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Dinners from Around the World: Italian Edition

On Saturday night the crew headed out for our latest, impromptu, and very long-overdue, DFATW. Destination: The Black Tomato. It is located in the Byward Market, and although I’ve passed by countless times and have always heard wonderful things, It was my first visit. I wasn’t disappointed.

This DFATW included 5 new joiners, which turned out to be perfect because some of the regulars were MIA. And though I gave everybody very little time to decide (I suggested the outing on Thursday) and offered a less-than-exciting culinary choice (we’ve already done Italian, circa Jen Fullerton’s birthday, September 2004) I think everyone enjoyed themselves.

I have to admit that the highlight for me was the dessert menu, or should I say, one dessert in particular. The moment I entered the tiny room, my eyes were drawn to a small blackboard above the bar. There, written in chalk, were the words, ‘Peanut Butter Pie’. I knew immediately that I would have to sample such a simple, yet delicious sounding creation. And I was not the only one that was enticed.

The waiter’s description (we asked before we even ordered our meal to make sure our selection would leave an appropriate amount of room if the dessert was to be in our future) was not very exciting. “It looks like pumpkin pie”. Hmmm. And it turns out that he had never tasted it due to a nut allergy, but assured us he’d be willing to risk his health to bring us each a piece if we so desired. We appreciated his bravery, but I think it was him adding that the restaurant ‘sells out of it all the time’ that convinced us. My original order of pork tenderloin quickly changed to a smaller and more reasonable artichoke flatina.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...

Once dinner had ended, the original interest in the dessert had waned…all but for Kris Peterson and I. We were the real troopers. That or we just both ordered most wisely. We decided to continue with our wise choices and decided to split a piece of PBP. Again, we were not disappointed. The rest of the DFATWers knew immediately that they had made the wrong decision when they saw the faces we made after the first bite. And the second. And third. The Peanut Butter Pie was, literally, to die for.

Now, I’ve had a lot of desserts over the years, but I have to admit, that this came close to the best I’ve ever eaten. There is a good chance that I will re-visit the Black Tomato again in the near future. And not for their dinner menu.  As interesting, not like the version they have posted on their website and delicious as it was, they really got me at dessert.

Damn…I just made myself hungry again.

July 11, 2006 - 7:51 am

Kris - My mouth is still watering.

That was a great night, everyone! Let’s do it again soon!

July 11, 2006 - 10:18 am

Shannen - Of course.

Our plan is always to make it a regular event (I think we once chose the 3 Friday of every month), but that never seems to last. Hopefully we’ll pick it back up in the fall when people have more time on their hands…..

So glad you guys joined us…and that Kurt shared a bite of his pork tenderloin.

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