I am the luckiest girl in the world. My girlfriend K is brilliant, thoughtful, stunningly gorgeous and she looks good eating anything. And on top of all that, she's the best co-mom a kid could have. Since L, my daughter is pushing 11, and is, as my mother loves to say "developing," we thought it was about time to have "the talk" with her. The very idea of discussing anything approaching sex with a ten year old throws me into abject terror, but with K as back-up, I thought it would be do-able.
After lots of discussion (most of it consisting of me with my hands over my eyes, fretting 'oh my gawd, what am I gonna say...), we decided that the sensible thing to do would be to take L out to her own dinner and open the door to that sort of discussion. You know, her own special thing, where we would expound on the virtues and excitement of her impending pre-teenhood, caution her about drugs and peer pressure,... let her know that we were there for her, offer our sage advice on whatever questions she may have about anything and everything: social dilemmas, her changing body, boys.... any topic would be fair game.
She was enthusiastic about the whole idea, and when we told her she could pick the restaurant, she chose Athens Tavern. We like Athens, because it is home cooked Greek fare in a nice hole in the wall sort of location with its own smoking section perched up in the back. It's one of those places where every time we go, it's good. Not to say Athens' food is ultra extraordinary, but it's wonderfully reliable and they always have lots of specials, the service is always great, and we've never had anything that wasn't fresh and well prepared.
We started out with the Calamari. Athen's Calamari is tender inside and crisply fried outside. It's a little different, in that instead of the rings you often see, it comes in sort of sliced looking pieces, served with a thick mild garlic sauce. A good squeeze of lemon, and the slices scoop up the tangy sauce like little boats. I get hungry all over again just thinking about it- it's almost as yummy as a Big Daddy corn fritter (see Big Daddy post). We ordered the Syrah to go with our food, since the wine list there is a little odd- heavy on unfamiliar (Greek I guess) wines that look a little suspicious to me. Tonight we opted for the whole bottle, instead of a glass. L had Sprite.
As we picked through our 'Greeked up" salads- house salad with feta, peperocini, olives, oil and vinegar, tomatoes, and anchovies (if you can stand them), K glanced expectantly at me out of the sides of her eyes... "Uh..." I stammered between forkfulls.."We just wanted to let you know that we're always here for you, and ...um, we'll never judge you, and you can ask us anything you want to... whaddya wanna know?"
We both stop breathing for a few seconds...L butters her bread and gazes at the ceiling... Finally she speaks: "I want a debit card. How do I get one?" This is not what I expected. I patiently explain how debit cards work, and then I try again. "Ah... don't you have any questions about boys?" L rolls her eyes... "All the boys are dorks." I am not getting anywhere. I look helplessly at K. "Do you know how girls get pregnant?" she inquires. L does not. I look back at K... "you tell her," I say. Oh no.... turns out, that's my job. I do the dirty work, imparting the delicate information, leaving everyone shrieking "Eeeeeeew!" K makes the save, telling her it's a powerful and emotional force, bailing me out of my hamhanded description of the mechanical aspects of the act, and we go ahead and order.
As usual, there is an impressive list of tempting specials... Lobster ravioli, an array of pasta dishes, lamb, chicken... and on and on. I've had all sorts of good things here- Spanikopita, Tiropita, some sort of spinach and tomato pasta, Moussaka...all delicious and obviously homemade. Tonight L and I both go for the Souvlaki. It comes with your choice of sides, and L got a rice pilaf, while I opted for spaghetti. I have to say the marinara here is exceptional. Some of the best ever. I noticed it this visit so much that I think I will have to get a marinara based dish on my next visit. The Souvlaki was very good though- 2 skewers of seasoned pork with a spoonful of creamy Tziatziki sauce, made of yogurt and cucumber. My only complaint was that I'd have like to see more veggies on the skewer too- the lonely little bits of onion and green pepper were not quite enough to be a complement.
K had the seafood pasta special, which looked wonderful. The tastes I begged lived up... It was pasta in red sauce with all sorts of goodies- big scallops, shrimp, crab, mussels in the shell, were the highlights I recall. Often when you get a seafood pasta in other restaurants, they scrimp on the seafood and cover things up with sauce. That was not the case here. the seafood was fresh and well prepared and it was center stage of the dish. We felt all our food was well seasoned, and all of the portions were large enough that we had great lunches the next day. I really like that Athens is the kind of place that can work equally well for a romantic date, or a family dinner.
I decided to try one more time. "Now that you know some of the facts of life, is there anything else you'd like to ask us about?" L stuffs a huge bite of Galactiburikos (lemon custard and phyllo dessert) into her chops, and chews thoughtfully....:Do you think they'll teach Shakespeare in sixth grade?" she asks.
Maybe we'll try this again in a couple years, but we'll be back to Athens many times before then.
Athens Tavern
401 N Robinson St
Richmond, VA 23220
(804) 353-9119
Monday, September 22, 2008
Tomato sandwiches revisited - guest blogger and her big titted girlfriend!!
Since they've been working the hell out of me at my job, I've neglected this blog, and am taking advantage of the mirth and mad skillz of one of our friends who has limited tolerance for my boundless devotion to my hot girlfriend... here you go, Tomato sandwiches, done right:
My big-tittied girlfriend and I do not cook. I never have; she is too tired after work to bother with it. Hence, we eat out... a lot. However, being creatures of habit, we tend to go to only to three restaurants with any sort of regularity: Dot's Back Inn, Zeus Gallery and Davis & Main. This entry will not be about any of those places. Instead, this is about me fending for myself; or, What I Do for Meals When R. Works Late.
I read in a different and far superior foodie blog about the tomato sandwiches prepared for someone known as My Lovely Girlfriend K. Whatever. But it jarred my memory -- my brother had given me a bunch of homegrown tomatoes about a week ago. I decided a tomato sandwich was in order. I opened the refrigerator to see if they had become rotten, as most of my produce does. Lo and behold, they seemed to be OK. I debated washing them off......I HATE getting my hands wet because I must then IMMEDIATELY put hand lotion on them, but on the off chance some neighborhood dog took a piss or a shit on or near the tomatoes, i rinsed them off.
After scurrying to the bathroom for hand lotion, I sliced the tomatoes. They looked pretty good - just like every other tomato I've ever seen. Next came bread -- I had purchased a Brand New Loaf of Sunbeam bread just days before......undoing the twisty-tie thing I reached in past the first 5-6 slices. I never eat them. I think they are gross. I laid the slices on a paper towel with the sides lined up so they would be stacked correctly on top of one another upon Sandwich Completion. The next task was the most important -- application of mayonnaise. Proper mayo application is crucial because it has to be enough to keep the tomato juices from seeping into the bread, making a soggy pink mess, yet not so much that it squishes out of the sides of the bread and touches my hands. (see reference above regarding hand-washing)
I only buy Duke's mayonnaise because it is The Secret of Great Southern Cooks. It says so - right on the lid. The tomato slices are carefully arranged on the right hand bread slice. They must lie flat and cover as much bread without having any of slices overlap. If that is a possibility, I cut the slices into the appropriate shape. Next came cheese......as i cracked open the cellophane of the new package of Kraft Singles, my mouth began to water. What's not to love about plastic, perfectly square cheese slices?!!! Said cheese is placed upon the left hand slice. It is critical that the ingrediants go onto the "correct" side -- cheese is ALWAYS on the left. Then, pepper is sprinkled onto the cheese - only pepper is put on the cheese - the black on orange/yellow is aesthetically necessary for me. Salt on tomato slices. The cheese slice side is placed on top of the tomato side......ahh......bliss.
My big-tittied girlfriend and I do not cook. I never have; she is too tired after work to bother with it. Hence, we eat out... a lot. However, being creatures of habit, we tend to go to only to three restaurants with any sort of regularity: Dot's Back Inn, Zeus Gallery and Davis & Main. This entry will not be about any of those places. Instead, this is about me fending for myself; or, What I Do for Meals When R. Works Late.
I read in a different and far superior foodie blog about the tomato sandwiches prepared for someone known as My Lovely Girlfriend K. Whatever. But it jarred my memory -- my brother had given me a bunch of homegrown tomatoes about a week ago. I decided a tomato sandwich was in order. I opened the refrigerator to see if they had become rotten, as most of my produce does. Lo and behold, they seemed to be OK. I debated washing them off......I HATE getting my hands wet because I must then IMMEDIATELY put hand lotion on them, but on the off chance some neighborhood dog took a piss or a shit on or near the tomatoes, i rinsed them off.
After scurrying to the bathroom for hand lotion, I sliced the tomatoes. They looked pretty good - just like every other tomato I've ever seen. Next came bread -- I had purchased a Brand New Loaf of Sunbeam bread just days before......undoing the twisty-tie thing I reached in past the first 5-6 slices. I never eat them. I think they are gross. I laid the slices on a paper towel with the sides lined up so they would be stacked correctly on top of one another upon Sandwich Completion. The next task was the most important -- application of mayonnaise. Proper mayo application is crucial because it has to be enough to keep the tomato juices from seeping into the bread, making a soggy pink mess, yet not so much that it squishes out of the sides of the bread and touches my hands. (see reference above regarding hand-washing)
I only buy Duke's mayonnaise because it is The Secret of Great Southern Cooks. It says so - right on the lid. The tomato slices are carefully arranged on the right hand bread slice. They must lie flat and cover as much bread without having any of slices overlap. If that is a possibility, I cut the slices into the appropriate shape. Next came cheese......as i cracked open the cellophane of the new package of Kraft Singles, my mouth began to water. What's not to love about plastic, perfectly square cheese slices?!!! Said cheese is placed upon the left hand slice. It is critical that the ingrediants go onto the "correct" side -- cheese is ALWAYS on the left. Then, pepper is sprinkled onto the cheese - only pepper is put on the cheese - the black on orange/yellow is aesthetically necessary for me. Salt on tomato slices. The cheese slice side is placed on top of the tomato side......ahh......bliss.
the continued search for the perfect mussels(Mr. Patrick Henry's)
When I heard that Mr. Patrick Henry's in Church Hill was reopening its doors, I was elated, but wary... for several reasons. Back in 'the day' when MPH was going full swing, I waited tables there, and was an enthusiastic patron as well. The back garden is without a doubt one of the most beautiful spots in Richmond to relax and enjoy food and drink, the inside dining rooms, with their fireplaces and warm lighting are cozy and romantic, and the pub is a perfect smoky, dark hidey hole. In short, it's one of the best spaces around. The food back then was on the pricey side, but always managed to be both traditional, reasonably innovative and most important- delicious.
I worried that with the name staying similar, I would inevitably make unfair comparisons. So when we visited recently, I made a studied effort to come in with an open mind and not to compare. We went on a Thursday night, and I was almost giddy as we climbed the familiar stairs to the main dining room. When we went in, there were a few tables occupied, but overall it was very quiet. We asked to be seated in the back garden, so we could smoke unharrassed- and it was completely empty. Which is a shame really, because it was a lovely night and I would have thought neighborhood folk would have at least been out for a cocktail and a snack under the stars.
We ordered lemon drop martinis- I know, we have GOT to find a new cocktail- but these were particularly good- very lemony and icy cold. This seemed to bode well for the food, and we had heard good things about the mussels, so we started with a bowl of them in the white wine and garlic sauce as an app. While the sauce was garlicky and savory, the mussels themselves were kind of subpar. They were doing that weird stringy thing that not-so-great mussels do- like coming apart when I pulled them out of the shell. And a couple of them tasted a little funky to me
Side note: I was still being optimistic and giving them the benefit of the doubt until we got mussels at Can Can a couple days later- Now *that* is what mussels are supposed to taste like. Can Can's mussels were plump, juicy and fresh- popping with goodness in my mouth- pretty much what these were not.
But I digress. I've heard good things about the new MPH. and I really really wanted to like it. Especially because we like sitting in the garden, and in the winter I love the fireplaces.... For an entree I ordered the Shrimp PoBoy sandwich and K ordered a Chicken Parmesan sub.
While I studiously avoided comparing the food to the past glory of the place, I could not help doing it with the same dishes that we've had from other restaurants recently.... While K's sub portion was large, and it looked good, it was not even in the same ballpark taste-wise, with a Chicken Parm we got from Valentino's the week before (Valentino's is a little pizza-shacky place on Grace St, that we got delivery from and were pleasantly surprised) It was okay- and I felt guilty for comparing. The chicken was sort of dry, and the marinara, while reasonably tasty, as just not all that. And it wasn't cheesy enough. I know that's probably unsophisticated of me, but I like really good mozzarella on a sandwich like this and it just wasn't happening.
My Poboy was likewise, okay. The shrimp were big and fried and probably the best thing on the plate. It came with a nice tangy remoulade, but I wished they had given me a ramekin of it on the side. The biggest sin, to me, was that the sub roll was not toasted. When you have that big a piece of bready bread, it just needs to either be a really high quality piece of bread, or at least toasted. The result being, that every bite was a huge mouthful so-so bread and a little shrimp and lettuce. And my orzo was so tasteless I probably put 2 teaspoons of Sriachi on it.
We ordered Tiramisu for dessert, which was an amazingly generous portion. And like everything else, was almost good. There was something kind of oily about it that just didn't set that well with us.
