Graffiato

While I was away we went to Graffiato.  We arrived ready to eat some Italian-inspired cuisine with a fresh batch of reviews from K.  I wasn't the biggest fan of Mike I in Top Chef DC, but I always had a soft spot for Zaytinya, particularly for a group brunch.

I wanted to order pretty much everything, and because some plates are probably small, you probably could if you brought a few more people.

Look how cute these bandit vegetables are!  They're painted on the wall at the top of the stairs.

Let's kick it off with Saged & Confused.   Handmade vodka, cucumber juice, sage, and lime.  Cukes are my jam!

Chestnut agnolotti with butternut squash and browned butter.  These little suckers can slide right down your throat without a thought, but you should take it slowly and savor it.

Cauliflower with pecorino and mint, flatbread with pepperoni sauce.  Not easy to share such a small dish of delicious cauliflower among 4 people.

Striped bass with potato...good but not great.

The star!  The best in taste and the best in value. The Countryman pizza with black truffle, fontina cheese, and a soft egg.  The yolky truffleness was ridiiiiiculous.  Crust was crispy and chewy at the same time, as a good crust must be.  I could have eaten the whole thing, but that would have been unsportsmanlike!

Talk about comfort food...this pumpkin risotto with smoked provolone (topped with toasty pepitas) was definitely good, but couldn't top the pizza.  An egg on my food will almost always win.

So go to Graffiato, get a bunch of pizzas, maybe some vegetables as sides (but prepare for the dishes to be quite tiny).  We saved some calories and dollar bills by enjoying tea and Red Velvet cupcakes at home a while later.  

Graffiato

707 6th Street NW

Metro: Red Line to Gallery Place/Chinatown