Life is better with wine, and so is dinner—particularly when your seasonal dish of choice is accompanied by the perfect pairing. Enter Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington’s Spring Wine Fling. From March 20-31, participating restaurants will serve two-course dinners paired with two glasses of featured wines for $55 per person. The event is sponsored by Michael Lavelle, a Black-owned wine label founded by Howard University alums whose owners are considered the youngest people to run a Black-owned wine brand. Here’s who’s pouring in and around Arlington:
Alta Strada
The folks at this Italian restaurant from James Beard Award winner Michael Schlow have already hand-picked each menu item and wine pairing for you. For your first course, savor truffle-ricotta crostini with a glass of 2018 Tenute Neirano Barolo. Then, dig into pappardelle with wild boar ragù, accompanied by a glass of 2020 Broccardo nebbiolo. (We dare you not to add a third course in the form of cannoli.) // 2911 District Ave., #150, Fairfax (Mosaic)
Circa
Choose from four wines at this bustling bistro with locations in Clarendon and Tysons: A Dashwood sauvignon blanc (New Zealand), Remhoogte chenin blanc (South Africa), Meiomi pinot noir (California) and Les Abeilles Côtes du Rhône (France). They’re meant to complement dishes such as shotgun shrimp (sweet chili sauce, red bell pepper, broccolini, jicama slaw), parmesan kale salad (toasted sunflower seeds, carrots, crushed crostini), chicken paillard (wilted spinach, prosciutto, macerated saltanas) and a handful of seafood-centric selections. // 3010 Clarendon Blvd., Arlington (Clarendon); 1675 Silver Hill Drive, Tysons
La Côte D’Or Café
Take your pick of three food and wine options for each course at this charming French cafe in East Falls Church. For starters, consider French onion soup, classic escargots in puff pastry, or the Belgian endive salad (smoked salmon, roasted pine nuts, apple). Main options include sea scallops Basquaise (bell peppers, tomato wine sauce, basil), rockfish filet Dieppoise (mussels, baby shrimp, bay scallops, mushroom, cream sauce), or ribeye (bacon, onion, parmesan, Bordelaise sauce). Accompany any dish with a glass of chardonnay Burgundy Domaine Petit or Morgon cru beaujolais Domaine de Leyre-Loup. // 6875 Langston Blvd., Arlington (East Falls Church)
Osteria da Nino
If you’re looking for choices, this Italian trattoria in Shirlington Village has plenty. First-course selections include arancini (stuffed with beef, pork, veal ragu, mozzarella, peas), mussels Messinese (white wine, fennel pollen) served with grilled bread, and tuna tartare with olives and fried capers. Il secondo? Dig into gnocchi mozzarella, tagliatelle Bolognese, salmone Livornese (tomato, caper, olive sauce, crispy polenta, spinach), or a host of additional dishes. The vino choices include a house-selected pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, chianti, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo or pinot noir. // 2900 S. Quincy St., Arlington (Village at Shirlington)
Spice Kraft
Its Spring Wine Fling menu is still in the works, but this modern Indian restaurant in Clarendon says it will focus on matching Indian wines with a selection of curated dishes suited to the occasion. “With this pairing, you can discover the hidden notes and nuances of Indian wines, all while enjoying a delicious meal,” say the owners. For what it’s worth, the regular menu features tantalizing options like samosas with tamarind and mint chutney; mango and ginger crispy chicken; salmon tikka pineapple and dozens of other flavorful and shareable dishes. // 1135 N. Highland St., Arlington (Clarendon)