Grazing Tuscan-style in Washington DC

Ristorante i Ricchi, Washington DC Real wood burning oven. Terra cotta floors, soft lines, golden hues on the walls, Della Robbia-style murals, olive-oil urns and wood-burning hearth evoke a warm Tuscan atmosphere in the capital of USA. Ristorante i Ricchi has been awarded the prestigious “Insegna Del Ristorante Italiano” by the President of Italy as one of the best Italian restaurants in the world. The rustic flavour of the American restaurant was enhanced to resemble the original Villa Ricchi in the village of Cercina outside Florence, Italy. Chef/Owner Christianne Ricchi offers Tuscan country style cooking and Florentine flavours in the form of hearty pastas and risottos to smokey grills and homemade sausages. This has garnered many accolades from local and national food reviews. It had been a wet and exhausting day in Washington; the prospect of hearty country cooking seemed a great way to close it. The portions were too large to really eat like the Italians do, viz. antipasti, soup, pasta, meat course, cheese and dolci . In keeping with the Tuscan theme, I chose the Pinot Grigio ‘San Angelo’ 2001 by Banfi in Montalcino. This light, 12.5% alcohol, regional wine seemed appropriate as I was dining alone. My notes say ‘butyl’ nose, medium dry and ‘greengages’ with a nice acidity to match the food choices. The bread was of course, home-made... Risotto ai Funghi [Mushroom risotto]: The risotto of the day was excellent. The al dente and separate grains of rice were typical of the Northern Italian style. Even though it was not the mushroom season, dried Porcini mushrooms have a concentrated flavour, which was tamed by a good cooking liquor of stock and wine, there was just the right amount of parmigiano cheese for a creamy mushroom mélange. Le Salsicce coi’ Fagioli all’ Uccelletto [Grilled homemade Tuscan sausages on a bed of stewed cannellini]: Upon presentation, the warm red and orange colours were reminiscent of long Tuscan sunsets. Spicy sausages, grilled to perfection, were succulent to the bite. The prime sausage meat was coarsely ground for optimum texture and flavour, which burst out in a delightful juicy fashion. The beans stewed in tomato sauce, garlic gloves, rosemary and thyme were less salty and married well with the well-seasoned sausages. At the suggestion of my congenial server, I had the Torta di Formaggio [Cheesecake]. This was not your average American cheesecake. I usually do not eat cheesecake but I made an exception for this Dolci dei Ricchi. The thinnest dusting of chopped walnut and chocolate base was topped with a THICK layer of the creamiest cheese and served with whole strawberry compote. I asked for the “best grappa” and here it was – Ue Picolit by Nonino. It was a good thing that I enjoyed finishing this distillate before the bill arrived as one small shot cost the same as the bottle of Pinot Grigio! Any spluttering on my part would not be the fault of the grappa as it was s-m-o-o-t-h and aromatic. It may have been a subconscious feeling but the aroma was reminiscent of cigar tobacco . Other untried menu choices - I noticed the other diners’ favourites were: · Tortellini al Burro e Salvia o al Rose [Ricotta and spinach filled tortellini with Sage Butter or with Florentine tomato and cream sauce]. · Arista, Tacchino e Vitella arrosto agli aromi [Trio of Florentine loin of pork, Herbal breast of turkey and Frittata stuffed veal roasted in Chianti and fresh herbs]. · Filetto all Zuigava [Gypsy style aged beef tenderloin sautéed with fresh mushrooms, white truffles, sweet red peppers and tomatoes served with creamed truffled polenta]. · Polla Astrello al Mattone [Brick-pressed grilled whole chicken basted with fresh sage, lemon and olive oil]. Conclusion Perhaps the greeters could have been warmer and a couple of waiters could have been less visibly harassed but in general, the staff was professional. My waiter certainly rose above the Saturday night chaos for his generous tip. Ristorante i Ricchi deserves it’s accolades and certainly has this world-worn traveler’s personal endorsement. That warm and fuzzy feeling as I walked out into the wet Spring night was not just the effects of grappa but a satisfied repleteness and glimpse of Tuscany. Bon appetito! Pictures and Text copyright Melvyn Teillol-Foo, 2003 MTF ThePuristS.com Wine and Food Discussion Forum  |  ThePuristS.com Home Page We welcome comments, suggestions, and corrections. Copyright 2002-2003 - MTF and ThePuristS.com - all rights reserved