A Meal to Remember (Tasting Dinner @ Bebo's)

Saturday night we treated ourselves to a tasting dinner at Bebo's Trattoria in Crystal City, new creative home of the famous Chef Roberto Donna, whom we had the pleasure of meeting about a month ago. The private room for the tasters (about 30 of us) was elegant, candlelit and a little quieter than the din of the regular dining room. We had dedicated waiters, sommelier, etc. Chef Donna created a WONDERFUL 7 course meal, which was tailored to our dietary restrictions.

Compliments of the chef, we started it all with Prosecco Brut Vidor, a basket of bread, and hot fried dough that was kind of like funnel cake but salted and peppered instead of sweet.

Then:

Chick Pea Cream with Porcini Mushrooms

Potato Leek Agnolotti with Salted Code and a Garlic Sauce

Risotto with Clams, Shrimp, Lobster, Squid "Montecato Alla Crema"

Roasted Filet of Black Sea Bass with Braised Rapini served with a Red Wine Sauce

Basil Crusted Tuna served with a Basil Sauce, Fingerling Potatoes and Artichokes

and finally

Passion Fruit Souffle with Passion Fruit Ice Cream

and

Bomboloni (tiny doughnut holes)

Incredible! Each course was better than the last! In addition to sparkling water (Italian, of course), we popped for the wine pairing, too. So in addition to the Prosecco, we had:

the Vadum Caesaris Vallarom, 2004 -- a blend of Reisling, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Bianco

the Campi Sarni Rosso Vallarom, 2000 -- a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot

and the Moscato Ca'della Rocca, 2005

all of which paired beautifully with the meal.

Exquisite!

Chef Donna certainly deserves all the accolades he receives! Bravo!