked them. Serious lack of attention.
A dissapointing experience. The menu looks great, but most dishes sufffered from poor flavors, poor ingredients, a poor execution. For example, The bread and tomato salad was mainly green tomatos- there were plenty of nice tomatoes at the farmers markets just to days earlier, similarly the tomato soup and the tomato mozzarell salad were obviously not made with nice ripe summer tomatoes. And on with the litany of imperfections - salty duck meat in the pasta, near inedibly cruchy bread with the pate, a tough duck breast, little garlic flavor in the pasta with giant garlic, and while tasty, the plums in the rasted plums with vanilla sauce were not roasted.
The service was competent but note the upstairs booth is uncomfortable for five people - parties of five should not be seated there.
Why is this restaurant in the top 100 of a certain magazine?
This was my third trip to Dino and, as in the past, it was a very good experience. One of the reasons I like Dino is that they serve the type of food I like to eat - simple, seasonal preparations with lots of high quality fruits,vegetables and proteins and with generous amounts of really good olive oil. The wine list is tremendous and would be overwhelming except that the wait staff is always on hand to help out with the perfect selection.
I started the meal with a half portion of Pappardelle allAglione (or the "Big Garlic") which lived up to its name - a good thing in my book. My favorite part of the dish was the generous amounts of whole garlic cloves cooked so soft that they broke up when touched with a fork. My husband had a red beet salad that was light, summery and delicious.
For a main course I had the Arrosto dOrata - a whole grilled fish with lemon, capers and olive oil. The fish broke away easily from the bones and the skin was salty, crispy and fatty. The lemon and capers provided the perfect side not. I know that not everyone likes to eat whole fish that comes with a head, skin and lots of bones - but this one is really worth a try. The husband had the rockfish (a fillet) and was very happy with his choice as well. I didn't sample much of his dish because I was so happy with my own - but the same can also be said of him. Unlike the whole fish (which is served without any sides) the rockfish came with some cooked greens that had lots of texture and lots of flavor (a little spicy). I enjoyed eating them with my fish as well.
For desert he ordered a rhubarb dish with vanilla gelato. The rhubarb was just too heavy for us after such a large meal but the vanilla gelato was amazing. I ordered a cheese plate with bra and fontina. The onion marmalade that came with it was overpowering but it came on the side so no biggie. My favorite cheese was the bra that was rich and creamy but also sharp and tangy. Thanks Dino for another great dinner.
My party was entirely underwhelmed by Dino. The experience began poorly when the owner lectured my friend for not having his entire party there at the time of our reservation. I understand that the owner had a schedule to keep, but trying to guilt-trip one's customers for things they cannot control is unprofessional.
We began with the Scamorza and the Insalata Grigliata. The Scamorza was delicious; the Insalata Grigliata was less so. The salad first came ungrilled so it had to be taken back. Then, when it did arrive, the lettuce was wilted and there was a chocolate covered espresso bean in it. This did not inspire confidence regarding the kitchen's attention and organization.
Our main courses included the Congilio al Prosecco, Linguine con Cozze, Arrosto dOrata and Pappardelle al Cinghiale. The rabbit was overdone and dry. The boar, while tasty, hadn't stewed long enough. The mussels and the arrosto d'orata were the best dishes, but they were solid - not extraordinary. For a restaurant charging Dino's prices, it is reasonable to expect an above-average experience. Our party was decidedly underwhelmed.
Sitting outside on Dino's outdoor patio, along Connecticut Avenue in Cleveland Park, on a sunny warm Saturday a few weeks ago, my husband and I enjoyed the evening in the best way possible - sipping a fabulous Pinot Noir and eating excellent fresh seasonal Italian fare.
Dino offers several menu options including their "Restaurant Week" menu of three courses of select menu items for $39. The "Menu della Sera" also offers 3 courses for just $25! One caveat - orders must be placed by 7 p.m. Diners may choose from a selection of antipasti, selected pasta & entrees & dolci. Still a great deal, especially in today's economy.
For the first course I tried the Saltimbocca, described on the menu as veal and pork Meatballs with onions, garlic, herbs, egg & bread crumb, with spicy tomato oregano sauce (see photo on left). The dish comes as three small meatballs. They were tender, moist ,and delicious, however, I did not find the tomato sauce to be spicy at all. I imagine that the meatballs would have been delicious atop some house-made pasta. I used a slice of fresh bread from our bread basket that was provided to sop up the remainder of the sauce.
Our favorite dish of the evening was the very fresh and seasonal Asparagi in Camicia - Prosciutto wrapped asparagus - described on the menu as local grass, Pio Tosini prosciutto, grilled; drizzled with saba (see photo above). This was quite memorable. Saba, according to our server, is a sweet balsamic vinegar reduction. It was delicious. I would be willing to put some energy into trying to recreate this dish at home. Tagliolini al Asparagi Felicietta For my main course I ordered the Tagliolini al Asparagi Felicietta, which is offered on the regular menau as half or whole portion. The dish was made with fresh seasonal asparagus in cream and grana cheese served atop of house made thin fettuccini. I thought that the cream sauce wasn't too heavy for a summer dish, but I think that I would have liked it better as a side dish along side of some chicken piccata.
