# The SBHonline Community Daily > Restaurants Wine & Food Off The Island >  >  Fresh Take on Fish Feast Chef Fabio Trabocchi

## JEK

*Fresh Take on Fish Feast*

By Cathy Barrow, Photography by Jennifer Cubas 
*Theres nothing old school about this holiday tradition*







By 5pm on December 24, Washingtons office doors have long clicked shut. Reagan National Airport begins to recover from the overflows of members of Congress and their staff who have fled town. Many expats will be gone.  
One cadre of Washington residents will spend the holidays here because home is somewhere around the globe (and a plane ticket is not in their personal economic recovery plan). But for many more of us, heres no place wed rather be. We love the quiet of holiday streets emptied of the masses, our nations Capitol bathed in winter light. Perhaps Christmas Eve is just another day. Yet, there is an undeniable celebratory twinkle in the air. 

Rather than press a virtual nose against the glass while forking cold takeout from a cardboard container, savvy Christmas orphans plan a celebration with their Framilythe friends they love, the family they chooseand together they make a new tradition. While some of those gatherings include a meal from a home kitchen, many opt to spend the holiday at festive restaurant tables. 

Around the city, there are spectacular options for holiday meals. French bistro Le Diplomate offers a Christmas Eve menu. On the 23rd, DGS Deli repeats the Chinese-Jewish deli mashup with guest chefs from around the city. And Osteria Morini Pastry Chef Alex Levin serves sufganiyot for Hanukkah.  






Since 2011, Chef Fabio Trabocchi has served up an indulgence menu based on the traditional Feast of the Seven Fishes at his downtown restaurant Fiola, recently awarded one Michelin star. The Feast is also served at Casa Luca and Fiola Mare. The meal reflects Trabocchis native Italy, where there is a long tradition of a seafood feast on Christmas Eve and, in his case, seafood on the table every holiday. 

It is the essence of celebration: caviar, lobster, black truffles, oysters, he said. We repeat those items every year but in brand new executions. 

Served on Christmas Eve, the Feast of the Seven Fishes is a spectacular array of seafood dishes traditional to the Italian table. Cookbook author Domenica Marchetti (Preserving Italy, HMH) parses the details: Italians always had seafood for Christmas Evenumerous types. My mother was born in Italy and had never heard of the idea of counting the number of fishes. Its more of an Italian-American custom to count sevenor, in some places 13fish. 

As a young chef in Italy, Trabocchi might have enjoyed these meals in restaurants, but it is infinitely more common to feast with family and that is the spirit with which he infuses his menu. Its celebratory, beautiful and filled with opportunities to dazzle. 






The first year, Chef Trabocchis menu honored each of the seven fish, but diners cried uncle! too soon, leaving some food languishing. The following year, he reworked the menu to express the seven in five exquisite dishes. 
From the briny oysters served atop a perforated ceramic tower, to a plump Maine scallop nestled in a puff pastry shell topped with a perfect disc of black truffle, to the buttery seared foie gras and lobster poached in Barolo, every element feels like a gift. 

EDC had a chance to preview Fiolas 2016 Feast of the Seven Fishes menu. If you cant get your Framily there this year (reservations fill up quickly), here are four recipes to add to your own holiday table. 

Feast of the Seven Fishes Menu from Fiolas Chef Fabio Trabocchi A Winters Tale (Holiday Punch)* Shigoku Oysters & Prosecco Zabaglione Ahi Tuna Crudo Puttanesca* Baked Maine Scallops & Winter Black Truffle Gnocchi Crab & Caviar* Risotto, Langoustines, Sea Urchins Lobster, Foie Gras & Barolo White Chocolate Panettone Bread Pudding* 




_December 19, 2016__Edible DCCommentFish, Menu, Recipes, Appetizer, Party, Holiday, Christmas
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## cassidain

Wow

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## MIke R

hey Andy...

