Tastebuds - A Restaurant for the Rest of Us

A ton of local bloggers have participated in a virtual discussion on locally owned Richmond restaurants that feature imaginative cuisine with reasonable prices. Great discourse. I agree that The Black Sheep and Café Rustica are the bomb. I’ve raved about them myself. And I also like Chicken Fiesta (yucca fries!). But there is one neighborhood gem that has gone unmentioned for the most part. This post seeks to remedy the oversight.

That place is Tastebuds American Bistro. The menu features a variety of tempting small plates, salads, and entrees. All at very reasonable prices. You can get your drool going over the following delectable samples from the menu:

Small Plates ($8 and under)
Eggplant Napoleon...Layers of Eggplant, Fresh Mozzarella, Tomato & Basil 7.00
Sweet Potato Ricotta Gnocchi with Pancetta, Sweet Onions & Golden Beets 7.50
Duck-Leek Spring Roll with Ginger-Pear Dipping Sauce 7.50
Pork Adobo Taco with Corn & Black Bean Salad and Tomatillo Salsa 6.50

Salads ($10 – if adding shrimp and under)
Golden Beet & Apple Salad over Greens with Blue Cheese & Candied Walnuts 7.00
Tuscan White Bean Salad over Arugula, Lemon-Olive Oil Dressing & Parmesan 7.00
(topped with Shrimp 10.00) (This salad without the shrimp was divine last night and big enough for a meal all by its lonesome)

Entrees ($16 and under)
Pork Chop with Apple Pan Sauce, Sweet Potato Mash and Sauteed Greens 12.50
Polish Kielbasa with Potato Pancakes and Napa-Apple Slaw 13.00
Pan Roasted Salmon, Red Wine Sauce, Potatoes Anna, Sautéed Haricot Vert and Carrots 15.00
Paneed Flounder with Almond Butter, Creole Crawfish Rice and Squash Hay 15.00
Shrimp with Creamy Cheddar Grits, Sautéed Kale with Country Ham & Mushrooms 14.50
Sliced Sirloin, Duxelle Demi Glace, Blue Cheese Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Haricot Vert 16.00

Pizzas ($9 and under)
Seasonal Pizza…House Made Sausage, Mushrooms, Mozzarella, Red Onions, Marinara 9.00 (great little pie and very tasty sausage – good for lunch leftovers, as well)


And if you are looking for a deal – try the Prix Fixe. Salad, Entrée, and Dessert for $16 Tuesday – Thursday. Currently the prix fixe menu features:

Salad Choice
House Salad…Mixed Greens, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Raspberry Vinaigrette (nice beginning for the evening)
or
Spinach Salad…with Pickled Red Onions and Goat Cheese Crumble

Entrée Choice
Bolognese Ragout (tomato-based meat sauce) over Campanelle Pasta (lovely pasta with a touch of hot spiciness)
or
Risotto of the Week
or
Chicken Marsala over Fettucini with Haricot Vert

Dessert
Special Dessert of the Week (last night it was a ricotta-filled crepe with strawberries)

None of the bottles of wine are over $35. We are partial to the St. Francis Cabernet for $27.50, but they also offer several options for $20 a bottle. The new thing we discovered last night was a cocktail menu. My husband enjoyed a Sazerac for $6.

I’m very glad that Tastebuds is here. And I’m thrilled that they are in my Northside neighborhood.

Go eat there and make sure they stay in business.