Top Chef Throwdown: Mike Isabella’s Graffiato vs. Spike Mendelsohn’s We, The Pizza
Washington, DC is the home to restaurants belonging to two of Top Chef’s most popular former contestants, Mike Isabella and Spike Mendelsohn, and a recent visit to the chefs’ eateries proved that one may need to pack his knives and go (sorry, I couldn’t resist). I dined at Mendelsohn’s We, The Pizza and Good Stuff Eatery and Isabella’s Graffiato and how they measured up against each other was an outcome even I hadn’t predicted. I will make the following disclaimers up front: 1. There are, obviously, a lot of variables that can factor into a...
Read MoreOn the Road Again: A Weekend at Fairville Inn
As I mentioned in an earlier post, this weekend was about food, food and more food. I was in town for the MidAtlantic Wine and Food Festival and had the opportunity to stay at Fairville Inn in Chadds Ford, PA not far from Delaware’s border. In the true spirit of confessing, I must admit I am a bit obsessed with B&Bs; I much prefer them over standard hotels. It may be a combination of the intimate service and the often times interesting backstories of the properties themselves that make me swoon. Whatever it is, I have found a new favorite B&B right in the heart of the...
Read MoreNY Must-Try: Dinner at The Spotted Pig
The burger and rosemary shoestring fries at The Spotted Pig may be the best meal on Earth. Often times in the restaurant world, descriptors like ‘cramped,’ ‘overcrowded,’ and ’tight’ sound a death knell for the eatery in question. Throw in excrutiatingly long wait times and a ‘no reservations’ policy and its fate is likely sealed, but somehow The Spotted Pig–logistical nightmare that it is–manages to deftly avoid the minefield of extinction. Navigate the throng of diners desperate to snag one of the impossibly tiny tables upstairs...
Read MoreA Burger Worth Traveling For
The MOINK burger, fries, and an old-fashioned Boylan soda Ottsville. Ever heard of it? Probably not, but it’s a town worth plugging into your GPS. Why? Because it’s home of one of the best burgers on the planet. Those of us who have stood in line at the MOO truck on the grounds of the Ottsville Farmers Market know just how delicious the burgers–crafted from local ingredients–are. Now, as seems the fashion, the MOO truck has morphed into a bona-fide 46-seat brick-and-mortar restaurant (don’t fret–the food truck will still be available for private events...
Read MoreHidden Gem Alert: El Tule (Lambertville, NJ)
Trio of traditional Mexican tacos Though postage stamp-sized, Lambertville is one of those tiny towns teeming with curious little shops, narrow alleyways, and a surprising number of eateries. It is separated from its sister city New Hope by the Delaware River and, when coupled together, the quaint duo makes for a fun day trip. When it comes to Lambertville and New Hope, I’m no stranger to “stumble travel”–that means no GPS, no itinerary, no concrete plans–I literally stumble upon interesting spots and almost always discover a gem. I...
Read MoreWho is The Palate Princess?
Iris McCarthy is a food writer and author of the popular book Food Lovers' Guide to Philadelphia. This website is where she gets to sound off on all things culinary.