Top Chef Alum Report: Washington, DC

by Elissa

As a Top Chef fan and DC resident, I like to keep up with what local alums have been up to. While I haven't yet made the trek out to Frederick, Maryland to see what Bryan Voltaggio is up to, I can report on the recent endeavors of Mike Isabella, Spike Mendelsohn, and Carla Hall.

Mike Isabella has been in the local news A LOT lately--he opened his first restaurant, Graffiato, a year ago, and recently opened Bandolero, his second DC restaurant; he's also working on a cookbook and maybe another restaurant? My husband and I decided to go to Graffiato to celebrate our fifth wedding anniversary a few weeks ago. I'm happy to report that all the hype does not appear to have adversely affected the food.

{photo credit: graffiato.com}

As you can see, the restaurant does not feel super-fancy. The menu is made up of small plates and pizza; since it was a special occasion for us we opted for the $55/person tasting menu. Both of us came away feeling like the tasting menu was a tremendous value. We got to enjoy 16 different dishes over the course of the evening, and just about everything was excellent.

{photo credit: graffiato.com}

Highlights included roasted cauliflower with pecorino and mint, beet green ravioli, and the above-pictured pizza, which featured black truffles, fontina cheese, and a soft cooked egg. We left full of good food with some leftovers to bring home--I'd definitely be happy to go back. I'm also eager to try Bandolero once the crowds and buzz die down a little bit.

Spike Mendelsohn opened Good Stuff Eatery on Capitol Hill in 2008. It's a casual place serving burgers, fries, and milkshakes. He subsequently opened a pizza place next door (We the Pizza), and recently opened a second Good Stuff location in Virginia.

{photo credit: goodstuffeatery.com}

While I always found Spike kind of annoying on the show, I am a fan of Good Stuff. The burgers are quite good (I'm partial to the Blazin' Barn, which features Sriracha mayo and Vietnamese-style pickles and herbs), and because it's an order-at-the-counter place it's a good place to go with kids. But the thing that keeps me coming back is the milkshakes. The toasted marshmallow milkshake is their signature shake, and it is worth a special trip on its own. It is rich and creamy with a burnt-sugar edge from the toasted marshmallows (here's a recipe if you want to give it a try at home).

Finally, I recently tried some cookies and nuts from Carla Hall's Alchemy line of products.

{photo credit: alchemybycarlahall.com}

The Black Forest Crinkle is little chocolate cherry cookies; the first box that I bought from a local market was delicious and totally addictive: rich chocolate, tart cherries, and a wonderful chewy texture. I bought another box a few weeks later, though, and they were too sweet and crumbly. So while there's great potential there, based on my experience there may be some issues with consistency.

{photo credit: alchemybycarlahall.com}

I also tried a box of Alchemy's spiced nuts--these were delicious and would make a fabulous hostess gift. 

So there you have it--my take on three of the DC-area Top Chef alums. Have you had experience (either good or bad) with these or other Top Chef participants? 

Comments

[Em]

We hit up Good Stuff occasionally at lunch. I second the Blazin' Barn burger. The Obama Burger is pretty tasty too. I've never had the marshmallow shake but if you go in October you can get a pumpkin one that is really good.
I tried We The Pizza when it first opened and it was alright but I wasn't too excited about it.