First Bite - Graffiato

Few restaurant openings in Washington DC have inspired the same type of palpable excitement that has been generated by Mike Isabella’s Graffiato. This Chinatown “hot spot” has barely been open a week, but the buzz has been building since Isabella left his head chef position at Zaytinya. Yet, after eating my first meal at Graffiato I can confidently say that all the hype has been worth it.

I was lucky enough to snag one of the first reservations at Graffiato and met a handful of friends there on Sunday night. (I guess that is what you get for obsessively calling the restaurant until no longer getting a busy signal). After arriving we were promptly seated at a table that wasn’t in the kitchen, but it was as close as you could get. Chef Isabella and Bryan Voltaggio were standing mere inches from us and kibbitzing. Not a bad way to start the evening, especially when you combine it with a glass of bubbly prosecco on tap.

From there things only improved. A few of us had been thinking about getting the chef’s tasting menu, but our server thoughtfully steered us away from it. He said that it made more sense (and it would be less expensive) to just order whatever we wanted off the menu. He was absolutely right. All 5 of us left full and happy and paid significantly less than we would have (under $35 - before drinks but with tax and tip).

Right off the bat we put in an order for the fresh mozzarella and the bread basket. The mozz came out warm and it was topped with a lovely fava bean puree and some fruity olive oil. The homemade bread basket held a treat for everyone at the table. Some of us loved the olive bread (we think there were also raisins hiding in there) while others were smitten with the sweet polenta corn bread. Yet, we all could agree that the olive oil jam & fresh ricotta took something that was merely “good” and elevated it to “great.”

Next up were 2 pizzas. Our server told us without hesitation that his favorite was the Countryman with black truffles, fontina and a duck egg. Done and done. We also opted to order the White House, a beautiful pie topped with mozzarella, taleggio, ricotta and black pepper honey. Both exceeded expectations with their crust and combinations of toppings. The Countryman had a delightful balance of earthy and upscale ingredients. It had a smokiness and saltiness that was unlike anything I had previously tried in this city. On the other hand the White House was something that screamed summer to me. The combination of cheeses mingling with the fresh honey made it the perfect pizza to devour on a hot summer night.

We couldn’t leave Graffiato without trying Chef Isabella’s award winning dishes on Top Chef All Stars - the infamous chicken thighs with pepperoni sauce and the roasted gnocchi with pork ragu, whipped burrata, and picked ramps. These lived up to all expectations that Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons set on tv. What made it even better was our first table-side visit from the chef himself. He told us a delightful story about going with his wife to Pennsylvania to pick 30lbs of ramps. Now how many chefs do you know that do that?

There were 2 additional dishes that made their way to the table. We opted to be semi-healthy and order the wood roasted mushrooms and the sweet corn agnolotti. The mushrooms were complemented by a handful of sweet and spicy cherry peppers and a wonderful addition of mustard. It was not a traditional way of serving them, but it didn’t matter. There wasn’t a single speck left in the dish. The agnolotti (kinda like mini ravioli) were filled with a sweet mixture of cheese and corn puree and they were topped with pine nuts. It was perfection in a bite.

Now, if you thought that we would leave without trying dessert you are crazy. I had originally had my heart set on an order of zeppoles, but apparently they haven’t started making them yet. Oh well, just another reason to return in the future. But, our last course did not disappoint. First up was a slice of chocolate tart (with a pinenut crust!) that was served with sea salt gelato. Looking at it you would have expected something ridiculously rich, instead it was light with the perfect amount of sweetness. We also ordered a cup of dark chocolate gelato that was quite sinful, and a plate of beautiful Nutella cookies. Chocolate coma is the only appropriate phrase for the end of this evening.

The meal was a standout from start to finish. Each course tasted better than the last and the service would be worthy of the highest Zagat rating. I have no doubts that Graffiato will become a go-to hangout for Washington, and will deserve every ounce of praise that visitors, locals and critic give it.

