Graffiato's Goes Creative

Dear Fellow Foodies,

If you watch Bravo TV's "Top Chef," you may have heard of Mike Isabella, a young creative chef who puts his own flavors on traditional Italian cuisine to bring it into the twenty-first century. 

Pizza has never seemed more creative than here, with far ranging options including cauliflower, squash, arugula, and even calamari pizzas. Side dishes excel, with a delicious roasted Brussels sprouts with pancetta that I found to be extraordinarily tasty. 

Mike has restaurants in both Richmond and Washington DC, as well as his Greek place Kapnos, which I hope to visit sometime soon. 

Trendy and tastefully industrial inside, his restaurants are deliberately noisy, so this is not the place to have a quiet chat with your lawyer, your grandma, or your first date. 

Spike Mendelsohn, Of Thee I Sing! OOh La La.

Dear friends of the dining pleasures,

Many of you who have watched Top Chef on Bravo TV are familiar with Spike Mendelsohn. He is a force!

Last week, I stumbled quite by accident into one of his restaurants: Bearnaise on Capital Hill. Only open for two weeks, there are no kinks that need ironing out!! The restaurant has a Parisian ambiance and menu, even though it is a stone's throw from the U.S. Capital Building, at 315 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE.

First, I must swoon over the fresh crusty French bread. It has a great texture! Crisp on the outside, rustic on the inside, yet light.

The chicken paillard was magnifique. The French fries were to die for. Although the place calls itself a steak frites menu, I did not have the chance to taste their steak. However! Tomorrow is another day.
And yes, bearnaise is one of many sauces offered alongside one's chicken or beef. It is truly delicious and not heavy.


Bearnaise Restaurant 


Down the same block is Spike's wildly different offering: 
We The Pizza! It had a line twenty deep of eager eaters. A casual restaurant that offers unusual pizza flavors and toppings, it has little ambiance and little seating. There is a stand-up counter inside, and a few tables out on the sidewalk. Judging by the line, it must be delish!


In addition, in case two restaurants in the same block are not enough Spike, there is a third of his in between: Good Stuff Eatery.  Heaven help us!

Your imaginary Foodie,
Patsie

Hillbilly Handfishing versus Painting

Dear Imaginary Friends,

I have never in my life heard of a sadder excuse for a television show than Hillbilly Handfishing.

Translation of the "plot":

People who do not know any better stand in ponds, creeks, small rivers, and put their hands under the water to catch fish. Ostensibly, they are too poor to buy fishing poles??

For those of us who are too elite to know what a hillbilly is, a hillbilly is an uneducated person who lives far away from the cultural centers of the Untied States, and has no idea what a cultural center is. Nor does he care. See glossary under "redneck."

What is worth watching on TV these days, you may be asking? Well, how about "Work of Art", a clever reality show which features 12 or so visual artists, struggling to meet challenges and competing for a cash prize and  gallery representation. It is starting its new season this month on Bravo. The challenges require clear thinking, good work ethics, and competitiveness.

Many artists lack ambition and discipline, refusing to conform even a little bit, in order to sell their paintings. In the real world, that does not work out well. 

Wisteria/Bird Mural by Patricia Uchello

See you around,

Patsie