Paolo's Ristorante, Georgetown, D.C.

After the symphony concert last night, we wandered over to Georgetown to find something to eat. After Ian vetoed several restaurants because they reminded him of something or because he had a tradition of only going there with specific people or because he wasn't in the mood for certain ethnicities, we finally found a place he hadn't been that was marginally acceptable to him, Paolo's Ristorante.

For a Thursday night at 10 p.m., Paolo's was pretty packed and loud. They fairly quickly got us a table, though it was a small round five top and a little awkward for conversation what with all the background noise.

Laurent got the pizza marquez, featuring lamb sausage and pine nuts. The hand-tossed crust was covered with cheeses and fresh snipped herbs



I got the cayenne and espresso steak salad. Hot, medium-rare slices of steak previously marinated in espresso and cayenne pepper, halves of fingerling potatoes, and crumbles of gorgonzola cheese sat on the plate with mixed European salad greens on top and caramelized onions on top of the greens. The dressing included portabello mushrooms and what they called dragon honey. I liked my salad, but I would have preferred a dressing that wasn't so sweet.



Ian started off with a plain pizza margherita. It turned out to be quite large, certainly enough for two to share. It had a very, very thin crust topped with mozzarella cheese, basil leaves, and diced tomatoes (instead of the usual tomato sauce). The waiter actually cut the pizza on the table for Ian.



Even though Ian was already complaining about how big the pizza was, he was in a soup mood, so he ordered the tortellini in brodo, a huge bowl of chicken broth with gorgonzola cheese-stuffed tortellini. The soup looked really really good to me. Ian only ate half of it, though, and half of the pizza. He took the remaining half of the pizza home in a doggie box, but I think I'd have taken the soup, not the pizza.



Laurent and I split a great big piece of tiramisu for dessert. I was a bit more blasé about it, but Laurent thought it was the best tiramisu he'd ever had. Ian abstained, since he hadn't finished his soup and pizza.



We got out just in time to get Laurent to the subway stop to catch the last train home.

Tastee Diner, Bethesda, Md.

Last night late, Ian took me to Tastee Diner up in Bethesda. We had the same waitress we had when he and I were there last September.

Ian started with a bowl of chicken rice soup. I say it was canned; Ian argues that it was made there. His main course was a grilled cheese sandwich with french fries. It was the same food he had last time (except I think maybe the soup was chicken noodle).




I started off ordering the baked pork chops and stuffing daily special, but they were out, as it was late. The waitress suggested a turkey blue plate, so I ordered that. Then, she came back to report they were out of stuffing. So, I switched to the chicken-fried steak blue plate, with mashed potatoes and gravy and a side of sliced beets. It was goooooooooood.



For dessert, I had the bread pudding, and Ian got one, too. The bread pudding is very custardy and puffy; it was served with a big dose of whipped cream on top.

Dupont Italian Kitchen, Washington, D.C.

My friends must think I look hungry. Two of them took me out to eat yesterday.

As I was home early from church, Kevin decided to drive down from College Park, and he took me to Dupont Italian Kitchen for brunch. Surprisingly with the daylight savings time change, lots and lots of people were up and about, and the restaurants along 17th Street all seemed to be bustling.

Kevin had the pancake brunch special, a short stack of large pancakes with scrambled eggs, bacon, and fresh fruit. He thought the pancakes were unexpectedly good.



I had the eggs Benedict, which came with fried new potatoes and a little piece of honeydew melon. They were good, though they managed to find some of the smallest English muffins I've ever seen! LOL