On a rainy Saturday in April, what better way to spend the day than inside slurping down high-quality, freshly shucked bivalves?!?! Top it off with a nice selection of beer (think Troegs, Allagash, and Brooklyn Brown Ale) and various fried foods (Old Bay fries, buttermilk onion rings, and fried oysters), it would be fair to assume that we will be returning for years to come.
Now if we could just convince a few friends to join us in our passion for oysters...
Monday, April 18, 2011
Friday, April 8, 2011
Pupatella (Arlington, VA)
I'd heard about the food cart in Ballston, but never made it. This past Friday, Emily and I decided to experience our first Pupatella pizzas. What have I been waiting for?!?!?
The most obvious comparison is to Orso, given that both put out classic DOC Margherita pizzas. Pupatella's dough is chewier and saltier and Pupatella offers a more generous serving of buffalo mozzarella. The two tomato sauces are different, but both seem fresh and flavorful; Pupatella touts their sauce as authentic, as it is neither cooked nor aggressively seasoned. I don't know how pizza tastes in Naples, but Pupatella (and Orso) certainly leave me wanting to experience it first hand.
While I'm not sure about the goofy hats the pizzaiolo wear at Pupatella, I did like their proximity to the diners and the ability to see the pizzas cranked out.
Though not a classic Neapolitan pizza pie, I'll be interested in sampling their white sauce pie on my next trip (if I can talk myself of getting another Real Margherita).
CONCLUSIONS
Food: 9/10
Service: 3/5
Errata: 3/5
Total: 15/20
$$
The most obvious comparison is to Orso, given that both put out classic DOC Margherita pizzas. Pupatella's dough is chewier and saltier and Pupatella offers a more generous serving of buffalo mozzarella. The two tomato sauces are different, but both seem fresh and flavorful; Pupatella touts their sauce as authentic, as it is neither cooked nor aggressively seasoned. I don't know how pizza tastes in Naples, but Pupatella (and Orso) certainly leave me wanting to experience it first hand.
While I'm not sure about the goofy hats the pizzaiolo wear at Pupatella, I did like their proximity to the diners and the ability to see the pizzas cranked out.
Though not a classic Neapolitan pizza pie, I'll be interested in sampling their white sauce pie on my next trip (if I can talk myself of getting another Real Margherita).
CONCLUSIONS
Food: 9/10
Service: 3/5
Errata: 3/5
Total: 15/20
$$
Da Domenico (Vienna, VA)
Having driven by it for 20+ years, I wish I had gone to Da Domenico sooner. While the food appears to be classic Italian (I couldn't be regionally specific), the service takes its page out of Europe; that is, professional servers who will do anything but rush your lunch (even if you are in a rush!!!).
After reviewing the entire menu, I settled on the veal cannelloni. Not only is cannelloni one of my favorite pasta dishes, I love veal -- and Da Domenico's veal chop is touted as the best in DC. I figured their ground veal must be of a similar quality. I was not disappointed.
The cannelloni, stuffed with delicately flavored ground veal and spinach, is dressed with a thick gravy (and some cream sauce, just to kick it up a notch). I cannot remember enjoying cannelloni any more than I did at Da Domenico, and it's an absolute certainty that I will be returning.
CONCLUSIONS
Food: 9/10
Service: 5/5
Errata: 3/5
Total: 17/20
$$/$$$
After reviewing the entire menu, I settled on the veal cannelloni. Not only is cannelloni one of my favorite pasta dishes, I love veal -- and Da Domenico's veal chop is touted as the best in DC. I figured their ground veal must be of a similar quality. I was not disappointed.
The cannelloni, stuffed with delicately flavored ground veal and spinach, is dressed with a thick gravy (and some cream sauce, just to kick it up a notch). I cannot remember enjoying cannelloni any more than I did at Da Domenico, and it's an absolute certainty that I will be returning.
CONCLUSIONS
Food: 9/10
Service: 5/5
Errata: 3/5
Total: 17/20
$$/$$$
Comet Ping Pong (Washington, DC)
We've been talking about this place for a while, but have always treated the distance as an excuse to making our first trip. We won't be making that excuse in the future.
I ordered their specialty, The Philly. A calzone loaded with house roasted pork, garlic, red pepper, grilled broccoli rabe, and provolone cheese, this dish brought back memories of the delicious pork sandwich at Tony Luke's in Philly. I'll be returning.
One other note: Comet Ping Pong uses buffalo mozzarella cheese as their standard pizza cheese. This results in Comet Ping Pong getting automatic bonus points in my book.
Oh, and they have Lagunitas IPA on draft. This is a good thing.
CONCLUSIONS
Food: 8/10
Service: 4/5
Errata: 4/5
Total: 16/20
$
I ordered their specialty, The Philly. A calzone loaded with house roasted pork, garlic, red pepper, grilled broccoli rabe, and provolone cheese, this dish brought back memories of the delicious pork sandwich at Tony Luke's in Philly. I'll be returning.
One other note: Comet Ping Pong uses buffalo mozzarella cheese as their standard pizza cheese. This results in Comet Ping Pong getting automatic bonus points in my book.
Oh, and they have Lagunitas IPA on draft. This is a good thing.
CONCLUSIONS
Food: 8/10
Service: 4/5
Errata: 4/5
Total: 16/20
$
Pizzeria Orso (Falls Church, VA)
Following a seminar my firm gave at one of our client's offices, several of the associates -- at my suggestion -- hit up Pizzeria Orso to take advantage of their lunch special: $10 for their Margherita DOC pizza and a soda.
Orso lives up to its reputation. When it comes to comparing Margherita pizza, Orso's dough is distinctive in that it is a little drier than others, resulting in a crisper crust. Also distinguishing Orso is the scent of their Margherita pizza. Inhale deeply and the subtle scent of ganja sweetly wafts about.
Since the first trip, Emily and I have returned on several occasions and enjoyed the pizza every time. While we have also sampled some of Orso's appetizers, these have been disappointing.
CONCLUSIONS
Food: 8/10
Service: 3/5
Errata: 4/5
Total: 15/20
$$
Orso lives up to its reputation. When it comes to comparing Margherita pizza, Orso's dough is distinctive in that it is a little drier than others, resulting in a crisper crust. Also distinguishing Orso is the scent of their Margherita pizza. Inhale deeply and the subtle scent of ganja sweetly wafts about.
Since the first trip, Emily and I have returned on several occasions and enjoyed the pizza every time. While we have also sampled some of Orso's appetizers, these have been disappointing.
CONCLUSIONS
Food: 8/10
Service: 3/5
Errata: 4/5
Total: 15/20
$$
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