Vento

I randomly ate at Vento tonight with a friend (no reservation). First, the service was amazing. We sat outside and were well-​attended to the entire meal. We started off with the Arugula salad, which we shared and without asking, they split it for us in the kitchen. The portion was big, especially for only seven dollars. I got the saffron fettucini and it was delicious. You could tell the pasta was homemade. The sauce was not too heavy either and the duck bits in it and wild mushrooms complemented the pasta and sauce nicely. My friend got the pasta with wild shrimp, which was also very good. The shrimp were well-​sized and tasted freshly caught.
This restaurant is definitely still under the radar. I highly recommend it.

Vento is one of my secret spots. I go here alone, and sit at the bar. The staff is always welcoming and friendly at the bar, and always helpful when it comes to ordering wine (I’m not that knowledgeable about Italian wines), letting me sample different wines before I make a decision.
So far I have ordered the same thing every time I’ve been here. They have a delicious shrimp and pasta dish made with amazing fresh pasta and tasty well cooked shrimp. It’s fresh and delicious and the sauce is made with meyer lemons! So good. I find myself craving it. Heck, my mouth is watering as I type this.
They recently introduced a tasting menu that looks wonderful and is nicely priced, however I usually go alone so I haven’t tried it (it seems like it could be a lot of food?).
The restaurant is nice as well, and they do have outdoor dining. I steal wifi from the Kimpton across the street.
A favorite Italian restaurant for this solo diner.

I returned to Vento during a recent DC trip, but was disappointed to find it was not as good as it had been the first time. The service was disappointing with our server failing to tell us that pizzas were not availble due to a lack of dough until we were ordering; 2 people in the party had to revise their menu selection on the spot. Although flavorful, the Octopus appetizer was too rubbery. I also enjoyed the smoky, creamy flavor of the Papparadelle, but the duck was completely overwhelmed by the sauce.
They have also changed their menu and no longer half-​portions of pasta, which made it hard to choose from several delicious sounding options (although I would not hold this against them since they’re just aligning to a typical restaurant policy).

Stopped in at Vento with my girlfriend for dinner during restaurant week. We made reservations for 6:30, but at that time we were practically the only ones in the restaurant. That kind of concerned me, at first, but the place really started to pick up after an hour or so.
The ambiance and décor of this place is nice and the service was great. We got a bottle of sauvignon blanc i think, but the price was reasonable and our glasses constantly filled by the staff.
Our food was fantastic. definitely try the lamb sausage and the Gnocchi.
If you’re in the area, I’d recommend vento!

Came back again and had another really good meal and great service.
The stand out dishes for us this time were:
Tomato & Bread Soup — so good, in love with this soup
Grilled Octopus Salad — tender and flavorful
Pappardelle with smoked duck & mushrooms — perfect amount of smoky and creamy
Lamb shank over Polenta — all around delicious and well executed
We also had the lemon tagliatelle — this was just meh, especially compared to the pappardelle. The beef medallion was also good, cooked well, but the sauce it came with was too salty which took away from the rest of the dish.
Surprisingly enough, I least enjoyed dessert, which is unheard of for me and my sweet tooth. We had the skillet apple cake with ice cream (way too cloying for me) and the «cannoli» (not a traditional one, so I was obvs disappointed).

Quite a pricey place but the pasta here is pretty good because it is made from scratch, I believe. I ordered a pasta with seafood in it and it was delicious. The only problem was that the portion sizes were a little small, this is definitely not a family style Italian restaurant. I would recommend this for a date-​night occasion as the service is pretty good and location is on the fancier side.

I understand why there are such mixed reviews here.
While the hotel lounge-​y atmosphere is pretty cool (and calm and quiet, much to our surprise), and the happy hour specials are — price-​wise — impressive, the food itself is, in a word, bland. Entrees and small plates alike are attractively priced (around $ 15, and happy hour specials are all $ 5, including glasses of wine). But we were hopeful for a lot more flavor in the three dishes we had.
1) Potato and portobella torte. Dense and bland. Tasted like a whole lotta potato and thats about it.
2) Octopus. Not even with some lemon or other citrus to compliment! Ack. It sadly had much the same flavor as the torte.
3) Four cheese pizza. Way bigger than I would have expected for $ 5, but it was just kind of mediocre. The goat cheese was really the only recognizable cheese — the other three got swallowed up together and lost their individual potency.
Service is prompt and courteous, but that unfortunately won’t be enough to bring me back.

This restaurant is nice. Since there is a hotel in front of this restaurant, I noticed that there were many tourists.
I came this restaurant because I have a coupon from Opentable.
My husband and I picked three course menu.
When we needed to pay the bill, I showed the coupon. They said «Oh the three course menu has already been discounted. So they can’t accept the coupon. «I was like what the hell. The waiter even said «Oh you should have shown the coupon before you ordered the food»
I thought that is nice.
I need to come back this place to use the coupon up but i had unpleasant experience at this restaurant.
The food was pretty good.

