"The Glover Park Hotel’s lobby-level dining attraction returns to its Italian roots on Monday, November 18 as a dreamy neighborhood newcomer called Divino. James Beard award-winning chef Michael Schlow permanently closed coastal Italian-minded Casolare here in 2020. Schlow quickly repurposed the restaurant space as Glover Park Grill, with an American menu full of steaks, burgers, and roast chicken. The new northern Italian replacement comes from industry vets Daniel Perron and Luca Giovannini, who reunite at Divino after working together years ago at D.C. standbys Fiola Mare and Blue Duck Tavern. Perron most recently led the kitchen at Capitol Hill power spot Charlie Palmer Steak (which just announced a surprise closure on November 29 after a 22-year run), and Giovannini currently runs Georgetown’s vibe-y cocktail lounge Donahue. “I have a lot of experience with pasta, meat, and fish, but I like to push myself and do something little more different,” says Perron, whose resume also includes stints at Trummer’s and now-closed seafood spot Whaley’s. Casolare’s gas-fired pizza oven was transformed into a wood-fired replacement, which fires up proteins like Grilled Roseda Farm NY strip, Autumn Olive Farm pork chop, and red snapper “chop.” Homemade pastas are a “huge focal point,” he says, with multi-colored carbs being a unique draw. Jet-back agnolotti, which gets its dramatic hue from activated charcoal in the dough, balances braised oxtail and Tuscan kale. Perhaps the most visually pleasing opener is his orange ravioli. Wrapped inside pumpkin-shaped pasta molds, dehydrated squash is turned into a stuffing and joined by nutmeg and Parmesan. The seasonal vegetable also makes an appearance in a warm honeynut squash soup. To start, there’s also a Caesar salad, plump pork-and-beef meatballs, homemade focaccia, winter radish “carpaccio,” and rotating array of imported salumi and cheese. For dessert, try the espresso martini tiramisu or cheesecake on a biscotti crust. Divino — which means “divine” in Italian — is big on northern Italian wines from Rome and up, plus Negronis and other classics at the bar. The renovation called for all-new furniture and jewel-toned chairs, and a semi-open kitchen that puts its nightly pasta-making process on full display contributes to a “warm and inviting” ambiance, he says. The cozy dining room seats 80, plus another 40 at the bar. An additional bar and patio area with room for up to 80, which will follow in the spring, swings more casual with small snacks (cicchetti). Divino hopes to cater to hotel customers and attract a base of regulars from surrounding areas like Georgetown and Cathedral Heights. The all-day affair kicks off with lemon ricotta pancakes, croissants, and eggy sandwiches. “Glover Park needs something good and approachable for the neighborhood,” says Perron. “There’s nothing really there. We hope they’ll embrace us.”" - Tierney Plumb
