Obelisk

Obelisk a small restaurant serving Italian food in Dupont Circle since the summer of 1987.  The five course hand-written mean changes daily, and is set at $75 per person with a wine pairing option for an additional $50 during the week, and $85/$55 respectively on weekends.  Closest Metro is Dupont Circle.

Keith and I went to Obelisk to celebrate our fourth wedding anniversary.  Normally, we take a trip during this month, but due to schedule conflicts, we are postponing our trip to later this Fall.  And where did we decide to go?  Italy!  So, how appropriate that we chose this restaurant for a little sneak peek.  In lieu of the wine pairing, we decided to order our own bottle of white wine from San Gimignano called Montenidoli Tradizionale.  It was crisp and dry, and a great accompaniment to our dinner.

We started out with Antipasti Misti.  Tonight featured braised octopus in a seductive red wine sauce; a super crunchy watercress and radish salad; creamy burrata that I couldn't get enough of; fresh steamed asparagus in a paper pouch; and a crostini of pork and pickles that tasted like a mini Cuban sandwich.  As typical, I would have been happy enough eating these little bites while sipping my wine.  But alas, the meal had only just begun.

Next, I ordered the Corzetti pasta with pesto.  These little "coins" are thinly pressed and cooked al dente.  The sauce was simple, but could have used a bit more salt.  The portion size was just the right amount.

Keith ordered the Bigoli with quail ragu. The rustic thick spaghetti had a super savory sauce of roasted vegetables with quail meat.  He loved this dish, and only allowed me one small bite.

For his main, Keith ordered the Braised Lamb Rib with rapini.  The lamb was very tasty and tender, but he thought the fat could have been rendered a little more.

I enjoyed the Black Bass with clams, artichokes, fava beans, and guanciale.  This dish was so simple and genuine.  I cleaned my plate leaving only the lemon rind and empty clam shells behind.

As a segue to dessert, we were served Formaggi.  Tonight featured Barilotto, Casatica, Piave Vecchio with green tomato jam.  These cheeses were quite unique, and all paired expertly with our dry white wine.

For dessert, Keith ordered the Hazelnut Cake with strawberries and vanilla ice cream.  This was a classic ending to round out the meal.

Surprisingly, I fell in love with my choice of Lemon Caramel Profiterole.  I normally don't really like these little donuts, but Obelisk's version was large and filled with a lovely lemon curd that was expertly balanced with both sweet and tart notes.  The dark caramel sauce drizzled on top was buttery and pulled the whole dessert together.  Yum!

Lastly, we were presented a few more Small Sweets.  Tonight a plate of butter cookies, chocolate almond biscotti, and apricot jelly candies.  Each one was delicious, and though we were full, we had no problem eating every last bit.

Overall, we had a wonderful down-to-earth Italian meal at Obelisk, and left even more excited about our upcoming Italian getaway.  I highly recommend Obelisk for a quiet, romantic dinner whether you are celebrating a milestone, or just want a lovely meal out with your loved one.  Buon appetito!

Total Rating: 4.45
Food: 5, Price: 3.5, Service: 4.5, Ambience: 3, Accessibility: 5


What I ate:

Antipasti Misti

Corzetti

with pesto

Black Bass

with clams, artichokes, fava beans, and guanciale

Formaggi

Barilotto, Casatica, Piave Vecchio

with green tomato jam

♥Lemon Caramel Profiterole♥

Small Sweets

Plus Keith ate:

♥Bigoli♥
with quail ragu

Braised Lamb Rib

with rapini

Hazelnut Cake

with strawberries and vanilla ice cream