Lunch Time at Amuse

Always great to have lunch at Amuse.

Green Salad with Prosciutto and Comte Cheese

Curry Fried Oysters

A Brief Taste of Rappahannock

Oh, Rappahannock. Your sister introduced me to Virginia oysters, but you turned me into a fan. I am now an Old Salts fan and a true believer. Thank you for showing this middle-aged woman the true deliciousness of a raw Virginia oyster.

And then there is the cocktail menu and the awesome bartenders. I am completely smitten.

The bar is large. The vibe, upbeat. Go experience it for yourself.

Cheers!

Falling in Love with Merroir

My hubby has always been the oyster fan, generally, fried oysters. If fried oysters appear on the menu, he gets them. No chance for me to share an app or a small plate. For the most part, I give in because he enjoys these Virginia delicacies so freakin' much. He can tell whether those babies are sweet or if they remind him of the "dirty water" shellfish he grew up eating.

Raw oysters are another matter. He will eat them, but won't go out of his way. I could pretty much leave them stranded. We did have some truly kick-ass tiny pink ones when we were in Oregon that I continue to rave about and we tried some Anderson Neck cuties at Dutch and Co which were small and sweet. I was surprised at how good they were. So was hubby.

On a mellow and sunny Sunday in August we decided to drive to Topping, VA to check out Merroir. Yes, lots of folks around here have raved about them. But raw oysters? and particularly on a hot summer (or even spring day)? No way. Well, the stars aligned and we arrived. Great setting along the Rappahannock. Everyone was eating outside (including some frisky little dogs). We could have our pick of sun or shade. We chose shade. The menu was short, but featured many tempting dishes, including sliders for non-seafood eaters.

We began by ordering a Picpoul de Pinet. The crisp, slightly grapefruity white from France was a nice choice for the feast to come.

Of course we started with raw oysters. Merroir offers three varieties that they harvest. We chose the sweet Rappahannocks. I (and hubby) were impressed. I would order these again. We also shared some steamed shrimp that weren't too shabby.

We then progressed at a leisurely pace into a second course. I gravitated towards the Sunday brunch special - crabcake, fried green tomato, bacon, and fried egg sandwich. So yummy! My partner selected the tomato, mozzarella, and basil salad along with some steamed clams. We both were able to satisfy our seafood cravings while sitting back and watching the river scene. Yes, love at first bite.

As the fall gets into full gear, the river setting should just get even better.

Enjoy these photos of the food and scenery at Merroir.

The entrance to the outside dining area. Merroir also offers a few inside bar seats during in-climate weather.

A couple with their pooches enjoying the sunshine.

A refreshing white wine for brunch

Swallow the Leader

Sweet raw oysters. Not slimy.

Steamed spiced shrimp. Ask for extra napkins.

An Oysterista ready to take an order

A perfect brunch offering - fried egg, crabcake, bacon, and fried green tomato

A salad drizzled with balsamic vinegar

Steamed clams with lots of summer flavor

A beautiful water view

Return to Accanto

Even though we are huge fans of Ryan Baldwin, we don't make it out to Accanto very often since we live in the city and this little gem of a bar/restaurant is located in the interior of the Short Pump area. In fact, we have to check Google maps to find it, or wander around lost with the natives cussing us out as we slow down and make u-turns. Strangers in a strange land indeed.

This past week we did find out way to Accanto enticed by their three course menu on Mondays and Tuesdays for $25.

While we came for the food, service is important as well. At first our waiter was a bit off the mark with our bread arriving, but no utensils. Once utensils were placed, the service did not miss a beat. I was particularly thrilled with the attentive wine service. Well done!

Everything we had was delicious. I wanted to share some of the highlights.

Grilled Calamari with Arugula, White Beans, and Parmesan: While I like fried calamari, I have shied away from the grilled version. I knew On this night, I decided to try it. The calamari was extremely tender with a subtle char. The beans were done (yeah!) and the light lemon added the perfect touch. Light and tasty.

Flash Fried Oysters with Mango and Coconut: Of course, my hubby could not resist the oysters. He liked the creative accompaniments. 

Charred Filet of Beef with Yukon Gold and Queso Stuffed Baby Pepper Rellinos: Perfectly medium rare.  I also enjoyed the potato and cheese stuffed peppers. The peppers were roasted and peeled before being stuffed. I really like roasted peppers and the filling made it even better. Yummy!

White Chocolate Black Pepper Cheesecake with Brandies Kumquats: Very sweet with a tiny jolt of pepper.  Inventive and satisfying.

Kudos to Ryan for his excellent cuisine. The folks residing in the very, very far west end are lucky to have such a wonderful spot for dinner and drink. And for you wine-imbibers, Accanto features half price wine on Wednesdays.

