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
Saturday, August 23, 2008
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
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