I’ve visited Sette Osteria a number of times over the past few months - for brunch, dinner and lunch. For me, Sette Osteria is not necessarily about a fine dining experience (there are very few truly good Italian restaurants in the DC area). It is more about a convenient, pleasant experience than anything else.

Cost - $$

Service - B+
The service has been consistently solid at Sette Osteria. They seem to place a premium on having competent, friendly servers and it definitely makes a big difference in the overall equation of the place.

Food - C
I actually think the food is the weakest part of the experience at Sette Osteria. It’s not bad, it is just that there is nothing that really stands out on the menu - everything is just average.

Decor - B+
The decor is pretty solid. The interior has an energetic, busy feel and they get extra points for having ample outdoor seating.

Feel - B+
Sette seems to draw a pretty consistent crowd and I believe that has a great deal to do with its location and trendy ambiance more than anything on the menu. I think people go there to hang out and have a few drinks or dinner on a weekday evening. It provides a solid, steady experience in the Dupont area.

Sette Osteria is at 1666 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20009.

Circa at Dupont is a relatively new establishment located right in the heart of Dupont Circle. With a good menu, an indoor bar area, and outdoor seating it figures to be a solid addition to the Dupont Circle nightlife. Dean and I hit Circa on a whim after running a few games at Balance Gym.  It was a beautiful night (a shade over 80 degrees) and instead of heading home we decided to grab a quick bit to eat outside.  It turned out to be the perfect venue for the evening.

Cost - $$

Service - B+
The service was extremely good and didn’t seem to mind that I was wearing flip-flops and basketball shorts.  Not that I can think of that many restaurants in DC that actually would make a big fuss about it but it was definitely nice to receive good service straight out of the gym.

Food - B
The food was solid but not spectacular.  In all honesty I can’t speak to the quality of the main entrées - just this pizzas.  The white pizza was good but not the best in DC (that award belongs to the white pizza at Pines of Rome in Bethesda).

Decor - B+
I like the location of Circa and from the patio, you have a great vantage point to people-watch in Dupont.  Inside, Circa creates a comfortable yet slightly upscale atmosphere with its general decor.  It is a place you can dress down to (which is important in DC) but also a place you could grab a pre-evening drink on a Friday or Saturday.

Feel - A-
For an informal dinner on a beautiful Wednesday evening, Circa was the perfect choice.  I also would certainly go back to pre-game on a weekend evening.

Circa is located at 601 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20009.  

What’s the Buzz:

September 20, 2007 - Circa at Dupont (The 42) - On a whim we decided to pay a visit to one of Dupont’s newest restaurants, Circa. Its on the 42 bus route on Connecticut Ave at Q Street; right across the street from the northern Metro entrance. Wrap Works was there previously. This place is a liiiiiiiittle bit more swank.  Full article…

April 18, 2007 - Circa du Soso (Washington, DC Metblogs) - Located at Connecticut and Q, directly opposite the Dupont Circle Metro station, Circa is one of the best new neighborhood restaurants I’ve been to in quite some time. Some of my favorite restaurants in the area are Bistro du Coin, Hank’s Oyster Bar, and Urbana, but Circa may soon be added to that list. It has every quality that I look for in a restaurant: tasty food, a nice selection of wine (and other drinks), a beautiful decor, and a great location.  Full Article…

October 30, 2006 - What’s New on the Circa (Going out Gurus) - “We really want to make ourselves part of the community.” Those are the high aspirations Matthew Carlin has for Circa at Dupont, the new restaurant moving into the WrapWorks space as early as next March. Carlin is the chief financial officer and chief operations officer for the MHG Group, which manages the Greenberry’s coffee shops in the Virginia suburbs. With Circa, the group is trying something a little different.  Full Article…

Cost - $$

Service - B-
Pines of Rome isn’t a very high-end Italian restaurant so the service isn’t anything to write home about - they are fairly polite and efficient so as long as they get that white pizza out in < 10 minutes I’m happy.

Food - B+
As I mentioned in the preface they have the best white pizza in the world.  By far.  In fact, I would recommend getting the white pizza as a shared appetizer and then getting it again as the main course and finishing up with white pizza with some whip cream for dessert.  I’ve also tried the other dishes and they are fairly good but nothing that you can’t make at home yourself.

Decor - C
They have those typical cheapy plastic table mats and sticky wooden furniture.  Clearly they don’t use a lot of their profit on furnishing the restaurant.  There is something sort of quaint and authentic about how scaled back the furnishing in the place is.

Feel - B+
Pines of Rome has been a mainstay in Bethesda for many years because they deliver great Italian food at a good cost with no frills.  They are like the Southwest Airlines of Italian food in the DC-area.  They are a great spot for families or couples simply looking for a quick bite to eat before catching a film in downtown Bethesda.

Pines of Rome is located at 4709 Hampden Ln, Bethesda, MD 20814.

