Charlottesville weekend - Marco and Luca, Oakhart Social, Splendora's, Guajiros, The Local

Oh, hello. It sure has been a while! This is probably just a one-off. It feels odd to not recount my food adventures in Oregon (2018-2020) or Georgia (2020-2022), let alone the past few years in Maryland. Maybe I'll do some sort of retrospective or summary of my favorite places and plates.

Dates

10/11-12/2025

Locations

- Marco and Luca: Downtown Mall
- Oakhart Social: 511 West Main Street
- Splendora's Gelato: Shops at Stonefield
- Guajiros Miami Eatery: 114 10th Street Northwest
- The Local: 824 Hinton Avenue

What we ate

- Marco and Luca
   - Dumplings!
   - Sweet and sour spicy noodles
- Oakhart
   - Roasted broccoli
   - Smoked mushrooms and polenta
   - Duck fat confit potatoes
   - Fried chicken
- Splendora's

   - Gelato sampler
- Guajiros

   - Lentejas guisadas

   - Breakfast bowl
- The Local

   - Truffled mushroom ragout

   - Bison short ribs

Websites
- Marco and Luca: https://www.marcoandluca.com/
- Oakhart: https://www.oakhartsocial.com/
- Splendora's: check socials
- Guajiros: https://www.guajiroscville.com/
- The Local: https://thelocal-cville.com/

Thoughts

After not being in Charlottesville for almost 8 years, my wife and I went back! Well, I went back; she had never been before. In addition to touring Grounds and other places that were important to me, we ate very, very well. As I write this, it was almost a month ago, so my notes will be less a comprehensive review and more the things that stand out in my memory. As much as anything, it was a reminder that Charlottesville remains a great place to have a meal or four.

We arrived in time to wander the city market and then head straight to Marco and Luca's for lunch. As some readers know, my wife and I are Jewish, and we keep a personal form of kosher. It's basically kosher-style with a few pre-established exceptions. When I first set these rules, there were three exceptions: the Nuke at LJ's, crab legs at the Beach Week buffets, and Marco and Luca dumplings. I was a menace when they opened a location in Blacksburg, knocking on the window the moment a sign went up, even if they wouldn't open until a few weeks after that. Anyway, these were still the same pockets of deliciousness as always. The noodles were also great, just like I remembered. The eating weekend was off to a great start.

We had an early dinner at Oakhart Social because that was the only time available; now we know why. This place wasn't around when I was last in town, but as I reviewed menus, it gave me vibes of PokPok, the awesome Portland Thai restaurant where my wife and I had one of our favorite meals. To be clear, Oakhart isn't a Thai restaurant, but they do some great things with fish sauce. The roasted broccoli (with fish sauce caramel) is a star -- plenty of great bitterness at the ends of the florets, all balanced with the caramel cutting through -- and set the tone. Individual elements were tasty, but having a composed bite of the different ingredients made them better. The smoky mushrooms, the creamy parmesan sauce, and the crispy edges of the polenta were a similar delicate, excellent balance. I don't want to shortchange the potatoes, but it was in the same vein: the romesco brightened it all up, delicious through and through. The texture and taste of the crust on the chicken was almost karaage-like, light and shattery with great seasoning. Here again, the fish sauce cut through it all to integrate the mint and spicy peppers.

I was disappointed that Splendora's was no longer on the mall but pleasantly surprised that their new spot was near our hotel, definitely close enough to facilitate bringing gelato back to watch the baseball game. I don't remember all the flavors we got, but the classics (stracciatella and chocolate, I think) were solid, great versions of the flavor. Apple cider was a seasonal flavor, and it was done perfectly. There wasn't any of the iciness that can sometimes when water-based flavors are the key (or maybe that's my homemade trials and tribulations...). We spent a bit of time marveling over and discussing the kalamansi, mezcal, coconut, and an herb (shiso?) I can't remember and can't find because I never got Instagram to work. The woman responsible for the flavor is the one who served it to us, so we learned about her inspiration, how Filipino immigrants helped support mezcal production (checks out!). The coconut was a great complementary flavor and smoothed out the taste. It was delicious on its own, but getting a little local and historical context made a memorable experience.

We stopped into Guajiros after touring Grounds and some surrounding spots. This is another place that arrived after I departed, and I'm glad they're there. Both dishes were flavorful and filling without being heavy. The coffee was excellent. There's a bunch of other interesting things on the menu, but our choices were a nice bit of warmth on a chilly, drizzly day.

We ended the night at The Local. I could've sworn they were there when I was in school, but their menu had a bit of their history, clearly documenting that my memories were all cemented in the year before vet school, two years after graduating. Like Marco and Lucas, I was a little nervous that my taste buds would feel what my memory said they used to. Also like the dumplings, I had no reason to worry. The pasta was rich and full of great mushroom flavors. The short ribs were tender with just enough bite to them, and the braise amped up the taste. Pair that with the solid drink menu and warm setting, and we had an excellent end to the weekend.

Recap
Pros - All of it? Old favorites didn't disappoint. New (to me) options showed out.
Cons - It's too far? I did go back recently, but I had been gone way too long.
Overall - Charlottesville remains an amazing place to eat.

Ambar

Date
1/28/2018

Location
Clarendon, just up from the Metro stop
2901 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA

What I ate
Uhh, everything? Here's the full menu

Who came
Brittany
Mark
Xander
Laura
Tiffany

Website
Ambar Clarendon

Thoughts
By my count, we had at least 35 different dishes and, counting re-orders, well over 50 separate plates. Our waiter took excellent care of us, seizing on our initial hesitation to offer to take us on a tour of the menu. Delicious dish after delicious dish just kept appearing. The portions were just enough to have a taste and leave plenty of room for the next one. I'll do a bit of a general rundown and pick out the highlights.

We had samplers for each of the first three - mezze, kajmak, and spreads. Each cured meat was a little different. One of the prosciuttos had a slight sweetness to it that made it stand out. We were a little worried about kajmak after the waiter's description, but those fears were unfounded. It was light and easily spreadable; the herb one was my favorite. Of the spreads, the slightly sweet bread may have been the real star, though each were tasty. I could probably eat the urnebes (aged cow cheese and red pepper flakes) by the spoonful.

