Neighborhood: Main Street

Blue Moon Diner Brunch

Apr 25

Posted by Erin in Reviews | View Comments

I haven’t been looking forward to writing this review since a few friends told me that Blue Moon Diner was their favorite place in town, and then menacingly asked if we had reviewed it yet. So as fair warning: in the ancient blue brunch battle of Charlottesville, my loyalties lie with the Bluegrass Grill. Sorry Team Blue Moon – I know there are many of you – and you may want to stop reading now.

There is good food to eat and good things to say about the Blue Moon Diner on West Main. The ingredients are local and fresh, the coffee mugs… Read More

Tags: Brunch, Charlottesville, Cuisine: American, Neighborhood: Main Street, Restaurant: Blue Moon Diner

Coconut Macaroons at Penne Lane

Apr 20

Posted by Erin in Food Finds | View Comments

Slap some frosting on a cookie and some people get all crazy and start talking about imaginary horses and yee-haws. So let’s set the record straight: the Penne Lane sweet treat that deserves the real praise and Food Find honor is the Coconut Macaroon.

Maybe this is because I’m hip and know that cupcakes are out and macaroons are in for the latest dessert fad. All the cool people are eating macaroons these days, except for Jed, who is drooling over black and white cookies.

While macaroons are often the meringue-flavored variety in Easter pastel shades, I’m a fan of the classic coconut delivery. At their best, coconut… Read More

Tags: Charlottesville, Dessert, Neighborhood: Main Street, Restaurant: Penne Lane

Black & White Cookies at Penne Lane

Apr 19

Posted by Jed in Food Finds | View Comments

So, I was sitting there eating this black and white cookie, talking to my girl, when I stopped mid-sentence and was like, “Holy crap, dude. This cookie is outrageously delicious!” That’s when she looked up at me with those wild, sugar-crazed tiger eyes of hers and said, “No way your cookie is as good as my macaroon. This coconut is off the hook, yo! Moist and crispy all at once!” Then we jumped on our horses and chased each other around and around the block, yippeeing and yee-hawing all the way. In the end I caught up to her and… Read More

Tags: Charlottesville, Cuisine: American, Dessert, Neighborhood: Main Street, Restaurant: Penne Lane

The Palmer at Zinc

Mar 22

Posted by Erin in Drinks | View Comments

It’s that perfect time of year when the first warm weather brings scores of gleeful people out of hibernation to toast in the sun. So it was great timing this past Saturday to discover my new favorite seasonal drink at the always delightful Zinc.

The Palmer starts with an invention that, like the paper clip and sliced bread, is so simple and yet so brilliant that it’s a miracle it took this long to discover: Sweet Tea Vodka. That’s right, it’s the alcoholic cousin of the classic southern refresher. Zinc uses Firefly sweet tea vodka, made in South Carolina, and tops it with lemonade on the rocks to make an Arnie Palmer… Read More

Tags: Charlottesville, Cuisine: French-American, Neighborhood: Main Street, Outdoor Seating, Parking, Restaurant: Zinc

Zinc

Oct 20

Posted by Erin in Reviews | View Comments

Only in a food town like Charlottesville do you find “anglo-franco tapas style comfort food” served up in a former service station. Zinc, the bistro on Main Street where you can get anything from fish and chips to steak tartare with quail egg, has a lot going for it. The beautiful courtyard patio feels far removed from the street and is one of my favorite outdoor eating spots. The bar area is cool and usually uncrowded, and the interior hints at its garage past while showcasing an open kitchen and funky industrial feel.

The menu reinforces the quirky blend of personalities with a wide range of options for… Read More

Tags: Charlottesville, Cuisine: French-American, Good for Dates, Neighborhood: Main Street, Parking, Rating: 4 stars, Restaurant: Zinc

Continental Divide

Oct 18

Posted by Jed in Reviews | View Comments

If you have a friend who was an undergrad at UVA anytime after the mid-90′s, he or she will speak lovingly of Continental Divide. Outside the bounds of where most first and second-year students are likely to roam, tucked away in an easy-to-miss* slot between the thriving food hubs of the Corner and the Downtown Mall, Continental Divide felt like a place you could call your own. The slightly upscale Mexican food was like a more mature Baja Bean, and the margaritas were dramatically better. Unfortunately, if you’ve been back recently, you’ll notice that the food and whole experience is kind of lacking.

The space itself is warmly lit but not especially comfortable. It’s long… Read More

Tags: Charlottesville, Cuisine: Mexican, Neighborhood: Main Street, Rating: 2 stars, Restaurant: Continental Divide

Maya Brunch

Oct 5

Posted by Jed in Reviews | View Comments

We have an unhealthy relationship with brunch. And by unhealthy I mean not only that we invest an alarming portion of our happiness in a positive brunch experience every weekend, but also that it is literally unhealthy. I eat lots and lots of bacon, and Erin eats lots and lots of fried potatoes. Our favorite brunch places and dishes are so entrenched in our lives that it’s an act of tremendous will to go somewhere else, as we did one recent Sunday when we went to Maya. It was fine, but I missed our usuals.

Maya offers a brunch menu that… Read More

Tags: Brunch, Charlottesville, Cuisine: American, Neighborhood: Main Street, Outdoor Seating, Rating: 3 stars, Restaurant: Maya

Food Event: The Seasonal Cook Class

Aug 9

Posted by Erin in Food Events | View Comments

Michael Pollan recently wrote a great article for the New York Times on Americans’ increasing obsession with cooking shows on TV, even while we spend less time than ever actually cooking food at home. Despite my love for Top Chef, Bobby Flay, and Barefoot Contessa, many of his points resonated. The kitchen stadium-type cooking on TV is glossier, dramatic, and incredibly entertaining – but misses the messy reality and occasional failures of actual cooking.
With his laments ringing in my ears, we headed for a Berries and Stone Fruit class and dinner at the Seasonal Cook. Read More

Tags: Charlottesville, Neighborhood: Main Street

Horse & Hound Gastropub

Aug 4

Posted by Erin in Reviews | View Comments

Brunch, the best meal ever, always poses a difficult question: high brow or low brow? Usually I prefer my brunch to be a low brow but delicious affair, which explains nearly weekly visits to the Tavern. But it’s fun to mix it up every once in awhile with a more… Read More