Il Mulino New York
Washington DC 20005
202-293-1001
Metro – Orange or Blue line, McPherson Square
Just a few blocks North of the White House sits one of those gems you’d write home to your Italian father about – or have him take you to when he’s in town.
Il Mulino New York is located at 1110 Vermont Avenue, just a short walk from the McPherson Square metro but judging from the food you would think you had been whisked away to some ristorante in Italy.
From the moment you walk in the door you are treated like royalty. With just one main dining room, Il Mulino feels quaint and intimate, while the décor and lighting adds to the ambiance.
Like any Italian restaurant worth its salt, as soon as you have been seated the food starts coming. A plate with olive-oil-fried zucchini and thin sliced pepperoni is the first to grace your palate. Soon after a basket of fresh baked bread arrives and a small block of parmesan cheese is offered.
The wine list is impressive, offering a wide variety of reds and whites from the U.S. and abroad and priced for every budget. The menu is almost intimidating in its extensiveness but offers an excellent variety for any fan of Italian food. It has something for everyone, from the pasta-loving vegetarian to the meat-craving carnivores.
My recommendation if you want to enjoy as much as possible and still be able to button your jacket is to order a pasta sampler and one entrée per two people. Portions are quite large and the food is sumptuously rich, plus by the time your entrée arrives you’ve been offered just about everything in the kitchen.
Food and service are equally splendid with an overall atmosphere to match. Prices can range widely depending on how you order but be advised that this is no red and white-checkered table cloth joint. Expect to pay around $30-40 per main course entrée.
-S.L. (08/05/08)