The meat pie was the first time I almost strayed from the sampling menu. It was light and delicious, the kind of thing I could have eaten a half dozen of and not realized anything was happening. I know it wasn't the intent, but they looked like rugelach, which wasn't a bad thing. The flatbread (read: pizza) was good, though a bit of a deviation from the rest of the menu. The stuff:crust ratio was too low. The salads were mostly unremarkable. The best one was the slaw, but more as an accompaniment to the sausages that were to follow. The marinated peppers also would be an OK topping, but weren't much on their own.

The pepper and cheese croquette gave me yet another use for panko. It made for a light, flaky shell around the tasty filling. We kept the vegetables coming, with the sprouts, asparagus, and zucchini latkes being popular up and down the table.

In my quick notes about the slow cooked food section I wrote "star of the meal!" Remembering it, that's totally correct. The cinnamon in the moussaka hinted at sweetness without actually being sweet and made each bite a little journey. Not only did the stuffed cabbage remind me of that time Brittany and I cooked halupki for ScavHunt, but it was tasty, too. The pepper they stuffed was as sweet as the snacking peppers and a great complement for the filling.

Oh yeah, the meats! They kinda ran together. A week or so out, I remember the jokes more than the taste. The salmon was pretty good. We were probably all a bit too stuffed to appreciate the seafood, which seemed to disappoint our waiter. That didn't stop him from bringing us what I can only describe as Balkan churros, even though we didn't order dessert. Despite being full, there was juuust enough room for them and the chocolate sauce and strawberries that accompanied them.

There was a ton (almost literally) of food to write about, but I don't want to forget the other aspects of the meal. Our service was great, with full plates arriving and empty ones leaving quickly. Our waiter was patient with our questions and we were happy to let him guide the whole experience. It's a cozy space and it was sometimes tough to hear all the way across the table. That didn't stop us talking about our favorite dishes and generally having a great time.

Recap
Pros - Delicious food and plenty of it, excellent service
Cons - None. Maybe it's a little loud?
Overall - Well worth it. I'm eager to go back and test repeatability, even if menu doesn't change

Jaleo Crystal City

Date
1/26/2018

Location
Crystal City Shops
2250-A Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA

What I ate (copied from the RW menu)
Endives, goat cheese, oranges and almonds
Salad of red beets, citrus, Valdeón cheese and pistachios with sherry dressing

Traditional Catalán salad of white beans, with sherry dressing

Mushrooms sautéed with garlic, herbs and white wine

Sautéed cauliflower with dates and olives

The very, very famous tapa of shrimp sautéed with garlic

Grilled marinated chicken served with parsley purée and garlic sauce

Seared salmon with potato leek purée

A classic Spanish custard with ‘espuma’ of Catalan cream and oranges

Chocolate ice cream with a traditional Catalan crisp

What I drank
Estrella Dam Lager

Who came
Jess

Website
Jaleo

Thoughts
Catching up with a good friend over delicious food will always make for a fun evening. I even enjoyed the olives (mostly)! I think there's a tendency for some places, especially those that normally work with smaller dishes, to use Restaurant Week as an excuse to give small portions. Bucking that trend, Jaleo offered a nice balance of special dishes and portions big enough that I left full.

It's a big room with half walls and elevation changes to give it a roomier feel. Despite plenty of ambient noise, conversation was easy. The waiter was attentive and didn't stick around too long. I kinda sorta maybe felt rushed at the beginning of the meal - Friday night of Restaurant Week means plenty of turnover - but they let us hang out, unbothered, after we were finished until we were ready to leave.

On to the food! The appetizers were good, if unremarkable. They're a nice way to start the meal. The endive is reminiscent of something my friend Kelly used to make; they'd be great to open a dinner party. The salad was a good complement, too. The mushrooms are the first dish to stand out. They were delicious, with the mushroom flavor standing up with the garlic. They were the texture mushrooms should be - juicy and meaty. The cauliflower was at the same time confusing and intriguing. In my head, the flavors don't work well together. In my mouth, they're best of friends. The earthy cauliflower set a solid base of flavor and the caramel-y dates gave each bite a little layer of sweetness. I'm not the biggest fan of olives (see above), but the saltiness cut through everything and kept it light.

The "very, very famous" shrimp dish was indeed tasty. I keep kosher(ish) and haven't had shrimp in a while. These were ever so slightly more well done than I remember liking shrimp to be. I liked the sauce more than the shrimp - light, plenty of tomato without much acid, and a quick heat that fades. The chicken was juicy and the sauce bright enough to make me think spring is just around the corner. The salmon was good, the crispy skin being my favorite part. I remember the sauce being tasty, but I can't honestly recall what it tasted like two days later. The desserts brought a strong close to the meal. The ice cream was both rich and airy. The flan had just the right texture and a pretty good taste. The topping was almost candy and the oranges kept the whole thing from being too heavy.

Restaurant Week often takes me places I wouldn't normally go, though as I'm becoming more of an adult - first post over 9 years ago! - I should get to places like this more often. Perhaps I can wrangle a few friends and go back soon. Tapas is always better with a crowd.

Recap
Pros - Delicious food
Cons - Nothing major
Overall - I'm eager to go back with friends. Not a steal, but definitely worth it.

Chow Food and Beverage Co.

Date
6/28/2016

Location
Clinton, next to the Outlets
36 Killingworth Turnpike, Clinton, CT

What I ate
Burnt end croute
The Gams pizza (Aged cheddar, smoked chicken, scallions, and raspberry-honey BBQ sauce)

What I drank
Black Hog S.W.A.G.
Two Roads Esspressway

Website
CHOW

Thoughts
I'm out of practice, so please forgive the brevity.

The only negative I can conjure up is that it took a little while for the waitress to notice my glass was empty. That said, I'm sure I would've gotten her attention if I'd tried to get it.

