Date
7/19/09
Location
Keswick Hall
701 Club Drive
What I ate
Summer bean bisque with scallop ratatouille
Bouille of Gryffon's Aerie beef, parsley pappardelle, beets, pea shoots
Virginia Gentleman cake with surrey peanut ice cream
Who went
Kelly
Website
http://www.keswick.com/web/okes/fossetts.jsp
Thoughts
First a little disclaimer - I'm writing this a little more than a month after we actually ate there. I was busy preparing for veterinary school and I'm going to try to write it from memory in a very short amount of free time I have (read: while I'm in class).
This place has the look and service you think of when you hear the term "country club". That is to say, at least what I think of when I hear the term. We had a great view overlooking the golf course, everything was very clean and shiny, and everyone was dressed quite nicely. Our waiter was conversational, but not overly talkative (see P.S.) and the other, umm, table attendants said nothing aside from asking if we wanted more bread. I did feel made fun of when I opted for tap water over the $8 bottle of water - the guy said I was in for "Albemarle's finest" with a bit of a mocking tone - but everyone was very nice otherwise.
The food was really delicious. My soup was very flavorful and had a great bean-y taste. The scallops were cool and refreshing. I'm going to have to learn how to make a bean soup like that. They also gave us some crusty bread and home-made cheese spread as an appetizer which was great; I could probably snack on a whole lot of that stuff. The two cuts of beef were, unsurprisingly, really tender and both well cooked and well seasoned. The vegetables didn't add all that much taste, but they did give a nice balance. Really, this is very closely related to a fancy beef stew, but it didn't matter because it was delicious. Regarding dessert, those of you who know me know that I'll be very content with most things bourbon-related. The cake was actually a little on the bourbon-y side for a dessert, but it was awesome and the peanut ice cream was both a good compliment and scrumptious (I'm running out of synonyms for "delicious") by itself.
Recap
Pros - really tasty, great service, great view
Cons - expensive, even for RW
Overall - I can see why it's so expensive to eat here usually. The food was really delicious - up there with the tastiest of RW - and the service was great. It had the atmosphere of an uptight, hoity-toity dinner but I really felt comfortable. I probably won't be back, but that's definitely not because of the food.
P.S. Ask me for the funny waiter slip-up.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
l'etoile
Date
7/18/09
Location
On Main Street across from the Amtrak station
817 West Main Street
What I ate
Sweetbreads with bacon and shiitake mushrooms
Beef tenderloin with new potatoes, shiitake mushrooms, and onions
Chocolate fondant
Who went
Mom, Dad, Dan, Julie
Website
http://letoilecville.blogspot.com/
Thoughts
Wow! This meal was one of the best I can remember having in a very long time. The food was great. The service was great. The vibe I got from the place was just comfortable. It was my brother's birthday (well, close to it) and I was able to touch base with the hostess before dinner, who was happy to add a candle to the top of his dessert. I also really like the lobby-like area complete with couches and magazines showcasing local food. Now, let's talk about the food.
Sweetbreads have been on my list of "somewhat obscure foods to try before I die" for a long time. I used to read how people liked them, but was really just curious as to how something so unlike what we usually eat was widely accepted in the culinary world. Now I know - they're absolutely delicious. A few friends went here earlier in the week, so I had been briefed that they were worthwhile, but I couldn't know just how good they would be. Everyone except my brother tried some and everyone (even my relatively squeamish mom) said they were very tasty. The mushrooms were pretty good, too, but I wasn't paying them much attention with the great sweetbreads. The steak was just a great example of how to cook at steak. It wasn't all that fancily dressed with lots of spices, vegetables, or sauces, but it was just a nice cut of meat that was treated really well. The accompaniments were good, but as with the sweetbreads, the headliner of the dish just took the lead and never looked back. My dessert was tasty and rich; it was a nice way to relax and wind down from the great meal. I had a bite of my sister's peach panna cotta, which was tasty and light.
At this point (dinner was two weeks ago, sorry) I don't really remember that many details about the peripherals, but I'll try to talk about that. Our waiter was nice and conversational, but not too talkative, though his helpers - guys refilling glasses, getting more bread - didn't say anything. I understand that "that's how it's done" but it was just a little odd. The art on the walls was quirky, but nice and they picked great dinner music. They played some big band classic standards (think Tuxedo Junction, Satin Doll, etc.) that just made the whole dinner that much better. I'm also excited to go back for their weekly price fixe ($27) menu on Wednesday and Thursday.
Recap
Pros - awesome food, great service, cool music
Cons - nothing, absolutely nothing
Overall - Again, it was an all-around awesome meal. The food was delicious and the peripherals were great, too. It's only sad I haven't been here before after 5 years of living in Charlottesville.
NOTE: You can sometimes find chef/owner Mark Gresge at the city market giving away some free samples. Check it out!
7/18/09
Location
On Main Street across from the Amtrak station
817 West Main Street
What I ate
Sweetbreads with bacon and shiitake mushrooms
Beef tenderloin with new potatoes, shiitake mushrooms, and onions
Chocolate fondant
Who went
Mom, Dad, Dan, Julie
Website
http://letoilecville.blogspot.com/
Thoughts
Wow! This meal was one of the best I can remember having in a very long time. The food was great. The service was great. The vibe I got from the place was just comfortable. It was my brother's birthday (well, close to it) and I was able to touch base with the hostess before dinner, who was happy to add a candle to the top of his dessert. I also really like the lobby-like area complete with couches and magazines showcasing local food. Now, let's talk about the food.
Sweetbreads have been on my list of "somewhat obscure foods to try before I die" for a long time. I used to read how people liked them, but was really just curious as to how something so unlike what we usually eat was widely accepted in the culinary world. Now I know - they're absolutely delicious. A few friends went here earlier in the week, so I had been briefed that they were worthwhile, but I couldn't know just how good they would be. Everyone except my brother tried some and everyone (even my relatively squeamish mom) said they were very tasty. The mushrooms were pretty good, too, but I wasn't paying them much attention with the great sweetbreads. The steak was just a great example of how to cook at steak. It wasn't all that fancily dressed with lots of spices, vegetables, or sauces, but it was just a nice cut of meat that was treated really well. The accompaniments were good, but as with the sweetbreads, the headliner of the dish just took the lead and never looked back. My dessert was tasty and rich; it was a nice way to relax and wind down from the great meal. I had a bite of my sister's peach panna cotta, which was tasty and light.
At this point (dinner was two weeks ago, sorry) I don't really remember that many details about the peripherals, but I'll try to talk about that. Our waiter was nice and conversational, but not too talkative, though his helpers - guys refilling glasses, getting more bread - didn't say anything. I understand that "that's how it's done" but it was just a little odd. The art on the walls was quirky, but nice and they picked great dinner music. They played some big band classic standards (think Tuxedo Junction, Satin Doll, etc.) that just made the whole dinner that much better. I'm also excited to go back for their weekly price fixe ($27) menu on Wednesday and Thursday.
Recap
Pros - awesome food, great service, cool music
Cons - nothing, absolutely nothing
Overall - Again, it was an all-around awesome meal. The food was delicious and the peripherals were great, too. It's only sad I haven't been here before after 5 years of living in Charlottesville.
NOTE: You can sometimes find chef/owner Mark Gresge at the city market giving away some free samples. Check it out!
Saturday, July 18, 2009
C&O
Date
7/16/09
Location
East end of the Downtown Mall
515 East Water Street
What I ate
Vegetable soup
Roasted chicken with sweet potato souffle
Chocolate praline torte
Who went
Larson, Sarah Collins, Graham
Website
http://www.candorestaurant.com/index.html
Thoughts
Before I start, I want to say that my thoughts on this meal as I get further from it. That isn't to say it was bad, but the more I think about it, the less harsh my criticism gets. The meal was definitely my least favorite of the Restaurant Week meals, but that's setting the bar pretty high; it wasn't at all a bad meal. Also, thanks to my fellow diners for coming through at the last minute so I didn't have to eat alone.
My soup was decent, but pretty boring. I would've gone for the gnocci, but the other three chose that and I wanted to make sure we had a sampling of all of the offerings if possible; I apparently chose incorrectly. The chicken had some good flavor, but was just overcooked, making it dry and tough. It probably could've been saved were it covered in the gravy (which didn't do much more than add moisture) but the chicken was left to stand on its own. That said, the sweet potato souffle was one of the most delicious things I had all of Restaurant Week. Between that and the lasagna from the night before, I have realized that I actually do like sweet potatoes and will have to start cooking with them. The dessert was really well-done - the cake was rich and chocolatey, and the little toasted praline slivers gave a great crunch and taste to the crust. I also got to taste the blueberry and peach cobbler, which was even better (albeit slightly) than my torte.
Other than the dry chicken, the only thing that really disappointed me was the service. It wasn't bad for most restaurants, but for a place with the reputation of the C&O, it didn't seem up to par. The wait staff seemed disappointed we weren't ordering drinks. I understand that they probably made more profit with drinks during Restaurant Week than the food because of the food deal, but I really hope a waiter could have a better poker face. Our quarters were a little tight, but not a problem once we actually got seated. All in all, a good, but relatively disappointing offering for Restaurant Week.
Recap
Pros - tasty sides, delicious dessert
Cons - dry, overcooked chicken, mediocre service
Overall - It was a good meal, but it just wasn't great. Everyone I've talked to seems surprised because they've always enjoyed their visits, so I won't write it off, but there are a bunch of other restaurants on par with the cost here that I'll visit before coming back to C&O.
7/16/09
Location
East end of the Downtown Mall
515 East Water Street
What I ate
Vegetable soup
Roasted chicken with sweet potato souffle
Chocolate praline torte
Who went
Larson, Sarah Collins, Graham
Website
http://www.candorestaurant.com/index.html
Thoughts
Before I start, I want to say that my thoughts on this meal as I get further from it. That isn't to say it was bad, but the more I think about it, the less harsh my criticism gets. The meal was definitely my least favorite of the Restaurant Week meals, but that's setting the bar pretty high; it wasn't at all a bad meal. Also, thanks to my fellow diners for coming through at the last minute so I didn't have to eat alone.
My soup was decent, but pretty boring. I would've gone for the gnocci, but the other three chose that and I wanted to make sure we had a sampling of all of the offerings if possible; I apparently chose incorrectly. The chicken had some good flavor, but was just overcooked, making it dry and tough. It probably could've been saved were it covered in the gravy (which didn't do much more than add moisture) but the chicken was left to stand on its own. That said, the sweet potato souffle was one of the most delicious things I had all of Restaurant Week. Between that and the lasagna from the night before, I have realized that I actually do like sweet potatoes and will have to start cooking with them. The dessert was really well-done - the cake was rich and chocolatey, and the little toasted praline slivers gave a great crunch and taste to the crust. I also got to taste the blueberry and peach cobbler, which was even better (albeit slightly) than my torte.
Other than the dry chicken, the only thing that really disappointed me was the service. It wasn't bad for most restaurants, but for a place with the reputation of the C&O, it didn't seem up to par. The wait staff seemed disappointed we weren't ordering drinks. I understand that they probably made more profit with drinks during Restaurant Week than the food because of the food deal, but I really hope a waiter could have a better poker face. Our quarters were a little tight, but not a problem once we actually got seated. All in all, a good, but relatively disappointing offering for Restaurant Week.
