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Al Tiramisu
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
2014 P St NW(between N 21st St & N Hopkins St)
Washington, DC 20036
Neighborhood: Dupont Circle
(202) 467-4466
- Nearest Transit:
-
Dupont Circle Metro Station (Red)
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 12 pm - 2:30 pm
Mon-Thu 5 pm - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 5 pm - 11 pm
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Valet
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Classy, Upscale, Intimate
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
Eliza K. said: "As one of the two "Luna's" in the neighborhood, I have to say I prefer the other one. That said, this place is extremely reasonably priced, and the specials are really good. I like the decor. The bread that came with our pasta was…" read more »
147 reviews for Al Tiramisu
Review Highlights
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"Butternut squash ravioli was delicious." In 6 reviews -
"Chef Luigi is knowledgeable." In 6 reviews -
"...or agnolotti with butter and sage sauce tantalize your..." In 4 reviews
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147 reviews in English
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Review from Rachel S.
1/16/2012
After completely botching the metro line and stops to get to our original destination, a French restaurant in Foggy Bottom, I found myself at Dupont Circle with my mother in tow. In a valiant attempt to redeem myself, and avoid the logistical disaster that would ensue if I allowed her to pick from her cutting-edge AAA tourbook, I whipped out my phone and pulled up the Yelp app. Within a few taps, I'd located several 4 star restaurants a short walk from where we stood (Yay Yelp, you saved us!!!).
The icy wind sliced through my blazer as we rushed across the circle, and my mother's warning to bring my coat rang in my frostbitten ears. We sighted our destination, and slipped through the doors, into the warm, soft lighting of Al Tiramisu. The chef rushed in to greet us with a broad, genuine smile and boisterous welcome. The hostess took us to our table immediately, even without a reservation on a Saturday night. Although they were busy, and no other empty tables were in sight, they found a small nook in which to tuck us in the main room. The close quarters couldn't have fazed us less; we were there to eat, drink, and be merry (and enjoy being out of the cold).
My mother had the fennel and orange salad to start, which she applauded for it's freshness and unique flavor. I had the beef carpaccio served with arugula and fresh Parmesan. The carpaccio was ideally tender, and the peppery greens and sharp cheese perfectly complemented the meat. For entrees, we both ordered from the specials. She jumped at the mushroom risotto, and since we never order the same dish, I 'settled' on the venison with polenta and kale. Both dishes arrived, and after the first bite, I realized, I was born to order that venison. The hands of the gods themselves had predetermined it. The tender game could have been cut with a butter knife, and paired with the creamy, buttery polenta, and the lemony kale: total mouthgasm. I have had great venison, and I've had horrible venison...and this dish is the gold standard. The mushroom risotto was delicious as well: the earthy flavor of the mushrooms swimming in the rich risotto was a resounding, if expected, success.
Overall, the staff was pleasant and accommodating, the food was delicious, and the atmosphere was intimate yet cheerful. We enjoyed our dinner so much that we had no room for dessert. I plan to go back and sample some of their famous sweets. Highly recommended the next time you're in D.C.
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Note: I believe the standard venison dish is not served with polenta, but I asked them to include it, as the reviews I'd read raved about it. If you order meat or fish, I strongly recommend substituting this as a side. -
Review from Molly O.
Washington, DC
5/23/2012
I've been to the restaurant twice. The first time with my BF's parents, the second with 4 friends. The first time, fantastic service, great meal, all around good experience. The second time - not so much.
I had called the day before my dinner to confirm my reservation and never got a call back. I didn't worry too much, but didn't appreciate my phone call not being returned. My party of 5 was seated at a table that was really meant for 4, but had a chair thrown on the end of it that was clearly in the way of the aisle. We moved the table a little and were fine. We got menus, settled in, were served water and when the waiter came over, we were ready to order. However, he wasn't there to take our order - he was there to ask us to move to a different table because "a graduation party called to tell them that their group had grown." Ummmmmmmm okay. They moved us to "the best table in the house" which was a cramped table meant for 4 right next to the door. When we were asked to move, I asked them to bring us each a glass of champagne, which they did.
So we're at our new table and wanted to share appetizers - however, there wasn't really room for that. We ordered and shifted everything around and made it work. The lobster risotto was AMAZING.
Out came dinner. 3 meals were great, however, the other 2 diners had lukewarm short ribs and asked them to be reheated. They brought them back and they had obviously been microwaved - not new plates as the waiter said they'd be. All of the meals were okay, but nothing too special.
Then it was time for dessert. My friend asked for some of the blood orange gelato. She was served passion fruit gelato. When we told the waiter that she got the wrong thing, he acted as if he had never mentioned that blood orange was a possibility and then had the audacity to ask her if she even knew what blood orange tasted like.
We were DONE. And to top it all off, the table that we were moved from sat empty the entire time we were there! We won't be heading back to Al Tiramisu. -
Review from Anna D.
1/14/2012
I took the bf here for his birthday dinner because he loves Italian food.
