Johnna’s Pick of the Week: Pasta Mia (DC)
It is the dead of winter so I had to ask myself about three times why in the h*** am I standing outdoors, in a line, in 30 degree weather for some pasta?!? In hindsight, it could have been 10 degrees colder and that dinner would have been worth it. The light hint of parmesan cheese infused with olive oil that must have been pressed five minutes before making it to my table topped the first course of Caesar Salad. Now I know you’re thinking anyone can make a Caesar Salad. No. This Caesar took out all the mayo and thick chunks of parmesan cheese that drown those salads you get from the local deli during lunch. It was highly suggested by the couple standing behind us in line (*would you believe I’m not the only person crazy enough to risk frost bite for a Bolognese bite…)
©JohnnaKnowsGoodFood
It was not until the next day that I realized the Bolognese was pinched with a vivid reminder of the red wine that came with dinner the previous night. I love food cooked in wine. I really do not know the attraction but it adds the extra flavor that I seem to yearn for in almost all of my pasta dishes. There was a choice of Gorgonzola sauce over the gnocchi or the spinach fettuccine, with the latter taking the prize. Enough cream to fill a one pint carton of half and half and topped with grated parmesan cheese. As my loyal readers know, I am not into the sweets thing but the Tiramisu brought the temptation.
©JohnnaKnowsGoodFood
Pasta Mia goes down in my top 10 comfort zones in the District. I venture to say the reasons that I stood outside for 45 minutes may have something to do with singing in the kitchen made me feel like I had taken a trip up the Amalfi Coastor the fact that there were 10 people in front of us waiting to get into a place that is only open Tuesday thru Saturday from 6:30 pm-10 pm. On second thought, it really was all about the food. It’s pretty darn good.
Category: restaurant reviews, Washington D.C.
About the Author (Author Profile)
Johnna French is a Harlem NY native with deep roots in Panama, Washington, DC and North Carolina. All four places have heavily influenced her life and the foods she loves today. After graduating Howard University School of Law and beginning her life as a young professional in the city she was led to start Johnna Knows Good Food in November 2007 to keep family, friends and colleagues updated on where to go and what to eat while dining in the nation’s capitol. French, who still practices law, leads a team of three writers to cover the ever expanding Washington, DC food scene. French has been featured in print and television, appearing in Washingtonian Magazine and is a regular contributor to various local TV affiliates including WUSA 9, FOX 5 DC and WJLA (ABC Affiliate) News Channel 8. During the 2016-2017 football season, Johnna aired on Comcast Sports Mid-Atlantic (CSN) show, Redskins Life, as the weekly tailgate host. Johnna is currently a regular contributor to the FOX Baltimore Weekend morning show.Subscribe
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to receive more just like it.