I also tried the Linguine alla Pescatore, described on the menu as Mussels & Mahogany Clams - house made pasta, garlic, tomatoes, wine & parsley. The dish is beautifully presented as natural as it can be - with the mussels and clams still in their shells. The house-made pasta was delicious with the tomato based sauce. I only had a few bites of this dish as it was not my main course; however, I thought it was delicious and I usually don't care for seafood pasta dishes.
The desserts were just as interesting as the other dishes on the menu. Because I enjoyed the saba so much with the Prosciutto wrapped asparagus, I decided to try the Manodori Balsamico con Gelato which was desribed on the menu as a very rich, sweet and naturally thick Villa Manodori Aged Balsamico atop house made vanilla gelato. The gelato was delicious yet after a full meal, it's hard to eat more than just a few bites with the sweet syrup. I also tried the Gianduia Nico, inspired by Gelateria Nico in Venezia, which had bittersweet chocolate gelato with chopped chocolate atop hazelnut gelato, with toasted hazelnuts. Atop, chocolate sauce whipped cream. I thought that the chocolate sauce that spelled at D-I-N-O was pretty neat. We really enjoyed our dinner at Dino and can't wait to go back! The service was excellent and I will never forget that it was because of our waitor that recommended the Adelsheim Vineyards Pinot Noir from the Williamette Valley, Orgeon that now I have a favorite Pinot Noir! Dean Gold and Kay Zimmerman have done a superb job keeping the menu authentic with very good quality ingredients.
This was my second time at Dino and it's always consistent -- nice atmosphere, great wine, and good food.
one of the best restaurant experiences i have had in the city. we went for our friend's farewell and everyone enjoyed themselves so much. our waitress, from serbia i think, was amazing, funny and nice. we felt at ease and never rushed. and the food, even if we were restaurant week patrons, was excellent. not pretensious. lively and great food and wine. the best things in life really don't have to be made of gold.
Chef Stephan does a fantastic job. I have never had a meal at Dinos that wasnt excellent. Last night I had the Lasagnette al Ragu which was delicious. If you like cheese and you like bacon this is your dish. Chris the bartender selected a great glass of wine for me to go with the richness of the meal. I go to Dinos about once a month and am eager to see what Dean and Chef Stephan come up with next.
While waiting for my dinner companion, I stopped at the bar to have a glass of wine. Then I waited, and waited, and waited while the bartender waited on, and chatted at length with, two guys who had arrived a couple of minutes after me. The small bar only has a few seats and was not at all crowded. There is no way the bartender could have missed me (and indeed, he looked over at me several times while I continued to wait and wait). It was just plain rude. On a more positive note, my glass of prosecco was delicious when I finally got it. Once my friend arrived, we were seated quickly and our waitperson was attentive-- a little too attentive when she kept pushing us toward the $30 fixed-price special. Unfortunately, the veggie pasta I ordered was extremely salty with a very heavy, unpleasant flavor. My friend's risotto was also not very good. We skipped dessert. Cleveland Park has plenty of better restaurants. I will not be returning to Dino.
I visited Dino when it first opened and had a terrible experience. A few months ago, a friend wanted to eat there and I decided to give it a second try. Still terrible. I have no idea how the food is so bad while the wine is so bad.
I visisted Dino for the first time during their extended Restaurant Week. Not only is the 3 courses for $30 available for the entire month of August, but the entire menu is available for that price--a rarity based on the other restaurant week options. As a vegetarian, I may have had too many options. Food was delicious and high quality, service was friendly, although could stand to be a bit faster. Even reasonable wine prices for those cheap winos like me, despite having an extensive and pricy wine menu. Can't wait to visit Dino again as they have many other special bargain deals during the week.
I dare you to find a better (or better priced) wine list in DC.
I had a great meal, a fantastic bottle of wine, and did not break the bank.
When full, the restaurant is very noisy. Hearing table conversation was difficult. Service was good; but spotty.
Some items were delivered to the table, and others were neglected. A special of the day, a sea bream served whole , with the head on, was very good; but a normal menu item, tuna with mushrooms, beans and capers, was overcooked - twice. The wine list is long and contains many unusual, reasonably priced wines. There is no corkage fee for BYOB on Wednesdays.
Our party of 6 had a blast. We sat in a booth and the owner came over and welcomed us. He made great suggestions as to wine and main course. The ambiance is a dreamy Tuscan and Venice theme. Several of us had the lamb and it was the best I have ever had. My wife loved her fish dish. The desserts were tooo good for my waistline! Finally, we met the chef, Chef Daniel, who appears to be a major talent. For Cleveland Park, this restaurant is hip as they get.
The wine, cheese, and appetizers were wonderful. The bartender steered me away from an overly assertive wine. Our server, though dealing with a very busy Friday night, was attentive and thoughtful. The only bad thing was our entrees, which were lasagna, and I had an anchovy pasta. Both were bland, and the anchovy pasta was just bad.