Long story short, I've never been so pissed off about a dining experience ever.
They placed us on a small table at the beginning of their cramped aisle. I sat with my right side against a wall. Bf and I are both right-handed, so one of us had to sit there. How did they think I was going to eat!?
There was a big party at the tables at the back of the restaurant so there was quite a bit of foot traffic along that walkway. Anyway, we had elbows, purses, jackets, diners, and restaurant workers, hovering over us, leaning into our space, almost poking our faces and almost touching our food many times during dinner. It was also so loud in this tiny restaurant that my bf and I couldn't even hold a conversation! Our conversation consisted of "what's?" I gave up. I was livid!
From start to finish, we were seated, dined, paid, and out the door within one hour. We had an appetizer each and an entree. We didn't even bother with dessert because of how bad the environment was. I had never dined at a "nice" restaurant so quickly in my life just to get out of there!
It was a very unfortunate experience. As for the food? It was just okay. -
Review from Philip T.
Irvine, CA
5/19/2012
I had a wonderful time. As a single diner, I'm always wary of taking up too much space, but the fine people at Al Tiramisu made me feel welcome. They told me that they had a large graduation party, but that they could seat me at the bar. Fine with me! The bar has 6 stools. I was soon surrounded by 5 or 6 priests, drinking away. They their full party arrived. This was the graduation party! 20 priests, bishops, and, I think, a cardinal!
After they left me, I had the undivided attention of the bartender. He recommended their special appetizer of the day - steamed artichokes with olive oil and lemon juice; along with some rustic bread and a bottle of Rosso Montalcino. Also, a tapenade of olives, capers, and anchovies Wonderful! After that, I ordered half portions of pasta - gnocchi in a cherry tomato sauce, then Pappardelle strappate sul ragu di funghi - big flat pasta with a mushroom sauce. The Best!
No room for desert... An enjoyable time was had by me! -
Review from Charles E.
Zionsville, IN
5/16/2012
Made this place my regular dinner spot on a recent business trip. Excellent food and great service (at the bar at least). Agree that the paparadelle a la funghi is amazing.
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Review from Lilly D.
San Francisco, CA
4/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
Best pasta ever. The pesto sauce was delicious. They also have great service.
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Review from angela n.
Vegetarians:If you like mushrooms, check out the "pappardelle strappate sul ragu di funghi." It's made of very thin, very fresh, wide pasta strips with a light mushroom sauce, topped with subtly seasoned chunks of tasty mushrooms.
Our waiter was attentive and thoughtful. We said we planned to split the salad, so he had it split for us (with the fennel and oranges arranged meticulously on each plate). I offhandedly mentioned it was my husband's birthday, so the waiter put a little candle on his dessert.
The restaurant is dark and cozy. But the tables are mighty close together. So close, in fact, that without raising our voices at all, we had an interesting conversation with the nice women at the next table (who wished my husband a happy birthday). So I wouldn't recommend this place for secret spy meetings or other covert affairs. -
Review from Christopher W.
Oakland, CA
9/15/2011
To make a long story short, I was sick and needed soup pretty badly. Al Tiramisu was right down the street from my hotel, so I decided to order the escarole soup to go.
A small bowl of soup is $10. 10 bucks?
Plus, I tipped them like three bucks. I know; it's takeout and people don't customarily tip 20% on takeout. But, this is a pretty nice restaurant, and as a black person I have to ALWAYS tip because if I don't it reflects badly on every black person. Jacked up, right? I know. But, that's the way America works. A white person doesn't have to do stuff because not doing it might reflect negatively on all white people. When a white person runs for President, no one says "man, you can't trust white people. Every time you turn around, one is running for President." But, I digress.
It was the best $13 soup I ever had. -
Review from foodiewithadrawl S.
San Mateo, CA
11/16/2011
The Burata cheese with truffled honey was amazing! The other food including the pasta with mushroom ragu was very good as well. However I'm going to be dreaming about that Burata cheese for a long time. Don't miss that one.
Overall I thought it was good quality food and a reasonable price (though definately not cheap) for what it was. -
Review from Ryan R.
Washington, DC
8/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place is the real deal! I found this place on yelp (of course) while looking for a nice spot, not too pricey, for some good ol' Italian food ... and totally found it at Al Tiramisu! I had previously tried to get a reservation at 2 other restaurants, but to no avail. When I called Tiramisu 30 minutes before I wanted to dine, they said no problem!
We parked on a side street (Hopkins St) and walked up to P St and found this place tucked into a row of restaurants and shops. It's easy to miss if you don't know it's there. We were promptly seated upon entering and noticed it was not very packed as we had thought. The decor is gives it a feel of classy Italian, but you definitely do not need to be dressed up to eat here. Our sever was amazing and the menu is simple, yet has something for everyone ... from pasta to seafood, anipasti and zuppe to secondi ... everything looked amazing!
