Lamb Chops – Wong Eats

“One thing leads to another… and another.” So, in my last blog posting, I mentioned how I discovered Banana Blossom Bistro from a couple of customers eating in a Uyghur restaurant that I was reviewing. Well, the former was mentioned as being across from a Tapas bar in historic Riverdale, MD. Immediately that detail was well noted and stored for a future visit. Hence, recently, I made of couple of trips to Riviera Tapas Bar that peaked my curiosity by its favored cuisine and unexpected location. On one of the trips, a couple of friends started their meal with a Cuba Libre and a Mojito. The husband-wife team said that the drinks were quite decent, but it needed some more alcohol – I guess they deserve to make certain reasonable requests in their adult libations being first time parents. LOL

Having perused the accessible menu, we tried a variety of small-plate dishes. An order of Chicken Empanadas arrived with the pastry blistered from a serious hot fry which added to the contrast of crispy texture with the softer and moist filling that tasted well seasoned with a hint of cumin for some interest. However, another days’ order with the beef version didn’t quite hit the spot for my friend. An order of Croquetas was also placed. The crispy pieces came flat and not in their traditional cylindrical shape that I ate in Spain as a student. However, these discs were perfectly fried, tasting creamy and hints of chicken meat, accompanied by a citrusy mayonnaise that was the perfect foil that added more interest and lifted the mouth-feel.

I had spotted on one trip other customers enjoying a usual Spanish tapa – Datiles or bacon-wrapped dates, and I didn’t hesitate savoring them on the next visit. The combination was heavenly with the slightly salty crispy bacon enveloping ripe sweet dates stuffed with a cream cheese. I didn’t quite notice the stuffing as I was quite swooning over the gestalt-of-it-all and not focused on its individual elements. An order of Sautéed Mushrooms with Garlic was placed one night. The Crimini mushrooms tasted meaty due to its unique texture as they are the baby version of the Portabello, and a good dosage of garlic cooked in olive oil was the perfect flavoring agent for this fungi. A good hit of fresh parsley added it brightness to balance the boskiness of the dish.

Another Spanish usual tapa placed on a trip was Tortilla Española. It is basically an egg pie with pieces of potato and onion. The pieces came well-presented on a mini cutting board. My friends enjoyed it quite well, but my point of reference from my Spanish days was pulling me in a slightly different direction with my mind wanting more onion, softer and less souffléd egg, and a richer greasy mouth-feel from some good olive oil. An order of Spinach and Chickpeas was placed on another visit. The spinach leaves was fresh and tasted flashed cook, but I was surprised that it was under-seasoned with salt or any spice. The chickpeas suffered from the same treatment which echoed the lackluster of the dish.

Seafood is prominent in Tapas cuisine and we had a go with some of those type of dishes here. Gambas al Ajillo is a Spanish classic, and when the dish arrived, its visual appeal was already inviting. Although the shrimp was barely slightly overcooked, it was sweet and fresh, enveloped by a winey garlic sauce that was crying out for the pieces of ciabatta-like toast to be dipped into it to sop up all its goodness. Another seafood was Pan Seared Scallops. The pieces of mollusk was perfectly seasoned with a hint of Bay-like seasoning and cooked with seared ends sandwiching its moist and sweet middle. Its bed of cauliflower puree was creamy and slightly cheesy that made it the perfect “bed” partner, foiled by some rich pine nuts and sweet raisins, all napped by some rich, and unusually light, creamy sauce that did not overpower the delicate seafood.

I had caught sight of Steamed Mussels sent to a few tables, and we placed that order on one visit. The mollusks were smaller than the usual, and they were listed as wild on the menu, perhaps explaining its size and flavor. They were not overcooked, thank goodness, and they were sweet without being too mineral-like. The sauce was slightly creamy with a good hint of garlic, screaming for the pieces of the garlic toast for a dip, which we couldn’t resist that tasty combination.

A couple of meat dishes was savored during the visits. The first was Lamb Chops. The piece of meat were quite lean, fresh, and still moist even for having been cooked medium-well-done according to my partner’s request; its grilled exterior added the charred flavors that made the meat more delectable, as well as the meaty boozy demi-glace sauce that coated it. The fingerling potatoes were tasty and rounded off the dish well. Another dish was Grilled Strip Steak. The meat was indeed fresh and moist for being medium-well-done, but my palate was craving a “beefier” cut like flank or skirt steak. The Chimichurri sauce needs a revisit by the kitchen since it was too “oniony” and it needed to be tempered with some more red wine vinegar and herbs. The black beans and rice yearned for the same treatment with more seasoning, like bay leaf and sofrito, a longer boiling time, and a bit more salt.