The small outdoor space is nice, too. I hope they do something with it for lazy summer nights.

P.S. To the woman a few tables over - If I can see the pink in your steak from my table, your steak is not well done.

P.P.S. I went back a few days later, just before leaving CT, and had a great meal with friends.

Recap
Pros - Tasty food, good pacing
Cons - Nothing stood out, I'd just be picking nits
Overall - Big fan. I'm moving soon and I'm sad I waited so long to find this place.

Bistro Mediterranean and Tapas Bar

Date
10/4/2014

Location
Shoreline Westbrook
704 Boston Post Road

What I ate
Piquillo peppers stuffed with braised lamb in a port wine and shallot sauce
Steak tartare with quail egg and garlic crostini
Octopus with chili sauce

What I sampled
Codfish croquettes
Fried eggplant with mozzarella over a tomato ragu with basil pesto
Duck empanadas

Who came
Helena, Rempe, Erin, Ethan, Christine, Jolene, Michael, Talina, Lisbeth, Elias, Carla, Lia

Website
Bistro - Westbrook

Thoughts
I started this review over two years ago and never finished. Unfortunately, my memory is a little foggy. Fortunately, I went back a few times and had a bunch of other dishes. I went by myself once or twice - thanks, Old Lyme Town Band! - and with friends for a few other dinners. All told, the food was always delicious, the service and ambiance were nice, and the prices weren't bad. It's one of my favorite places on the shoreline.

Recap
Pros - delicious, varied, and (apparently) authentic tapas
Cons - still working on service, minimal beer selections
Overall - This is a great place for a nice night out, especially with a group.  I'll have to go back and get entrees, but the variety of interesting and tasty tapas will win out almost every time.  Go here.  Bring friends.

Quattro's

Date
8/17/2014

Location
Downtown Guilford
14 Water Street, Guilford, CT

What I ate
Cream of mushroom soup
Duck breast finished in an orange, cherry, and Grand Marnier sauce with sauteed spinach and mashed potatoes

Who came
Mom and Dad

Website
Quattro's Italian Restaurant and Wine Bar

Thoughts
This has been sitting in "to write" for over two years, but I wanted to get it out for completeness's sake. I remember enjoying the meal and thinking that I needed to spend more time in Guilford's little downtown. Sadly, I didn't, and now I've moved away.

Bluebird Tavern

Date
6/20/2014

Location
Downtown Burlington

86 Saint Paul Street, Burlington, VT

What I ate

Arctic char crudo bite

Cheese plate - smoked windsordale with pickled radishes, candied walnuts, and a maple-sherry gastrique

Octopus terrine with salami vinaigrette and fennel

Five-hour braised flatiron with roasted potatoes and carrots and jalapeno mashed potatoes

Maple Tap - frozen maple custard, poached rhubarb, oatmeal crust

Beer & Chocolate - chocolate mousse with stout curd and almond cake

What I drank

Maine Beer Company - Lunch

Website

Bluebird Tavern

Thoughts

Whoa!  I've been writing this blog for almost six years (!) and that has to be the longest "What I ate" section.  From the outset, the folks at Bluebird Tavern were nice and generous.  The amuse, cheese plate, and second dessert were given without asking, rounding out my meal and then some.  I went there after a long week of work, looking for a delicious, filling meal and was certainly not disappointed.

Though they certainly checked the box for quantity, they didn't neglect quality.  The crudo was light, tasty, and just the right kind of fishy - a nice way to start the meal.  I wouldn't have put those things together on the cheese plate, but each part was great and they worked off of each other.  I've come to the conclusion that I can't have a whole pickle plate to myself since it's just too much of that flavor, but they small handful of radishes were delicious.  The cheese didn't have a strong taste to itself, but it helped smooth the transition between the radishes and walnuts.  The house-made bread was also quite good.

I hadn't had octopus before and listened to a piece on it recently, so it was an obvious choice.  I'm happy to have gotten it, but I'm also glad it was sandwiched between all of the great food.  The octopus didn't taste like much by itself.  That may be a little unfair - the whole bite of octopus, dressing, and fennel was quite good - but I ordered the dish because I wanted to taste octopus.

After my long week, I was hoping for that full, content feeling after this meal.  The braised flatiron was a delicious, fancy way to do just that.  If I picked up my knife, it was only to cut a potato.  The occasional roasted carrot gave that little hit of sweetness that, with the background heat of the jalapeno mashed potatoes, kept the dish from being heavy.  This is probably a good place to mention that the beer was also delicious.  Their website says it has "intense hop flavors" but, either because I haven't had many beers that do that right or because of the context of the meal, I found it refreshing, a good complement to my food.  Thanks for the tip, Suzie!

Of course I still had room for dessert!  I had so much trouble deciding that I asked the waitress if she could talk the kitchen into some sort of small sampler.  I'm sure this annoyed them; sorry, Bluebird kitchen!  If I knew I'd be in town longer and could come back, I would have gone multiple times and tried each one.  I settled on the Vermontiest one of the bunch.  The textures were a little weird - I had trouble taking off small pieces of the crust, but it's entirely possible I was just doing it incorrectly.  The rhubarb was also just a bit too tart by itself.  That said, once I was able to get a bite of all three parts, it was easy to see why they were on the plate together.  I had to take most of the beer & chocolate home, but it was great, too.  The ribbon of almond cake through the mousse was a great touch.

The atmosphere was nice - small place with a nice, slightly rustic edge - and I was able to catch a little bit of World Cup from afar.  More importantly, my waitress was awesome.  She talked candidly about much of the menu and dealt with my curiosities, even when I was dangerously close to being a character on Portlandia.  When I dine alone, I generally want to just focus on the food.  She helped me understand my food and the restaurant, elevating my whole experience.  If my receipt is to be believed, her name is Lindsey.  I won't be back in Burlington any time soon, so someone reading this should go thank her for me.

Recap

Pros - Great food and plenty of it, nice, helpful waitress

Cons - Nothing stands out as negative.

