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Posto
According to Paul Simon, there are fifty ways to leave your lover. I’d like to add one more to that list. Go to Posto! In our quest to provide readers with a variety of venues, ethnicities, and price ranges, we decided to review Posto which has gotten a fair bit of local attention, serving modern Italian cuisine.
Posto, (a sister of Tosca) is located at 1515 14th Street, NW, and offers a varied and wide range of fresh bites, full meals, and everything in-between. I started off with a vodka martini to cleanse the palette. Who am I kidding? It was five o’clock! Posto is a great (if not trendy) place to grab a cocktail with friends after work. A wide open floor plan provides a “scene to be seen” environment with clean lines and cool surfaces. However, I must point out that the acoustics need a little improvement. I did find it difficult at times to hear when I was being spoken to by friends or the wait staff. Enough for me to notice, but not enough to refuse an invitation! I’d like to quickly say thank you to my good friends Sid and Sue Sher of Manassas for their companyand conversation!
We started off with a sample selection of cured meats and cheeses served with fresh from the oven focaccia. Incidentally, Posto has a custom made, wood burning brick oven which gives the focaccia that “extra mile.” Salami, Mortadella, and Culatello are just a few of the cured meats offered which we paired with an equal selection of cheese including La Tur, Bosina, and Taleggio. I won’t bore you with a description, but trust your waiter to suggest a good mix.
I’d like to quickly point out that the wait staff seems to be well informed on every menu item as well as attentive and friendly. I really liked that. “Per Cominciare” or first course, I ordered the grilled baby octopus salad or Polipetti. It’s so very easy to under and over cook octopus, but this one was perfect. I really liked the combination of the smoky flavor on the outside and the tender sweetness on the inside. This dish was served with saffron potatoes and chickpeas and without being over analytical, it was a nice balance. Note: I skipped the pasta course, not because I don’t like pasta, but I’ve spoiled myself by making hand-made pasta at home. Not a reflection on Posto! Also, how else am I going to keep a twenty-nine/thirty waist?! I highly suggest you invite friends and then ask them for a bite! Tacky? No, not when you’re with friends and family!
Other dishes at the table were Tartara (hand cut beef tenderloin, parmesan cheese, and black truffle). If you are someone who really likes raw steak, this is a good one. Tortelli, ricotta filled pasta in a very tasty parmesan sauce, served with walnuts and the usual fresh suspects. Did I mention Posto shops locally grown produce? Kudos for that one! I then moved on to Manzo or Angus Strip Loin which I ordered medium (note: it actually arrived medium and well rested!) served with grilled baby sunbursts, green chard, and a simple balsamic sauce. Meat eaters, I can almost guarantee you’ll like this steak. Each bite was tender, juicy, and not overly spiced and salted.
The proper amount of time was taken to let the steak rest and to let the spices mellow. Although it is hard to go wrong with steak, it is easy to ruin a nice cut of meat. I found this steak hit the spot, most definitely. Rhubarb and strawberry cobbler rounded out this meal and was the perfect blend of sweet, but not too sweet, and sour, but not too sour. Normally served with lemon sorbet, I chose the almond gelato instead. It was a perfect way to round out the evening meal.
Price point on Posto is pretty par for a restaurant in the city and would venture a friendly guess of any where from $75.00 to $120.00 per person including a few cocktails and/or glass of wine. I was saving the wine list for last as you can view the list on line! Visit www.postodc.com for hours, current menu items, and wine lists. I’d like to quickly thank Jessica Molson for being so nice to me and for putting up with me during this review! She was quick with a friendly smile and an answer to my questions.
Buono Appetito!
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