Waypoint Grill in Williamsburg

I visit Williamsburg about once a year. I used to live there many years ago and the place lost most of its charm for me while I was there. One of the things that I did enjoy about the place was my introduction to the world of wine and food. Hubby and I took a wine appreciation class; we belonged to a wine tasting club; and we attended numerous wine dinners. The most memorable of those dinners were at the Williamsburg Inn with Chef Hans Schadler presiding over the event. This was where I discovered the pure joy of a perfect wine and food pairing. How a wine may taste one way before the tasting of the food and evolve into something else while eating. This was where I ate fish and raved about it. I had portobello mushrooms that actually tasted like steak. Seven courses with all of the formalness that was the Williamsburg Inn back in the day. And Chef Schadler could fix anything and I knew it would be delicious.

A little over a year ago. Chef Schadler returned to the Williamsburg area to open Waypoint Grill located in a fairly new shopping center. They were open for Saturday lunch and we made the trek to try it out. The setting is contemporary graced with tidewater-influenced art. Weekend lunch was a good time to dine. Not too busy, yet, the wait staff were attentive and competent. I very much appreciated the continued wine service throughout our meal.

Yes, we splurged and had wine. An old friend: Alexander Valley Merlot. We have found this wine to be consistently good and drinkable over the years. Waypoint Grill has a lovely selection of whites, reds, and sparklings with prices ranging from $27 to $89 per bottle. The Alexander Valley was $39 which is about twice the retail price.

For lunch Waypoint Grill offered a short list of "Beginnings." The Simply Fried Shrimp caught my eye. The Simply Fried Oysters attracted my hubby. The menu should have listed them as Simply Perfect, because they were in both taste and presentation. Lightly breaded and succulent served with a remoulade-like sauce; crowned with perfectly fried onions. We could have ordered a second helping. Both were $9 each.

Because I was having fried shrimp as a first course I ordered French Onion Soup Gratin ($6) as a second course. Traditionally made, and a large serving. A nice accompaniment to the Merlot we were enjoying.

Hubby could not resist trying the Oven Braised "Pot Roast" with fingerling potatoes and vegetables ($11). The beef was tasty and oh-so-tender.  Such a great dish for a winter's day and more than generous portions. For him he had the ultimate in surf and turf.

We were too stuffed for dessert, but the apple cobbler/dumpling sounded divine. If you are headed to Williamsburg, take some time to seek out Waypoint Grill. Since they are in a little shopping center away from the main tourist attractions, the restaurant caters to locals. Not many places in the old colonial capitol care about the people who actually live there. The service was excellent; the food extraordinarily satisfying.

 

Mini Wine Dinner at Acacia Mid-Town

A few Sundays ago we attended a "mod" wine dinner at Acacia. Mango Salon presented various hairstyles and then a three course dinner was served. We liked the menu offerings and decided to go. The "mod" hairstyles were fine, but we always come for the food (and wine).

We began with a white wine sangria sporting muddled strawberries and pre-dinner amuse bouches: fried oysters (hubby's favorite), country pate and house-made pickles (yum for me), truffled deviled eggs (not bad), cheese with citrus marmalade (good).

For the first course I ordered the Potato Crusted Shrimp on Ragout of Spring Peas, Sunchokes, Caramelized Red Onions, Sunflower Shoots, and Surry Sausage Butter paired with 2010 Brandbrg Pinot Gris, Umpqua Valley, Oregon. I really enjoyed the shrimp and the Oregon Pinot Gris. Nice pairing and the food-to-wine ratio was appropriate.

Hubby had the Tarragon and Campari Poached Peach Salad with Fresh Goat Cheese and Lettuces with Blood Orange Vinaigrette paired with 2010 Seven of Hearts Viognier/Roussanne, Columbia Valley, Oregon. The peaches did not really taste poached. While they were good, they just tasted like peaches. The rest of the salad was fine. While the white blend was drinkable, both of us preferred the Pinot Gris.

For the second or main course we both selected Pan Roasted Bistro Beef Fillet, Potato Gnocchi Gratin, Broccolini with Confit Shallots and Garlic and paired with 2009 Wildaire Tempranillo, Folin Vineyard, Rogue Valley, Oregon. The beef was tasty. Hubby loved the gnocchi. It was way too rich for me. The wine was disappointing in several ways. We did not think it paired well with the beef. We've had other varietals and blends from the Rogue Valley and were pleased. This Tempranillo was a bit too smokey for the simply prepared meat. Another problem was the food-to-wine ratio. We did not have enough wine to enjoy with this heavy rich course. We had to be parsimonious with our sips to make the wine last. We had noticed several other tables ordering additional bottles of wine. Is this how Acacia makes a profit on their wine dinners? If so, what's the point in a wine dinner? Serve a three course meal and let me make my own wine selections.

For the dessert course we had Strawberry Angel Cake and Marscapone Ice Cream paired with 2008 Terra Blance Late Harvest Chenin Blanc, Yakima Valley, Washington. The strawberries and the dessert wine paired beautifully. Such a delight to the palate. The ice cream was also yummy. Unfortunately, the angel cake was extremely dry and not enjoyable at all.

As much as we love going to Acacia for regular meals, the wine dinner did not live up to the restaurant's otherwise stellar reputation.

Richmond Restaurant Week Highlights

We managed to hit up three places during the last week in April. Two spots have been participating in RRW for a while and we had yet to experience the places. The third place we frequent regularly, but this was their inaugural stint with RRW.

