Pasta in DC

[Charlie OC]

Hello there fellow foodies,

Looking for a tasty place to find some good pasta in DC at a casual restaurant for Sat, price not an issue as much as wanting to be comfortable in jeans. Coming into town for the triathlon on Sunday and need a solid base, so while veal chops and other tuscan fare taste fantastic the focus is deliciious carbs.

Your help is much appreciate,

C (is for cookie...)

[woodleyparkhound]

I really enjoyed the pasta I had at Dino at Cleveland Park - jeans are fine there. Great wine list as well.

[Adam23]

Dino or Spezie could be good options as well. Spezie is slightly more formal, but i've dined at both many times in jeans/

[Elyssa]

If you are looking to carb load I would go to Filomena in Georgetown. It's a casual restaurant with huge, yummy, homemade plates of pasta. I really like the spinach ravioli and the gnocchi but I've actually never had a bad meal there. It's classic red Italian. They even have the "Pasta Mamas" making the pasta in the front window.

Another option would be to go to Sette Osteria in Dupont Circle.

Pasta Mia is ok but not great in my opinion. The gnocchi I had there was good and the servings are huge (enough for 2 people to share or dinner and lunch the next day) And I certainly don't think its worth standing in a long line, especially since you can get better pasta elsewhere. They don't allow you to change anything in the dish which I find a little annoying, but it's a well-stated policy so you just need to deal with it.

[Gigi007]

Filomena is a great suggestion. Big portions. I'm also not a fan of Pasta Mia. Bucca di Beppo (Dupont Circle) is another place that serves up heaping portions of pasta, but personally I prefer quality over quantity (thus, Sorriso, Filomena, or Tosca [again, more formal]). Haven't been to Vapiano, but I've heard its pasta is decent.

[Elyssa]

Vapiano is also a good recommendation.

[ktmoomau]

But the portions aren't all that large, and really for the price there are better options. And the whole wheat pasta is so gluttonous. I would much much rather go to Filomena if price wasn't an option.

In another marathon thread someone went to Potenza and was very happy fyi.

[Elyssa]

True...the portions aren't huge.

I've been hearing some very mixed reviews about Potenza lately. Have you been?

[ktmoomau]

No, but the last marathoner on a thread really liked it said big portions, very tasty, not too pricey, I couldn't easily find the thread when I searched though... I don't like the new chow search options.

Vapiano would be close to my last choice though, although I have never had their plain red sauce with nothing else, it is all just very gluttonous and bland to me. The night before a race I liked a good meal and to relax a bit and for me Vapiano just doesn't hit that mark. The other night Matt and I went to the one by us, and we picked at our food it was so bad.

[Jacey]

It's only as bad as the person who decides what goes in it--you! It's not 5 star dining but it's reasonable and tasty. It also has an unstuffy atmosphere.

[mjhals]

Ktmoomau- I agree that Vapiano would be my last choice, but not because the food is bad. I've been there twice for lunch and had pasta and the carpaccio. Both were excellent and exceedingly fresh. I think it's a great option for lunch, but would NOT select it for a sit-down dinner. You stand in line at stations to order and then take your food to the seating area (which is smushed right up to the order area) at high barlike communal tables. No table service at all, so not ideal if you just want to relax pre-race.

I like Siroc very much for the quality of pasta (tastes freshly made to me) and inventiveness of the dishes (had a wonderful tomato gnocchi w/ lobster and corn shoots last time I was there). BUT, I wouldn't reccommend it either for this situation as the portions are on the small side. Personally, I love the portion size 'cause I'm not over-stuffed when ordering a starter and and entree, but probably not what you're looking for to load.

Good luck with the race!

[Gigi007]

Elyssa, lately I have heard more negative things than positive about Potenza too. (most comments had to do w/ the service, but a few concerned the food), which has made me less interested in trying it. And I too hesitate to recommend it given the mixed reviews. I am, however, really interested in reviews of Siroc and Bibiana Osteria-Enoteca, so let me know if you happen to go to either one of them.

As for Vapiano, I haven't tried it, but some friends of mine said it was OK for the price. Since I'm picky about Italian food, I'd probably stick with the places that I mentioned earlier (plus your suggestion of Filomena. I'd forgotten about it! :)

[Gigi007]

Since you mentioned casual, I recommend the pasta at Sorriso (Cleveland Park) and the gnocchi at Al Tiramisu (Dupont Circle).

As Jacey mentioned, Tosca has excellent pasta but it isn't casual. I've also heard great things about Siroc and mixed reviews about Potenza.

[Jacey]

If you want an old school/old world type of Italian place, check out Anna Maria in Dupont. My dad loves their pasta there. He always goes there before marathons and big races in the DC area.

[DCDOLL]

i second Anna Maria's -- wasn't it getting renovated though? if it's back open it is the quintessential red sauce italian of our childhood...:) and you actually get a salad with your meal....gasp, gaSP!

[Jacey]

I think that's why my dad especially like the place, the free salad!

[Jacey]

Pasta Mia will give you huge portions and is very casual in Adams Morgan. However, the line starts forming before it opens at 6pm. Tosca has amazing pasta but might be a little fancier than jeans.