The Reston location is the first on the East Coast for this mainly Californian restaurant family. It was the last day of an art festival in Reston Towne Center, and although Il Fornaio was nearly packed- we were seated immediately and our service was impeccable. The team- from table bussers to the Sommelier- attended to us and every other patron like clockwork. Our polite, efficient oh-so wonderful waiter made excellent meal recommendations, a delightful pairing suggestion, and ensured that every aspect of our visit was above par.
 
The atmosphere is quite upscale: a brick fireplace in the rear, gorgeous, understated Tuscan décor, stylish lighting and deep shades of wood… you would feel as comfortable in formal wear for a special occasion as you would in casual attire after enjoying the day perusing the Town Center shops. The flow of non-stop service activity is rather surreal- your meal is paced for a relaxed, course-by-course journey through a region of Italy, yet the movement around you never stops, and never interferes with your “tour.”

Andiamo all'Italia! We dined at Il Fornaio on the last day of their Abruzzo Menu; they change the menu regularly to reflect a different Italian region’s specialties. What a concept! We started our journey simply: PROSCIUTTO e MELONE- Tuscan melon wrapped in Prosciutto di Parma, sprinkled with pepper and garnished with olives. The juicy melon was moutherwateringly (is that a word? should be...) sweet, and the Prosciutto was sliced thinly enough and “with the grain” so that it wasn’t too chewy. In fact, it melted in your mouth- the salty-sweet combo was perfection.  Our next stop was LAHANELLE CON LENTICCHIE-  Lentil and root vegetable soup with housemade herbed ribbon pasta drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil from Abruzzo. You all know my obsession with all things meat. This vegan concoction was nothing short of amazing- the fresh herbs and robust lentils made me forget about sausage for that moment in time…

Again, I went vegan and ordered something I typically wouldn’t have tried: CAPPELLACCI DI ZUCCA- Ravioli filled with butternut squash and walnuts; tomato sauce, brown butter, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and crispy sage. It was delicate and sweeter than I expected with hints of nutmeg and cinnamon. The anticipation of the crispy sage filled your nose long before it touched your tongue, and was an original, delectable accent.The housemade pasta had a texture that put all others to shame- the pasta here is in a category of its own. Fan-freakin-tastic!

Our final stop was The Man’s entrée: MACCHERONI ALLA CHITARRA- Pasta strands with lamb ragu, topped with cheese polpettine, ricotta salata and fresh basil drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil from Abruzzo. The cheese polpettine are little balls of first-cut mozzarella that encircle the entrée. I cannot describe the depth of these simple balls of cheese- ripe, wholesome, tangy, tinged with the essence of fine olive oil… I guess I CAN describe them. You’ll never consider a mozzarella stick “cheese” again. The lamb ragu breathed new life into what I used to consider a “sauce.” I can’t imagine the lamb was cooked for any less than 2 days- it was so tender, so infused with the herbaceous sauce, one could hardly separate meat from sauce, and anyway- why would you want to?

They sent us on our way with a box of Nonna’s Almond Biscotti since we had no room for dessert, and our passport to return for another visit. Next stop- Napoli. Andiamo!

This innovative, beloved restaurant puts love and inspiration in every dish, and an experience not to be missed. It goes without saying that~

Il Fornaio Passes with Flying Colors!

http://www.ilfornaio.com/  

Reston Town Center
11990 Market Street, Suite 106
Reston, VA
703.437.5544