In the future, we'll order appetizers and little plates, since they do those so well, and steer clear of the pasta. Or, I'll come at lunch, since their sandwiches are good too.
I ate here for Restaurant Week and my meal was great. I had the Polipo alla Griglia (Grilled Baby Octopii) as an appetizer and cleaned my plate with the bread to get every bit. The octopi were perfectly cooked and very fresh. My entree was the Tagliata di Manzo, (Steak) which was perfectly cooked and very flavorful. My server, Justin, was friendly and very helpful in making selections and choosing wine pairings. I will definitely eat here again.
I visited Dino on New Years Eve for what I hoped would be a very special night. Unfortunately, the price fixe dinner with wine pairings did not live up to fair expectations for a meal that cost $220 per person. Although the wine was truly exceptional and our waiter knowledgeable and attentive, the food was mediocremy dried cod crostini was too salty to eat and my roasted sea bass was bland and oily.
As everyone has already mentioned, Dino's wine selection is excellent, if overwhelming.
The menu is hit or miss--the soup tasted only of white pepper, the pasta had so much olive oil that it overpowered the squash, while the polenta was really nice and the side of greens was perfect.
Oh, but the cheeses were great. Huge selection. I can't wait to try them all.
What a wine list! Great pricing on tiny, less known wines from Italy. Be sure to ask for the reserve list. We had a great Brunello for what we would have paid in a wine shop, served in big crystal glasses. Simple food, great cheese and prosciutto. Left stuffed for a lot less than we would have paid for wine alone in a big name downtown Italian restaurant.
Wonderful food and a very creative menu. We enjoyed it very much. Loved the upstairs decor, too. Will go back for sure.
Finally real and authentic italian flavours, tastes and dishes as you would find them in a an italian trattoria in Italy.
Fantastic wine list that are not just your usual italian wine you get everywhere, but wines that are interesting, of great quality and rare to find here. The way the wine list is gouped is creative and fun and makes chosing easy. Nearly all wines can be ordered as a taste, by the glass or bottle and at very reasonale prices.
The menu is bewildering -- listing appetizers, cheeses, crostini, salads, more traditional primi and secondi, and more -- and your waiter may or may not be able to help you plot your meal from the numerous choices. In general, the smaller starters are good - the ingredients are all top-notch, from the bowls of olives on the small bar to the pale green olive oil that comes with the excellent bread basket. The wine list is unusual, and you can choose either a 4 or 8-ounce glass (in addition to full bottles) of all the selections, which are helpfully grouped under larger categories like "bold" or "sophisticated," then described individually. But the kitchen is a little sloppy: my vegetable salad with lovely roasted artichokes was overdressed, and my companion's papparadelle with sausage had sat waiting so that the pasta had hardened. Also, as it was late in the evening by the time we got to the "main" course, the cooks seem to have just dumped the remainder of the prep for this dish into our serving. The bowl was nearly half-full of ground sausage, which overwhelmed the few strands of pasta. Dessert is hit or miss, but the vanilla gelato with a shot of espresso poured over it is a nice, not-too-sweet ending. You can sample a lot of dishes here without doing too much damage to your credit card, so if something's a swing and a miss, just step back up to the plate. The next dish to hit your table might be a home run.
The cheese plate was sublime. The grapes, bread, and cheese were all wonderful. The waitstaff were extremely knowledgable and personable. Our waiter offered suggestions for wine, and went out of his way to bring over a complimentary glass because he thought I would like it. I loved it. I think the decor had highs and lows. I liked the lighting and the downstairs bar set up, but the tables were tacky and the paintings take away from the ambience. Overall, a cute place for a date with above average food. I would definitely go back.
The dishes lacked enthusiasm in taste and appearance. Host and wait staff were pleasant and professional. It has potential to be something great considering the ambience and location. The menu had limited selections and the descriptions were un-appetizing.
Even better than Dinos excellent service and variety of fantastic and reasonably priced wines is its obvious drive to be authentic. Hints of Tuscany are almost everywherefrom the metallic terra-cotta walls to the artisanal cocktails (try the Blood & Sand, made with aged scotch!) to the superb selection of aged meats and cheeses. And its great to see a number of daily specials created from locally grown foods. For an appetizer, try the Point Reyes blue with anchovies or a plate of cured ham ribbons, aged for 200 days for an indescribably delicate texture. The broiled smoked mozzarella can be a bit overdone, and the Nutella panini is on the dry side. Otherwise, no complaints. Word of warning, though: If you are a party of two, you may want to avoid the upstairs dining room to the left of the stairs. Larger groups are often seated there, and the chatter can be overwhelmingly loud at times.
Service is very good and the ambience is great, but the food was a disappointment both times I have been to Dino. The menu looks great, but everything seems to fall short, from the Crostini to the calamari to the tomato salad-nearly inedible on my second visit. The cheese plate was a let down and the panini was a disappointment. The wines are a great value, though. I'd suggest sticking with the bar until Dino straightens out its kitchen.
