Dining at Siroc: DC Restaurant Week Summer 2011

Last official day of the Summer 2011 edition of DC Restaurant Week (RW), & felt compelled to take my dining group to another favorite of mine that I feel also does RW justice: Siroc.

One of my favorite places for Italian/Mediterranean cuisine in the area, very fresh pastas made in-house, good-portioned appetizers/entrees, and more-importantly nice service.

• Ranked #43 : 2010's Washingtonian Magazine's 100 Best Restaurants

FOOD: Chef Martin Lackovic [formerly of Galileo, I Matti and The Caucus Room ... nice pedigree!] serves-up North Italian / Mediterranean cuisine using seasonal ingredients.

Siroc's seasonal menu features cooking inspired by Italy and the Mediterranean with housemade pastas, charcuterie, salads and entrées. (factoid: the restaurant takes its name from a wind that blows from northern Africa to Italy and the Mediterranean).

SPACE: Sophisticated and contemporary, very nice looking space. Dress code is "smart" casual -- basically, dress comfortably but nicely ;)

Some of the dishes I tried tonight:

Course #1 (Starters): House-smoked Salmon with Fingerling Potato and Cilantro Salad, Sweet and Sour Marinated Cucumber and Chive Cream. Loved it. 

Course #1 (Starters): Potato Torte layered with Sweet Onion and Thyme served with a Cilantro Puree and Sautéed Wild Mushrooms

Course #2 (Pastas): Agnolotti filled with Braised Short Rib and Roasted Potato, served with its own braising liquid, topped with Montasio Cheese. Rich-tasting as the ingredients would lead you to believe. Awesome.

 Course #3 (Mains): Roasted Eggplant layered with Braised Lamb Shank, Oregano and Pecorino Cheese, served with a Roasted Pepper Sauce. Winner imo (I didn't choose this, should have. Wow)

Course #3 (Mains): Roasted Filet of Branzino served with Sautéed Spicy Spinach and Red Potatoes Roasted with Lemon Zest

Course #4 (Desserts): Warm Almond Cake with Blueberry Topping and a Cinnamon Zabaglione. Always a winner (a version of this is always on their RW menus; staple of the normal dessert menu).

Overall Opinion? Add to your rotation when in the mood for modern Italian fare and nice service, whether it's DC Restaurant Week or the rest of the year.