Pumpkin, Continued

As we progress further into fall, that naturally means more and more PUMPKIN!!  I've already listed some on the blog before,  but here's a few more pumpkin-related items I've come across recently:

• Dolcezza: Pumpkin gelato, tastes like pumpkin pie, mmm.
• Red Mango: Pumpkin frozen yogurt is delicious, especially with graham cracker crumbs!
• Cheesecake Factory: Pumpkin and Pumpkin pecan cheesecakes are back for a limited time. 
• Pizzeria Paradiso: Autumn Fest selections include pumpkin beer and pumpkin pizza (which I blogged about last year).
• Georgetown Cupcake: As usual, their yummy Pumpkin Spice cupcake is available every day in October.
• Starbucks: Most people that love pumpkin already know this, but Pumpkin Spice lattes and Frappuccinos are here, as well as Pumpkin cream cheese cupcakes.

Lunchtime Links for January 14th, 2010

• Project Runway: Starts tonight, guest judge is Nicole Richie.
• Mixed Review: Duncan Hines' Angel Food Cake mix.
• Pizza: Roundup of the DMV's pizza offerings.
• Starbucks: "Healthier" options coming soon.
• Bakerella: S'Mores cupcakes!
• Jersey Shore: Recap of last week's episode.

Restaurant Review: Pizzeria Paradiso, Georgetown

Night #2 of T visiting DC, we met up in Georgetown for dinner.  Another case of good luck in Georgetown: I found a parking spot easily, walked into Georgetown Cupcake where there was NO LINE, and then walked to Pizzeria Paradiso where there was NO WAIT.  Love, love, love when all the timing aligns perfectly!

Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale, $7.25

I was also pleasantly surprised to see they had a special menu which included Pumpkin items- score!  The Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale (above) was a little heavier than the light-as-water-type beers I normally drink, but I actually enjoyed drinking it.  It didn't particularly taste like pumpkin but had a woodsy sort of smell/taste to it. 

 

 

8" Pumpkin Pesto, Pancetta, and Parmesean Cheese Pizza, $11.75

And onto Pumpkin Round 2, the Pumpkin pizza above.  I'd like to say that the pumpkin was the star- but let's be honest, anything with crisped fatty pieces of pancetta on it is going to be amazing no matter what else is there with it.  The pancetta was so wrong but so right.  Crispy, smoky, salty, and was a great contrast to the creamy and somewhat muted flavors of the pumpkin pesto. 

T also enjoyed the place, saying it was "full of cheesy, yummy, goodness", with her goat cheese/red onion/mozzerella pizza.  By the time we were leaving the place was steadily getting packed, and when we walked by it later that night, it was seemingly at full capacity, with people standing outside the doorway (suckaaaaas).  I'm not even a huge pizza person but Pizzeria Paradiso offers great toppings and a nice chewy (but not underbaked) crust that I enjoy v. much, and I would happily come back here again anytime (especially if there is no wait). 

Side Note: Thanks T/your company for both nights of dinners, haha.

 
Pizzeria Paradiso

3282 M Street NW

Washington, DC

202.337.1245

Review: The "New" Pizzeria Paradiso

Strangely enough, I never ventured over to the Pizzeria Paradiso at the old Dupont location- I've only ever eaten at the Georgetown spot. Sorta weird, given how much easier it is for me to get to Dupont, but I digress. The Dupont spot recently moved (about 10 feet down P street) to what I've heard is a bigger, more evenly spaced out area, so I figured it was time to give the Dupont branch a try.

B and I went at around 7pm on Friday, and the place was packed, with even more people filing in and out to put their names down on the list to be seated. It was a nice day out though so it wasn't really an issue. If it's raining or cold, I suggest grabbing some coffee next door at Le Pain Quotidien and checking on your table every so often from there.

We got a table that was 1/2 inside and 1/2 outside, which was actually pretty nice. I liked that they have the "enclosed" outdoor section for 2 reasons: 1) more tables are available and 2) you can enjoy the nice weather while you're eating.

Margherita Pizza: Tomato, Basil, Mozzerella.


Pizza di Mare: Tomato, Mussels, Garlic, Parsley, Parmesean.

I got the Margherita pizza above- great flavor, classic combination, pretty hard to mess up, to be honest, haha. It might seem like there's only tomatoes on one 1/2 of the pizza, but the other tomatoes were just hiding under the cheese, so there was an even distribution. The crust was a little undercooked/doughy for me, but still good. I liked the crust better when I re-baked my leftovers in the toaster oven the next day. B liked his mussels pizza, and/or was really hungry to begin with, but he said it was good, haha.

With a bottle of red wine, this was a tasty and not too pricey dinner out in Dupont. Definitely filling- I brought 1/2 of my pizza home and the leftovers were great. The place wasn't huge, and if you're a large group I'd recommend avoiding prime dinner hours cus you will probably be waiting a while. Highly recommended for a casual (but nicer than Jumbo Slice, ha) night out in Dupont!


Pizzeria Paradiso- Dupont Circle
2003 P Street NW
Washington, DC
202.223.1245