In all fairness, if we had orderd the chef's specials, it probably would have been great. I'm sure there's really good stuff on that menu- I just haven't found it yet. I'm sure we'll give them another chance, partly because of the space, part nostalgia, the vibe there, and part because everything we had was 'close.' It's like they just weren't paying attention, maybe because it was slow that night, I don't know... I've never felt so guilty for panning a place. The service was great- our waitress could not have been nicer- there, I've said something nice.
Patrick Henry’s Pub & Grille
2300 E. Broad St.
644-4242
I worried that with the name staying similar, I would inevitably make unfair comparisons. So when we visited recently, I made a studied effort to come in with an open mind and not to compare. We went on a Thursday night, and I was almost giddy as we climbed the familiar stairs to the main dining room. When we went in, there were a few tables occupied, but overall it was very quiet. We asked to be seated in the back garden, so we could smoke unharrassed- and it was completely empty. Which is a shame really, because it was a lovely night and I would have thought neighborhood folk would have at least been out for a cocktail and a snack under the stars.
We ordered lemon drop martinis- I know, we have GOT to find a new cocktail- but these were particularly good- very lemony and icy cold. This seemed to bode well for the food, and we had heard good things about the mussels, so we started with a bowl of them in the white wine and garlic sauce as an app. While the sauce was garlicky and savory, the mussels themselves were kind of subpar. They were doing that weird stringy thing that not-so-great mussels do- like coming apart when I pulled them out of the shell. And a couple of them tasted a little funky to me
Side note: I was still being optimistic and giving them the benefit of the doubt until we got mussels at Can Can a couple days later- Now *that* is what mussels are supposed to taste like. Can Can's mussels were plump, juicy and fresh- popping with goodness in my mouth- pretty much what these were not.
But I digress. I've heard good things about the new MPH. and I really really wanted to like it. Especially because we like sitting in the garden, and in the winter I love the fireplaces.... For an entree I ordered the Shrimp PoBoy sandwich and K ordered a Chicken Parmesan sub.
While I studiously avoided comparing the food to the past glory of the place, I could not help doing it with the same dishes that we've had from other restaurants recently.... While K's sub portion was large, and it looked good, it was not even in the same ballpark taste-wise, with a Chicken Parm we got from Valentino's the week before (Valentino's is a little pizza-shacky place on Grace St, that we got delivery from and were pleasantly surprised) It was okay- and I felt guilty for comparing. The chicken was sort of dry, and the marinara, while reasonably tasty, as just not all that. And it wasn't cheesy enough. I know that's probably unsophisticated of me, but I like really good mozzarella on a sandwich like this and it just wasn't happening.
My Poboy was likewise, okay. The shrimp were big and fried and probably the best thing on the plate. It came with a nice tangy remoulade, but I wished they had given me a ramekin of it on the side. The biggest sin, to me, was that the sub roll was not toasted. When you have that big a piece of bready bread, it just needs to either be a really high quality piece of bread, or at least toasted. The result being, that every bite was a huge mouthful so-so bread and a little shrimp and lettuce. And my orzo was so tasteless I probably put 2 teaspoons of Sriachi on it.
We ordered Tiramisu for dessert, which was an amazingly generous portion. And like everything else, was almost good. There was something kind of oily about it that just didn't set that well with us.
In all fairness, if we had orderd the chef's specials, it probably would have been great. I'm sure there's really good stuff on that menu- I just haven't found it yet. I'm sure we'll give them another chance, partly because of the space, part nostalgia, the vibe there, and part because everything we had was 'close.' It's like they just weren't paying attention, maybe because it was slow that night, I don't know... I've never felt so guilty for panning a place. The service was great- our waitress could not have been nicer- there, I've said something nice.
Patrick Henry’s Pub & Grille
2300 E. Broad St.
644-4242
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Cafe Gutenberg
This morning K and I set out for the 17th St. Farmer's Market, in search of some local produce- eggplant and tomatoes- for a culinary adventure/experiment I had in mind for later today. I will admit, since I seem to be on a crotchety streak lately, that the Market is disappointingly light on farmers and heavy on knicknack and craft vendors. I resolved to make for the greener pastures of the Forest Hill Market next weekend. But in the midst of this, we worked up an appetite for brunch. We spotted LuLu's, across the street and poked our heads in, asking if we could smoke at the bar. After receiving a negative, we left and walked up the street to Cafe Gutenberg, where they have an outdoor patio. The patio theme is turning into a regular thing for us.
We hadn't been to Gutenberg for a long time, and really didn't know what to expect. We were pleasantly surprised. The brunch menu looked wonderful and intriguing, and unlike our dining experience the previous evening, it lived up to its hype, for the most part.
For morning cocktails, they offer an interesting twist on the mimosa, with a choice of cava cocktails. Cava is a sparkling Spanish wine similar to champagne, and Gutenberg serves it splashed with blood orange juice, mandarin or pomegranite. We opted for the blood orange, which was a pretty deep orange, opaque hue, served in a fluted glass. It was not overly sweet at all, dry and refreshing- it was something different and we both enjoyed it. I also ordered a cup of plain coffee that tasted about as good as plain brewed coffee could possibly taste.
The brunch menu was varied- with everything from crepes to egg dishes, and options aplenty for both the vegetarian and the carnivore. We had a terrible time making a decision, and since we're boring old dykes we both ordered the same thing- the 17th Street Scramble. This was a vegetarian option that consisted of a large dish of scrambled eggs with white cheddar, asparagus, fresh spinach, spring onions, regular onions, yukon potatoes and green peppers, topped with creme fraiche. The veggies and the eggs were cooked perfectly, and the dish was unique and delicious. I really enjoy eating something in the morning that is not heavy and greasy, which is exactly what we got. The portion was large and neither of us could even begin to finish it.
K also ordered a vegan biscuit and gravy, which was, well.. interesting. It was a large fluffy homemade biscuit, covered in some sort of (mushroom?) gravy with spring onions. I think it would have gone over better if it wasn't billed as a 'biscuit and gravy.' I just don't know why, but in contrast to the egg dish, this is something I almost want to be a little greasy, and since it wasn't, there was just something lacking.
We enjoyed sitting on the patio, and for the non smokers, the inside area is spacious and pleasant. It is somewhere we are certain to try again, mainly because I'd like to sample some of the sweet breakfast options like the french toast or the crepes. Gutenberg would definitely be considered in the realm of 'fine dining' but the prices were very reasonable- many of the brunch entrees were less than $10.
My only complaint today, with this place was the service. Granted, every server is different, and had we gotten a different one, I probably wouldn't be whining about our service, but since we didn't, and since I like to write as much about the dining experience as the food, I just can't help myself.
The restaurant was not particularly overcrowded, and from the beginning, we got the basic bare bones service, which was fine. At the end of a meal though, I hate it when the server leaves a table sitting...and sitting.... and sitting. And then she committed the ultimate faux pax- my pet peeve of waiters. Check plopping. When the waiter ignores you for an interminable amount of time, then appears suddenly, check in hand and plops it down on the table without asking if anyone wants anything else. Especially at brunch, where a diner might care for another cup of coffee, and especially in a situation when there's no one waiting for you to vacate your table.
As grumpy as I get about that stuff, I still would not have necessarily mentioned it here, except that after the plopping of the check, she proceeded to walk by our table with a water pitcher, ignoring our partially filled glasses, fill the table next to us, and then walk by the check and credit card on our table. We sat for another minute, then I ended up walking our check into the restaurant. Normally when a server completely ignores us like that, I get all anti-lesbianphobic, and blame it on whatever gay making out we were doing, but since we were seated way across the table from each other, we weren't even holding hands, so it couldn't have been that.
At any rate, I will give them the benefit of the doubt, and assume that the server was just having a bad day or something. We really like Cafe Gutenburg as a brunch option, and will surely want to check out dinner as well sometime in the near future.
Cafe Gutenberg
1700 E. Main Street
804.497.5000
We hadn't been to Gutenberg for a long time, and really didn't know what to expect. We were pleasantly surprised. The brunch menu looked wonderful and intriguing, and unlike our dining experience the previous evening, it lived up to its hype, for the most part.
For morning cocktails, they offer an interesting twist on the mimosa, with a choice of cava cocktails. Cava is a sparkling Spanish wine similar to champagne, and Gutenberg serves it splashed with blood orange juice, mandarin or pomegranite. We opted for the blood orange, which was a pretty deep orange, opaque hue, served in a fluted glass. It was not overly sweet at all, dry and refreshing- it was something different and we both enjoyed it. I also ordered a cup of plain coffee that tasted about as good as plain brewed coffee could possibly taste.
The brunch menu was varied- with everything from crepes to egg dishes, and options aplenty for both the vegetarian and the carnivore. We had a terrible time making a decision, and since we're boring old dykes we both ordered the same thing- the 17th Street Scramble. This was a vegetarian option that consisted of a large dish of scrambled eggs with white cheddar, asparagus, fresh spinach, spring onions, regular onions, yukon potatoes and green peppers, topped with creme fraiche. The veggies and the eggs were cooked perfectly, and the dish was unique and delicious. I really enjoy eating something in the morning that is not heavy and greasy, which is exactly what we got. The portion was large and neither of us could even begin to finish it.
K also ordered a vegan biscuit and gravy, which was, well.. interesting. It was a large fluffy homemade biscuit, covered in some sort of (mushroom?) gravy with spring onions. I think it would have gone over better if it wasn't billed as a 'biscuit and gravy.' I just don't know why, but in contrast to the egg dish, this is something I almost want to be a little greasy, and since it wasn't, there was just something lacking.
We enjoyed sitting on the patio, and for the non smokers, the inside area is spacious and pleasant. It is somewhere we are certain to try again, mainly because I'd like to sample some of the sweet breakfast options like the french toast or the crepes. Gutenberg would definitely be considered in the realm of 'fine dining' but the prices were very reasonable- many of the brunch entrees were less than $10.
My only complaint today, with this place was the service. Granted, every server is different, and had we gotten a different one, I probably wouldn't be whining about our service, but since we didn't, and since I like to write as much about the dining experience as the food, I just can't help myself.
The restaurant was not particularly overcrowded, and from the beginning, we got the basic bare bones service, which was fine. At the end of a meal though, I hate it when the server leaves a table sitting...and sitting.... and sitting. And then she committed the ultimate faux pax- my pet peeve of waiters. Check plopping. When the waiter ignores you for an interminable amount of time, then appears suddenly, check in hand and plops it down on the table without asking if anyone wants anything else. Especially at brunch, where a diner might care for another cup of coffee, and especially in a situation when there's no one waiting for you to vacate your table.
As grumpy as I get about that stuff, I still would not have necessarily mentioned it here, except that after the plopping of the check, she proceeded to walk by our table with a water pitcher, ignoring our partially filled glasses, fill the table next to us, and then walk by the check and credit card on our table. We sat for another minute, then I ended up walking our check into the restaurant. Normally when a server completely ignores us like that, I get all anti-lesbianphobic, and blame it on whatever gay making out we were doing, but since we were seated way across the table from each other, we weren't even holding hands, so it couldn't have been that.
At any rate, I will give them the benefit of the doubt, and assume that the server was just having a bad day or something. We really like Cafe Gutenburg as a brunch option, and will surely want to check out dinner as well sometime in the near future.
Cafe Gutenberg
1700 E. Main Street
804.497.5000
Nacho Mama's (there's nothing hotter than a lesbian eating a fish taco)
When my gorgeous girlfriend mentioned she had a yen for a fish taco last night, I got all excited because I thought it was her coy way of making a pass at me. Turns out she meant she wanted to try Nacho Mama's for dinner. Mexican sounded good to me though, and Nacho Mama's seemed like a good pick for those of us who are tired of the almost exhaustively cookie cutter consistency of the other Mexican restaurants in town. I do enjoy the Mexico Restaurant(s) but once you have been to one, you've pretty much been to all of them. Same menu, same stuff, cooked the same way, and they all taste the same. And while I'm complaining, I have to mention that there is a saltiness issue with that food that leaves me drinking gallons of water, and feeling like a human water balloon for hours after a dinner at one of these places.
Nacho Mama's has some problems, but they have so much potential (I hate that word). I admit though, that they have been in operation long enough that that they should be well past the stage of working out the kinks. We really wanted to like this place. Firstly, we love that they have the outdoor dining option. You have to get there fairly early on a weekend night to get a seat on the patio, but for us, it means hassle-free smoking area. And they have a tempting selection of cocktails as well... for a good summer Mexi-type cocktail that is a little off the beaten bath, I have two words: pomegranite margarita. Yum. If you get them top shelf, they are made with 1800 tequila, which really does make a difference.
The requisite chips and salsa was close behind our drinks and were tri color chips that really should have been fresher. I don't want to say they were stale, but it was a close call. That's one of the things I feel like every Mexican place worth its salt should be able to do- put out a perfect basket of chips. And since I'm a self admitted tortilla chip fiend, I am picky about them. The salsa though, was a little more to our liking. It tasted homemade and was not too chunky - just your basic tomato, onion, peppers and cilantro concoction. It needed more heat though.
One of the best things about Nacho Mama's is the menu. There's a big variety that is gloriously different from the usual suspects (the standard beans-rice-enchilada/taco/burrito combos). While you can get the "normal" selections, there are tempting sounding selections such as a spinach florentine quesadilla combo, coconut shrimp, a red chile shrimp dish, and an assortment of wraps. We were excited by the choices and had a hard time deciding, since so much of it sounded really good
We started with the 'holy guacamole' since I had been nursing an avocado craving for several days. The guac came out looking great- a decent sized bowl of nice chunky green guacamole, spiked with diced onions and tomatoes. It was disappointingly bland though, and left me wanting to run home and make it myself. It was accompanied by another basket of the substandard chips.
