Tredici Enoteca Opens in St. Gregory Hotel
Tredici Enoteca opens for dinner service today in the St. Gregory Hotel, 2033 M St. NW. The new 4,500-square-foot restaurant is part of a 16-week overhaul of the hotel’s lobby, restaurant, bar and patio and replaces the former M Street Bar & Grill.
The small plates restaurant and wine bar is from Philadephia-based Zavino Hospitality Group, which also operates Tredici and three Zavino Italian restaurants in the Philadelphia area.
“We had been looking to expand into the D.C. marketplace for some time now,” said Zavino partner Laurence Saul. “We have a personal connection to [REIT Hersha Partners, which owns the hotel] and jumped at the opportunity to bring our popular Tredici concept to this centrally located 155-room property.”
The hotel’s lobby, which is arranged in a series of levels, flows into the restaurant without walls dividing the two. The lobby is a mixture of heritage and modern elements, inspired by the American Federal-style, juxtaposed with vintage mid-century design. High ceilings, dark herringbone wood flooring, bookcases, a dramatic staircase, modern chandeliers and a hearth and fireplace define space.
Philadelphia’s Boxwood Architects designed the 4,500-square foot, 60-seat restaurant and 30-seat bar. The restaurant is decorated in hues of the Tuscan countryside with white oak herringbone floors, floor-to-ceiling windows and brown marble. Other design elements include solid brass inlays and accents, curving walnut millwork, antique mirrors, cream-colored subway tiles and deep blue accent paint, which adorn the walls, windows and doors throughout the restaurant. In the bar, moss-green Italian leather covers the custom swivel bar stools, secured with antique brass rivets. A 35-seat outdoor patio will be available during the spring and summer.
The year-round menu from executive chef Carlos Aparicio features dishes from the Mediterranean. Like the original Center City Philadelphia location, the menu includes dishes from various regions along the Mediterranean coast such as Italy, Greece and the Middle East. He told DC on Heels it is “homestyle and rustic.” Everything is being made in-house including pastas, doughs, sauces and dressings, as well as bitters and syrups for the bar.
Aparicio brings over 20 years of experience from working at restaurants in New York City and Philadelphia. A native of Puebla, Mexico, Aparicio learned to cook Mexican cuisine while watching his mother in their rustic kitchen. He has cooked at Steven Starr’s Buddakan and Parc Restaurant, Michael Schulson’s POD and Marc Vetri’s Osteria. Most recently, he was the executive chef at Zavino wine bar and pizzeria in Philadelphia for the last five years.
Fans of Tredici’s Philadelphia location can order signature dishes such as broccoli and avocado with black sesame and Dijon vinaigrette; hanger steak with crispy potato and salsa verde; a Mediterranean tasting board with hummus, falafel, vegetables, Tuscan bread and quinoa salad; squid ink tonarelli with cockles, shishito peppers, white wine and a garlic cream sauce; Moroccan spice pork ribs with grilled scallions; cumin carrots with yogurt and cilantro; Israeli couscous with cherry tomato, avocado, basil, almonds, burrata and basil pesto; and a number of items from the raw bar including tuna crudo with sweet soy, avocado, black sesame and jalapeño; stone crab claws, and a daily oyster selection. The D.C. location also features flatbreads, including gluten-free options. There are a few larger plates on the menu including scallops, branzino, half an Amish chick, lollipop lamb chops and a New York strip steak that come with sides.
Salads, small plates and veggies are priced from $10-$14 while meats, fish and pastas are priced from $14-$35. Flatbreads are $15-$16, meat and cheese boards are $24-$28 and raw bar items are $15-$35.
Tredici also serves wines from the major regions such as California, Italy, Argentina, Chile and France. Thirty wines will be available by the bottle or by the glass. Guests will also be able to enjoy a half glass or 3.17-ounce pour of any of the restaurant’s featured wines. A Cruvinet temperature controlled wine system serves six premium wines that guests can order by the glass or half-glass including Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon 2013, Trimbach Gewurztraminer 2006 and Bertani Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 1980. A rotating list of cocktails will also be available, along with local beers by the bottle.
To celebrate its opening, the restaurant has launched a Champagne Campaign. It will donate $1 for every glass of Moët Imperial Reserve, Veuve Clicquot Rose and Dom Perignon 2004 sold through Dec. 31 to the national MS Society. Prices range from $9-$12 for a half glass and from $18-$24 for a full glass
Tredici Enoteca is open for breakfast from 6:30-10:30 a.m. Monday through Friday, lunch from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays and for dinner from 4-10 p.m. daily. The bar is also open from 4 p.m.-midnight daily. On weekends, brunch is served from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. The restaurant is also providing room service to hotel guests as well a catering for private events and mettings.
Editor-in-Chief Mark Heckathorn is a journalist, movie buff and foodie. He oversees DC on Heels editorial operations as well as strategic planning and staff development. Reach him with story ideas or suggestions at dcoheditor (at) gmail (dot) com.