Recap
Pros - tasty sides, delicious dessert
Cons - dry, overcooked chicken, mediocre service
Overall - It was a good meal, but it just wasn't great. Everyone I've talked to seems surprised because they've always enjoyed their visits, so I won't write it off, but there are a bunch of other restaurants on par with the cost here that I'll visit before coming back to C&O.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Cassis
There was so much interest in Restaurant Week that I was able to send two groups to restaurants both Wednesday and Thursday. Andrenne led the group that went to Cassis on Wednesday and volunteered to send me a review. I haven't changed her words at all, just made it fit into the normal format.
Date
Location
What I ate
I ate pan-fried oysters, medium-rare strip steak with fries and mustard sauce, and finished with an apple tart a la mode
Who went
Thoughts
Jose and Robby agreed that they were happy with their meals, who both got salmon as their
entree. Personally, I wasn't a fan of my steak, which they described as medium rare. As someone who grew up eating medium rare steak (basically still bleeding) at home every Friday night, I felt like I was eating a giant hunk of raw steak at Cassis. It was barely seared on the outside, and not even pink on the inside-- just a dark raw color. Because it was so uncooked, it was impossible to chew, and I couldn't finish the whole thing. It was just too unpleasant.
Recap
Pros - cool atmosphere, live music, good service
Date
7/15/09
Location
One of the first restaurants when you turn onto Water Street, before Mono Loco
210 W Water St, Charlottesville VA 22902
What I ate
I ate pan-fried oysters, medium-rare strip steak with fries and mustard sauce, and finished with an apple tart a la mode
Who went
Myself, Jose, Robby
Thoughts
Jose and Robby agreed that they were happy with their meals, who both got salmon as their
entree. Personally, I wasn't a fan of my steak, which they described as medium rare. As someone who grew up eating medium rare steak (basically still bleeding) at home every Friday night, I felt like I was eating a giant hunk of raw steak at Cassis. It was barely seared on the outside, and not even pink on the inside-- just a dark raw color. Because it was so uncooked, it was impossible to chew, and I couldn't finish the whole thing. It was just too unpleasant.
The oysters were good, but both Robby and I agreed that the apple tart left something to be desired. The crust was tasty and the ice cream high quality, but the apple filling was just half a skinned apple. The apple itself was a mealy texture and didn't have many spices to complement its flavor. I expect buttery layered apple slices with a healthy dose of cinnamon!
I'm not sure if restaurant week was a deal. The prices on the regular menu at Cassis are high-ish, but even if I got an appetizer, entree, and dessert, I could still easily come in under a pre-tax total of $25.
Recap
Pros - cool atmosphere, live music, good service
Cons - food less than impressive (even somewhat horrifying), restaurant week not a better deal than going there otherwise
Overall - Also, a con of restaurant week in general, why the boring menus? A lot of these restaurants are serving the beef/chicken/veggie standards, not really allowing for the spirit of adventure, unless they're daring enough to put something unconventional on the appetizer list. I would expect more creativity from these chefs who take so much pride in running the best kitchens in Charlottesville.
I would go to Cassis again, given that Jose and Robby were happy, and the tastes that I took of their dishes were pretty yummy, but I would definitely avoid the steak, or ask for a more thoroughly cooked version.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Old Mill Room - Boar's Head Inn
Date
7/15/09
Location
The Boar's Head Inn, just out Ivy Road
200 Ednam Drive
What I ate
Two potato porcini lasagna
Smothered steak stuffed with mustard greens and corn pone
Lemongrass creme brulee
Who came
Anne, Matt, Rebec, Constance
Website
http://www.boarsheadinn.com/Dining/The-Old-Mill-Room.asp
Thoughts
Now I know why it's so expensive. This was a great meal from start to finish. First off, the place is just outside of town but feels like it's much further out. Unfortunately, there was a decent amount of construction, which kinda broke that mood, but the ambiance came right back as we stepped inside. The name is pretty spot on as there are touches of an old mill but it's clearly a swanky joint. Our waiter was really courteous and upbeat. Enough about that whatnot, time for the important stuff.
The food was great. The lasagna was both light and filling, not to mention delicious. The potatoes were balanced really well against the cheese and pasta, and the mushrooms and sauce were a nice accent. If I had the recipe, I could see myself making a full tray of that and using it as a main dish and not just an appetizer. Both of the other appetizers drew lots of praise, too.
Due to how it was cooked, the steak only came at one temperature. Unfortunately, that means it was just a little bit past the way I liked it; it was a bit drier than I would've hoped. That said, it was still really tasty. The description is a little misleading - they gave us a thin steak with a layer of corn pone (a new foodstuff for me) and some mustard greens on top, rolled the whole thing up, and cooked it like that. It was all topped with a tasty onion gravy and some sauteed onions. The steak wasn't great by itself, but it was delicious if you included every piece of the dish. That is, every piece except the overly starchy black-eyed peas. That was my only real complaint about the dish.
I like creme brulee and, after having a delicious herb-infused version at another restaurant a few months ago, I have been seeking out other variants. You can understand why I was excited about the lemongrass offering. The dish was very good, but I was a little disappointed; the lemongrass was present for the first two or three bites, but that faded shortly thereafter. Also, this creme brulee lacked the traditional hard crust, giving us a relatively disappointed Rebec. The little ginger basket was a nice touch and the mango was nice and refreshing. All told, it was a delicious dessert, but I would've liked a bit more uniqueness.
Recap
Pros - delicious food, great service, a nice, comfortable ambiance
Cons - the steak was a little dry by itself and the peas were really starchy, the lemongrass didn't really come through in the creme brulee after the first few bites
Overall - I'll probably never go here unless something like Restaurant Week happens again, but I was very happy with this dinner. The food was great, the place was really nice, the service was really quite good; I can see why it's usually so expensive. If you can find a deal or just afford the hit, I highly suggest going here.
7/15/09
Location
The Boar's Head Inn, just out Ivy Road
200 Ednam Drive
What I ate
Two potato porcini lasagna
Smothered steak stuffed with mustard greens and corn pone
Lemongrass creme brulee
Who came
Anne, Matt, Rebec, Constance
Website
http://www.boarsheadinn.com/Dining/The-Old-Mill-Room.asp
Thoughts
Now I know why it's so expensive. This was a great meal from start to finish. First off, the place is just outside of town but feels like it's much further out. Unfortunately, there was a decent amount of construction, which kinda broke that mood, but the ambiance came right back as we stepped inside. The name is pretty spot on as there are touches of an old mill but it's clearly a swanky joint. Our waiter was really courteous and upbeat. Enough about that whatnot, time for the important stuff.
The food was great. The lasagna was both light and filling, not to mention delicious. The potatoes were balanced really well against the cheese and pasta, and the mushrooms and sauce were a nice accent. If I had the recipe, I could see myself making a full tray of that and using it as a main dish and not just an appetizer. Both of the other appetizers drew lots of praise, too.
Due to how it was cooked, the steak only came at one temperature. Unfortunately, that means it was just a little bit past the way I liked it; it was a bit drier than I would've hoped. That said, it was still really tasty. The description is a little misleading - they gave us a thin steak with a layer of corn pone (a new foodstuff for me) and some mustard greens on top, rolled the whole thing up, and cooked it like that. It was all topped with a tasty onion gravy and some sauteed onions. The steak wasn't great by itself, but it was delicious if you included every piece of the dish. That is, every piece except the overly starchy black-eyed peas. That was my only real complaint about the dish.
I like creme brulee and, after having a delicious herb-infused version at another restaurant a few months ago, I have been seeking out other variants. You can understand why I was excited about the lemongrass offering. The dish was very good, but I was a little disappointed; the lemongrass was present for the first two or three bites, but that faded shortly thereafter. Also, this creme brulee lacked the traditional hard crust, giving us a relatively disappointed Rebec. The little ginger basket was a nice touch and the mango was nice and refreshing. All told, it was a delicious dessert, but I would've liked a bit more uniqueness.
Recap
Pros - delicious food, great service, a nice, comfortable ambiance
Cons - the steak was a little dry by itself and the peas were really starchy, the lemongrass didn't really come through in the creme brulee after the first few bites
Overall - I'll probably never go here unless something like Restaurant Week happens again, but I was very happy with this dinner. The food was great, the place was really nice, the service was really quite good; I can see why it's usually so expensive. If you can find a deal or just afford the hit, I highly suggest going here.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
La Michoacana and Las Palmas bakery
Date
7/9/09
Location
La Michoacana - Near Martha Jefferson Hospital; 1138 East High Street
Las Palmas - Around the back of Beer Run's building; 156 Carlton Road
What I ate
Chicken taco, chicken burrito
A variety of pastries
Who came
Matt, Xander, Shannon
ThoughtsFirst off, hat top to Kat for telling me about this place. What delicious, authentic food. Well, I'm assuming it's authentic since I'm a Jewish guy from the suburbs of New Jersey, but it sure felt authentic. Make sure to get a look at the actual menu because there's something written on a board in plain sight, but that's just a basic overview of what they serve; the menu has descriptions. Once you do find the menu, good luck figuring out what to get. They offer a bunch of variations on the same theme, but have some Mexican specialties. The tortilla for my taco was absolutely delicious and the taco and burrito fillings were also really tasty. The four of us crammed into a small table near the back, but it would be really difficult to bring any bigger of a group; it seems like they do a lot of take-out business. They also have a small grocery-type section that I'll have to visit when I want to try to make my own Mexican food.
Shannon told us about this great Mexican bakery that would provide a nice coda to our meal, and it's not as if we had anything else to do, so we headed that way. Xander couldn't stop talking about it reminded him of his childhood, so I'll assume it's pretty authentic, too. They have a wide variety of pastries and everything we had was both tasty and cheap. We took everything to the grassy area outside and had a good time just hanging around, eating our desserts.
Recap
Pros - Delicious food, great prices
Cons - Small spaces
Overall - Go. I mean, like, right now. The food is great, the prices are great - I'm not sure what other convincing you need. Yes, these comments apply to both places.
7/9/09
Location
La Michoacana - Near Martha Jefferson Hospital; 1138 East High Street
Las Palmas - Around the back of Beer Run's building; 156 Carlton Road
What I ate
Chicken taco, chicken burrito
A variety of pastries
Who came
Matt, Xander, Shannon
ThoughtsFirst off, hat top to Kat for telling me about this place. What delicious, authentic food. Well, I'm assuming it's authentic since I'm a Jewish guy from the suburbs of New Jersey, but it sure felt authentic. Make sure to get a look at the actual menu because there's something written on a board in plain sight, but that's just a basic overview of what they serve; the menu has descriptions. Once you do find the menu, good luck figuring out what to get. They offer a bunch of variations on the same theme, but have some Mexican specialties. The tortilla for my taco was absolutely delicious and the taco and burrito fillings were also really tasty. The four of us crammed into a small table near the back, but it would be really difficult to bring any bigger of a group; it seems like they do a lot of take-out business. They also have a small grocery-type section that I'll have to visit when I want to try to make my own Mexican food.
Shannon told us about this great Mexican bakery that would provide a nice coda to our meal, and it's not as if we had anything else to do, so we headed that way. Xander couldn't stop talking about it reminded him of his childhood, so I'll assume it's pretty authentic, too. They have a wide variety of pastries and everything we had was both tasty and cheap. We took everything to the grassy area outside and had a good time just hanging around, eating our desserts.
