Isabella Eatery, Mike Isabella Lends his Name to a 41,000-Square-Foot Eatery at Tysons Galleria - Closed

[Ericandblueboy]

I was at the Galleria today wondering just what to waste some money on and I got a bit hungry on account of the fact that I don't eat breakfast and it was around 11:30.  So I went to Graffiato for a slice and a salad.  For $12, I expected my arugula salad to be nicely tossed.  Instead, they took a plastic bowl out of a nearby refrigeration unit.  Perhaps I should've wasted some money on fancy Astro Glide at Needless Markup.  I could've had a much better bowl of fancy greens at Sweetgreen or Chopt.  At $5.50 a slice, the Sicilian style Porky's Revenge wasn't nearly as ludicrously priced but it was just terrible.  The bottom crust was tough and chewy - making my jaws quite sore from grinding it down.  The sauce was definitely on the acidic side.  Next time I want to waste some dough, it won't be at Graffiato.

[DonRocks]

18 minutes ago, Ericandblueboy said:

Next time I want to waste some dough, it won't be at Graffiato.

No pun intended.

[lion]

We went back at the Galleria for lunch and tried the coffee and pizza stand as well. We liked the ice cream joint.

[Ericandblueboy]

Went to the Galleria to check out some fancy backpacks.  BTW, whoever said Isabella has a booze license covering the mall is just wrong.  You can't walk around the mall with a cocktail.  There are plenty of signs saying you can't walk past with booze.  So before shopping, I had a couple of glasses of wine at the Octagon bar and ordered some fried cauliflowers, chicken croquettes, and chermoula lamb chops.  All were really good.  I was only annoyed at having to cut the lamb chops with a table knife.

[dcs]

Lawsuit accuses celebrity chef Mike Isabella of ‘extraordinary’ sexual harassment, by Danielle Paquette,  March 19, 2018, on washingtonpost.com. at 1:06 PM Email the author

[DonRocks]

There were either copyright issues (in which case, this was a clever end-around that few will notice), or an editor should be fired ASAP: *Oof!*

[lizzie]

I vote for the needing a new editor (gamas al ajillo??)

[DonRocks]

10 minutes ago, lizzie said:

I vote for the needing a new editor (gamas al ajillo??)

Good Lord - I was talking about Cirque de Soleil, which isn't their name (it translates to "Circus of Sun," as opposed to Cirque du Soleil, which is their name, and translates to "Circus of the Sun"). I momentarily thought that gamas was some regional dialect (Basque, Catalan, etc.), but I don't think it is - that's ... just ... incredible, although in their defense, this is just a temporary menu that was probably written in a hurry.

[reedm]

After a failed attempt obtaining tickets at "will call" for Cirque du Soleil (long story), we found ourselves looking for lunch. While the overall operations of the eatery have changed a bit, it still takes effort to find which options are available, since that varies according to the day and the time. 

We settled upon Graffiato, which has it's own hostess stand, and had quite an enjoyable lunch. The "Crispy Brussel Sprouts" ($13) was a generous serving size, and more than enough for two to share. The sprouts were crispy, yet tender. The pancetta vinaigrette was a nice compliment to the maple yogurt, which was piped around the inside of the bowl. Chopped hard-boiled eggs were sprinkled throughout. I initially wondered if the combination would work, and it turned out to be delicious.

We also ordered "Gnocchi a la Vodka" ($15), which was a fairly traditional version of a gnocchi dish. The pasta was nice and soft, and the sauce was well-balanced. Very good, and it's a nice dish for less adventurous diners.

Despite my limited enthusiasm for eggplant, I decided on the "Roasted Trout" ($22), which was served with eggplant caponata, lemon-caper aioli, and a bit of greenery/frisee. The trout had been filleted, and it was nicely cooked, with crispy skin and tender flesh. The caponata was appropriately tangy, and it paired nicely with the creamy richness of the aioli. I'd certainly recommend this dish.

Service was great as well. We didn't have anything other than water, but our waiter was attentive, prompt, and friendly. Graffiato is set back from the open area of the mall, and it's a nice space full of interesting decorations and artwork.

Btw, the deep dish crust is long gone, and the thin crust pizza is a huge improvement. (My wife works at the Galleria, and she has sampled quite a few of Isabella's offerings.