For my entree, I decided on the "Homemade chile rellenos." There were two of them on the plate and they came with rice and beans and a little shredded lettuce. The breading was a little on the, well... bready.. side, and the rice was dry. While the chiles were stuffed with lots of cheddar, they didn't have much zing to them. I found myself trying to dump all sorts of other things on them to pep them up a bit.
K's entree looked really wonderful on the menu. Unfortunately it did not really live up to the anticipation either. She got a combo that was a fish taco, a crabcake and a skewer of the coconut shrimp. Sounds great, right? The coconut shrimp were heavily battered and a little greasy, but came with a really tasty little cup of mango salsa. That was probably the best thing on the plate. The fish taco was "okay" and was a soft taco filled with a mild cheese and grilled fish with spring onions. It was supposed to come with lime and sour cream, but they were nowhere to be seen. Probably the biggest offender was the "crabcake." It was unrecognizable to the extent that she was pointing at it with her fork,asking "what's that?" It resembled more of a soggy crab pancake than anything else. It was flat- literally, and salty as well. You just don't serve that to a Baltimore girl who is used to the thick lump crab filled Maryland crabcakes.
Our service was fine- the waiter was polite and attentive, and it's lots of fun to sit and watch the Carytown sidewalk traffic. It's just such a shame that the food doesn't live up to the menu here.
Nacho Mama's
3449 W. Cary Street
804.358.6262
Nacho Mama's has some problems, but they have so much potential (I hate that word). I admit though, that they have been in operation long enough that that they should be well past the stage of working out the kinks. We really wanted to like this place. Firstly, we love that they have the outdoor dining option. You have to get there fairly early on a weekend night to get a seat on the patio, but for us, it means hassle-free smoking area. And they have a tempting selection of cocktails as well... for a good summer Mexi-type cocktail that is a little off the beaten bath, I have two words: pomegranite margarita. Yum. If you get them top shelf, they are made with 1800 tequila, which really does make a difference.
The requisite chips and salsa was close behind our drinks and were tri color chips that really should have been fresher. I don't want to say they were stale, but it was a close call. That's one of the things I feel like every Mexican place worth its salt should be able to do- put out a perfect basket of chips. And since I'm a self admitted tortilla chip fiend, I am picky about them. The salsa though, was a little more to our liking. It tasted homemade and was not too chunky - just your basic tomato, onion, peppers and cilantro concoction. It needed more heat though.
One of the best things about Nacho Mama's is the menu. There's a big variety that is gloriously different from the usual suspects (the standard beans-rice-enchilada/taco/burrito combos). While you can get the "normal" selections, there are tempting sounding selections such as a spinach florentine quesadilla combo, coconut shrimp, a red chile shrimp dish, and an assortment of wraps. We were excited by the choices and had a hard time deciding, since so much of it sounded really good
We started with the 'holy guacamole' since I had been nursing an avocado craving for several days. The guac came out looking great- a decent sized bowl of nice chunky green guacamole, spiked with diced onions and tomatoes. It was disappointingly bland though, and left me wanting to run home and make it myself. It was accompanied by another basket of the substandard chips.
For my entree, I decided on the "Homemade chile rellenos." There were two of them on the plate and they came with rice and beans and a little shredded lettuce. The breading was a little on the, well... bready.. side, and the rice was dry. While the chiles were stuffed with lots of cheddar, they didn't have much zing to them. I found myself trying to dump all sorts of other things on them to pep them up a bit.
K's entree looked really wonderful on the menu. Unfortunately it did not really live up to the anticipation either. She got a combo that was a fish taco, a crabcake and a skewer of the coconut shrimp. Sounds great, right? The coconut shrimp were heavily battered and a little greasy, but came with a really tasty little cup of mango salsa. That was probably the best thing on the plate. The fish taco was "okay" and was a soft taco filled with a mild cheese and grilled fish with spring onions. It was supposed to come with lime and sour cream, but they were nowhere to be seen. Probably the biggest offender was the "crabcake." It was unrecognizable to the extent that she was pointing at it with her fork,asking "what's that?" It resembled more of a soggy crab pancake than anything else. It was flat- literally, and salty as well. You just don't serve that to a Baltimore girl who is used to the thick lump crab filled Maryland crabcakes.
Our service was fine- the waiter was polite and attentive, and it's lots of fun to sit and watch the Carytown sidewalk traffic. It's just such a shame that the food doesn't live up to the menu here.
Nacho Mama's
3449 W. Cary Street
804.358.6262
the $15 slice of pizza... Bottoms Up Pizza
What does $15 buy you in Richmond? Less than a quarter tank of gas for my truck (hey a wannabe butch girl has to have the badass ride, but I pay to play these days)... a Lemon drop martini at Can Can (ouch.. but high octane)... or how about a slice of pizza? Yep, that's right. Two slices cost us nearly $30 the other night.
Now that I have you asking yourself what kind of dumb bunny would get up off $30 for two slices of pizza, let me justify my purchase. Picture this: It's Friday night, K and I are ravenously hungry for pizza, and we are sick to death of the whole PapaJohnDominoPizzaHut crapola that gets dumped on your doorstep these days. And we just got paid, so we were feeling flush. We were camped at K's house, near Downtown, and lo and behold, Bottoms Up would deliver to us. So we got online and started perusing toppings... oh the choices... it got out of hand quickly.
My slice: mushrooms, artichokes, caramelized onions, jalapeno peppers, and goat cheese with red sauce.
My beautiful girlfriend's slice: artichokes, caramelized onions, tomatoes, and ricotta cheese with white sauce.
When our box arrived, let me clarify that the "slice" was bigger than my head. Two slices were roughly equivalent to a regular sized thick crust pie. So as horrified as we were with our lack of thriftiness, we felt a little vindicated by the sheer giganticness of our dinner. And after the first bite, any lingering sense of guilt went out the window.
To me, what separates the pizza boys from the pizza men is the sauce, and I will say that Bottoms Up had some of the tastiest red sauce I have come across- rich and tangy with just the right density and consistency to hold down the array of toppings. The toppings were well portioned out so that there was plenty of everything but not so much that it weighed it down or made it soggy. And the various cheeses tasted fresh and had the perfect gooey cheesy consistency as well. Probably the best thing was that the veggies were obviously not canned, but had been recently sliced.
If we had any gripe at all (besides the cost) it would be that the crust was a little on the thick and bready side, which is just not my thing. I'm a New York style pizza girl, but I suppose that is a personal taste issue.
In all fairness, it's possible to get a slice for much less than $15 at Bottoms Up, but we wanted what we wanted, so we went for it. In a perverse sort of way it makes me want to try to come up with the most obscenely expensive slice of pizza possible. I can't help but wonder what it would take to put together, say..a $50 slice, just so I can say I ate a $50 slice of pizza.
I guess it's a good thing I live outside their regular delivery area.
Bottoms Up Pizza
1700 Dock Street
804-644-4400
Now that I have you asking yourself what kind of dumb bunny would get up off $30 for two slices of pizza, let me justify my purchase. Picture this: It's Friday night, K and I are ravenously hungry for pizza, and we are sick to death of the whole PapaJohnDominoPizzaHut crapola that gets dumped on your doorstep these days. And we just got paid, so we were feeling flush. We were camped at K's house, near Downtown, and lo and behold, Bottoms Up would deliver to us. So we got online and started perusing toppings... oh the choices... it got out of hand quickly.
My slice: mushrooms, artichokes, caramelized onions, jalapeno peppers, and goat cheese with red sauce.
My beautiful girlfriend's slice: artichokes, caramelized onions, tomatoes, and ricotta cheese with white sauce.
When our box arrived, let me clarify that the "slice" was bigger than my head. Two slices were roughly equivalent to a regular sized thick crust pie. So as horrified as we were with our lack of thriftiness, we felt a little vindicated by the sheer giganticness of our dinner. And after the first bite, any lingering sense of guilt went out the window.
To me, what separates the pizza boys from the pizza men is the sauce, and I will say that Bottoms Up had some of the tastiest red sauce I have come across- rich and tangy with just the right density and consistency to hold down the array of toppings. The toppings were well portioned out so that there was plenty of everything but not so much that it weighed it down or made it soggy. And the various cheeses tasted fresh and had the perfect gooey cheesy consistency as well. Probably the best thing was that the veggies were obviously not canned, but had been recently sliced.
If we had any gripe at all (besides the cost) it would be that the crust was a little on the thick and bready side, which is just not my thing. I'm a New York style pizza girl, but I suppose that is a personal taste issue.
In all fairness, it's possible to get a slice for much less than $15 at Bottoms Up, but we wanted what we wanted, so we went for it. In a perverse sort of way it makes me want to try to come up with the most obscenely expensive slice of pizza possible. I can't help but wonder what it would take to put together, say..a $50 slice, just so I can say I ate a $50 slice of pizza.
I guess it's a good thing I live outside their regular delivery area.
Bottoms Up Pizza
1700 Dock Street
804-644-4400
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Avenue 805 (or 2 brainless lesbians try to do dinner and a movie)
I don’t know why Avenue 805 is not slam packed on Monday nights. Their Cheap date night has got to be one of the best deals in town. We stumbled onto it last night, when we got a craving for a big garlicky bowl of Mussels, and headed over there. Avenue 805 has never disappointed in the Mussels department, and that, combined with the nice dark cozy bar that we can smoke at, has made it a regular stop for us.
It turns out they do the Cheap date night on Mondays and Tuesdays, for parties of two. For $35 you get a bottle of red, white or pink, a big salad (either Caesar or house), a big bowl of pasta (lots of mix’n’match sauces and add protein for $5) and the house dessert. When you start crunching numbers on all that, you’ll find it’s a heck of a deal.
We started with the now-de rigueur lemon drop martini. The bartender/server said she hadn’t made one in awhile, but it was good. The glasses weren’t filled up all the way- that was my only complaint. It looks weird to see a ¾ full Martini glass.
We opted for white wine and were given a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc that was better than I had hoped for. You never know what you’re going to get in these situations, and you pretty much have to throw yourself at the mercy of the house and hope for the best. It was a very nice wine, crisp and refreshing.
The mussels that we had originally come in for, came out first, and as usual were swimming in garlic and white wine goodness, with a big piece of garlic toast alongside.
Our Caesar came out next and was very tasty. We’re both crouton queens, and I liked that the croutons tasted homemade from crusty French bread. At this point in my recollections, I need to mention that the service we had was really exceptional. We never felt rushed, and our server was attentive without being obnoxious. She paced our food perfectly, and it really makes a huge difference in your dining experience when someone takes the time and effort to do that.
The pasta we ordered was penne with pesto sauce, add shrimp. Bacchus has a similar pasta set-up, that we tried out last month, and I have to say that as much as I like Bacchus, we both agreed that this was a superior bowl of pasta. The pesto was rich with parmesan, slightly creamy and with a fresh basil flavor. The pinenuts were a nice addition, and the shrimp were delicious and well cooked. And like Bacchus, it was a gigantic portion. It piqued my curiosity to try their other sauces as well.
At this point we were ridiculously groaningly full… K actually loosened her belt, and by the time we’d left she had unbuttoned her jeans as well. It was at that can’t….eat….another….bite stage in the meal, that our server cheerfully mentioned that dessert was the bread pudding with hard sauce. Before I could stop myself, I asked if we could have half of it now, and would she box the rest? The bread pudding here is so, so good. It’s the perfect mix of soft bread pudding, crispy crunchy sugar crusties and fresh whipped cream. I can’t believe we managed to eat another bite but we did.
This visit reminded me why we like Avenue 805 so much.
We asked for our check, since we were trying to make a movie at the Byrd. We had really managed to time everything just perfectly, we found great parking, everything was going as planned. The movie we wanted to see was Ironman. K had asked me earlier in the day if I had any interest in seeing it, since it was at the Byrd. I said, “Oh, that’s that movie starring Robert Downey Jr, right? And it’s like a superhero movie. That should be good. It sounds interesting.” She replied that she thought so too, and we were both looking forward to seeing it.
So we arrive at the theatre, and are surprised at how many people are out on a Monday- why the heck didn’t they go eat at Avenue 805 first? We take our seats and start to watch. After about 3 minutes, the movie looks very familiar to me. My mind whirls…. Where had I seen this? Who had I seen it with? I couldn’t have possibly seen it with K, or she wouldn’t have suggested we go…. But I couldn’t have seen it with any other girl, because I don’t even look at other girls… and it’s not my kids’ sort of thing… and I don’t go to movies by myself….. and it’s not on cable yet…. at that point in my musing, K turns to me with a sheepish look, and says, “Why does this movie look familiar to me?”
“Oh my god,” I say. “We went to see this together.” A flicker of recollection darts across her face and she stifles a giggle. I feel a huge case of the laughs coming on, and I am so full I can barely sit in my seat anyway… We’re both laughing our heads off as we waddle quickly out of the theatre, and laugh all the way home. I think we’re the only two people I know who don’t require actual alcohol to act like blackout drunks.
