If you’re looking to quickly stand out on the Washington dining scene, Italian cuisine may not be the best way to go. Even before the restaurant boom of the past fifteen years, DC has had its share of quality Italian chefs and restaurants: Roberto Donna and his various incarnations of Galileo, the “pasta mamas” of Filomena and Fabio Trabocchi’s Maestro are just a few that readily spring to mind. The field is even more crowded today, with newcomers like Casa Nonna, Carmine’s and Roberto Donna’s newest Galileo competing with long-time favorites.
Ari Gejdenson and Ralph Lee knew all that – they both grew up in the area before making their separate ways to Florence. They have since returned, bringing with them Acqua al 2 (the 2 is pronounced in Italian as “du-ay”). This is the second American outpost of the Florentine original – the first was in San Diego, naturally – and it’s a welcome addition to the restaurant options around Eastern Market. I recently had a chance to check them out with a coworker and a friend who is already well on her way to becoming a regular despite the fact that the restaurant has barely been open six months.
We knew we wanted to experience a broad range of dishes – apparently Acqua al 2 knew it, as well. The first few items on their menu are assaggi, sampler platters featuring varieties of pasta, steaks, and even desserts. The Assaggio di Primi gave us a chance to try five of their vegetarian pasta options in portions scalable to fit the number of diners in our party. All we had to do was sit back and enjoy the ride.
Details on the dishes we tasted after the jump. (more…)