That's how I bought my associate, Not An Organ Fan, to attempt to return to one of many signature appetizers at a restaurant that represents a homecoming for Friedman and permits him to discover his Jewish roots like by no means earlier than.
Aventino is a sister to the favored Pink Hen and two All Goal shops within the district and is a part of an increase in good locations to eat in Bethesda, together with Chiko and Salt Line. Friedman rattles off a listing of fine causes he's expanded to Maryland: The chef is from Montgomery County, his first job was at Mon Ami Gabi there, and “my mother lives in Bethesda.”
Friedman grew up Jewish in an Italian group in New Jersey. “Very united cultures,” he says, “however they didn't contact one another. “In Rome they contact one another.” Aventine takes its identify from one of many well-known seven hills of historic Rome and considers the weight-reduction plan, together with the offal (cuts and viscera) of the Jews pressured to reside within the metropolis's ghetto.
This a part of the story manifests itself within the risotto fritters, or suppli, which include the anticipated springy mozzarella and rice, but additionally chopped hen liver, which provides it a nice mineral taste.
Aventino makes its personal mortadella, one other satisfaction of Roman delicacies, and it's finished with nice ability by culinary director Erik Rollings, who transforms floor pork and native fats into one thing pink and elegant with the assistance of seasonings together with mace, walnut butternut and garlic. Handkerchiefs of the completed product, sprinkled with crushed pistachios, are tented over hole puffs of fried gnocchi and candy, darkish cherries in mustard syrup, what Italians name mostarda. The mix is my second favourite antipasti after fried sweetbreads and a stunning approach to spend the night.
However, I like the simplicity of Italian flatbread, springy, chewy items smeared with tomato sauce and herbs. For a second, I'm again in Rome, outdoors the tiny Forno Campo de' Fiori, consuming the beloved bakery's pleated rectangular pizza. And no, it's not as a result of the bartenders make good drinks. Friedman and his group know that a part of the magic behind Italian delicacies is much less, no more. And what appears elementary might be misleading. The explanation you may't cease consuming pizza rossa is as a result of its fragrance comes from Sicilian oregano and its sunny taste is a mixture of Italian plum tomatoes and a pasta created from rooftop-dried tomatoes that chef de delicacies Gennaro Esposito Evaluate it to “bottled time.” ”for its depth of taste. (Esposito has expertise at a few of my favourite eating places in Washington, together with Reveler's Hour, Tail Up Goat, and the veteran Obelisk.)
Artichokes populate the Roman countryside and will seem in your desk on the Aventine. Whereas these are braised slightly than fried (my desire), the artichokes, aromatic with mint and dotted with inexperienced sauce, nonetheless fulfill.
Personally, I’d order between the appetizers and name it giorno. Nonetheless, pastas embody causes to steer clear of starters. One is the basic cacio e pepe, just a little black gown of a dish made with tonnarelli, cheese and black pepper. The mix is acquainted however very nice at Aventino, which intensifies the drama with three kinds of black peppercorns: tellicherry, kampot (crimson) and cubeb, roasted to focus on their respective strong, spicy and subtly bitter notes. I additionally like the sunshine resistance of selfmade pasta. “I'm an al dente man,” says Friedman, whose tonnarelli, like spaghetti however thicker, helps his desire. One other pasta of distinction is spaghetti with clams, brilliant with lemon and white wine and topped with wonderful breadcrumbs blended with bottarga, cured fish roe, to reinforce the ocean notes.
Bigger plates even have their attraction. The thick, meaty, candy dorado spreads over wilted greens, every chunk beginning with currants, pine nuts and lemon. Rack of lamb rubbed with coriander, fennel and chili flakes and piled on prime of pickled fennel is its equal. For any of the seconds, a facet of borlotti beans in tomato sauce with bits of prosciutto and a breadcrumb topping is a scrumptious arm sweet.
Three visits gave me completely different landscapes. The butter-colored major eating room. The room has alcove-type cabins and views of the open kitchen. Reverse the doorway are dusty pink and mustard yellow seating, in addition to an elevated view of the attractive green-tiled bar. The tableware reveals thought. A welcome of olives arrives in a shallow golden dish whose lid is eliminated to gather the pits, and the water glasses match the hand like gloves.
The seriousness of Aventino's method extends to the final 12 months. Pastry chef Anne Specker, previously of fine-dining eating places Kinship and Metier, presents a moist spherical of Italianized apple pie with olive oil ice cream and surrounded by poached fruit, and a delicate disc of almond panna cotta with a garland of brilliant citrus interspersed with candied kumquats, honeycomb caramel items and fluffy balls of orange mousse.
For one thing extra informal, at AP Pizza Store subsequent door, clients can order Friedman's signature baked pies and top-of-the-line Caesar salads within the space. The Pizza Store, created utilizing the teachings of the pandemic, is Aventino's cheerful little sister and presents stickers, ordering tablets, canned beer and wine, a cute neon crimson tomato and a takeout window the place you may get pizza for portion. (for now, solely at lunch time). The scene requires a youngsters's party.
Aventinus, for its half, calls everybody who needs to make a visit to Rome by way of Bethesda.
4747 Bethesda Ave., Bethesda. 301-961-6450. aventinocucina.com. Open for indoor eating from 5pm to 9pm Sunday to Thursday and 5pm to 10pm Friday and Saturday. Costs: Appetizers from $10 to $60 (for caviar service), major programs from $19 to $44. Sound check: 79 decibels/You should converse loudly. Accessibility: An elevator from the doorway permits wheelchair customers to succeed in completely different components of the restaurant, together with the bar and ADA-approved bogs.