Overall - Go for a special (or not-so-special) occasion.  I certainly spent more than I do on an average dinner, but it was well worth it.  If I lived in Burlington, this would be high on my go-to list for a nice night out.

Darbar India

Date
4/9/2014

Location
Downtown (?) Branford
1070 Main Street, Branford, CT

What I ate
Coconut soup
Vegetarian samosa
Hyderabadi mixed vegetables
Garlic naan
Kheer

Who came
Jolene, Michael, Helena, Rempe

Website
Darbar India

Thoughts
This is the hands-down winner for most foot/best value for restaurant week; I've never walked (waddled?) out so stuffed!  They didn't have to sacrifice quality for quantity, either.  Intrigued by the vegetarian menu, I deviated from my normal choices and was not disappointed.  The soup was quite good and a nice way to start the meal, though a little sweet.  The samosa was as tasty as expected.  The only drawback was that my meat-eating co-diners were given two samosas.  I can always use more samosas.  Indian cuisine is one of my favorites when it comes to shining the spotlight on vegetables as the main part of an entree and the Hyderabadi mixed vegetables further cemented this in my mind.  The garlic naan didn't taste like much, but was an excellent vehicle to sop up anything that was left behind.  The kheer could've used some addition, maybe a little bit of fruit or some almonds, but that and already being full didn't stop me from wolfing down the whole thing.

The dining room is big and open, great for a group.  The only negatives were with the service.  The waiter was friendly and attentive, but didn't seem to fully grasp the restaurant week concept.  The timing of service was also a little odd - this was only exacerbated by the fact that the restaurant was mostly empty.  The soup and samosas came out in rapid succession, while there were long waits for the entree and dessert courses.  This might've been more of a problem without a group as conversation helped cover up the delays, but they were still noticeable.

Recap
Pros - Delicious food and tons of it
Cons - Pacing of the meal was off
Overall - I still haven't had better Indian food in Connecticut.  Darbar is my go-to when I'm craving Indian food and restaurant week was no exception.  Go.  Get good food.  Thank me later.

Roìa

Date
4/8/2014

Location
Downtown New Haven
261 College Street, New Haven, CT

What I ate
Salad of blood orange, grapefruit, and shaved fennel with toasted nuts
Agneau braise a l'oignon (Braised lamb with onions, kale, peppers, and potato pancakes)
Poppy brioche bread pudding

Website
Roìa

Thoughts
In looking through the New Haven Restaurant Week menus, this was one of the ones that stuck out and it didn't disappoint; let's go right to the food.  I'm generally not a fan of grapefruit, but this seemed like a good opportunity to change that and I wasn't keen on the other appetizer options.  My only complaint was that there wasn't more of it.  It was delicious and I would've eaten a double-portion without hesitation.  The entree was even better.  The lamb was mixed with the delicious veggies and the potato pancakes acted as a great base, sopping up anything that was left behind.  This was also one of the largest portions for an entree I've ever had at any restaurant week, so they score a few bonus points.  The dessert was a bit of a letdown.  It was good, it just didn't carry through the momentum from the preceding courses.  Frankly, it has been about a month since I went and, while I can clearly remember how the salad and the lamb tasted, I'm drawing a bit of a blank on the bread pudding.

The place feels like it used to be a lounge outside of the symphony, but doesn't take itself quite that seriously.  The ceilings were tall and, while I liked the sense of openness, it did get a little loud once the place filled up.  Still, it had a general inviting feel to it, a little dark, a little warm, but not at all sedate.  The wait staff and kitchen were also very accommodating, finding gluten-free substitutions for my date and happily talking through both the menu and wine options.  Oh, and don't be thrown off by the sink in what looks like the hallway.  There isn't one in the restrooms, so that's what you use.  It seemed weird to me, but friends who know such things assure me that's something restaurants do.

Recap
Pros - Tasty food, helpful wait staff, comfortable atmosphere
Cons - A little loud at times
Overall - When the food is that good and the complaints are that weak, it's going to score well.  There are so many places in New Haven I still have to try, but I'll be heading back to Roìa before too soon.

La Belle Aurore

Date
1/30/2014

Location
Downtown(?) Niantic
75 Pennsylvania Avenue, Niantic, CT

What I ate
Beet and orange parfait with whipped ricotta and pistachios
Sliced tenderloin with maple dijon sauce, greens, and roasted potatoes
Citrus olive oil cake

Who came
Jolene, Michael, Talina, Rempy, Helena, Zurita, Erin

Website
La Belle Aurore

Thoughts
Hat tip to CT Restaurant Weeks for identifying this place.  I'm still exploring this town and the surrounding areas, so having a guide like that is helpful.  This was one of the few prix fixe menus and the farm to table aspect appealed to me, so away we went.

My food was tasty throughout, though a few parts outshined the rest.  The appetizer was delicious.  The earthy beets mixed well with the not-too-tart oranges and the different textures - light but rich (weird, I know) cheese, a slight crunch to the beets, the slightly different kind of crunch to the pistachios - kept the whole thing interesting.  I would've gladly eaten another one.  My steak was pretty good and the potatoes were salty and fried in a very satisfying way, but the greens were the best part of the entree.  As deep as we were in winter, the freshness was a welcome change.  I'm going to find their supplier and see if I can get some directly.  The cake probably wouldn't be great on its own, but it was a pleasant way to end the meal, to tie everything together.  It had the "clean" taste that I associate with olive oil cookies and cakes and managed to stay light and mild.  Their beer list was small, but had a few great options.  As a group, we did a pretty good job with variety, getting at least one of almost everything, so I'll let my friends comment on the other offerings.

It's a cozy place, tucked away in a little strip mall.  We were easily the biggest group there, but they were able to seat us comfortably.  It felt very homey, like a little cafe; I'm sure it's lovely in warmer weather.  There were a few times it felt like the service was a little slow - big gaps between courses, some delay in getting everyone's dish out - but it really wasn't a problem.  In fact, it helped keep conversation going.  I don't know if this is the same for a couple or a smaller crowd, but it a net positive for our big group.  During the meal, I felt like the portions seemed small, but this is another aspect that looks fine in retrospect.  I was certainly full at the end of the meal, so I guess it'd be unfair to say portion size was an issue.  All told, it was a fun night out with plenty of good food.

