Dining Out

DANTE RISTORANTE
1148 Walker Road Great Falls, VA 22066
by Donna Silver

Simple Elegance. To briefly sum up the dining experience of Dante Ristorante, imagine simple elegance. This Great Falls restaurant presents meals in a manner contrary to its contemporaries thus providing an unusual experience.

For starters, consider the locale. Most upscale restaurants are situated in shopping centers or office buildings, while Dante Ristorante is located in the inspiring Leigh House, at the intersection of Colvin Mill Run Road and Walker Road. The Leigh House sits dramatically on the corner of the two roads and spans out in both directions. Built in 1889, the home features elegant porches, cedar roof sections and dramatic window vistas.

Inside, there is no let down. The wooden floors and the fine carved staircases offer a great preview of the whole restaurant. Every room is a private dining room showcase with classic paintings and attractive crown moldings.

Everything resonates with a touch of class. Waiters are dressed in black tie and they offer suggestions as they cover the list of daily specials. Dante is Northern Italian dining refined to the best selections that travel well to a kitchen in Northern Virginia.

There are notable seafood and pasta selections to choose from. Typically, the sauces tend to the creamy white but never heavy.

Dante's menu is not unusually long but it covers all the bases. Beginning with the antipastos, there is a smoked salmon, appealing Sea Scallops with bacon in lobster sauce. Salads are listed separately. They include the traditional Caesar Salad, a House salad of fresh greens and an unbelievable Spinach Salad. I cannot find enough praise for the tenderness and fresh taste of these moist leaves of spinach. The accompanying dressing is satisfyingly light and creamy with a few well placed bits of bacon. Soups are memorable too. There is a top notch Minestrone, Tortellini in Chicken broth, Cream of Spinach and a Cream of Potato that is as light as it is delectable.

Though the soup is starchy, it is a work of art with one lone carrot floating in the puree. The bread is also noteworthy. A crusty thick Italian bread that is dense and filling. This is a polite nod to the Tuscany region where the peasantry make a meal out of similarly sliced bread, tomatoes, beans and hearty broth.

From this point, it is a great debate whether to opt for a good sized pasta entree or to venture into the seafood and meats. There are variations on classic Penne, Gnocchi, Linguini and even crepes with a bechamel sauce. The hollow Penne noodles are sure to make anyone a bountiful meal of fresh pasta with a simple tomato based sauce and a deft handful of seasonings. The meat selections have a bit more pizzazz. For instance, Quail in Grape Sauce, Breast of Chicken with black Olives and Tomato Sauce, Wild Rabbit as well as a full Rack of Lamb.

Now the seafood is appealing and Dante takes great pride in these entrees. Sea Scallops are cooked in white wine with fresh shallots and mushrooms. There is Grilled Salmon and a superb Grilled Swordfish. The flaky sweet fish is lightly seared and assembled on a plate with a large fresh sprig of broccoli and a plain potato wedge. As with all food prepared at Dante, the pleasure is in the freshness of the ingredients and the simplicity of the presentation. Everything seems to follow this single minded philosophy.

As you relax and take in the gentle piped music, the final decision remains, dessert or just a hot beverage? Dante, offers simple and royal desserts. A cheese cake, a chocolate cake or perhaps a chocolate or vanilla mousse. There are even fruit topped tarts. The White Mouse is actually a layer cake with an abundantly sweet icing.

Now its time to take an accounting of all that has been consumed. All of this superb preparation and presentation does not come without a price. Entrees are listed between ten and sixteen dollars. Appetizers run up to six and seven dollars and salads are priced at four to six dollars. Supper for two runs near or about seventy dollars with wine and dessert.

Aside from lunch or dinner, for special occasions, Dante entertains small business groups and dinner parties. Dante Ristorante is open for lunch, Mondays through Fridays and supper is served seven days a week. Reservations are suggested and major credit cards are accepted. Call 703.759.3131. A bit removed from the mainstream, Dante Ristorante's simplistic sophistication is a wonderful diversion that needs to be followed by more trend setters.