Date
December 26, 2008
Location
In the little strip mall on Carlton
156 Carlton Rd. Suite 203
What I ate
Bowtie alfredo
Who went
Ditto and Squid (and Sarah Tweedt, kinda)
Website
http://www.beerrun.com/
Thoughts
"I don't know what this place is trying to be, but I think that's a good thing."
That's how Squid described it and I'm not sure I can come up with anything better. Here's a brief description of the layout: immediately to your left upon walking in is cafe-style seating for about 15 people; along the back wall is a fridge section just like the one you'll find in a convenience store; right in the middle of the place is the bar; the open kitchen is right behind that; and the far side of the store is full of racks of great beers from all over the country (and world?) with a little area for tasting in one corner.
Speaking of the tasting area, we'll start there. We were lucky enough to be there for a free wine tasting night and it was a great way to start the meal. I'm not a big wine fan, but there was a white wine that was delicious and a strong but tasty dessert wine; it was so good we went home with a bottle. The other two or three offerings were pretty good, too. The guy running the tasting knew quite a lot about the wines, both in terms of their taste and the production process. According to their schedule, wine tasting happens every Friday and beer tasting happens ever Wednesday, so I'll be back there soon and possibly repeatedly.
Then we went back to our table to start on our beers while we examined the menu. They had Jefferson's Reserve Bourbon Barrel Stout, my new favorite beer (and easily my favorite winter beer) on tap, but I tried something new, the Ommegang Abbey Style Ale. It was really good, but my affinity for bourbon keeps Jefferson's Reserve atop the list. There were a bunch of other good beers on tap; check the website for the list. You can sample a beer before actually ordering it, which is something I really appreciate at a place with beers you may not have had before.
The food was also delicious. Andrew and Brian had the meatloaf and, while I was considering joining the club, I opted for the bowtie alfredo. I probably should've gotten chicken with it, but it was still a great meal and filling. The menu is a little limited, but there's enough on there for everyone to find something. For a place focusing on beer, it's more the sufficient.
Recap
Pros - great food, great beer, free tastings
Cons - the logo looks like it was designed by The Flash, but I guess that just adds to the charm
Overall - Like Squid said, it's a little surreal to be in there because you're trying to figure out exactly where you are the whole time, but it's great. If you don't go there, you're really missing out on a currently-hidden-but-sure-to-be-much-more-popular gem in Charlottesville.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Quick bites - the Corner
There are a few great places for food around town that aren't sit-down restaurants and thus don't fall into the regular theme of WEDS; I probably won't direct an outing there and thus won't ever write a full review, but I feel you should know about these places. Here's a quick rundown of places on the Corner.
Bodos - bagels, salads, sandwiches, soups, etc.
It's probably the best bagel place in town and the overall food quality is pretty good. I'm a big fan of the caesar salad - it's a little oily, but it's filling and tasty - and some of the bagel toppings. The bagels aren't as hearty as I'm used to, but they are light and hold up well enough to hummus, chicken salad, and other spreads. The specialty cream cheeses tend to be a little messy, but are good. Overall, it's a great place to go. Be sure to visit the other places on Preston Ave and route 29.
Littlejohn's - sandwiches, subs, sandwiches, and subs
If you're in Charlottesville, you already know how great they are. They have big, filling sandwiches that are delicious. You can pick and choose ingredients, but I usually only do that to get rid of bacon, cole slaw, or sauerkraut. The menu changes on occasion but has a few popular standards. They recently introduced some smaller sandwiches that are or sound tasty and the muffins are always good. They have a decent beer selection if you want one with your sandwich and you're going to wait at least 15-20 minutes to order on a Friday or Saturday night, but it's well worth it.
Qdoba - burritos, tacos, general Tex-Mex
Nothing special, but it's moderately-priced, pretty good, very filling food. The burritos are a meal unto themselves and the flavors are generally good. Some of the burritos are a definite miss - the new adobo chile burrito is far too sweet - but it's a decent choice for lunch. It's just a slight notch below Chipotle, but not so much that you'd walk to Barracks for lunch.
Take It Away - sandwiches, bread ends, some specialty salads
The sandwiches are really good and, while it's not that different from many other sandwich shops, it's still a solid establishment. You have a little flexibility and can put house dressing on anything, which is a Good Thing (tm). You can also get a bag of bread ends for $0.50 and use them to sop up any dipping sauce, like house dressing. They have a few specialty salads that are pretty good and they have Gearhart's chocolates and some other confections. Go there, get lunch, be happy.
