Al Dente (FKA La Forchetta)Eccellente!This was my second time (& my husband's first) at Al Dente - both visits with excellent food and service! Several of the appetizers are phenomenal - like the squash flowers and the dates. The pasta is fabulous as are the pizzas. We had a lovely wine selection too (Dolcetto). The wait staff is very attentive. Casual but very nice interior and there's a wonderful patio too. Molto delizioso!5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Mother's Day Dinner!Had a fabulous prix fixe family-style meal at this, our go-to favorite, place. Even though there were some dishes not all of us could eat (pescatarians), the meal was fabulous. Every dish was delicious and beautifully presented. The most delicious asparagus and poached egg starter (it should have a place on the regular menu!); a wonderfully fresh arugula, tomato & mozzarella salad; 3 varied, delicious and perfectly cooked pasta dishes; 3 main courses (especially liked the perfectly-cooked salmon); & great desserts -- the panna cotta with basil was particularly amazing. As usual, service was professional and attentive -- but also human and relatable, with good wine advice. Roses for the moms and limoncello for all at the end. A lovely meal.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMNeighborhood GemWhat a wonderful find without having to go downtown! I've only been here twice having taken friends there each time and each time we have remarked on how good the food was and that we need to come back! The pappardelle listed under the chef's specialties was excellent. The gnocchi also got rave reviews. Definitely a place to return to on a regular basis!5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMOur waiter was excellent.Our waiter was excellent. Our only problem, and this is the problem we had at Donna's Alexandria restaurant, was the slowness of the service. We have not attributed that to our waiter who was quite remarkable. We think (and it's not necessarily an educated guess), that the problem is in the kitchen.
The food and wine were quite lovely. The Duck Ravioli was exceptionable. The Montepulicano d'Abruzzo was very fine.5/7/2013 12:00:00 AMUneven but will go againWe decided to sit outside. Good choice! Much quieter than inside and pleasant, although there was some noise from kids playing on the terrace now and then. The meal started with a basket of very good bread and a fantastic mixed green salad. My husband's fish was excellent. I made the mistake of ordering Cornish hen instead of the quail from the special menu. It was coated in lemon pepper, so much that I couldn't eat the skin, and it overwhelmed the taste of the hen. There many items on the menu I've enjoyed at restaurants where Roberto Donna was the chef. I wanted to try something new. Sometimes it's a good idea...sometimes not. I'm still willing to experiment there, but I'll stick with the special menu when I do.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMWorth the tripWhat a gem. Perfect from all aspects when you want a special dinner.4/30/2013 12:00:00 AMWe brought a friend from NewWe brought a friend from New York, who knows her restaurants. She was very impressed by the salami and cheese selection, a meal in itself, if desired.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMThe bartender Alex was awesome!!The bartender Alex was awesome!! Excellent Sangria, very helpful with DC area tips as we were visiting. Also really enjoyed the bread. Taxi service wouldnt come pick us up in the rain so we had to wait for 2 hours and spend $50 on a towncar, but what can ya do!4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMMy cousin and I enjoyed aMy cousin and I enjoyed a lovely dinner on their patio.4/18/2013 12:00:00 AMThankfulGreat to have this great Italian restaurant close by in AU park. The Donna family is present and in full force just as in the past, husband captaining the kitchen and the Mrs running the dining room. It is noisy but that is the ambiance at this latest Roberto Donna restaurant.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMEnjoyed the Easter Sunday special!We had the Easter Sunday special dinner...what a feast. Dish after dish after dish...all well presented and delicious. Come with a good appetite! Good advice on wine, too.3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMThe Easter Menu was phenomenal. GrThe Easter Menu was phenomenal.
Great food and excellent service at a very reasonable price. The portions were very generous as well.
A little neighborhood gem in Wesley Heights!
Love Al Dente!!!3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMTutto beneWith Roberto Donna overseeing and active in the kitchen and one of our favorite Galileo waiters (Alberto) back on the scene, it was a very pleasant and delicious evening. We started with a cheese and salumi sampler and then everyone went their separate ways. I had a very unique pasta made from farro (a whole grain) with fresh tomatoes and basil that was not only a healthy choice but very tasty. Alberto knew my wife's favorite wine and, although it was not on the house list,produced a bottle of it! Va bene!
Supreme Court Justice Scalia was a few tables away and his evening was private and subtly handled.3/26/2013 12:00:00 AMDinner at Al Dente was noisyDinner at Al Dente was noisy but delicious. Would highly recommend the fried calimari with three sauces--the most tender calamari I have ever had and the sauces were wonderful. Would also highly recommend the chocolate ricotta dessert. Our server was knowlegeable and charming without being intrusive.3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMWe arrived at our scheduledWe arrived at our scheduled time only to find that we had a wait of 20 minutes so we were steered to the bar. The 20 minutes stretched into 40, however, a white pizza was passed around and then a free glass of wine came with it. We were grateful that we hadn't been forgotten and eventually we were seated for a very delicious dinner. Everything from the grilled rockfish to the gnocchi with sausage to the meatballs was absolutely delicious. So, the wait was made tolerable and turned out to be well worth it!!3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMToo much noise!I tried to get to Al Dente early enough to avoid the unpleasant noise level but even starting dinner at 7 p.m. Was too late. Next time I will have to try coming at 6 p.m. Too bad because the food was really quite wonderful and fairly priced for the quality but the noise was really a deal breaker.3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMWe always have an enjoyableWe always have an enjoyable dinner there, service is excellent and the food is excellent and the prices are very reasonable3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMLong Wait Richly RewardedAlthough there was a lengthy delay in our table being ready, the hostess was marvelous and had an appetizer delivered to us at the bar and then offered us desserts on the house. The food was delicious and the service very good. The hostess was truly amazing. We will absolutely return.3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMSunday evening dinning- greatSunday evening dinning- great spot to meet up with old friends, share news, enjoy good food, and explore wines!!!3/17/2013 12:00:00 AMTerrific pizza - best we haveTerrific pizza - best we have found locally! Definitely a great find in an otherwise sleepy neighborhood.3/17/2013 12:00:00 AMAbsolutely spectacular lunchAbsolutely spectacular lunch that was leisurely and fun. Food as always is stellar, from pizza to pasta and the salad (romaine, grana, anchovies) is served at the perfect temperature and never feels as if it was pre-pared and stored in the 'fridge. Calamari with peppers was zesty and perfectly fried while the bomboli was a complete delight if a few calories over the line. Hostess/manager Karen always engaging and waiter Cliff full of great suggestions! Mille Grazie - GCF3/15/2013 12:00:00 AMMy second visit to the restaurantMy second visit to the restaurant and the food was terrific! It was a reunion dinner with a childhood friend who was visiting (and who lived in NYC and has lots of wonderful food experience) and he loved it, too! Will definitely continue to patronize this place.3/11/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent!I am a huge fan of Roberto Donna's but I don't live near Al Dente so it took me a while to finally get there. I was not disappointed. The food was amazing. The menu is extensive and everyone in my party loved what ordered. I will certainly go back again.
One note - we arrived at 7 pm on a Wednesday evening and to my surprise there were a number of families eating. By 8 pm, it was all adults.2/5/2013 12:00:00 AM