Recap
Pros - Delicious food, great prices
Cons - Small spaces
Overall - Go. I mean, like, right now. The food is great, the prices are great - I'm not sure what other convincing you need. Yes, these comments apply to both places.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Eppie's
NOTE: After I finished writing this review, I sent a link to it by way of the "Contact us" section of their website. I woke up to find a personal reply from Dan, the owner, written a mere 6 hours later. His comments show that he read the whole post. Between this and what I've read about him, I think we can safely call him a Good Guy(tm).
Date
6/25/09
Location
On the East end of the Downtown Mall
412 E. Main Street
What I ate
Turkey meatloaf, black beans, mashed potatoes, cornbread
Who came
Nora, Tiff, Matt, Jeremy
Website
http://eppiesrestaurant.com/
Thoughts
I've walked by this place a bunch of times and never before taken a good look inside, let alone eaten there. After hearing a bunch of good things and reading some reviews, I figured now was as good a time as any to pay a visit. They have salads, sandwiches, and pasta dishes along with some vegetable options and a daily special. It's a relatively limited menu with 3-4 options in each section, but the variety of side dishes and the rotating specials you shouldn't get bored with your choices. The food comes out relatively quickly and they like local ingredients; they use bread from Albemarle Baking Company and pasta from Mona Lisa Pasta.
My meatloaf needed some more seasoning, but that's really my only complaint about the meal. They gave me a tasty sauce in which to dip the meatloaf, but I was really expecting more flavor; you can see pieces of peppers and onions cooked right into the loaf. The mashed potatoes were great and it's tough to screw up black beans. The slice of cornbread was pretty substantial and delicious. It definitely didn't cost that much, especially considering that most places charge a bit of a premium for their use of local ingredients. The portion was generous and filling.
Recap
Pros - Tasty food, good prices, good portions
Cons - Meatloaf needed a little more seasoning
Overall - You should definitely visit this place because the food is tasty, the prices and portions are good, and they use local ingredients. I'm going to go back and I'll have to sample their pastas.
Date
6/25/09
Location
On the East end of the Downtown Mall
412 E. Main Street
What I ate
Turkey meatloaf, black beans, mashed potatoes, cornbread
Who came
Nora, Tiff, Matt, Jeremy
Website
http://eppiesrestaurant.com/
Thoughts
I've walked by this place a bunch of times and never before taken a good look inside, let alone eaten there. After hearing a bunch of good things and reading some reviews, I figured now was as good a time as any to pay a visit. They have salads, sandwiches, and pasta dishes along with some vegetable options and a daily special. It's a relatively limited menu with 3-4 options in each section, but the variety of side dishes and the rotating specials you shouldn't get bored with your choices. The food comes out relatively quickly and they like local ingredients; they use bread from Albemarle Baking Company and pasta from Mona Lisa Pasta.
My meatloaf needed some more seasoning, but that's really my only complaint about the meal. They gave me a tasty sauce in which to dip the meatloaf, but I was really expecting more flavor; you can see pieces of peppers and onions cooked right into the loaf. The mashed potatoes were great and it's tough to screw up black beans. The slice of cornbread was pretty substantial and delicious. It definitely didn't cost that much, especially considering that most places charge a bit of a premium for their use of local ingredients. The portion was generous and filling.
Recap
Pros - Tasty food, good prices, good portions
Cons - Meatloaf needed a little more seasoning
Overall - You should definitely visit this place because the food is tasty, the prices and portions are good, and they use local ingredients. I'm going to go back and I'll have to sample their pastas.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Sticks
Date
6/10/09
Location
In the Preston Square shopping center
917 Preston Avenue
What I ate
Chicken kebob, sesame green beans
Who came
Nora, Andrenne, Matt, Miles
Website
http://www.stickskebobshop.com/
Thoughts
I've been saying I need to eat here for a few years, so it was nice to finally go. That said, it was a little disappointing and it's a good thing I asked around to temper my expectations beforehand. The food was really tasty, especially the green beans, and the sauce the guy gave me instead of the one I asked for probably worked out better, anyway. The food was out within about 2 minutes of us placing the order; it's a lunch counter type of place. That's all good, but we were all hungry enough afterward to head to the Mall to find dumplings and/or crepes.
The portion:price ratio is really the only problem with Sticks. It's enough food for lunch, but you can find a good lunch at many places around town for less than the $9 it'll cost you at Sticks. I guess it's fair to say you shouldn't expect to be completely full for dinner after a $9 meal. Everyone sounded really happy with what they had when we started eating but that was mostly gone by the end of the meal. If I go back, I think it'll be important to plan ahead and structure a meal more; maybe we'll get a big thing of hummus and pita chips to split in addition to our kebob platter. From reading the descriptions, it seemed like the platter (rather than the sandwich or salad) was the way to go, but I guess the salad or sandwich might be sufficient for lunch.
I think I'm liking the place a little more than I did initially, at least as I try to write about it and explain my complaints (Go read Blink by Malcolm Gladwell for an explanation of why this happens). You should go visit Sticks, but just know what to expect. It just doesn't seem like the portions are geared toward completely satisfying diners' hunger.
Recap
Pros - Really tasty food, especially the side dishes, quick service
Cons - Small portions
Overall - Tasty, but not nearly enough food. It's in a tough no-man's land of too expensive for lunch but not enough food for dinner. It's worth a visit, but I don't know if I'll be back.
6/10/09
Location
In the Preston Square shopping center
917 Preston Avenue
What I ate
Chicken kebob, sesame green beans
Who came
Nora, Andrenne, Matt, Miles
Website
http://www.stickskebobshop.com/
Thoughts
I've been saying I need to eat here for a few years, so it was nice to finally go. That said, it was a little disappointing and it's a good thing I asked around to temper my expectations beforehand. The food was really tasty, especially the green beans, and the sauce the guy gave me instead of the one I asked for probably worked out better, anyway. The food was out within about 2 minutes of us placing the order; it's a lunch counter type of place. That's all good, but we were all hungry enough afterward to head to the Mall to find dumplings and/or crepes.
The portion:price ratio is really the only problem with Sticks. It's enough food for lunch, but you can find a good lunch at many places around town for less than the $9 it'll cost you at Sticks. I guess it's fair to say you shouldn't expect to be completely full for dinner after a $9 meal. Everyone sounded really happy with what they had when we started eating but that was mostly gone by the end of the meal. If I go back, I think it'll be important to plan ahead and structure a meal more; maybe we'll get a big thing of hummus and pita chips to split in addition to our kebob platter. From reading the descriptions, it seemed like the platter (rather than the sandwich or salad) was the way to go, but I guess the salad or sandwich might be sufficient for lunch.
I think I'm liking the place a little more than I did initially, at least as I try to write about it and explain my complaints (Go read Blink by Malcolm Gladwell for an explanation of why this happens). You should go visit Sticks, but just know what to expect. It just doesn't seem like the portions are geared toward completely satisfying diners' hunger.
Recap
Pros - Really tasty food, especially the side dishes, quick service
Cons - Small portions
Overall - Tasty, but not nearly enough food. It's in a tough no-man's land of too expensive for lunch but not enough food for dinner. It's worth a visit, but I don't know if I'll be back.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Restaurant Week
Friends,
I am really excited about something happening here in about a month. A bunch of restaurants are coming together to create (and celebrate) Restaurant Week with $25 price fixe menus from July 13th-19th. Details are still emerging about the specifics, but early indications are that I should start saving money now because I can't currently affording paying $25 for dinner 7 nights in a row and I'll want to visit all of these places. The restaurants currently signed on are Fossett's at Keswick Hall, C&O, Horse and Hound Gastropub, the Boathouse, Melting Pot, Cassis, l'etoile, and Old Mill Room at the Boar's Head. I have links to the menus below, but keep an eye out for the July 9th edition of the Hook; all of the menus will be printed there. Get excited!
Menus below:
Fossett's - menu
Old Mill Room - menu
l'etoile - menu
Melting Pot - menu
C&O - menu
Horse and Hound - menu
Cassis -menu
Boathouse - menu
For our out of town friends, I'm sure you know someone in town with whom to stay, but Keswick Hall, Boar's Head, and the Omni are all offering reduced rates for Restaurant Week. Yes, it's still expensive.
I am really excited about something happening here in about a month. A bunch of restaurants are coming together to create (and celebrate) Restaurant Week with $25 price fixe menus from July 13th-19th. Details are still emerging about the specifics, but early indications are that I should start saving money now because I can't currently affording paying $25 for dinner 7 nights in a row and I'll want to visit all of these places. The restaurants currently signed on are Fossett's at Keswick Hall, C&O, Horse and Hound Gastropub, the Boathouse, Melting Pot, Cassis, l'etoile, and Old Mill Room at the Boar's Head. I have links to the menus below, but keep an eye out for the July 9th edition of the Hook; all of the menus will be printed there. Get excited!
Menus below:
Fossett's - menu
Old Mill Room - menu
l'etoile - menu
Melting Pot - menu
C&O - menu
Horse and Hound - menu
Cassis -menu
Boathouse - menu
For our out of town friends, I'm sure you know someone in town with whom to stay, but Keswick Hall, Boar's Head, and the Omni are all offering reduced rates for Restaurant Week. Yes, it's still expensive.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Central Virginia Beer Tour
Date
6/6/09
Locations
Star Hill - 5391 Three Notched Rd, Crozet, VA 22932
Blue Mountain - 9519 Critzers Shop Road, Afton, VA 22920
Devil's Backbone - 200 Mosby's Run, Roseland, VA 22967
What I ate
Blue Mountain - veggie pizza
Devil's Backbone - fruit and cheese plate
What I drank
Starr Hill - Dark Starr Stout, The Love
Blue Mountain - Sampler: Blue Mountain Lager; Rockfish Wheat; Full Nelson Pale Ale; Krolsch 151; Nitro Porter; Evil 8 Dubbel Ale
Devil's Backbone - House flight: Gold Leaf Lager; Vienna Lager; Wintergreen Weiss; Eight-point IPA
Who came
Matt, Rice, Xander, Jim, Nora, Suzie, Kim, Kat
Websites
Starr Hill
Blue Mountain
Devil's Backbone
Thoughts
If you couldn't tell already, this day was a bit of a departure from the usual WEDS. It was not a weekday, nor did it take place in the evening, and we didn't really eat dinner, but it's a profile of local fare, so I think it fits here. I have to admit that I stole the idea from an article in Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine but I'm pretty sure that was the idea of the article. We left my apartment just after noon and drove to Starr Hill. We had some samples and took a tour, then headed to Blue Mountain where we ate a bit, tried their sampler, and took another tour. After that, we drove to Devil's Backbone where we snacked and sampled even more beer. We were back to my place a little after 7 o'clock and a few of us had souvenirs from each brewery. The weather cooperated giving us an awesome day overall. I'll try to review each brewery quickly, but I highly recommend you, umm, do your own research. For your hops lovers out there, you might not get the best information from my review since I don't generally like really hoppy beers. Consult some other sources for more information on IPAs.