Our server took our drink order, which we opted for two glasses of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo ... a nice red wine with light tannins. He then brought out a plate of fresh fish and went over each of their fish specials and how they would taste once cooked ... awesome! Even after the fish show and tell, we went for the pasta special of round ravioli stuffed with goat cheese and spinach in a butter and sage sauce and fellow yelper Nicole B. had a pasta combo of 2 pasta dishes ... Pappardelle strappate sul ragu di funghi, which is wide pasta with mushroom ragu and the Fettuccine al ragu di vitello alla Rolando ... fettuccini with veal ragu. Both sounded really good and our server allowed her to have half of each! Again, amazing!
We also had the antipasti special of fresh buffalo mozzarella ... wow! This cheese was one of the best I've had ... creamy, light and not overpowering. Mozzarella is normally light and creamy, but this is one for the books! It was so creamy you could spread it on bread (and of course I did)!
After dinner our server brought over the dessert menu ... we were both too stuffed to even partake, but of course had to read it over ... for next time. From poached pears in red wine with vanilla ice cream to Pannacotta con latte di mandorle in composta di prugne rosse (cream and almond-milk custard on a bed of prune compote), they had a bit of everything. Of course they had my favorite, the Tiramisu, and we will definitely indulge ourselves on the next visit
If you want an authentic trattoria with great home-cooked Italian food reinvented by renowned Chef Luigi ... this is the place to go! I can't wait for my next visit. -
Review from Rose L.
Alexandria, VA
9/8/2011
Mmmm Al Tiramisu, so much deliciousness in one place.
Their lobster risotto is AMAAAZING. Definitely my favorite out of what I've tried here=) And of course, their tiramisu is to die for!
It can get a bit pricy but the quality of the food you'll be getting here is so worth what you pay! I'm already dreaming about the next time I'll be dinning here again=) -
Review from M Z.
Hartford, CT
2/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
waiters and bartenders are arrogant. Food is very good
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Review from Lauren G.
Rockville, MD
11/9/2011
After reading all the wonderful reviews I called to make a birthday reservation. However it was unfortunate how rude, pompous and unhelpful Luigi was over the phone.
I asked to make a reservation for an estimated 30 people for a Saturday and he said that was too big. I hadn't created invites yet so I asked for the maximum number for parties (knowing I could adjust the number of invites). He couldn't answer just told me he couldn't do 30. Then I asked to change the day to Sunday instead for a smaller party and he said the whole month was busy with Christmas parties. I don't know what his deal is but he just missed out on a lot of money.
In conclusion, it would of been simpler for Luigi to just explain the restaurant does not have a banquet room. I hope this helps anyone planning a dinner party... because here is NOT the place for that. :-( -
Review from Stephen C.
Washington, DC
6/29/2011
Al Tiramisu is a great find and can also be a difficult find, considering it is tucked into a row of shops and restaurants on P Street with nothing but a small awning to give away its existence. The decor is classic but does not give a "stuffed shirt" impression. It is small enough to feel quite intimate, you are immediately cozy and happy upon entering, and the service is pleasantly personal and reinforces that impression.
Two of us dined that night, and I can't put forth a compaint about a single dish. Our dinner, one of those tonight-money-is-no-object affairs, went like this, short version:
Appetizers
Breaded Calamari - Very subtle breading but deliciously flavorful
Grilled Portabello Mushrooms - Have you ever had a non-meat product that was so succulent and savory that you could've sworn it was from an animal? Yeah.
Entrees
Linguine with clam sauce and garlic - I typically do not order pasta at restaurants because I feel it is something I should be able to master at home. But I thought that Al Tiramisu could show me a thing or two, and they did. I could not replicate this dish.
Grilled Duck Breast - A rich dish to make you wonder why duck isn't more popular.
Dessert
Tiramisu - Of course. Again, very subtle, not too moist, just right. And it damn well had to be, considering it is the namesake of the restaurant.
We finished the night off with grappa and homemade limoncello. Not cheap by any stretch of the imagination, but if I'm going to drop serious coinage on a romantic dinner, this is exactly what I want. -
Review from S H.
New York, NY
7/17/2011
Every dish that came out was executed well and delicious. The stand outs were the grilled octopus appetizer, burrata appetizer special, lobster linguine, veal chop special, chocolate and tiramisu desserts.
The look of the place is casual- that is ok with me as long the food is good but this may be a set back since it gives some people the impression you can go in and order a spaghetti and meatballs family-style meal. -
Review from Lia M.
8/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
Al Tiramisu is a cozy restaurant with a friendly staff. The bar is small, as is the restaurant, though there are more tables than you may think. At 9:00 on a Saturday night, four of us were seated immediately. Crowd was a bit older, which I expected. Service was great and extremely professional, though we did not receive the fish show and tell that Ryan mentions. The music is eclectic - I heard a Santana song, then some classical music, then a newer song. Music volume is very low though, I think we were just close to the speakers. Warm, clean restrooms are behind a wall in the middle of the restaurant.
