Another food & politics report from Extreme Mortman culinary correspondent Vic Matus, known in other sophisticated literary circles as Weekly Standard assistant managing editor and blogger for Galley Slaves:

I was saddened to hear of the closing of A.V. Ristorante Italiano–a venerable Washington gastrolandmark. Because of its obscure location, the A.V. was the site of a great many sit-downs for lobbyists and politicians through the years. Justice Antonin Scalia met there with John Boehner back in 1996 to discuss the possibility of a Dole-Scalia ticket. According to the Associated Press, they both dined on pizza with anchovies. (You can still get a good pizza with anchovies at 2Amys in Upper Northwest D.C.)
 
The one adjective that comes to mind when describing the A.V. is dim. At night, you could barely read the menus. During the day, you would emerge as if you left a matinee. The tablecloths were checkered. And they had a backroom bar with a black-and-white tiled floor that reminded me of where Sollozzo and McCluskey were gunned down by Michael Corleone. They also had something of an outdoor garden with gaudy statues and fountains—though I never saw anyone seated out there.
 
As for the food, it was primarily southern-dominated, with red sauces poured over traditional dishes like veal parmigiana, manicotti, and ravioli. You wouldn’t find fancy dishes like “Agnolotti Monferrini Al Tovagliolo Con Ristretto In Tazza: braised beef and roasted pork agnolotti cooked in broth and served in a linen towel and a cup of beef consommé” (Galileo) or “Trota Affumicata: Fresh smoked Rainbow trout served with salsa verde, arugula and Tuscan croutons” (I Ricchi). Don’t get me wrong–I love these dishes, too. But sometimes you just want comfort.
 
At the end of a hearty meal at the A.V., the waiter would come by with complimentary sambuca. This was probably another reason I liked the place so much when I was in college. They also rarely checked for I.D. Back then, I would meet with some of my classmates who were involved in campus politics. When a friend was running for chairman of the College Republicans, he and I met with an acquaintance who was head of the College Democrats. This Dem happened to be housemates with my friend’s opponent and, in a bipartisan spirit, divulged the details of the opponent’s election day speech. When that day arrived, my friend spoke first and preemptively countered all of his opponent’s talking points and won the election.
 
I know. That was a really sick story. But it all happened at the A.V. over wine and pasta. (What is shocking is that, except for me, all of the individuals involved became lawyers!)