Petit Pois in Charlottesville

While you may not be looking for a classic French boite when you visit Charlottesville, your taste buds will miss out if you overlook Petit Pois. A tiny spot situated on the Downtown Mall treated our palate and the rest of us very well.

Green is the color scheme at Petit Pois

The tiny bar at Petit Pois

The menu contains many French classics with an emphasis on locally sourced ingredients. The menu also changes based on season and sourcing.

We experienced Petit Pois during the height of Winter and selected a couple of hearty dishes from the lunch menu.

The Steak Frites delighted. Medium rare and so tender. It was just the right size and came with a lovely side salad and delicious fries.

Extremely tender steak

And the Cassoulet was perfection. The crock bubbled upon presentation with the white beans cooked through (thank goodness!) and chunks of chicken, duck, and sausage. The chicken was a bit surprising, but Petit Pois sources chickens from Polyface Farm and after cooking the chicken they pull it apart so the cassoulet contained large shredded chunks of tasty poultry. A wonderful meal on a day when snow still blanketed the ground.

Hearty fare for a cold day in Winter

We had a nice French wine from Languedoc. While lunch prices were fairly reasonable given the ingredients and preparation, wine prices were a bit higher than I would have liked. But, of course, the meal begged for wine, and we succumbed.

A nice compliment to the meal

As we finished our entrees, we lingered and decided to close out lunch with a cheese plate. There was a variety of cheese options including a house-made boursin.

A lovely ending to a delicious meal

Ah, c'est magnifique! Very happy taste buds.

Tastebuds Is Always Good

If you have not tried Tastebuds, get off your tuckus and go eat there!

Last week after a trying day at work, I announced to my hubby: "I don't feel like cooking. Where are you taking me to eat?'

While hot, it was not 105 degrees, so we walked to Tastebuds. While the little bar chef urged martinis, we opted for a French 76 and a Dark and Stormy. Finally, a chance to sit back and unwind.

We probably frustrated our waitress because we just needed to relax and think about our next plan of attack food and drink-wise. And since Tastebuds offered reasonably priced and tasty reds and whites, we needed to decide on eats first.

Finally, we chose the red Cotes du Rhone.

For dinner we began with salads - a Tuscan white bean and arugula for me and spinach, goat cheese, and pickled onion for the other half. Both very enjoyable.

For entrees, I selected the Pork Adobo Taco appetizer. Very spicy and hearty. Hubby had the Margeurite pizza with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil.

Imaginative cuisine at reasonable prices. We ate and watched the shadows play across the wall.

Go eat here.

A Perfect Evening at Acacia

We found the perfect spot to celebrate the beginning of the weekend and say goodbye to a long week. Acacia. We had no reservations, but the bar turned out to be exactly the spot to be. Last November Arthur mixed up some mighty fine cocktails. Last night Michelle served up our cocktails with truly meticulous care. It was a joy to watch her at her craft, a joy to imbibe, and a joy to eat the wondrous food that Dale Reitzer was dishing out last evening. Yes, perfect.

The great thing about the specialy cocktail list is that it changes up, like the menu. Last night we had a Cherry Whiskey Sour (Wild Turkey, Luxardo, Cherry and Lemon juices) and a Kentucky Tea Party (Loose-leaf Tea, Bourbon, Aperol). The Tea Party had a smokey flavor and I thought it captured the essence of rural Kentucky. The Whiskey Sour was the best ever.

For starters, my hubby had the fried oysters over cole slaw with a spicy mayo. Overall, Richmond serves up some of the best oysters and Acacia's were outstanding. The cole slaw was over the top good, too. I could not pass up the soup - roasted pear, salsify, and parsnip. A perfect blend of fruit and root vegetable with a sprinkling of crisp bacon. After every bite I raved about how delicious it was.

For dinner we ordered a 2005 Château de Ségriès Côtes du Rhône Clos de l'Hermitage. Fairly hearty and showing decent fruit.

My spouse, after much mental debate, decided to order Mahi with sweet potatoes and a pineapple curry sauce and greens. While a bit unusual from his normal entree ordering, he definitely enjoyed the dish. The sauce was sweet, but the greens added a bitter balance. A great taste adventure.

