First Taste: Pinstripes

By Lauren Rosalanko

Pinstripes in Georgetown hosted their grand opening on Friday night and it was quite the event! The entertainment and dining venue already has many locations across the Midwest and DC is their first East Coast location. Pinstripes not only has a wide array of Italian food for brunch, lunch and dinner, but they also have bocce and bowling! I was able to sample a little of each of their signature dishes and look forward to going back to try more.

The food was well-presented throughout the many rooms and two floors of the restaurants. The most unique dish I tried was the Italian "Jambalaya" Risotto which was complete with a rich and creamy rice, spicy chicken, sausage, pesto shrimp and roasted peppers. I love the meat and seafood combination, especially with shrimp pesto. I have never had a risotto with so many great ingredients and I highly recommend it for a dish filled with flavor. I was also able to try the tender and perfectly cooked braised short rib. The red wine reduction enriched the lean short rib. The last portion at the top of my dish was the Goat Cheese, Chicken and Fusilli. I love any type of pasta when mixed with creamy goat cheese and chicken it created a filling and tasty dish that I have never tried before.

After my main dish and small sampling of their pear and bibb lettuce salad (topped with candied pine nuts and Gorgonzola!) I couldn't resist but move on to the dessert. Luckily, they were bite-sized so I was able to try many of their fantastic options. From bite-sized pieces of chocolate cake to the caramelized cheesecake I was in dessert heaven. Their all-you-can-eat Sunday brunch is only $20, complete with a dessert bar and chocolate fountain, so clearly I will be making my way back to Pinstripes on a Sunday! Pinstripes has a convenient location at 3222 M St. in Georgetown, with plenty of entertainment and delicious food for every meal.