Nostra Cucina - Washington

I recall ordering a chicken dish at this restaurant and then walking all the way back to my hotel before trying it. Even after a 10-minute walk, that chicken was one of the best meals I've ever had. My jaw dropped when I took my first bite—it felt like a scene from Ratatouille, just like when the critic Anton Ego tastes the dish. I highly recommend it!

Somewhat disappointing! The food took quite a while because there was only one person working and they had a catering order, but they did give us a heads-up. We chose to grab a drink at another place while we waited since their drink selection is limited and there’s no happy hour. They called us when the food was ready. There’s no table service; instead, they pack everything to go, and you can eat outside. Unfortunately, the calamari was soggy and overwhelmed with Old Bay seasoning, which I found very disappointing. On a brighter note, the chicken parm was quite good. Overall, I think there are other places I prefer, so I probably won't return.

1) **Food:** As an Italian restaurant, Nostra Cucina serves all the classic favorites, from pasta and pizza to caprese salad and cannoli. To feed our group of five, we ordered chicken parmesan, baked cheese tortellini, caprese salad, a meatball sub, and a chicken parmesan sub. We ended up with more food than we could handle since the portions are quite generous for D.C. The highlight was the Caesar side salads that accompanied the subs and the chicken parm. While the other dishes were also enjoyable, they didn’t leave a lasting impression. 2) **Service:** The staff here is incredibly friendly, boasting 20 years of experience in Italian cuisine. The pickup process was straightforward. If you're looking for comforting Italian food, Nostra Cucina is definitely the place to go!

I live right next door and get to enjoy the aroma of freshly baked garlic bread almost every day. What more could you want? The food is amazing, the portions are generous, and the staff is incredibly friendly and helpful.

We had a party of four, each with different dietary restrictions, and we were pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to find meals that suited everyone. Our server, Taylor, was excellent and informed us that our food might take a little while to arrive, but it was well worth the wait. The pasta was fantastic! Overall, I’d give it a 5/5.