Revolutionary Soup - soup, sandwiches, and salads
The soups are awesome and filling enough to be a lunch by themself. I'm a big fan of the spicy Senegalese peanut tofu soup and get it for lunch at least once a month. The lamb curry is also a favorite. While I've never gotten any of the sandwiches or salads, they look pretty good and put an emphasis on local ingredients. Brush up on your literature because you might earn yourself a little discount for reciting a few lines.
White Spot - typical greasy spoon
You're probably not going to go other than at 2 in the morning for a Gusburger while drunk, but it will be delicious. They churn them out at an alarming pace late at night and you can't move because there are so many people and no room. I still haven't gotten a grills with but I should. They have normal greasy spoon fare and a few Greek offerings, too. It's probably not worth it other than a late night Gusburger run, but you could do worse.
Arch's - ice cream, salads, ice cream, sandwiches, and ice cream
You go there for ice cream - you can get a variety of decadent creations - but the sandwiches and salads are pretty good, too. The Archers tend to be quite rich and it's all a little expensive, but it's a great indulgence every so often. They use frozen yogurt and soft-serve in a variety of flavors and you can mix-and-match toppings if you really want. Definitely worth the trip.
Michael's Bistro - slightly upscale pub fare
Located above Littlejohn's, it's often ignored. The food is generally well-prepared and tasty and they have a a creative, albeit somewhat limited, menu. The beer selection is one of the best on the Corner and they have a few combination beers that are awesome. I even had a professor recommend we go try their beer sampler after class let out that Friday afternoon. Definitely worth a trip, but it's a little on the expensive side. It's more upscale than most places on the Corner and I'm a fan of visiting every so often.
There are a few other places you should visit, but I don't feel like writing about at the moment. Be sure to visit Martha's Cafe, St. Maarten's Cafe, and Ritas (when it's open) and give some thought to College Inn, the Virginian, Zydeco (I've never been), and the Biltmore.
Bodos - bagels, salads, sandwiches, soups, etc.
It's probably the best bagel place in town and the overall food quality is pretty good. I'm a big fan of the caesar salad - it's a little oily, but it's filling and tasty - and some of the bagel toppings. The bagels aren't as hearty as I'm used to, but they are light and hold up well enough to hummus, chicken salad, and other spreads. The specialty cream cheeses tend to be a little messy, but are good. Overall, it's a great place to go. Be sure to visit the other places on Preston Ave and route 29.
Littlejohn's - sandwiches, subs, sandwiches, and subs
If you're in Charlottesville, you already know how great they are. They have big, filling sandwiches that are delicious. You can pick and choose ingredients, but I usually only do that to get rid of bacon, cole slaw, or sauerkraut. The menu changes on occasion but has a few popular standards. They recently introduced some smaller sandwiches that are or sound tasty and the muffins are always good. They have a decent beer selection if you want one with your sandwich and you're going to wait at least 15-20 minutes to order on a Friday or Saturday night, but it's well worth it.
Qdoba - burritos, tacos, general Tex-Mex
Nothing special, but it's moderately-priced, pretty good, very filling food. The burritos are a meal unto themselves and the flavors are generally good. Some of the burritos are a definite miss - the new adobo chile burrito is far too sweet - but it's a decent choice for lunch. It's just a slight notch below Chipotle, but not so much that you'd walk to Barracks for lunch.
Take It Away - sandwiches, bread ends, some specialty salads
The sandwiches are really good and, while it's not that different from many other sandwich shops, it's still a solid establishment. You have a little flexibility and can put house dressing on anything, which is a Good Thing (tm). You can also get a bag of bread ends for $0.50 and use them to sop up any dipping sauce, like house dressing. They have a few specialty salads that are pretty good and they have Gearhart's chocolates and some other confections. Go there, get lunch, be happy.
Revolutionary Soup - soup, sandwiches, and salads
The soups are awesome and filling enough to be a lunch by themself. I'm a big fan of the spicy Senegalese peanut tofu soup and get it for lunch at least once a month. The lamb curry is also a favorite. While I've never gotten any of the sandwiches or salads, they look pretty good and put an emphasis on local ingredients. Brush up on your literature because you might earn yourself a little discount for reciting a few lines.
