Top Chef The chef tells the Post: “ We want to stop the bleeding” Top Chef alum and restaurateur Mike Isabella filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection today in federal court, the Washington Post reports . This is the latest development in Mike Isabella Concepts’ recent business struggles, as Chinatown restaurant Graffiato and his massive food hall at Tysons Galleria both closed over the summer and he’s reportedly trying to work on a payment plan with the landlord of his College Park restaurant Kapnos Taverna .
Chefs
Look for The Blue Door
The Blue Door Kitchen & Inn
675 Zachary Taylor Hwy.
Flint Hill, VA 22627
540-675-1700
https://thebluedoorkitchen.com/
American | $$
As you pass through Flint Hill, VA The Blue Door Kitchen & Inn is hard to miss. The inn sits back from the main road in town but is easy to spot. Open for just a few months it has already received top 5.0 ratings on tripadvisor.com and Yelp.com. Seasoned restaurateur Reem Arbid and partner Chef Andrea Pace, formerly at Villa Mozart in Fairfax City, have transformed the old Public House Restaurant into a fine dinning destination.
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We started with this wonderful Hummus with bits of beef tenderloin and pita bread. The hummus with tenderloin was different and really wonderful.
Our second appetizer was the Rice balls Milanese with San Marzano tomatoes and basil. These Arancini type rice balls were perfect. Ask for bread to get all of the sauce up.
My wife ordered the Wild rockfish with olive oil mashed potato, braised artichoke heart, cremini mushrooms, in a crustacean sauce. I tasted the fish and found it mildly sweet, flaky, and cooked perfectly.
I asked for Chef Andrea to choose a dish for me and was thankful when this amazing half roasted chicken with root vegetables arrived. This is not something I would order myself. Ordering chicken in a restaurant can be iffy, often it is not done or dry. This roasted chicken was luscious. A wonderfully flavorful moist chicken with crispy skin with a slight crunch to it.
My wife chose the Kalamansi panna cotta with fennel orange ice cream and berries for dessert. I did not taste this dish but could tell from the look on my wife’s face it was something special.
My eyes are always drawn to chocolate on the menu. I ordered the Olive oil chocolate mousse with banana ice cream. The caramelized banana slices were a nice complement to the banana ice cream. The mousse is the centerpiece of the dish and flawless. The balance of chocolate and banana works well.
The food at The Blue Door is phenomenal, Chef Andrea can cook. The key to success will be management and The Blue Door is managed well by Reem Arbid. One challenge to opening a new restaurant is staffing and being in a rural area just makes it harder. I was puzzled watching several walk ins turned away because they were booked up. There was plenty of seating but no one without a reservation was seated. Later I learned from the server they were short staffed in the kitchen. It was clear seating that night would be based on the number of covers chef was comfortable with and not the number of chairs in the dining room. This attention to quality over quantity is not something you see in all restaurants.
They are open Thursday for dinner, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for lunch and dinner. Call for reservations and treat yourself to something special.
Mike Isabella closes his high-profile food hall in Tysons Galleria
(Dixie D. Vereen for The Washington Post)
The Isabella Eatery in the Tysons Galleria would become the fourth of his restaurants to close since the chef was accused of sexual harassment.
Source: Mike Isabella closes his high-profile food hall in Tysons Galleria
New York State Investigates Sexual Harassment at the Spotted Pig
New York’s attorney general has issued a subpoena seeking information about Ken Friedman, Mario Batali and civil rights violations at the restaurant.
Source: State Investigates Sexual Harassment at the Spotted Pig
For these wounded warriors, a chef-cooked meal is part of the healing process
Army Chief Warrant Officer Ryan Davis, the guest of honor at the Warrior Retreat at Bull Run, expresses his pleasure with a quail dish. (Doug Kapustin/For The Washington Post)
At the Warrior Retreat at Bull Run, soldiers and their families get a taste of the VIP treatment. The Visiting Chef Program partners with exceptional volunteer restaurant, catering, military, and personal chefs who come to the Warrior Retreat at Bull Run in Haymarket, VA and create once in a lifetime extraordinary meals for our injured warriors and their families.
Source: For these wounded warriors, a chef-cooked meal is part of the healing process
Maple & Pine Restaurant
Maple & Pine Restaurant
(Inside the Quirk Hotel)
201 W. Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23220
804-340-6050
https://www.destinationhotels.com/maple-and-pine-restaurant
American | $$$
Maple & Pine is in the trendy Quirk Hotel in downtown Richmond.
Sitting on the end of the bar you get a peak at a portion of the kitchen where dishes are finished.
The bread is fresh baked in house.
Braised Leek & Oyster Mushroom Fondue, with Gruyere and French Baguette.
Pork & Shrimp Dumplings, Shiitake Mushrooms, Dashi, and Charred Scallions. The appetizers are all amazing. Chef David Dunlap has created beautifully flavorful appetizers with which you can make a meal.
For my entrée I chose the Braised Beef Short Rib Strudel with a Sweet Potato Puree, Pickled Cabbage, and Beef Jus. The braised short bib just melts in your mouth. The strudel gave each bite a delicious crunchy taste.