Starr Hill
By far the biggest and oldest operation of the three. The place is really just the brewery with a little bar inside where you can just get free samples. The tour gave us a really good picture of the brewing process and it was really cool to see how everything is done; they produce a whole lot of beer and are able to do it all in what feels like a pretty small space. I've already had most of their beers so I know which I wanted to drink. The Dark Starr is just a really good stout and The Love is delicious. The Amber Ale is also great, but I had some of that at a wedding the night prior, so I didn't have any of that on our tour.
Blue Mountain
I was a little worried about this one going in - the Full Nelson Pale Ale is their flagship beer and, while I knew their other ones should be fine, I was concerned everything would be very hoppy. I'm very happy to report my fears were completely unfounded. The porter was great and I actually really liked the Full Nelson; I'm pretty sure it's the only hoppy beer I like, but I guess I should start paying attention to IBU ratings when listed. The Evil 8 (I'm pretty sure it was that one) was tasty, too. The lager was a little boring and the two weiss beers were good, but nothing special. After eating, we took a tour of their relatively small brewing facilities. It was a very intimate look at what they do; they even had some people working on another brew while our guide explained the process. The pizza was delicious and I heard nothing but "mmm" from everyone else around the table. The place also just looks great - they grow some of their own hops out front and it feels like a bit of a ski lodge inside with high ceilings, a fireplace, and the other furniture.
Devil's Backbone
If you're going to visit here (and you should) I hope they have another sign up to show you were to go. If you're traveling south on Critzer's Shop Road, Devil's Backbone is right next to the Ski Barn on your right side. The sign is facing those traveling north but it's really difficult to see traveling south. Our cool waitress told us the owner doesn't like putting up signs in general but I'm sure he'll get over it.
As far as the beers, it's well worth the trip. I wasn't feeling up to the full flight of 9 (the 3 IPAs scared me away) but I had the house flight, which is one each of the four house brews. The Vienna Lager was the best of the bunch and the Weiss wasn't far behind. The Gold Leaf Lager was just a little boring and the Eight Point was just too hoppy for my liking. As far as the other beers, I would've liked to try their porter, Rice and Kat couldn't stop talking about the Congo IPA, and they were out of the Apple Blossom Wheat which sounded delicious. The cheese plate was full of tasty cheeses and awesome local honey and the place felt nice and warm inside; it was a little less ski lodge than Blue Mountain, but was a nice place.
Recap
Take this trip. The weather cooperated so even the driving was a lot of fun. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and spent about $35 between the beer, food, and a pint glass from each place. If you like beer or are curious about it, you'll really enjoy yourself. I'd like to visit Blue Mountain and Devil's Backbone for dinner, especially on Devil's Backbone artisinal burger night. Visit the Brew Ridge Trail site for more details about this region.
St. Maarten's Cafe
Date
6/4/09
Location
Just off the Corner along 14th Street
1400 Wertland Street
What I ate
Hamburger and fries
What I drank
BBC Jefferson Reserve Bourbon Barrel Stout
Who came
Rebec, Matt, Nora, Suzie, Jim, Xander
Website
http://www.stmaartencafe.com/
Thoughts
First, I have to mention that I've gone to this place dozens of times; it's a favorite Pep Band hangout and has been for, umm, ever. That said, I didn't want that to be a reason not to ever review this place. A few friends came to town and wanted to go, so we did and it just happened to be a good opportunity to write this. If you go here and don't get cajun cheese fries, you're doing yourself a disservice. It's not that they're absolutely amazing (though they're very good) but it's one of their standards; it's like going to an Indian restaurant and not trying their naan. I can't think of a better way to describe it, so just go there and get the fries. OK, I'll try to talk about just Thursday's dinner, now.
My burger was cooked just to my liking and juicy. I've cut back a lot on red meat, so it was nice to just have a medium-rare burger. The fries were great, even cheese-less and the beer is one of my favorites. It's a great, smooth stout with a little hint of chocolate and a nice bourbony finish. The burger and beer made an awesome combination. It's also important to mention that we went on Cheeseburger in Paradise night (at least that's what it used to be called) so the burger and fries was $5.
Maarten's has a beach pub theme going with no windows, so the place has a nice, warm feel to it. Windows would be nice as they would let in some natural light during the day, but their absence does help you feel a bit insulated from the outside, adding to the theme. The atmosphere is very comfortable and our waitress was friendly and conversational. It took a little while for our second pitcher to be poured, but there was nothing in the service to complain about otherwise. I only know this from other visits, but I can't remember having any problems with the service, even when going in a group of a dozen or more while the place was busy.
Recap
Pros - Good food, good service, comfortable atmosphere
Cons - Can be a little pricey, not much capacity for big groups (get their early and claim one of the two corner booths)
Overall - It's a great place to go. They focus on burgers and sandwiches, but there's enough variety to satisfy anyone and everything's tasty. Check out the drink menu for more entertainment.
6/4/09
Location
Just off the Corner along 14th Street
1400 Wertland Street
What I ate
Hamburger and fries
What I drank
BBC Jefferson Reserve Bourbon Barrel Stout
Who came
Rebec, Matt, Nora, Suzie, Jim, Xander
Website
http://www.stmaartencafe.com/
Thoughts
First, I have to mention that I've gone to this place dozens of times; it's a favorite Pep Band hangout and has been for, umm, ever. That said, I didn't want that to be a reason not to ever review this place. A few friends came to town and wanted to go, so we did and it just happened to be a good opportunity to write this. If you go here and don't get cajun cheese fries, you're doing yourself a disservice. It's not that they're absolutely amazing (though they're very good) but it's one of their standards; it's like going to an Indian restaurant and not trying their naan. I can't think of a better way to describe it, so just go there and get the fries. OK, I'll try to talk about just Thursday's dinner, now.
My burger was cooked just to my liking and juicy. I've cut back a lot on red meat, so it was nice to just have a medium-rare burger. The fries were great, even cheese-less and the beer is one of my favorites. It's a great, smooth stout with a little hint of chocolate and a nice bourbony finish. The burger and beer made an awesome combination. It's also important to mention that we went on Cheeseburger in Paradise night (at least that's what it used to be called) so the burger and fries was $5.
Maarten's has a beach pub theme going with no windows, so the place has a nice, warm feel to it. Windows would be nice as they would let in some natural light during the day, but their absence does help you feel a bit insulated from the outside, adding to the theme. The atmosphere is very comfortable and our waitress was friendly and conversational. It took a little while for our second pitcher to be poured, but there was nothing in the service to complain about otherwise. I only know this from other visits, but I can't remember having any problems with the service, even when going in a group of a dozen or more while the place was busy.
Recap
Pros - Good food, good service, comfortable atmosphere
Cons - Can be a little pricey, not much capacity for big groups (get their early and claim one of the two corner booths)
Overall - It's a great place to go. They focus on burgers and sandwiches, but there's enough variety to satisfy anyone and everything's tasty. Check out the drink menu for more entertainment.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Mellow Mushroom
Date
5/27/09
Location
On the Corner near JPA
1321 West Main Street
What I ate
Pretzels; pizza with chicken, onions, and green peppers
What I drank
Bell's Oberon
Who came
Nora, Tiff, Matt, Suzie, Cameron, Xander, Miles, Eliza, Kat, Dan, Kasia, Sarah
Website
Charlottesville's place
Yes, it's a chain
Thoughts
Just a disclaimer - we went for dinner but the plan all along was to stay for trivia. Trivia is a lot of fun and you should definitely go, even if you are just going to order a pitcher of beer and participate. That said, I'll try to stick to reviewing the food part since that's the purpose here.
I was just discussing with another friend tonight how good the food is here. It's nothing outlandish, just good, flavorful pizza. The pretzels are really just knots of dough, but they're quite tasty. The specialty pizzas can be needlessly complicated, but you can create your own, so it's not really a problem. You'll have to wait for someone to comment to get a word on the sandwiches and salads as I've only ever gotten pizza.
That brings us to the biggest gripe - and it's not just mine - with Mellow: the service. I understand that the place was full, especially because people were starting to file in for trivia later. I also understand trying to seat a group of 10 (plus some) isn't the easiest thing, either. One of our pizza orders was misheard (white and Hawaiian don't sound that similar) and our waitress wasn't clear on whether or not we were going to be charged for that pizza. The service isn't nearly so bad that you should avoid going there, but you might want to budget in a little more time if you have somewhere to be after eating.
Recap
Pros - Really good food, lots of options for pizza and beer
Cons - Bad service
Overall - It's still the place to go for pizza on the Corner if you want to sit down and eat. The food is good, but don't expect great service.
5/27/09
Location
On the Corner near JPA
1321 West Main Street
What I ate
Pretzels; pizza with chicken, onions, and green peppers
What I drank
Bell's Oberon
Who came
Nora, Tiff, Matt, Suzie, Cameron, Xander, Miles, Eliza, Kat, Dan, Kasia, Sarah
Website
Charlottesville's place
Yes, it's a chain
Thoughts
Just a disclaimer - we went for dinner but the plan all along was to stay for trivia. Trivia is a lot of fun and you should definitely go, even if you are just going to order a pitcher of beer and participate. That said, I'll try to stick to reviewing the food part since that's the purpose here.
I was just discussing with another friend tonight how good the food is here. It's nothing outlandish, just good, flavorful pizza. The pretzels are really just knots of dough, but they're quite tasty. The specialty pizzas can be needlessly complicated, but you can create your own, so it's not really a problem. You'll have to wait for someone to comment to get a word on the sandwiches and salads as I've only ever gotten pizza.
That brings us to the biggest gripe - and it's not just mine - with Mellow: the service. I understand that the place was full, especially because people were starting to file in for trivia later. I also understand trying to seat a group of 10 (plus some) isn't the easiest thing, either. One of our pizza orders was misheard (white and Hawaiian don't sound that similar) and our waitress wasn't clear on whether or not we were going to be charged for that pizza. The service isn't nearly so bad that you should avoid going there, but you might want to budget in a little more time if you have somewhere to be after eating.
Recap
Pros - Really good food, lots of options for pizza and beer
Cons - Bad service
Overall - It's still the place to go for pizza on the Corner if you want to sit down and eat. The food is good, but don't expect great service.
Maharaja
Date
5/20/09
Location
In the Seminole Square shopping center
139 Zan Road
What I ate
Green masala chicken, naan
Who went
Matt
Website
http://www.maharaja-indian-restaurant.com/
Thoughts
If you are looking for something spicy, you will definitely not be disappointed. I don't mean to open so quickly, but that's all I can think of when I remember this dinner. Matt and I had just given blood, so maybe that had something to do with it; I know it affected how full we both felt. This dish was the second-hottest thing I've ever eaten in Charlottesville, and I only asked for "hot" on the scale of mild, medium, hot, and Indian hot. The first was the flatliner wings at the Wing Factory, but that's been out of business for a few years now. I don't want to discourage spicy-averse eaters as I'm sure "mild" won't be a problem, but I'm just scared of Indian hot. Just remember that when you visit.
The spiciness did not completely obscure the flavor; mine was tasty even if I don't usually think of jalapeno peppers when I think Indian food. The chicken was pretty good and the traditional "put a bunch of rice on your plate and cover it with the sauce" method worked really well. I'm impressed with how full I felt after what looked like a small bowl of chicken and vegetables. The naan was also really good and helped quell the heat.