Avenue 805
805 N. Davis
Richmond, VA
It turns out they do the Cheap date night on Mondays and Tuesdays, for parties of two. For $35 you get a bottle of red, white or pink, a big salad (either Caesar or house), a big bowl of pasta (lots of mix’n’match sauces and add protein for $5) and the house dessert. When you start crunching numbers on all that, you’ll find it’s a heck of a deal.
We started with the now-de rigueur lemon drop martini. The bartender/server said she hadn’t made one in awhile, but it was good. The glasses weren’t filled up all the way- that was my only complaint. It looks weird to see a ¾ full Martini glass.
We opted for white wine and were given a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc that was better than I had hoped for. You never know what you’re going to get in these situations, and you pretty much have to throw yourself at the mercy of the house and hope for the best. It was a very nice wine, crisp and refreshing.
The mussels that we had originally come in for, came out first, and as usual were swimming in garlic and white wine goodness, with a big piece of garlic toast alongside.
Our Caesar came out next and was very tasty. We’re both crouton queens, and I liked that the croutons tasted homemade from crusty French bread. At this point in my recollections, I need to mention that the service we had was really exceptional. We never felt rushed, and our server was attentive without being obnoxious. She paced our food perfectly, and it really makes a huge difference in your dining experience when someone takes the time and effort to do that.
The pasta we ordered was penne with pesto sauce, add shrimp. Bacchus has a similar pasta set-up, that we tried out last month, and I have to say that as much as I like Bacchus, we both agreed that this was a superior bowl of pasta. The pesto was rich with parmesan, slightly creamy and with a fresh basil flavor. The pinenuts were a nice addition, and the shrimp were delicious and well cooked. And like Bacchus, it was a gigantic portion. It piqued my curiosity to try their other sauces as well.
At this point we were ridiculously groaningly full… K actually loosened her belt, and by the time we’d left she had unbuttoned her jeans as well. It was at that can’t….eat….another….bite stage in the meal, that our server cheerfully mentioned that dessert was the bread pudding with hard sauce. Before I could stop myself, I asked if we could have half of it now, and would she box the rest? The bread pudding here is so, so good. It’s the perfect mix of soft bread pudding, crispy crunchy sugar crusties and fresh whipped cream. I can’t believe we managed to eat another bite but we did.
This visit reminded me why we like Avenue 805 so much.
We asked for our check, since we were trying to make a movie at the Byrd. We had really managed to time everything just perfectly, we found great parking, everything was going as planned. The movie we wanted to see was Ironman. K had asked me earlier in the day if I had any interest in seeing it, since it was at the Byrd. I said, “Oh, that’s that movie starring Robert Downey Jr, right? And it’s like a superhero movie. That should be good. It sounds interesting.” She replied that she thought so too, and we were both looking forward to seeing it.
So we arrive at the theatre, and are surprised at how many people are out on a Monday- why the heck didn’t they go eat at Avenue 805 first? We take our seats and start to watch. After about 3 minutes, the movie looks very familiar to me. My mind whirls…. Where had I seen this? Who had I seen it with? I couldn’t have possibly seen it with K, or she wouldn’t have suggested we go…. But I couldn’t have seen it with any other girl, because I don’t even look at other girls… and it’s not my kids’ sort of thing… and I don’t go to movies by myself….. and it’s not on cable yet…. at that point in my musing, K turns to me with a sheepish look, and says, “Why does this movie look familiar to me?”
“Oh my god,” I say. “We went to see this together.” A flicker of recollection darts across her face and she stifles a giggle. I feel a huge case of the laughs coming on, and I am so full I can barely sit in my seat anyway… We’re both laughing our heads off as we waddle quickly out of the theatre, and laugh all the way home. I think we’re the only two people I know who don’t require actual alcohol to act like blackout drunks.
Avenue 805
805 N. Davis
Richmond, VA
Monday, August 18, 2008
The Hill Cafe
I hate to admit it, but I have become one of those crotchety old dykes who openly dreads the return of the VCU student from their summer vacations. It doesn’t matter that I went to school there at one time, and was one of them…. The way I see it, they take up space at restaurants I want to eat at… bars I want to drink at, and intersections I’m trying to drive through.
Saturday morning we had set out to take the kids to brunch before they left for 2 weeks in NoVA. We had our hearts set on 821 Bakery Café, where visions of fancy grits and spinach omlets wafted ethereally through our heads. “What the %&#$!!!” I sputtered, as we turned onto Cary St and spotted a small horde of trendy hair-dos and studded belt types sprawled on the sidewalk in front of 821, and spilling out the screen door. Then I saw the “Move In Day” signs outside Gladding Hall. Time for Plan B. I hadn’t really thought up a Plan B, but K thought we should head for Church Hill- “As far away from VCU as possible.”
And that’s how my 821 Bakery Café review turned into a Hill Café review.
The first thing we noticed when we walked into the Hill Café, was that there were lots of empty tables. The second thing we noticed was that there was no brunch menu. We suspected a connection. We also decided to suck it up and just have lunch.
K and I ordered Bloody Marys- which were large, but had to be some of the blandest Bloodys I’ve ever had. Mine required half a small bottle of Tabasco sauce and a portion of the pepper shaker to be drinkable. Now this sounds weird, and I’ve never had much opinion about soda, but M’s Coke was one of the best Cokes I’ve ever tasted. It had the perfect syrup-to-soda ratio, and since the waitstaff was so good about keeping the kids’ soda glasses full, they didn’t mind that I kept stealing sips. Normally they put up a howl about it, because I don’t usually give them soda unless we’re out and they want it all for themselves.
K and I ordered the Oyster PoBoys. We got them with the shoestring style fries (which the kids declared "the best fries EVER.”) The PoBoy comes with a dill sauce, and tomatoes, and the oysters are fried to crispy perfection. It’s a very good sandwich.
The girl had a chicken Caesar salad, which consisted of romaine, croutons, parmesan, topped with a grilled chicken breast. It looked good, and she was very pleased with it. My eyeball assessment was that it was nothing extraordinary, but it looked fresh and well prepared. The Boy’s fruit & cheese plate fell into the same category- There were a bunch of butterfly crackers, lots of grapes, a few strawberries and a variety of cheese- I spotted gouda, swiss, and a semisoft white cheese that looked like Fontina. He was very happy and had enough left over to bring home and have a hefty snack later.
The Hill allows smoking and has a full bar. Although it’s not somewhere I’d go for any kind of special, exotic or fancy cuisine, the food we had was good, and we will be back at some point, I am sure. And it’s my unsolicited opinion that a Saturday brunch menu would bring a lot of folks in… of course then there wouldn’t be anywhere for me to sit.
The Hill Cafe
2800 E. Broad St
804-648-0360
Saturday morning we had set out to take the kids to brunch before they left for 2 weeks in NoVA. We had our hearts set on 821 Bakery Café, where visions of fancy grits and spinach omlets wafted ethereally through our heads. “What the %&#$!!!” I sputtered, as we turned onto Cary St and spotted a small horde of trendy hair-dos and studded belt types sprawled on the sidewalk in front of 821, and spilling out the screen door. Then I saw the “Move In Day” signs outside Gladding Hall. Time for Plan B. I hadn’t really thought up a Plan B, but K thought we should head for Church Hill- “As far away from VCU as possible.”
And that’s how my 821 Bakery Café review turned into a Hill Café review.
The first thing we noticed when we walked into the Hill Café, was that there were lots of empty tables. The second thing we noticed was that there was no brunch menu. We suspected a connection. We also decided to suck it up and just have lunch.
K and I ordered Bloody Marys- which were large, but had to be some of the blandest Bloodys I’ve ever had. Mine required half a small bottle of Tabasco sauce and a portion of the pepper shaker to be drinkable. Now this sounds weird, and I’ve never had much opinion about soda, but M’s Coke was one of the best Cokes I’ve ever tasted. It had the perfect syrup-to-soda ratio, and since the waitstaff was so good about keeping the kids’ soda glasses full, they didn’t mind that I kept stealing sips. Normally they put up a howl about it, because I don’t usually give them soda unless we’re out and they want it all for themselves.
K and I ordered the Oyster PoBoys. We got them with the shoestring style fries (which the kids declared "the best fries EVER.”) The PoBoy comes with a dill sauce, and tomatoes, and the oysters are fried to crispy perfection. It’s a very good sandwich.
The girl had a chicken Caesar salad, which consisted of romaine, croutons, parmesan, topped with a grilled chicken breast. It looked good, and she was very pleased with it. My eyeball assessment was that it was nothing extraordinary, but it looked fresh and well prepared. The Boy’s fruit & cheese plate fell into the same category- There were a bunch of butterfly crackers, lots of grapes, a few strawberries and a variety of cheese- I spotted gouda, swiss, and a semisoft white cheese that looked like Fontina. He was very happy and had enough left over to bring home and have a hefty snack later.
The Hill allows smoking and has a full bar. Although it’s not somewhere I’d go for any kind of special, exotic or fancy cuisine, the food we had was good, and we will be back at some point, I am sure. And it’s my unsolicited opinion that a Saturday brunch menu would bring a lot of folks in… of course then there wouldn’t be anywhere for me to sit.
The Hill Cafe
2800 E. Broad St
804-648-0360
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Locavoracious
What follows is purely self indulgent ramblings lauding my own culinary resourcefulness... okay, you've been warned...
I've noticed that a lot of attention has been given to all the local Farmer's Markets, local produce in general, eating local... both in the media and blogs and whatnot. I spend a fair amount of time in the Oregon hill area, so both K and I were delighted when the Byrd Market took root, and flourished. Who wouldn't want to support the local economy, and especially local farmers, and have easy access to fresh locally grown produce and goodies? One or both of us manage to do a little shopping there nearly every week.
That said, my primary goal, when I am in the kitchen, is to please the palate of the lovely K. When she handed me a bag of fresh local tomatoes last week, my mental gears started turning. What to make? I wanted something that would be a nice light summer meal... something that would really highlight the taste of the tomato. I resisted the impulse to do my own 'battle tomato' ala Iron Chef, and honed in on one idea: the tomato sandwich.
These tomatoes were everything you could want in a tomato: texture- they didn't have that weird gritty thing that supermarket tomatoes often have... and they were bursting with flavor.
To assemble my sandwich- and I use the term 'sandwich' pretty loosely, I started with a good french style crusty bread. I sliced it (after it had been warmed in the oven) and arranged the slices on each plate. I also procured some fresh mozzarella and sliced that on top of the bread. Follow that with the sliced tomatoes, fresh basil and a drizzle of oil and vinegar. Total perfection. K likes her tomato sandwiches with mayonnaise, so I whipped up some fresh mayo and spiked it with extra lemon juice, pepper and hot sauce.
I like to garnish with edibles that complement the main ingredient, so this time I went for sundried tomatoes and small piquillo peppers that I stuffed with artichoke hearts and balsamic. they had such a nice bite and crunch that complemented the sandwiches.
It made for a really satisfying fresh evening meal, and was a great way to enjoy our local tomatoes.
This week K handed me an eggplant. It was the most beautiful big purple eggplant. the kids were fighting over who got to hold it (I won). So now I have to come up with some kind of yummy eggplant dish.
So, in conclusion, everybody eat your vegetablers and support your local economy!
I've noticed that a lot of attention has been given to all the local Farmer's Markets, local produce in general, eating local... both in the media and blogs and whatnot. I spend a fair amount of time in the Oregon hill area, so both K and I were delighted when the Byrd Market took root, and flourished. Who wouldn't want to support the local economy, and especially local farmers, and have easy access to fresh locally grown produce and goodies? One or both of us manage to do a little shopping there nearly every week.
That said, my primary goal, when I am in the kitchen, is to please the palate of the lovely K. When she handed me a bag of fresh local tomatoes last week, my mental gears started turning. What to make? I wanted something that would be a nice light summer meal... something that would really highlight the taste of the tomato. I resisted the impulse to do my own 'battle tomato' ala Iron Chef, and honed in on one idea: the tomato sandwich.
These tomatoes were everything you could want in a tomato: texture- they didn't have that weird gritty thing that supermarket tomatoes often have... and they were bursting with flavor.
To assemble my sandwich- and I use the term 'sandwich' pretty loosely, I started with a good french style crusty bread. I sliced it (after it had been warmed in the oven) and arranged the slices on each plate. I also procured some fresh mozzarella and sliced that on top of the bread. Follow that with the sliced tomatoes, fresh basil and a drizzle of oil and vinegar. Total perfection. K likes her tomato sandwiches with mayonnaise, so I whipped up some fresh mayo and spiked it with extra lemon juice, pepper and hot sauce.
I like to garnish with edibles that complement the main ingredient, so this time I went for sundried tomatoes and small piquillo peppers that I stuffed with artichoke hearts and balsamic. they had such a nice bite and crunch that complemented the sandwiches.
It made for a really satisfying fresh evening meal, and was a great way to enjoy our local tomatoes.
This week K handed me an eggplant. It was the most beautiful big purple eggplant. the kids were fighting over who got to hold it (I won). So now I have to come up with some kind of yummy eggplant dish.
So, in conclusion, everybody eat your vegetablers and support your local economy!
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Beauregard's Thai Room
Let me start this review by saying right up front that Beauregard's takes Thai to a whole different level from the vast herd of Richmond Thai restaurants. They stand a definitive head and shoulders above the Carytown Thai corridor, the various Fan Thai spots, and the unfortunate new incarnation of Thai Mama on southside. This is not to say that they are perfect, but for Thai in this town, the buck stops here. Mine does anyway...
