Best Contemporary Italian Restaurants in McLean

Our Thanksgiving meal was an inventive take on a traditional holiday meal —expertly prepared, ample proportions, a great blend of flavors, with a couple of memorable touches that inspired ideas I’ll use in my own kitchen. Our engaging server Daniel and lovely hostess (whose name I neglected to get) cared for us in a way that felt like we were home. We tried the chef’s wine selection which struck us as a bit unusual when it was first presented. I’m glad we trusted chef Claudio to find the perfect pairing for our meal. Our experience was one of surprise and delight which suited us well. I noted that the menu could also have satisfied diners less open to adventure. I’m usually the Thanksgiving cook so eating out might otherwise have felt a little sad. Instead, we feasted while being treated like welcomed family by chefs and staff who clearly love what they are doing. This was our first visit to Claudio’s Table but it won’t be our last.

Great family style Italian restaurant experience. We had dinner in one of the little side rooms which added an unexpected degree of intimacy. Shrimp fra diablo was excellent, along with the Caesar salad, and the garlic toast. But the dessert was the best— the Titanic is unforgettable! Excellent service complemented well the exceptionally excellent food.

Corso was really excellent. The menu looked so good that I had a hard time choosing. At our table we had the whipped ricotta which was delicious and great for sharing and the arancini which we all agreed were some of the best we had had in a long time. For the mains we had the scallops and risotto, the mushroom gnocchi, carbonara and the porchetta and white beans. Everyone loved their dishes (with the exception of the carbonara which was the only slight disappointment of the night). The porchetta was especially great. We shared the canoli for dessert and they were a very good sweet end to the dinner but small and maybe not the best value. The 22ox spritzes were a good value, on the other hand.

We luckily picked a slow time, 6:00 PM on Wednesday. Service was prompt and courteous. Everything came on time and as requested. My chicken Milanese was done to perfection. The garlic bread was fresh and just toasted. My wife’s gnocchi with mushrooms was incredible. My picky teenage daughter ate every bit of her spaghetti and even the meatballs. Our guest ate all his spaghetti and chicken. Everything was made from scratch; nothing tasted premade.

Great experience as always. Caesar provided fantastic and attentive service. The food was reliably delicious. The only slight drawback is the noise level which I would describe as overly lively. Patrons and staff were all trying to talk over the music. Perhaps a notch down on music to just make it lively. Thanks, North Italia.