Caruso’s Grocery Will Open as an Italian Red Sauce Joint on Capitol Hill | Eater DC

"Even now, with only vertical metal beams in place, I can already picture the space as a classic Italian-American red-sauce joint where the kitchen will smell of penne alla vodka—tomatoes, cream, basil, and garlic. I helped shape a menu that includes chicken Parmesan, shrimp scampi, five-cheese ravioli, garlic bread, and a mozzarella in carozza (essentially a grilled cheese stuffed with anchovies, breaded, fried, and served with a side of red sauce), plus a pork choppizzaiola served in braised tomatoes, peppers, garlic, and onions, and desserts like New York–style cheesecake and tiramisu. There will be two tomato sauces—a Neapolitan-style meat ragu that braises for around six hours and a four-ingredient marinara that cooks for about 45 minutes—pastas made on-site, a majority of pasta dishes priced under $20, entrees mostly around $27, and wines hovering under $50 a bottle. Partnering with Neighborhood Restaurant Group, the spot nods to Scoozi (the place Adler’s dad owned) and to Michael Babin’s grandmother’s Italian market in Louisiana; Adler is designing the menu as a consultant and intends the place to feel like home—unpretentious and comforting—without veering into cheesy décor like red-checkered tablecloths or wicker chianti holders." - Gabe Hiatt