An Evening at The Viceroy

Most of you know that I am a huge fan of Ryan Baldwin from his days at Tastebuds American Bistro. I was distraught we he left to go to Accanto. I knew I would miss him not being here in the city. I am pleased to report that he is now at The Viceroy and showcasing a fairly ambitious menu. While it's a jaunt for me to walk there, it is closer to my humble abode, affording me an opportunity to dine on the offerings of an incredibly talented chef.

Hubby and I met at The Viceroy for dinner a couple of weeks after it opened. Lots of wood accents and almost as many high, bar-like tables as booths. Art work dons the walls along with a painting of The Queen of the Viceroy (my moniker) as one heads to the restroom.

Our cocktail of choice was The Baron - Maker's Mark, Byrrh, and Dry Vermouth, with Orange Zest.

We slowly sipped our Manhattanesque beverage and strategized our dining plan. So many options.

We decided that we had to begin with Torched House-made Mozzarella Wrapped in Prosciutto with Grilled Fig Balsamic Sauce and Arugula. Both of us are suckers for fresh mozzarella. I'm sure the kitchen revels in torching this dish. The creamy, melted cheese melded well with the salty ham. The balsamic sauce added just a touch of sweetness. The dish was definitely large enough to share.

We then ordered a Lyeth Meritage to enjoy with dinner. The Viceroy has a varied wine list with several Virginia offerings alongside the bottles from France, California, New Zealand, etc. Quite a few bottles are under $30 and very drinkable.

For the main attraction we decided upon sandwiches. It's nice that The Viceroy offers a variety of options for both small and large appetites. Hubby chose a classic Shaved Prime Rib-Eye French Dip with White Cheddar, Herb Au Jus, and Fresh Horseradish. The grated fresh horseradish was a wonderful added detail.

I ordered the the Charred Pork Belly Bahn Mi. While I enjoyed the pork, I enjoyed the topping even more which was a mix of watermelon, Napa cabbage, purple basil, radish, scallion, carrot, and jicama kimchee slaw. Lots of flavor.

Each sandwich comes with your choice of mixed baby greens, crispy frites, house-made slaw or potato salad. We got the frites. We really loved the frites. Very crispy on the outside, but soft inside. There are a few places in Richmond that make yummy fries. I now count The Viceroy in that category.

We were full, so we were not able to try any of the Bittersweet Endings. Ryan has put together a dessert menu that features some unlikely combinations, but are very intriguing, such as Avocado Key Lime Cheesecake Popsicles and Grilled Peach Trifle with Pink Peppercorn Ice Cream.

We will also have to head back soon to sample some entrees. The Grilled Rack of Wild Boar sounds fantastic.