"What a fantastic dining experience! From the moment you walk into the warmly lit dining room you are greeted by the aroma of garlic. A bread basket, fresh bruschetta, warm garlic bread (with a kick from hot pepper), a chuck of parmigiana cheese and some hard sausage are brought to the table before you even look at the menu! And once the menu arrives, how do you choose? So many wonderful options. I opted for clams casino which were served with a smoky piece of bacon on top of a whole clam. It was just the right size for a starter. For my entree, I selected the soft shell crab special. Wonderful!! 3 average sized soft shell crabs accompanied with grilled zucchini, carrots, asparagus and a piece of warm breaded mozzarella cheese. The crabs were grilled with a light butter garlic sauce- delicious! At $44 not a bargain, but certainly a nice presentation. My hubby had the shrimp fra diavolo. Several nice sized shrimp with some vegetables, though he would have liked a bit of pasta with it. Evidently, that would have had to have been ordered on the side. The flavor of the dish was wonderful and tempted one to soak up the sauce with some bread! For dessert, how could I say no to the tableside warm zabaglione with berries! It was a wonderful way to end the meal. They even crumbled a little amaretto cookie on top. Hubby had a chocolate torte which was delicious as well. We had espresso to cap off the meal. After the meal was done, the waiter brought us some grappa from a giant icy container. This is how they like to end the meal with a complimentary glass of the strong stuff. We were there for the pear infused night (flavors vary). Throughout the meal the service was wonderful. Water glasses were kept full and drinks were refilled as needed. The pace of the meal was just right – we never felt rushed but never felt like they forgot us. A meal like this does not come cheap – total bill including drinks before tip was just under $200. That said, for a special occasion it is worth the splurge. We have tried several other high end popular Italian restaurants in DC and this one far surpasses in both food and service. Buon Appetito!"
