This is one of the few highly hyped and hot restaurants in DC that is worth the hype! I was very, very happy with my dinner here. The rustic barn decor is inviting, and our waiter was genuinely excited and proud of everything about the restaurant, and friendly and helpful to boot. The cocktails were well crafted and refreshing. I had heard on NPR that the restaurant was making a fabulous beer out of the leftover grapes used to make wine, but unfortunately they had just run out, but I appreciate that they're innovating with local businesses. The roasted chicken was the rockstar. It was quite sizable and melt-in-your-mouth tender and well spiced. I caught my dining companions staring just too passionately at my hen and had to share more than I selfishly wanted to--it was just perfect! The other standout was the maple creme brûlée which was truly mapley without being too sweet. All the other dishes we had were great. I thought the weakest dish was the shortribs which lacked the extra level of tenderness and awesomeness as everything else. The burrata with broccoli rabe, grilled octopus, and the sausage pasta dish we had were tasty. I already have plans to return! read more

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Mafalde pasta was delightful. I was stuffed. A gem! My husband enjoyed his meal. We had a little cozy table near the open cooking area so that was fun to watch. read more

Love the food; hate the wine offerings. The wine choices are benign boring and uninspired. Please upgrade your offerings.

Great little spot but usually hard to get a reservation. Tables are tight so next time I think I'd prefer to just have a casual dinner at the bar. Food and drinks are always great, but nothing for me personally that makes it worth planning ahead for reservations. read more

I've been coming to this nice neighborhood joint and it rarely disappoints. More than rarely, never. I always get the Brussels sprouts and at least a cocktail. Located close to the Capitol, this spot is a fantastic vibe and a one of the best spots in town for pasta and small dishes. read more

First start with the Burrata and then go straight to dessert! The dark chocolate dessert with mint ice cream...AMAZING! Seriously, just get it! The spaghetti squash dish, gnocchi dish, and the mafalde (very rich)-all good. Overall, great experience and nice, clean, very relaxing atmosphere. read more

Terrible service. The food tasted like was made for a cafeteria. Waiters hovered over us. I think they just wanted to turn the table. Will not be returning. read more

Awesome food and service. A bit pricey but it's DC so you expect that. The cocktails are top notch. The bartender really knew what he was doing. read more

The Red Hen is a hidden gem in Bloomingdale. Fantastic food and drinks. Great rustic Italian vibes. And complimentary olives for the table. What's not to love. read more

This was an absolutely disappointing experience. All the reviews we've read suggested a great experience and great food. With all the hype, we were really expecting something amazing. However, the vibe was very casual, which was the first turn-off for us. We expected something more upscale. We could have lived with that, though, as there are many casual restaurants we also love. Regardless of the vibe, we expected the food to be great from all the reviews we've read. However, the food was disappointing too. Everything came out really quickly, which is a red flag to me. Do they really cook the food themselves? Or is it pre-made/frozen? The pasta was also very undercooked. I love a good al-dente pasta, but this was just chewy and not cooked at all. The flavors were also bland and it seemed like they just added a lot of salt and/or cheese to cover for the bland flavors. We ordered appetizers first (ricotta crostini and octopus) and wanted to wait to order entrees as this is what we usually do. We want to enjoy our experience. However, the waitress seemed like she just wanted us to order and leave as fast as possible. The ricotta crostini was just a huge blob of cheese on top of a piece of hard bread. It tasted okay but was not well presented or made. The octopus, from my husbands description, was a TON of cannelli beans with some extremely salty bread crumbs to cover for a bland flavor. The mezze rigatoni was recommended as an excellent dish. However, this was just a regular tomato sauce that I probably could have made at home. Again, the pasta was very chewy and not nearly al-dente. The spaghetti was also very bland. It came out with a heap of grated parmesan on top, most likely to compensate for the bland flavors. The oil it was cooked in tasted generic and I could probably buy better tasting olive oil from Giant/Safeway. It also had an odd smell, like something in it was old. Probably the roasted garlic. I hate the smell/taste of old garlic. Overall, we went in expecting great things from all the hype and were greatly disappointed with both the service and the food. We will not be returning or recommending this restaurant. read more