Between the four of us, we had caprese and mixed greens salad as starters, venison and salmon as entrees, and tiramisu and chocolate crème for dessert. The bread is great - thick and fluffy, served with an olive and anchovy tapenade. We asked for two baskets. Mixed greens salad was good sized and drizzled with a tasty vinaigrette. Caprese was good, but nothing spectacular. The venison, my dish, was venison chops (3) in a red wine reduction with carrots, mashed potatoes, and rapini. Everything was excellent - the venison was quite tender, and I could almost cut it using a butter knife, instead of the steak knife. My wine, a blend called "Super Tuscan" (sangiovese and something else) was fine, and paired nicely with the venison, but I would not order again. The wine-by-the- glass menu did not inspire me, nor did they have a cocktail list. I did not try the salmon, but my father and his girlfriend loved it, and since they split the entree, it was brought out on separate plates, which was nice. Tiramisu was light and flavorful and the chocolate crème was good, though I did not see any of the accompanying hazelnut cookies, as the menu had stated. I was sad about that. However, the food is really good, and given the price, this is a nicer meal that will not blow your budget.Listed in: Good Times in Dupont Circle, Game On...
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Review from Emilie G.
Nashville, TN
11/2/2011
Luigi and the gang made our 1 year anniversary absolutely wonderful. This night was additionally special because not only was it our 1 year anniversary but having had a civil ceremony in Sonoma a year prior, we decided to go to DC to legalize our vows on this day...Our night at Al Tiramisu was incredible. They greeted us as if we were family. They quickly sat us at their best table with a "view". The "view" was a painted landscape of an Italian seaside city. It was so endearing.
After being sat, they quickly brought us a congratulatory toast of Presecco on the house.
Even Luigi came out to greet us and congratulate us. He was a doll.
Our server was very attentive but timed our meal just right.
For dinner, Kat started with a salad and I started with scallops. They were both a wonderful kick off. We ordered a bottle of red that was recommended by the server. it was perfectly smooth.
For our main entrees we ordered the Pappardelle strappate sul ragu di funghi which is a wide pasta with a mushroom ragu. It was so fresh and packed with flavor. The sauce was incredible. We also ordered the Filetto di manzo al vino Aleatico which is a beautiful cut of beef tenderloin with an Aleatico wine sauce. It was cooked to perfection. These two dishes were a great combination.
Al Tiramisu is the most authentic Italian restaurant I have ever been to...
Towards the end of our meal, Luigi came by and gave us each a rose and an Italian kiss! He was a joy to meet and his kind heart comes through in each dish.
We will never forget this night. It was so special and Luigi and his team made it even better. -
Review from Kimberly D.
Baltimore, MD
2/18/2012
This was our second time eating at this cozy restauarnt near Dupont Circle. Space is tight, but I gotta say, I really like this place, the food is delicious and it is quirky in a great way that you don't get at sleaker, more modern restaurants. My husband had the sardines which were great and I had the grilled octopus - delicious! It was served with some potatoes and a light salad. For mains, I had 1/2 an order of pasta with mushrooms which was the best comfort food and hubby had pasta with veal ragu. Both were wonderful. They served the meal with a bread basket with foccoaccio and rustic bread and a yummy olive tapanade. For dessert, we shared tiramisu which was lovely, with a chocolate topping and a nice presentation. The friendly bartender gave me a shot of Amaro, a Italian digestive, which was so good. It is that kind of place, friendly, informative, authentic, no attitude. The place had a range of customers, from young people on dates to older people. Maybe one thing I would change would be the pacing, everything came out fast, so our meal was over in an hour, I like a longer meal, so maybe next time another course or share the pasta and then meat courses.
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Review from Scott R.
Washington, DC
10/27/2011
Nice people, great food.
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Review from Henry B.
9/4/2010
We made reservations for 8:30pm but they were so packed that we didn't actually get seated until 9:30pm. Usually that's a deal breaker but it wasn't....
During our wait at the bar, the hostess lady was sooooo nice and accommodating and apologetic. She comped our drinks and even brought us some apps while we waited.
She noticed my wife had allergies and she closed the door because maybe it might have helped. She got my wife tissues and everything.
The food here was soooooo good. None of us ordered from the menu. We all ordered from the specials. I ended up getting the veal.
As far as apps, we had some sort of fig and buffalo mozzarella thing that was out of this world. Get it. Stop reading now. Get it. -
Review from IH K.
Portland, OR
Updated - 2/9/2009
This place never disappoints -
I came here for a very intimate UY cooking class and was once again floored by Chef Luigi's simple and fresh culinary combinations. It's no secret that Al Tiramisu is my favorite restaurant in DC, but part of me suspects eventual disappointment. Instead, the opposite happens and Luigi's creations far surpass my expectations every time.
Not only were all the dishes amazing, but Chef Luigi's passion for food and life are somehow transferred through his dishes - an unavoidable and wonderfully contagious affliction.
I love it so much that I've taken personal offense to those who have written reviews with less than four stars. (Just a note to you future reviewers-Mwahahaha)Listed in: Top Restaurants
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/2/2008
Amazing food. Amazing service.