On a couple of trips, I wanted some Spanish Churros for dessert as listed on the menu, but they were not available on both trips – what a pity. But my helpful waitress recommended Tuxedo Bombe as my final bite. The half sphere made quite an impression when it landed on the table. One bite into it confirmed its visual appearance. The outer shell was made from dark chocolate encasing layers of whipped cream and chocolate mousse sitting on a thin layer of chocolate cake. The whole mixture was a good match of the disparate elements that came together smoothly without being cloyingly sweet or too rich. The raspberry coulis was the perfect classic partner that added the necessary acid to the rich spoonfuls. However, I can’t wait to order the churros with chocolate sauce that the waitress said was a hit with the customers.

Rivera Tapas Bar is truly a great find on my levels. Firstly, they are fulfilling a culinary niche that the area yearns for which I have been complaining for quite some time. Secondly, the restaurant has shown up in an area that many have written off as a culinary oasis, especially in historic Riverdale that is starting to see a sign of revival. And lastly and most importantly, the house clearly knows how to deliver with its skillful cooking and quality ingredients at an appealing price point that would make the diner completely skip downtown DC for some fine tapas cuisine. At one hand, I want to keep this place a secret for my selfish reasons. On the other, the public deserves to discover and enjoy its scrumptious offerings.

Living in different countries and continents, my family has always had a challenging time figuring out a city for us to come together in order to spend time with each other. The last time that all my siblings and parents managed to convene in a single place was 2006 in the most central point between Australia, Malaysia, and the USA – Hawaii. Ironically, it took less time for my folks in Australia to get there than my travels from Washington DC; a missed connection even further extended my trip to around 18 hours long!

So, last year, when my cousin, living in London, invited the family to her summer home in Tuscany, Italy, most of us jumped on the invitation without any hesitation. It was a great opportunity for my sisters’ families, me and my parents to catch up with each other, and for us to savor the Italian experience. This has always been a dream of mine to travel to this part of the world for its amazing scenery, architecture, fine arts, and culinary arts. The 11-day trip through the Tuscan countryside and stay at Volterra exposed me to its glorious cuisine that gave me a new perspective on Italian food. It was this foodie’s dream come true and a trip worth a thousand bites.

Being an online restaurant coupon junkie, I sometimes am tempted to buy as many offers that show up in my inbox. But when two sites advertised such discounts for the upscale restaurant I Ricchi, I did not have the slightest hesitation in clicking the “buy” button as I had heard about this reputable place for many years but had never visited it, despite both of us arriving in DC at the same time in 1989. With a newfound appreciation for authentic Italian cuisine, I knew I could not forego these opportunities, and it was time for me to visit the Italian restaurant to re-live my Tuscan trip.

Entering a high-end restaurant with impeccably looking staff such as I Ricchi can sometimes be a bit unnerving and maybe intimidating. But upon stepping into the foyer, there is a slightly relaxed charm about the place that is quite devoid of stuffiness. The front desk staff were nice and amenable to me, especially after I requested a well-lit table for my photography. My waiter, Justin, was professional, warm, and personable, and he was quick to put me to ease with his charm and knowledge of the menu. Right then, I knew I was in good hands and ready for a wonderful culinary journey. A basket of house-made slices of rosemary-topped and tomato-topped focaccia with large sea-salt granules immediately transported me back to Levanto where I stood in line for 30 minutes for this freshly-baked bread (which was truly divine), and this restaurant’s version was superb. The journey had already started with the first wonderful bite.

I decided to “travel” on these Tuscan dining experiences (two visits in a week) the Italian way by ordering my meal in various separate courses, very much like how it is done on the Continent. On my first visit, for the antipasti course, I ordered the day’s special of Truffled Polenta with Mixed Mushroom (Polenta Tartufata ai Funghi Farciti). The heady scent of truffle oil in the soft rich polenta cake was delightful from the first mouthful, which quickly brought me back to Volterra where I had a heavenly dish of Ricotta gnocchi topped by a tall heap of truffle shavings. Surrounding this cornmeal mound was a melange of sautéed portabello and porcini mushroom that had been deglazed with Balsamic vinegar. It was a very satisfying dish but after some time, I could not detect the delicate truffle scent once it was overwhelmed by the sweet and oaky vinegar. I had wished that its dark glaze was drizzled around the dish which would allow the diner to control its level of intensity in relation to the truffled polenta. However, such detail did not deter me from wiping the dish clean.

