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.
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