Their perfect portions are noteworthy. Good food should always… Read more »
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Review from Will b.
Arlington, VA
10/28/2010 1 Check-in Here
I went to this place because my friend told me that this place has a good review for an italian food. The place is quite small. However, it has a nice ambience inside. The service was good.
My friend ordered the ravioli, which was tasty. However, there were only about 8 ravioli. I got a red snapper dish (special dish of the day). The fish was fresh and tastes good. However, it had only a half of the snapper. Not sure where the other half's gone.. If you want place you go for 'quality' rather than quantity, this is the place you should go. For $27/plate, my friend and I were hoping to be full, but we were still hungry afterward.
After we finished sharing an appetizer and a dessert and had our own main course, the total cost was about $80+ for 2 people. I was quite disappointed. -
Review from Lydia M.
Burke, VA
2/9/2009
The Yelp event at Al Tiramisu was AMAZING!!!
Chef Luigi guided our group through his skilled preparation of the following:
* Mozzarella ripiena (stuffed mozzarella)
*Gnocci di ricotta al pomodoro ( ricotta dumpling w/ tomotoes sauce)
my favorite- can't wait to try this at home!
*Orata al sale (Italian dorado in a crust of salt)
Trust me when I say this, ALL OF THE DISHES WERE MAGICAL!!! Omg, just. delish! Chef Luigi took the time to answer our questions thoroughly and provided us with each of the recipes. Upon completion, each dish was served with a wine which complemented it well.
Personally, the kicker for me was the free bottle of olive oil that Chef Luigi gave me followed by a high five. What a cool dude... ;-) -
Review from Jimena M.
Sterling, VA
2/9/2009
I woke up early saturday morning to come to the Yelp event here - A cooking demonstration with Chef Luigi Diotaiuti. What an awesome event! Thanks to Mark K. and Dan W. for setting this up!!
I arrived a little late because I couldn't find any parking! Luckily, the chef was very nice about it. The chef is hilarious and very charming, he should get his own show! We went into the kitchen and watched him handle mozzarella curd like pasta dough to create what looked like a wrap stuffed with roasted red peppers, sauteed spinach and fresh basil, only the wrap was rolled, flat mozarella - delicious!!
Next, he made gnocchi di ricotta in an absolutely lovely, flavorful, simple tomato sauce. This is what real pasta should be, fresh, tasty, simple yet elegant.
Finally, he pulled out some fresh dorato fish and salt crusted them. He told us that fresh fish will have clear, gelatinous eyes. And anything that is salt crusted will easily give away whether or not the ingredients were fresh, because there is no way to hide foul odors with that technique! You can even salt crust chicken apparently, I had no idea!
Some people in our group got to participate in the making of the dishes, but we all participated in eating. We had the whole, comfy restaurant to ourselves, while we ate what he had just prepared. Each dish was accompanied by wines from the Campania region. The food was excellent, pure and simple. I will definitely be back.Listed in: I get by with a little Yelp…
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Review from Kate P.
Cincinnati, OH
5/4/2010
I really don't want to sound like a know-it-all here, but I kind of am. I used to work as a line cook for a group of Italian restaurants in NYC that are purported to have mob connections. The owners were from Genoa and the executive chef from Milan. I've spent time in Italy for the sole purpose of food research. Al Tiramisu was pretty darn disappointing.
The prices do not reflect the quality one would expect for such an opening of the wallet. Italian is one of the most inexpensive types of cuisine to produce, and they're getting away with highway robbery...well maybe that's a strong statement, but it sounded good, right?
Ok. To start. The atmosphere. After being greeted at the door by the jester on the carpet, my boyfriend and I were escorted to our banquette-style table. There was literally not enough elbow room. We were seated so close to our neighbors that we were unable to flap our arms like a chicken (a-la thumbs in the armpit). The couple to my right joked about us being on a double date. The decor looked like a hodge-podge of Rooms To Go furniture, paintings ganked from a shabby museum, and dusty fake plants. And somehow they thought that by putting down white tablecloths, everything would look classy and expensive. No.
Service. When we came in, everything was very friendly--lovely hostess and a smiling bartender that looked vaguely familiar. I was wondering why he wore a chef jacket. Throughout dinner, the service was hit and miss. The waiter was pretty economical with his visits, and from time to time we had to flag someone down. As soon as the flagging was done, they were quite attentive. The place settings were hastily thrown together and somewhat disfunctional. For instance...bread and tapenade, but no bread plate.
Now the food. Let's start with that tapenade. The olives were black Spanish olives out of a can and there was very little else in it. I asked for plain olive oil instead (which was good). And bonus! I got a plate with it! My boyfriend ordered the duck breast with a balsamic vinegar and honey sauce and I ordered the sundried tomato and goat cheese ravioli. On a scale of 1 to 10, I give our entrees a 4.