The service was really good - I barely had to put my water glass down and it was full again - though that could be because the place was empty. I don't know what their usual customer load is on a Wednesday at dinner time, but it felt a little weird to be one of three groups there with so many person-free tables. It was a tasty meal and I left quite full, but it just felt a little too expensive. The obvious comparison is Milan and, it has been a few months since I last visited there, I remember a tasty, filling meal but not being surprised at the price. Maybe someone can take a look at the menus and tell me I'm wrong, but I'm a bit too lazy to look that up right now.
Recap
Pros - Very filling, good service
Cons - Very hot, a little overpriced
Overall - Unfortunately for Maharaja, it just feels like a slightly-worse version of Milan, which is down 29 just a little ways. The food is good and it's worth a visit, but you're probably better off sticking with Milan for your Indian food in Charlottesville.
5/20/09
Location
In the Seminole Square shopping center
139 Zan Road
What I ate
Green masala chicken, naan
Who went
Matt
Website
http://www.maharaja-indian-restaurant.com/
Thoughts
If you are looking for something spicy, you will definitely not be disappointed. I don't mean to open so quickly, but that's all I can think of when I remember this dinner. Matt and I had just given blood, so maybe that had something to do with it; I know it affected how full we both felt. This dish was the second-hottest thing I've ever eaten in Charlottesville, and I only asked for "hot" on the scale of mild, medium, hot, and Indian hot. The first was the flatliner wings at the Wing Factory, but that's been out of business for a few years now. I don't want to discourage spicy-averse eaters as I'm sure "mild" won't be a problem, but I'm just scared of Indian hot. Just remember that when you visit.
The spiciness did not completely obscure the flavor; mine was tasty even if I don't usually think of jalapeno peppers when I think Indian food. The chicken was pretty good and the traditional "put a bunch of rice on your plate and cover it with the sauce" method worked really well. I'm impressed with how full I felt after what looked like a small bowl of chicken and vegetables. The naan was also really good and helped quell the heat.
The service was really good - I barely had to put my water glass down and it was full again - though that could be because the place was empty. I don't know what their usual customer load is on a Wednesday at dinner time, but it felt a little weird to be one of three groups there with so many person-free tables. It was a tasty meal and I left quite full, but it just felt a little too expensive. The obvious comparison is Milan and, it has been a few months since I last visited there, I remember a tasty, filling meal but not being surprised at the price. Maybe someone can take a look at the menus and tell me I'm wrong, but I'm a bit too lazy to look that up right now.
Recap
Pros - Very filling, good service
Cons - Very hot, a little overpriced
Overall - Unfortunately for Maharaja, it just feels like a slightly-worse version of Milan, which is down 29 just a little ways. The food is good and it's worth a visit, but you're probably better off sticking with Milan for your Indian food in Charlottesville.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
The Nook
Date
5/6/09
Location
On the Pavilion end of the Downtown Mall
415 East Main Street
What I ate
Chicken noodle soup, BBQ-basted meatloaf sandwich with fries
Who went
Kasia, Erik, Matt, Xander
Thoughts
The Nook is the Downtown Mall's "classic diner" offering. It has the hallmarks - breakfast, a variety of options, an emphasis on sandwiches - and adds in some flair with some nicer entrée options and a decently-sized dessert menu. Unless there's more seating, the place is really small; I know they do have seating outside, weather permitting. They probably have decent capacity, but the tables feel relatively cramped together. That said, with quick, friendly service and a few other employees (cooks?) milling about and talking to other customers, the place had a nice, homey feel.
My soup was tasty, but nothing out of the ordinary. Pay attention, this will be a theme. It had nice, big pieces of white meat - I'd imagine a soup and salad would make a pretty filling lunch - but was like so many other chicken soups I've had before. That isn't to say this is a bad thing, especially since one of the comforts of a diner is the familiarity, but just an observation. My piece of meatloaf dwarfed the roll on which it was served to the point where I couldn't see the bottom piece of the roll without lifting the meatloaf. It was a really big piece of meatloaf, but the bun was small and boring; it felt like they bought an 8-pack of rolls at the grocery store and tossed it on the grill for a minute to give it a little bit of texture. I guess it's a step above picking up the meatloaf with my hands, though. The meatloaf itself was good, but a little bland. Since it was a sandwich, I like the drier piece and the hint of smokiness was delicious, but the whole thing was just too dry. There was barely any BBQ sauce and what was there was all along one side. You don't have to drown it in sauce, but maybe a cup on the side or a stronger baste would have made the sandwich significantly better. The fries were crisp, light, and really tasty.
No one had any dessert, though the milkshakes tempted more than one of us. Also, I'm intrigued by breakfast, but don't think I'll ever find myself in that area when it's time to eat breakfast. Look for comments from everyone else. The sense I got from listening to them is that they make a good macaroni and cheese and need to learn how to make sweet tea.
Recap
Pros - Varied menu, filling portions
Cons - Dry sandwich with a small and wimpy bun, apparently bad sweet tea
Overall - A solid but not spectacular option. With all of the specialty places on the Mall, it's nice to have an "American and Varied Menu" option with good variety. It's definitely worth a visit if you're a regular on the Mall, but I don't think there's a reason to become one of the regulars.
Also - thanks to Matt and Kasia for coming with me to the Downstream Project reception and screening, even before they knew there would be food.
5/6/09
Location
On the Pavilion end of the Downtown Mall
415 East Main Street
What I ate
Chicken noodle soup, BBQ-basted meatloaf sandwich with fries
Who went
Kasia, Erik, Matt, Xander
Thoughts
The Nook is the Downtown Mall's "classic diner" offering. It has the hallmarks - breakfast, a variety of options, an emphasis on sandwiches - and adds in some flair with some nicer entrée options and a decently-sized dessert menu. Unless there's more seating, the place is really small; I know they do have seating outside, weather permitting. They probably have decent capacity, but the tables feel relatively cramped together. That said, with quick, friendly service and a few other employees (cooks?) milling about and talking to other customers, the place had a nice, homey feel.
My soup was tasty, but nothing out of the ordinary. Pay attention, this will be a theme. It had nice, big pieces of white meat - I'd imagine a soup and salad would make a pretty filling lunch - but was like so many other chicken soups I've had before. That isn't to say this is a bad thing, especially since one of the comforts of a diner is the familiarity, but just an observation. My piece of meatloaf dwarfed the roll on which it was served to the point where I couldn't see the bottom piece of the roll without lifting the meatloaf. It was a really big piece of meatloaf, but the bun was small and boring; it felt like they bought an 8-pack of rolls at the grocery store and tossed it on the grill for a minute to give it a little bit of texture. I guess it's a step above picking up the meatloaf with my hands, though. The meatloaf itself was good, but a little bland. Since it was a sandwich, I like the drier piece and the hint of smokiness was delicious, but the whole thing was just too dry. There was barely any BBQ sauce and what was there was all along one side. You don't have to drown it in sauce, but maybe a cup on the side or a stronger baste would have made the sandwich significantly better. The fries were crisp, light, and really tasty.
No one had any dessert, though the milkshakes tempted more than one of us. Also, I'm intrigued by breakfast, but don't think I'll ever find myself in that area when it's time to eat breakfast. Look for comments from everyone else. The sense I got from listening to them is that they make a good macaroni and cheese and need to learn how to make sweet tea.
Recap
Pros - Varied menu, filling portions
Cons - Dry sandwich with a small and wimpy bun, apparently bad sweet tea
Overall - A solid but not spectacular option. With all of the specialty places on the Mall, it's nice to have an "American and Varied Menu" option with good variety. It's definitely worth a visit if you're a regular on the Mall, but I don't think there's a reason to become one of the regulars.
Also - thanks to Matt and Kasia for coming with me to the Downstream Project reception and screening, even before they knew there would be food.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Mona Lisa Pasta
Date
4/16/09
Location
In the Preston Square shopping center
931 Preston Avenue
What we ate
Chicken and pepperoni pizza, saffron pasta, squid ink pasta, artichoke pesto sauce, Amatricciana sauce, stuffed grape leaves
Who came
Nora, Matt, Tiff
Website
http://www.monalisapasta.com/pasta.htm
Thoughts
First, a brief explanation of how this WEDS was different from most other WEDS. Passover ended at sundown today. Being Jewish, I have not eaten bread (pizza, pasta, crackers, etc.) since last Wednesday and a gathering for pizza or pasta is the traditional fast-breaking meal. Also, Mona Lisa is a take-out place and specialty grocery combined, not a sit-down place. I took orders, picked up our food, and brought it back to my apartment for relaxed enjoyment.
If you like to cook, especially Italian food, you have to pay a visit. The specialty grocery section is full of great, varied items and will give you a bunch of ideas. In case you want to let someone else do the work, you can take home frozen dishes. Take a look at the menu on the website; I kept reading back and forth across across the ravioli options because there were some great options. A few of the restaurants in Charlottesville who focus on local ingredients use Mona Lisa pasta for their dishes. You can also peruse the sauces and spreads since they're kept in a fridge near the front. The deli section is a little limited in variety, but looks excellent in quality. I was very close to walking out with a ball of smoked mozzarella.
We made it just under the wire for putting in our pizza order and had a little time to deliberate between the pasta options. It's just really cool to have fresh cut pasta and be able to pick both the flavor and the size; it gives you a kind of control over the process you don't get from normal take-out places. Between the different pastas, sauces, pizzas, and sandwiches, Mona Lisa has a nicely varied menu, provided you want Italian food. Hopefully, you wouldn't be there if you weren't in that kind of mood.
Enough of that, time to talk about how the food tasted. The pizza was apparently really good (I didn't have any) and the grape leaves were alright. I don't recall having grape leaves before, so I wasn't sure what to expect. The pasta only takes 90 seconds in boiling water to cook and comes out with a nice al dente texture. The saffron pasta had an awesome smell and, while the flavor was there, it wasn't particularly strong. The squid ink had a slightly stronger taste but would've probably shined a bit more if we paired it with one of the seafood-based sauces. The pesto was garlicky and the artichoke flavor was a bit mild, but it worked well with either pasta. Look for comments from the other three about the pizza and Amatricciana sauce.
Overall
Pros - Great selection, tons of options, easy preparation, tasty food
Cons - Some flavors were a little too weak for my liking
Overall - Really good food. If you need a specialty item from the grocery section for your own dish or just want some good Italian food at home without much work, this is definitely your place.
4/16/09
Location
In the Preston Square shopping center
931 Preston Avenue
What we ate
Chicken and pepperoni pizza, saffron pasta, squid ink pasta, artichoke pesto sauce, Amatricciana sauce, stuffed grape leaves
Who came
Nora, Matt, Tiff
Website
http://www.monalisapasta.com/pasta.htm
Thoughts
First, a brief explanation of how this WEDS was different from most other WEDS. Passover ended at sundown today. Being Jewish, I have not eaten bread (pizza, pasta, crackers, etc.) since last Wednesday and a gathering for pizza or pasta is the traditional fast-breaking meal. Also, Mona Lisa is a take-out place and specialty grocery combined, not a sit-down place. I took orders, picked up our food, and brought it back to my apartment for relaxed enjoyment.
If you like to cook, especially Italian food, you have to pay a visit. The specialty grocery section is full of great, varied items and will give you a bunch of ideas. In case you want to let someone else do the work, you can take home frozen dishes. Take a look at the menu on the website; I kept reading back and forth across across the ravioli options because there were some great options. A few of the restaurants in Charlottesville who focus on local ingredients use Mona Lisa pasta for their dishes. You can also peruse the sauces and spreads since they're kept in a fridge near the front. The deli section is a little limited in variety, but looks excellent in quality. I was very close to walking out with a ball of smoked mozzarella.
