-
-
re: DCDOLL
Thanks everyone. Thought I'd update you. I went to Source and have reservations next week for Obelisk. We enjoyed Source very much but I have to say, I'm not blown away. It reminds me of TenPehn in its heyday, and I think the cooking at Cafe Mozu is a worthy (and cheaper) alternative.
I started with the butter poached lobster appetizer ($22) wrapped in picked daikon with a variety of sauces artfully decorating the plate. I wanted to get the suckling pig appetizer, but after having a pork epiphany at Eleven Madison Park in NY, I decided to try something different. I'm a sucker for butter poached lobster. I've had Thomas Keller's twice. To me the lobster meat was suculent but somewhat overwhelmed by the pickling flavors of the daikon wrap, and the sauces really overshadowed the crustacean. Very tasty but not brilliant. My wife went with a vegetarian version of their tuna tartare miso cones. Grilled vegetables over creme fraiche stuffed in a carmelized sesame miso cone. Very light, airy, delicious and a steal at $9. She followed with the Pan Roasted Rockfish, Red Thai Curry Shrimp, with Pineapple Sambal. I only had a taste, but the fish was perfectly cooked and the sauce a perfect mix of tang citrus and heat. I went with the Lacquered Chinese Duckling, Bing Cherries, with Stir Fried Chow Fun Noodles. The duckling, a waiter recommendation, was very well prepared, the sauce not too sweet, and the noodles were amazing. Deserts underwhelmed. They were tasty (molten chocolate for me and mixed berries for my wife) but there was nothing inventive about them at all. The wine list is fabulous but very dear. We enjoyed a half bottle of Gruner Veltliner and followed with selections by the glass. I will give our server credit -- we asked for recommendations on both entrees and wines and were not upsold in the slightest. Our waiter recommended a tempranillo for my duck ($14) over the Rex Hill pinot noir ($20), and was right on.
I'd go back. The food is excellent. The atmosphere is fun. It's got a cool vibe. The bar downstairs is a great place for a cocktail, but at these prices I'm not feeling The Source to be in the same category as DC's very best.
-
-
If you don't eat lots of ethnic Asian food, then the Souce might blow your socks off. If you eat lots of ethnic Asian food, then the Source will seem like a poor imitation (with high prices to boot). Tasting menu is $100 per person at the Source - Obelisk is a bargain at $70.
›1 Reply -
-
re: Adam23
I ate at both The Source and Obelisk last week, interestingly enough on the same day. I did The Source for lunch, and then dinner at Obelisk came up unexpectedly. Needless to say, I was very full (but very happy) at the end of the day.
Here is my take on both (from my original post on my week in D.C.):
The Source - I stayed away from the Restaurant Week menu here. The Halibut with red Thai curry shrimp and pineapple-chili sambal sounded too good to pass up...and it was. Perfectly cooked, and the sauce was excellent. I started the meal with the "tiny dumplings," with rich pork belly and a wonderful vinegar/chili oil sauce. For dessert, I chose the chocolate truffle cake...very rich, and accompanied by an interesting espresso/chai ice cream that turned out to be a great companion. The service here was also top-notch...the hosts and servers were friendly and happy to answer questions and make suggestions.
Obelisk - I had planned for my big meal of the day to be at lunch, but Obelisk turned out to be a spur-of-the-moment decision with a family member. I was sufficiently stuffed from lunch, but couldn't pass up a chance to experience Obelisk. And an experience it was. Here I opted for the gnocchi as my first course, squab with chanterelles for the main dish, and a chocolate/hazelnut cake for dessert. Obelisk is not content with serving just three courses, however. The antipasti consisted of a marinated sardine, fried squash blossom, bruschetta, pork on a stick (much tastier than it sounds), and a healthy portion of creamy burrata. I could have made a meal from the antipasti course alone. Before dessert we were also treated to a cheese course, and then a few sweet bites following dessert. The main course was actually the least impressive dish of the entire meal. The squab was tasty, but a little tough. To be fair, I haven't had much experience with squab, so it might just be a traditionally tough bird. This is a minor complaint, however, as the entire meal was fantastic. The $70 price tag actually seemed like a steal for as much great food as we were served. Obelisk is highly recommended.
-
