The Good Stuff Cookbook

May 3, 2010
Mendelsohn has a lean and hungry look, which is surprising as he is the proprietor of D.C.’s Good Stuff Eatery, home of many a handcrafted hamburger, french-fried potato, and milkshake. In his first collection, this former Top Chef contestant and one time Le Cirque underling expands upon his eatery’s menu to offer up 120 comfort foods with attitudes. His mac ’n’ cheese is spiked with chopped bacon and herbs. His “Blazin’ Barn” is a Vietnamese-style burger with pickled carrots and cilantro. And his mint Oreo shake calls for one cup milk, two cups ice cream, and 20 mint Oreo cookies. He prefers his fries tossed with rosemary or served with a cheddar cheese sauce that has a cayenne pepper kick. Salads, or “wedges,” in Spike speak, begin with iceberg lettuce, which then gets topped with anything from poached eggs to fennel, orange, and pomegranate. Since his joint is located on Pennsylvania Avenue, a certain neighborhood family has been known to drop by on occasion. Mendelsohn has returned the favor by creating the Prez Obama Burger, a sophisticated blend of sirloin, bacon, and bleu cheese, topped with red onion marmalade and horseradish mayo. Michelle’s Melt, by comparison, is a multifaceted turkey burger with diced green apple and other ingredients inspired by the first lady’s South Lawn garden.