This past Saturday was a beautiful. balmy August evening, and outdoor dining was on the menu. Except for the courtyard at Sette (the former Mr. Patrick Henry's) the back garden at Beauregard's is one of the prettiest and most romantic places in Richmond, to eat outdoors. They have a large dining area, full of foliage, brickwork, a variety of lighting, and even a Koi pond. It was the perfect spot to enjoy the weather and admire my beautiful girlfriend while she sipped her drink and nibbled an eggroll. Pretty much everything K does is cute and fun to watch, and tonight was no exception.
I think we must have been seated in the 'gay' section... I overheard the couple behind us asking the waiter all kinds of really sophisticated questions about the food- nuances of different varieties of curries, which spices are paired best with which wines, and so on- and sure enough it was a pair of gay guys.
We started with a couple lemon drop martinis. We're on a quest at this point to compare them at every bar and restaurant, and it's amazing how many different ways there are to prepare a lemon drop martini. This time, we got pretty much straight Citroen vodka with a squeeze of lemon juice, served ice cold in a small rocks glass with a big lemon wedge and a sugared rim. Usually I bitch when I don't get a lemon drop with lemon syrup in it, but this was surprisingly satisfying.
After we ordered, we were enjoying a cigarette and sipping the drinks, when we were surprised to overhear a different waiter at a different table, running down a big list of specials. Our waiter had never mentioned any specials, which definitely bothered us. Even though I doubt either of us would have changed our orders, it would have been nice to know what the specials were. We also couldn't help but notice that almost all the waitstaff was actually running, like sprinting, between the kitchen and the tables... it made us wonder if someone was back in the kitchen cracking a big bullwhip and holding a stopwatch.
We almost always order the crispy rolls to start with- I think they are some of the best to be had- delicate and crunchy on the outside, and a combination of tender and fresh crisp vegetables inside. They are served with a sweet, clear sauce and we requested hot sauce as well. There were two different hot sauces that came in little clay pots and offered different levels of fiery, flavorful Thai peppers. We were a little disappointed, though, that our crispy rolls were almost cold. This was the first time ever, that they were not brought out piping hot. With all the running waiters, we were perplexed that the spring rolls didn't make it to the table before they cooled off. We were hungry though, so we ate them anyway. In contrast, K's Tom Khar Kai (thai chicken soup) was steaming hot, flavorful and delicious. The chicken broth was infused with coconut and lemongrass flavors and had a good sized portion of chicken and vegetables.
We asked for wine with our entrees, and had ordered Sauvignon Blanc, to complement the chicken and seafood dishes. The wine came out right on time with the food. I had ordered the Green Curry Shrimp, which was darn near perfect. Beauregard's makes a mean green curry sauce, and the plate was lovely. A little mound of sticky rice, topped with big butterflied shrimp, perfectly sauteed green peppers, onions and eggplant, and the jade green hued curry sauce. I really liked that the veggies maintained that bit of crispness, and the shrimp were perfectly cooked as well. If I hadn't been in public I would have licked the plate.... (can't help it, after all, I *am* a lesbian).
K ordered the Green Curry Chicken, which is essentially the same dish as I had, but with tender, white chicken pieces instead of shrimp. She said to be sure to mention that the eggplant was extra yummy.
We were too full to order dessert this time, but a word to the wise: Bread pudding with coconut ice cream. You won't be sorry.
Beauregard's, bless them, has an actual sit down dining area for smokers. Smoking is also permitted at the bar and out on the patio. If you don't want to be around smoke, there's plenty of places for you to sit also. While the service could use a little fine tuning, it's hard to beat this place for a nice Thai meal.
Beauregard's Thai Room
103 E. Cary St.
804.644.2328
This past Saturday was a beautiful. balmy August evening, and outdoor dining was on the menu. Except for the courtyard at Sette (the former Mr. Patrick Henry's) the back garden at Beauregard's is one of the prettiest and most romantic places in Richmond, to eat outdoors. They have a large dining area, full of foliage, brickwork, a variety of lighting, and even a Koi pond. It was the perfect spot to enjoy the weather and admire my beautiful girlfriend while she sipped her drink and nibbled an eggroll. Pretty much everything K does is cute and fun to watch, and tonight was no exception.
I think we must have been seated in the 'gay' section... I overheard the couple behind us asking the waiter all kinds of really sophisticated questions about the food- nuances of different varieties of curries, which spices are paired best with which wines, and so on- and sure enough it was a pair of gay guys.
We started with a couple lemon drop martinis. We're on a quest at this point to compare them at every bar and restaurant, and it's amazing how many different ways there are to prepare a lemon drop martini. This time, we got pretty much straight Citroen vodka with a squeeze of lemon juice, served ice cold in a small rocks glass with a big lemon wedge and a sugared rim. Usually I bitch when I don't get a lemon drop with lemon syrup in it, but this was surprisingly satisfying.
After we ordered, we were enjoying a cigarette and sipping the drinks, when we were surprised to overhear a different waiter at a different table, running down a big list of specials. Our waiter had never mentioned any specials, which definitely bothered us. Even though I doubt either of us would have changed our orders, it would have been nice to know what the specials were. We also couldn't help but notice that almost all the waitstaff was actually running, like sprinting, between the kitchen and the tables... it made us wonder if someone was back in the kitchen cracking a big bullwhip and holding a stopwatch.
We almost always order the crispy rolls to start with- I think they are some of the best to be had- delicate and crunchy on the outside, and a combination of tender and fresh crisp vegetables inside. They are served with a sweet, clear sauce and we requested hot sauce as well. There were two different hot sauces that came in little clay pots and offered different levels of fiery, flavorful Thai peppers. We were a little disappointed, though, that our crispy rolls were almost cold. This was the first time ever, that they were not brought out piping hot. With all the running waiters, we were perplexed that the spring rolls didn't make it to the table before they cooled off. We were hungry though, so we ate them anyway. In contrast, K's Tom Khar Kai (thai chicken soup) was steaming hot, flavorful and delicious. The chicken broth was infused with coconut and lemongrass flavors and had a good sized portion of chicken and vegetables.
We asked for wine with our entrees, and had ordered Sauvignon Blanc, to complement the chicken and seafood dishes. The wine came out right on time with the food. I had ordered the Green Curry Shrimp, which was darn near perfect. Beauregard's makes a mean green curry sauce, and the plate was lovely. A little mound of sticky rice, topped with big butterflied shrimp, perfectly sauteed green peppers, onions and eggplant, and the jade green hued curry sauce. I really liked that the veggies maintained that bit of crispness, and the shrimp were perfectly cooked as well. If I hadn't been in public I would have licked the plate.... (can't help it, after all, I *am* a lesbian).
K ordered the Green Curry Chicken, which is essentially the same dish as I had, but with tender, white chicken pieces instead of shrimp. She said to be sure to mention that the eggplant was extra yummy.
We were too full to order dessert this time, but a word to the wise: Bread pudding with coconut ice cream. You won't be sorry.
Beauregard's, bless them, has an actual sit down dining area for smokers. Smoking is also permitted at the bar and out on the patio. If you don't want to be around smoke, there's plenty of places for you to sit also. While the service could use a little fine tuning, it's hard to beat this place for a nice Thai meal.
Beauregard's Thai Room
103 E. Cary St.
804.644.2328
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Bistro 27
Since it was First Friday, albeit a small one, this past Friday, K and I thought it'd be a nice adventure to try something new and go for one of the Broad St corridor restaurants. Any restaurant I go to on a Friday night has an automatic advantage with me: I'm in a good mood, because I'm about to have my first cocktail of the weekend, and I'm having it with the woman of my dreams. We chose Bistro 27, and were seated at a little table right by the front window, and adjacent to the bar. It was the perfect spot for people watching, as the gallery-goers made their way down the street. In Bistro 27, there is smoking at the bar, and at the 2 small tables nearby.
I often like to scope out a restaurant before we go, by checking other blogs and sort of getting a general vibe. I had remembered reading in someone's blog review of 27, that they were put off by dirt on the tablecloth. I had to laugh, because when we got there, the waitress was trying to set a vase of flowers on the table, but it kept spilling over, and she finally gave up, whisked the cloth off and put on a new one. When we sat down I noticed it was dirty.
They have an interesting cocktail menu at 27...options that I had not seen before. I had a rum cocktail, and K had a pomegranate martini. Mine was good, but hers was better. Over the the course of our meal we each had a couple of them. When I asked our waiter/bartender how he made them, he graciously provided instructions. I also noticed that they have 27 wines under $27- which is a cute and clever concept.
We received a basket of bread, with both fresh sliced crusty bread and focaccia. this was accompanied by a dish of tomato infused olive oil for dipping. It had a smoky rich tomato flavor and I found myself putting an awful lot of it on the bread.
For an appetizer, we shared the Calamari Fritti. It was served with both a ramekin of marinara, as well as a Saffron Aioli. Both sauces were very good- not amazingly fabulous, but very good. The Calamari on the other hand, really was fabulous. The batter was very light and crispy and the Calamari was almost melt in your mouth tender. We both deemed it some of the best ever.
The service was a little slow, and our waiter was very nice, but he was almost a little hapless... I think that's the word I'm looking for. He dropped his little black cloth that he was carrying around next to our table at least 3-4 times... he'd lose his train of thought when he was trying to explain the specials, and his eyes would sort of wander off, and when it was taking a really long time to get our next drink he whooshed by, promising it was on the way, and declaring it was 'crazy in here!" The dining room was only half full at that point... In all fairness though, I'm not sure how many servers were working.
With the tasty drinks and app, we had high hopes for our entrees... although I am sad to say, they both fell a little short. I ordered the Veal Scallopini. It came with mashed potatoes, greens and asparagus. The mashed potatoes had been squeezed out into a little swirly tower. I tend to find this disturbing, since the potatoes have to be of a certain consistency in order to be squirted out like that, and I really like them a little more dense and homestyle. Not to mention, that when you take these home in the doggy-bag, and eat them the next day, you'll find really strange textural changes have taken place- they get really starchy-weird. How's that for a culinary description? I never said I was sophisticated- I just know what I like. I did enjoy the greens- they were prepared with plenty of garlic, and some pine nuts.
The veal looked nice- the edges were a little crispy and there was several slices on the plate. And in contrast to my meat dish at Comfort last week, there was a good portion of sauce on it. At Comfort, the meat didn't need any sauce though- I think that here, it did. The Veal itself was ok. Nothing special, not horrible, not that great- it was cooked ok, and it tasted ok.... but unfortunately the sauce was really not good at all. It was a little glutenous and almost institutional tasting. It made the whole plate...well...gooey. And there was none of that lemony citrus flavor I associate with Scallopini- and no capers. This is a classic, clean and simple dish, and it shouldn't be that hard to execute well.
K ordered the fish special. The fish was called 'Awahi' I believe, but when I tried to do more research on it, I didn't come up with much. So I may have messed up the name... But what she got, was 2 little filets, about an inch and a half thick, and 2-3" across. They looked sort of like small swordfish steaks. The fresh citrus sauce that it was served with was very tangy and tasty- it tasted like mango, kiwi, cilantro with lemon, lime and peppers. The sauce was the best thing on the plate. The fish came with the same potatoes, asparagus and greens. K only ate one piece of the fish, pronoucing it "eh...okay."
Probably the biggest thing that bugged us about our meal at 27, was that after we finished our entrees, our plates sat in front of us. And they sat. And they sat. And then they even sat some more. I went to the bathroom at one point and came back, thinking surely by now that plate will be gone. It wasn't. We invented a laughing game, holding our breath when the waiter walked by and trying not to laugh when he didn't pick up the plates. It really did go on a crazy long time... and we tried the eye contact thing too- where you stare at the waiter, and then stare at your plate... that didn't work either. It wouldn't have been that big a deal except that the table was really tiny.
So, our assessment: Bistro 27 is a nice place to go for drinks and an appetizer. I'd go again for a drink and a snack. But dinner was fairly expensive, and we just didn't think the quality of the entrees is there yet.
Bistro 27
27 West Broad Street
804.780.0086
I often like to scope out a restaurant before we go, by checking other blogs and sort of getting a general vibe. I had remembered reading in someone's blog review of 27, that they were put off by dirt on the tablecloth. I had to laugh, because when we got there, the waitress was trying to set a vase of flowers on the table, but it kept spilling over, and she finally gave up, whisked the cloth off and put on a new one. When we sat down I noticed it was dirty.
They have an interesting cocktail menu at 27...options that I had not seen before. I had a rum cocktail, and K had a pomegranate martini. Mine was good, but hers was better. Over the the course of our meal we each had a couple of them. When I asked our waiter/bartender how he made them, he graciously provided instructions. I also noticed that they have 27 wines under $27- which is a cute and clever concept.
We received a basket of bread, with both fresh sliced crusty bread and focaccia. this was accompanied by a dish of tomato infused olive oil for dipping. It had a smoky rich tomato flavor and I found myself putting an awful lot of it on the bread.
For an appetizer, we shared the Calamari Fritti. It was served with both a ramekin of marinara, as well as a Saffron Aioli. Both sauces were very good- not amazingly fabulous, but very good. The Calamari on the other hand, really was fabulous. The batter was very light and crispy and the Calamari was almost melt in your mouth tender. We both deemed it some of the best ever.
