Even though we couldn't get anywhere for Restaurant Week, we managed to make reservations for RW part 2: The Bethesda-Chevy Chase edition. Unfortunately, our Saturday night reservation at Grapeseed was canceled due to mini-snowpocalypse. By the way, I love how now anything under a foot of snow doesn't qualify as a snowpocalypse anymore---what is WITH this weather!? ANYWAY, in a pinch, we traipsed over to Lia's, where we hadn't been since moving day. They offered their whole menu on RW, so options were aplenty.
We started with the beet salad and the rosemary beef skewers. The beef was delicious, and the cold crunchy cucumber salad on the side was a great contrast. I could have had 10 or so of those for dinner :) The beet salad had mache (aka lamb's lettuce) and goat cheese, it was very good and ubercolorful. I'd certainly have it again.
Next was dinner: I had the Italian pot roast (which J had the first time we went to Lia's) and he had the scallops. The pot roast itself was pretty good--the meat was very soft, but I didn't feel like on its own it had so much flavor. On the other hand, the sauce/gravy root vegetables that were around and beneath the pot roast were really to die for. Talk about comfort food on a cold, snowy night! I wanted to take all that and put it in a bowl, add some pieces of pulled brisket, and call it a chili. MMMMM.
The scallops came on a butternut squash risotto, again so now. J says his meal was good, but he wishes there were a few more---maybe that had to do with it being RW, but maybe he was just a little too hungry.
Last was dessert---we were sort of full, and although we disagree on little (food-wise), J doesn't like coffee. At all. Not the drink, not the flavor--so no ice cream, frappucino, chocolate covered beans (what's up Trader Joe's, I'm talking to you!!!).
I had the espresso y zeppole---espresso semifreddo with mini Italian donuts (they were generously dusted in cinnamon and sugar, oh my). The donuts were warm, the semifreddo was SO GOOD. Semifreddo means half cold, so it was almost like espresso gelato, but not frozen, but also not liquidy or runny. It had the amazing texture of a very cold mousse, and I loved it. J had the gelato/sorbet assortment: chocolate and espresso gelato (I picked at the espresso, but really liked my semifreddo much better), and lemon sorbet. I'm a fan of homemade frozen treats, and these were no exception.
I'm definitely going to go back to Lia's for happy hour and brunch sometime soon--it's so convenient, and I know it's reliable. I'll check back in when I do!!!
Chevy Chase, MD
Metro: Red Line to Chevy Chase
Those donuts sound too good. I would have had to do a donut/ semifreddo dunk fest.
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't even dunkable! The texture was too thick...like frozen mousse, but it can't really be rock solid, so instead it's just amazealicious.
ReplyDelete