Divino’s pumpkin ravioli. {Photograph} by Rey Lopez.
Divino. 2505 Wisconsin Ave., NW.
Daniel Perron was a cook dinner and Luca Giovannini a bartender after they first met working at Blue Duck Tavern almost 15 years in the past. They reconnected on the opening group of splashy Italian restaurant Fiola Mare in Georgetown. Now, Perron—principally not too long ago government chef of Charlie Palmer Steak—and Giovannini—proprietor of Donahue cocktail lounge in Georgetown—are teaming up once more for their very own extremely seasonal northern Italian restaurant known as Divino, which is able to give attention to multicolored pastas and wood-fired meats and greens. It’s slated to open within the Glover Park Resort on Monday, November 18.
“Each week that you just are available, you’re going to get one thing somewhat bit completely different, particularly from me. I like to alter the menu up loads,” says Perron, who was additionally government chef of Trummer’s and former seafood restaurant Whaley’s.
One of many focal factors of Divino can be a pasta counter the place diners can watch tortellini or tagliatelle being made. Perron hope to set his pastas aside with multicolored doughs made with freshly milled flour from Anson Mills. For instance, he’s serving on a black-striped agnolotti with braised oxtail made utilizing activated charcoal, and koginut squash ravioli are pressed within the form of pumpkins. In the meantime, a double ravioli combines two flavors in a single: tomato-infused dough filled with housemade ricotta and jumbo lump crab plus a conventional egg yolk dough stuffed with honeynut squash and parmesan. The dish is topped with caviar.
Perron says he was turned onto the thought of multicolored pastas from cooks on Instagram: “I believe that’s one thing cool, one thing distinctive,” Perron says. “No person’s actually doing it in DC.”
Divino inherits a pizza oven from Michael Schlow’s Italian restaurant Casolare, which beforehand occupied the house, however the brand new restaurant received’t serve pizza. As an alternative, Perron will use the oven for wood-roasted vegetable and meat dishes, highlighting native producers like Karma Farm and pork purveyor Autumn Olive Farms. Perron will put a few of his steakhouse expertise to make use of with a tomahawk ribeye costata that’s dry-aged in-house and rubbed with miso and dried porcini powder.
The identify Divino has a little bit of a double which means—each “divine” and “of wine” in Italian. Giovannini, a former company beverage director for Fabio Trabocchi Eating places, will give attention to northern Italian wines to enrich the meat-heavy menu. The wine checklist, together with no less than 20 choices by the glass, will function Barbaresco and Barolo however Giovannini is especially passionate about Ferrari, a Champagne-like glowing wine from his hometown of Trento. “There aren’t many eating places, sadly, that carry Ferrari apart from a few Michelin star eating places,” Giovannini says. In the meantime, the cocktail menu will go heavy on negronis in addition to drinks that incorporate vermouth and wine.
Given its resort location, Divino will open for breakfast, too. The homeowners hope to make their espresso bar its personal vacation spot for espresso drinks plus an array of housemade pastries like cornetti and bomboloni. There may even be extra sit-down fare, together with frittatas.
Just like the menu, the eating room goals to be somewhat be refined and somewhat bit rustic with terracotta tiles and velvety blue banquettes. Come spring, they plan to show the 60-seat patio right into a informal wine backyard the place company can take pleasure in cicchetti (small snacks) and a glass of wine. Main as much as Christmas, the lined terrazza could have warmth lamps for having fun with sizzling apple cider, chestnuts, and roasted marshmallows. The resort may even start building on a rooftop bar with sweeping views of DC and its monuments in April of 2025.
“The purpose is to essentially be a vacation spot for wine lovers,” Giovannini says. “You’re going to get, like, a $12 glass of wine, no downside, but you’re additionally going to find a brand new producer that perhaps you’ve by no means heard about.”
This story has been up to date from a September model with extra present particulars.
Meals Editor
Jessica Sidman covers the individuals and tendencies behind D.C.’s foods and drinks scene. Earlier than becoming a member of Washingtonian in July 2016, she was Meals Editor and Younger & Hungry columnist at Washington Metropolis Paper. She is a Colorado native and College of Pennsylvania grad.
