One of Arlington’s more prolific restaurateurs has opened an eatery that promises “old-school” Italian cuisine.
Chef Mike Cordero celebrated the grand opening of Carbonara: Old School Italian & Wine Bar — at 3865 Wilson Blvd in Virginia Square — on Monday. The opening festivities continued Wednesday evening with a private dinner party for invited guests.
The 4,000-square-foot eatery features a partial open kitchen, providing views of the culinary workspace, as well as decor described as both “rustic Italian” and “a traditional, film noir experience like a scene out of ‘The Godfather.'”
More from a press release:
Exceptional main focal points include a see-through wine rack with more than 1,000 bottles, a 3-D fireplace and a black map of New York City featured on the back wall. The interior décor also showcases the Cordero family story with exceptional streetscape views on all sides of the restaurant. On certain nights, live entertainers will perform traditional Italian music and classic pop melodies with the likes of Frank Sinatra playing nightly.
“The Caesar-inspired ambiance that combines my old school menu concept with a twist truly provides patrons an exceptional Italian experience,” Cordero said.
In addition to the interior dining space, there’s a 1,500 square foot, 50 seat outdoor patio with two alfresco bars.
At last night’s event, Cordero served a variety of dishes including homemade pasta scooped from a hollowed-out wheel of cheese, Sicilian pizza, and arancini balls. From the press release:
Carbonara offers a substantial menu featuring classic Italian cuisine, focusing on the southern region of Italy, with all food made in-house and fresh homemade pasta prepared daily. Hearty Sicilian pizzas, classic Italian baked dishes like Eggplant Rollatini Parmigiana, zesty Italian sandwiches, decadent tiramisus and savory chicken, veal and seafood dishes top the bill-of-fare. A wide selection of wines from all regions of Italy, featuring a flavorful varietal from Tuscany, nicely pair with each menu item. To better dispense and preserve each bottle, Carbonara showcases a state-of-the-art Cruvinet wine-preserving system, used widely by international sommeliers, that will extend the flavor and life of the vinos served. A collection of specialty aperitivos and craft Italian cordials will adorn the Carbonara cocktail menu that include bellinis, puccinis, negronis and spritzes.
Cordero’s earliest culinary experience consisted of making meatballs at an Italian restaurant in New York when he was 13. The chef told ARLnow in a podcast that when he wasn’t working night shifts at the restaurant and going to school during the day, he spent much of his time playing baseball. He signed with the Seattle Mariners and played minor league ball before injuring his knee. After that, Cordero said the restaurant business started “calling his name.”
He worked his way up, gaining experience from the chefs around him, before opening his own restaurants in Northern Virginia. Today, Cordero owns seven restaurants in the region including local spots like Bronson Bierhall, Barley Mac and Taco Rock.