Recap
Pros - Local, tasty, creative food, solid beer list
Cons - Small?  I'm nit-picking, there wasn't much wrong
Overall - See the last line of the review.  The food is good and they work extensively with local producers.  I'm excited to go back and see how the menu changes with the seasons.

Clydz

Date
11/30/2013

Location
Downtown New Brunswick, by the court house
55 Patterson Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901

What I ate
Antelope carpaccio
Braised python ravioli
Ostrich lorraine

What I drank
Tennesse Williams (Old Overholt, Carpano Antica, Scotch, maraschino, Benedictine, walnut bitters)

Who came
Mom, Dad, Dan, Julie

Website
Clydz

Thoughts
This is yet another long-overdue review, so I won't have much in the way of details.  Given the menu, Clydz is obviously not a place you go on a whim; it's a place for adventurous eating.  That said, there are plenty of less exotic proteins on the menu and, if my meal was any indication, they don't just sit back and let "Hey, python is cool!" carry the show.  Everything was delicious and the extensive drink menu was a great complement.

It's on the small side, space-wise, and is lit in a way that makes me think of a speakeasy (or at least my image of one).  The waitress was conversational and quite knowledgeable about both food and drink, something a little more difficult here than at most places.  Being in downtown New Brunswick can make the logistics tough, but it's worth making the trip.

Recap
Pros - Delicious, exotic food, great drink menu
Cons - Expensive, though not prohibitively so
Overall - It's a great place for a nice meal, especially for adventurous eaters.  If going in a group, I advise turning the hot and cold plates into a tapas-style meal.

Agricola

Date
7/16/2013

Location
Downtown Princeton
11 Witherspoon Street

What I ate
Pickled vegetable plate (cucumbers, zucchini, pearl onions, ramps, golden beets, green beans, rainbow chard stalks)
Braised beef short rib
Chocolate beet cake/peach pie/Meyer lemon cheesecake

Who came
Mom, Dad

Website
Agricola Eatery

Thoughts
I never got around to writing this full review and my memory is too foggy to do it justice now.  I'm eager to get back when I'm home; it feels like a good place to have a fancier-than-average meal.  The waitress was happy to answer my questions about their sources - I felt comfortable asking since they advertised it all over their menu.  The pickled plate is quickly becoming one of my favorite things at any restaurant and their's didn't disappoint.  At my asking, they sent me a copy of the recipe for the beets.  It didn't turn out nearly as well as what I had at the there, but it I'll try again sometime.  I didn't check out their bar, but it seemed quite well-stocked.

Recap
Pros - Tasty food with an emphasis on local sources
Cons - I can't remember anything that stands out
Overall - Go here for a nice night out in Princeton.  It'd probably be good for after drinks, though I may be looking for any excuse to have the pickled plate.

The Bank Food and Drink

Date
6/6/2013

Location
Downtown Pearisburg
101 North Main Street

What I ate
Sweet potato soup with chipotle peppers and maple cream
Crispy duck breast with sauteed broccolini and creamy chipotle grits
Carrot cake with ginger cream cheese frosting and ginger chocolate sauce

What I drank
Dr. Cocktail's Old Fashioned
Zinfandel (Cline California '11, assuming the wine list hasn't changed in the past few days)

Who came
Chris, Elizabeth, Jess, Bill, Ben, Julia, Matt, Cassie

Website
The Bank Food and Drink

Thoughts
On occasional Thursday nights, The Bank brings in local artists and lets people grab a drink while they meet the artists and see their work.  Check the website to see when the next event is and who will be there.  We saw a room full of impressive pottery and another one with some interesting paintings.  One of the artists had a book full of custom business cards - art and a phrase on one side and contact information (her website) on the back.  Mine doesn't translate literally to English that well, but the message is apparently along the lines of "que sera, sera".  It's really a nice little event, definitely worth checking out some time.

My lacking art vocabulary is part of what prevents me from doing the art justice here, but I was certainly distracted by my excellent Old Fashioned.  It was so smooth that two unnamed non-bourbon fans in the group preferred it to their drink.  Angostura bitters will be on my grocery list so I can try my hand at making something half as delicious.  I heard good things about the Dark and Stormy and Pimm's Cup, too.  Hopefully my fellow tipplers will chime in with their comments.

I started with a chipotle sweet potato soup that was finished with a maple cream sauce.  The soup was rich and earthy, and the background smokiness from the peppers kept it from being too heavy.  The sauce offered a really nice counterpoint, but this was somewhat muted as it was more mixed into the soup; in retrospect, I guess that's my fault.  My entree was quite tasty.  The duck was well-cooked and the crust gave just a hint of sweetness.  The grits continued the smoky trend for the evening, playing a good complement to the meat.  I don't know that they made for a solid "everything on the plate in one bite" forkful, but the saltiness and overall "green" taste of broccolini helped maintain balance.  Many thanks to Ben for sharing his wine.  My wine-describing vocabulary is about as barren as my art-describing one, but this had a soft smokiness that blended well with the meal.  I was too full for dessert, but between the offerings and the sell job, I couldn't possibly decline.  If you're a slave to tradition and you want Carrot Cake, you might not enjoy what I had.  But then you would be going about your life in a sad, boring manner.  Don't do that.  Eat this delicious cake.  Ginger was probably the predominant taste, but cream from the frosting and carrot from the cake made strong showings, too.

I don't know where they put the other diners, but we had a nice little room all to ourselves.  Our waitress was very helpful, answering questions about the menu and even participating in discussions of cultural touchstones like Blenheim red cap ginger beer or Voyage of the Mimi.  The chef came out to meet us after the meal; we had a nice conversation with him, too.  Both he and our waitress remembered Jess and Bill, who had been there the week prior.