The pasta for my ravioli happened like this: it was hand made quickly (not enough folding) then stuffed and frozen. The line cook threw just enough for the order into the water, grew impatient, and pulled them out too soon. Being that he didn't throw an extra in there, he couldn't taste-check to make sure it was properly done...therefore I was served tough pasta. The filling was fine at first, but then by the end of the dish, it grew far too sweet. Just overwhelming. I could see that the chef wanted to balance the sugar of the sundried tomatoes with the salty woodsiness of the sage/butter sauce, but it didn't really work. I also question if the sundried tomatoes were made in-house or from a package. Just too loud overall.
The duck was cooked perfectly, but this damn sauce: saccharine. The polenta was a winner, as it was very well finished and perfectly fluffed.
Dessert was very tasty. We split the chocolate/caramel panna cotta-type-custard-thing. Their pastry chef loves what they do. The ladyfingers were lovely and fresh. The custard had a velvety texture and was complex. It tasted like there were no shortcuts taken. The same with the sauces. There was a citrusy anglaise and a chocolate sauce. If I could critique anything about it, it would be the plating. It was on a huge plate and all separate looking. If there were a flock of seagulls flying through and Depeche Mode was coming to dinner, it may have worked. I also would have nixed the five sliced almonds in some kind of powder. They had no place in the dessert.
Oh yeah, that bartender that looked so familiar? That was the "chef"/owner. Maybe he should have been in the kitchen expediting and tasting his food....just sayin'.... -
Review from Vonetta Y.
Washington, DC
3/23/2009
Thank God for yelpers, otherwise, I would have missed out on one of the best meals of my life!
I suggested Al Tiramisu for dinner with E and S, a friend who was in town for the week. Although E had called several days ahead and made reservations for Friday night, somehow his name wasn't added to the system. The hostess was polite and friendly; she apologized for the inconvenience and tried to watch out for a table for us. After about 45 minutes, we'd almost decided to leave when she apologetically offered us dinner at the bar. We accepted, and although it wasn't the most comfortable, the food certainly made up for it.
S and I both ordered the grilled chicken with rosemary sauce, which came with sauteed vegetables and the butteriest polenta.... I tell ya, I almost cried, the polenta was so good. I made sure to eat it slowly and save a small drop of it so it was the last thing savored off the plate. The chicken was perfectly tender with sensationally smoky grill marks, and the veg was breathtaking. But the star was definitely the polenta. So simple, but SO satisfying. Like, oh my sweet Lord, I can still taste the pleasure in my mouth. Honestly, it was so good, I could go on talking about it for days, but since I've already talked about it more than I would typically talk about polenta, I'll move on...
Although the boys didn't indulge, I got the tiramisu classico for dessert, and didn't share a bit, mostly because it wasn't very big, but it's a proper decent size for one person. Although the entree blew me away, the tiramisu didn't excite me that much, which is slightly disappointing given that the place is called "Al Tiramisu." But no complaints; I'll be sure to order it again.
At the end of the meal, our bartender offered us all a shot of Lemoncello, of which only S partook, as E and I looked on, craving just a drop. We vowed to come back after Lent, since the wine list had some titillating choices.
Al Tiramisu definitely deserves 5 stars. It's popular with celebrities (whose pictures cover the wall of the entry hall) and locals alike for a reason: the food is out of this world, and I love the authenticity (the hostess/bartenders were all Italian and spoke it over our heads as we ate at the bar). But messing up our reservation was quite a pain. I'm sure it doesn't happen often, so won't hold it against them for too long and go back as soon as I can.Listed in: Best meals of my life.
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Review from Cindy L.
2/10/2009
My Yelp event cherry went POP.
And it couldn't have happened in a better way! Food, wine,apron-turned-bib and of course, Yelpers! Chef Luigi is knowledgeable....maybe TOO knowledgeable. I didn't realize mozzarella had all this history, sorry to say, I thought cheese was cheese. I vow to never laugh at anyone who claims to own a cheese-making kit *crosses my heart and bow* He's like a food magician, every time he was done a demonstration, the arms go up and smile comes out - ta da~~! He is obviously in love with what he does. I'm a firm believer that emotions go into food, good ones make good food.
I definitely will be back to eat probably everything they have to offer :P
I don't know if that fact should make me happy or scare me. -
Review from Hannah C.
8/10/2009 1 Check-in Here
Great, fresh food every time I've been here.
Excellent, occasionally fresh service.
Cozy atmosphere with good lighting.
After dinner, have a glass of Nocello. Yummy yum yum yum.Listed in: The Old Country
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Review from Thuy L.
Washington, DC
6/4/2009
This place is a tiny nook hidden off Dupont Circle. There are maybe 12 tables inside the place. It's very tight, but cozy. The chef and waitstaff are very friendly.
I know I should have gotten pasta, but I was in the mood for fish. I selected a fresh fish from the platter that waiter showed us and I was so pleased! The baramundi I ordered was succulent, moist, and delicious. I was served this fish with a side of spinach. I will definitely return for some pasta! -
Review from Jacob F.
