The Esposito’s – Fairfax, VA

I am not fully sure how to describe this calzone. It was some kind of crazy hybrid between a pizza and a calzone. Not much was actually in the “pocket”. The mozzarella was on top, the bread was about as thick as pizza dough, inside was ricotta cheese and Italian sausage. The overall size of the calzone was bigger than average, and this was the small one they offered. The one thing that The Esposito’s succeeded in, that a couple of other calzone places I’ve listed failed at, was to accurately put an amount of sausage into the calzone to give it flavor but not overpower it with a “salt” sensation. I have to say, this calzone was REALLY good. One of the better ones that I’ve had so far in Northern Virginia. I would say that the $11.99 price tag was pretty fair considering the decent amount of ricotta, the superb ratio of sausage, the flawless execution of bakery skill and the size of the dish. I also happened to order the calamari appetizer. I have to say that this was one of the most well prepared calamari dishes I’ve ever had as well. The marinara it was served with was spot-on, the lemons, and the amount of breading couple with the delicate frying technique all played together to create a most satisfying dish. The atmosphere of the restaurant was also probably the best I’ve found. It would seem that all or most of the staff in the restaurant are actual Italians. When I sat down, I was given water immediately, the waitress listed the specials, and then plates were cleared. Classic. I would call this restaurant high-end Italian comfort food. There didn’t appear to be any “fusion” or “flair” to the meals, they were just classic Italian dishes just like you know and love, but likely with a much higher quality than you or I could prepare them. The decorum of the venue gives off an old-world charm. You won’t find any plastic knives or paper napkins here (well maybe underneath the calamari to catch the grease). With my entire meal (appetizer Calzone, soft drink) the bill ended up being $24.10. I dropped $30 and left completely satisfied. I probably wouldn’t visit this restaurant every weekend. In fact, it’s so nice that I’m more likely to return, if and when I am ever able to score a date with a female, as a classic “nice dinner” move. This calzone gets a B+ because it was perfectly baked, strangely designed, and the ricotta cheese was ever-so-slightly cool.