My wife had the Black Pepper Cavatelli, Porcini Cream, Beech Mushrooms, and Parmesan. The porcini cream and parmesan was heavenly.
I am a big chocolate fan so this looked like a no brainer. Chocolate Ganache, Peanut Butter Foam, Bourbon Caramel, with Maldon Sea Salt.This was crazy good and as fine a dessert as I have had. If you have even the slightest fondness for chocolate you don’t want to miss this one.When it comes to flavor think Reese’s Peanut Cup on steroids.
My wife’s dessert was the Vanilla Almond Cake, Blueberry Compote, Anise Whipped Cream, and Cardamom Ice Cream. To be honest I was so focused on my own dessert that I didn’t notice or taste my wife’s dessert. I take her word that is was excellent.
Chef David Dunlap, formerly at The Ashby Inn, has created an awesome menu of unique flavorful dishes that are suitable for almost every palate. If you live, work, or visit Richmond treat yourself to a special dinner at Maple & Pine. Reservations are recommended especially on weekends.
Mike Isabella’s First Restaurant, Graffiato, Is Closed
The restaurant allegedly owes back rent Mike Isabella’s seven-year-old flagship restaurant Graffiato has shut off its lights for good, marking the latest piece of bad news for the troubled Top Chef alum. A source inside the restaurant group told Eater that Italian-inspired Graffiato is “indeed closed.” A Popville tipster noted the 130-seat restaurant was locked on Tuesday night during dinner service hours, with no explanation posted on the door.
Source: Mike Isabella’s First Restaurant, Graffiato, Is Closed
The Best Chef’s Knives
Don’t buy a new chef’s knife without reading this excellent review of the various options from Serious Eats. This is the knife you use to dice an onion, chop herbs, cut up a pineapple, and cube meat. If there’s any knife you should spend more money on, it’s this one. They reviewed nearly 30 different chef’s knives, from both Japanese and Western manufacturers. Take a look at their favorites.
Source: The Best Chef’s Knives
The World’s 50 Best Restaurants
If you happen to be traveling the world soon and need a list of great restaurants we present this year’s top 50 from The World’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy. Leading off in first place is Chef Massimo Bottura’s Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy. If you can get a table figure on $288 per person for a 10 course tasting menu. Six of the fifty restaurants are here in the United States. The top U.S. restaurant in 12th place is Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Pocantico Hills, NY.
1. Osteria Francescana (Modena, Italy)
2. El Celler de Can Roca (Girona, Spain)
3. Mirazur (Menton, France)
4. Eleven Madison Park (New York City)
5. Gaggan (Bangkok)
6. Central (Lima, Peru)
7. Maido (Lima, Peru)
8. Arpege (Paris, France)
9. Mugaritz (San Sebastian, Spain)
10. Asador Etxebarri (Axpe, Spain)
11. Quintonil (Mexico City, Mexico)
12. Blue Hill at Stone Barns (Pocantico Hills, New York)
13. Pujol (Mexico City, Mexico)
14. Steirereck (Vienna, Austria)
15. White Rabbit (Moscow, Russia)
16. Piazza Duomo (Alba, Italy)
17. Den (Tokyo, Japan)
18. Disfrutar (Barcelona, Spain)
19. Geranium (Copenhagen)
20. Attica (Melbourne, Australia)
21. Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée (Paris, France)
22. Narisawa (Tokyo, Japan)
23. Le Calandre (Rubano, Italy)
24. Ultraviolet (Shanghai, China)
25. Cosme (New York City)
26. Le Bernardin (New York City)
27. Boragó (Santiago, Chile)
28. Odette (Singapore)
29. Alléno Paris au Pavillon Ledoyen (Paris, France)
30. D.O.M. (São Paulo, Brazil)
31. Arzak (San Sebastian, Spain)
32. Tickets (Barcelona, Spain)
33. The Clove Club (London, UK)
34. Alinea (Chicago)
35. Maaemo (Oslo, Norway)
36. Reale (Castel Di Sangro, Italy)
37. Restaurant Tim Raue (Berlin, Germany)
38. Lyle’s (London)
39. Astrid y Gastón (Lima, Peru)
40. Septime (Paris, France)
41. Nihonryori RyuGin (Tokyo, Japan)
42. Ledbury (London, UK)
43. Azurmendi (Larrabetzu, Spain)
44. Mikla (Istanbul, Turkey)
45. Dinner by Heston Blumenthal (London, UK)
46. Saison (San Francisco)
47. Schloss Schauenstein (Fürstenau, Switzerland)
48. Hiša Franko (Kobarid, Slovenia)
49. Nahm (Bangkok, Thailand)
50. Test Kitchen (Cape Town, South Africa)
Thanks to All the Visiting Chefs
We are less than a week away from when the 100th Wounded Warrior and their family will check in for a week stay at the Warrior Retreat at Bull Run. As we approach this milestone event all the volunteer Staff Chefs and Sous Chefs want to thank the over 60 Visiting Chefs that come out each Sunday night and prepare amazing meals for the families. It is almost always the best dinner the family has ever had, and it means so much to us to be part of that.
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