WW has eaten at DeCarlo’s for dinner and sometimes for lunch for more years than I can recount. Yet for reasons I cannot explain, WW has never written about this restaurant.
Lucy DeCarlo is the owner and active operator of this restaurant which has been on the scene for 36 years.
There are several things about DeCarlo’s that are always the same, dress is as informal or formal as you want to make it. The last time we were there, there were several people in jeans and sweaters and at least one fellow in a full suit and bow tie. The ambiance is nice. It is physically comfortable and the food is always good.
Most recently Debbie and I ate there alone, having eaten there a few days earlier with Bev and Brady.
The restaurant seats up to 180 people in various seating arrangements.
As you enter, straight ahead on the left there are 9 booths that seat up to 4 people. To the right is the largest part of the dining room which has 2 tops, 4 tops, and 6 tops as well as two large alcoves that seat people at 2 tops, 4 tops and 6 tops. Separating the front part of the dining room from the back of the dining room is a large bar which has a service area on the near side and seating for 10 on the back side. The back of the restaurant has tables of various sizes that seat up to 36 people. The restaurant readily creates long tables that will seat dozens of people.
When the weather is decent there is a covered porch at the front of the restaurant that is particularly pleasant.
Each table is adorned with bread sticks and a basket of bread and butter.
At our most recent dinner, Debbie ordered Vitello alla DeCarlo’s, Chef Creation- veal scaloppini, with jumbo crabmeat, asparagus, mozzarella cheese, sautéed in Lemon Butter, white wine sauce, potato puree, carrots.
As I often do, I ordered Calamari Fritti, crispy calamari, marinara & garlic aioli to start. For my main course I selected Scaloppini di Pollo ala Francese, chicken scaloppini dipped in a light egg batter, sautéed in butter and wine, potato puree, mix vegetables.
There are always several specials of both starters and main courses. At our previous visit Debbie ordered one of the pasta specials with lobster and bits of tomato. Bev had steamed artichoke as a starter followed by Linguine alla Bolognese, Trenette Pasta with finely chopped veal, traditional tomato sauces with pane allaglio.
I had Trenette alla Carbonara, crispy pancetta, trenette pasta, parmesan cream sauces, fresh parsley.
On other occasions I have had Zuppa del Giorno, the house made soup of the day, or the Pasta e Fagioli and bean soup, or the Insalata di Cesare. For main courses I have enjoyed Seafood Risotto, Carbonara (many times), Pappardelle alla Aragosta, large flat pasta sautéed with lobster meat, shrimp, mascarpone & champagne cream sauce and Frutti di Mare, mussels, clams, shrimp, calamari over Linguine past with tomato sauce.
On a number of visits, I also ordered Brussel sprouts.
I always have a cup of vanilla and chocolate ice cream.
The service is always excellent.
The men’s room is standard. As you enter there is a white ceramic counter with two sunken wash basins of a pinkish color. There is a substantial mirror above the basins. Further on, there are two wall hanging ceramic urinals of different heights. Behind the urinals there are two commode rooms with metal walls that are open at the ceiling and floor. Both commodes are floor based. One commode is standard the other is a well-appointed handicapped accessible commode. The floor is covered tiny square white, tan and brown tiles. The walls are covered with solid brown tiles of medium size.
The restaurant is open:
Lunch:
Mon-Fri 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Sat-Sun, Lunch & Brunch:
11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Dinner:
Mon-Sat: 5:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Sun: 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
DeCarlo’s
4822 Yuma Street, NW
Washington, DC 20016
202-363-4220
decarlosrestaurant@outlook.com