Editor’s Note: In late March a sexual harassment lawsuit was filed against Mike Isabella. Since the filing, the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington and the Washington Nationals have cut ties with Isabella. On May 7, Mike Isabella and his partners settled the suit, agreeing to institute sexual harassment training, policies and corrective measures at Mike Isabella Concepts. The financial details of the settlement remain confidential.
To call Isabella Eatery ambitious is an understatement. In truth, industry watchers couldn’t decide whether restaurateur Mike Isabella was a madman or a genius when he announced back in February 2016 that he intended to open an upscale, emporium-style food court that would sprawl across much of the third floor of Tysons Galleria. But the 41,000-square-foot dining extravaganza that started churning out the restaurant group’s greatest hits late last year is a gamble that clearly paid off, judging by the 1,000 or so covers it handles on a particularly busy day.
Even the fast-talking chef, who runs headlong from one project to the next, admits the nine concepts at Isabella Eatery are a frenetic, full-speed-ahead situation. “You have to think smarter to cross-utilize things but keep the standard of what you do,” he says of Isabella Epcot.
At Arroz, the casual version of the high-end restaurant found in the Marriott Marquis in downtown Washington, D.C., Saturday nights require reservations or a 45-minute wait. A DJ set up near Graffiato and tons of chatter from the group table that bisects the Spanish-inspired space lends a buzzy vibe if you like noise—or feels just plain loud if you don’t.
Those who have been lucky enough to dine at the downtown version of Arroz will recognize similarities with the spinoff but should definitely manage their expectations. Dishes like patatas bravas and burnt eggplant, which have become signatures in the District, are vastly (and understandably) different in Tysons. It would be madness to try and replicate the delicate, multi-layered patatas bravas or garnish a plate of eggplant with something as seasonal and precious as fava beans while trying to manage multiple kitchens. A far more rustic yet still playful version of potatoes arrives at the table at Tysons and a crown of roasted broccoli adorns the more generous portion of charred eggplant puree at the food court.
Once seated, you’ll have plenty of time to take in the decorative ropes used by restaurant designer Streetsense to create boundaries between Arroz and the eatery’s other concepts, as well as the floor-to-ceiling display of wooden crates filled with Mike Isabella Concepts merch and Spanish props like a paella pan and bottles of olive oil. All for sale, of course. But after you appreciate the smart and sleek design, you might start to notice that you’ve sat 10 minutes without water or a greeting, or that you’ve been waiting a little too long for your next round of food. Pacing is an issue, with the kitchen often moving faster than servers.
Some dishes are so good that you could forgive just about anything, including a beautiful and perfect bowl of red prawns swimming in a sauce of sliced garlic, sherry vinegar, olive oil and harissa. Both the accompanying toast dotted with aioli and the leftover bread from the eggplant dip make their way into the golden pool to sop every last bit. Another standout is the plate of chermoula-marinated lamb chops, a dish Isabella says was inspired from the team’s R&D trip to Morocco before opening the D.C. location. The two perfectly cooked chops are served with a crunchy, cool pile of julienned apple and shaved Brussels sprouts punched up with coriander honey and spiced yogurt.
Most dishes fly somewhere in the middle, like the delicate tuna a la plancha served with olive oil whipped potatoes and a green olive tapenade that only provided about 90 percent of the salt needed to season the fish. Patatas bravas and burnt eggplant are more than just wan versions of their citified cousins, with both dishes able to stand on their own here. A grilled ham and cheese bocadillo (aka, sandwich) is an entirely enjoyable lunchtime entrée that I would happily order again.
On the other hand, an order of fried chicken bomba rice forced me to admit there’s such a thing as too much flavor. Loaded with an Asian chili glaze, kimchi fennel and caramelized onion, the sizzling pan of rice skewed more toward bibimbap than paella. It also made me wonder if Yona, the eatery’s Japanese counter a few doors down, hadn’t sold enough fried chicken buns that week. That would be a smart way to “cross-utilize,” as Isabella says, if the cooks managed to stop somewhere shy of the kitchen sink.
Even farther down the ladder of culinary happiness were the Spanish tortilla and the creme caramel, two fairly straightforward Spanish classics that are sadly executed—and by that I mean murdered. Diagnosis: They were cooked to death. Each unforgivably lacked the silkiness and richness that make them beloved and craveable mainstays of Spanish cuisine.
Yet, there are still plenty of reasons to visit if you can steer clear of the pitfalls. Make a reservation, order a lovely rosé sangria and stick to the dishes that the kitchen is getting right. Embrace the Spanish way of dining without a timetable and vow not to rush.
Prices might shock some, especially since you never really forget you’re in a mall. But as for the verdict on whether Isabella is a madman or genius? The crowds speak volumes.
Notes:
Arroz at Isabella Eatery
2001 International Drive, McLean
Open daily for lunch and dinner; brunch on weekends
Appetizers: $7-$30
Small Plates: $10-$18
Entrees: $14-$34
(May 2018)