We made it just under the wire for putting in our pizza order and had a little time to deliberate between the pasta options. It's just really cool to have fresh cut pasta and be able to pick both the flavor and the size; it gives you a kind of control over the process you don't get from normal take-out places. Between the different pastas, sauces, pizzas, and sandwiches, Mona Lisa has a nicely varied menu, provided you want Italian food. Hopefully, you wouldn't be there if you weren't in that kind of mood.
Enough of that, time to talk about how the food tasted. The pizza was apparently really good (I didn't have any) and the grape leaves were alright. I don't recall having grape leaves before, so I wasn't sure what to expect. The pasta only takes 90 seconds in boiling water to cook and comes out with a nice al dente texture. The saffron pasta had an awesome smell and, while the flavor was there, it wasn't particularly strong. The squid ink had a slightly stronger taste but would've probably shined a bit more if we paired it with one of the seafood-based sauces. The pesto was garlicky and the artichoke flavor was a bit mild, but it worked well with either pasta. Look for comments from the other three about the pizza and Amatricciana sauce.
Overall
Pros - Great selection, tons of options, easy preparation, tasty food
Cons - Some flavors were a little too weak for my liking
Overall - Really good food. If you need a specialty item from the grocery section for your own dish or just want some good Italian food at home without much work, this is definitely your place.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Horse and Hound Gastropub
Date
3/18/09
Location
On Main Street just on the downtown side of the Amtrak station
625 West Main Street
What I ate
Zucchini, corn, herb fritters; Wahoo Beer Burger (onions braised in Guinness with mushroom ketchup)
Who went
Kelly, Matt
Website
http://horseandhoundgastropub.com/
Thoughts
My burger was awesome. It was well-prepared, a true medium-rare, and flavorful. The onions didn't add that much taste and the mushroom part of the mushroom ketchup was almost non-existent, but the burger was so good I almost didn't notice. I like my fries to be a bit crispier than what I had, but they were also tasty. Between a big burger and the fries, I was sated and got my money's worth. The fritters were light and had great texture, but lacked a bit on taste. My plan wasn't to use them as simply a vehicle for the mustard or pepper jelly, but that's what I ended up doing. It's an idea I think I'd like to try, but it was definitely overpriced and I would've been fine with just my burger.
The beer list looked great, but the three of us had just donated blood, so we weren't going to be drinking any beer. I recommend looking at the list on their website and it seems like it could be nice to share a pitcher of really good beer with a few friends. You aren't going to just get a pitcher because beer goes with your burger; you're going to get a beer that is going to require a bit of attention and that's a good thing.
The walls are covered with pictures of horses, people on horses, and general horse-riding scenes. Kelly was even able to pick out some local riders. On a nice day, I'd imagine the fenced-in patio is a great place to sit and the seats inside weren't bad, either. Our waitress was very good, quickly refilling water glasses and paying us a good bit of attention. Our food wasn't out instantaneously, but we definitely weren't waiting long to start eating.
Recap
Pros - Awesome burger at a good price, great beer list, good service
Cons - Appetizers are overpriced, Matt and Kelly didn't seem as enthusiastic their food, especially Matt's portion
Overall - If you're going for a burger, it's awesome. The reactions of the others make me think it's overall a notch below great, but I'll definitely be back, especially when the weather gets nicer.
3/18/09
Location
On Main Street just on the downtown side of the Amtrak station
625 West Main Street
What I ate
Zucchini, corn, herb fritters; Wahoo Beer Burger (onions braised in Guinness with mushroom ketchup)
Who went
Kelly, Matt
Website
http://horseandhoundgastropub.com/
Thoughts
My burger was awesome. It was well-prepared, a true medium-rare, and flavorful. The onions didn't add that much taste and the mushroom part of the mushroom ketchup was almost non-existent, but the burger was so good I almost didn't notice. I like my fries to be a bit crispier than what I had, but they were also tasty. Between a big burger and the fries, I was sated and got my money's worth. The fritters were light and had great texture, but lacked a bit on taste. My plan wasn't to use them as simply a vehicle for the mustard or pepper jelly, but that's what I ended up doing. It's an idea I think I'd like to try, but it was definitely overpriced and I would've been fine with just my burger.
The beer list looked great, but the three of us had just donated blood, so we weren't going to be drinking any beer. I recommend looking at the list on their website and it seems like it could be nice to share a pitcher of really good beer with a few friends. You aren't going to just get a pitcher because beer goes with your burger; you're going to get a beer that is going to require a bit of attention and that's a good thing.
The walls are covered with pictures of horses, people on horses, and general horse-riding scenes. Kelly was even able to pick out some local riders. On a nice day, I'd imagine the fenced-in patio is a great place to sit and the seats inside weren't bad, either. Our waitress was very good, quickly refilling water glasses and paying us a good bit of attention. Our food wasn't out instantaneously, but we definitely weren't waiting long to start eating.
Recap
Pros - Awesome burger at a good price, great beer list, good service
Cons - Appetizers are overpriced, Matt and Kelly didn't seem as enthusiastic their food, especially Matt's portion
Overall - If you're going for a burger, it's awesome. The reactions of the others make me think it's overall a notch below great, but I'll definitely be back, especially when the weather gets nicer.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
12th Street Taphouse
Date
3/11/09
Location
On Main St. just east of the Corner
1202 W. Main Street
What I ate
Baked brie with apples, strawberries, and blueberries, and bourbon-glazed meatloaf with mashed potatoes and a brown sugar gravy
Who went
Kelly, Matt, Suzie, Lindsay, Xander
Thoughts
This place is great. The space has a small profile but extends back pretty far giving it a big, roomy feeling. The ceilings feel a little low, but that could be because of how deep the space is. It is well-lit and very open. There are a bunch of little steps and somewhat odd incomplete walls, but the space is divided up nicely, striking a nice balance between a feeling of compartmentalization and privacy with openess and warmth. Hopefully, they'll open the roof up to seating as the weather gets nicer just as their predecessor, Northern Exposure, did. Also, much as I enjoy the Beatles, I wish whoever was controlling the music went for a little more variety. That's enough about the space, let's talk about the food.
My food was delicious and based on what people were saying around the table (and how often they were not talking) I think everyone else was quite happy with their fare, too. I was initially worried because of the rumors I've been hearing around town about it being a clone of Michael's Bistro because the ownership used to be part-owners there, too. Not that the food at the Bistro is bad (it's good), but I'd rather go to Michael's for drinks than for food. It's almost impossible to make baked brie drizzled with honey and served with fruit not taste delcious. Their's was great, though I could've used a little more bread. Maybe they could've pre-sliced the piece we had into smaller pieces to make it go a bit futher, but I'm nit-picking now, so I'll stop.
My meatloaf was awesome. It was well-cooked and flavorful with great texture. One of my biggest complaints about meatloaf is that it can fall apart making it feel like I'm just eating a bowl of ground beef. The edges of mine were almost crispy and it maintained its shape, despite being easy to cut. The potatoes were just a little on the creamy side of ideal, but were really tasty and mixed with the also-tasty gravy. A bite of all three (meatloaf, potatoes, gravy) was just delicious - the empty plates in front of me and Matt (who also had the meatloaf) were proof of this. I also had a bite of Kelly's pasta and keilbasa, which was really good; it had a good little kick to it.
Our waitress had a lot of personality and made good conversation. I don't always like a talkative server, but when a place is this new and the staff is willing to answer questions about the place, it goes a long way to helping give the place character. It's really difficult to read the boards with the list of beers on tap (a dozen!) and food specials, but she told us what each said. The beer list is very extensive which, as someone who much prefers draught, isn't particularly interesting. That said, they have plenty of beers on tap. I happily admit I was trying to decide between the beers on tap and thought about food/beer combinations when making my choice. Also, our waitress told us this is their third dinner menu in the six weeks they've been open, so they seem sensitive to diner feedback and will hopefully keep an eye on seasonal ingredients.
Recap
Pros - Delicious, varied food, great beer selection, friendly staff
Cons - Appetizers were a little overpriced (beers and other food was well-priced, bordering on cheap)
Overall - Awesome. I'm really excited about the prospect of walking down the street after leaving work for a nice dinner a lot in the future, especially as the weather gets nicer.
3/11/09
Location
On Main St. just east of the Corner
1202 W. Main Street
What I ate
Baked brie with apples, strawberries, and blueberries, and bourbon-glazed meatloaf with mashed potatoes and a brown sugar gravy
Who went
Kelly, Matt, Suzie, Lindsay, Xander
Thoughts
This place is great. The space has a small profile but extends back pretty far giving it a big, roomy feeling. The ceilings feel a little low, but that could be because of how deep the space is. It is well-lit and very open. There are a bunch of little steps and somewhat odd incomplete walls, but the space is divided up nicely, striking a nice balance between a feeling of compartmentalization and privacy with openess and warmth. Hopefully, they'll open the roof up to seating as the weather gets nicer just as their predecessor, Northern Exposure, did. Also, much as I enjoy the Beatles, I wish whoever was controlling the music went for a little more variety. That's enough about the space, let's talk about the food.
My food was delicious and based on what people were saying around the table (and how often they were not talking) I think everyone else was quite happy with their fare, too. I was initially worried because of the rumors I've been hearing around town about it being a clone of Michael's Bistro because the ownership used to be part-owners there, too. Not that the food at the Bistro is bad (it's good), but I'd rather go to Michael's for drinks than for food. It's almost impossible to make baked brie drizzled with honey and served with fruit not taste delcious. Their's was great, though I could've used a little more bread. Maybe they could've pre-sliced the piece we had into smaller pieces to make it go a bit futher, but I'm nit-picking now, so I'll stop.
My meatloaf was awesome. It was well-cooked and flavorful with great texture. One of my biggest complaints about meatloaf is that it can fall apart making it feel like I'm just eating a bowl of ground beef. The edges of mine were almost crispy and it maintained its shape, despite being easy to cut. The potatoes were just a little on the creamy side of ideal, but were really tasty and mixed with the also-tasty gravy. A bite of all three (meatloaf, potatoes, gravy) was just delicious - the empty plates in front of me and Matt (who also had the meatloaf) were proof of this. I also had a bite of Kelly's pasta and keilbasa, which was really good; it had a good little kick to it.
Our waitress had a lot of personality and made good conversation. I don't always like a talkative server, but when a place is this new and the staff is willing to answer questions about the place, it goes a long way to helping give the place character. It's really difficult to read the boards with the list of beers on tap (a dozen!) and food specials, but she told us what each said. The beer list is very extensive which, as someone who much prefers draught, isn't particularly interesting. That said, they have plenty of beers on tap. I happily admit I was trying to decide between the beers on tap and thought about food/beer combinations when making my choice. Also, our waitress told us this is their third dinner menu in the six weeks they've been open, so they seem sensitive to diner feedback and will hopefully keep an eye on seasonal ingredients.
