{arts & dining}
Dining Notes by Celeste McCall
A
Sona’s Angelica Ames proudly displays an array of cheese.
s the holidays loom ahead, much is happening at Sona Creamery & Wine Bar, 660 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. Besides welcoming Executive Chef Scott Ryan, Sona proprietors Conan and Genevieve O’Sullivan should soon be Washington’s sole facility making its own cheese. Moreover, Sona (“happy” in Gaelic) will be also the first local enterprise to use raw milk in 60 years. A Johnson & Wales grad, Ryan recently wielded his whisk at Shaw’s trendy Mockingbird Hill, a 2014 nominee for Bon Appetit Magazine’s Best New Restaurants in America. Ryan’s fall menu showcases grilled cheese sandwiches, signature mac’n’cheese and artisan cheese plates. We found the weekend brunch menu somewhat limited, but the kitchen honored our request for a juicy turkey/ cheeseburger from the regular lunch menu. Sona is open daily; call 202-758-3556 or www. sonacreamery.com.
Mama Mia On Barracks Row, Lavagna continues its popular happy hour and weekend brunch. In the upstairs bar, happy hour goes Tuesday-Satur-
day from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Discounted noshes include provolone salad, ravioli fritto and Shenandoah beef brisket. Craft cocktails are $4; wine-by-the glass is 25 percent off. Saturday and Sunday brunch features $12 “bottomless” mimosas; Sunday-Tuesday dinner offers half priced bottles of wine. New fall entrée: Bison short ribs. Thinking ahead for the holidays, Lavagna provides space for private events, including the brick-lined “snug” which seats 14. Last September we were entertaining out-of-town guests and decided to dine at Lavagna. We were treated royally. Our group of eight was seated in that cozy space. A complimentary antipasto spread appeared with serrano ham, duck ciccioli, house-made goat cheese, honeysuckle Cheddar and more. Equally enjoyable were our entrees, especially my fork-tender lamb ragu, draped atop al dente pappardelle pasta. Service was excellent, friendly and professional and we left happy. Open daily, Lavagna is at 539 Eighth St. SE; call 202-546-5006.
Ten More Years Congrats to Barracks Row’s Belga Café, which celebrated its first decade last month. To mark
Chef Scott Ryan’s signature Mac’n’Cheese.
the milestone, Chef Bart Vandaele hosted dinners, beer tastings and other events. “This is a celebration not only for me and Belga Café, but for the neighborhood as well,” said Chef Vandaele. “Over the last ten years, I have watched Belga Café grow along with Barracks Row. Many people wouldn’t even think of opening a restaurant here 10 years ago. Now it’s a beautiful, family-friendly neighborhood, and I am proud of the role the restaurant has played in the transformation.”
Paying it Forward The nicest thing happened to us recently. On a drizzly, dreary fall day, we were lunching at Anh-Dao, our cozy neighborhood Vietnamese eatery. As we slurped our duck pho, the proprietor informed us that a family (who had already
November 2014 H 99