[genericeric]

Thursday afternoon at 5:30 and the only portions of this that were open were the self service bar, the ice cream counter, and Graffiato.  That is a massive amount of square footage to be closed within their posted hours of operation.  This was 7/5, so maybe they were expecting it to be slow so they reduced capacity, but it didn't seem to bode well for long term prospects.

Normally after I get my hair did at the Grooming Lounge, I head next door to Wildfire for a Manhattan.  Consistency lately has been an issue, but more irking, they charge $17.00 for a cocktail that is served in what feels like a plastic martini glass.  So the wife and I head to the 'self serve' section of Graffiato - order at the bar, someone brings you the food.  Don't expect to get napkins, silverware, or a clean table.

Two drinks were ok and the happy hour prices were decent.  Two apps - french fries and meatballs - were oddly flavorless.  Even my wife, who typically enjoys a bland meal, wondered how you could have a marinara with so little flavor.  

I can't imagine Isabella's press is helping, but he's not doing himself any favors with the bland food and shuttered concepts.

[pras]

7 hours ago, genericeric said:

Thursday afternoon at 5:30 and the only portions of this that were open were the self service bar, the ice cream counter, and Graffiato.  That is a massive amount of square footage to be closed within their posted hours of operation.  This was 7/5, so maybe they were expecting it to be slow so they reduced capacity, but it didn't seem to bode well for long term prospects.

Normally after I get my hair did at the Grooming Lounge, I head next door to Wildfire for a Manhattan.  Consistency lately has been an issue, but more irking, they charge $17.00 for a cocktail that is served in what feels like a plastic martini glass.  So the wife and I head to the 'self serve' section of Graffiato - order at the bar, someone brings you the food.  Don't expect to get napkins, silverware, or a clean table.

Two drinks were ok and the happy hour prices were decent.  Two apps - french fries and meatballs - were oddly flavorless.  Even my wife, who typically enjoys a bland meal, wondered how you could have a marinara with so little flavor.  

I can't imagine Isabella's press is helping, but he's not doing himself any favors with the bland food and shuttered concepts.

Was the drink noted above from Wildfire or Graffiato?

[genericeric]

16 hours ago, pras said:

Was the drink noted above from Wildfire or Graffiato?

The two happy hour drinks were from Graffiato.  The $17.00 manhattan in plastic is from Wildfire.

[Finatic]

Eater DC is reporting that he is being sued by Doug Jemal for unpaid rent at Graffiato in DC.

[Tweaked]

Trouble at Tyson's?

[Bob Wells]

57 minutes ago, Tweaked said:

Trouble at Tyson's?

This had flop written all over it. It's a beautiful space (or spaces) that clearly cost millions to build out, yet when I saw the prices, combined with the weird set-up, I knew it would be a tough sell in the long run. $4.50 for one scoop of ice cream? NFW.

[Kibbee Nayee]

21 minutes ago, Bob Wells said:

This had flop written all over it. It's a beautiful space (or spaces) that clearly cost millions to build out, yet when I saw the prices, combined with the weird set-up, I knew it would be a tough sell in the long run. $4.50 for one scoop of ice cream? NFW.

Right, this plus the fact that the Galleria is basically empty all day long. Overpriced boutiques with very few shoppers day and night. Department stores dying from the internet's disruption of the retail market. Was it originally intended that this food hall would attract a whole new crop of diners? If so, that hasn't quite panned out.

[MsDiPesto]

49 minutes ago, Kibbee Nayee said:

Right, this plus the fact that the Galleria is basically empty all day long. Overpriced boutiques with very few shoppers day and night. Department stores dying from the internet's disruption of the retail market. Was it originally intended that this food hall would attract a whole new crop of diners? If so, that hasn't quite panned out.

Also, those aren't stores you can just browse in, because as soon as you walk in any of them, they're on you like a cheap suit. You have to go there determined to, say, score a Hermes scarf and know the color. 

[Marty L.]

1 hour ago, Bob Wells said:

This had flop written all over it. It's a beautiful space (or spaces) that clearly cost millions to build out, yet when I saw the prices, combined with the weird set-up, I knew it would be a tough sell in the long run. $4.50 for one scoop of ice cream? NFW.

I agree with the general assessment.  Unfortunately, however, $4.50 for a single scoop of ice cream is now below what most good shops are charging.