I'm having trouble coming up with any negatives from the experience.  They did run out of bread which, while tasty, seemed more important as a vehicle for the scrumptious house-made butter.  I think I heard some rumblings from those who didn't order an appetizer that it seemed like their entree was a long time coming, but I was fine and it's the kind of place that fosters good conversation.  We only stopped talking when dinner arrived which, as our waitress astutely observed, meant we were happily munching.  Don't come here expecting cheap eats, but they don't purport to be that kind of restaurant.  For the quality and amount of food I had, the price felt appropriate.

Recap
Pros - Delicious food.  Great cocktails.  Comfortable atmosphere and friendly service.  What more could you want?
Cons - Other than being a half-hour drive away, nothing really.
Overall - This was easily one of the best dinners I've had since I moved to Blacksburg.  It's a great place for a night out and one that I'll visit again.

l'etoile

Date
1/27/2013

Location
On Main Street across from the Amtrak Station
817 West Main Street

What I ate
Sharondale mushrooms
Ragged Mountain trout
Apple tarte tatin

Who came
Kelly

Website
l'etoile

Thoughts
First a disclaimer - I am biased.  Not only did I have one of my top 5 meals ever here for Restaurant Week a few years ago, but I will have serious trouble saying anything bad about Chef Gresge.  When I found myself with a bunch of sweetbreads and no idea what to do, I called him and he spent almost half an hour on the phone.  He taught me how to make them and just talked about he likes to use them.  Unsurprisingly, the ones I made were delicious - he deserves as much credit for that as anyone.  OK, now time for my biased review.

I love the setup.  I have only been to France once and it was a while ago, but it feels like I would expect a small French dinner hotspot to feel.  I would not take a group of more than 5 or 6 there, but it's perfect for small gatherings.  Somehow, they put a bunch of people in a small space without making it feel cramped.  Our waitress was very nice and offered to pass along my sweetbread-related thanks to the chef.  All told, this is a great spot to nurse some scotch and just chat.

I know some of you do not like mushrooms and I have often heard the texture cited as the main reason.  You are crazy.  These mushrooms were earthy and just a little chewy, just all-around delicious.  The grits did not add much flavor, but offered a nice contrast in texture with their creaminess.  I forgot about the chevre buried in the middle until it was almost too late.  I was able to have a few bites that brought together each element of the dish for some tasty forkfuls.  The trout is another reminder that I need to learn how to cook fish more than one way.  There was a bite to the outside that almost felt like it was fried, but the inside was still moist and tender.  Simply put, it was fish done right.  The accompaniments were good, but didn't add that much.  The lentils were good and provided contrasting texture (sensing a theme?) but the squash puree and the peppers were a little too sweet to fully complement the fish.

It's easy to look back now and remember how good this meal was, but how I felt afterward is a reminder that momentum is, at least in the moment (ha!), a real thing.  The first word that comes to mind for dessert is "dense".  I am, admittedly, not good at baking.  As such, I don't have a good conception of what a tarte tatin is really supposed to be like.  Apparently, this ignorance worked to my benefit.  I'll let her comment, but it seemed like Kelly (read: accomplished, knowledgeable baker) was particularly disappointed.  The apples were delicious, but they were swallowed up by the pastry portion.  The honey thyme ice cream could have helped cut through this, but it was far too subtle.  Had the ratio of apples to pastry been higher, the dessert probably would have been great.  Again, my baking ignorance might compromise my ability to fully understand, but dessert put a not-so-flattering bow on an otherwise great meal.

Recap
Pros - wonderful atmosphere, great savory dishes
Cons - dessert just wasn't good
Overall - I'll be back.  The dessert was incongruous with how awesome everything else was, food and otherwise.  This is still one of the best places to take a group of 2-4 for a nice meal.

Old Mill Room at Boar's Head

Date
1/26/2013

Location
The Boar's Head Inn, just out Ivy Road
200 Ednam Drive

What I ate
Atlantic salmon tartare
Grilled flat iron steak
Blood orange panna cotta

Who came
Nora, Lindsay, Ali

Website
The Old Mill Room

Thoughts
It's Restaurant Week again!  I happened to have the flexibility to get away for the weekend, so I drove to Charlottesville and caught up with good friends.  First up was the Old Mill Room at the Boar's Head Inn.  The dining room feels very warm - not in temperature, but just like a rich, old banquet hall.  If our waitress hadn't seemed a little antsy to move us along, I would've been pretty comfortable just hanging out there for a while.  It just seems like a good place to nurse an after-dinner drink and catch up.  Alas.  Let's move on to the food.

My appetizer was really tasty; I may have to learn how to pickle things to help accent dishes like this.  The slightly sour taste put a sharp edge at the end of each bite, but the "salmonness" of the fish still led the way.  While I know a flat iron steak isn't exactly filet mignon, I was a little disappointed by my entree.  The complements were great - I especially liked the surprising crunch of the kale - so the dish was good on the whole, but the steak just was so-so.  It was a sort of mix between being a true medium rare and Pittsburgh, and it felt like a relatively small portion.  The dessert, however, helped the meal rebound in a big way.  Not only that, but I backed into this find when the girls all ordered the creme brulee and I felt the need to branch out.  Tart is not high up on my list of favorite flavors, but there was just enough of it and the panna cotta was so light and delicate.  The cranberry compote bumped the overall quality up a smidge, but there was only so far to go.  The ginger in the ice cream wasn't very strong.  I love ginger and, normally, this would've been a problem.  It worked in this case since it didn't distract from the panna cotta.

One of my favorite things about Restaurant Week is that I get to go places that are normally too expensive for a non-celebratory dinner.  I went to the Old Mill Room during my first Restaurant Week and really enjoyed it.  This meal was definitely good, but didn't live up to previous years.  The biggest difference was that it was obvious that it was Restaurant Week this time whereas it felt like we were getting the normal experience last time.  Our waitress seemed a little out of sorts and the portions all felt tiny.  I enjoyed going there, but I think it could be some time before it rotates back into my Restaurant Week lineup.

