For way too long, it’s seemed that D.C. has suffered from an extreme dearth of excellent (not to mention affordable) Italian food. Dinners at local establishments were either astronomically priced, mediocre-tasting, or, disappointingly, both.
In the past few months, though, that’s all been changing. With several tapas/enoteca-inspired Italian restaurants opening in the area, it’s easier than ever to find a delicious plate of fresh pasta, a full-bodied glass of wine, or an authentic Italian meal that won’t break the bank. Al Crostino, which recently replaced Opera on 13th and U Streets, exemplifies this trend. DCist stopped by there on a Tuesday evening to enjoy the crostini, the drinks, and the cozy atmosphere.
The evening started off with gracious service — a constant throughout the night — and a basket of bread served with an olive tapenade. The dim lighting and freshly-painted yellow walls contributed to a pleasant atmosphere, but as the restaurant was fairly packed and the tables fairly close to one another, it was difficult to hear our companion over the loud buzz of everyone else’s conversation.
We opted to begin the meal with a plate of buffalo mozzarella and tomatoes, and a dish of mixed crostini. The mozzarella and tomatoes were good — there’s not too much you can do to mess up fresh buffalo mozzarella and ripe summer tomatoes — but nothing extraordinary. The crostini, on the other hand, were little bites of Italian heaven. The appetizer dish came out with six of them, with toppings ranging from perfect anchovies to rich pate to a creamy, savory cheese.
Already feeling full, we decided to not order a secondi, but instead took advantage of the extensive listings of pasta dishes. The ravioli with sage and butter got high marks, but what was astounding was the pasta special of crab-stuffed ravioli. The stuffing was flavorful, the pasta cooked perfectly, and the sauce simple and light. We’d been searching for pasta of this quality for quite some time now, and outside of Italy, had never found it (though Spezie, at times, has come close). But there it was: a fantastic pasta dish. And light poured forth from the heavens, angels trumpeted, etc. Even better: most of the pasta dishes ranged from $11-13, well within our monetary reach. The wine was also affordable, with many bottles under $30 and a good list of wines by the glass (which came with generous pours) for $5-6.
DCist closed out the meal with the intensely lemony lemon sorbet and a fluffy, well-constructed tiramisu. After a final two glasses of prosecco, our bill for the appetizers, primi, dessert, two glasses of wine and prosecco, and a bottle of sparkling water hit around $100. A little pricey for that night, but we’d certainly recommend stopping by Al Crostino any evening, grabbing a glass of wine and dish of pasta at the bar, and enjoying the delightful atmosphere, service and food.
Al Crostino
1324 U St. NW
(202)797-0523
Metro: U Street