[Bob Wells]

On 8/10/2018 at 1:21 PM, Marty L. said:

I agree with the general assessment.  Unfortunately, however, $4.50 for a single scoop of ice cream is now below what most good shops are charging.

Yeah, I was up in RI this weekend and, acting on a friend's tip, I tried an ice cream shop way off the beaten track. Acting on some Yelp advice, I got a "kiddie scoop," for $3.45. It was the perfect size. The regular single scoop was maybe $4.25. 

But this was AMAZING ice cream. If you ever find yourself in Cumberland RI (not too far from Providence, but out of the way), the shop is called The Keep. And the flavor I tried was Almond Joy. World-class.

[Bob Wells]

On 8/10/2018 at 12:38 PM, MsDiPesto said:

Also, those aren't stores you can just browse in, because as soon as you walk in any of them, they're on you like a cheap suit. You have to go there determined to, say, score a Hermes scarf and know the color. 

Oh yeah, these are "world-class" boutiques. I was walking the mall the other day and noticed a new little store with some cool looking bathing suits. Bathing suits, that's it. The store is called Vilbrequin. Google for the prices, I dare ya. LOL

[Kev29]

Nationalize all malls and turn the food courts in to rent free dai pai dongs. Thx for your time 😀

[Keithstg]

10 hours ago, Bob Wells said:

Oh yeah, these are "world-class" boutiques. I was walking the mall the other day and noticed a new little store with some cool looking bathing suits. Bathing suits, that's it. The store is called Vilbrequin. Google for the prices, I dare ya. LOL

Taking the thread back to the original discussion, the Isabella eatery was at most half open today - Yona and Arroz were closed, as was the bar. Seems like Requin was doing ok business, but entire place was less than 1/2 full. 

Oh, and Vilbrequin has been there for a couple years. #happycustomer.

[Bob Wells]

13 hours ago, Keithstg said:

Taking the thread back to the original discussion, the Isabella eatery was at most half open today - Yona and Arroz were closed, as was the bar. Seems like Requin was doing ok business, but entire place was less than 1/2 full. 

Oh, and Vilbrequin has been there for a couple years. #happycustomer.

I'd definitely wear their suits!

[Poivrot Farci]

22 hours ago, Kev29 said:

Nationalize all malls and turn the food courts in to rent free dai pai dongs. Thx for your time 😀

Or turn them into large covered wholesale/retail food markets like Eastern Market, Pike Place, Reading Terminal, etc... with barber shops.  

Quality perishable foods that you can inspect first hand and a good haircut are not something the internet can readily provide yet.  Mr. Isabella should have recognized that enough people are passionate about ingredients and food beyond having it cooked for them.

[DaveO]

On 8/10/2018 at 11:20 AM, Bob Wells said:

This had flop written all over it. It's a beautiful space (or spaces) that clearly cost millions to build out, yet when I saw the prices, combined with the weird set-up, I knew it would be a tough sell in the long run. $4.50 for one scoop of ice cream? NFW.

On 8/10/2018 at 1:21 PM, Marty L. said:

I agree with the general assessment.  Unfortunately, however, $4.50 for a single scoop of ice cream is now below what most good shops are charging.

Just got a scoop--though they were feeling generous and gave me two scoops of mint chocolate chip gelato at what is now Co Work space, and used to be Boccatto in Clarendon--$4.94 with tax.  Tasty--refreshing.  Nice people

[DPop]

On 2/12/2016 at 3:20 PM, DPop said:

My (not-so-bold) prediction for this little venture; it starts off with fanfare and pretty good food, although plenty of service and other glitches.  Isabella is there to show face initially, shake hands, etc, and is never seen at the place after month 1 of operation.  The food steadily declines for the next year, after which time the parties involve "mutually agree" to remove Mike's name from the venture, which won't matter because the damage to his reputation will have been done (see "Todd Gray's Watershed" for proof point). Another uneventful year or two goes by with the occasional horror story about crummy food and worse service until the space closes altogether and gets repurposed into something else.

I'll be back in 2018 to check on this and will be shocked if 80% of what I wrote above did not come true.

On 8/10/2018 at 10:21 AM, Tweaked said:

Trouble at Tyson's?

What do I get?  A medal?  A cookie?

[DonRocks]

12 minutes ago, DPop said:

What do I get?  A medal?  A cookie?

You get a Brownie Button.