Once I read the entree menu, there was only one thing to order: roasted long island duck breast - stuffed with pear, wrapped with applewood bacon, smoked gouda polenta, balsamic honey sauce. And, oh my god, I am so glad I did! All of the flavors were distinct, but melded together perfectly. Although I am not a huge polenta fan, this soft version wowed me. A hint of cheesy richness that satisfied the palate. And the duck was absolutely perfect. Smokiness from the bacon, a hint of fruit from the pear, and, of course, the breast itself cooked medium.

We were tempted to try the Bourbon Maple Creme Brulee for dessert, but passed and enjoyed Tuaca and coffee with whipped cream and Sambuca.

I had never had the subtly nutty flavor of Tuaca and Michelle let me have a taste of it straight before mixing it with my coffee. I think I have found another after dinner liqueur to add to my cabinet at home. Michelle was also great in letting us look at other bottles on her shelf. Aperol is an orange flavored alcohol. Pisco is kind of like a Peruvian version of grappa. Next time we go we want to try an Acacia-style Dark and Stormy and make sure we watch the making of it. Dark rum and an injection of whipped cream from one of those stainless steel dispensers along with ginger and lime.

What an incredible evening.

Game Plan for Hondo's

On SuperBowl Sunday my hubby and I dined early at Hondo's to take advantage of an incredible deal.

They had sent me a buy one entree, get another entree free. Since they opened the doors at 4:30 PM, we made reservations via Open Table and enjoyed a nice meal before trotting back home to watch the game. On top of that, Sunday is 1/2 price wine night and they let us take advantage of this special as well.

Can you say "WooHoo?"

The interior of the place is a maze of small rooms that can seat regular diners as well as small or large parties. It made for a more intimate atmosphere. And, unlike other steakhouses in the area, Hondo's entrees come with a small salad and choice of side dish.

We treated ourselves to a 2005 Chateauneuf du Pape which was quite pleasant.

To eat, my hubby had Bronzed North Atlantic Salmon - $25.95 Nature's perfect fish. North Atlantic Salmon rubbed with brown sugar and chipotle served with a red raspberry and Merlot reduction and a baked potato. I had Filet Mignon Small (8oz) - $30.95 with garlic mashed potatoes.

While the salad was not really impressive, it did satisfy the small veggie need. Hubby liked the raspberry/Merlot reduction and thought it enhanced the essence of the fish. My steak was very good. It sported herbed melted butter on top and added a subtle flavor to the meat (medium rare, of course).

We then ordered plain cheescake "to go" so we could enjoy dessert while watching the game. The cheescake slices were small and the cream cheese was not totally incorporated into the dessert. I kept getting hunks of cream cheese.

To wrap up - Go on Sunday for 1/2 price wine night. Sign up for email specials and coupons. Enjoy the main dishes. Skip dessert.

What I Ate Christmas Day

We enjoyed a very traditional feast.

Herb roasted rib roast from Belmont Butchery

Yukon Gold mashed potatoes

Sauteed green beans

2006 Chateau Meyney




And, yes, it was delicious.

A Mighty Fine Bordeaux

Even though we had leftovers last night, we still pampered ourselves with a lovely 1997 Bordeaux. It took about an hour of breathing to display its full fruity complexity. Each sip better than the last...

2006 Ermitage du Pic Saint Loup, Coteaux du Languedoc

Let me repeat: 2006 Ermitage du Pic Saint Loup, Coteaux du Languedoc. I tasted this wine back in August at one of J. Emerson's monthly tastings. I bought a bottle and put it on my wine rack. A couple of weeks ago we finally opened the bottle and were thrilled! Dark fruit, but not jammy. Full bodied, but not barnyardy. A veritable delight at $17.95 per bottle. And the last time I went into J. Emerson, I purchased the last two on the shelf.

I hope they acquire some more.

Sat. Oct. 18 - Free Wine Tasting at J. Emerson

Free friendly reminder - J. Emerson located at 5716 Grove Ave. will host a free Bordeaux tasting from 5 - 7 PM on Oct. 18. The most excellent line up includes:

2006 Blanc de Valandraud No. 2, St. Emilion
2005 Lalande Couturier rouge, Bordeaux
2005 Ch. Fonguillon L'Enclos rouge, Montagne St. Emilion
2005 Bad Boy Rouge, Bordeaux
2003 3 de Valandraud rouge, St. Emilion
2001 Ch. Clement Pichon rouge, Haut Medoc

I hope to see you there!