Recap
Pros - Delicious, varied food, great beer selection, friendly staff
Cons - Appetizers were a little overpriced (beers and other food was well-priced, bordering on cheap)
Overall - Awesome. I'm really excited about the prospect of walking down the street after leaving work for a nice dinner a lot in the future, especially as the weather gets nicer.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Cavalier Diner
Date
3/5/09
Location
On 29 southbound right by the bypass
1403 North Emmet Street
What I ate
Corned beef sandwich
Who went
Kelly, Sam, Ryan, Xander, Mike
Website
http://www.thecavalierdiner.com/
Thoughts
Eh, I'll give 'em some time to get on their feet. Right now, it's just a very unremarkable diner-type food place. The place has potential - a good, varied menu with a lot of the staples, breakfast all day, open layout, old vaguely Greek or Italian guy doling out orders - but it just needs some time. Not that the bar was that high, but it's already at or above the quality of Sam's Kitchen, the place it replaced. My sandwich was pretty good though a little bit poorly constructed and I really could've used some spicy mustard, but it was still alright. Things around the table seemed to draw similar "Eh, it's fine" responses. I'll definitely go back, but I might give it some time first.
I want to be fair and point out that they really seem to be planning things well along the diner model. The menu has a bit of everything and the breakfast menu is varied, too. I fear they are not in the best spot because you have to drive to get there whereas a place like the Italian Villa is easily within walking distance for students and other townspeople. There were very obvious growing pains, made a bit more obvious by our trial-by-fire waiter (who was very nice and helpful, but a bit scatterbrained), but I like the potential. Check back in a few weeks.
Recap
Pros - Good, varied menu, good prices, well-lit (especially relative to what it replaced)
Cons - The place exudes disorganization.
Overall - There's solid potential once they get more established, but it's just not there yet.
3/5/09
Location
On 29 southbound right by the bypass
1403 North Emmet Street
What I ate
Corned beef sandwich
Who went
Kelly, Sam, Ryan, Xander, Mike
Website
http://www.thecavalierdiner.com/
Thoughts
Eh, I'll give 'em some time to get on their feet. Right now, it's just a very unremarkable diner-type food place. The place has potential - a good, varied menu with a lot of the staples, breakfast all day, open layout, old vaguely Greek or Italian guy doling out orders - but it just needs some time. Not that the bar was that high, but it's already at or above the quality of Sam's Kitchen, the place it replaced. My sandwich was pretty good though a little bit poorly constructed and I really could've used some spicy mustard, but it was still alright. Things around the table seemed to draw similar "Eh, it's fine" responses. I'll definitely go back, but I might give it some time first.
I want to be fair and point out that they really seem to be planning things well along the diner model. The menu has a bit of everything and the breakfast menu is varied, too. I fear they are not in the best spot because you have to drive to get there whereas a place like the Italian Villa is easily within walking distance for students and other townspeople. There were very obvious growing pains, made a bit more obvious by our trial-by-fire waiter (who was very nice and helpful, but a bit scatterbrained), but I like the potential. Check back in a few weeks.
Recap
Pros - Good, varied menu, good prices, well-lit (especially relative to what it replaced)
Cons - The place exudes disorganization.
Overall - There's solid potential once they get more established, but it's just not there yet.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Continental Divide
Date
2/12/09
Location
On your way to Downtown, across from the Amtrak station
811 W. Main Street
What I ate
Texas hummus, Bison and beef meatloaf with bourbon BBQ sauce
Who went
Kelly and Matt
Thoughts
First things first, finding this place is not a sure thing. We looked for a while and found one thing that says "Continental Divide" apart from the menus - it's a small lit sign behind the bar. Look for the "Get In Here" green fluorescent sign to find this place. Now that you've found it, the review can actually start.
The hummus was pretty good. It had a better consistency than most store-bought varieties and the "Texas" part came through as a nice little spicy kick. It wasn't strong, but it persisted. The chips were a bit on the salty side, but this place is known for their margaritas, so that's probably by design. The meatloaf was tasty, but I didn't taste much difference between it (bison and really good beef) and the stuff I've made before (regular ground beef). That said, I'm sure those meats are healthier and putting anything through the grinder is probably going to dampen the quality, so I won't complain about that. I will, however, complain about the sauce. I'm sure some people like the meatloaf to stand on its own, but I could've used a fair bit more sauce and more flavor in the sauce. The cheesy potato whatnot on the side was a nice complement and the vegetables helped, too. Now that I think about it, the meatloaf alone was a little disappointing, but the plate was really good with the parts eaten together.
The place has a nice, warm feeling to it with interesting paintings and pictures on the wall. Part of that, though, might be because it gets crowded quickly. They don't care, they actually embrace that as part of the atmosphere by posting "Too loud, too crowded, too bad" near the bar. The no-nonsense attitude theme continues on the menu which warns that "[u]nruly children will be fed to the cooks". This atmosphere might scare away someone in search of a quiet, calm dinner, but you're in the wrong place if that's what you seek.
The service was pretty good. The food came out quickly and no one reached the bottom of their glass during the meal. We were handed the wrong credit card recipt initially and didn't see our server again for a while, but I know how tempermental those machines can be and the place was packed, so that's at least partially forgiven. The prices on food are very reasonable and they could add another tap or two, but they have a decent selection of bottled beers. I'm not a big tequila fan, so I'm probably not doing this place full justice. If any of you have gone here for drinks, please post your comments!
Recap
Pros - Pretty good food, good service, and fair prices
Cons - Somewhat limited menu (especially entrees for vegetarians), tough to find if you've never gone before
Overall - Nothing spectacular, but it's a solid choice. If you're in the mood for a nice, loud night out and some good tex-mex food, go here.
2/12/09
Location
On your way to Downtown, across from the Amtrak station
811 W. Main Street
What I ate
Texas hummus, Bison and beef meatloaf with bourbon BBQ sauce
Who went
Kelly and Matt
Thoughts
First things first, finding this place is not a sure thing. We looked for a while and found one thing that says "Continental Divide" apart from the menus - it's a small lit sign behind the bar. Look for the "Get In Here" green fluorescent sign to find this place. Now that you've found it, the review can actually start.
The hummus was pretty good. It had a better consistency than most store-bought varieties and the "Texas" part came through as a nice little spicy kick. It wasn't strong, but it persisted. The chips were a bit on the salty side, but this place is known for their margaritas, so that's probably by design. The meatloaf was tasty, but I didn't taste much difference between it (bison and really good beef) and the stuff I've made before (regular ground beef). That said, I'm sure those meats are healthier and putting anything through the grinder is probably going to dampen the quality, so I won't complain about that. I will, however, complain about the sauce. I'm sure some people like the meatloaf to stand on its own, but I could've used a fair bit more sauce and more flavor in the sauce. The cheesy potato whatnot on the side was a nice complement and the vegetables helped, too. Now that I think about it, the meatloaf alone was a little disappointing, but the plate was really good with the parts eaten together.
The place has a nice, warm feeling to it with interesting paintings and pictures on the wall. Part of that, though, might be because it gets crowded quickly. They don't care, they actually embrace that as part of the atmosphere by posting "Too loud, too crowded, too bad" near the bar. The no-nonsense attitude theme continues on the menu which warns that "[u]nruly children will be fed to the cooks". This atmosphere might scare away someone in search of a quiet, calm dinner, but you're in the wrong place if that's what you seek.
The service was pretty good. The food came out quickly and no one reached the bottom of their glass during the meal. We were handed the wrong credit card recipt initially and didn't see our server again for a while, but I know how tempermental those machines can be and the place was packed, so that's at least partially forgiven. The prices on food are very reasonable and they could add another tap or two, but they have a decent selection of bottled beers. I'm not a big tequila fan, so I'm probably not doing this place full justice. If any of you have gone here for drinks, please post your comments!
Recap
Pros - Pretty good food, good service, and fair prices
Cons - Somewhat limited menu (especially entrees for vegetarians), tough to find if you've never gone before
Overall - Nothing spectacular, but it's a solid choice. If you're in the mood for a nice, loud night out and some good tex-mex food, go here.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
The Home Place
Date
2/5/09 (about an hour after the end of my interview)
Location
Out in the mountains
4968 Catawba Valley Drive, Catawba, VA
What I ate
Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, biscuits, green beans, pinto beans, cherry cobbler
Who went
Rebecca, Nicole, Ivy, and Nate
Website
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/kdesrosi/thehomeplace/
Thoughts
I can't remember being so full after a meal that wasn't Thanksgiving. For $13, you get two meats and all of the sides - all you can eat. That also includes drinks; they have a great lemonade that is a bit strong for most. The service is great and the food is good. They sacrifice a little bit of quality for the quantity and speed, but when good food arrives at my table less than two minutes after ordering, it's really tough to complain. Our waitress was very nice and we had refills offered within a minute of running out of anything.
You'll have to ask the others about the pork BBQ, but since it's a Thursday specialty, I'm sure it was delicious. The fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and biscuits (with awesome apple butter) were all really good. The beans (green, pinto) were alright, but a little on the bland side. They complemented the rest of the meal pretty well, but were just boring by themselves. The cobbler was really tasty and well balanced - cold, sweet vanilla ice cream with warm, tart cherries. This definitely felt like a reward for getting through my interview. I was worried about being so tired from digesting that I would have trouble driving back home, but there was still just enough room in my stomach for some good coffee.
A quick anecdote about the interview: They provided cookies for us while we waited for our turn. Since I had a while between the tour and my interview, I saw a bunch of students; a lot of them asked me if I wanted to partake in the great cookie offering. When I told them I was saving my appetite for the Home Place, almost every one of them suddenly found a face of understanding and commented on what a good decision this was. It's a little bit of a hike from anything, but it's well worth the trip.
Recap
Pros - Good food and drinks, all you can eat, great service
Cons - Hours and location may be troubling
Overall - Don't let the timing and drive get in your way. Go here. You will enjoy it.
2/5/09 (about an hour after the end of my interview)
Location
Out in the mountains
4968 Catawba Valley Drive, Catawba, VA
What I ate
Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, biscuits, green beans, pinto beans, cherry cobbler
Who went
Rebecca, Nicole, Ivy, and Nate
Website
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/kdesrosi/thehomeplace/
Thoughts
I can't remember being so full after a meal that wasn't Thanksgiving. For $13, you get two meats and all of the sides - all you can eat. That also includes drinks; they have a great lemonade that is a bit strong for most. The service is great and the food is good. They sacrifice a little bit of quality for the quantity and speed, but when good food arrives at my table less than two minutes after ordering, it's really tough to complain. Our waitress was very nice and we had refills offered within a minute of running out of anything.
You'll have to ask the others about the pork BBQ, but since it's a Thursday specialty, I'm sure it was delicious. The fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and biscuits (with awesome apple butter) were all really good. The beans (green, pinto) were alright, but a little on the bland side. They complemented the rest of the meal pretty well, but were just boring by themselves. The cobbler was really tasty and well balanced - cold, sweet vanilla ice cream with warm, tart cherries. This definitely felt like a reward for getting through my interview. I was worried about being so tired from digesting that I would have trouble driving back home, but there was still just enough room in my stomach for some good coffee.
A quick anecdote about the interview: They provided cookies for us while we waited for our turn. Since I had a while between the tour and my interview, I saw a bunch of students; a lot of them asked me if I wanted to partake in the great cookie offering. When I told them I was saving my appetite for the Home Place, almost every one of them suddenly found a face of understanding and commented on what a good decision this was. It's a little bit of a hike from anything, but it's well worth the trip.
