KwikPicks: Supper at Sonoma, Washington, DC

There’s no other way of putting it – I just plain like Sonoma. That’s why I ate there twice on my last trip to DC.

Food: 4
Service: 4
Ambiance: 4
Value: 3

I arrived in Washington on a Monday evening. The plane landed at 8:30. I got to the hotel at 9 and was unpacked by 9:15. I hadn’t had any dinner, but I really only wanted a light bite. I was staying at the Capitol Hill Suites. Sonoma is just around the corner. I’ve eaten there before and really liked it. So that’s where I went.

It was great. I ordered both of the evening specials. The soup was minestrone. It was a very unusual minestrone. Normally I think of minestrone as being thick with vegetables. This version featured a rich, brown broth enhanced by kale, fennel, and not much else. It was very good, but like I said, quite unusual. The evening pasta special was bucatini in a cream sauce with basil, walnuts, and ricotta cheese. Honestly, I loved it. This meal was just what I wanted after arriving in DC.

So the next night, I had a reception early in the evening. I had some finger food at the reception, but afterwards, I still felt like getting a light meal. It was already after 9, so again, I didn’t want to go out for a full dinner. I thought, “Can I really eat at the same restaurant two nights in a row?” I decided I could.

This time, I had one of the regular menu items – mozzarella risotto. It was a basic risotto recipe with braised greens. Instead of parmesan, the more classic choice, this risotto was finished with mozzarella. I’ve made risotto with mozzarella before, but this was much creamier than anything I’ve ever made. Anyway, it was delicious. I must say, I enjoyed it more than the bucatini from the previous night.

So, all in all, I’ve had lunches and dinners and attended receptions at Sonoma. It is consistently good. I certainly recommend it for an informal meal in our nation’s capitol.