Caption: Mike Isabella in TC All-Stars.
Top Chef (Season 6) and Top Chef All-Stars runner-up, Chef Mike Isabella was previously known for being the executive chef at D.C.’s Zaytinya, and then opened up his own restaurant in Chinatown, Graffiato. In 2012, he opened Georgetown’s Bandolero as a partnering chef. What a busy man! But wait–he’s just getting started! Chef Isabella has not one but two new restaurant openings this spring in the brand new 14W residency building (scheduled to open mid-April).
Kapnos– Greek for ‘smoke’, will feature Greek cuisine inspired from Chef Isabella’s trips to Greece and Macedonia. The savory meat selection (duck, chicken, pig, lamb, and goat) will be spit-roasted in 2 wood-fire grills to give maximum juice and flavor in each bite. Kapnos’ menu will be split into 6 categories: Spreads, Raw, Cold, Garden, Ocean, and Spit. One interesting distinction in this menu line-up is the “Ocean”; you don’t see seafood being served in Greek restaurants often (or at all), so this will be interesting to see how it will pan out. Kapnos will seat 150-people, and yes, there is a bar. As for the serving schedule, lunch will not be served at Kapnos, just dinner. Fret not! All you have to do is walk next-door to Chef Isabella’s second restaurant, G, for lunch.
G– the “little sister” of Graffiato, is an Italian sandwich shop that will use the meat selection from Kapnos in their menu. Sandwiches, soups, and salads will be served for lunch everyday and it will also be available on Tuesday nights. For dinner, a 4-course tasting menu at a cost of $40 will be available reservation –only, which will feature an antipasti (appetizer) of meats, cheese, foie gras, liver, and olives, followed by a pasta dish, meat or fish entrée (possibly a rack of lamb or pork shoulder; check the menu beforehand), then dessert. G will seat 45-people and while there is no bar, you know where you can find one close by that is just a few footsteps away.
The opening of Kapnos and G is highly anticipated and fellow foodies and food critics cannot wait to try out the 2 newest Isabella additions on the 14th St Corridor of D.C.
-EHY
Editor’s Note:
Graffiato (another Isabella restaurant) is having its next Industry Takeover Night on April 1st. We attended the last one, and had a good time.
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