You can take me out of the Mediterranean but you can't take the Mediterranean out of me. You can take me out of DC but…well, I become totally helpless. I asked JR the other day where our next performance was and he replied "Chevy Chase, Maryland".
NOOOOO!!!
I got anxious since I'm clueless about restaurants beyond DC! Luckily, JR had a couple of suggestions, French and Italian/Greek/Mediterranean, and of course, I went for the Mediterranean option – Manoli Canoli.
I heard that the best eats exist outside of the District. Manoli Canoli did not disappoint. The place is small, cute, and homey. The decorations made up of family photos and Mediterranean products (which can also be purchased at the restaurant) are a charming touch to the diningroom-like setting. The friendliness of the staff also reinforces the homey feel of the restaurant – we caught a glimpse of the owner, Stavros Manolakos, introducing the menu to some customers and it seemed to be very natural and a normal part of what Manoli Canoli is.
The menu is a mixture of Italian and Greek. We started with a 1/2 carafe of a San Vito Chianti and an order of Spanakopita. I didn't recognize the name of the dish but when I looked at the description I automatically thought about the Spinach Fatayer (Spinach Pies) that I love so much from back home! The Spanakopita was slightly different: flaky dough with cheese in the filling – it was savory. I appreciated the subtle lemon taste in the spinach and the small block of white cheese that came on the salad garnish – so Mediterranean, so great!
We both ordered pasta as a main course. JR got the Spinach Agnolotti and I got the Fettuccine alla Genovese. JR liked the ravioli stuffed with spinach and cheese. He seemed to be enjoying the spinach cheese dish and kept on saying that it was really good :). I also liked the Fettuccine. It was meaty but it also had vegetables. I thought that it required a little bit of oomph but I couldn't pin down what was missing. After a while though, the Chianti began to work its magic and both wine and food started to assert one another, giving a sense of wholeness to the meal.
The owner came up to us to inquire about our meal. He explained that the secret of the food at Manoli Canoli was the extra virgin olive oil and the olives that they get directly from their family orchard in Elos, Greece. He was kind enough to bring out a bottle, and it made me wish that he had done so earlier during our meal. The olive oil was so good and it went better with the complimentary bread that was brought out with butter. The combination of bread and olive oil felt like home and I wanted to purchase a bottle of my own. But we were running late for our next performance and we had to drive to the venue so I didn't have time to get the olive oil and browse through their products section. We promised the manager that we'll be back, and he recommended trying out more of the Greek side of the menu the next time we're there. I thought that it was definitely a worthwhile cause to leave the District.