White Spot - typical greasy spoon
You're probably not going to go other than at 2 in the morning for a Gusburger while drunk, but it will be delicious. They churn them out at an alarming pace late at night and you can't move because there are so many people and no room. I still haven't gotten a grills with but I should. They have normal greasy spoon fare and a few Greek offerings, too. It's probably not worth it other than a late night Gusburger run, but you could do worse.
Arch's - ice cream, salads, ice cream, sandwiches, and ice cream
You go there for ice cream - you can get a variety of decadent creations - but the sandwiches and salads are pretty good, too. The Archers tend to be quite rich and it's all a little expensive, but it's a great indulgence every so often. They use frozen yogurt and soft-serve in a variety of flavors and you can mix-and-match toppings if you really want. Definitely worth the trip.
Michael's Bistro - slightly upscale pub fare
Located above Littlejohn's, it's often ignored. The food is generally well-prepared and tasty and they have a a creative, albeit somewhat limited, menu. The beer selection is one of the best on the Corner and they have a few combination beers that are awesome. I even had a professor recommend we go try their beer sampler after class let out that Friday afternoon. Definitely worth a trip, but it's a little on the expensive side. It's more upscale than most places on the Corner and I'm a fan of visiting every so often.
There are a few other places you should visit, but I don't feel like writing about at the moment. Be sure to visit Martha's Cafe, St. Maarten's Cafe, and Ritas (when it's open) and give some thought to College Inn, the Virginian, Zydeco (I've never been), and the Biltmore.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Alumni benefits
I know a few of you who might read this are members of U.Va.'s Alumni Association, so this is to your benefit. Follow this link and click on "Restaurant Discounts" to see a few potentially awesome uses for your membership. I'd imagine the non-restaurant discounts are good, too.
http://www.alumni.virginia.edu/Membership/alumni/benefits.aspx
Hat tip to Squid for the heads-up.
http://www.alumni.virginia.edu/Membership/alumni/benefits.aspx
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Lemongrass
Date
December 9, 2008
Location
On 14th Street next to Revolutionary Soup, right where Gumby's used to be
104 14th Street NW
What I ate
Spicy lemongrass chicken
Who went
Sara Bumgarner, Zac, Suzie, Rowlf, Larsen, Nora, Matt
Website
http://www.lemongrassuva.com/
ThoughtsMy food was really tasty. There aren't very many flavors and the best way to eat the food is to just mix it around with the rice, but the flavors that are there are delicious. The curry sauce came through strongly, just like I hoped, and the level of spiciness (5 out of 10) was just enough; it had a good kick but didn't stick around for a long time. I've gone twice before and haven't really experimented with the spicy scale, but I'm looking forward to edging towards 10. Matt said his 8 was a little disappointing.
The menu is not too complicated but still has a decent variety. There are a few appetizers - it looked like the calamari was a big hit - and traditional soups. The salads sound interesting, but I'm not sure I'd ever go there for the purpose of getting them. As for entrees, I don't recognize any offerings that don't have similar counterparts at most other Thai restaurants, nor do I notice any glaring omissions. They post a key in the menu informing the customer which dishes can be prepared vegetarian or vegan upon request, which is helpful.
The service was quite good; orders were taken quickly and food was out without much of a wait. This was quite nice since we needed to go somewhere that would be relatively quick so there was time to get to the Messiah Sing-In with plenty of time to get situated. We were in and out in just over an hour without feeling rushed. It took a little while for Nora's Thai iced tea and Erik's dinner to arrive, even though they were both ordered with things that were delivered to the table quickly, but that was the only gripe about the service.
The atmosphere is interesting. The space was obviously not intended to hold a sit-down restaurant, but they do a pretty good job spreading around the tables. They were able to seat our group of 8 right away and it looked like the staff could still navigate through space with ease. They could probably do with a little more light, but that's just nit-picking. A few people noted that the table decorations were half-hearted at best, but they do have a pretty cool 3-D, umm, art right by the entrance. All told, I think they do a pretty good job given the space they have.
Recap
Pros - Good food, quick service, relatively inexpensive
Cons - Not particularly unique
Overall - If you're on or around the Corner looking for Thai food, I highly recommend it. It's not necessarily a place to go when you're just hungry, but will definitely hit the spot if you're in the mood.