7/26/2010 1 Check-in Here
I ordered the Duck breast (medium well) with honey sauce: the 7 McNuggets of meat were leather on the outside and raw on the inside--and I think one of the pieces wasn't cooked at all...the side of potatoes that came with it was very good (for sure the best thing I got).
We ordered a glass of sauvignon blanc which was decent and a somewhat generous pour, but certainly not 13$ worth (maybe 9).
I'm about 90% sure the namesake tiramisu was from Pepperidge Farm and it was about the size of a silver dollar (for 10$).
I'm very surprised a "fine dining" restaurant permitted loud, misbehaving children. Also the tables were so close together I had trouble getting out of my seat (and I'm very skinny). The bathroom was nice though.
The restaurant itself was louder than the Five Guys in Georgetown; so loud in fact that we could not carry a conversation across our dwarf of a table :/
The service was good, but everything else was sub-par. Save yourself this unpleasant experience and go to Olive Garden for better food. At the very least you won't be out 80$ and still need dinner afterward. -
Review from Kiki R.
5/22/2008
I wanted to find it utterly charming but it just didn't do it for me. The food was good, albeit not quite as fresh or interesting as I would like.
I ate alot, don't get me wrong, but I just wasn't wowed.
I expected the linguine and clams to be a bit more vibrant; they turned out to be good but a bit gritty (clam shell, sand, who knows??). The buffalo mozzarella with roasted pepper and eggplant was nice - the garlicky eggplant being the highlight. The panna cotta with berries was a generous portion and good, but again, nothing outside the ordinary.
The wine the waiter recommended was quite full bodied and delicious and the waiter in general was very sweet. Though I was surprised to hear the specials being told to another table after I had already ordered and didn't hear anything about them.
I would say come here for traditional fare in a sweet environment. But overall, I'd recommend spending a couple extra bucks and going to Obelisk. -
Review from Cary S.
Washington, DC
4/27/2008
If there is one thing that DC restaurants often lack, it's charm. At Al Tiramisu, however, this is not the case. AT has it oozing out of its pores. If there is one thing I miss about Italy, it's the italians' ability to make you feel like the most special person in the world. It is this charm and personality that makes Al Tiramisu a standout in Dupont.
If you are willing to relinquish a little control and let the waiters help craft your experience, you are guaranteed to leave with a full belly, a twinkle in your eye, and a slightly depleted checking account.
So, throw caution to the wind DC yelpers. Savor the fine wine, let the fettucine al ragu di carne or agnolotti with butter and sage sauce tantalize your tastebuds. Pretend (for a few hours anyway) that you are transported to another city...one that might lack structure and efficiency, but compensates with an overabundance of charm. -
Review from Giovanni C.
Centreville, VA
2/22/2009
We were there on a Saturday night. The food was fresh, tasty, and simply fantastic. You know you're in the right place right when you walk in thanks to your nose.
The ambiance was cozy and semi quite. It was nice to see a mixture of people in jeans next to people in suits. Didn't matter. Just come ready to eat!
If anything, It's near Dupont and really hard to find parking. They have a valet service that is on the corner and well worth the 5 dollars.
My parents are off the boat Italian. We owned a pizzeria in NJ. I don't know if these are sufficient qualifiers of an expertise in Italian cuisine but these guys are as good as it gets in the district. -
Review from Evan H.
10/20/2009
4.5 stars.
I've eaten at a fair number of Italian restaurants in the D.C. area, and while some are very classic, Al Tiramisu really feels like you are in Italy with the downstairs location, wall paintings, pictures and narrow dining area. The food here is classic Italian, no bells and whistles, but that doesn't stand in the way of delicious food that is executed to perfection.
My fiancée and her father and I decided it was time for a little celebratory meal (though it wasn't planned that way), and we realized we had never tried Al Tiramisu. Our waiter was friendly and cordial. We ordered some nice red wine to start and were briefed on the specials, which was quite a long list of daily fish and osso buco.
For an appetizer i ordered grilled octopus with greens, and the other two for the table was the grilled veggies with smoked cheese and scallops. The octopus had a very nice char, and therefore was not chewy, as it can often be. Both the other appetizers were also delicious, particularly the smoked cheese.
For the main course, I had to order the osso buco (even though it wasn't my mom's recipe), which came out and a massive lamb shank upright over a plate of greens and creamy polenta. I sort of felt like I was Fred Flintone getting the huge rib during the opening credits. The meat was so tender (as it should be), it was just falling off the bone. The polenta and greens (tasted like Kale) was also cooked perfectly and had a lot of texture despite being a tasteless green. I didn't have a chance to taste the butternut squash ravioli, but from the look of the empty plate licked clean, I assume it was good.
This restaurant gets a lot of points for being classic Italian, as i said before, and executing that with precision. The service was quick, attentive and with the exception of our first arrival, there was never a time when our waiter couldn't be found. This place should be atop the list of Italian restaurants in the district. -
Review from Kristopher B.
