A friend recently asked me where to find the best cup of coffee in Charlottesville. Actually, he asked me to confirm that his opinion was the right one. Since I inherited a non-coffee-drinking habit from my dad I thought I’d throw the question out to the more knowledgeable among us. Please vote and share any additional thoughts or tips in the comments.
Results will be revealed on Wednesday 11/30. Merry Thanksgiving to all!
Oct 26
Newcomer restaurant Tempo (in the challenged 5th Street space that was home to Ventana) was much anticipated as we watched renovations and preparations for months. While its opening may have been overshadowed by the Commonwealth phenom, our initial meals suggest it’s a promising addition to the downtown dining scene and worth a visit.
You’ll first notice the decor, which people seem to love or hate. It’s like upscale Parisian bordello meets nouveau riche in the mountains. There’s paisley silk and cow print and even an enormous water buffalo head reigning over the bar. It’s a little too busy for my tastes, but I can appreciate that it doesn’t look like most other minimal brick interiors these days.
Oct 8
I was a pretty big fan of The Balkan Bakery. Rich sausages, thick breads, and spicy baklava, served up by a personable family who told you what you should order based on how you looked. “For you,” the matronly woman behind the counter said, pointing at me, “a big sandwich with lots of meat. Sausage. And onions.” Pointing now at Erin, “For you, our vegetarian sandwich with fresh roasted peppers and cheese.” Unfortunately, the ambitious upgrade in size and scope at The Balkan Bistro has meant a slight downgrade in the overall experience, even if the food is roughly the same.
For me, the main problem is that the rustic food and family… Read More
Sep 26
I tend to be overly critical of my dining experiences. Unfortunately, this penchant for tough criticism makes it hard to come away from a meal feeling positive. Such was not the case, however, after my most recent dinner at the Ivy Inn. The entire evening was first-rate and one of the most pleasurable Charlottesville restaurant experiences in memory.
My only other visit to Ivy Inn took place nearly 5 years ago and I remember being thoroughly unimpressed. All I can say is that I painfully regret having stayed away so long. They may well be producing food that is both more interesting and better executed than any of their local competitors.
The arrival of an elegant amuse-bouche… Read More
Sep 19
There are a three places in town that I generally don’t like as much as everyone else I know: Beer Run, Continental Divide, and Tip Top. I want to like them. I want to meet our friend Dave at Continental Divide and talk about kung fu over Red Hot Blues. I’d like to meet Whit at Beer Run and talk about religion over chicken wings. Maybe Paul and I could meet at Tip Top and talk about the city over shawarmas. Actually, this last one will definitely happen. Because I’m here to tell you, people: The shawarmas are where… Read More
Saturday was the perfect day for the 2nd Annual Midtown Street Fair. Amidst live music, thumb wrestling contests, face painting, and the Derby Dames, was an intense BBQ Cookoff. We had the pleasure of being judges, alongside Police Chief Longo, City Manager Maurice Jones, and Director of Neighborhood Development Services Jim Tolbert.
Blue Moon Diner, Horse & Hound Gastropub, Maya, Orzo Kitchen & Wine Bar, and Zinc offered up their best pork plates for West Main BBQ bragging rights. Orzo’s rich saucy Q was the winner, followed by runner-up Maya’s pulled pork with peach mustard sauce… Read More
I need your help. I’ve wanted to do a Best Wings post for a long time, but I can never talk Erin into doing the necessary legwork (get it…legwork?) to provide a counterpoint to my biased perspective. As a result, I’m asking you, knowledgeable Charlottesville wingdingers, to vote on your favorites. The results will occupy a column of their own in the upcoming “Best in Wings” review.
If you leave a comment with a sentence or two about why you like a particular wing, we might also quote you – with full credit, of course – in the post. Many thanks for your help, good people! Read More
Jul 27
Is it possible the summer is more than half over? Say it ain’t so. Actually, for a guy like me who far prefers cold to hot, say it is so. I’m ready for this heat to move on out of here. Until it does, functional alcoholics like us can take refuge from the sun in refreshing beverages like the Mandarin Ginger at Ten.
There isn’t much to it. Muddle fresh orange slices with ginger, fill with cubes and Absolut Mandarin, top with club soda, and enjoy. But it’s the simplicity that makes it work. The spiciness of the ginger joins up with the carbonation of the soda to add a pleasant bite to… Read More
Jul 11
People have funny ways of communicating deliciousness. Our friend Rachael’s eyes bulge as she stares at you in silence, thoughtfully liquidating her food like a cow chewing its cud. My mom slaps her hand on the table so hard that the silverware clanks and jumps, and then she says, “Y’all gotta try this” in a way that suggests your very life depends on it. My wife Erin’s reaction, however, is the scariest, as I remembered during our last trip to the always delicious Aromas Café in Barracks. More about her reaction below.
Aromas participates in the tradition of “strip mall chic” that restaurants like Lime Leaf and Copacabana – not to mention every… Read More
I’m not sure who this Phil guy is, but I’d like to congratulate him on his excellent taste in pork platters. I’ve had his highly recommended “Phil’s Fave Porko Platter” at Mono Loco in heavy dinner rotation lately.
Even beyond the porko platter, Mono Loco has stepped it up in the past year to become one of my favorite dinner and drinks spots. Their food has been quite good (particularly any specials) during all our visits and their bar scene has become one of the most fun in town. But it’s Phil’s Platter that keeps drawing me back with its crispy pork and crispy plantains over rice and beans, topped off with pico… Read More
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