Graffiato

"In June 2011, Chef Mike Isabella opened Graffiato, an Italian-inspired restaurant in the Chinatown neighborhood of Washington, DC. The 130-seat spot allows Chef Isabella to interact with guests while he crafts comforting dishes from seasonal produce and locally cured hams, hand-rolled pastas and marinated vegetable accoutrements.

The Dolphin

Last date I was here: 05/20/2011

Restaurant: The Dolphin

Location: Akrotiri - Santorini, Greece

Total Rating: 4.15
Food: 4, Price: 4, Service: 4, Ambience: 5, Accessibility: 5

Summary: After taking the bus down to the Southwestern part of Santorini to explore Akrotiri and the Red Beach, we stumbled upon this charming seaside tavern. Nothing fancy, but the Dolphin had table seating out on the dock and we were sure they would have fresh seafood, so we gave them a try for lunch and boy were we glad. The Dolphin is sort of in a remote location - you have to walk past a few other taverns and along the beach to get to it. Service was friendly and prompt and sitting out on the pier we had a great view of the bus stop, just in case. The seafood was very fresh and plentiful and the ice tea I ordered was so refreshing after the day in the sun.

What I ate:

Calamari

Greek Salad

tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, with Feta cheese

Plus Keith ate:

Cuttlefish

Sonoma

Last date I was here: 07/16/2010

Restaurant: Sonoma (http://www.sonomadc.com/)

Location: Capitol Hill

Total Rating: 4.05
Food: 4, Price: 4, Service: 4, Ambience: 4, Accessibility: 5

Summary: Sonoma's mission is to highlight the Mid-Atlantic's best naturally-raised and local ingredients and pair the creations with the best American and Italian wines. The menu features wood-grilled meats and seafood, as well as smaller plates - including a recognized collection of local artisanal cheeses - all of which marries perfectly with the 40-plus wines Sonoma serves by the glass. Replacing an older restaurant that accompanied the many others that line the strip along Pennsylvania Ave SE, Sonoma peaked our interest. Closest Metro Station is Eastern Market or Capitol South.

Aug 2007: Very narrow, the tables are packed in and it was very crowded when we went. Packed with people from the Hill wanting to enjoy a fancy cheese plate and wine, I was not super impressed with the service. The food was not memorable and I would only try this spot again for lunch possibly.

UPDATE: Keith and I tried this place after our first choice plans fell through. We were able to be seated at a large communal table with no problems - and luckily no one was seated next to us the entire evening. Still dark and very noisy, packed with local Hill staffers, service was ok. The menu was slightly different than our first visit highlighting fresh ingredients. Again, this place is good for sipping wine and sharing smaller plates but not my favorite place to dine.

What I ate:

Smoked Mozzarella Risotto

Grilled Sea Scallops

served with white beans and eggplant puree

Penne
With pulled amish chicken, dried tomatoes, basil, ricotta salata

Charred Calamari
with chickpeas, grilled onions, basil-walnut pesto

Fussilli

with confit chicken, onions, and pesto

Margherita Pizza

crushed san marzano tomato, basil, mozzarella

Plus Keith ate:

Branzino

Grilled fish on a broth with oyster mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, and spinach

La Mer Salada

Last date I was here: 05/27/2010

Restaurant: La Mer Salada (http://www.lamarsalada.cat/)

Location: Barceloneta-Barcelona, Spain

Total Rating: 4.05
Food: 4, Price: 4, Service: 4, Ambience: 4, Accessibility: 5

Summary: This is the second restaurant that Keith found, and it was along a strip (like a boardwalk) overlooking the harbor and beach area called Barceloneta. Offering a more modern dining venue with tasty Spanish dishes featuring fresh seafood, La Mer Salada was a nice change from the hustle and bustle of other tourist attractions. Even though it was starting to rain, we sat outside on the patio covered by large umbrellas. Our server spoke English pretty well and after ordering a bottle of wine, we studied the menu. Many of the items were more eclectic than my usual tastes, yet Keith who is always brave, decided to pick some things and try it. We were both pleasantly surprised and left the evening very satisfied. The seafood was extremely fresh and the price tag was worth having a nice meal in Spain.

What I ate:

Cod with Spinach

served with a fig and raisin chutney

Plus Keith ate:

Grilled Octopus

served over sliced potatoes with paprika

Calamari stuffed with Sausage

served with boiled potatoes

La Xerinola

Last date I was here: 05/26/2010

Restaurant: La Xerinola


Location: Las Ramblas-Barcelona, Spain

Total Rating: 2.35
Food: 2, Price: 2, Service: 3, Ambience: 3, Accessibility: 5

Summary: After walking around all afternoon, we decided to check out the touristy Las Ramblas area of Barcelona. Full of shops, restaurants, street performers, we thought for sure we would find some place nice for dinner here. After perusing a few menus displayed along the way, we couldn't decide and were getting hungry. I spotted one place that seemed to be fairly busy and had a large sign out front stating a 3 course price fix dinner for only 11 Euros. I thought - wow, that's a deal - boy was I suckered!


The place turned out to be full of tourists (it was along the main strip of Las Ramblas after all) and they had a separate bar area to sit if you were ordering tapas only. Since we ate that earlier for lunch, we wanted to sit down for actual entrees. We asked about the daily price fix menu and the options seemed delightful - paella, salads, various seafoods. Also being the first night in Spain, I ordered sangria - but instead of a tasty local specialty - we received an overpriced jug filled with soda and wine topped with several two foot long plastic straws. When our food arrived, I realized why the price was so low - the fried calamari was soggy and the paella was dry as if it had been sitting all day under a heat lamp. Keith's mussels seemed a little spoiled, yet he ate them anyways. The best thing was the dessert. Oh well - we learned our lesson. Don't get tricked by the "deals" - it's probably too good to be true, especially in the touristy areas.


What I ate:

Mixed Salad

Fried Calamari

Bourbon Cake

Plus Keith ate:

Mussels Marinara

Seafood Paella

Lemon Cake

George's at the Cove

Last date I was here: 03/19/2010

Restaurant: George's at the Cove (http://www.georgesatthecove.com/)

Location: La Jolla, CA

Total Rating: 2.8
Food: 2, Price: 3, Service: 4, Ambience: 5, Accessibility: 4

Summary: Very simply, George's at the Cove is for people who believe in enjoying the San Diego lifestyle to the fullest. You can’t find a more beautiful setting anywhere in San Diego, if you’re looking for a place to sit and relax and enjoy a great meal with a spectacular ocean view. Serving innovative, contemporary food at its peak of freshness, George's menu changes daily and features dishes from one of San Diego’s most admired chefs, Trey Foshee.

We tried the casual bistro menu to soak in the region’s best rooftop views of the ocean at the Ocean Terrace upstairs. They only allow you to sit up there if you order food in addition to your cocktails, so we ordered some appetizers. Although the food was disappointing the view was just breathtaking. The drinks were a little overpriced and watered down. I would not recommend George's for the cuisine, but for a quick stop and to see the view it is a must for visitors to La Jolla.

What I ate:

Mexican Style Shrimp Cocktail

spicy tomato sauce with cucumber, onion, lime, cilantro, avocado

Crispy Calamari

fennel, Meyer lemon aioli