Thursday, September 9, 2010

Carmine's: Think Big!

So excited to have Carmine's as a new addition to DC!  We recently checked it out and I was quite impressed by the affordability.  That's a change from most of the new restaurants opening lately.  Emily and I joined Kelly Collis, CityShopGirl.com and TBD.com, Laura Powell, travel writer, contributor, DailySuitcase.com, Mary Kong, GirlMeetsFood.com, McLean Robbins,  Deacon Does DC, writer for too many publications to list, Lisa Amore, PR genius and Jill Collins.

The portions are family style and there is no way you will go home hungry.  We started with a round of some amazing cocktails.

How about a Frozen Cosmo?  Be careful because this drink packs a punch!
Beautiful Sangria
Look at this berry drink.

The Carmine's salad has lots of meats, cheeses, olives, etc.  Good flavor and a nice way to start off the meal.

The Eggplant Parmesan is large and in charge.  Very tasty and a nice option for vegetarians.

OMG, you have to try the veal saltimbocca.  It was my favorite thing on the menu.

The meatballs are moist and filling.  

Carmine's even has gluten-free options that one of our table mates greatly appreciated.  Honestly, I could not tell the difference in the taste of the pasta.  They have a whole menu to choose from which I thought was really cool.  We did a show with Nearly Normal Cooking a while back and made all gluten-free recipes.  Unexpected for a pasta house to cater to these needs, but it is a terrific idea.

We started my birthday celebration early (September 26th) with some beautiful singing and a delicious Tugboat with brownies, ice cream and other yummy toppings.  The strawberry shortcake was also divine!

Carmine's has the Cocktail Lounge sign at each one of their restaurants.

Overall, Carmine's is fun and the perfect spot to take a group.  Keep it in mind for the next time your family comes to town.  The restaurant is lively and I know you'll have an awesome time!

Special thanks to Jill Collins for hosting us.
Photos by Emily Clack

Carmine's on Urbanspoon
425 7th Street NW
Washington, DC 20004
www.carminesnyc.com

No comments: