Sure, there’s Zagats and Michelin Star ratings, but does anyone ever tell you the important stuff like what kind of men go there, how far you have to walk from the nearest subway, or how hot the bartender is? No, they don’t. But we do. So read along. And the next time you’re planning a date or a girls night out, check with us first. We’re always around.

City Files (DC) – Gnocchi for Everyone!

Posted by Lauren, "Gal About D.C." - 19/08/10 at 11:08 am

We wouldn’t let DC’s restaurant week go by without throwing our 2 cents in, now would we? To be fair, restaurant week is certainly not a fair time to decide Yay or Nay on a place but it doesn’t hurt to see how some of the best local food spots handle extreme volume and pressure. This week, Lauren swam her way through the flood warnings over to Filomena in Georgetown (1603 Wisconsin Avenue, NW). See how she thought they held up under Day Four of DC’s Summer Restaurant Week.

Food: YUMS! Unlike many other area restaurants, Filomena didn’t create an entirely new menu of simpler items or minimize the serving size. The Arancini was to die for – the mozzarella in the middle of the rolled and fried risotto balls melts in your mouth. Served with a simple yet obviously loved and pampered marina sauce (I Heart Basil), these were an amazing (yet possibly too heavy) way to start off the meal. Filomena gets a lot of attention for their homemade gnocchi, especially since there is a cute lil’ woman at the entrance to the restaurant (see pic – she’s SO cute!) rolling and cutting pasta into gnocchi-shapes. I couldn’t pass it up – gnocchi is just too fun (yes, FUN). Several of us at dinner ordered the Gnocchi Della Mamma, while others ordered the Scampi De Palermo. Lots of pasta, marinara sauce, Chianti and big smiles all around the table.

Drink: The waiter recommended a mid-priced Chianti to complement our meal. I’m generally a fan of Chianti (don’t LURV it but I LIKE it) but this one wasn’t the best. ::Rolls Eyes:: I should learn more about wine before judging my waiter’s recommendations, right? Yup. Filomena offered complimentary digestifs post-meal and pre-food coma. Amaretto and Sambuca are an interesting way to “move things along.”

Bathroom Rating: Easily accessible, large mirrors for the last minute dress and makeup check, floral paintings in each of the ladies’ stalls and no climbing stairs comparable to Mount Everest to get there. A wee bit messy but its Restaurant Week – I’m preeeettttty sure all staff were on call to cater to hungry people.

Eye Candy: BAHAHAHA. It’s Georgetown. Unless you like the early-20’s cookie-cutter pink polo and khakis-look, there was nothing to think twice about. [Editor's Note: So true. So true.]

High Heel Quotient: There is a steep stairway into the restaurant from the street but otherwise, my 4 inch t-straps felt right at home (well, not really, because they were the cutest! ::bats eyes::) Overall, no reason to feel risk of tripping or danger of falling.

Waitstaff: Great waiter, great Maitre d’, great folks bussing the tables…Overall, great service. Everyone had a smile and seemed happy to see you, even though they must have been standing for hours while catering to Whiney Whinersons.

Overall: 3.75 out of 5. We waited an hour after our reservation to be seated after repeatedly being quoted ”10 minutes.”  I understand that. Not judging, just commenting. Very impressed with fast food , kind service, nice (aka Fat American) portion sizes (::rubs belly::). Not pleased with catty Georgetowners with ungrateful attitudes. Restaurant Week is a hard week for restaurants and their staff so I have to give Filomena kudos and say, GO TEAM GNOCCHI!

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 19th, 2010 at 11:30 AM and is filed under Wining and Dining (DC). You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.