Tucked away in an otherwise nondescript office block in midtown DC is one of the more remarkable Italian restaurants I’ve been to in the District. Owner Christianne Ricchi’s tribute to Tuscan cooking, Ristorante i Ricchi’s interior is meant to be evocative of a Tuscan villa: arches, earth tones, terra cotta…all the elements are there, even a roaring fire in the kitchen’s wood stove (live embers are key to Tuscan-style cooking). But who cares about ambience? We’re here to eat.

It will take some time for your food to arrive. Consider yourself warned: part of the experience of a true Italian style meal is the duration of the meal; you’re meant sit, relax, talk, take your time, and enjoy each moment (hopefully, you have pleasant company as I did [okay, it was my folks – we were there for Dad’s birthday]). This is not fast food. In fact, while it’s certainly not required, the wait staff will push their three-course meal on you. Don’t be afraid to branch out to the other menu items – but if you have the time, and are prepared for an experience, by all means, order the whole shebang.

I will say – before I get to the best part, the food – that one unfortunate drawback is that the wait staff seems to be under some mandate to memorize and recite the entire menu, ad nauseum. Our waitress was less then graceful in her recital, but I felt bad for her – none of us had the heart to interrupt her, though by the time she got to entrée number three on the menu, I was fully prepared to stab myself in the eye with my fork as a pleasant distraction. Thankfully, we already had some wine, courtesy of our host, Paul who was thorough, pleasant, and attentive throughout our meal – it probably helped that we were seated right next to his station. So, be sure you order a glass (or bottle) as fast as possible. Trust me. (We had a terrific red, a 2001 Bocca di Lupo, from the Tormaresca estates in southern Italy).

Now the important part: the food. Normally, I don’t partake of the compulsory pre-meal bread basket (hey, that bread takes up valuable stomach real estate!), but as soon as ours was placed on the table, I knew I wouldn’t resist temptation – the very aromatic tomato-topped focaccia indeed proved irresistible. Our waitress accommodated our unorthodox request to split one of their special entrees – pasta in a cream sauce with black truffles — into three appetizer-sized servings (we love the truffles!). If it’s still on the menu when you go, give it a try. Eventually, our entrees arrived: I had the pappardelle sul coniglio (pappardelle are wide ribbons of pasta, coniglio is rabbit, and together they make what is now my favorite pasta dish). Dad had the arista, tacchino e vitella arrosto agli aromi (pork, turkey, and veal roasted in a sauce of red wine and herbs), which was equally excellent, and Mom had the braciola di maiale con l’olive (uh…that’s a pork chop).

I’m not big on desserts, but my parents shared some gelati with grappa-soaked raisins. They didn’t seem to have any complaints. I, however, ended my meal with a sip (okay, some sips) of a grappa, this one from Castello Banfi. Highly, highly recommended.

Some parting thoughts…In all, you can expect a fantastic meal from i Ricchi. It’s a bit on the pricey side, so I recommend you head there for a special occasion. If you’re familiar with Tuscan food, do yourself a favor and pre-empt your waiter’s monologue. Tasting menus and private dining rooms are available. Oh, and if Paul’s hosting, tell him Life in the District sent you.