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Sophistication through simplicity
If you ask for a plate of orecchiette at Ashburn’s newest Italian restaurant, you may just get a story of boxer Mike Tyson’s notorious ear-biting episode to go along with it. That’s because head chef and co-owner of the two-month-old Forno Italian Oven & Grill, Enzo Febbraro, served up a plate of this pasta, literally translated “little ears” in Italian, to Tyson years ago.
A little squeamishly funny to think about, but it must have been pretty darn good, because Tyson is not the only celebrity to have enjoyed some of Febbraro’s cooking.
“I’ve cooked for George Hamilton, Harrison Ford, Laura Bush, Morgan Freeman, the Clintons, Joe Montegna,” Febbraro says, as he holds up his digital photos with each person.
Having worked at restaurants in Naples, New York City, Las Vegas, Philadelphia and Los Angeles (for the Grammy Awards), it's no surprise he came out to Washington, D.C., next. He opened the coastal Italian restaurant, D’Acqua, on Pennsylvania Avenue, a little more than two years ago. So why Ashburn? Febbraro and co-owner Raimando Russo wanted to open a place in the suburbs of D.C.
“There is a higher expectation in this area for authentic cuisine,” Febbraro observes. “There are a lot of well-educated people who travel for business; they know Italy and what the food is supposed to taste like.”
It’s his motto “sophistication through simplicity” that has carried him through his culinary career, and has given Forno a solid beginning in Loudoun County.
Red and brick walls with black trim and a granite bar decorate the inside, creating a wine bar atmosphere, while maintaining a clean and family-friendly appeal. Reminiscent of Tallula in Arlington, the more casual, dimly lit restaurant stays busy on a Wednesday evening.
“People [in America] have a misconception that Italian food has to be red sauce, that it’s heavy and starchy,” Febbraro says. “But it doesn’t have to swim in sauce. In Italy we do eat everything ... appetizer, main course, dessert, but there is portion control in everything.”
That said, the platters at Forno are generous, and the single portions are certainly enough for two. “We do serve more American-size portions here, because that is what people pay for, but the food is what you would have in Italy,” he explains.
The pizza is “real Italian” as well. The pizza dough contains less yeast than most American recipes, but Febbraro allows it to naturally proof for a lot longer, creating a light and airy crust he says is easier to digest. Each prepared pizza is tossed in the 650-degree Naples-style oven for three minutes, creating just the right, crispy texture around the edges. (Twelve-inch pizzas are $8-$12.50, and the 16-inch pizzas are $12-$16.50.) That same dough is baked into loaves for the bread baskets, and served with a homemade black olive tapenade. The jet black olive mixture is seasoned with paprika and parmesan for a kick.
As for the Tyson-inspired orecchiette, hand-rolled Italian sausage complements the homemade pasta tossed with steamed broccoli. Like all of the other pasta dishes, it’s served in a single ($9) or family-style ($31) portion. Unlike the savory and complex brown sauce (made with a light, homemade vegetable stock) served with Forno’s version of the platter, Febbraro says Tyson’s plate was served with a tomato sauce. “To make it look like blood.”
The wine list is extensive, mostly Italian, and reasonably priced. Cocktails and after dinner drinks range from $7 to $12.
“The cocktails are all our own recipes,” floor manager Joshua Harrington says. “The peartini is Enzo’s recipe ... pear vodka and pear nectar ... that’s it.”
Desserts include a chocolate truffle with zabaglione cream (a sauce made with egg yolks, sugar and wine) topped with chocolate gelato and candied hazelnuts ($6).
Rebekah Pizana is a gourmet chef and food writer. She can be reached at gourmetwriter@gmail.com or follow her at www.Twitter.com/iwritegourmet.
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