(Or, if you must, a Girl Scout Cookie.)

[lion]

What would work in the space? 

[DaveO]

54 minutes ago, lion said:

What would work in the space? 

Oi.   I started working in that field in the early 1980’s.  Worked on the initial lease up of Georgetown Park.  Listened to many experts discuss how to spread and diversify traffic to all the levels of a mall.  Have seen the same problem reoccur in other properties around the nation.  

If there was an obvious or easy answer it would have been attempted years ago.  What occasionally works in some locations won’t work elsewhere (different market conditions).

Whereas there is no guaranteed solution sometimes you take shots at things—- such as a first of its kind “name” food emporium.   Doesn’t seem to be working- eh?

[dcs]

15 minutes ago, DaveO said:

Oi.   I started working in that field in the early 1980’s.  Worked on the initial lease up of Georgetown Park.  Listened to many experts discuss how to spread and diversify traffic to all the levels of a mall.  Have seen the same problem reoccur in other properties around the nation.  

If there was an obvious or easy answer it would have been attempted years ago.  What occasionally works in some locations won’t work elsewhere (different market conditions).  

Whereas there is no guaranteed solution sometimes you take shots at things—- such as a first of its kind “name” food emporium.   Doesn’t seem to be working- eh?

The Legal Seafood at the Galleria always seems to have a good crowd and there typically is a line at Paul throughout the day.  The Lebanese Taverna appears bustling as well.

[Kev29]

55 minutes ago, lion said:

What would work in the space? 

A 41000 sq ft Chick-fil-A

[DonRocks]

2 minutes ago, Kev29 said:

A 41000 sq ft Chick-fil-A

Chick-fil-A's best days are behind it - they changed their recipe, and it's no longer what it once was. It will take a few years for people to pick up on that, but it's just not the same. Twenty years ago, Chick-fil-A was *special*, like In-n-Out Burger special (which is also no longer special), but it was *great*; now, it's really pretty mediocre. 

I should correct this: It's best *financial* days are ahead of it, but they won't last forever, as a decline in quality is a leading indicator of a decline in finances.

[DaveO]

11 minutes ago, dcs said:

The Legal Seafood at the Galleria always seems to have a good crowd and there typically is a line at Paul throughout the day.  The Lebanese Taverna appears bustling as well.

All first level which is where the traffic walks in.   Getting folks upstairs is always the issue

[DPop]

Agree with the issue about the location upstairs.  It almost feels like that needs to be either a furniture store or a big box restaurant like the PF Changs or Maggiano's a level below.  And even then, I think whatever goes there will struggle a bit, although I say that and Wildfire is always pretty crowded when I go.

[dcs]

5 minutes ago, DaveO said:

All first level which is where the traffic walks in.   Getting folks upstairs is always the issue

I have never been inside, but Wildfire on the third level seems to do just fine.

[DaveO]

1 minute ago, dcs said:

I have never been inside, but Wildfire on the third level seems to do just fine.

Neither have I.  There are exceptions.  It’s an overall problem.  Top floor of Mazza Gallerie— a problem over the decades.  

[weezy]

Put all the kiddie stuff up there and then have ancillary shops with things that the parents can grab in a hurry for themselves, or make it the teen gathering area

[Bob Wells]

 

2 hours ago, DPop said:

Agree with the issue about the location upstairs.  It almost feels like that needs to be either a furniture store or a big box restaurant like the PF Changs or Maggiano's a level below.  And even then, I think whatever goes there will struggle a bit, although I say that and Wildfire is always pretty crowded when I go.

This raises another good point. For a mall that has many -- not just a few, but many -- of the finest, most recognizable names in fashion/retail in the WORLD, the eateries are remarkably pedestrian. Anyone got a theory about that? Corner Bakery, Legal, Maggiano's... it's as if the restaurants are a completely separate entity, aimed at the white-collar drones in the neighboring office buildings, that was grafted onto the Galleria's retail.

Are malls simply not conducive to higher-end dining?

[genericeric]

3 hours ago, dcs said:

I have never been inside, but Wildfire on the third level seems to do just fine.

While I've never seen Wildfire "busy" in the dining room, they seem to do a decent happy hour with local office workers.  It may be a little more approachable than the Palm or Capital Grille.  I just go in on a monthly basis when I'm next door at the Grooming Lounge (and I don't seem to be alone there).

