The splashiest restaurant to open thus far in the glam CityCenterDC is Fig & Olive, the eighth branch of the New York-based chain meant to evoke the coastal regions of France, Italy and Spain. Anyone who still believes Washington to be a buttoned-down town needs to drop by the 10,000-square-foot, 330-seat extravaganza for a drink at dinner, when the sweeping ground-floor bar and lounge are animated with guys sporting designer suits and million-dollar smiles and gals with skirts up to here. Indeed, the opening scene suggests one big Tinder date in South Beach.
A genial host guides my comrades and me through the crush of beautiful people and up a couple flights of stairs, past a display of olive oils for sale, through the Orchard Room, set off with orange leather chairs and a second, smaller bar and finally, the White Room. The ivory space lives up to the billing: Almost everything in it — the banquettes, the bolsters, the curtains — is a shade of cool. On the wall are olive branches in glass displays; rosemary plants reinforce Fig & Olive’s Mediterranean theme. As we settle in with our menus, a trio of olive oils from around the world shows up with focaccia for swabbing. The fats are fun. The bread is awful.
The pattern of good and bad plays throughout dinner.
As is true at many restaurants, appetizers here trump entrees. The most artful starter is a fan of sheer braised octopus splashed with a paprika-infused dressing and garnished with bites of baby potato and roasted red pepper. I like the crudo sampler, too, composed in part with citrusy salmon dusted with sea salt, and ruddy beef tartare. Of the crostini, assembled in a ground-floor crostini bar, the best topping is the refreshing lemon ricotta with sweet peas and diced asparagus: spring in summer.
Beware, however, of dishes flavored with truffle oil, which the kitchen, piloted by former Carmine’s chef Laurence Cohen, overuses in both an opener of sorry cremini croquettes and a main course of gloppy, undercooked penne with mushrooms. And for all its enhancements — slivered almonds, harissa, apricots — the wan chicken tagine seems to channel Minnesota more than Morocco.
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Chilean sea bass comes with a lot of accessories, too, none of which elevate the fish from what smacks of assembly-line fare. Some entrees promote style over substance, foremost the ordinary grilled lamb chops presented in a glass cloche filled with rosemary smoke.
Fig & Olive’s drinks are very good; the newcomer’s wine prices raise eyebrows.
For the moment, some advice: Stay grounded in the lounge. Order a cocktail and a nibble. Enjoy the scenery — and wait patiently for Momofuku to open nearby.
934 Palmer Alley NW. 202-517-6417. www.figandolive.com. Entrees, $19 to $39.
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