Nota Bene's whole branzino (Photo by Tyler Darden courtesy Nota Bene)
1. Whole Branzino
$28 at Nota Bene
Peeling flaky Mediterranean sea bass off the bone and squeezing juice from a fire-blackened lemon — it’s a magical rite within Nota Bene’s dining room, which is nestled between the perfume of two wood-fired ovens.
2. Porterhouse Steak
$40 at Maldini’s
Bringing outdoor grilling inside, Maldini’s has a Big Green Egg permanently installed on their line. The ceramic dome cooker infuses a separate menu devoted to sizzling steaks with smoldering summer savor.
3. Roasted Veggies
$7-$8 at Tazza Kitchen locations
All eyes are on the sides sliding off the hearth at Tazza, as bowls of nutty cauliflower, Brussels sprouts scored with tomato-bacon jam, and broccoli studded with Calabrian chili peppers crackle with caramelization.
4. Whole Chicken With Two Sides
$15.50 at Chicken Fiesta locations
Stepping into a Chicken Fiesta is like walking into a mid-century Sunset magazine shoot, a time when spit-roasted birds turning on backyard rotisseries was a common sight. The tender, marinated meat drips onto charcoal embers, roasting the chickens’ crisp, herby skin to perfection.
5. Wood-Oven Octopus
$15 at Perch
The oven at this Polynesian-Hawaiian-Virginian palace in Scott’s Addition is an aqua-rimmed lodestar, its beauty drawing diners to sit near its flickering light. Once there, the whiz and fizzle of octopus tentacles crossing fire and bedded by cabbage, honey and heat is heavenly.
