Description: Obelisk is a Washington institution; surviving in a highly competitive environment for the last 20 years. Like most survivors, Obelisk has it's ups and downs, but is currently on an up swing.
The menu is simple; everyone gets a 5 course prix fixe, with 2-3 choices per course. The menu changes daily, and Obelisk does not have a website, which can be an annoyance.
The first course for us was a selection of several antipasti - fried shrimp risotto balls, liver pate with candied hazelnuts, small meatballs, and a rabbit terrine with currants. The liver pate was the standout, but all were of high quality.
As a second course, we had squash ravioli, a lentil soup with homemade sausage and homemade pasta with mushrooms. The ravioli and soup were amazing.
The third course was duck breast, striped bass with artichoke and pancetta and kobe-style beef with broccoli rabe and onions. The steak and duck were out of this world, but I found the striped bass to be lacking in flavor.
The fourth course was a small selection of different goat cheeses. A fresh and an aged cheese from Italy and one from Pennsylvania that was wonderful.
Finally, we all had a fig tart with dessert wine ice cream for dessert. I was least impressed with this; the wine ice cream was a bit sour and the fig tart was made with dried figs. Everything else was so good, that it didn't really matter.
The restaurant is tiny - only 10 tables, so make a reservation early if you want to go. The wine list, while almost entirely Italian, is reasonably priced and has some real gems on it. Service was friendly and not obtrussive.
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