Recap
Pros - comfortable atmosphere, awesome dessert
Cons - underwhelming steak, small portions
Overall - A good meal that benefited from some late-meal momentum.  This is still a place to go if you are celebrating or catching up with old friends.  With so many other options in town, I'll probably wait a while before going back.

Atlanta Recap - Brick Store Pub, Cakes & Ale, Parish Food & Goods, etc.

I started writing these when I was in Atlanta, but I never got around to finishing them.  Now it's 6 months after I visited and I couldn't do the reviews justice.  I don't want to let them go unreviewed, so here are the quick hits.  Hopefully, I'll go back and I'll write full reviews.

BRICK STORE PUB
Location
125 E. Court Square, Decatur, GA

What I ate
Pickle jar - okra, zucchini, squash, pineapple
Pierogies
Cast-iron pot pie

What I drank
Rodenbach Grand Cru
Deproef Signature Ale

Who went
Courtney, Alex, Tara

Website
Brick Store Pub

Recap
Pros - Great beer menu, pickle jar was delicious
Cons - Atmosphere is good but not great, a little loud and not the best lit
Overall - Worth it for the beer alone, it's probably my favorite spot on the square in Decatur

CAKES & ALE

Location
155 Sycamore Street, Decatur, GA

What I ate
Arancini with citrus and fennel pollen
Lamb leg, potato-garlic puree, lima & pole beans, mixed greens
Bourbon pineapple upside down cake with salted caramel and gingerbread ice cream (and white pepper!)

Who went
Grandma and Grandpa

Website
Cakes & Ale

Recap
Pros - Delicious dessert, great atmosphere
Cons - Small portions, limited (though good) beer selection
Overall - For a place called Cakes & Ale, I had hoped for a bit more beer.  The food was really good, but it's a little on the expensive side.  Definitely a good place for special occasions.

PARISH FOOD & GOODS

Location
Inman Park
240 N Highland Avenue, Atlanta

What I ate
Deviled chicken hearts with roasted carrot puree, brioche
Roasted chicken thigh and leg, smoked onion and swiss chard gratin, sorrel pistou
Banana bread pudding, toffee sauce, whiskey vanilla ice cream

Who went
Anna

Website
Parish Food and Goods

Thoughts
Drinks, bartender, atmosphere, Inman Park

Recap
Pros - Tasty food, good beer selection, excellent atmosphere (and awesome bartender)
Cons - Frankly, can't think of any
Overall - This was a great evening.  When I get back to Atlanta, I'm definitely heading here.

OTHER PLACES
Tartufo Pizzaria - best pizza I've had south of NJ (the owner is a transplant)
Cafe Alsace - cute little French bistro
The Porter Beer Bar - best beer menu I've ever seen
Atlanta Fish Market - wonderful seafood

Brasserie Montiel

Date
1/28/2012

Location
Just off Hydraulic, west of 29
2001 Commonwealth Drive

What I ate
Smoked salmon, asiago, and mini farfalle in a light grappa sauce
Chianti slow cooked beef stroganoff with wild mushrooms and au gratin potatoes
Affogato al caffe

Who went
Cassie, Kelsey, Alex, Cathryn, Bobby, Stu, Chris, Raj

Website
Brasserie Montiel

Thoughts
What a day!  I'm going to try to keep this review to dinner, but I can't let the rest of the day go without mention.  Awesome times heading to Blue Mountain Brewery for lunch, wandering Grounds, and drinks after dinner. Those of you in the "who went" section - you know how much fun the day was.  The rest of you - I'll switch back into restaurant review mode from here on out.

Brasserie Montiel is far enough out of the main road to go unnoticed, but easy enough to find if you know where you're going.  It's a small, cozy space that worked great for our group.  We occupied our own little corner of the restaurant and it was exactly what we were looking for.  Our waiter was a little out of sorts and gave us the weirdest receipt I've ever seen, but that didn't detract much from the experience.  Looking at the non-Restaurant Week menu, it seems like it'd be a nice place to go for a fancy dinner if I'm ever back in Charlottesville for an extended period of time.

Now to our focus, the food.  Far be it from the Jewish kid to turn down smoked salmon; I'm glad I gave into that stereotype.  The sauce was the best part of the dish and I could've used a little more fish (surprise surprise), but it was a light, tasty way to start off the meal.  The cheese melted into the grappa sauce and coated all of the pasta.  I'm really happy that they gave me a spoon for the stroganoff.  I thought I was keeping up my dignity for the first half of the dish, but I switched over to the spoon when I realized how much of that delicious sauce I was leaving behind.  The beef was tender and the whole thing just made me feel good to be eating it.  I'm still not entirely sure what constitutes a stroganoff, but I think that's more because of what I ate growing up rather than what I was served at this dinner.  Whatever they call it, it was delicious.  The only disappointing part of the meal was my dessert.  Following the success of my birthday dinner, I was excited to try another version of affogoto (see Tre Piani).  While the taste was similar, very little else was.  The plate looked pretty and I liked the little pot the affogato was in, but it came to me already combined and starting to get soupy.  I did snag a bite of Cassie's much-tastier dessert, but mine just fell flat.  It wasn't enough to bring down the whole meal, but it was a disappointing finish.


Recap
Pros - tasty food, relaxed ambiance
Cons - confused wait staff
Overall - I had a great meal and recommend a visit, though be sure to choose your dessert carefully.  I'm happy they joined in on Restaurant Week because I'm not sure I would've found them otherwise.

Tre Piani

Date
1/4/2012

Location
In Forrestal Village
120 Rockingham Row, Princeton, NJ

What I ate
Mushroom pizza
Tortellini in bolognese (half-portion)
Spicy grilled tuna steak with avocado risotto
Affogato


Who went
Mom, Dad, Dan, and Julie

Website
Tre Piani

Thoughts
Another birthday(ish) dinner!  Again, there's a decent gap between the eating and writing dates, so don't expect the best details.