Extremely delicious pasta. The bread salad was also a very unique and tasty appetizer for us. Every dish we tried was very flavorful and filling. read more

Finally got a reservation for Red Hen, and will be making several more reservations in advance. Everyone is talking about this place, and folks, the hype this time is definitely worth it. It's a bit "isolated" on a corner in Bloomingdale (not sure what else there is to do around in the area before/after dinner, but up for suggestions from fellow Yelpers!), but it's worth going. The layout is so cozy and lovely - perfect dim lighting, bar seating in the middle of the restaurant, a peek into the kitchen and grill in the back. A unique, DC gem. We shared the burrata with toast -- love the char on the bread and the tomatoes with the cheese. For the mains, we shared the squid ink linguine with calamari and the mafalde with wild mushrooms and porcini crema. They were great portions to share particularly as the pastas are quite rich. The linguine was wonderful and a first bite tasted like being out at sea -- in a wonderful, vacation way, not in a fishy way. It tastes like the kind of meal I'd want to devour right after a long day at the beach. Also quite generous portions of the calamari. The mafalde was creamy, delicious, and a must-order with any other dish you choose to get. We didn't get any dessert this time as we were already quite satisfied and happy, but so excited to go back and try other things on the menu! Loved it. read more

The Gnocchi Sardi was a top-5 all time meal for me. Not an overwhelming portion. Great mix of taste and texture. The spice level was perfecto. This is my new favorite restaurant in DC. Great for dates (though I haven't been on one here) and small family gatherings. read more

First time back since the pandemic! This place is in incredible, the food is so yummy and the service is excellent. Love that they have cute non alcoholic drinks to enjoy! read more

My absolute favorite restaurant in DC. Same restaurant group as All-Purpose Pizzeria, so they carry similar appetizers. Menu is seasonal but there are a few staples (rigatoni). FOR THE TABLE/APPETIZERS: - Whipped Ricotta Crostini - Not a ricotta fan but this was a light, fluffy whipped perfection. Small bites so don't expect much. - Roasted Spaghetti Squash - Spritz of lemon and sage flavor & topped with parmigiano and crushed hazelnut; although listed as a side, you could eat this as an entrée if you're not super hungry. - Baked Semolina Gnocchi alla Romana - comparable to 3 firm tofu cakes (which was a bit odd for texture purposes) on top of a bed of basil sauce, mushrooms, and sprinkles of parmesan. Tasty and large enough as an entrée, if you're not super hungry. PASTA: All of the pasta is cooked to al dente perfection. - Casarecce with Sauerkraut, Smoked Bacon Powder, Spinach - 5 out of 5; creamy perfection. The sauerkraut gives it a nice pickled taste to compliment the heaviness of the cheesy sauce. Packed with multiple flavors. - Paccheri with Mushrooms and Porcini Crema - creamy, earthy and rich mushroom sauce with spinach throughout; very good but may as well get the casarecce for extra flavor. - Mezze Rigatoni with Fennel Sausage Ragu - has a slight kick but not that spicy; if you're nervous of venturing out to the other pastas, this is a solid safe choice; tasty but nothing out of the ordinary. MAINS: - Roasted Atlantic Halibut - meh. It was extremely meaty and cooked well but the flavors were lacking. DESSERT: - Maple Custard with Hazelnut topping - warm custard with vanilla flavors and nice crunchy topping. DRINKS: - Wines are always good; tried an orange wine for curiosity's sake but it wasn't a fav. - Seaside Getaway (Gin, Lemon & Lavender) - incredibly refreshing. - Midnight in Paris - comparable to a Manhattan. Boozy but yummy. - & Everything Nice - comparable to an Old-Fashioned. Once again, boozy but yummy. The service at the bar is INCREDIBLE and truly makes the dining experience. All of the bartenders are so extremely friendly and give amazing recommendations, which is why we always show up early, without a reservation, to sit at the bar. Shout out to our man, Fred - the most charming and hilarious bartender dude ever; he's great at recommending great wine pairings, as well as cocktails and food. Thank you to Guillermo and Alec as well - they're super friendly and amazing as well! read more

