What’s up, friends? I hope you’re enjoying the weekend thus far. It’s Valentine’s Day tomorrow so I don’t know what you all have planned, but for those of you looking to treat yourself in the comfort of home, Tonari’s V-day takeout menu’s a pretty dope option. I actually haven’t had the pleasure of dining in yet, but they’re a Japanese-Italian style restaurant create by the Daikaya Group.
Their tasting menu changes weekly, but their current prix fixe includes everything from pesto noodz to bresoala pizza. And you can even get cocktail pairings for your meal if you want! Their V-day menu’s available for the next few days, and you get to choose between two options for each course.
- Antipasti: Ostriche (oysters) or Carciofi (artichoke)
- Insalata: Tonno (tuna tartare) or Barbabietola (beet tartare)
- Pasta: Polpette (meatballs) or Pesto
- Pizza: Bresoala or Margherita
- Dolci: Bunet Piemontese or Ricotta
There’s a vegetarian option available for each course, and your set also comes with pickled vegetables and mignardises. So, here’s what I recommend. Start with their Rappahannoc oysters – they’re topped with rose salt and served with an umeshu mignonette. It’s the PERFECT way to kick off your meal. Then for your salad course, you can’t go wrong with either option so go with whatever sounds yummiest to you. The tuna was beautiful, but the beet was really tasty as well.
As for pasta, again, you can’t go wrong with either option. If I had to choose, I’d probably go with the polpette because I thought their wagyu meatballs were delicious, but the pesto was strong as well. The latter’s made with nishiyama bigoli, basil, chicory, rosehips and pine nuts.
The ‘za was solid, and although I’m a sucker for margherita pizza, I’d probably recommend the bresoala this time ’round. Topped with olives, lardo, fontina, and sun-fried tomatoes, what’s not to love!
And lastly, dessert. I really like their pastry chef – OMG have you tried the donuts at Bantam King – and Mary’s ricotta was to die for. The description says it’s “velvety-soft cheesecake” and jesus, the texture was out of this world. I enjoyed it immensely, and I couldn’t get enough of the candied hazelnuts either. It also came with some tomato marmellata, which complemented the cheesecake perfectly. Simple but magical.
Their tasting menu’s priced at $75pp, and it’s available Thursday through Saturday. Pickup’s available from 5-5:45, and you can place an order for 1 which is convenient. Most places usually require you to get a set for 2 so it’s nice to have that option.
Alright Nomsters, let me know what you thought of Tonari by leaving a comment below, and stay tuned for more content coming your way. For more on DC food, make sure you check out this tab! Until next time – happy eating!