It amazes me to come home on breaks and find local places I've never visited.  I lived 15 minutes from Tre Piani for the first 18+ years of my life but never ate there until recently.  I don't think I've been to Forrestal Village since middle school.  I was definitely missing out.  We had a great dinner and I'll have to seriously consider going back next time I'm up at home.  The space is very open with particularly tall ceilings and it's really well-lit without being garish.  Our waiter was a little too doting, but had some great suggestions and was very knowledgeable about the food.  This is the first place in a while where the maitre d' really made an impression on me.  He made easy conversation, checked up on us during the meal, and even gave me a little background on my dessert.

The menu feels a little scattered, but it give you a ton of options.  We took advantage of that flexibility and turned a pizza and a pasta into family-style appetizers.  The pizza was great and the pasta was much tastier than anything I've tried to make myself.  I'm not sure how they made that sauce, but I'm going to have to keep trying to figure it out.  I got a taste of Dan's tuna tartare, which was excellent.  It's probably for the best that I can't find good-quality tuna around here or I'd waste a lot of money trying to recreate that.  Redundancy was certainly not a risk when it came time for the entree.  My tuna steak was quite tasty and the spiciness actually came through.  I'm not sure how, but the creamy avocado risotto was delicious by itself and an excellent complement to the tuna.  As good as rest of the meal was, the dessert may have been the best part.  I'm a sucker for anything interactive and dynamic, so pouring the hot espresso over the creamy, rich gelato satisfied both of those criteria.  Plus, the whole thing looked quite elegant in the balloon glass.  I just checked a thesaurus for synonyms for "delicious" and I still can't find a word good enough to describe the affogato.  It seems like such a malleable dish and I'm going to try to recreate that as well as make some new iterations.


Recap
Pros - awesome food, great ambiance
Cons - probably too expensive to go regularly, but great for special occasions (note: that's what Tre Bar is for)
Overall - This was just a really good meal, one of the best I've had in a while.  I thoroughly recommend a visit for fancy dinner.  Take a look at the specials (most are at the bar) if you're looking for a great-but-not-that-expensive night out.

Ho-Ho-Kus Inn and Tavern

Date
1/3/2012

Location
1 East Franklin Pike, Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ

What I ate
Fall squash soup with marshmallow, roasted pear, and brown butter
Sea bass, "sugo alla fagioli", broccoli rabe, smoked garlic
Fig hazelnut tart

Who went
The whole family

Website
Ho-Ho-Kus Inn and Tavern

Thoughts
Disclaimer - I wrote this almost 4 weeks after we actually went, so the details are a little fuzzy.

Our directions were a little screwy, but we found the Inn without too much searching.  The bar area seems like a great place to hang out, a nice relaxing evening with good food.  The dining room has a very cozy feel to it, complete with a fireplace.  Yes, they had candles in it instead of a real fire, but that probably would've made things uncomfortably warm and unnecessarily exciting for anyone coming too close to the flames.  I'm glad we were one of two families in our section of the dining room; it would've been a little cramped to have more people in there.  I don't remember much about our waiter other than that he was particularly knowledgeable about the food and the area (we had to get Dan at the train station), both of which were helpful.

When we were looking for a place to go, I remember the marshmallow in soup as a pretty striking idea; it lived up to expectations.  The little bit of burnt sweetness made those spoonfuls quite good.  I know it's tough to balance, but I would've liked that little background sweet taste to be throughout the soup, not just the little spot where the marshmallow melted.  The pear should have helped, but I couldn't detect much of that flavor.  The smoked garlic was pretty strong and helped keep the broccoli interesting.  The fish was well cooked; crispy fish skin is quickly becoming one of my favorite things.  I'm still not entirely sure what sugo alla fagioli is, but it was mostly beans and a tasty way to make it a more filling dish.  All of the things that go into that dessert are among my favorites, so I was off in my own blissful world during that course.

It looks like they do a bunch of special events, notably craft beer tastings.  If you're in the area, I'd keep an eye on their calendar and find something that sounds like fun; it shouldn't be difficult.


Recap
Pros - Good food, comfortable setting
Cons - Probably not great if crowded
Overall - It was a really good meal and a great time to catch up with my grandparents.  I don't know if the food alone was worth the hour-long drive, but that was because we were finding a central meeting point.  If you're in the area, I definitely recommend stopping in and getting a meal.

622 North

Date
9/25/2011

Location
North end of downtown
622 North Main Street

What I ate
Wisconsin cheddar ale soup
Linguine diavolo

Who went
Kelly, Justin, Jackie, Courtney, Curtis, Sheree, Tim, Sara, Emily, Chris

Website
622 North

Thoughts
I've driven past this place dozens of times without giving serious thought to eating there.  It's a pretty unassuming location - close enough to downtown to be lumped into that strip but far enough from the more highly-trafficked areas not to get that much notice.  We were in the dining area, but the bar menu looked pretty good and, while it's a bit small, the bar seems like a good place to catch a game.  That said, they should clearly mark where each section is.  It was a little off-putting to walk into the bar expecting a fancy dining room.

They did a good job with the decor, going for the quaint-but-fancy bistro look.  We were all a little surprised at the space, rather the lack thereof.  Our waiter was attentive and nice; our drinks were out quickly and quickly refilled.  Our food, however, took quite a while to make it to our table.  They have an impressive roster of beers and wines as well as a fun menu to read.  We spent a while discussing the range of options.  The 3- and 4-course tasting menus look interesting, though they aren't much of a deal compared to those items individually.

Once it arrived, the food certainly did not disappoint.  My soup was really good - I'm going to have to try to turn some homebrews into something similar.  Courtney got a massive salad that probably could've passed for a meal itself.  My pasta was one of the better ones I've had in a while.  The sauce was great - multiple people can attest to that - and the vegetables with it were surprisingly good.  The corn added a good texture and the peppers were tasty, too.  With any luck, the rest of the group will weigh in on what they had - there was a good variety of soups, salads, entrees, and desserts all around the table.

Recap
Good - really tasty food, nice ambiance
Bad - slow service
Overall - The food was great and it's a nice place for a good dinner out as long as your group likes conversation.  I'll definitely be back.