The Red Hen - Seaside Getaway (gin, lemon & lavender) and Midnight in Paris (I think...?) - Italian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Finally!!! Italian food that hits the spot. Yes it's hard to get a reservation here but don't get discouraged (I'm glad I didn't). Their bar is full service and they take walk ins. We called ahead to get an idea of how full the bar was and headed over right away. We had an amazing meal with impeccable service. Started out with the ricotta toast, arancini and octopus. Followed by the caccio e peppe (not on the menu but always available) and mezzi rigatoni. Finished with the chocolate cake and the panna cotta. The negronis on point! And an incredible wine list. I went with a light valpolicella that I'm still thinking about. Everything was incredible. The ricotta very rich and tasty and sweet honey on top. The octopus perfectly cooked, grilled and a bit charred on the outside with the perfect consistency, soft inside (not chewy at all) over a bed of lemony white beans. Loved the arancini, and was barely able to steal one from my bff (an order includes 4). The pasta was amazing. I am still thinking about the simple, yet comforting rigatoni. But I think the caccio may have been my fave. The pasta on both dishes was perfectly al dente and unmistakably fresh. Both of the desserts were incredible, though we loved the chocolate cake a bit more than the panna cotta. The rich chocolate was perfectly balanced with the dark cherry gelato. Not one crumb was spared. I grew up eating home made Italian and don't usually go out to Italian restaurants but red hen is my new fave. Way to go!! 5 stars read more

Great Neighborhood Spot- Poor Communications from Hostesses Living in the neighborhood, we've always loved Red Hen! Food and atmosphere are wonderful! I was disappointed this Saturday night for the lack of communication from the hosting staff. Arriving promptly at 5:15 to put our name in for a table while my husband parked, and was told "We'll seat you when your husband arrives". Number of folks come in and they seat them while I sit in front of them waiting. When my husband arrives 8 minutes later after driving all over the neighborhood for parking, we're told there is no longer a table and an hour and a half wait. Would've been nice for them to explain that they cannot hold a table, because I would've left as soon as the table was taken instead of sitting there waiting. Just fair warning to all be there with your entire party at that moment or you can loose the spot in a second. read more

People giving this place four and five Stars have to be a little crazy. Place is small, very loud and food is just ok. Service was very slow and waitress not very attentive. Many other Great restaurants in the area to choose from. Will skip this one on next trip to visit daughter. read more

The Red Hen is a Bloomingdale neighborhood gem. Food: 5 stars The food is absolutely incredible! The pasta dishes are $18. They're not huge portions, but they're great for sharing. You really could just get one and be full, but, when out to eat, I'd say get a few and share. The appetizers and desserts are also fantastic. Must-gets: -- Appetizer -- Fried Cauliflower with Salsa Rossa, Lemon Yogurt, Pecorino Romano & Breadcrumbs -- Pasta -- Squid ink linguini with Calamari, Cannellini Beans, Pea Shoots, Red Fresno Chiles & Breadcrumbs = MY FAV!! Rich and full of delicious calamari -- Pasta -- Mezzi Rigatoni with Fennel Sausage Ragu & Pecorino Romano = Classically comforting and flavorful -- Dessert -- Brownie sundae with mint gelato and chocolate sauce Drinks: 4 stars The cocktail list and wine list both are lovely. The only reason for the 4 stars instead of 5 is that they're a bit pricier than necessary. The least expensive bottle of wine is $50-- much more than bottles at other equally nice restaurants in the area. We got two bottles of the $50 wine-- a white and red. They were good, but I wish they were more like $35. Atmosphere: 5 stars The atmosphere is rustic and welcoming. Dim lighting makes you feel like you aren't around other tables and people. The bar area is comfortable as well-- I would come back and just sit there if it was just me, or with one other person. Service: 5 stars Our server was wonderful! She helped us make selections from the menu and guided us to order the right amount of food. And it was absolutely perfect. For reference, we were a group of 7, and ordered 7 pasta dishes + one main entree. Next time I'd just skip the entree. All was wonderful She also made sure our wine glasses and water glasses were full. Price: 4 stars I think food prices are fair and well worth the price. $18 for a pasta dish that has calamari or meat in it is quite good. The alcohol though is overpriced. If the booze prices came down a bit, I'd give Red Hen 5 stars all around. We had a wonderful experience. I will definitely be back. It was lovely for a girls night dinner, and it would be a beautiful, romantic yet comfortable setting for a date! read more