Herndon, VA
2/5/2010
This place comes pretty highly acclaimed for being the best Italian restaurant in DC, and after dining here I can say that those acclaims were very well deserved.
The dining room is fairly small and very intimate. There's a fireplace in the back setting the mood for romance. The service is very friendly and informative.
We had the appetizer of mozzarella and red peppers. This was a simple dish, but it was great because of the quality of the cheese and peppers. They say that all the ingredients are imported from Italy. You really can taste the quality in this appetizer. It was really good.
I had a wide pasta with the mushroom ragu as an entree. This was very good. i wasn't expecting to love this dish as much as I did. Again, it was all in the preparation and ingredients. The food here is very high quality. I can easily see myself coming back sometime soon.
I can't wait to eat here again.
+ Great Service and Decor
+ Great Food
+ Authentic Italian ingredients -
Review from Irene P.
Costa Mesa, CA
9/2/2010
I've just returned from lunch and the first thing I did was sign on to write a review. Al Tiramisu was absolutely delicious. I was a little hesitant at first since the menu was the same as a dinner menu, but alas, we ordered the grilled figs and prosciutto to start with, and I had the linguine with lobster and tomato sauce, and my husband had the linguine with clams.
All 3 dishes were spectacular. Al Tiramisu was generous with the prosciutto, which is usually something restaurants serve sparingly. My lobster linguine was off the charts. There were chunks of lobster in every bite, served beautifully with the head and tail on each end of the plate - the linguine and tomato tossed in the center. The sauce was something I've never tasted before - light, flavorful, delicious. Well worth the $29 it cost, I would have paid up to $35 for its value.
I'm glad we decided to eat here, it's definitely satisfied my tummy! -
Review from John K.
Chantilly, VA
1/23/2011
My wife and I met a group of her friends at Al Tiramisu for dinner and I thought the place was OK. The food was average, but the service was good. Our reservation was for 6 PM, but our entire group didn't show up until almost 7 PM, but the hostess was very gracious and held our table. It was rather crowded inside since the restaurant is pretty small, but we got seated at a large round table in the back of the place next to the fireplace.
We each ordered a plate of appetizers that were tastefully served on a large square dish glazed with sweet chocolate. The assortment of appetizers included calamari, stuffed red bell pepper, prosciutto and something else I can't quite remember. I suppose this was a good start to the main entree.
I ordered papparedelle pasta with a light mushroom sauce. The pasta noodles were all stuck together and the portion was pretty measly. I probably could have made it much better myself. My wife had linguine with clams, or sort of. The pasta sauce had barely any flavor and there were plenty of clam shells, but hardly any clam meat. Disappointed, we ended up ordering dessert and coffee. The tiramisu was tasty, I admit, but the portion was again, rather measly.
Overall, I probably wouldn't come back since the value with respect to the food just wasn't there for me. Together, we dropped $140 for two people and I felt like the money could have been spent better elsewhere. However, I will give props to the server who was really friendly and helpful throughout the night. -
Review from Jill H.
Alexandria, VA
8/20/2009
I loved the papparedelle here! You know it's homemade at first bite. It's perfectly done with mushrooms, butter and cheese. We also ordered the zucchini flowers & calamari as appetizers. I didn't think the calamari was too great because you could tell it had been frozen; the texture was too mushy. We ordered a red wine from Abruzzo, which I highly recommend! Abruzzo makes some great wines for those of you who may have never tried one from this southern region in Italy. The salume di ciocolatto was amazing! If you like dark chocolate, you must try.
Our waiter was great too; he's an Italian so I got to practice speaking.
Buon Appetito! -
Review from Jamie M.
6/2/2008
When you want Italian in my hometown you go to Olive Garden because that's pretty much your only option. So I'm going into overload here with all these wonderful Italian restaurants.
I ordered the porcini risotto and bf ordered the duck. My risotto was an insanely large portion but it worked out okay because the duck wasn't huge, so we shared and both ended up stuffed. We both loved the polenta and spinach that came with the duck, I've never had polenta with such a creamy texture. We ordered the chocolate creme caramel for dessert, which was tasty but I probably wouldn't order again after seeing rave reviews for the other desserts.
Service was quick and attentive (we ordered a cup of espresso and it appeared no more than 15 seconds later, it was almost scary). I didn't think the service was snooty like other reviewers, but it was a bit awkward in parts, perhaps it's just a translation thing?
While we slightly preferred the food at Tosca, the ambience of Al Tiramisu was much more welcoming. Since it's such a small restaurant I'm not sure how cramped it would feel if they were at full capacity. -
Review from Joseph M.
Irvine, CA
8/7/2011
This restaurant does an excellent job at blending a nice ambiance and good Italian food. Having enjoyed food in Italy in the past, I felt this place comes close. We enjoyed a good antipasti, good wine and even finished off with a traditional lemoncello! All of this, of course, came with a hefty price, so be prepared to pay. Enjoy!
