Arlington, VA – May 2024

There’s a new Italian restaurant that just opened up near the Ballston neighborhood of Arlington, VA. This is the hottest new reservation in town for multiple reasons. One being, well who doesn’t like pasta and espresso martinis? Two being Carbonara’s flare for showmanship, with a unique and decadently cheesy table-side carbonara pasta, as well as a chicken parm dish with a fresh out of the oven cheese and sauce poured tableside onto the fresh, crispy, chicken. My boyfriend, Charlie, and I dove head first into the experience, starting with a pour of a red blend, appetizers, our main courses, and ending with their notorious espresso martini flight for dessert. I’ll detail each course, as well as the overall service and ambiance, below.

Wine

Charlie and I both ordered a glass of a red blend from Tuscany. I really enjoyed the drinkability and generosity of the pour, as well as our server’s helpfulness when choosing a wine based on our preferences. A+!

Appetizers

Complimentary bread and two dipping sauces – The complimentary bread service featured two types of bread and two dipping sauces. The bread included slices of a baguette, and slices of focaccia. While you can never really go wrong with complimentary bread, I would have appreciated a higher, more bakery-like quality to the bread, and for the bread to come out warmer. The sauces were unique and I loved both the sunday sauce, as well as their green olive tapenade. Still, I am a huge fan of the simple yet classic olive oil and balsamic vinegar duo with bread service – it just really can’t be beat!

Caesar salad (split for two!) – The caesar salad was the highlight for me! The twist of adding the pancetta to the salad was delicious and so fitting for an Italian restaurant. I also really appreciated the thick cuts of parmesan cheese garnishing the salad. It felt like a true, simple, luxury. All the ingredients looked and tasted fresh, including the romaine lettuce (most importantly!). The service was even thoughtful enough to send out the salad already prepared and split between two plates for Charlie and me. I appreciated these small touches, not to mention, it was delicious!

Main Course

Fettuccine Bolognese – This is a classic dish with some really fresh tasting pasta, ground beef, and Carbonara’s signature sunday sauce. While simple and still delicious (Charlie managed to eat every bite LOL), the dish lacked complexity in flavor. We hope to try the lasagna bolognese next time instead.

Table-side Carbonara – THE signature dish of the restaurant. This dish offers a unique experience that makes it well worth the order. The dish itself was packed full of flavor and was exceptionally cheesy (as one might expect from a pasta dish that comes together in a giant cheese wheel). One critique of the dish is that it may even be too cheesy and too rich, particularly for those who prefer something lighter. The dish could have also been hotter in temperature, which may be a result of it coming together tableside. I was not able to finish the meal before the dish was significantly cooled, resulting in a less enjoyable dish due to the temperature. Overall, I would still recommend the carbonara dish for the experience and if you are a cheese lover! Next time, I would love to try the chicken parm dish. 

Dessert

Tiramisu – I wish we had room for this amazing looking tiramisu. I have no doubt this is probably one of the best in Arlington. They make the tiramisu in house, daily! This is something I have to have on our next visit.

Espresso Martini Flight – the espresso martini flight comes with 3 different variations of the classic beverage, including a pistachio espresso martini, tiramisu espresso martini, and a Ferraro Rocher espresso martini. Each martini was excellent, and featured a forward tasting freshly made espresso. The highlight of the three for me and Charlie was the pistachio espresso martini, the nutty flavors and creamy texture of the drink, with only a hint of sweetness, made it the perfect after dinner drink. I highly recommend trying all 3 the next time you stop in for a bite!

Ambiance & Service

The restaurant had cafe style tables, and amply comfortable chairs and booths. The temperature inside wasn’t too hot or too cold, and our server was very attentive. Other members of the staff were equally as attentive and welcoming during our time at Carbonara. Even fellow guests were fun to interact with and seemed to be having a great time. I would love to eat in the outside area next time, as I found the patio seating a bit more interesting and lively. I would dine at Carbonara again regardless of the seating arrangements!

Bonus: Bathroom Rating!

The bathroom rating is done on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the lowest possible score (basically they have a bathroom and that’s it, think gas station bathroom), 10 being the highest possible score (think upscale restaurant in New York City with all possible amenities provided), and 5 being average.

Carbonara gets a bathroom rating of 5/10. It was standard. The stand-out feature was the cute wallpaper resembling a coastal town in Italy and that it had a good temperature (not too cold or too hot, but I would have to come back in the Winter to see if that is still the case). Carbonara loses a point here for having, what I would consider, a significant amount of paper towels and other waste and grime on the ground. The overall cleanliness was lacking for me, and I think they could make improvements here.