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Fabulous yet intimate atmosphere, friendly knowledgeable staff, yummy pasta and the most delicious roasted octopus I've ever had. Reservations can be hard to get so plan ahead. read more

I was lucky to get a last minute dinner reservation and was so excited to have a warm bowl of pasta. My date and I ordered the charred octopus leg and fried cauliflower to start, both of which came highly recommended by our server. The octopus was perfectly cooked, nice and tender, and placed over a bed of white beans. Of note, there were just 2 small legs served in the dish, and plenty of beans underneath. The cauliflower, which was lightly fried, came atop a green creamy sauce and some lightly spicy peppers. There wasn't enough sauce to make the dish flavorful; not worth the fried food calories and not hitting the fresh veggie category. When asked what her favorite was, our server recommended 3 of the 6 pastas. I'm usually more compelled to order a dish that the server is excited about, not half the menu. I ordered the clam linguine, which surprisingly came with no whole, fresh clams. It came with chopped clams, which, I felt didn't do the dish justice. The linguine noodles were cooked al dente, so they were a bit chewy and so delightfully comforting. That said, the chopped clams tasted sort of fishy and also needed flavor. I didn't taste one advertised Calabrian chile flake. My date had the mafalde, a wide ribbon pasta topped with spring vegetables. This pasta was a tad over-cooked and tasted like the cream it was covered in. We were sort of underwhelmed by our dinner, and decided not to order dessert. I am unsure if I would come back here. It was good, not worth $90/person for so-so food. read more

We are staying a few blocks from this restaurant while visiting DC. Lovely, knowledgeable staff, great wine and wonderful food. The bartender gave us tastings of two wines we asked about while waiting for our table and man was it good. The waiter was fantastic as well. The octopus was divine, the short ribs were so tender and delicious. Would definitely come here again. read more

The Red Hen has been on my list of restaurants to try for AGES, and I was so excited to try this place out. I really liked it, but I didn't LOVE it... The service was wonderful, we were seated promptly, and our server was friendly and knowledgable about the menu. We ordered the Buratta, the Aranchini Rice Balls, the Clams and Linguini Pasta, and the Halibut. The first two were DELICIOUS and my favorite bites of the nite. The pasta, however, was underwhelming. I was surprised that the dish did not come with whole clams, rather bits of clams that were rather overcooked. The Halibut was good, but there was too much truffle in the polenta that came with the fish for my taste. That said, perhaps my biggest disappointment of the night was not seeing their Caico y Pepe on the menu. I'd heard great things about it and was dying to see if it lived up to the ones I had in Rome. That disappointment grew when I happened to look over at a table next to us and they had some on their plate. Apparently, it is an "off menu" item that you can order. Good to know for next time, if I can ever get another reservation... lol. read more

This is my favorite neighborhood for damn good reason. The servers are always super friendly, passionate & knowledgeable. The menu is full of seasonal favorites (tomato & feta summer salad appetizer is amazing), and the pastas are always delicious. Great cocktails & wine list to boot - they have a BYO wine option for a few, but it's really not needed. Their hosts are also accommodating and never pretentious- if you don't have a reservation, they can usually sneak in a party of 2/4. Enjoy! read more

The Red Hen - Amazing pasta! - Italian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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A fantastic restaurant in DC with some great Italian flavors. Definitely try and make a reservation, as it can be quite busy even throughout the week days. The food here is served pretty much perfectly. If you're looking for rich, delicious Italian food that is not overwhelmingly heavy, this is the place for you. Their pasta dishes are excellent, and their side dishes are as well! I would venture to say that every item on their menu has been carefully thought out and executed extremely well. Portion sizes are not humongous and prices are reasonable for a nicer restaurant. I will be back for sure! read more