December 9, 2008
Location
On 14th Street next to Revolutionary Soup, right where Gumby's used to be
104 14th Street NW
What I ate
Spicy lemongrass chicken
Who went
Sara Bumgarner, Zac, Suzie, Rowlf, Larsen, Nora, Matt
Website
http://www.lemongrassuva.com/
ThoughtsMy food was really tasty. There aren't very many flavors and the best way to eat the food is to just mix it around with the rice, but the flavors that are there are delicious. The curry sauce came through strongly, just like I hoped, and the level of spiciness (5 out of 10) was just enough; it had a good kick but didn't stick around for a long time. I've gone twice before and haven't really experimented with the spicy scale, but I'm looking forward to edging towards 10. Matt said his 8 was a little disappointing.
The menu is not too complicated but still has a decent variety. There are a few appetizers - it looked like the calamari was a big hit - and traditional soups. The salads sound interesting, but I'm not sure I'd ever go there for the purpose of getting them. As for entrees, I don't recognize any offerings that don't have similar counterparts at most other Thai restaurants, nor do I notice any glaring omissions. They post a key in the menu informing the customer which dishes can be prepared vegetarian or vegan upon request, which is helpful.
The service was quite good; orders were taken quickly and food was out without much of a wait. This was quite nice since we needed to go somewhere that would be relatively quick so there was time to get to the Messiah Sing-In with plenty of time to get situated. We were in and out in just over an hour without feeling rushed. It took a little while for Nora's Thai iced tea and Erik's dinner to arrive, even though they were both ordered with things that were delivered to the table quickly, but that was the only gripe about the service.
The atmosphere is interesting. The space was obviously not intended to hold a sit-down restaurant, but they do a pretty good job spreading around the tables. They were able to seat our group of 8 right away and it looked like the staff could still navigate through space with ease. They could probably do with a little more light, but that's just nit-picking. A few people noted that the table decorations were half-hearted at best, but they do have a pretty cool 3-D, umm, art right by the entrance. All told, I think they do a pretty good job given the space they have.
Recap
Pros - Good food, quick service, relatively inexpensive
Cons - Not particularly unique
Overall - If you're on or around the Corner looking for Thai food, I highly recommend it. It's not necessarily a place to go when you're just hungry, but will definitely hit the spot if you're in the mood.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Italian Villa
Date
December 3, 2008
Location
Next to the Emmet/Ivy Garage, across the street from Carr's Hill field
129 Emmet Street
What I ate
Beef vegetable soup, hamburger, fries
Who went
Liz, Nora, Sara Herbst, Matt
Website
http://www.expressoitalianvilla.com/
Thoughts
Solid but not spectacular. The soup was tasty and the burger was juicy and well-cooked. The service was relatively prompt and our waiter was nice and conversational. The place feels a little cramped, but that just adds to the diner atmosphere; the prices aren't dirt cheap, but you definitely won't be overpaying for anything. The menu is full of traditional Italian dishes and a variety of pizzas, so I'll have to sample those at some point, but people seem to drift towards the traditional diner food (burgers, chicken fingers) and breakfast foods (served all day). There's good variety in the menu and I don't recall having anything bad there; all-around, it's a good place to eat and it's open until 2, just in case you need a quick meal during a study break.
Recap
Pros - Good food, cheap prices, little variability
Cons - Somewhat limited menu, quality ceiling is only so high
Overall - It's not the Princetonian, Americana, or Mastoris, but it's a good diner. If you're not looking for something too adventurous, this is the place for you.
December 3, 2008
Location
Next to the Emmet/Ivy Garage, across the street from Carr's Hill field
129 Emmet Street
What I ate
Beef vegetable soup, hamburger, fries
Who went
Liz, Nora, Sara Herbst, Matt
Website
http://www.expressoitalianvilla.com/
Thoughts
Solid but not spectacular. The soup was tasty and the burger was juicy and well-cooked. The service was relatively prompt and our waiter was nice and conversational. The place feels a little cramped, but that just adds to the diner atmosphere; the prices aren't dirt cheap, but you definitely won't be overpaying for anything. The menu is full of traditional Italian dishes and a variety of pizzas, so I'll have to sample those at some point, but people seem to drift towards the traditional diner food (burgers, chicken fingers) and breakfast foods (served all day). There's good variety in the menu and I don't recall having anything bad there; all-around, it's a good place to eat and it's open until 2, just in case you need a quick meal during a study break.
Recap
Pros - Good food, cheap prices, little variability
Cons - Somewhat limited menu, quality ceiling is only so high
Overall - It's not the Princetonian, Americana, or Mastoris, but it's a good diner. If you're not looking for something too adventurous, this is the place for you.
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