Feast of the Seven Fishes Menu from Fiolas Chef Fabio Trabocchi A Winters Tale (Holiday Punch)* Shigoku Oysters & Prosecco Zabaglione Ahi Tuna Crudo Puttanesca* Baked Maine Scallops & Winter Black Truffle Gnocchi Crab & Caviar* Risotto, Langoustines, Sea Urchins Lobster, Foie Gras & Barolo White Chocolate Panettone Bread Pudding*

looks just like our Nonna s Christmas Eve feasts eh??.... :Big Grin:  LMAO

I was always told it had to be 7 fish because it was in honor of the 7 Sacraments

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## JEK

> Wow




We've been following the Chef for years. He started in the Tysons Ritz-Carlton as Maestro and then departed to NYC for Fiamma -- the great recession closed that one. Back to DC for Fiola, then Casa Luca and finally Fiola Mare, which is our favorite. Ate there a few weeks ago with friends from Dallas and they are still raving about the meal.

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## cassidain

Wow again. I didn't know he was at Fiamma. Had a Fabio dinner there years ago on a guy's "culture trip" to the city. Froze our a**es off walking to blue note for show after dinner.

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## andynap

> hey Andy...
> 
> 
> looks just like our Nonna s Christmas Eve feasts eh??.... LMAO
> 
> I was always told it had to be 7 fish because it was in honor of the 7 Sacraments



Yep but the old traditions die with age. I haven't done it for a long time-  too much work and I have Christmas dinner to do. I never counted oysters as fish.

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## JEK

I was in NYC for work and my wife came along for the trip. Dinner was a reunion as most of the Maestro servers were there to help him startup. The people next to us asked how we could know the people that came by to say hello as the restaurant was very new  :cool: 


*About**A steward of culinary elegance and luxury, offering a refined menu inspired by the regional cuisines of Italy and a nationally recognized wine program. Centrally located between the White House and the Capitol, Fiola is a destination for politicos, diplomats, and savvy diners with an appreciation for sophisticated food and ambiance.
**OUR TEAM**Fabio & Maria Trabocchi*

The pedigree of the Nation Capital’s most dynamic culinary couple comes to life every day on the tableau trio of Fiola, Casa Luca and Fiola Mare—each in their own way a delectable canvas that bears witness to the passion, talent, and business savvy of Maria and Fabio Trabocchi.
A contradiction in pasts—Fabio, the son of poor farmers in the Le Marche area of central Italy along the Adriatic Sea, and Maria, the lone daughter among five sons of Spanish diplomat parents—nonetheless, the natural immigrants to the U.S. have always shared a very strong common bond in their appreciation of family and work ethic. This deeply-rooted respect for hard work and family tradition forms the moral and cultural foundation of their exemplary American success-story lives.
In a world-class Washington DC market of politicians, heads of State, and global dignitaries-- all three of their currently owned, designed, and operated culinary spaces stand out, set the bar remarkably high, and raise it regularly with unmatched guest satisfaction and superlative reviews and ratings.  It is testament to a dolce duet--Fabio’s expertise and uncompromising perfection in the kitchen paired with Maria’s natural style, beauty, and grace in the dining room.
Incredibly complementary in their difference, Fabio and Maria are the ideal tandem. Their hands-on approach, never-ending attention to detail, and an eternal love for what they do and where they came from--has become the Trabocchi trademark.  It serves them, their guests, their family, and their business very well.  While they rule out nothing for the future, for the moment they are focused on where they are, grateful for what they have, and devoted to making it all the best it can be.

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## Bart -my real name-

JEK -
 Are you aware they just opened another place in DC a week or so ago:

http://www.sfoglinadc.com/

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## MIke R

> Yep but the old traditions die with age. I haven't done it for a long time-  too much work and I have Christmas dinner to do. I never counted oysters as fish.




I still do it but no one but me cares about it anymore so I dont know why.....

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## JEK

> JEK -
>  Are you aware they just opened another place in DC a week or so ago:
> 
> http://www.sfoglinadc.com/



Yep. Haven't made it there yet.

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## andynap

> I still do it but no one but me cares about it anymore so I dont know why.....



Must have baccala.

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## MIke R

> Must have baccala.



absolutely

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## cassidain

noisy in here

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## andynap

> absolutely



Fried baccala  or salad.

