Il Mulino Opens Tonight

The eighth outpost of Il Mulino New York opens tonight for dinner at 1110 Vermont Ave. NW. The crowd-pleasing, old-school Italian restaurant was born in Greenwich Village in 1981 and is gradually bringing its Abruzzese style cooking to locations across the country and beyond. Signature dishes on the extensive menu include spaghettini Bolognese, rack of lamb, veal chop and the fresh langoustines (pictured above).

I checked out the new location last week as a guest of the restaurant, and I predict a potential power spot in the making. From the Old World decor in the dining room (pictured above) to the steep prices (entrees range from about $27-$36) and formal service, Il Mulino is sure to attract D.C.'s power set. Also contributing to the power-spot recipe: the portions are huge, the people-watching is prime, and small touches like complimentary antipasto and grappa make guests feel pampered.

Il Mulino New York
1110 Vermont Ave. NW (map)
202.293.1001

(Photos courtesy of Il Mulino.)

Comments

monkeyrotica said…
Like Moses and the Promised Land, most of us are destined to look upon but never enter Il Mulino. Especially at those prices. Back to white pizza and a carafe of house red at AV.
2/27/2007 9:15 AM
Anonymous said…
Agreed rectalhorror, so much for hoping a nice affordable Italian Restaurant was opening down there. They may have a tough time, bad location for the power set imho. I'm growing tired of all the expense account places.
2/27/2007 9:35 AM
Anonymous said…
I hear ya, but it's all relative. Recent trends in DC show that there's a Beck's for every Marcel's, a Ray's for every BLT Steak, a Clyde's for every 1789, a Safeway for every Whole Foods. (to be taken proverbially) Places like Il Mulino serve their purpose for expense accounts and the hundreds if not thousands of millionaires from Tysons to Potomac.
As long as the expensive restaurants can prove their worth, then I think they'll do well. Although my budget is AV/Sonoma level, too, I keep hearing about the awesome service at Il Mulino, so I'd definitely consider it for a special occasion.
3/07/2007 11:37 AM
Anonymous said…
I had dinner at Il Mulino's last night. I was very impressed with the service and the ambiance. However, I have to say that the wait staff stood around in groups in the dining room looking as though they were waiting to ponce on you at any minute. I like attentive servers but this was overkill. As for the food, it was decent but overrated and overpriced. Does everything have to swim in olive oil to be authentic Italian? And, can they season with more than just garlic? A pinch of salt in everything I ate would have raised it up a level. Also, the amuse bouche was preset on every table in the dining room by 5:00 p.m. How long do they let this stuff sit around in the open? Now the drinks and the complimentary grappa (delicious strawberry brandy) at the end of the meal are worth a return trip. I think I'll just sit at the bar the next time!
3/07/2007 12:10 PM
Anonymous said…
FINALMENTE!!!!!!! NYC shows up in DC!!! BRAVO IL MULINO...need I say more!! You get more BANG for your BUCK!!! Arrivaderci gli altri!
6/30/2007 1:59 AM
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