Skip to main content

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/


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

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
Post a Comment
Read more

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
Post a Comment
Read more

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
Post a Comment
Read more