Archive for the 'American' Category

Nov28

MessyChef travels to Town House

Since Patrick O’Connell has been called the pope of new American cuisine, then I believe John Shields is food’s Saint Peter… This weekend I had the ultimate pleasure of dining at Town House in Chilhowie, Virginia. This restaurant is owned by the Bishop Family, but all the culinary expertise is from the husband and […]

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Filed in: American French Out-of-Town Restaurant Review

Jul2

The Source

The Source is located in Washington, D. C. adjacent to the Newseum. A Wolfgang Puck restaurant, it’s theme is on Asian-influenced, new American cuisine. Of course Puck is always known for mixing food up, and here it was no exception. The meal started with some Chinese-inspired beans in a spicy sauce with candied pecans. We ate […]

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Filed in: American Asian Restaurant Review


Jun21

Kona Grill Short Pump

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The Kona Grill is one of the new flagship restaurants that has come to the greater Short Pump area of late. Flanked next to grocer Whole Foods, the Kona went up quickly and gave off airs of being a chain restaurant with a little prestige. From the understated yet modern look of the place, to […]

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Filed in: American Asian Restaurant Review

May2

Mimi’s Cafe

Despite the odd coloring on the outside of the building, we were drawn to the lastest Short Pump magnets like the rest of the far west-enders. We visitied Mimi’s Café on a busy weekend night. Mimi’s is a chain, and in regards to our Mimi’s, is so new that wrinkles were still in the process of […]

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Filed in: American Restaurant Review


Jan4

Farrah Olivia Restaurant

I found Farrah Olivia by Morou by accident, really. I was in D.C., and I was at the Springfield Mall, looking for a place to eat dinner. That’s what happens when you get in your car after getting off the Metro. With nothing but fast food there at the mall, we sat in the car, […]

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Filed in: American Restaurant Review



About Messy Cuisine

What is Messy Cuisine?

Several years ago, friends and I decided to produce our own cooking show. What might we call it? The Messy Chef was born, a moniker inspired by my own mother’s description of my abilities in the kitchen. “You might cook well, but you sure are messy.”

Messy Cuisine is a website dedicated to restaurant reviews and future online video productions of The Messy Chef. I hope to find ways to make the site more interactive for visitors.

How do I see all the restaurants you have reviewed?

Under the navigation section, choose Category > Restaurant Reviews and the page that is displayed will show all reviews in alphabetical order.

Is Messy Cuisine a business?

No, a pasttime and a passion.

Messy Cuisine Logo

Who designed the logo for Messy Cuisine? I did. It was produced using Adobe Illustrator. It’s adapted from the typeface PMN Caecilia.

Tell me more about the Restaurant Reviews…

Unlike the NY Times, or other well-established locations, the reviews I write may be based on one or more visits, but sometimes it is just one. Typically, I’ll cover the best and worst points. I usually mention what I had, and make comments too on the service and the atmosphere of the restaurant. The ratings I assign are not derived from some complex rubric, but are a genealized, overall reaction to my meal at the particular restaurant. I do not discriminate on price: cheap eats can earn a top rating, just the same as an expensive restaurant. I think price and formality, however, can affect your choice when dining, so I’ve begun to use a 3-tiered indicator for price to guide your choices.

About the Chef

Not a chef, really… a gourmet, or simply an enthusiast for good things in life. I have shared reviews of places I eat online for over 6 years. I typically go out a lot, due to convenience and a desire to try new things. At home, I gravitate towards Italian cuisine, but also French technique and simple dishes and dinners. My baking skills aren’t great, but I do love a good pie or croissant.

Show Models

Probably my favorite TV program for cooking is TV Food Network’s Barefoot Contessa, for its style and content. We’re also inspired by NBC’s hit comedy show, The Office, and have attempted some take-offs on that filming style and charactature.

The Blog

The blog is powered by WordPress, the open source blog engine. I evaluted several content management systems (CMS) when beginning, but I was most familiar with this and its templating system.

Where else do you recommend I learn about good food online?

I really like a number of food blogs, which I link to up above in the main navigation area, a blogroll, so to speak. I also have included a link below to Vaynerchuck’s Wine Library TV.

WLTV