Olivia

Part of the group which runs Rasika, Bibiana and other high-end restaurants, newly opened Olivia is a worthy addition.  Some elements were fantastic, some need a little work, but the overall package is very, very nice.  A stunning interior feels upscale and cozy all at the same time.  In the bar section, where I was seated for lunch, there is a dark wood floor which meets up with a decorative tile, evocative of the Mediterranean vibe the restaurant is working to represent.  Painted brick walls stretch up to a ceiling replete with faux ivy interspersed with retro light bulbs.  The effect is chic yet warm and reminiscent of the latest episodes of "Property Brothers."  Ushered to a comfortable chair with a woven back near one of their large windows, I was able to look down on the street as I ate (the restaurant is a half-story up from the street with 1930s era window designs, adding to the sense of elegance.)  Contemporary cool jazz and instrumental world music piped through the speakers but did not overwhelm the space or cover the nearby conversations of other diners.

After ordering, two rolls appeared at the table.  They were herby with a moist interior and had a nice chewy exterior with just a dash of salt.  The accompanying olive oil was almost unneeded.

The menu varied a bit from what I saw online and one addition was a small blue "v" beside some dishes indicating vegan options.  Vegetarian options weren't denoted but easy to pick out (and the waiter gave some assistance).  There are vegan and vegetarian options in almost every section of the menu.

I selected two small plates -- the Charred Cauliflower and a Lentil/Rice dish.  Both were absolutely heavenly, the kind of food you slow down for so that you can savor each and every bite.  The cauliflower dish was amazingly complex.  There were four different kinds of cauliflower ... white, green, purple and orange, along with two sauces (something kind of mustardy and something with a strong taste of lemon), pearl couscous, pomegranate seeds, watermelon radish, flowers, microgreens and something delightfully crunchy on top.  Every bite was a little different.  The second dish was incredibly creamy and tasted like a creative riff on risotto.  There was the rice, red lentils (still delightfully intact, which is not easy), super-sweet pearl onions and green chickpeas, all topped with yogurt.  Another word to describe this place is color -- the food here really stretches the idea out of "eating the rainbow."

For a main dish, I got the falafel sandwich, listed with black rice pita and harissa yogurt, which seemed intriguing.  It was here, however, where "amazing" slipped to "okay."  The pita sandwich came with a large side salad.  Not a problem, I like dark greens and say bring them on.  The issue was that the same greens were also in the sandwich and both were rather tart.  The greens themselves were naturally bitter and the dressing acidic.  It needed a "something" sweet or creamy to balance it out.  The pita was dry and bland.  The falafel was nicely herbed but kind of pasty and not nearly as good as some of the falafel available in one of the other dozens of DC establishments offering it these days.  The sandwich itself was built kind of backwards.  There was feta (not listed in the description) on the bottom with harissa which threatened to overwhelm the whole thing.  IMHO the falafel, which was fairly crumbly, should have been on the bottom and the feta (with wet properties) and seasoning on the top.  While good, it was just "missing something".  I took half of the sandwich home, dumped it in a bowl and added tahini, which worked out well.

I liked this place a lot.  It was healthy food in that I didn't feel over-stuffed or guilty.  It was tongue-teasing dishes that left me pleasantly full.  Expensive but worth it, with top-notch wait staff (my water glass never ran empty but I was barely aware of it being filled), the bottom line is that this is definitely on the "return to" list.  For one thing, I need to go there at dinner.  They have a warm burrata with zhug and garlic breadcrumbs.  If you think I'm missing that, you are out of your mind.

Upscale Nuevo Mediterranean
800 F St, NW
https://www.oliviawdc.com/