A year ago, in June 2014, DC welcomed another Italian dining experience when DC’s Finemondo on F Street became Noelia. This is the first restaurant from Kaiser Gill, former FBI special agent turned restaurant owner. The spot, located in the midst of the hustle and bustle of downtown DC, manages to feel both modern and classic, with tablets serving as the drinks menu and a John Wayne movie playing in the background, at least on the Wednesday night we dined there. Now, executive chef T.J. Fisher has launched a new, contemporary American menu, and it’s worth checking out.

First on our list: the drinks and appetizers. The refreshing cucumber collins and the sweet pomegranate martini help cleanse the palette while you nom on Noelia’s hearty, flavorful Italian dishes. I highly recommend the whipped ricotta flatbread to start, though make sure to leave room for the rest of your meal. This appetizer is sneakily heavy, with soppressata, ricotta, olive relish, grape tomatoes, arugula and shallots, all strong tastes that go well together in each bite. The calamari is also a favorite. Cooked well, the calamari is paired with a spicy marinara sauce as well as an excellent herb sauce.

Now, on to the good stuff: the entrees. The malt braised short rib is perfectly tender, presented on top of beet infused potatoes and cooked carrots. The dish is drizzled with a malted cola lacquer, but you can’t really taste the cola. When I first saw the dark pink color to the potatoes, I was a bit taken aback. But, as it turns out, the beets are only mixed in with the potatoes to give it that aesthetic color and look and are stripped of the beet flavor. The crispy salmon dish also has the beet infused potatoes, but this time in a puree. The salmon is cooked well, if you like a crispy top skin to your salmon, and the puree is fluffy and creamy.

To finish off the meal, try either the chocolate molten cake or the corn and blackberry cheesecake. Yes, baked corn kernels are on top of and inside the cheesecake. The cheesecake itself is smooth and rich, and the corn mostly gives this dessert a more unique look. Meanwhile, the chocolate cake is warm and melt-in-your-mouth good, as most molten chocolate cakes tend to be. This one stood out from others I’ve tried with its delicious strawberry jam spread on the side.

Noelia succeeds in its transition to a more contemporary American food menu, yet still keeps some Italian elements to it. With its friendly staff, good food and relaxing atmosphere, you will have a nice dining experience at Noelia. The restaurant is open for lunch Monday through Friday from 11:30am to 2:30pm and is open for dinner Monday through Thursday from 5pm to 10pm and Friday through Saturday from 5pm to 11pm. They are closed on Sundays.

-SDM

Editor’s Note:

JAY of DCFüd will be hosting the July 1st DC Food Blogger Happy Hour at Noelia, 6pm to 8pm. Please RSVP here.