Grilled Cheese from Tarrant's Cafe

Grilled Cheese a photo by pjpink on Flickr.

One of my favorite sandwiches in RVA comes from Tarrant's Cafe. Swiss and American cheese with bacon and ham on grilled Texas toast. Hell Yeah, this is good. And it comes with a plethora of side choices. I opted for onion straws.

River City Supper Club #4 - A Drug Dose

On Friday, I renewed my addiction to Tarrant's Cafe and the other members of our club began their induction into intoxication. I rediscovered or learned quite a few things that evening:

• Never work out so hard the morning of Supper Club that you throw your back out and miss the food drugs altogether (sorry G, better luck next time).
• Tarrant's menu is incredibly varied and mouth-watering. Everyone in our party changed his/her mind 5 times before we ordered (and not because the wait staff was slow - Julia took care great of us).
• The garlic knots are still to-die-for (everyone had this opinion except my hubby who is so very picky about bread - this is one of his few flaws).
• All entrees come with soup or salad; a vanishing practice in this day and age.
• Whitehall Lane Vineyards Napa produces an incredibly delicious Sauvignon Blanc and Tarrant's carries it at a very decent price.
• Tarrant's continues to carry Jean-Luc Colombo Cotes du Rhone Les Abeilles Rouge at a tasty price and continues to feature a special wine (Ravenswood Petite Syrah on this night) not on the regular wine list.
• I confirmed with Julia - our lovely, beaming waitress - that screwcap wines are much harder to open that those with a regular cork.
• The fish entrees were particularly good and the side of barely basil risotto was a bit of creamy ecstasy.
• Alas, the bread pudding has coconut in it, much to my dismay since I absolutely detest the stuff (but to the future delight of G. since he received the the dish via carryout box).
• And I am hopelessly inept at remembering to carry my camera along to the restaurant to document our wonderful experience.

Tarant's - still our drug of choice.

Wow - Ricotta on a Sub

How can you make a decent Chicken Parm Sub richer than it ought to be? Add a layer of ricotta! This is what Tarrant's Cafe does. The $8.95 baby was so rich and filling that we had to take the other half home.

Hmmm...I wonder if adding some freshly chopped basil to the ricotta would make it even more delicious??? I think I must take some time to experiment.

Another Drug Dose

Recently, I've read numerous posts about Tarrant's and now Tarrantino's. I continue to crave Tarrant's Grilled Cheese and drool over the garlic rolls. Since we were going to First Friday's Art Walk (on Thursday) we wanted to try the pizza. We arrived around 6 PM and the place was comfortably brisk. I'm happy they added more space. The second room featured intriguing colorful art. As always, we were served by a wonderful, personable, and attentive waiter. We ordered a Cotes-du-Rhone for dinner and he was able to wax rhapsodic about how good it was and that the producer also makes a rose. The 2005 Jean-Luc Colombo Les Abeilles was smooth and fruity. A good choice for a pizza.

As usual we had a tough time deciding what to order. We finally "made our own" and ordered a pie with fresh mozzarella, roasted red peppers, and sweet Italian sausage with red sauce. We liked it. The sauce made the bottom crust a wee bit soggy, but the outer crust was a good mix of crunchy and chewy. The toppings were good quality with the cheese and pepper on the delicate side. The sausage had been shaved into thin round slices. The one thing we would have changed would have been the red sauce. We liked the sauce - pungent with a hot pepper punch. Unfortunately, it overwhelmed the other toppings. When ordering this combination again, I would request a brushing of red sauce, instead of a ladling.

Still a decent pie. We will definitely go again to experiment with other combinations (and to order from the regular menu!). I would not consider take out because it is too far away from my house.

And, although extremely warm, the art walk was lovely. Ghostprint Galley had an eerie grouping, but clearly talented artists. And the Turned for Use II exibit at Gallery 5 was worth a gander. We also found out about the First Annual InLight Richmond that will be held Sept. 5, 2008. I have marked my calendar.

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.

Another Dose of Tarrant's Cafe

Last Monday my hubby and I had the pleasure of conversing and dining with fellow blogger Tripp at Tarrant’s Café. Tripp had a nice write up as well as a great picture of the place. Monday is the evening to go. No waiting for a table on this night, but the bar may or may not be able to serve pina coladas. While I stuck with a grilled chicken sandwich (I am such a sucker for Texas Toast), both Tripp and my spouse ordered entrée specials – Pork Tenderloin with a dark berry sauce (predominantly blackberry) and Blackened Wahoo with a pineapple-mango salsa. Both garnered good comments. I tried my husband’s Wahoo and it was surprisingly delicious with flaky white flesh and hot Cajun spices (fish is not a favorite of mine). I am now tempted to try the crab-stuffed tilapia! Amid the conversation on food, wine, and blogging we refreshed our parched throats with a Banfi Chianti. I look forward to continued conversations on my favorite topics!

Tarrant's Cafe - Our New Drug of Choice

Last night we finally had the chance to eat at Tarrant’s Café, located at 1 West Broad St. in the space formerly occupied by Tarrant’s Drug. We arrived before 7 PM without a reservation and lucked out in securing the only bar table (high table near the front door for two). And since this establishment is non-smoking (hallelujah!), we were quite pleased to be nestled at the bar table. After we were seated many a would-be diner who had not called ahead were turned away. The menu offered salads, wraps, sandwiches, and a few entrees and specials. The talapia stuffed with crabmeat and topped with a lobster sauce special ($18.95) sorely tempted us, but other less expensive menu items called us away. When we asked for the wine list, the hostess pointed to a hutch with wine bottles standing upright ready to be perused. Prices were on the bottom of the bottle. Slightly unorthodox, but I enjoyed examining the labels, years, etc. And we knew exactly what they had in stock. We selected a Red Diamond Merlot from Washington State ($17). This was not your typical California Merlot. This medium-bodied red emanated quite a bit of spiciness reminding me of a traditional Cotes du Rhone. To eat, my husband ordered a cup of the New England Seafood Chowder ($3.95) and the Tuna Nicoise Salad ($9.95). The chowder was very flavorful with an herby creamy texture and plenty of seafood. The salad turned out to be a bit surprising. A slab of medium rare tuna steak topped salad greens, olives, boiled egg, slices of cooked zucchini, and potato salad. My husband loved all of it except the zucchini (too mushy). I took the sandwich route and selected the Grilled Cheese Sandwich ($5.95). Once again, not your typical grilled cheese. I received melted white and yellow cheese, sliced ham, and bacon sandwiched between grilled Texas toast. I could have also have gotten tomato slices on my sandwich, but since I have an aversion to raw tomatoes, I skipped this option. I had a choice of sides – potato salad, pasta salad, of chips. I chose the potato salad. And I was delighted that I did because it was some of the best I have ever had. An oil and vinegar mix with a few mustard seeds, celery, and chopped parsley bound the potatoes together. Utterly fantastic! We had great food, at great prices, and in a place across the street from the Jefferson Loan Company Pawn Shop. I never thought I would enjoy a meal in this part of town. Kudos to all of the art galleries, restaurants, and businesses that have sprung up to make downtown a viable eating destination! To top off the evening we ran into friends from Williamsburg that we had not seen in almost five years. They enjoyed Tarrant’s Café as well. You should, too.