Ulivo, which means “olive tree” in Italian, debuted in late February in a familiar corner of Columbia Heights. The chic newcomer from first-time restaurant owner Tim Monaghan replaces Capa Tosta with a refined (yet pretty affordable)menu of pastas priced
in the low-$20s. Ulivo ushers in its first fall with a fresh lineup of hearty surf-and-turf mains, interesting salads, and must-try desserts from Baltimore native and chef Nick Perkins.
What to order
- I love good gooseberries, and a handful of pickled ones are the perfect tart and tangy partner to the head-on royal red prawns in a dazzling salad ($21), sprinkled with rose oil and chicory crema.
- The burrata salad ($18), which has been popular since day one, has a complex flavor profile thanks to pickled blueberries, chicory, and mozzarella, which balances out the sweet-and-syrupy Italian motto costo.
- Monkfish ossobuco cooked in a saffron-marsala sauce is the epitome of cozy fall weather: fragrant, filling, and joined by a just-as-large onion tart bursting with balsamic and buttery flavors. At $38, it’s the most expensive dish on the menu.
- Anchovy toast is having a moment in D.C. this year (most notably at Adams Morgan’s critically acclaimed Rye Bunny). I dare say Ulivo’s version is better (and less bready): The toast is covered with anchovy butter, garlicky green gremolata, and an orange confit finish that cuts through the saltiness of the silvery fish ($15).
- Fusilli in a brown butter glaze with mushrooms ($23) was pleasant, but just like my preference for red- over white-sauced pizza, I like a pomodoro-based pasta like the spaghetti ($19) I had here on a previous visit.
- Slow-braised American wagyu short ribs (+$7) surrounded by beef jus arrive with a halved acorn squash — the first of the baked gourd I’ve had this season — that functions as a cute little bowl for sugar snap peas and gremolata. The dish comes with a steak knife, but Perkins says “a fork slices right through” the meat. (It did.)
- A dry, well-rounded red wine from SenzaTempo Riserva went well with most of the food.
Desserts
This small but mighty selection of sweets that swing savory (my preference) deserves the spotlight ($15 to $16). The not-too-dense dark chocolate cheesecake is a showstopping slice that’s elegantly topped with orange zest shavings. And I never would have guessed the coconut passionfruit pudding would come out looking the way it does here; the congealed dessert is an optical illusion — shaped in an adorable baby pumpkin mold and placed on a big blanket of graham cracker crumbles like it’s growing on a farm.
The look
The sophisticated renovation of Capa Tosta traded its limoncello wallpaper for a more mature, candle-lit look that extends to its floral-filled bathrooms. Bars on both floors showcase an Italian wine list, amaro program, and various spritzes.
The vibe
Nestled right in a residential-heavy area, neighborhood regulars are already walking in a few nights a week. One is a friend of mine who lives across the street and stopped by with his newborn to say hi. The brick-framed, homey setup with cozy nooks is good for dates and audible conversations, with an easygoing soundtrack of songs like “What a Feeling” from Flashdance.
Insider tip
After testing the waters for its first few months, brunch is now a weekly Sunday affair starting in October (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.) with an Italian spin on shakshuka and a fennel sausage-packed egg scramble.
