Rodriguez opens Orto

I had lunch, last week, at Orto Trattoria, chef René Rodriguez’ new restaurant, and I’m looking forward to dinner in the new year. Rodriguez, who closed his long-running, Mexican-leaning ByWard Market restaurant, Navarra, last spring, has established Orto in the long skinny Glebe space that was, for many years, The Urban Pear. He’s moved away from mole with this new venture, choosing to focus on southern Italian dishes. Arancini was the memorable opener.