Recap
Pros - Good food and drinks, all you can eat, great service
Cons - Hours and location may be troubling
Overall - Don't let the timing and drive get in your way. Go here. You will enjoy it.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Martha's Cafe
Date
1/29/09
Location
Elliewood Avenue, across from the Biltmore
11 Elliewood Avenue
What I ate
Artichoke cheese bake, house salad with Thai peanut dressing, and pesto chicken sandwich
Who went
Suzie, Miles, and Matt
Website
http://marthascafe.com/homepage.html
Thoughts
Miles and Suzie lamented more than once that they had never visited this place before. Martha's is in an old house and there isn't much space, but what is there is quite cozy. Sadly, the place is for sale so it might not be around for much longer. Go while you still can! It's a great little place.
Our food was out quickly and finished in even less time. The appetizer wasn't much different from a lot of artichoke dips around the Corner, but it was quite tasty. They like to put cheese on a lot of things (get a quesadilla, trust me) which almost always helps. My sandwich could've used a little more between the bread, but what was there was delicious. The pesto was present but not overpowering and the goat cheese (see?) was a great addition. I'm usually partial to Asian salad dressings and the Thai peanut didn't disappoint.
Martha's is great for small groups. In addition to tasty food, the service is almost always quick, efficient, and unobtrusive. Sometimes, it's nice to have a waiter who wants to make conversation, but you're usually out to dinner with friends so you can talk to them. The place is also quirky enough (fish in the tub of the bathroom, art on the walls, etc.) to provide some conversation starters. If you're looking for a low-key place to go with a friend or three, you could do a whole lot worse.
Recap
Pros - The food is really good and the prices aren't high at all.
Cons - The beer list is in it's infancy, so we can't count that against them. Just don't take a big group because there's little room.
Overall - Tasty food, good prices, cozy atmosphere - all's well here if your part is less than 6.
1/29/09
Location
Elliewood Avenue, across from the Biltmore
11 Elliewood Avenue
What I ate
Artichoke cheese bake, house salad with Thai peanut dressing, and pesto chicken sandwich
Who went
Suzie, Miles, and Matt
Website
http://marthascafe.com/homepage.html
Thoughts
Miles and Suzie lamented more than once that they had never visited this place before. Martha's is in an old house and there isn't much space, but what is there is quite cozy. Sadly, the place is for sale so it might not be around for much longer. Go while you still can! It's a great little place.
Our food was out quickly and finished in even less time. The appetizer wasn't much different from a lot of artichoke dips around the Corner, but it was quite tasty. They like to put cheese on a lot of things (get a quesadilla, trust me) which almost always helps. My sandwich could've used a little more between the bread, but what was there was delicious. The pesto was present but not overpowering and the goat cheese (see?) was a great addition. I'm usually partial to Asian salad dressings and the Thai peanut didn't disappoint.
Martha's is great for small groups. In addition to tasty food, the service is almost always quick, efficient, and unobtrusive. Sometimes, it's nice to have a waiter who wants to make conversation, but you're usually out to dinner with friends so you can talk to them. The place is also quirky enough (fish in the tub of the bathroom, art on the walls, etc.) to provide some conversation starters. If you're looking for a low-key place to go with a friend or three, you could do a whole lot worse.
Recap
Pros - The food is really good and the prices aren't high at all.
Cons - The beer list is in it's infancy, so we can't count that against them. Just don't take a big group because there's little room.
Overall - Tasty food, good prices, cozy atmosphere - all's well here if your part is less than 6.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Dr. Ho's Humble Pie
Date
1/21/09
Location
About 10 miles south of Charlottesville along 29
3586 Monacan Trail, North Garden
What I ate
16" pizza, whole wheat crust, with green peppers, caramelized onions, and artichokes
Who went
Anjie, Suzie, Matt, Nora, Miles, and Patrick
Website
http://www.doctorhoshumblepie.com/
Thoughts
It's about as hole-in-the-wall as a pizza place can get and it wasn't my discovery, but I've been a big fan for a while now. This review is partly based on tonight's trip and partly on the other times I've gone; I think it gives a more useful picture.
Dr. Ho's is foremost a pizza place. They have some standard pizza-place specials but a few interesting ones you won't find most places. You have a lot of flexibility if you want to design your own pizza (we did this time) and they use great ingredients. I can't speak to the quality of the meats other than the chicken (great, especially the BBQ), but I typically hear sounds that indicate happiness from the people eating pizzas with bacon or pepperoni on them. The veggies usually stand up against the sauce and cheese.
The service isn't the friendliest, but it's usually efficient. The tables are a little on the small side; this is made more evident when your pizza arrives. That said, drinks are refilled quickly and the pizza arrives piping hot. In fact, you probably want to wait a little bit before eating your first bite.
The place is quite small and made even smaller once or twice a week when they bring in live music. As cool as the music can be, there's no separation between it and the diners, and it takes away some seats often leading to a wait to sit down. They only have two "large" tables, so don't bring a party there. The tables seat 4 easily and can be combined with some flexibility. The place is run by a bunch of hippies, but I mean that in a nice way. The mood is very laid-back.
Recap
Pros - The pizza is delicious. The menu is surprisingly varied (look past just pizza sometime) and I really like the atmosphere.
Cons - I didn't feel quite full afterwards. Also, cramming a band into the already-small space makes things quite cramped and conversation difficult.
Overall - It's still my favorite pizza place around here. I'll probably try to avoid nights when there's music, but it's always fun.
1/21/09
Location
About 10 miles south of Charlottesville along 29
3586 Monacan Trail, North Garden
What I ate
16" pizza, whole wheat crust, with green peppers, caramelized onions, and artichokes
Who went
Anjie, Suzie, Matt, Nora, Miles, and Patrick
Website
http://www.doctorhoshumblepie.com/
Thoughts
It's about as hole-in-the-wall as a pizza place can get and it wasn't my discovery, but I've been a big fan for a while now. This review is partly based on tonight's trip and partly on the other times I've gone; I think it gives a more useful picture.
Dr. Ho's is foremost a pizza place. They have some standard pizza-place specials but a few interesting ones you won't find most places. You have a lot of flexibility if you want to design your own pizza (we did this time) and they use great ingredients. I can't speak to the quality of the meats other than the chicken (great, especially the BBQ), but I typically hear sounds that indicate happiness from the people eating pizzas with bacon or pepperoni on them. The veggies usually stand up against the sauce and cheese.
The service isn't the friendliest, but it's usually efficient. The tables are a little on the small side; this is made more evident when your pizza arrives. That said, drinks are refilled quickly and the pizza arrives piping hot. In fact, you probably want to wait a little bit before eating your first bite.
The place is quite small and made even smaller once or twice a week when they bring in live music. As cool as the music can be, there's no separation between it and the diners, and it takes away some seats often leading to a wait to sit down. They only have two "large" tables, so don't bring a party there. The tables seat 4 easily and can be combined with some flexibility. The place is run by a bunch of hippies, but I mean that in a nice way. The mood is very laid-back.
Recap
Pros - The pizza is delicious. The menu is surprisingly varied (look past just pizza sometime) and I really like the atmosphere.
Cons - I didn't feel quite full afterwards. Also, cramming a band into the already-small space makes things quite cramped and conversation difficult.
Overall - It's still my favorite pizza place around here. I'll probably try to avoid nights when there's music, but it's always fun.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Creo
Date
1/2/09
Location
A mall up by Lisa's place
1475 Western Avenue, Stuyvesant Plaza, Albany, NY
What I ate
Tagliatelle with caramelized onions, wild mushrooms, parmigiano, and white truffle oil
Who went
Lisa, Rob, and Matt
Website
http://www.creorestaurant.com/
Thoughts
First, let's just talk about the concept. Poke around their website to get a better idea, but it's a sustainability-centric restaurant with gourmet food. They're LEED-certified with awesome things like a grass roof, a floor made of recycled materials, and energy efficient equipment. They get high marks in my book before I even look at the menu.
The score just keeps going up after I do indeed look at the menu. They have a good variety on the menu and each item is thoroughly described. Every table gets a small bowl of edamame and a basket of bread, which were both tasty. My pasta was good and all of the flavors came through well, except maybe the truffle oil. Then again, that's probably because I haven't ever had it before and just couldn't pin down the specific flavor; there was an underlying but unidentifiable deliciousness to the dish, so I'll just assume that was the truffle oil. Everyone else finished their dishes with relative ease while making noises that suggest they were quite happy, but I'll leave it for them to describe their experience.
Our waiter was very helpful. He wasn't particularly conversational, but the place was packed and I'm sure he didn't have time to dawdle. He was friendly while answering our questions and giving advice. His manner of speaking suggested a good deal of familiarity with both the dishes on the menu and cooking in general. No one ever had an empty glass and our food arrived promptly.
The ambiance was a little busy, but nice overall. There is conversation everywhere and the odd lighting scheme surprisingly keeps the place well-lit without being too bright. I love that they have the kitchen open to view, though it can be a little distracting from table conversation. It's just too bad it's a 400+ miles trip from Charlottesville.
Recap
Pros - focus on sustainability, generally well-done, great food
Cons - it's too far from me, there are a few sustainability issues (some small things) that could make it even better
Overall - As if you couldn't already tell, this place is awesome. I highly recommend it to anyone who lives within about an hour. I'd say longer, but you don't want to drive too far while you're fighting the food coma.
1/2/09
Location
A mall up by Lisa's place
1475 Western Avenue, Stuyvesant Plaza, Albany, NY
What I ate
Tagliatelle with caramelized onions, wild mushrooms, parmigiano, and white truffle oil
Who went
Lisa, Rob, and Matt
Website
http://www.creorestaurant.com/
Thoughts
First, let's just talk about the concept. Poke around their website to get a better idea, but it's a sustainability-centric restaurant with gourmet food. They're LEED-certified with awesome things like a grass roof, a floor made of recycled materials, and energy efficient equipment. They get high marks in my book before I even look at the menu.
The score just keeps going up after I do indeed look at the menu. They have a good variety on the menu and each item is thoroughly described. Every table gets a small bowl of edamame and a basket of bread, which were both tasty. My pasta was good and all of the flavors came through well, except maybe the truffle oil. Then again, that's probably because I haven't ever had it before and just couldn't pin down the specific flavor; there was an underlying but unidentifiable deliciousness to the dish, so I'll just assume that was the truffle oil. Everyone else finished their dishes with relative ease while making noises that suggest they were quite happy, but I'll leave it for them to describe their experience.
Our waiter was very helpful. He wasn't particularly conversational, but the place was packed and I'm sure he didn't have time to dawdle. He was friendly while answering our questions and giving advice. His manner of speaking suggested a good deal of familiarity with both the dishes on the menu and cooking in general. No one ever had an empty glass and our food arrived promptly.
The ambiance was a little busy, but nice overall. There is conversation everywhere and the odd lighting scheme surprisingly keeps the place well-lit without being too bright. I love that they have the kitchen open to view, though it can be a little distracting from table conversation. It's just too bad it's a 400+ miles trip from Charlottesville.
Recap
Pros - focus on sustainability, generally well-done, great food
Cons - it's too far from me, there are a few sustainability issues (some small things) that could make it even better
Overall - As if you couldn't already tell, this place is awesome. I highly recommend it to anyone who lives within about an hour. I'd say longer, but you don't want to drive too far while you're fighting the food coma.
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