For a splash-out D.C. dining experience, book a table at this local favorite and enjoy inventive Italian cuisine and a lively atmosphere. With its wide swath of bar at the front, white banquettes, and modern art, the dining room has a glamorous, head-turning, New York feel, maybe informed by chef Fabio Trabocchi’s stint there not so long ago. The menu is Italian-meets-Washington, as dishes and flavors from Italy are married with seasonal ingredients from the nearby Chancellors Rock Farm, and other local producers. The menu changes based on what’s in season; recent hits included the “Crabbing in Sicily,” a Chesapeake blue crab dome served with smoked steelhead roe, pappa al pomodoro, and Sicilian red prawn essence; or the tortellini with hen brodo and egg yolk bottarga; or—you get the idea: festive dining. Also consider Trabocchi’s swank Italian seafood eatery, Fiola Mare, at Georgetown’s waterfront.