The service was a little slow, and our waiter was very nice, but he was almost a little hapless... I think that's the word I'm looking for. He dropped his little black cloth that he was carrying around next to our table at least 3-4 times... he'd lose his train of thought when he was trying to explain the specials, and his eyes would sort of wander off, and when it was taking a really long time to get our next drink he whooshed by, promising it was on the way, and declaring it was 'crazy in here!" The dining room was only half full at that point... In all fairness though, I'm not sure how many servers were working.
With the tasty drinks and app, we had high hopes for our entrees... although I am sad to say, they both fell a little short. I ordered the Veal Scallopini. It came with mashed potatoes, greens and asparagus. The mashed potatoes had been squeezed out into a little swirly tower. I tend to find this disturbing, since the potatoes have to be of a certain consistency in order to be squirted out like that, and I really like them a little more dense and homestyle. Not to mention, that when you take these home in the doggy-bag, and eat them the next day, you'll find really strange textural changes have taken place- they get really starchy-weird. How's that for a culinary description? I never said I was sophisticated- I just know what I like. I did enjoy the greens- they were prepared with plenty of garlic, and some pine nuts.
The veal looked nice- the edges were a little crispy and there was several slices on the plate. And in contrast to my meat dish at Comfort last week, there was a good portion of sauce on it. At Comfort, the meat didn't need any sauce though- I think that here, it did. The Veal itself was ok. Nothing special, not horrible, not that great- it was cooked ok, and it tasted ok.... but unfortunately the sauce was really not good at all. It was a little glutenous and almost institutional tasting. It made the whole plate...well...gooey. And there was none of that lemony citrus flavor I associate with Scallopini- and no capers. This is a classic, clean and simple dish, and it shouldn't be that hard to execute well.
K ordered the fish special. The fish was called 'Awahi' I believe, but when I tried to do more research on it, I didn't come up with much. So I may have messed up the name... But what she got, was 2 little filets, about an inch and a half thick, and 2-3" across. They looked sort of like small swordfish steaks. The fresh citrus sauce that it was served with was very tangy and tasty- it tasted like mango, kiwi, cilantro with lemon, lime and peppers. The sauce was the best thing on the plate. The fish came with the same potatoes, asparagus and greens. K only ate one piece of the fish, pronoucing it "eh...okay."
Probably the biggest thing that bugged us about our meal at 27, was that after we finished our entrees, our plates sat in front of us. And they sat. And they sat. And then they even sat some more. I went to the bathroom at one point and came back, thinking surely by now that plate will be gone. It wasn't. We invented a laughing game, holding our breath when the waiter walked by and trying not to laugh when he didn't pick up the plates. It really did go on a crazy long time... and we tried the eye contact thing too- where you stare at the waiter, and then stare at your plate... that didn't work either. It wouldn't have been that big a deal except that the table was really tiny.
So, our assessment: Bistro 27 is a nice place to go for drinks and an appetizer. I'd go again for a drink and a snack. But dinner was fairly expensive, and we just didn't think the quality of the entrees is there yet.
Bistro 27
27 West Broad Street
804.780.0086
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Comfort
When you go into a restaurant on a Wednesday evening, and it's so full that people are crowded around the bar and spilling out the door waiting for a table, you know they are doing something right. Fortunately for us, we arrived at Comfort about 10 minutes before the big rush, that appeared to be the second wave of the dinner crowd. The smoking section was full, so we decided to eat at the bar, which I like doing anyway, since I can drag K's chair over next to mine and bite on her ear if I get tired of waiting for the food to get to the table.
We decided to test out the Lemon Drop martinis, and they were deemed "perfect, if the rim had been sugared." There's a truly formidable Whiskey menu as well, but that probably needs an entire evening dedicated to exploring it (not to mention the next day off from work). At any rate, the bar at Comfort is a good one- they meet all our criteria: Good selection of everything, good mixology skills, fast and friendly service. You'd be surprised how many badly made drinks we get, so when we go somewhere and get a really good one, we get excited about it.
For those who have not had the good fortune to eat at Comfort, they do basic Southern food, and they do it very, very well. It does tend to get crowded quickly, and within a few minutes of settling in at the bar, we had a big crowd of sundress sporting, white wine drinking straight girls milling and bumping around behind us. We were just happy to have a seat though, and by the time the Fried Green Tomato appetizer arrived, we really didn't care. The tomatoes were sliced and done in a cornmeal batter. They were perfectly crunchy on the outside, and the remoulade served with them was spicy and complemented the flavors very nicely.
After the martini, we moved to wine, and ordered a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon off the fairly extensive winelist. It was a good deal price-wise, and lived up to the description on the list.
The way the menu works for entrees, is you pick a protein and then choose two or three items off the selection of sides. I have a hard time deciding on sides. The mashed potatoes are always a winner. They have the ideal texture and flavor for mashed potatoes. Never gooey, never dry, never lumpy. Just right. Other sides to be agonized over include the cheese grits, greens, fried okra, mac and cheese, scalloped potatoes, corn, or squash casserole.
I selected the Top Sirloin with mashed potatoes and asparagus. I am a pretty saucy person, and enjoy sauce or gravy of some sort on almost anything., but somehow I just didn't miss it here- the flavors were enough. My sirloin was cooked medium rare, as I had ordered it, and was a very healthy portion. K had a taste and wanted to know why it was so "chewy." I admit, it may have been a tad on the chewy side, but it tasted so good, I really did not mind a slight texture issue. The potatoes were as good as ever, and the asparagus was perfectly al dente.
K ordered the seared Tuna special, and while I have a fish allergy and could not sample it, she declared it "scrumptious." She looked really cute eating it, so I'll have to give the Tuna a high rating. It came with a smoked tomato aioli sauce, that I did taste, and found to be very very smoky tasting- almost too smoky. She said it went with the Tuna really well though. Her sides were the mashed potatoes and corn, both of which disappeared in short order.
We opted for splitting a dessert, and since I had heard good things about the banana pudding, and the bartender recommended it, that's what we went for. Next time I will not split one. Calling this concoction a "banana pudding" is so understated. It should have some grand, impressive name that somehow conveys it's deliciousness. It should be named after a grand dame, or a famous southern general or something, and have those little accent marks over the "e's." What you get here is a good sized ramekin-type dish of banana creme brulee, with thin sliced bananas baked on top of it, and whole affair coated with a crunchy layer of this carmelized sugar. It's sublime, and I must have another one very soon.
As for the service here, we couldn't have been happier. Our server was friendly and efficient, and made good suggestions. We sat for awhile after dinner, and while other places have been known to rush folks off, our bartender actually offered up another glass of wine on him. And that was before he even saw the tip. We felt very welcome and I'm sure we'll be back soon.
We decided to test out the Lemon Drop martinis, and they were deemed "perfect, if the rim had been sugared." There's a truly formidable Whiskey menu as well, but that probably needs an entire evening dedicated to exploring it (not to mention the next day off from work). At any rate, the bar at Comfort is a good one- they meet all our criteria: Good selection of everything, good mixology skills, fast and friendly service. You'd be surprised how many badly made drinks we get, so when we go somewhere and get a really good one, we get excited about it.
For those who have not had the good fortune to eat at Comfort, they do basic Southern food, and they do it very, very well. It does tend to get crowded quickly, and within a few minutes of settling in at the bar, we had a big crowd of sundress sporting, white wine drinking straight girls milling and bumping around behind us. We were just happy to have a seat though, and by the time the Fried Green Tomato appetizer arrived, we really didn't care. The tomatoes were sliced and done in a cornmeal batter. They were perfectly crunchy on the outside, and the remoulade served with them was spicy and complemented the flavors very nicely.
After the martini, we moved to wine, and ordered a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon off the fairly extensive winelist. It was a good deal price-wise, and lived up to the description on the list.
The way the menu works for entrees, is you pick a protein and then choose two or three items off the selection of sides. I have a hard time deciding on sides. The mashed potatoes are always a winner. They have the ideal texture and flavor for mashed potatoes. Never gooey, never dry, never lumpy. Just right. Other sides to be agonized over include the cheese grits, greens, fried okra, mac and cheese, scalloped potatoes, corn, or squash casserole.
I selected the Top Sirloin with mashed potatoes and asparagus. I am a pretty saucy person, and enjoy sauce or gravy of some sort on almost anything., but somehow I just didn't miss it here- the flavors were enough. My sirloin was cooked medium rare, as I had ordered it, and was a very healthy portion. K had a taste and wanted to know why it was so "chewy." I admit, it may have been a tad on the chewy side, but it tasted so good, I really did not mind a slight texture issue. The potatoes were as good as ever, and the asparagus was perfectly al dente.
K ordered the seared Tuna special, and while I have a fish allergy and could not sample it, she declared it "scrumptious." She looked really cute eating it, so I'll have to give the Tuna a high rating. It came with a smoked tomato aioli sauce, that I did taste, and found to be very very smoky tasting- almost too smoky. She said it went with the Tuna really well though. Her sides were the mashed potatoes and corn, both of which disappeared in short order.
We opted for splitting a dessert, and since I had heard good things about the banana pudding, and the bartender recommended it, that's what we went for. Next time I will not split one. Calling this concoction a "banana pudding" is so understated. It should have some grand, impressive name that somehow conveys it's deliciousness. It should be named after a grand dame, or a famous southern general or something, and have those little accent marks over the "e's." What you get here is a good sized ramekin-type dish of banana creme brulee, with thin sliced bananas baked on top of it, and whole affair coated with a crunchy layer of this carmelized sugar. It's sublime, and I must have another one very soon.
As for the service here, we couldn't have been happier. Our server was friendly and efficient, and made good suggestions. We sat for awhile after dinner, and while other places have been known to rush folks off, our bartender actually offered up another glass of wine on him. And that was before he even saw the tip. We felt very welcome and I'm sure we'll be back soon.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Bacchus
By last Friday evening, I had hit my threshold with my job (corporate finance) and was more than ready for a stiff drink and a good meal. I also had a bee in my bonnet to try somewhere new, explore uncharted territory, so K and I did a little research and set out. Our initial target was Six Burner, where we had heard good things about the menu, and were interested to try it.
Keep in mind, that one of our primary core values is that any establishment that merits a review on our blog, must permit smoking somewhere on the premises. It's the principle of the thing. Even if we didn't smoke, we don't like people telling us what to do. But that's beside the point- we do smoke, and on Friday night, after a rough week, a cig with my martini is an absolute necessity.
We were a little disappointed to find Six Burner has no accommodation for smokers. Scratch that one off the list. Next we stopped by Cirrus- I'd also heard good things about that place. Also non smoking, which was a no go. I can almost hear the non smokers rolling their eyes right now, but keep in mind that as consumers, it's our right to determine where our dollars go, and if a restaurant has a policy that conflicts with our core values, we choose not to patronize it. Nothing against that particular place, we'd just rather spend out money somewhere else.
After striking out twice, we contemplated just doing the walk of shame down Main Street, poking out heads in each place and asking if we could smoke there, but at that point I wanted that drink really bad, so we opted for Bacchus- one of our stand-bys that we hadn't been to in awhile.
You can smoke at the bar there, so that's where we ate. K and I ordered lemon drop martinis, and K's comment was "too strong." The rim was nicely sugared, but it tasted like just a giant glass of straight citrus vodka. They really should have had a little lemon syrup in there.
I love Bacchus's appetizer selection, and always have a hard time deciding. The salad with the beets and fried goat cheese is one of my favorites, with the crispy outside, soft inside cheese and fresh greens, but we wanted something more substantial and opted for the clams and mussels instead. We had a choice of white or red sauce and went for the white- a garlicky and aromatic broth. it went perfectly with the fresh rolls that came. The rolls at Bacchus remind me a little of the rolls the chef at Mr. Patrick Henry's used to make- very traditional, slightly yeasty tasting.
Normally we order off the regular menu, the Lobster, Fish, Beef and Veal dishes are always well cooked and well seasoned. I think the sauces in general are done with finesse. Every once in awhile there's a miss, but I enjoy the general attention to detail that goes into the sauces at Bacchus. There's a complexity of flavors that you can't miss- that extra layer of sweetness or pungency. Depending on the sauce, the little touches like the addition of capers, spices or liquor essences complement the proteins in a satisfying way.
Tonight we decided to try something different. Bacchus has a comprehensive pasta list, where you can choose spaghetti, rigatoni or penne in any number of sauce options. After much agonizing, I chose the shrimp and scallop scampi with rigatoni, and K went for the gorgonzola penne with chicken.
The pasta portions at Bacchus are enormous. Between two pasta entrees, we had enough to eat our dinners, then what we took home provided another entire meal for both of us and the two kids. I can't imagine being able to finish it all in one setting.
There's also a good choice of by the glass wines on the winelist, and since the martinis were knocking us on our butts, we opted for one glass each instead of a bottle- K had the Dynamite Cabernet Sauvignon, which was a good balance of tannins and berry flavor, and I had a dry citrusy glass of Sauvignon Blanc. We felt they were good values. I hate having to eat a good meal with a crappy glass of some house wine, but you have options here if you don't want a whole bottle.
