As much as I cherish a Saturday evening dedicated to dining, sometimes a restaurant isn’t the main event on my agenda. My husband and I regularly join friends for dinner and a show, where the meal takes on a more minor role in the evening’s entertainment.  Convenience inevitably becomes one of the determining factors in the dining decision.

On a recent Saturday night we have tickets to see “Cock” at Studio Theatre on DC’s 14th Street.  (“Cock” is playing until June 22. I highly recommend it). There are numerous appealing restaurants in the vicinity, yet I struggle to make the “right” decision. I settle on Ristorante Posto, located adjacent to the theater.  It’s my third visit to this Italian restaurant, owned by the team behind the more formal Tosca.

We settle in by the window, with a bird’s eye view of the DC Pride Parade.  It’s a little hard to focus with a cacophony of cheers interrupting us at regular intervals. As the food arrives, my attention turns away from the show-stoppers on the street, to the plates set before me.

Giardino is fresh and inviting with green peas, zucchini blossom, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, croutons, and slices of olives.

Bruschette with smoked salmon, mascarpone cheese, and dill is a tasty addition to the first act.

A halibut special rests atop a sauce of grapefruit and honey.  It’s accompanied by tender golden beets and green beans.  The dish is pleasant, but the mellow flavors don’t captivate me.

Deserving of applause is Salmone Verlasso, a sustainable Patagonian salmon, with sautéed peaches, apricots, and arugula pesto. The salmon is moist, and the fruity flavors provide just the right accents for the fish.  I love this dish, but still have a lingering regret over my decision to refrain from also ordering Posto’s noteworthy pasta.    

There is time for dessert before our curtain goes up, and we can’t resist.

Brownie della Casa a chocolate brownie with raspberry cream and chocolate sauce makes a stunning entrance.

Pasticcio alla Pesca e Mirtilli is a deep dish cobbler featuring  peaches, blueberries, and amarena ice cream leaves me wanting more.

The finale is Torta di Mandorle, almond cake with apple-raisins compote, caramel and rhum sauce, and vanilla ice cream.  While dessert portions are on the small side, the flavors are big.

My first visits to Posto are good, but somehow the impressions don’t linger.  This visit has me appreciating the laid-back setting, the amiable service, and the well-prepared Italian-inspired dishes. Posto and a show at Studio Theatre prove to be a perfect pair.  I am poised for an encore sometime soon.

 Posto, 1515 14th Street, NW, Washington, DC

Posto has a pre-theater dinner menu available- three courses for $29.

 

My Review of Tosca