Cucina MORINI — Restaurant in Washington

Outstanding Italian eatery located in the heart of Mt Vernon Triangle! I've walked past Cucina Morini dozens of times (especially since this area is home to several of my other favorite spots), but I finally got to step inside for Winter Restaurant Week this year! The interior is just as gorgeous as the outside, with cozy, ambient lighting that creates the perfect intimate environment for a date night or smaller group of friends. Our server was super friendly and walked us through the menu, including his recommendations from both the Restaurant Week and standard menus. He did a great job explaining each dish (and made every one sound exquisite), and had great thoughts on what we should / shouldn't try for our first visit here. I also loved that, unlike most places, we didn't all have to do the Restaurant Week menu. At our server's recommendation (and to give us a little more variety) we decided to do one RW menu and one standard order, then split everything.

We started off with the burrata (RW) and focaccia (standard), and it was such a delightful way to start off our meal! The burrata was rich and creamy, and I loved the rich sweet, tangy, and garlicky flavor from the accompanying tomatoes. It was served with thin slices of toasted bread, which had a lovely crispy exterior and slightly chewy interior -- perfect for transporting the burrata and tomatoes without feeling too cracker-like. The focaccia was equally impressive; it was super pillowy and fluffy, and I'm amazed by how tall they managed to make the bread while still retaining the cloud-like fluffiness and slight sponginess. It was infused with garlic and topped with sea salt, but it also came with a bit of seasoned oil that you could dip it in to amp up the flavor.

For our main course, we split the chittara alle vongole (RW) and half portion of the taglioni neri (standard). Both dishes were perfectly al dente and packed with seafood flavor. The clams were perfectly tender for the chittara, and the scallops were equally tender for the taglioni. This combo of dishes honestly worked out incredibly well, with the tomato sauce for the chittara offering a bit of tanginess and freshness to counterbalance the brininess and umami punch from the squid ink in the taglioni. Both dishes were topped with seasoned breadcrumbs, which gave them a delightful extra bit of crunch and flavor -- absolutely incredible. The chittara is, sadly, a RW-only exclusive, but the taglioni is one of their most popular dishes across the year, and I can absolutely see why.

We finished the meal with the torta caprese, a delightfully rich flourless chocolate cake. It was incredibly dense and decadent, and I loved that it wasn't overpoweringly sweet. It was topped with a bit of whipped cream, which offered a great contrast in texture against the otherwise thick cake.

All in all, I had a delightful time here, and I can't wait to come back and try out more...

Uh, may I have a few more stars, please? At the risk of disclosing the existence of this gem of a restaurant, and suddenly being unable to get a table due to exploding demand, I must share the experience my wife and I enjoyed last evening. My wife reserved a table for two to celebrate my retirement. When we arrived, the lovely maître-d graciously greeted us, congratulated me on the day, and gave me a hand-written card acknowledging my big day! That was the curtain-going-up for one of the most pleasant suppers in memory. Our waiter, Devon, affable, charming, totally informed about the menu and specials guided us through the selections, but not before offering a complimentary flute of chilled champagne! As we discussed options I told him we were there for their signature Italian Fish Stew, Zuppa di Pesce. He then advised us that the portion was large, even for two, and to go easy on the pasta appetizers! We abided by his advice and ordered a delicious Romana salad to share as well. Discussing the wine choice, I asked Devon for a recommendation between two reds. He said he couldn't give an expert's advice and called upon the Beverage Manager, Ryan, to come over and assist. Ryan, an accomplished restauranteur and sommelier offered that the lower-priced bottle of the two was the better pairing with the Zuppa! And so it was...you gotta love a wine steward that offers expert advice AND downsells you! The salad came, and the presentation was beautiful. Delicious and we at every bit of it. Then, the piece de resistance, the Zuppa arrived. I have never enjoyed a more delicious dish! I will try and enclose a picture that will make your mouth water. Mildly spicy, piquant, and savory. Absolutely without equal in this City! Devon was right, and we wound up taking a large container home - can't wait for leftovers for lunch! We perused the extravagant dessert menu but just didn't have room. I opted for a limoncella aperitif and he brought it, along with a complimentary one for my wife stating "a man shouldn't have to drink alone". Class Act! What a wonderful way cap off a military career! Thanks, Cucina Morini, for a remarkable and memorable evening. As we Ubered home we listed the many friends we want to introduce to your fine establishment and superb team. Hope we can...

My husband and I dined at Cucina Morini this past Saturday, and our experience was exceptional from start to finish. Arriving a bit early, we started with the Morini martini at the bar, which was a delightful prelude to our dinner.

Our waiter was outstanding—attentive, knowledgeable about the menu, and incredibly friendly, making us feel right at home. For appetizers, we had the polpettine and the heirloom tomato and burrata special. The meatballs were incredibly tender and delicious, and the tomato dish was exactly what we were looking for—super fresh with ripe, flavorful tomatoes that complemented the burrata beautifully.

We debated between getting two primi-sized pastas to share but eventually opted for the full-sized cappelletti. This dish was phenomenal. The ricotta filling with truffle was perfectly balanced, with the truffle flavor enhancing rather than overpowering the dish. The pasta itself was perfectly thick and al dente, and the luscious sauce tied everything together wonderfully. My only wish was for a bit more prosciutto!

We ended our meal with the bomboloni and a scoop of pistachio gelato, paired with coffee and an espresso martini. The bomboloni were superb, with a hint of citrus in the tender dough, and they weren’t overly fried or greasy. The pistachio gelato was one of my favorite parts of the night. It’s rare to find such excellent pistachio gelato outside of Italy, but they nailed it with creamy gelato topped with plenty of chopped pistachios. The Express-oh! Martini was also a highlight of the evening. Easily in my top 3.

We will definitely be back and can’t wait to try...