My pasta - the Scampi, came with a brandy infused garlic and tomato sauce. The shrimp were large and perfectly cooked. Shrimp can be tricky, but these were right on. My only complaint about the dish was that there were only 2-3 fairly small scallops. K decided she liked mine better than hers. Her gorgonzola pasta suffered the inevitable comparison to Mamma Zu's (the holy grail of gorgonzola pasta) and did not quite measure up. While the chicken was tender and well cooked, the sauce was thin and lacked that gorgonzola cheese tang, and creamy texture. it was also a little light on the peas.
All in all, it was a pleasant meal, and the service was good. We're getting a good feel for what to order there, and what the best options are. And we were very impressed by the ventilation system at Bacchus- even though it's smoker-friendly, I never smell smoke when I go in the door. We did have one service complaint though- our bartender/server committed the ultimate sin, of plopping our check down without asking if we wanted anything else- another drink? Probably not. Dessert? Yes. Coffee? Maybe. Ultimately servers cost their restaurants hundreds of dollars a year, by not just asking "can I get you anything else tonight?" Not to mention it is not polite. As it was, we decided to take ourselves down the street and get dessert and drinks at Verbena (review to come :)
Bacchus
2 N. Meadow St
804-355-9919
Keep in mind, that one of our primary core values is that any establishment that merits a review on our blog, must permit smoking somewhere on the premises. It's the principle of the thing. Even if we didn't smoke, we don't like people telling us what to do. But that's beside the point- we do smoke, and on Friday night, after a rough week, a cig with my martini is an absolute necessity.
We were a little disappointed to find Six Burner has no accommodation for smokers. Scratch that one off the list. Next we stopped by Cirrus- I'd also heard good things about that place. Also non smoking, which was a no go. I can almost hear the non smokers rolling their eyes right now, but keep in mind that as consumers, it's our right to determine where our dollars go, and if a restaurant has a policy that conflicts with our core values, we choose not to patronize it. Nothing against that particular place, we'd just rather spend out money somewhere else.
After striking out twice, we contemplated just doing the walk of shame down Main Street, poking out heads in each place and asking if we could smoke there, but at that point I wanted that drink really bad, so we opted for Bacchus- one of our stand-bys that we hadn't been to in awhile.
You can smoke at the bar there, so that's where we ate. K and I ordered lemon drop martinis, and K's comment was "too strong." The rim was nicely sugared, but it tasted like just a giant glass of straight citrus vodka. They really should have had a little lemon syrup in there.
I love Bacchus's appetizer selection, and always have a hard time deciding. The salad with the beets and fried goat cheese is one of my favorites, with the crispy outside, soft inside cheese and fresh greens, but we wanted something more substantial and opted for the clams and mussels instead. We had a choice of white or red sauce and went for the white- a garlicky and aromatic broth. it went perfectly with the fresh rolls that came. The rolls at Bacchus remind me a little of the rolls the chef at Mr. Patrick Henry's used to make- very traditional, slightly yeasty tasting.
Normally we order off the regular menu, the Lobster, Fish, Beef and Veal dishes are always well cooked and well seasoned. I think the sauces in general are done with finesse. Every once in awhile there's a miss, but I enjoy the general attention to detail that goes into the sauces at Bacchus. There's a complexity of flavors that you can't miss- that extra layer of sweetness or pungency. Depending on the sauce, the little touches like the addition of capers, spices or liquor essences complement the proteins in a satisfying way.
Tonight we decided to try something different. Bacchus has a comprehensive pasta list, where you can choose spaghetti, rigatoni or penne in any number of sauce options. After much agonizing, I chose the shrimp and scallop scampi with rigatoni, and K went for the gorgonzola penne with chicken.
The pasta portions at Bacchus are enormous. Between two pasta entrees, we had enough to eat our dinners, then what we took home provided another entire meal for both of us and the two kids. I can't imagine being able to finish it all in one setting.
There's also a good choice of by the glass wines on the winelist, and since the martinis were knocking us on our butts, we opted for one glass each instead of a bottle- K had the Dynamite Cabernet Sauvignon, which was a good balance of tannins and berry flavor, and I had a dry citrusy glass of Sauvignon Blanc. We felt they were good values. I hate having to eat a good meal with a crappy glass of some house wine, but you have options here if you don't want a whole bottle.
My pasta - the Scampi, came with a brandy infused garlic and tomato sauce. The shrimp were large and perfectly cooked. Shrimp can be tricky, but these were right on. My only complaint about the dish was that there were only 2-3 fairly small scallops. K decided she liked mine better than hers. Her gorgonzola pasta suffered the inevitable comparison to Mamma Zu's (the holy grail of gorgonzola pasta) and did not quite measure up. While the chicken was tender and well cooked, the sauce was thin and lacked that gorgonzola cheese tang, and creamy texture. it was also a little light on the peas.
All in all, it was a pleasant meal, and the service was good. We're getting a good feel for what to order there, and what the best options are. And we were very impressed by the ventilation system at Bacchus- even though it's smoker-friendly, I never smell smoke when I go in the door. We did have one service complaint though- our bartender/server committed the ultimate sin, of plopping our check down without asking if we wanted anything else- another drink? Probably not. Dessert? Yes. Coffee? Maybe. Ultimately servers cost their restaurants hundreds of dollars a year, by not just asking "can I get you anything else tonight?" Not to mention it is not polite. As it was, we decided to take ourselves down the street and get dessert and drinks at Verbena (review to come :)
Bacchus
2 N. Meadow St
804-355-9919
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Big Daddy's BBQ and Ribs
In my Galaxy post, K called me out for making us look like total alcoholics, so let me clarify: we are Lightweights. That's "Lightweights" with a big "L."
When we drink beers, we split them because we usually can't drink the whole beer before it gets warm. Splitting three beers is a big night of beer drinking. Likewise, a big drinking night for us, means splitting a bottle of wine with dinner, and an all out bender means we had a cocktail first.
Add to this, K's endearing habit of pouring her wine into my glass when she can't finish it, and there you have it. Keep in mind though, that I tend to think everything she does is endearing and adorable, and any restaurant reviews I write are potentially skewed by how cute I think she looks when she's eating something, inversely factored by the proportionate amount of wine she dumps into my glass during the meal.
In honor of non-drunkenness, I'd like to give a shout to a restaurant that (gasp) does not serve any alcohol. They don't even have chairs, and you can't go inside either. But we still eat there at least once a month.
Anyone who lives in Dogtown (Southside) has probably seen the little brick shack on Jahnke Road, on the edge of the strip mall before the Food Lion. Big Daddy's BBQ is strictly a drive-up, walk-up joint. For a tiny little place, an amazing amount of tasty Southern fare passes through their window. If you're hungry for traditional North Carolina style vinegar based BBQ, Texas Beef BBQ or Ribs, this is the spot. They sport a good sized menu, and also serve Catfish, Gumbo and Jambalaya, as well as burgers and such. And best of all, the prices beat the chain BBQ, like Dave's by miles.
As I've said before, we're not big meat eaters, but in the interest of accurate reviewing, I have sampled both the beef ribs and the pork ribs and found them to be saucy, smoky and meaty. I preferred the tender texture and spiciness of the pork ribs to the larger and slightly tougher beef ribs.
We tend to choose from one of two Big Daddy orders. If we want actual pork BBQ, we go for the "Family Pack." You get a big tub of perfect NC pork BBQ, a bag of rolls and a couple sides, all for around $20. (for 4 people). The BBQ is flavorful and almost textbook perfect, as far as this style of BBQ goes. I like to put a big scoop of the crispy coleslaw on top of mine.
If you're not into pork, you can opt for the "Miss Virginia" sandwich. (Most items are available as platters or sandwiches) which is a BBQ chicken breast sandwich. We always request both a little cup of sauce, and a little cup of vinegar to pour on ours. The chicken is reliably tender and smoky and makes for a great alternative to the pork. I do wish they'd do a pulled chicken version though, for variety's sake.
There's a bunch of sides to choose from, and on our last visit, we were very impressed with the french fries, and stole a good portion of the kids' order on the ride home. However, they have one particular side that brings us back to this place over and over: Behold, the Corn Fritter.
We had never heard of a Corn Fritter before, but we now refer to it as "food crack." I am convinced the corner boyz would be hawking little bags of this, if Big Daddy's didn't have the monopoly on it. Corn Fritters are about an inch across, golden brown, crispy outside, creamy corn inside. they come in large or small bags. Get the large bag. A Corn Fritter dipped in vinegar is the best thing ever, and I catch myself daydreaming about them at the oddest times. And once the Corn Fritter craving sets in, it nags at me until I relent and go buy a bag.
K does the same thing. We'll be reading, or watching a movie, or running errands, or enjoying the outdoors, and she'll get this look in her eye, and sigh..."mmmmm... Corn Fritters..." and it starts all over again.
So, alcoholics...no, not by a longshot. Corn Fritteraholics... yes, and proud of it.
Big Daddy's Barbeque and Ribs
6359 Jahnke Road
560-1570
When we drink beers, we split them because we usually can't drink the whole beer before it gets warm. Splitting three beers is a big night of beer drinking. Likewise, a big drinking night for us, means splitting a bottle of wine with dinner, and an all out bender means we had a cocktail first.
Add to this, K's endearing habit of pouring her wine into my glass when she can't finish it, and there you have it. Keep in mind though, that I tend to think everything she does is endearing and adorable, and any restaurant reviews I write are potentially skewed by how cute I think she looks when she's eating something, inversely factored by the proportionate amount of wine she dumps into my glass during the meal.
In honor of non-drunkenness, I'd like to give a shout to a restaurant that (gasp) does not serve any alcohol. They don't even have chairs, and you can't go inside either. But we still eat there at least once a month.
Anyone who lives in Dogtown (Southside) has probably seen the little brick shack on Jahnke Road, on the edge of the strip mall before the Food Lion. Big Daddy's BBQ is strictly a drive-up, walk-up joint. For a tiny little place, an amazing amount of tasty Southern fare passes through their window. If you're hungry for traditional North Carolina style vinegar based BBQ, Texas Beef BBQ or Ribs, this is the spot. They sport a good sized menu, and also serve Catfish, Gumbo and Jambalaya, as well as burgers and such. And best of all, the prices beat the chain BBQ, like Dave's by miles.
As I've said before, we're not big meat eaters, but in the interest of accurate reviewing, I have sampled both the beef ribs and the pork ribs and found them to be saucy, smoky and meaty. I preferred the tender texture and spiciness of the pork ribs to the larger and slightly tougher beef ribs.
We tend to choose from one of two Big Daddy orders. If we want actual pork BBQ, we go for the "Family Pack." You get a big tub of perfect NC pork BBQ, a bag of rolls and a couple sides, all for around $20. (for 4 people). The BBQ is flavorful and almost textbook perfect, as far as this style of BBQ goes. I like to put a big scoop of the crispy coleslaw on top of mine.
If you're not into pork, you can opt for the "Miss Virginia" sandwich. (Most items are available as platters or sandwiches) which is a BBQ chicken breast sandwich. We always request both a little cup of sauce, and a little cup of vinegar to pour on ours. The chicken is reliably tender and smoky and makes for a great alternative to the pork. I do wish they'd do a pulled chicken version though, for variety's sake.
There's a bunch of sides to choose from, and on our last visit, we were very impressed with the french fries, and stole a good portion of the kids' order on the ride home. However, they have one particular side that brings us back to this place over and over: Behold, the Corn Fritter.
We had never heard of a Corn Fritter before, but we now refer to it as "food crack." I am convinced the corner boyz would be hawking little bags of this, if Big Daddy's didn't have the monopoly on it. Corn Fritters are about an inch across, golden brown, crispy outside, creamy corn inside. they come in large or small bags. Get the large bag. A Corn Fritter dipped in vinegar is the best thing ever, and I catch myself daydreaming about them at the oddest times. And once the Corn Fritter craving sets in, it nags at me until I relent and go buy a bag.
K does the same thing. We'll be reading, or watching a movie, or running errands, or enjoying the outdoors, and she'll get this look in her eye, and sigh..."mmmmm... Corn Fritters..." and it starts all over again.
So, alcoholics...no, not by a longshot. Corn Fritteraholics... yes, and proud of it.
Big Daddy's Barbeque and Ribs
6359 Jahnke Road
560-1570
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Galaxy Diner
If we had reviewed the Galaxy prior to our most recent visit, it would have been a semi-slavishly glowing review, trumpeting the virtues of diner fare and comfort food in an accessible Carytown location with a hip, spacey astro-decor and a designated smoking area.
As it is, let me say right up front that the Galaxy will always be on our restaurant rotation: the whole gay family likes it. Mom and Mom-Whether-She-Likes-It-Or-Not can drink and smoke and hold hands, while the kids bitch us out about our smoking, over their brownie sundaes and french fries. We can eat breakfast anytime there, and the food never fails to soak up any amount of alcohol left in our systems from the night before.
That said, last week all four of us wandered in, two of us with fairly wicked hangovers. The Galaxy has a decent bar, and makes a good Bloody Mary, so a little hair of the dog was in order. For the record, they also have Martinis and make a hefty and homemade milkshake or Limeade for those who don't want alcohol.
We don't usually go for appetizers there- the entree plates are big enough for us. The apps are tending towards fried- which the Galaxy does extremely well, whether you want your pickles, oreos, twinkies or green tomatoes done that way.