We decided to try vento as it is right across the street from our hotel, the palomar (which I highly recommend). We each had the soup or salad for our first course & a pasta entrée. Each course was good… finishing with the cannoli desert which left much to be desired.
The largest issue was from the wine selection. We ordered our first bottle of wine which was reasonably priced. We ordered the second bottle of wine & rather than bringing the correct bottle ordered the waiter bright the MOST expensive bottle of wine on the list that we did not order.
After speaking with the manager in hopes to clear up the issue the manager was not helpful in the least bit. Needless to say with the poor service and lack of consideration to clear up an error on their part I do not recommend going.
**Update 11/​10/​11** (very happy to say…)
The owner contacted me about the unfortunate experience that we had with the bill mishap. I am pleased to say that he could not have been nicer and made sure that the error was corrected. It is nice to see an owner who truly cares about the patrons being treated properly. He went out of his way to make certain the issue was taken care of. We are looking forward to returning to Vento… and I recommend that you go too!

The only good thing about the restaurant was the service and the ambiance.
The food was terrible. My husband and I each got a four course meal and only enjoyed one of the salads. I would never go back here again. If you know what good food is, you wouldn’t give this place above 2 stars.

My friend and I went here for a night on the town thanks to a Scoutmob deal and we could not have been more pleased with our choice! Since I had heard about so many good dishes from my fellow Unilocal reviewers, we decided to go with the tasting menu.
BREAD
The bread here was amazing. I’m not sure what kind of bread it was, but it went really well with the olive oil they provided for us. We even asked for seconds to scoop up the sauce of our dishes!
STARTERS
Lamb Sausage-​delightfully flavorful and not too heavy for sausage, complemented nicely with spinach
Grilled octopus-​my friend doesn’t even like octopus but liked this dish. The fingerling potatoes were amazing and even better than the octopus in my opinion.
PASTA
Raviolini-​nicely firm and the lamb ragu was delicious, I think I liked this more than my own dish
Potato Gnocchi-​the tomatoes were incredibly fresh and provided a refreshing kick to the dish, the gnocchi, however, got a little tiresome as I ate more and more
ENTREES
Lamb Shank-​the lamb came off the bone easily, but it just wasn’t up to par to what I was expecting. I think I was expecting the flavor of lamb chops but it tasted more like beef brisket. Some parts of the lamb shank were nicely tender but some were a little too cooked. The accompanying polenta, however, was delicious; I couldn’t get enough of it.
Grilled Branzino-​nicely cooked and light, my friend seemed to enjoy it
DESSERT
Apple skillet cake-​very warm and the perfect dessert for fall weather, I loved the little bits of apple in it
Tiramisu-​super light and the cream was delicious
The service was great and our waiter was so polite and not intrusive. Although I gave the Scoutmob coupon to him later than I should have, he didn’t have an attitude at all. Multiple people would come check up on us for water/​pepper/​etc. My friend once had her knife taken away from her and then it was replaced without her even asking for a new one. Our water was constantly refilled and when we asked for extra bread, they gave us plenty. The service was quick and efficient; expect to have your plates cleared soon after you’re finished and get ready for the next dish to come! The atmosphere was really elegant without seeming stuffy. Without the $ 20 coupon, our meal came out to a total of $ 72. That’s a little out of my price range, but I would come here again for a special occasion! Highly recommend.

Vento was ok. We went for dinner and I was really disappointed in my pasta and seafood dish. The pasta was nice and fresh but the sauce was really weak. It was bland and watery. My wife ordered the ravioli and it was really good.
The atmosphere of the restaurant was nice but our server didn’t have much personality. He was a total dud.
I might give Vento another try one of these days but not anytime soon.

