Notes and Observations

A few rants; a few raves.

I received an email from Acacia Midtown advertising a to-go lunch special. I usually do not open these since I am not available to take advantage of the offering, but last time I read about the crab cake and this month my mouth watered over the Banh Mi with duck sausage. In both emails (and past instances going back a few years) Acacia has stated this as the routine for ordering:

YOU KNOW HOW THIS WORKS..........

EMAIL US SOON, THEY SELL OUT FAST

YOUR NAME:

PHONE NUMBER:

NUMBER OF ORDERS:

CREDIT CARD NUMBER:

EXPIRATION DATE:

And apparently they sell out every time. Hello? Listen up people: NEVER SEND YOUR CREDIT CARD INFO VIA EMAIL!!!! You are opening yourselves up for identity theft. This is not a secure communication method. I emailed Acacia last time and expressed concern. No response. I emailed them again this time. No response. While I would trust Acacia with the preparation of food. I cannot trust them with how they would handle my credit card. Shame on Acacia for placing their loyal patrons at risk.

Let's face it. Fat Dragon is basically a bar with okay food. I appreciate the fact they have 24 taps and feature local brews. Their cocktails are strong and tasty. They even have impressive wine service. But the food did not wow us like their sister restaurants. Nothing wrong with being more bar than restaurant. And I love taking photos of the place.

While I have yet to find a bread that I like at Sub Rosa Bakery, they have THE BEST croissants. Both the plain and chocolate are to die for and transport me back to Paris when I eat them.

I am so pleased that Little House Green Grocery now carries shallots, onions, potatoes, and garlic! They also have fresh butter from Mountain View Farm in Fairfield, VA and KimKim sauce. Every week brings new delights.

The waiter that made us avoid Amuse for so long is not working there anymore (I have no idea where he went or when he left). Hubby and I rejoiced by having a luxuriously leisurely lunch there a couple of weeks ago.

View from our table

Kaleidoscope Sparkling Cocktail

Fried Oysters

Hangar Steak with Turnip Puree and Roasted Brussels Sprouts

While it looks like bonvenu has finally married up the menu prices on-line, on the printed menu, and in their charging system, in mid-January they had not. Based on our waitresses response when we questioned the bill, it seemed like a known problem. While our food and service was good, unaligned prices do not thrill me.

The Rocket Shrimp at Mekong continues to be a favorite and while Beer is the Answer, they also have a fine list of wines at truly incredible prices.

Rocket Shrimp

Beer may be the answer but Sass is in the glass

Shout outs to both Tastebuds American Bistro and Enoteca Sogno. Northside is so very lucky to have you both. We took out-of-town guests to Tastebuds and they were mightily impressed. We met three friends for dinner at Enoteca - all with different tastes, personalities, and allergies. Enoteca accommodated everyone with grace and deliciousness.

Last weekend we tried The Grey Hill Cafe, a food truck crafting sandwiches located in the Once Upon a Vine parking lot. Hubby enjoyed one of the largest crabcake sandwiches I've ever seen. I had turkey and meunster with arugula on marble rye. Very satisfying.

Finally, Northside (and for me specifically Ginter Park and Bellevue areas) needs, no, is desperate for, a GOOD local pizza delivery company. Zorba's on MacArthur was sold to someone else and the pizzas have not been the same. While the former Zorba's was not spectacular, we had figured out what to order and was happy (we also loved Mike, the delivery driver). Now, not so much. Mike left and we have tried Zorba's Express a couple of times and just can't order from them in their current state. We have not been impressed with Arianna's either. While we enjoy the chicken parm subs on occasion, we were disappointed in the pizza.  Please, any of you budding pizza makers or any old pros, please, please, consider a pizza delivery service for Northside!

Eats at 18

My husband’s 18 year old niece came to visit us for a month. She resides in Tennessee and had only been to Richmond once for a few days. We wanted her to sample some of the great eats that the city offered. Here is where we took her:

· Northside Grille – down-to-earth neighborhood spot
· Tarrant’s Cafe – we love the expansion!
· Mekong – first taste of Vietnamese cuisine
· Osaka (Huguenot) – introduction to sushi and tempura
· Weezie’s Kitchen – drooled over the real mashed potatoes and roast beef sandwiches
· Can Can – great burgers, onion soup, and people watching
· Krispy Kreme – hot doughnuts now!
· Gutenberg Café – the Bottom at its best, and don’t forget the Affogato
· Kuba Kuba – an utterly delicious dive – a limeade and a café con leche were required beverages

Of course, there were tons of other restaurant candidates, but we also traveled to DC for a week and visited Mount Vernon, Williamsburg/Jamestown, and Monticello. And speaking of unique experiences, no trip would be complete without seeing a movie at The Byrd on a Saturday night!

Old Friends and a New Acquaintance

My husband and I visited some old friends recently and introduced ourselves to a new acquaintance that is sure to become an old friend.

On a Tuesday we headed to Tarrant’s Café to once again take our medicine. I ordered the same thing that I did the first time – Grilled Cheese (with ham and bacon) on Texas toast with the out-of-this-world potato salad. And as always, the garlic bread knots were extremely scrumptious. My husband tried the Manicotti special and enjoyed the thick, gooey cheese as well as the drizzling of pesto. I adored our waiter – he of the tall bearded sort with a very pleasant deep voice. And on this weeknight, custom was slow. If you want an inexpensive, very delicious meal – go to Tarrant’s Café on a weeknight and order a sandwich. And I promised myself that the next time I go, I’ll order the Talapia with Lobster Cream Sauce…

On the opposite end from Tarrant’s Café lies Texas de Brazil. My husband had a birthday coupon – buy a meal, get a free meal. The last time we had been there the service was sub-par (the newness was wearing off and our waitress was not hitting on much). This time we probably had the best service we had ever experienced at the place. Used plates were promptly whisked away and the waitress continued to be attentive in refilling our wine glasses and refolding our napkins when we headed for the salad bar. And a new wine was added to the wine list – 2002 Oberon Merlot Napa Valley for $36. A great pairing with the filet and the flank steak. If you go to Texas de Brazil, sign up for email alerts on their web site. The coupons make this high price place a little more affordable. You can also make reservations via Open Table.

The last place was an old friend, indeed. Mekong has been enjoyed by us for years. And its transformation into a specialty beer and ale hub as well as possessing a decent wine list makes dining there all the better. On this night we perused the red wine list a little more thoroughly and discovered a rare gem – 2000 Neyers Syrah Hudson Vineyards Napa Valley. The $45 price tag was very reasonable. The 2005 version is selling for $48 at the winery. And the wine was silky smooth, bursting with cassis, accompanied by black cherry undertones. I ordered Banh Hoi Thit Nuong - Grilled pork with steamed rice vermicelli – one of the house grill platters. My husband had the beef sautéed in a light brown garlicky sauce with green beans and onions. When we go back we might take a gander at the Chateau Gloria…

Despite a wealth of old friends, new acquaintances can also be fun. And the new Italian ice cream place at Gayton Crossing Shopping Center – DeLuca Gelato was delightful. They carried a variety of gelato and sorbetto and encouraged tasting before deciding (which is good since the flavors are listed in Italian). The chocolate hazelnut was yummy, yummy and jam-packed with flavor. And if you are really craving the stuff, try a Frappel – a gelato milkshake.