Archive for the 'French' Category

Jan24

Another Sunday, another roast chicken

Is this turning into a habit? or a tradition? They had the cutest fingerling potatoes at Whole Foods. So, I put them into a sauté pan with salted water for about 10 minutes. Then, after being covered, I dump the water, and add some butter. More salt, pepper, and then after 5 minutes in the butter, […]

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Filed in: French In the Kitchen

Jan18

The Pursuit of Great Roast Chicken

Last night I set out once again to attempt an even better recipe for roasted chicken. What I’m looking for is something moist, but flavorful and satisfying. Chicken approaching comfort food. There are several things at play: flavors in the meat, salt, texture, and juiciness. I started once again with what I consider the Thomas Keller […]

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Filed in: French In the Kitchen


Jan10

Café du Parc

The Café du Parc is located in the Willard Hotel Intercontinental in Washington, D.C., and presents itself as a “French bistro.” I had an egg first course listed on their Burgundy menu, which was outstanding. Great bread to sop-up the juices, sauce, and egg yolks. Mushrooms, pearl onions, and just yummy earthiness. Delicious. The entrée was less […]

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Filed in: French Restaurant Review

Jan1

New Year’s Eve Dinner

We had a great time celebrating the new year in a low-key way with our friends. I made dinner. Butternut Squash Soup This soup starts with the crisping of bacon, which is then reserved to garnish at the end. Onions and garlic with spices sweat it out in bacon fat before adding vegetable broth. To that, roasted […]

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Filed in: French In the Kitchen


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



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