«I’M SORRY!» AND I AM TOO
It was a gorgeous Saturday evening. My boyfriend and I arrived at Vento, ready to have a nice dinner and date night. We were on time for our reservation and was told our table would be ready in a few minutes.
Perfect. We sat down at the lounge area, which was dimly lit and consisted of a bar and several sofas. Relaxed and curious, I took in the ambiance of Vento. The restaurant as a whole was on the romantic side but still gave out a casual vibe. Truth be told, the pictures on the website looked so much nicer!
15 minutes had passed and there was no word for us. Our hostess was nice enough to offer us water and took our wine order while apologizing for the delay.
That’s quite alright, we thought. We were not in a hurry, plus our white wines Orvieto Classico and Chardonnay blend would be great companies.
Soon enough, the hostess started approaching us with two glasses. But (in slow motion) she tripped unexpectedly and spilled the wine all over the table in front of us, and, unfortunately, over part of my favorite black heels too.
For a second or two, I didn’t understand what happened. She apologized fervently and brought me napkin. I felt bad for her and I knew she felt bad too. But at that very moment, I found it very, very hard for me to say «it’s ok.» I had wine on my calf, feet and above all, my beloved shoes. Was I being dramatic? I don’t know.
BEING FORGOTTEN AGAIN. REALLY?
After the trauma, we waited another 20 minutes. The two ladies, who arrived before us and waited what might have been forever, got up and left.
We attempted to maintain good faith and continued sipping our refilled wine patiently.
Finally we were led to a table. It was such a relief. Our waitress was really nice and the complimentary bread was warm and delicious.
She first took the order from the table next to us and walked away. Surely she would be back soon, we comforted ourselves.
Quite some time had passed. Our waitress was no where to be found. I looked around the restaurant, realizing it was busy, with several big groups to serve. But hello? Is anybody here?
Once we spotted her near us again, my boyfriend tried to make eye contact with her. She eventually noticed us, and it became really clear that we were totally forgotten.
«People are so lost here,» my boyfriend said, cracking up helplessly.
IF ONLY THE FOOD WERE GOOD…
Our dinner started with scallops as the appetizer, followed by lamb shank and fettuccine with duck breast and mushrooms.
Accompanied by rapini, the scallops were quite succulent and flavorful. However, there were only two of them. I actually cut mine into 4 pieces to make it last longer. But most restaurants are not generous with scallops and so to be fair, I am giving Vento a pass on this.
My fettuccine came with a nice portion but didn’t taste quite as nice. The noodles were overcooked and sticky. The mushrooms were plenty, but I didn’t find much duck breast at all. In fact, I couldn’t bear to finish the meal. It was just… way below my expectation.
My boyfriend offered to share his entrée with me. Compared to my pasta, the lamb shank with polenta was not too bad. But the meat wasn’t really as tender as it could have been and the overall dish tasted bland.
How did I pick this place? I was really distressed and was definitely not looking forward to getting our bill.
WOW, SOME COURTESY… NOT
When we got our check, I couldn’t believe my eyes. Our first round of wine was on there. What the???
Ok, so we did get 2 new glasses after the spilling accident. But where was the good old fashioned courtesy? Shouldn’t customer service be CRUCIAL at this type of restaurant?
More shockingly, we chose not to make a fuzz about it — because I was so ready to get out of there, like OUT.
BYE BYE BYE!
When it comes to restaurants, first impressions often make or break a deal for me, with few exceptions.
My experience here was definitely a total deal breaker. I can honestly say I want my money back.

Delicious food, but otherwise not impressed.
Positive
+ Very nice décor inside with nice outdoor eating area with heat lamps.
+ Hand-​made pasta, very tasty
Neutral
o Reasonable prices (pasta is about $ 15/​dish, good wines for less than $ 10/​glass, secondi for $ 20-​$ 25)
o Very empty on a Tuesday at 8:30pm, not lively atmosphere
Negative
– Wind knocked a large table umbrella onto a customer, and the apology was brief. It wasn’t until another customer suggested providing the victim a free drink that the restaurant did anything to apologize.
– Service was poor. The waiter seemed very out of it and not friendly (but not unfriendly). When it started to rain outside, we had to ask to be moved in, and the waiter seemed confused by the request. We weren’t ready to order when first approached, but put in an order for an appetizer; the waiter never came back to get our main order.
Certainly not a bad restaurant, but I won’t be going back.

When you step into this place it seems like a completely different place from the busy busy life of Dupont Circle. Whisked away into a room of dark, moody lighting, and sensual décor. Definitely seems like a much more expensive restaurant than it is.
Though the atmosphere is incredible the food good, but not the best and on the smaller side of the portion scale. I got the Saffron Fettuccine and Raviolini of Butternut Squash. The waiter said that they were able to do half and half of entrees in case you couldn’t decide between two which was perfect for me! The Saffron Fettuccine was delicious. I was told that they made their noodles fresh, and you can definitely taste it. The Butternut Squash on the other hand was mediocre. The raviolini itself seemed a little tough and could have been a bit softer. The sauces that came with both of the pastas were simply delish! Complimented the pastas so well. I used the bread to clean my plate of the sauces. Excellent!
Overall my experience at Vento was enjoyable. The atmosphere was definitely my favorite!

Where to begin…
I’m just not even sure… the service was great, very friendly and polite and timely everything you want when you go out with another couple. That way conversation can continue!
Food…OMG I had the Ravioli Charity had the Short Ribs which was AMAZING… did I say AMAZING?! I meant MAGICAL flavorful, perfectly cooked and able to be cut like a perfect pot roast! If I could have ordered another plate of the ravioli I might have but I didn’t want to see like a pig!
The day scallops starter was great… only drawback is $ 12 for 2 medium sized scallops is sketchy but they tasted perfect wouldn’t change a thing!
Get here for a dinner its romantic and classy yet laid back and casual.