A Salad of Arugula with Orange, Fennel, and Pecorino Cheese (Ruccola con Aranche e Pecorino) was the opener on my second trip. The peppery arugula leaves were tempered by the sweet orange segments and slivers of shaved pecorino cheese that added a smooth nuttiness to the biting greens. It was a well-made salad that was balanced by the different strong elements on the plate. I nearly forgot about the very thin fennel shavings that seemed to be missing the anise-like flavors for I suspect they had been macerated in lemon juice, which mellowed them out – this missing flavor dimension would have given the dish that extra touch. Nevertheless, it was definitely worth ordering this classic Tuscan Salad.

For the pasta course, I ordered the Tortelloni in Sage Butter Sauce (Tortelloni al Burro e Salvia). This is another classic with large-size tortellini made from thin fresh pasta filled with a savory mixture of Ricotta cheese and Spinach. The sage scented butter sauce was the perfect accompaniment to the delicate pillows. The hint of lemon juice in the sauce was the right amount of acid to cut through the rich butter and Ricotta. The pasta was cooked al dente the Italian way which tends to be firmer than what we over here prefer it to be. Maybe a minute more in the boiler would have been perfect for my taste, but the stuffed tortelloni dish was just the right pasta course.

On the next visit, I decided to go for a dish that was similar to a wild boar pasta dish I had eaten throughout my Tuscan trip – Fresh Pasta with Rabbit Sauce (Pappardelle Sul Coniglio). Wide ribbons of egg pasta were covered with a tomato-based sauce, which was cooked with aromatics of sweet carrots, mellow onions, and pungent celery. Chunks of tender rabbit meat enrichened the ragu that was paired with the wide and delicate pappardelle, whose broad width added to the dish’s heartiness. I could not help but relive the sense of satisfaction similar to eating the Italian wildboar version as this restaurant’s offering did conjure up the same flavors on my taste buds – another successful classic pasta dish that I could eat more of!

The Tuscan countryside is reknowned for its high quality meats that end up on the table as main courses or cold cuts. With this in mind, I focused on such offerings during my two visits. The day’s special offering of Grilled Steak with Onion Rings and Truffled Spinach (Bistecca al Ferri con Cipolle Fritte e Spinaci al Tartufo) caught my eye on the first visit. The steak was perfectly cooked (medium-rare) and it was juicy due to its heavy marbling. Its stay on the firewood grill gained a level of smokiness that reminded me of the humongous Bistecca Fiorentina that I savored in Volterra. The choice of red onions for the Onion Rings added an unexpected sweetness in this obligatory side order. The truffle oil in the sautéed spinach added a nuttiness and je ne sais qoui that elevated the dark greens. This steak may not be the superlative Chianina beef that I tasted in Italy, but it sure was close to it judging by what was left on the plate.

Costolette D’Agnello a Scottadito was my meat course on the second trip. It is grilled lamb chops marinated in lemon and rosemary. The thick tender pieces of lamb had a rosemary scent that cut through any “gaminess” that this meat could sometimes exude, while the hit of lemon juice further mellowed the rich lamb. The first bite took me by surprise with a citrus jolt that hit the taste buds first. But upon chewing the meat, the various elements mixed rather harmoniously into a tasty bite. A fried polenta cake and some broccoli with shiitake mushrooms were satisfactory sides to the meat. Another successful meat course on the menu with this dish.

An Italian dining experience would not be complete if one did not have a few bites of Dolci or Italian dessert. The menu has the recognizable offerings of Tiramisu, Biscotti, and Gelatos. Even though there was not much room left for this final course, I ended up with the house’s version of Walnut Crust Mascarpone Cheese Cake (Torta Di Formaggio). It is a lighter cheesecake whose crust, made with bits of walnut, sets it apart from others. A light sauce made up of pieces of strawberry macerated in lemon juice was the right partner that provided enough sweet citrus hit to cut through the cake’s richness. It was difficult to put my fork down despite the level of satedness I was already feeling.

I Ricchi serves a clientele that comprises of DC bigwigs and members of the diplomatic and politico communities. And such clout and the restaurant’s well-established reputation are reflected by the not-so-modest bills that I received at the end of my meals. But this restaurant offers, in my estimation, an excellent authentic Italian culinary experience that is worth your money. This is not your everyday eating joint, but one which is worth visiting once in a while, especially when the urge to travel, either first time or a subsequent trip, to Italy is itching within. This foodie’s restaurant visits were quite worth the money spent, and they sure beat the price of a round-trip ticket to Europe, if only for a short moment, until the sense of wanderlust for Italia returns again.