Dinner with the Spanish Ambassador

To many in DC, Chef José Andrés is known as the “unofficial Spanish ambassador.” In these parts, being unofficial makes you more likable, because you can’t ignore parking signs or speed limits and, unlike us mere mortals, get away with it. But even if Chef Andres was the actual ambassador, I think it would be tough for anyone to hold it against him, especially once they tried his food.

This past Friday night, Elliot and I were able to indulge; his mother and step-father were in town for the weekend. And as they're just as big of foodies as we are, there was only one true mandate when it came to planning our itinerary: great restaurants. Also, his mom is a big Top Chef fan, so it made sense to keep the momentum going from Andrés’s recent appearance on the show and head to Jaleo.

From start to finish, the entire experience at Jaleo lived up to Chef Andrés’s reputation. The carafe of sangria was not only poured with precision, but the taste of the fruity wine punch bordered on perfection, with the little bits of fresh fruit adding to the already magnificent flavor. Each bite of the patatas bravas had just the right amount of spice mixed with the garlic aioli. Chef Andrés says that you will want to eat his fried dates wrapped in bacon every day. I can guarantee you... he isn't lying.

Elliot's step-father suggested we try Jaleo's version of paella. Although I have dined here many times, I have never tried this traditional Spanish dish. The paella needs to be ordered almost immediately upon sitting down because it takes at least 30 minutes for the dish to be cooked. Let me tell you right here and now that the wait was worth every millisecond. The large dish of rice, chicken and mushrooms came out piping hot and was served on top of garlic aioli. (Side note: This was a brilliant move. Layering the aioli onto the plate before serving the paella means that the dish effectively cooks in the additional ingredient.) As everyone took their first bites, it was evident from all of our faces that this was an entree that was executed to perfection.

Although we got to the restaurant right after happy hour, it is only appropriate that I share with you that their “Jaleo Hour” is well worth the claustrophobia that tends to surround the bar from 4:30 – 7pm. The sangria flows at the liberal price of $4 a glass and a handful of tapas plates (including the bacon wrapped dates and patatas bravas) are offered for $5. Some drinks and a few noshes can easily turn into great meal on a budget.

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image of sangria: Tasting Table
other images: capitolbites flickr stream

Zengo

I had such high hopes for a certain Chinatown hot-spot when I showed up for happy hour earlier this week. The menu looked great, the location was convenient and the price was right. So how come I left feeling hungry and feeling very underwhelmed?

Our evening at Zengo started off ok. Earlier in the day I had made a reservation thinking that we may want to sit down. Yet, when I got to the restaurant and took a look at the menu I realized the prices were different than what had been online. It wasn't a huge difference, but it was more the principle of the situation. When you are on a budget you have to stick to it and a few extra dollars here or there can add up.

So off to the bar we went. Trying to find a spot in the lounge was difficult but not impossible. After a few minutes of trying to squeeze through the throngs of people jockeying for the bartenders' attention we found a spot to sit.

After a good 15 minutes a waiter finally came over to take our order. My dining companions suggested that we order in one go (even though it was tapas style) in case we never got our waiter's attention again. We ordered from the happy hour menu which looked as if there were enough options to keep our stomachs full and happy.

The first thing that came out was my drink - a pine mojito, aka a pineapple mojito. This was easily the best thing that I tried all evening. The flavors of the mint and the pineapple were unexpected but extremely tasty. Not long after the edamame was delivered from the kitchen. Normally edamame is the same wherever you go, but at Zengo it appears that they grill the outside of the pod to give it a nice smokey flavor.

Each of the other dishes that we ordered fell short of expectations. The Thai chicken empanadas were good, but didn't have much of a kick to them. The pork belly steamed buns didn't live up to the "steamed" part of the equation. Instead I found the buns to be a bit mushy, which made them unappetizing. The seaweed salad had a weird texture that no one at our table could quite get over. As my father would say - "Good idea. Bad execution."

Although happy hour at Zengo runs from 5:00 - 7:30 every Monday - Saturday, I don't know if this would be a place I would recommend that people go and spend their money. If you aren't looking to eat and just looking to have a drink go ahead and get cozy at the bar, but if you are looking to do some snacking, I would recommend that you head someplace else.


image: ruba.com and kevineats.com