All words: Brandon Wetherbee
All photos: Stephanie Breijo
The courses are quality and the desserts are fantastic. The veal from Virginia, highlighted in the sauces, piccata and served rare on its own, are all highlights. But the things that set this Merrifield restaurant apart are the desserts.
The pasta at Ovvio Osteria is fantastic. House made, super fresh, light, everything that pasta in a box is not. The bolognese sauce with locally grown tomatoes, veal, beef and pork is the type of sauce that makes you glad you’re not a vegetarian. It’s a dish that makes the hour plus Metro ride worth it.
The Penn Cove Mussels pop with pancetta, golden tomatoes (also locally grown) and rosemary. The dish will be even better when temperatures begin to drop.
Once you’re completely satiated from pasta, veal and mussels, it’s time for multiple courses of dessert. The honey pinenut tart is foreign and familiar at once. Enjoy it with a Moscato Bianco before consuming more sweet delights like ricotta zeppoli (deep fried Italian donuts) and
a tiramisu sundae. Finally, try the assorted Italian cookies. They’re not sexy, they’re not different, they’re not special. They’re just good. Very, very good cookies. The type your grandmother would make that you didn’t appreciate as a child. They’re how you should end this meal.
