55. Dino
When I eat at Dino, it makes me a little sad that I don’t live in Cleveland Park. Then I remember that apartment I looked at nearby that had a bedroom that would only fit a twin bed, and I change my mind. But if only for the restaurants/bar trivia possibilities, Cleveland Park would be my home. Luckily, I am more than happy to make the trek across town to eat at Dino. Right off the bat, Dino gets points for being one of the few places with not terrible food that has outdoor seating. Luckily, when we walked in a two-top on the patio was just getting up. It was the perfect setting on a warm Sunday night. The only problem was that the table we had wasn’t exactly level and we had to suck our drinks down about halfway before we could put them on the table. Alas, a small price to pay for perfect dining weather.
Dino’s menu is pretty complicated, but in a way that makes it seem like the chef is just really excited about everything in his kitchen. The left side of the menu is more of a pick and choose charcuterie menu, the middle section is the standard appetizers and entrees, and the right side is the specials for the day. Our server told us to stick to the seasonal special menu, so we obliged. I started with the fried squash blossoms which were stuffed with mozzarella and anchovy, served with spicy red pepper sauce. Sadly there were only four on the plate, because I could have eaten tons more. They had more the texture of tempura than of a mozzarella stick, and the filling was gooey and satisfying while the anchovy flavor was what made it special. The lovely Caroline started with the chilled asparagus soup, which I thought sounded disgusting, but I wasn’t eating it so what did I care? She was a lot nicer than me and said it was “interesting”, but that the cream stirred in to the soup was a little overwhelming. I did not tell her I told her so, but I thought it. For her main course, she had the halibut, a perfect outdoor dining dish. It was seared nicely with just salt and pepper, and served with really tangy and delicious red wine vinegar caramelized onions. As a gal who can’t turn down bacon, I went with the cured baby pig loin. Cooked in duck fat (OMG!), the skin was crispy, the layer of fat delectable and the meat flavorful and perfectly cooked. While this dish was great, I would not say it is for every occasion. I routinely have a conversation with my friend about good things to order on a date. This is the opposite of a good date meal. At one and half pounds and almost twelve inches long, it is an unweildy beast. And when you’re done, you are left with a bone the size of your forearm. Luckily I wasn’t trying to woo my friend Caroline, so I didn’t give a toot. It was served with a sherry vinegar reduction that was a hair too reduced (looked a little like motor oil), and some nice saffron mashed potatoes.
Though we didn’t take advantage on this particular occasion, there are many deals to be had at Dino. First of all, there is still a “restaurant week” menu Sunday through Thursday, where you can get any starter/entree/dessert combo you desire for $35.09 (it also comes with an after dinner drink). In addition, there is a $25 three course meal Sunday through Thursday if ordered before 7pm. The wine deals are pretty spectacular too. In a place with a really extensive wine list, it is amazing that they have not one but two deals on the books. The first is Wine Madness (their name, not mine, obvs) on Sunday and Monday, where you can get any wine over $50 for 33% off. That deal is apparently for math scholars. The second is Tuesday through Thursday, where the restaurant offers a list of wines priced at a mere $15 a bottle. Befuddled by bargains yet? Well luckily, Dino’s website has a handy calendar on it that lays out exactly which deals correspond with your meal. So tech savvy! If there was only a way for them to text me when outdoor tables opened up, then we’d really have something.