The Red Hen - Mezze Rigatoni - Italian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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My wife has been trying to get me to go here for months. "Oh the chicken liver mouse is soooo good. Oh we need to go to Red Hen. Can we please go to Red Hen?! :)" OK, I finally gave in since we were going to be in DC anyways. Drove here and had no issues finding a parking spot (yay) and showed up about an hour before our reservation. They had no issues seating us immediately (Thank you). We were seated in the corner of the restaurant which was good for people watching. The kitchen is visible from the dining area which is pretty cool and there's a great rustic theme going on in this place. Our waitress was super talkative and helped us (me) through the menu and recommended some things. We ended up going with the chicken liver mouse, shaved celery and apple salad, and the grilled octopus. Wow, now I can see why my wife wanted to go back and get the mousse. It was soooooo smoooooooooth and creamy. It was pretty delicious and the crustini it came with definitely complimented it really well. The salad was delicious too. The octopus was one of the better octopus dishes I've tried. The cauliflower-almond creme that sits below the octopus was definitely a new thing for me and went excellent with the charred tentacles. For the main, i went with the roasted atlantic halibut. It tasted a little more fried than roasted, but delicious nonetheless. this was the first time I've had halibut and was happy with my meal. The wife went with the Ricotta Cavetelli with spicy lamb sausage. Although the portion was normal, she filled up too much on the mouse, salad, and octopus and was only able to eat half. Luckily I still had room and finished it off - mmmmm sooo good. You can taste the love with this homemade pasta. To finish it off, we had the maple custard (creme brulee like) and chocolate brownie with ice cream. All in all a pretty good experience and I'm happy I was finally talked into going. We'll be back eventually - just too many other great restaurants we need to try before repeating anything too soon. read more

The Red Hen - Grilled Octopus - Italian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Delicious food, great service, and a wonderful, cozy atmosphere! I dined at The Red Hen for a birthday celebration and it was incredible! For appetizers we had the Cauliflower and Gnocchi and for main dishes we had the signature Mezzi Rigatoni and the Squid Ink Linguini. The rigatoni was so yummy and the linguini had an explosion of flavors. The gnocchi is not your typical potato gnocchi so it was a bit more mushy but still tasty. They are always booked up so be sure to make reservations way ahead of time! read more

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The food was great. Ellie my bartender was great! They were very accommodating. Even though they were busy I never felt ignored. Great drinks too! Great to see such a gem survive Covid. read more

Hands down my favorite restaurant in DC. From cocktails to pastas to dessert, this place does not miss. Creative tasty meals with fresh ingredients. The menu gets updated seasonally. Sitting at the bar is always fun, and the bartenders always recommend great wine pairings with the pasta. Highly recommend! read more

My dining experience at The Red Hen felt like a dream! Every plate we ordered was exceptional with a hint of creativity. We enjoyed the grilled octopus appetizer so much, we ordered seconds. The beef short rib was a perfect combination of tender with a crispy outer crust. Some may say it was to die for. You will need a reservation to dine at this little gem on the weekend. But, if you're feeling spontaneous, you may find a seat at the bar where they serve all menu items. I will definitely be back to try some of the pasta dishes. Looking forward to it! read more

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The ricotta toast is a MUST! The pasta was incredible and the ambience is incredible. Super impressed and can't wait to go back

Tasty Italian restaurant in DC. Great rotating menu which means depending on what time of year you go, their menu may be different. We went for an early dinner, before 7 and it was already quite busy. We ended up having to sit at the bar which was fine. I'd recommend this spot! read more

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I have been dining at The Red Hen for many years now and want to give them the props they deserve. It is always full for a reason- the food and customer service is spectacular. Instead of waiting for a table, I will often sit and eat at the bar where the bartenders are always friendly, knowledgeable, and true cocktail and cuisine professionals. You won't ever be disappointed with your food or service at Red Hen. This neighborhood joint is a true gem of DC! read more