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## MIke R

> Fried baccala  or salad.



both ..I do acras and salad

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## Peter NJ

What did you expect he only posted to get a rise out of Andy and Mike a blind squirrel could see that








> noisy in here

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## andynap

> What did you expect he only posted to get a rise out of Andy and Mike a blind squirrel could see that



What are you drinking? You call a discussion about 7 fishes a rise?

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## Dennis

> What are you drinking? You call a discussion about 7 fishes a rise?




Trigger words.

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## Peter NJ

Andy what are you drinking? Do you not see that JEK everyday throws out chum to you and Mike to get a rise? Its so old its boring







> What are you drinking? You call a discussion about 7 fishes a rise?

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## andynap

> Andy what are you drinking? Do you not see that JEK everyday throws out chum to you and Mike to get a rise? Its so old its boring



I'm sorry. I'm missing this all together. This site is supposed to get posts going to keep it active.

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## Bart -my real name-

> Andy what are you drinking? Do you not see that JEK everyday throws out chum to you and Mike to get a rise? Its so old its boring



I thought it was a post about a chef he's followed around from city to city and restaurant to restaurant.

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## cassidain

> I thought it was a post about a chef he's followed around from city to city and restaurant to restaurant.



ya mean and not your granny's salt cod?
Huh?

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## MIke R

Peter .....of course I know  theee  knuckleheads throw stuff out there daily  to start a wildfire ,...no big thing ....sometimes I play along and sometimes I just let it go but by now they know when they do that we both fire back as hard as we got it ....LOL

And As good as this meal looks it has very little resemblance to a real working class Italian 7 fish Christmas Eve  meal whatsoever ....

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## JEK

> Peter .....of course I know  theee  knuckleheads throw stuff out there daily  to start a wildfire ,...no big thing ....sometimes I play along and sometimes I just let it go but by now they know when they do that we both fire back as hard as we got it ....LOL
> 
> And As good as this meal looks it has very little resemblance to a real working class Italian 7 fish Christmas Eve  meal whatsoever ....




Well this knucklehead didn't post it as bait, I love the chef and every place he has touched has been great. Including one Michelin star.  In fact he is a real Italian working class guy. Came over in the early 2000s.

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## Bart -my real name-

> Peter .....of course I know  theee  knuckleheads throw stuff out there daily  to start a wildfire ,......



Which three?

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## andynap

I think he means these

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## MIke R

No I meant three .....LOL

and yes I agree, given how much you guys idolize chefs and follow their every move, that  it wasn't a set up....I don't think this particular thread was baiting....but more clearly are than aren't ....and that's fine 

and i have no doubts this chef is great with Italian working class roots, and to his credit he has morphed the traditional and simple Seven fish meal into something  to appeal to the high roller suburban gated community crowd  and make himself a nice chunk of change in the process

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## Peter NJ

IMHO anything with fish is a setup and if this isnt one of them then this is the 1 out if 100

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## JEK

> No I meant three .....LOL
> 
> and yes I agree, given how much you guys idolize chefs and follow their every move, that  it wasn't a set up....I don't think this particular thread was baiting....but more clearly are than aren't ....and that's fine 
> 
> and i have no doubts this chef is great with Italian working class roots, and to his credit he has morphed the traditional and simple Seven fish meal into something  to appeal to the high roller suburban gated community crowd  and make himself a nice chunk of change in the process



No, this is the urban gated community. The President and First Lady are fans.

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## MIke R

> The President and First Lady are fans.



So what does  that supposed to  mean to me ?

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## cassidain

> So what does  that supposed to  mean to me ?



One of our rare areas of agreement.

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## JEK

> So what does  that supposed to  mean to me ?



You were wrong. Not only suburban gated communities, but urban gated communities  :cool:

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## MIke R

> You were wrong. Not only suburban gated communities, but urban gated communities




Is their really  a difference?????

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## MIke R

> One of our rare areas of agreement.




Trust me  when I say that doesn't make me feel good at all.....

