Officina Marketplace

One of the newer additions to the Wharf, this is advertised as a "three level" Italian eatery, but it is actually four. I did take-out from their ground floor marketplace, which has everything from fresh pasta to olives to meat. Half a level up from there is a cafe for a slice of pie (both pizza options were vegetarian) and a drink. Above that is supposedly a mid-range sit-down restaurant and on the top floor is the elegant dining option. I selected from two large rectangular pizzas. They were called pizzas but looked more like oversized focaccia. One was a traditional style -- olive oil, rosemary, rock salt and Romano cheese. The other was covered in plentiful crushed Italian tomatoes with baby basil and the prerequisite olive oil. Both were delightful. The crust appears thick but is actually that fermented dough which produces lots of holes while cooking. The result is a crunchy, crumbly crust which has a touch of tang and doesn't leave you filled up. The toppings were perfect in their flavor and each could be considered a meal in and of itself. If this "first bite" of Officina is any indication, the food here will be great. The "upstairs menus" are not vegetable-forward and look pricey (my downstairs take-out, by comparison, was very reasonable) but one can find meat-free dishes, and, given the nice flavors on the first floor, I'm eager to explore the next level up. Furnishings on the first floor are classy and do a nice job of transporting you to Roma or some other similar venue. As my explorations of the Wharf have not resulted in much success (I was sorely unhappy with Lupo Marino, got sick after eating at Del Mar and found nothing to eat at Kaliwa -- Mi Vida being the only success story), I'm hoping that this gives me a reason to come back.

Marketplace, casual and upscale Italian restaurants, all in the same building
1120 Maine St, SW
https://www.officinadc.com/

Comments

RASA

The popular grain bowl trend gets a twist with this Indian-inspired takeout bowl place. Same concept -- a base, greens, toppings, etc., but the options are mostly Indian inspired and the majority of offerings are vegetarian (although not vegan, given the heavy use of Ghee in cooking). My take is mixed. Some of the items were outstanding, some less so. I got the Lemon Tumeric Rice, which was delightful. Fresh and tangy, with a little bite, it was one of the best rice dishes I've ever tried. On top of this I got the Tofu/Cauliflower protein. It was half and half. The cauliflower was perfectly roasted, the roasted onions delightful, and the nuts were a beautiful added crunch. The tofu, however, was watery, and the green and red peppers well past prime. Next, I added sauteed spinach, which was incredibly bland, and the peanut sesame sauce, which was "okay" but forgettable. I didn't do additional toppings, although there were plenty. I did get two of the mini s

First Watch

Meant to invite some family members here but a friend beat me to the punch. We compromised and went together. Unfortunately, this is a place where it looks better than it is. Across the board. The funky design scheme makes it an echo chamber and, with the pumping music, very loud. Conversation was difficult. The menu is covered in glossy photos and descriptions of the food but ... I started with the Morning Meditation Fresh Juice, a pretty blend of citrus and beet. Or I tried to. Took three reminders to the waiter and when it finally arrived, halfway into the meal, it was 90% ice and 10% juice. My companions opted for coffee. It was ice cold. Another long wait (about 20 minutes) to get new coffee -- and included a reminder to staff that they wanted fresh cups as well. I ordered the Vegetarian Quinoa Bowl, which was described as having up to 12 ingredients. It had three. The quinoa, an egg, maybe two teeny slices of tomato past its prime. It wasn't hot or cold, just r

Mezeh

With this new version of a middle-eastern inspired "bowl/pita/wrap" meal the Ballston Mezeh has a lot to praise and a few things it could do better. On the plus side is a ton of options. For a base they move beyond the simple rice or greens selections to specific greens options/mixes and then they have three kinds of rice (including Riced Cauliflower with Bulgar Wheat for the Keto crowd). After that there are two different protein options for veggies -- Falafel and Veggie Kofta. I selected the Kofta just so that I could have something new ... and loved it. But you aren't done there. You can choose up to 12 toppings (TWELVE) out of 27. Then there are the dressings. Again, the choices are overwhelming with eight -- each sounds amazing. I went with the Spicy Mango and was not disappointed. I ordered a bowl and still got a nice big slice of warm pita which was just yummy. The challenge however, is that the bowl I ordered online wasn't really full. There were lot

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