Cool environment and good food. Only reason its 4 instead of 5 stars is the pricing, its pretty steep. $19 for just a small bowl of pasta is a stretch, which both bowls were very good, still I spent $38 just on pasta because I was still hungry, that price does not include a salad or any breads, although they do give you some yummy green olives. It is worth the check out, just be prepared to spend money. read more

This is such a lovely dining experience! The ambiance is casual and neighborhood-y. I went with a fairly large group and we decided to share everything, and everything I tasted was good. Standouts were: - Burrata. I mean, burrata is always good but this had a flavorful, crunchy topping that took it over the top. - Fried brussels sprouts. Another thing I always love. These came with a delicious, unexpectedly tangy sauce. - Linguine with clams. This was not what I was expecting, loaded with greens and ginger. - Mafalde. I just loooove mushrooms so this dish was meant for me. And the pasta was the perfect chewy texture (although, ALL the pasta was the perfect chewy texture). Our waiter talked up the arancini and someone at my table insisted we order the off-menu cacio e pepe. Both of these things were really good, but I thought the flavors weren't as interesting as some of the other things we tried. The bar was high! read more

We loved everything we had, from appetizer to pasta to dessert; just know there's a reason reservations are near impossible to get and the bar area gets filled quickly so plan ahead read more

The best spot for a special occasion dinner. We love sitting at the bar at Red Hen when we can find a spot, but have also had luck coming early and not waiting to long for a table. For two people we usually split a toast (whipped ricotta is a must), antipasto, and two pastas. The wine selection is great but expensive, they also offer a $20 corking fee if you bring your own bottle. The menu is seasonal and often changing based on local produce. The mezzi rigatoni is a staple and the current roasted sphaghetti squash anti pasta was amazing! read more

The Red Hen - Mezze Rigatoni, mafalde porcini crema pasta - Italian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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It's a limited menu compared to the Before Times. But that was clearly a wise move, as they have maintained the high quality of the food for take out as it used to be for dining in. Impressive. And delicious! read more

I thoroughly enjoyed my dinner at the Red Hen. The atmosphere is welcoming and cozy with wood paneling, an open kitchen, and an eye-catching bar that consumes half the space. We tried a variety of dishes on the menu. If you go, you MUST get the ricotta toast, the chicken liver mousse, and the ricotta cavatelli. These three were my absolute favorite! The ricotta toast is like a bite of heaven with the whipped, light ricotta. The chicken liver is topped with a roasted fig jam that balances the bitterness of the liver perfectly. If you love mac and cheese,the ricotta cavatelli is an elevated one. Talk about comfort food. Next on the list were the risotto balls, the brussels sprouts, the duck ragu and the squid ink linguine. The risotto balls were themselves rather bland--the basil aioli added some much needed flavor. The brussels seem very misplaced on this Italian inspired menu. They were good, but didn't quite fit with the rest of the dishes. The duck ragu wasn't my favorite. I think I learned that I just don't like ragu. Finally the squid ink pasta was very "fishy" and didn't seem to have a good balance of flavors. As far as drinks, I would HIGHLY recommend the Merkin Vineyards Shinola Orancia wine from Arizona. It's a fruit forward, refreshing orange wine which is great to pair with almost any appetizer on the menu. The Pleiades California red blend was delicious too. It has a dry finish, but pairs well with both the meats and the seafood. read more

