Lunchtime score! Apparently somebody hit up Graffiato for lunch (Restaurant Week visit, perhaps), and offered up he leftover pizza in the office kitchen!
(This is the only Jersey Shore-named product I approve of).
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Today’s (delicious) lunch at Graffiato. They’ve added a ton of chopped parsley to the Jersey Shore pizza, and I think it works quite well.
A delicious lunch at Graffiato this afternoon, with the pictured broccoli and smoked mozzarella pizza, which I loved, though I’m not usually a big smoked mozzarella fan—I think the fact that they stretch (and probably smoke) the mozzarella in house may help with the special smoky flavor they got. We also had a classic (melted tomato, garlic and oregano) pizza, and sweet corn agnolotti, which was so delicious it disappeared before the camera came out.
Seems like chef Mike Isabella has been reacting to the early reviews, too, because our server was as friendly as the last visit, but much less pushy in trying to upsell us.
Graffiato, cont’d
accidentalextrovert replied to your photo: Another weekend culinary highlight: sampling Top…
How was the Jersey Shore?? I was too chicken to order it when I went.
The Jersey Shore was pretty tasty, reminiscent not necessarily of the shore, but of the fare you’d get at any Italian family (or “Family”) restaurant in New Jersey, Long Island, Rhode Island, with the crispy calamari blending with marinara and their cherry pepper aioli.
The aioli itself, which the waitress really talked up, wasn’t that great on its own—and seemed a bit weird on the pizza, but it gets to some of the pepperoncini and lemon tastes that I grew up with on my calamari. If the chef’s still tweaking the recipe, I think there might be a more effective way than the aioli to get those flavors across on the pizza.
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Another weekend culinary highlight: sampling Top Chef alum Mike Isabella’s Graffiato.
The three pizzas are the Classic (just tomato and sea salt, surprisingly delicious), the Jersey Shore (featuring fried calamari but no Snooki), and last night’s special, which featured fresh peaches, arugula, blue cheese and ground walnuts.
Best thing we had, though, was the heirloom tomatoes with burrata. Yum!
Still some kinks to work out with the food and service, but this early taste was a promising start, especially since they found us a table for three at 6:00 p.m., with no reservation!
Mike Isabella’s Graffiato to open Thursday - Washington Post
The old 1940s-era print shop that he picked for his debut restaurant required a whole new electrical buildout — and about $300,000 more than estimated in his budget — but former Zaytinya chef and “Top Chef All-Stars” finalist Mike Isabella is finally in business.
Graffiato, his Italian-inspired operation with small plates and pizza and pasta, will officially open at 5 p.m. on Thursday at 707 6th St. NW in Chinatown.
I’m more looking forward to when the restaurant opens for lunch “in a few weeks,” but happy to have Graffiato finally opening around the corner from the office!
Top Chef alum Mike Isabella’s forthcoming restaurant, Graffiato, seems to be rounding into shape, as seen on today’s post-lunch walk back to work.
The restaurant’s website says “Spring 2010” opening. Based on a quick peek inside, I’d guess it’s about 2-3 weeks out. I am very excited that this will be one of the closest restaurants to the office!