Nom Nom Nom
Nice and intimate for a date or with friends.
For Starter: Crespelle filled with Sweetbreads and Salsify braised with Leeks, served with Seasonal Mushrooms and Veal (loved the mushrooms)
Entrée: —Potato Gnocchi in a Creamy Gorgonzola Sauce with Par Baked Pear and Crushed Pistachios
—Saffron Fettuccine with Shiitake Mushrooms, Smoked Diced Duck Breast, Shallots and a Brandy Crea (this was my partners and I liked it more than my gnocchi)
Wine: don’t remember the name but it was a fine red wine (from Cote de Rhone) very very very tasty
You know when you have fresh pasta. You can taste the difference– and the pasta here was so fresh that local markets in Sicily would have to take a step back. Alright, that’s my bourgeois comment for this lovely lovely place.
Nom nom nom

The Day Boat Scallops were really Jumbo and fresh. I enjoyed every bite of «Jumbo Day Boat Scallops with Saffron Sauce on Black Cappellini» tonight. The salad with boiled egg and avocado was pretty good too. Oh, and the well-​done Strip Steak was not over cooked and seasoned perfectly with black pepper and sea salt. It was very yummy.

Solid 5 stars.
Vento is a hidden gem. at least for now. I adore Vento.
From start to finish, everything was beyond my expectation.
–Hostess and servers: so welcoming, attentive and friendly.
–Ambiance: cozy, romantic yet very relaxing.
–Food: One of the best Italian food and brunch ever.
1. Polenta and side of fried potato: not very impressive…
2. Salad: lovely arugula salad. This was very good.
3. Gnocchi: Please have this dish. You won’t regret it. This fluffy, light marsh mellow like gnocchi in light creamy sauce with a touch of sweetness from pear.
4. Other pasta dishes were good but I was so in love with gnocchi…
5. Beef short rib on creamy polenta: my friend said the beef short rib was very well executed. I loved the polenta :)
6. Apple skillet cake was divine. If you like apple-​pie or apple-​flavored dessert, you should definitely try this one. You will never go back to ordinary apple pie.
7. Brunch: One of the best brunch I’ve ever had.
— Pear pancake: amazingly light and fluffy texture from pear pieces inside of the pancake. Vento knows how to make pear to be the star!
— French toast: 3 huge thick but fluffy french toasts. Don’t miss it
— Egg Benedict came with perfectly poached egg and pure crab meats (not greasy crab cake) on soft brioche bun. It was over the top egg Benedict.
Overall, I can’t wait to go back to Vento. I want to eat everything from breakfast to dinner everyday. Are you intrigued? Just call me when you need a dining companion. I join you!
PS: Vento’s bread basket is filled with awesome bread. Enjoy!

Background
I went here for restaurant week with a friend and I called ahead and they do Valet. Finding Parking would be hard here at certain times unless you’re staying at the hotels next door or across the street. We felt like we were the youngest persons there. MOst of the people there were older crowds/​business. Overall I would recommend this place for a dinner date and would definitely go back again to try the other selections.
Food ⁵⁄₅
It’s delicious. The portion were a decent size, not one of those places that have small servings. By the end of the night we were both past full.
DRINKS: Wine selection wasn’t alot but was decent. We ordered several red wine glasses
APPETIZER: My friend ordered the Lamb Sausage a definite appetizer of choice. I ordered the Grilled Octopus and it was ok, the octopus was cooked tender, not chewy and had a little bit of lime taste to it.
APPETIZER 2: My friend had the tasty Raviolini, the pasta and meat even though they were combined you can definitely taste the separate flavors. I ordered the Hand Rolled Potato Gnocchi which had a very creamy almost Alfredo like sauce which was also good.
ENTREE: We both ordered the Beef Short Ribs and man let me tell you, this was amazing. Tender and juicy. The spinach was a great addition to the meal.
DESSERT: My friend had the Cannoli and that was an unusually interesting and tastefully mixed dessert but was still really good. I had the classic Tiramisu and that was good for me, the toffee taste definitely was strong but it didn’t overpower the tiramisu.
Service ⁴⁄₅
The hostess was very nice and I didn’t have any issues with my reservations and that place was packed. The meals came out a little longer than expected but that’s probably because it was restaurant week. Then again we were chatting all night and we barely noticed it. The water was never close to being empty and they always replaced the utensils every course. The waiter recommended really good wine choices and was very nice to even start a conversation when my friend was excused to the bathroom.
Ambiance ⁵⁄₅
Half of the restaurant is a square island bar and the other half was the food side. The place was packed and there were alot of people talking but it wasn’t annoying to where we can’t hold a regular conversation. Very sleek and a little fancier than your typical italian restaurant.