NVM Review

By Warren Rojas

Food: 7.8 Ambiance: 7.8 Service: 7.9

“Any guy who introduces me to a great new place to eat is a-OK in my book,” a pleasantly stuffed exec informed his host during what appeared to be a highly productive powwow at Ristorante Bonaroti.

Another deal closed—courtesy of ever-vigilent owner Sergio Domestici.

Whether he lets the never-short-on-specials kitchen do the wooing or steps in to do some subtle stroking himself—“Placere de verla vista,” the consummate charmer cooed to a female patron as she gathered her things to leave after what appeared to be a satisfying meal—Domestici ensures that every patron is treated like a VIP throughout the course of every visit.

As such, on-the-fly requests are always entertained. But the menu wants not for variety.

Garlic-infused olive oil lightly binds a mound of broad egg noodles intertwined with butter flied shrimp and jaw-exercising crowns of steamed broccoli (well cooked, but still resolutely crunchy).

Wiggly pasta purses of seasoned lamb arrive blanketed in a tomato-onion-basil ragout bolstered by ribbons of biting Parmesan.

Seared grouper is brightened by a soak in Grand Marnier, the orange liqueur contrasting against the salty flesh.

By Warren Rojas

Food: 7.9 Ambiance: 7.8 Service: 8.2

Though dressed to the nines in a neatly pressed tuxedo, it’s obvious the waiter is up for some mischief. “Can I complicate things a little?” he coyly inquires before filling our heads with a litany of off-the-menu temptations that spin simple decision-making right out the door.

Welcome to another evening at Ristorante Bonaroti—a fine-dining paradise cum hell for the indecisive.

Each day, the kitchen trots out nearly a dozen rotating appetizer, soup, salad, pasta, fish and meat specials (lots of lobster, monkfish, veal and lamb in play here).

Mozzarella-filled zucchini are fried to a crisp and drizzled with mushroom ragout. Roast rockfish draws strength from zesty peppers and creamy polenta. Mouthwatering veal cutlets are filled with ground veal and mozzarella, rolled up on themselves and smothered in a captivating wine sauce.

By Warren Rojas

Food: 7.9 Ambiance: 7.8 Service: 8.2

Chances are you know about a dozen places for good pasta. But do any of those interchangeable eateries feature daily specials longer than most competitors’ standard menus and happen to be a guilty pleasure of one of the area’s most cherished sports stars?

If not, I suggest adding Ristorante Bonaroti to your mental Rolodex.

Most nights you can still find owner Sergio Domestici tending to tables (regulars describe him as “our favorite waiter”) or greeting guests at the door. Expertly trained staff follow suit by anticipating patrons’ every need (warm lemon water follows a course of sauteed mussels for quick cleanup).

Stop by enough, and you might even run into a Redskin or two (tight end Chris Cooley loves the beef carpaccio and is rumored to bring teammates around before home games).

Homemade ravioli are filled with ground lamb and blanketed in a tomato-rich ragu. Fettuccine Sergio coats the familiar noodles in a subtle Alfredo, then ramps up the entire experience with shredded ham and sweet, delicious snow peas. The otherworldly St. Honore cake looks like a profiterole-napoleon love child, combining flaky pastry dough, sweet custard, cream-filled, chocolate-covered bonbons, whipped cream and streaks of chocolate sauce.

The predominantly Italian wine list features by-the-glass and carafe selections. Bottles start at $24 for a domestic riesling and rocket to $1600 for the 1975 Biondi Santi Brunello di Montalcini “Il Greppo.”

By Warren Rojas

F 7.8 A 7.7 S 8.2

A sentimental favorite that could easily double as the backdrop for a Soprano sit-down, Ristorante Bonaroti remains steeped in tradition but appears unafraid of innovation.

The wooden chairbacks are worn from years of being held for arriving guests, whereas the art deco silverware displays modern sensibility. Tuxedo-clad servers tirelessly roam the splashy pink main dining room, as well as the namesake Michelangelo room. Workhorses accustomed to jotting orders on old school notepads and dispensing grated Parmesan as needed, they even came to the rescue with club soda one evening when a runaway noodle threatened to ruin my suit (much obliged).

The menu boasts a litany of homemade pastas and assorted poultry or veal dishes, while daily specials tilt more toward fresh seafood (including treasures like swordfish, grouper, soft shell crabs and salmon). Just about every dish can be downsized into an appetizer, or fire up your appetite with stuffed noodle rings in a fragrant chicken broth. A veal and lobster pairing brings pounded veal topped with nuggets of rich lobster meat. Elsewhere, the Barolo lamb yields three delicious chops in an engaging red wine sauce.