I've had The Red Hen on my list ever since they opened up back in '13. This Italian-influenced, Bloomingdale-neighborhood spot offers a dinner menu, dessert, and wine/cocktails. The hubs and I came here for an early dinner, and we tried the following: Tuscan Chicken Liver Mousse with Fig Conserva, Fresh Thyme, & Grilled Rustic Bread (the chicken liver mousse came cold, and it was heavily fig conserva-focused (the fig conserva was like a gelatinous 'preserve' on top; slightly salty, it was pretty okay on the perfectly crisply-grilled slices of bread); Smoked Trout Rillettes with Celery, Mascarpone, Dill, Watermelon Radish & Toast (imagine a tuna salad, but using trout instead; this was more on the bland side, and I wasn't a fan of this; this came with a side of frisee salad); Burrata with Sweet Corn & Tomato Salad, Wheatberries, Salami, Basil & Breadcrumbs (the burrata was very fresh and of a generous portion, but it was not seasoned; the salad itself was fresh, heavily-corn-based, and the 'salami' were actually little cubed chunks (which were not of many)); Charred Octopus with Spring Pea Hummus, Chickpea Salad, Fennel, Frisee & Tonnato Sauce (the octopus was definitely charred (slightly too much but it was still good; I wasn't a fan of the salad, as the chickpeas at this restaurant is served 'al dente' (which to me means 'not cooked'); Squid Ink Linguini with Calamari, Chickpeas, Pea Shoots, Pickled Fresno Chile & Breadcrumbs (the squid ink linguini was perfectly cooked al dente and delicious, and the creamy sauce had a nice little kick to it; however, the amount of calamari was just way too much, and the chickpeas, again, were not cooked); Mezze Rigatoni with Fennel Sausage Ragu & Pecorino Romano (one of the restaurant's famous dishes, the rigatoni was also perfectly cooked al dente; the sauce was tasty, and reminded of my own sauce (but mine just is slightly more cheesier and has a spicy kick to it) - the fennel sausage could have been crumbled down more, as there were just massive chunks of them; I did like the fact that the fennel taste was not overpowering); Caramelized Scallops with English Peas, Bacon, Charred Scallion, Summer Greens & Soft Polenta (this was my favorite entree dish; the polenta was one of the best I've had, as it was very creamy and flavorful; the scallops were cooked well and buttery, and the charred scallions and the summer greens had a slight garlic taste to them); Charred Beef Short Ribs with Braised Beans 'alla Romesco,' Smoked Onion Salsa Verde, Feta & Balsamico (the short ribs was a little overcooked, but had a good taste to it; I wasn't a fan of the beans and the feta cheese as it was a weird complement to the ribs); Suckling Pig Porchetta with Roasted Fingerling Potatoes, Za'atar, Salsa Verde, Frisee & Crispy Capers (this had too much of a heavy 'pork' taste to it, and the potatoes had an acidic taste to them; this dish was not a favorite of mine); and, a side of Fried Cauliflower 'Sicilian Style' with Pecorino Romano & Breadcrumbs (red sauce-dressed cauliflower, the veggies seemed as if they were steamed, rather than 'fried' as noted). After the first couple of dishes, the items tasted the same/1-noted, with the repetition of the tomato sauce, the pecorino romano, the frisee salad with the same vinaigrette dressing, and the bread crumbs. For dessert, we had the Maple Custard with Caramelized Hazelnut Crumble (while the maple custard (tasted like a maple-version of a creme brulee filling) was pretty tasty, the topping was just way too overwhelming - it seemed more peanuts than hazelnuts, and there were no 'caramelization' of the nuts - it literally tasted like custard topped with a massive amount of nuts!). We finished our meal with a glass of Amaro Averna, a classic digestif that had a slight medicinal/minty taste to it. Our server was Ejeon, and he was really nice and friendly; you can tell that he is very enthusiastic and extremely loyal to the menu items. The space itself was pretty big, with the exposed brick and the wooden decor, and the open kitchen to your right. We were seated by the window, and one annoyance was that there were too many flies/gnats flying around T____T Just a note: it's okay if you are unable to score a reservation on their online system - the restaurant still sets aside some tables for walk-ins, which I thought was pretty awesome :D I'm glad I was able to check this place out, and I'd probably come back for their pasta-oriented dishes. +Squid Ink Linguini with Calamari, Chickpeas, Pea Shoots, Pickled Fresno Chile & Breadcrumbs (opt out of the chickpeas and calamari) +Mezze Rigatoni with Fennel Sausage Ragu & Pecorino Romano (request for the sausage to be crumbled down more) +Caramelized Scallops with English Peas, Bacon, Charred Scallion, Summer Greens & Soft Polenta +online reservations offered, but walk-ins are happily received +ask for Ejeon read more

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