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## JEK

> JEK -
>  Are you aware they just opened another place in DC a week or so ago:
> 
> http://www.sfoglinadc.com/




*Sfoglina, previewed: A warm and welcome invitation*










By Tom Sietsema December 23 at 7:00 AM 

Fabio and Maria Trabocchi have opened their fourth restaurant, Sfoglina, in the Districts Van Ness neighborhood. (Deb Lindsey /For The Washington Post)

Maria Trabocchi is as tired of loud restaurants as the rest of us. Her fourth Italian enterprise, *Sfoglina, created with her chef-husband, Fabio Trabocchi, is designed with conversation in mind. Although the tables go uncovered, much of the rest of the decor  linen panels on columns, swags of fabric overhead, a sofa whose tufted back reaches the ceiling  absorbs noise like sponges.
*
*We wanted to make this an extension of our dining room at home, says Maria of the 80-seat arrival to Van Ness, an area of Northwest Washington with lots of money but few choice places to eat. Sfoglina (the g is silent) is a celebration of pasta; in Italy, a sfoglina is a woman who specializes in making it, often by hand and using a rolling pin. A room off the entrance features a custom-designed cherry wood table upon which different pastas are produced by day. Come dinner, the space, dubbed the Claudia Room for the chefs sister, morphs into an intimate nook for fortunate patrons.
*
*

Sfoglina offers streghe and a history lesson. (Deb Lindsey /For The Washington Post)*
*

Sicilian Red Peppers With Orange Zest and flowers. (Deb Lindsey /For The Washington Post)*


*If some of the nibbles and starters sound familiar, they taste fresh in the hands of chef Trabocchi. His roasted Sicilian red peppers blossom with orange zest and flowers, and his fiery nduja comes with chive-speckled streghe: hollow, finger-length crackers that originated in Bologna. Bakers used to test the heat of their wood ovens by slipping sheets of dough into the fire, says Trabocchi. A burned piece was called a strega, or witch; what didnt burn became a snack, sometimes accompanied by a glass of wine. The history lesson is nice, especially when you can eat it.
*
*
Beef agnolotti del plin, fossa cheese and sage. (Deb Lindsey /For The Washington Post)
*
*Classic pastas are priced at $22. Hat-shaped tortelloni filled with ricotta, bright with a bouquet of herbs and sunny with lemon, pick up texture with toasted almonds and richness with a wash of butter. Seasonal pastas cost $25 and currently include tender agnolotti del plin. The stamps are filled with braised beef and Swiss chard; in Piedmontese fashion, the pasta is anointed with a sage-brown butter sauce. Sixty dollars scores you a tasting of three pastas, offered family style. Dont get too attached to a shape or flavor combination, as the collection changes daily. (Not that spring morels will be a letdown after winter truffles.) A childrens menu for Young Italians embraces prosciutto that has been aged for 20 months and pappardelle with tomato sauce.
*
*
Simonetta  a sfoglina  makes pasta in the front room of the restaurant. (Deb Lindsey /For The Washington Post)*
*
Branzino poached in white wine and served on olive oil-enriched crushed potatoes. (Deb Lindsey /For The Washington Post)*





*A category called Not Pasta brings together a handful of main courses of the same high quality offered at the owners other Washington attractions: Fiola, Fiola Mare and Casa Luca, that last the former home of Sfoglinas day-to-day chef, Michael Fusano. Branzino poached in white wine, lemon and rosemary and served on olive oil-enriched crushed potatoes, as lovely as it is luscious, suggests expense-account dining. The vessels for ferrying food from kitchen to table alternate between white casseroles of the sort any Midwesterner would recognize and china that looks plucked from the cupboard of an Italian grandmother.*

*Shades of red infuse the setting, accented with alluring handblown crystal light fixtures from Mallorca, Spain, where Maria was raised. The restaurant is a girl, she says, explaining the cherry and rose colors. Poppies in the design salute Fabios native Le Marche, Italy, where the flowers proliferate.*
*Wasnt Sfoglina promoted as an informal restaurant? Maria Trabocchi insists that it is just that. For us, she says, this is casual. This is who we are.
*
*At least the couple is consistent. For them, nothing less than first class will suffice.*
_4445 Connecticut Ave. NW. 202-450-1312. sfoglinadc.com. Pastas and main courses, $22 to $26._

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## cassidain

all signal, no noise.  :thumb up:

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