We wanted to get something in our stomachs quickly though, so as K and I were sitting propped up against each other, trying to stay upright, we decided that the Tomato Basil soup special sounded like a good idea. What could be more soothing than soup? Well, what came to the table, was not exactly soup. Two small bowls of what looked like Marinara sauce arrived. I poked suspiciously at mine with my spoon, and always up for adventure, I took a taste. Notice I don't say "sip." It was not of a consistency conducive to sipping.... Definitely marinara sauce soup. I made an unspoken decision, that if I ate that in my current state, it would end up all over the table. I noticed K had quietly pushed her bowl aside as well.
I ordered the Chicken Salad melt. Usually this is a delightfully cheesy sandwich, crispy on the outside with generous chunks of chicken. There was something kind of runny and soggy about it this visit, but I ate more than half anyway. I eyed K's grilled cheese enviously. Hers looked, and evidently tasted, better than mine.
The Boy ordered the kids' Chicken Tenders. He gets them with the fries and mac and cheese and they look good and are always eaten. Enough said. I will point out that the fries here are usually divine, and only surpassed by the 'frites' at Capitol Ale House. They are ripple cut, perfectly cooked, and generous in portion. The mac and cheese is not quite up to snuff though- it has that artificial cheese and packaged pasta vibe.
The Girl had an Aloha Chicken Sandwich- chicken breast with Swiss and Pineapple. It also disappeared in good order.
Because I feel like I need to say something nice about the Galaxy, I will mention the burgers. I am not a big burger eater, but when I decide I want one, I will usually go to the Galaxy to get it. They have a variety of specialty burgers, with toppings ranging from avocado, to carmelized onions, fried green tomatoes or a variety of cheese choices. The patty is large and juicy, and the buns there are quite good.
While I'm being nice, I'll mention that the Brownie Sundae is sublime. One of the best brownies I've tasted. the kids also like some Chocolate Chip Cookie and ice cream concoction that I've stolen tastes of as well, and is also quite wonderful. I need to kvetch about the Berry Cobbler though. If you don't have it, take it off the menu. If I come in and order something once, and it's not available, I'm a little disappointed. If I order it 3-4 times and it's not available, now I'm irritated.
All in all though, this visit was an exception to the usual. And for the most part, anything 'bad' here is not really horrible. Except that soup, which I don't know if I'll ever get over. Whether for Martinis, or omlets, or any sort of fried fabulousness our hearts desire, we'll be back.
Galaxy Diner
3109 W. Cary St
804-213-0510
As it is, let me say right up front that the Galaxy will always be on our restaurant rotation: the whole gay family likes it. Mom and Mom-Whether-She-Likes-It-Or-Not can drink and smoke and hold hands, while the kids bitch us out about our smoking, over their brownie sundaes and french fries. We can eat breakfast anytime there, and the food never fails to soak up any amount of alcohol left in our systems from the night before.
That said, last week all four of us wandered in, two of us with fairly wicked hangovers. The Galaxy has a decent bar, and makes a good Bloody Mary, so a little hair of the dog was in order. For the record, they also have Martinis and make a hefty and homemade milkshake or Limeade for those who don't want alcohol.
We don't usually go for appetizers there- the entree plates are big enough for us. The apps are tending towards fried- which the Galaxy does extremely well, whether you want your pickles, oreos, twinkies or green tomatoes done that way.
We wanted to get something in our stomachs quickly though, so as K and I were sitting propped up against each other, trying to stay upright, we decided that the Tomato Basil soup special sounded like a good idea. What could be more soothing than soup? Well, what came to the table, was not exactly soup. Two small bowls of what looked like Marinara sauce arrived. I poked suspiciously at mine with my spoon, and always up for adventure, I took a taste. Notice I don't say "sip." It was not of a consistency conducive to sipping.... Definitely marinara sauce soup. I made an unspoken decision, that if I ate that in my current state, it would end up all over the table. I noticed K had quietly pushed her bowl aside as well.
I ordered the Chicken Salad melt. Usually this is a delightfully cheesy sandwich, crispy on the outside with generous chunks of chicken. There was something kind of runny and soggy about it this visit, but I ate more than half anyway. I eyed K's grilled cheese enviously. Hers looked, and evidently tasted, better than mine.
The Boy ordered the kids' Chicken Tenders. He gets them with the fries and mac and cheese and they look good and are always eaten. Enough said. I will point out that the fries here are usually divine, and only surpassed by the 'frites' at Capitol Ale House. They are ripple cut, perfectly cooked, and generous in portion. The mac and cheese is not quite up to snuff though- it has that artificial cheese and packaged pasta vibe.
The Girl had an Aloha Chicken Sandwich- chicken breast with Swiss and Pineapple. It also disappeared in good order.
Because I feel like I need to say something nice about the Galaxy, I will mention the burgers. I am not a big burger eater, but when I decide I want one, I will usually go to the Galaxy to get it. They have a variety of specialty burgers, with toppings ranging from avocado, to carmelized onions, fried green tomatoes or a variety of cheese choices. The patty is large and juicy, and the buns there are quite good.
While I'm being nice, I'll mention that the Brownie Sundae is sublime. One of the best brownies I've tasted. the kids also like some Chocolate Chip Cookie and ice cream concoction that I've stolen tastes of as well, and is also quite wonderful. I need to kvetch about the Berry Cobbler though. If you don't have it, take it off the menu. If I come in and order something once, and it's not available, I'm a little disappointed. If I order it 3-4 times and it's not available, now I'm irritated.
All in all though, this visit was an exception to the usual. And for the most part, anything 'bad' here is not really horrible. Except that soup, which I don't know if I'll ever get over. Whether for Martinis, or omlets, or any sort of fried fabulousness our hearts desire, we'll be back.
Galaxy Diner
3109 W. Cary St
804-213-0510
The Nile
The Nile Ethiopian Restaurant and Cafe on Laurel St occupies a special space in our hearts and stomachs, and it's only fitting that it should be the first place we review. The Nile is located in the space that used to be known to all of us old hipsters as the Hole in the Wall. I spent a lot of time enjoying music there, and K and I have now spent many happy hours perched on their tall barstools. We are creatures of habit, and almost always start our meal with a Ginger Martini.
Large, pink, cold and gingery. You can't ask for more. There are other intriguing cocktails on the drink menu, but we haven't been lured away from these yet. A Ginger Martini always goes best with a smoke, and the deal at the Nile, is smoking only at the bar, and only if no one is occupying either of the two small tables on the near side of the wall.
If you've never had the experience of Ethiopian food, go now. Immediately. The food is exotic and delicious- based largely on garlic, ginger, onions, red chili spices. And the best part is, no silverware. That's right, you eat with your hands. The Ethiopians make a spongy, thin, flat sourdough bread called Injera that diners use to scoop up their food. It's a lot of fun, and it's a great way to get just the right mix of flavors in every bite. People eat communally in this style, and it's a unique experience.
As an appetizer K usually orders the Nile Salad- greens and tomatoes, with the Ethiopian farmer's cheese and a tangy, vinagery dressing over Injera. It's always fresh and good, and a refreshing twist on the idea of a salad.
I tend to go for either the Timatim Fitfit or the Ayib Tikl. The Timatim is almost like a pico de gallo- chopped tomatoes, onions and jalapenos, but with a more acid lemony bite, and with injera pieces soaking up the dressing. The Ayib Tikl is a generous plate of small cheese rolls- Injera wrapped around soft, spicy cheese. I've noticed sometimes the cheese has more heat than others, but it's always good, and with all these apps priced at under $7, it's hard to go wrong.
Now for the guilty part of this review. In all fairness, the Nile serves a huge variety of entrees, for both vegetarians and meat eaters. There's a variety of "wat" or thick saucy stews; "tibs" which are shrimp or strips of meat sauteed or pan fried with spices, onions and peppers; and even fantastic variety platters, where you can get tastes of several dishes.
We always order the same thing. Just because it's so good. I've had the chicken and lamb dishes before, and several rounds of the sampler plates. Everything I have gotten is always delicious, but nothing beats our favorite. The object of our affection is the Shiro Wat, a chickpea flour based vegetarian dish. It looks like an orangy yellow pile of paste, and tastes like heaven. I hesitate to even write about it, because I harbor fears that if everyone else discovers it, there will be a run on it, and there won't be enough for us.
As far as desserts, the baklava is pretty good, but we're usually too full to eat it.
The best part about eating at the Nile is the complete experience, the vibe, and the folks who own and run this great little place. We always feel at home. Literally. All sorts of people frequent the restaurant, and the clientele is a cross section of straight and gay, students and professional people. I feel comfortable with my arm around my woman, and comfortable asking for my martini "extra- gingery."
As far as service, the Nile gets a "10." from us. One of my pet peeves is restaurants that bring your food so quickly, that your appetizer is getting cold, and pushed off the table by your entree. I know this might sound fussy, but when I eat out, I like to enjoy my food at my leisure. I like to have a cigarette in between my courses. I don't like to feel like I'm being rushed out the door either. They don't do that here. Our server usually gauges the timing perfectly, and asks if he's not sure.
The Nile warrants at least a monthly visit, and we hope it stays open in Richmond for a very long time.
The Nile Ethiopian Restaurant and Cafe
309 Laurel St.
(804) 225-5544
Large, pink, cold and gingery. You can't ask for more. There are other intriguing cocktails on the drink menu, but we haven't been lured away from these yet. A Ginger Martini always goes best with a smoke, and the deal at the Nile, is smoking only at the bar, and only if no one is occupying either of the two small tables on the near side of the wall.
If you've never had the experience of Ethiopian food, go now. Immediately. The food is exotic and delicious- based largely on garlic, ginger, onions, red chili spices. And the best part is, no silverware. That's right, you eat with your hands. The Ethiopians make a spongy, thin, flat sourdough bread called Injera that diners use to scoop up their food. It's a lot of fun, and it's a great way to get just the right mix of flavors in every bite. People eat communally in this style, and it's a unique experience.
As an appetizer K usually orders the Nile Salad- greens and tomatoes, with the Ethiopian farmer's cheese and a tangy, vinagery dressing over Injera. It's always fresh and good, and a refreshing twist on the idea of a salad.
I tend to go for either the Timatim Fitfit or the Ayib Tikl. The Timatim is almost like a pico de gallo- chopped tomatoes, onions and jalapenos, but with a more acid lemony bite, and with injera pieces soaking up the dressing. The Ayib Tikl is a generous plate of small cheese rolls- Injera wrapped around soft, spicy cheese. I've noticed sometimes the cheese has more heat than others, but it's always good, and with all these apps priced at under $7, it's hard to go wrong.
Now for the guilty part of this review. In all fairness, the Nile serves a huge variety of entrees, for both vegetarians and meat eaters. There's a variety of "wat" or thick saucy stews; "tibs" which are shrimp or strips of meat sauteed or pan fried with spices, onions and peppers; and even fantastic variety platters, where you can get tastes of several dishes.
We always order the same thing. Just because it's so good. I've had the chicken and lamb dishes before, and several rounds of the sampler plates. Everything I have gotten is always delicious, but nothing beats our favorite. The object of our affection is the Shiro Wat, a chickpea flour based vegetarian dish. It looks like an orangy yellow pile of paste, and tastes like heaven. I hesitate to even write about it, because I harbor fears that if everyone else discovers it, there will be a run on it, and there won't be enough for us.
As far as desserts, the baklava is pretty good, but we're usually too full to eat it.
The best part about eating at the Nile is the complete experience, the vibe, and the folks who own and run this great little place. We always feel at home. Literally. All sorts of people frequent the restaurant, and the clientele is a cross section of straight and gay, students and professional people. I feel comfortable with my arm around my woman, and comfortable asking for my martini "extra- gingery."
As far as service, the Nile gets a "10." from us. One of my pet peeves is restaurants that bring your food so quickly, that your appetizer is getting cold, and pushed off the table by your entree. I know this might sound fussy, but when I eat out, I like to enjoy my food at my leisure. I like to have a cigarette in between my courses. I don't like to feel like I'm being rushed out the door either. They don't do that here. Our server usually gauges the timing perfectly, and asks if he's not sure.
The Nile warrants at least a monthly visit, and we hope it stays open in Richmond for a very long time.
The Nile Ethiopian Restaurant and Cafe
309 Laurel St.
(804) 225-5544
breaking the champagne bottle on the hull
There has to be an awkward first post... like a first kiss... a first date... a first day on the job. Tentative, but determined. This blog is probably teetering its first steps towards offending a good part of the restaurant-going population, but then again, there's nothing wrong with niche markets.
My girlfriend K, and I like to eat out. Don't most all lesbians? We also like to smoke and drink when we eat, and I don't want anyone looking shite at me if I want to lick the sugar off her lip after she takes a sip of her Lemon drop martini. Richmond has a good variety of restaurants and hangouts, and we've always wished we had some way of cutting the good ones out of the herd- the ones where the smoking nazis are kept at bay, where the bartender knows how to mix a drink, and the food is above and beyond what we can whip up in our own kitchen. We got tired of waiting for someone else to do it.
My girlfriend K, and I like to eat out. Don't most all lesbians? We also like to smoke and drink when we eat, and I don't want anyone looking shite at me if I want to lick the sugar off her lip after she takes a sip of her Lemon drop martini. Richmond has a good variety of restaurants and hangouts, and we've always wished we had some way of cutting the good ones out of the herd- the ones where the smoking nazis are kept at bay, where the bartender knows how to mix a drink, and the food is above and beyond what we can whip up in our own kitchen. We got tired of waiting for someone else to do it.
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