The Center for Esthetic Dentistry Blog | Dr. Charley Varipapa

 

We had a fun day shooting photos for our Top Washingtonian dentists ad. I invited several patients for the shoot and we put a handful together for this shot. Everyone was excited about being in the Washingtonian magazine Top Dentist Issue. Pictured are Shandra, Chris, Jane and Donna. Of course me too! Check out our before and after photos and see their stories too.

Take care and thanks for looking at our site when you are looking for a DC cosmetic Dentist.

Labels: Washingtonian Top Dentist ad photo

This is our Washingtonian ad we have run for a few month's, it features many of our actual patients who have had
all different varieties of Cosmetic and Restorative Dentistry. Look for their stories on our web site under before and afters. See if you can match their photos here with their photos in the before and after cosmetic dentistry section.

This Top Cosmetic Dentist is doing more than just dentistry, Dr Charley Varipapa is now writing for the Georgetowner and the Alexandria Times.

Here is his latest review!

He Said, She Said!

Mio! Mio! Myo!


Mio Restaurant
1110 Vermont Ave, NW
Washington , DC 20005
www.miorestaurant.com

Between Thomas Circle and L Street

By Charley Varipapa and Barbara Bartow

Several month's ago I told Barb my experience of looking for Chef Stefano Frigerio who had left Maestro's in May of last year, for a concept restaurant in Baltimore.

It did not take her long to find the chef, and mere minutes later I was on the telephone with charming owner Manuel Iguina. I asked what it was he had done to deserve having Stefano as Chef in his 6 month old restaurant.

Iguina knew only that he had been blessed (to what degree we find out later). It was 2:30 in the afternoon as I excitedly prepared for an 8PM dinner reservation, I was ready at 3 and sat with my bulldog "Mookie"counting the hours before I would leave for Mio. Barb picked me up fashionably late (she is quite fashionable) and we could not get to Mio quickly enough, I exited her car while it was still moving and ran to the door like my hair was on fire! Imagine my surprise when I walked toward the kitchen in the rear of this excruciatingly hip, Sexy Beast of a new restaurant* and saw not only Frigerio, but Nicholas Stefanelli** who had returned from New York where he had helped former Maestro Chef Fabio Trabocchi garner a three star rating. Pinch me! Two for one!

The nine pounds I had lost since Maestro's closing were about to be found. Eight trips later I thought it was time we gave Mio it's due by sharing an experience of ours and a companions dinner at the "Chef's Bar." Perched on three barstools we began our journey (my behind, not as tough as it was when I was younger was a tad sore as we reached the end of our meal). Starting with Restaurant Manager Juan Jimenez we could not miss with superb service and superior wine selections. Previously the table had a waiter but that has changed where the Chef served our meal and Mr Jimenez managed our wine and water service. Several times Manuel Iguina took time away from his own guests to attend to our comfort and chat a bit. The first selection was a white Abarillio from the northwest region of Spain that borders Portugal, it was an excellent choice light yet flavorful perfect for our first courses.

We started with a poached turkey egg with a drizzle of olive oil and shaved truffle accompanied by asparagus which were sauted and delicious, a simple treat delightful with our Albarillio. Barb: I really appreciated that the asparagus had been properly trimmed. Why do so many restaurants serve asparagus with unpeeled stalks?

Then came Mio's very delectable, cuttle fish soup with english peas, rich in flavor and and powerfully salty like the sea. So good I wanted to pour it on my head and rub it into my hair! Barb: I found the broth inedible is was soooo salty, but the cuttlefish was tender and paired nicely with fresh peas. It was served with thinly sliced toasted Italian bread.

This was followed by hamachi tuna seared, hot on the outside cool on the inside, tender and delicious. This was accompanied by tuna carpaccio with hints of jalepeno, tangy but not hot. Barb: This was my favorite dish of the evening and the lemon sorbet that came with this dish was perfect, drizzled with a little olive oil.

Soft shell crabs followed, sauted and served on a bed of ramps with manilla clams and resting in a pool of tasty green sauce made from the ramp tops and clam juices. This was a delicate yet flavorful dish. Barb: I love soft shell crabs, and combined with the ramps the flavor was sublime but the crabs were past "soft" and were a little crunchy.

To pair with our next courses Manny appeared with a 2002 Montes Alpha from Aurelio Montes a chilean Syrah which was a perfect companion to what was to come. I'm no wine expert but this was good, bold and quite enjoyable. Then came the little "rabbit popsickles" tender loin chops served in a shallot and sherry sauce over three al dente pot-stickers stuffed with rabbit confit, the Easter Bunny would have been proud! I love rabbit and have not had it so good since Dario Leo's Rabbit with Chocolate Fettucine, where is Dario anyway? Barb: Stefano's rabbit is tender and the accompaniments are carefully thought out to create a beautiful combination of taste and texture, but my potstickers were not cooked enough, not quite al dente.

Did someone say "I love pork" your wish is Frigerio's command, a baby piglet chop slightly undercooked for some (Barb) perfect for others, a finely done head cheese with fresh herbs and stuffed leg with a puree of potatoes, magazine cover perfect whose flavor and creation was masterful. Barb: I approve of a chef who is confident enough to serve a slice of very good head cheese to his guests. Chefs too often play it safe and serve food that is not adventurous enough. I was served a very good lasagna bolognese by one of D.C's finest chefs. When I was presented with the recipe I noticed that a key ingredient was not included...chicken livers. When pressed, the chef admitted that he had left it out of the recipe because he didn't think that Americans would want to add an organ meat to their sauce when they prepared it at home. But this ingredient was key to the compexity of the sauce.

A grapefruit sorbet on pistachio crumbs cleansed our palette before dessert which was a very good butterscotch pudding with warm toast foam. Next a cheese plate served at the proper temperature and a perfect portion.

I think everyone will enjoy this restaurant because it is not overly fussy, the food is excellent and full of flavor, portions adequate and you cant beat the service, They are serious about cooking but are not taking themselves seriously, fabulous food, the nicest people, It's just FUN with a capital F!

It is fascinating to watch and talk with Stafano and Stefanelli who place such emphasis on fresh ingredients. and take care to ensure that the combinations presented work well together. Sauces are carefully prepared using these to assure a bounty of flavor in your meals. I believe that this new wave of younger chefs like Frigerio and Stefanelli who along with their peers (Chefs Eric Ziebert, Barton Seavers, John Kozic, Tony Chittum and Brendan Cox to name a few) are re-writing the way Washingtonians dine. We are engaged and excited when dining in their restaurants. Frigerio and Stefanelli know the farmers and in some cases have met the piglets and baby lambs. Their vegetables are a collection from local farms and farmers they have built relationships with over the years.

Barb: I had a terrific and memorable dining experience. There were so many different dishes and flavors with the fresh, high quality ingredients being the stars. I highly recommend sitting at the kitchen bar where you can observe the attention to detail and how each dish is prepared and executed. The chefs clearly enjoy their work and share so many interesting details about the food.

Run, don't walk to Mio Restaurant.

E-mail Charley and Barb at charleyandbarb@gmail.com

NOTE:

*The restaurant was designed by Groupo Siete',s Jose Toah and Jean Cronenberg, an acoustic curtain is planned to quite down noise between the upper mezanine,bar and main dining area.

**Nicholas Stefanelli is in the process of renovating a building in Tenleytown to house his new restaurant "Hint", the wait will be torture!

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Charley Varipapa
charley@varipapa.com