[Kibbee Nayee]

1 hour ago, Bob Wells said:

This raises another good point. For a mall that has many -- not just a few, but many -- of the finest, most recognizable names in fashion/retail in the WORLD, the eateries are remarkably pedestrian. Anyone got a theory about that? Corner Bakery, Legal, Maggiano's... it's as if the restaurants are a completely separate entity, aimed at the white-collar drones in the neighboring office buildings, that was grafted onto the Galleria's retail.

Are malls simply not conducive to higher-end dining?

I mostly agree, but I won't lump Lebanese Taverna in with that crowd. The Tysons Galleria outpost is one of the best of the Lebanese Tavernas, along with the expanded original on Washington Blvd in Arlington. And footsteps away is the dependable Paul Bakery, one of the better coffee shops in Tysons.

Other than those two, you are right. You even missed Cheesecake Factory.

[Bob Wells]

28 minutes ago, Kibbee Nayee said:

I mostly agree, but I won't lump Lebanese Taverna in with that crowd. The Tysons Galleria outpost is one of the best of the Lebanese Tavernas, along with the expanded original on Washington Blvd in Arlington. And footsteps away is the dependable Paul Bakery, one of the better coffee shops in Tysons.

Other than those two, you are right. You even missed Cheesecake Factory.

Yes, did not mean to lump Leb Tav in with the mediocrities. Definitely include CcF, though. It's ok, and not a bad value since you get three meals from each entree (or you should). But this is the Galleria, not a "value shopping" destination. And personally I kinda like TCB, but it's miles downscale from the stores at the Galleria. Paul is pretty good and fits pretty well at the Galleria, but I'm a Maison Kayser fan!

[kgottwald]

On 8/16/2018 at 1:48 PM, Bob Wells said:

This raises another good point. For a mall that has many -- not just a few, but many -- of the finest, most recognizable names in fashion/retail in the WORLD, the eateries are remarkably pedestrian. Anyone got a theory about that? Corner Bakery, Legal, Maggiano's... it's as if the restaurants are a completely separate entity, aimed at the white-collar drones in the neighboring office buildings, that was grafted onto the Galleria's retail.

Are malls simply not conducive to higher-end dining?

The Galleria even used to have a Ruby Tuesday's.

[kgottwald]

On ‎8‎/‎16‎/‎2018 at 11:17 AM, weezy said:

Put all the kiddie stuff up there and then have ancillary shops with things that the parents can grab in a hurry for themselves, or make it the teen gathering area

Teens don't go to the Galleria; there's nothing there they can afford.

[lion]

25 minutes ago, kgottwald said:

Teens don't go to the Galleria; there's nothing there they can afford.

That has been the case since it's inception. 

[mnnchas]

On 8/18/2018 at 9:30 AM, lion said:

That has been the case since it's inception. 

I can't speak to the teen population, but the SweetGreen is jam-packed at lunch; largely 20s crowd.  

While I'm off topic, though there is no Nordstrom Cafe at Galleria, I recall seeing some sort of cafe in the Neiman Marcus (as I was walking through, of course).

[dcs]

On 8/13/2018 at 8:17 PM, Keithstg said:

Taking the thread back to the original discussion, the Isabella eatery was at most half open today - Yona and Arroz were closed, as was the bar. Seems like Requin was doing ok business, but entire place was less than 1/2 full. 

The last hold out on that side of the Eatery, Kapnos Market, was closed and roped off today a little past noon.  They were open and serving take out last week.  That whole side also appeared closed to seating with hopeful signs directing people to Graffiato (which itself was sparsely populated at the noon hour).

[eatruneat]

Closing Sunday, maybe. 

[Kibbee Nayee]

2 hours ago, eatruneat said:

Closing Sunday, maybe. 

"The Post also spoke to a commercial real estate agent, also anonymous, who said that he was contacted by the owner of Tysons Galleria to seek new tenants for the food hall."

Who needs 41,000 sq ft of highly expensive mall space with very little foot traffic?

[dcs]

2 hours ago, eatruneat said:

Closing Sunday, maybe. 

Story updated with new headline:  Mike Isabella announces the closing of his high-profile food hall in Tysons Galleria, by Tim Carman, August 24, 2018, on washingtonpost.com.

[MsDiPesto]

So what does he have left? There's Requin on the Wharf, but I'm not sure what else.