Posts Tagged Restaurant: Ventana

A Fond Farewell to Ventana

Sep 17

It’s with a heavy heart that we say a fond farewell to Ventana, one of our frequent haunts and home to some of the most interesting dishes in Charlottesville. As of today, the news is official that Ventana has closed down. We’ll try to avoid raging against the injustice of how many mediocre restaurants in this town seem to be doing fine, while we have to lose one that had some of the most adventurous, well-done food and beautiful setting, and instead just focus on the positive:

We’ll miss you, bacon-wrapped lamb and sinfully rich lobster bisque. We’ll miss the crazy bar scene and spying on people from the… Read More

Tags: Charlottesville, Restaurant: Ventana

Cucumber Margarita at Ventana

Feb 21

Posted by Erin in Drinks | 7 Comments

A margarita at Ventana is an entirely different and superior species than the frozen neon green concoctions in salt-crusted glasses you see in chains across America. The delicious and sophisticated flavors include tangerine, habanero, jalapeño, and seafoam, but I think the cucumber margarita is the cream of the tequila crop.

It’s the rare tequila drink that makes you feel refreshed, but this Ventana concoction is the alcoholic equivalent of a cucumber eye mask at a spa. The flavor is fresh and tangy with the breezy cucumber flavor balancing perfectly with the tequila zing. It’s topped off with Ventana’s sea foam, which should be patented and served with margaritas worldwide. The frothy foam with… Read More

Tags: Charlottesville, Cuisine: Mexican, Neighborhood: Downtown, Open Late, Restaurant: Ventana

Ventana

Oct 11

Posted by Erin in Reviews | 4 Comments

It started many moons ago, when Ventana was just a cozy little bar, with the seafoam margarita. As a devoted margarita supporter, I fell a little in love. Who knows what crazy sorcery or scientific prowess happens to mimic delicate ocean bubbles in delicious and alcoholic form, but I was sold. Add in the shockingly spicy jalapeño and cool cucumber margaritas and Ventana became one of our favorite bars in town.

When we heard the news that Ventana was expanding beyond its primary bar identity to full-fledged restaurant with a larger French-influenced Mexican menu, we were excited but apprehensive. Sometimes fusion just becomes funny, and we wondered how the cozy but swank vibe… Read More

Tags: Charlottesville, Cuisine: Mexican, Good for Dates, Neighborhood: Downtown, Rating: 5 stars, Restaurant: Ventana