Cost - $

Service - A
Every single time I order from Baffetto’s, whether it’s in person or over the phone and regardless of hour, I get the same great service with a smile. Delivery is also very quick, sometimes as quick as 30 minutes but almost never over 40.

Food - B
Pizza types range from traditional to gourmet with thin crust being an option. There are also calzones, wings and hot and cold sandwiches. I am forever on the hunt for a good Italian sandwich and Baffetto’s has some pretty good ones. They also serve pizza by the slice.

Decor - N/A
It’s pretty much a counter with a couple of high tables with chairs against the wall. More like a waiting area.

Feel - C
I have been here over a dozen times but never before midnight so as far as late-night eateries go, it’s less crowded and chaotic than the pizza by the slice places up 18th Street.

What’s the Buzz:

August 1, 2007 - Baffetto (Washington Post) - Pie varieties include the Arrabiata with spicy red pepper sauce, mushrooms and olives, Chicken Pesto with grilled chicken, sundried tomatoes and olives and a simple Margarita. Full Article…

June 22, 2007 - Baffetto (Washington City Paper) - Though they’re not the gut-busting jumbo wedges Adams Morgan is (in)famous for, the pizza slices at this modest shop (counterspace, stools, black-and-white floor tiling) are as un-embarrassing as they are undistinguished. Full Article…

Cost - $

Service - B
It isn’t bad.  The staff is fairly young and they do a lot of volume during weekday evenings but do a good job maintaining their composure and acting fairly polite.

Food - A
This place might have the best pizza in DC.  I like their pizza better than the pizza at 2 Amy’s, which everyone claims is the best pizza in D.

Decor - C
It is pretty spartan.  It is not filthy however, which is something I like in a pizzeria.

Feel - B
It is really a takeout place (even though there is seating) so people are constantly coming in and picking up food and then heading out.  That being said, they project old black-and-white films on the wall so that is sort of cool I guess.

Cost - $$

Service - C
It certainly leaves a lot to be desired. My server actually took one of the plates on the table that had a slice of pizza I was eating and was gone before I had a chance to open my mouth. 2 Amys has a pretty high turnover rate so you can’t expect the service to be that great I suppose although there are high-turnover restaurants that do have decent service.

Food - B+
I don’t see what the big deal is. It is just Italian-style pizza really but I guess that it a novelty for people in DC? I don’t even think their pizza is as good as some other places in DC. I am going to give them a good grade however because they use fresh ingredients, they have an interesting menu that contains a lot of items you don’t see in the rest of the city, and they have a decent wine menu.

Decor - C
The main restaurant area gets a C- but it is balanced out by the wine bar, which I would give a B or so. You obviously don’t go there to admire the decorations.

Feel - A-
It is actually a pretty fun place to go. I still can’t quite explain why it fills up as much as it does (I’ve dropped in on a weekday night and been told there was a 30-minute wait) but it is worth checking out sometime when the wait isn’t that long.

2 Amy’s is located at 3715 Macomb St. just off Connecticut Ave. near the National Cathedral.

What’s the Buzz:

June 1, 2006 - 2 Amys Restaurant Review (Washingtonian) - With its black-and-white checkered floors and unadorned yellow walls, this paean to simple pleasures has an airy urbanity. But show up during family dinner hours and it feels more like a romper room. Children are everywhere–downing pizzas and apple juice, scribbling on the tables, knocking into waiting patrons–the place doesn’t take reservations. But there’s a reason the kids make a ruckus–and the kid-free endure it all. Full Article…

December 13, 2003 - 2 Amys (DC Foodies) - I’m going to sum up this review in one sentence…Two Amys is hands-down, the most wonderful place in DC to get gourmet pizza.
Full Article…

Cost - $

Service - C
It isn’t really a restaurant but I guess the people working at the counter do a decent job.  If only they could wipe the angry look off their faces.  Maybe people should start tipping them more.

Food - A
I like the pizza here better than the pizza at 2 Amys or Pizzeria Paradiso. It is that good.  Actually I have traveled through Italy and also spend copious amounts of time in New York and Chicago and I think pizza from Vace can go toe-to-toe with pizza from anywhere else in the world.  As a matter of fact there sandwiches are also delicious.

Decor - NA
Well it is sort of a small supermarket / takeout place so let’s just say it is a couple of steps below the Mandarin Oriental.

Feel - C
I sort of wish they handled customers more efficiently.  I’ve sat in line for 20 minutes before - and that was with 2 people in front of me.  At any rate, the pizza is good enough that they can take their sweet ass time but let me recommend calling in ahead of time for your order so it is ready when you get there.

What’s the Buzz:

December 2, 2004 - Vace (Drift Reality) - Vace, located at 3315 Connecticut Ave in Cleveland Park, has the best pizza for miles. The ingredients are extremely fresh and the slices are a perfect size. Compared to the crap that you get in Adams Morgan, Vace’s slices are on another level. Granted, you probably couldn’t wrap Vace’s slices around you like a cape in case you were cold like you could with slices from Adams Morgan, but who the hell would do something disgusting like that anyway? Full Article…