Since so many RRW patrons have blogged, tweeted, and FB'd about the event, I'll stick to some brief highlights.

First up was The Hill Cafe. No, we had never been. Yes, they were busy, even on a Monday. We liked the short two-seater booths (very cute) and we liked the neighborhood feel. If we lived in the area, we would probably be regulars. I need to go back to try some of the Blue Plate Specials.

I enjoyed the Crab and Artichoke Dip with the chips. Yummy, rich, and a very generous portion.

Crab Meat and Artichoke Hearts with Fried Flour Tortilla Chips

Hubby went for the fried oysters and you know he liked them.

Crispy Fried Oysters with Red Skin Mashed Potatoes, Sauteed Spinach, and Lemon Dill Creme Fraiche

The Apple Crisp Pie was a bit disappointing. Nothing crisp about it and the pie should have been heated.

On Wednesday, we tried Helen's (since 1935!). Can you believe this was our very first Helen's experience?? We did not have reservations and they were not as busy as we were expecting. We had our choice of a table in the back or eating at the copper bar. We chose the bar. I had no idea the chefs cooked  at the lower end of the bar. Way cool.

The Mussels were The Bomb. The broth was so flavorful, they offered to box it up so I could have it later in the week with some crusty bread (yes, that was good, too).

Steamed Mussels with Pernod Broth, Herbs de Provence, Matchstick Potatoes, and Lemon Aioli

The Grilled NY Strip was also tasty. The Pave Potatoes with cheese were so rich, I had to take them home (used them in a frittata later in the week).

Grilled New York Strip with Potato Pave, Rainbow Swiss Chard, Wild Mushroom and Green Peppercorn Sauce

Our last place was Tastebuds American Bistro. I was pleased to see them on the list (as well as some other newcomers).

Hubby enjoyed the Flounder. Tastebuds always offer either salmon or flounder. While I'm not a fan of either, hubby is and he's happy about the consistent quality of the fish.

Paneed Flounder with Asparagus and Fennel Saute, Lemon Cous Cous, and Roasted Fennel Nage

I devoured the Sirloin. The arugula added a nice touch of Spring to the dish.

Pan Seared Sirloin with Grilled Polenta, Mushroom Ragout, Arugula and Caramelized Leek Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

After dinner we splurged on Irish Coffee. Tastebuds does it up right.

A Perfect Ending to Richmond Restaurant Week

After a few disappointing years of attending RRW, this round made up for it. We explored places new and old and were well pleased.

Return to Acacia

Acacia. We had neglected you. Thank you for the warm bar welcome on a Tuesday before restaurant week. We missed the precision crafted cocktails. We were pleased to order a couple before dinner.

Ginger Smash - Buffalo Trace Whiskey, Clement Creole Shrubb, Mint, Orange, Ginger Ice Cubes

Sharp as a Barb - Catoctin Creek Mosby's Spirit White Whisky, Wild Turkey 101, Aperol, Lemon Balm, Housemade Rhubarb Soda

 We like to sit at the bar just to watch the cocktails being concocted with great care. One of my favorite details is the mint pop. The bartender places the mint sprig in her palm and then claps her hands. This brings out the mint essence that you can smell as you lift the glass to take a sip. Brilliant.

And wine on Tuesday nights is half off. Yes!

Hearty Red

 The appetizers offer interesting choices (pork belly with kimchee) as well as consistently traditional options (fried oysters - my hubby's favorite).

Crispy Pork Belly with Kimchee, Fennel, Radish, Apple, Green Onions

Fried Oysters, Southern Coleslaw, Spicy Mayo

 Entrees consisted of flounder and bacon-wrapped duck (how could I resist?). The duck dish was so good that I even raved about the broccolini.

Sauteed Flounder, Basil Cauliflower Puree, Roasted Colorful Cauliflower and Baby Carrots, Sweet and Sour Mango Sauce

Pan Roasted Bacon Wrapped Duck Breast Stuffed with Apples, Smoked Gouda Polenta, Garlic Braised Broccolini, Lingonberry Sauce

 We ended with Sambuca coffee.

Yummy!

Good times.

Out to Pasture

A couple of Fridays ago we stopped by Lemaire to have $5 Manhattans during happy hour. We would then wander downtown to find dinner. Since Pasture was near by, I wanted to stroll over to at least see what the place looked like. To our surprise they still had numerous tables available so we stayed and ate.

I liked the bright green colors against the white walls and wood. I liked the soaring ceilings and the large storefront windows.

The menu offered lots of Southern-influenced variety. All small plates meant to be shared. We started off with a Chinon (Cab Franc) at $29. We like wine from this French region and this red did not disappoint.

We ordered quite a few plates. Some were outstanding, others had us shaking our heads. Here is a run down:

Pimento Cheese $4

Both hubby and I liked this starter. I have never been a huge fan of the stuff even though I grew up in the South, but this one was creamy with finely shredded cheese with a hint of pimento pepper throughout. Easy to share with Ritz-style crackers. From a taste and cost perspective, we would consider ordering again.

Deviled Eggs $7

While decent-tasting, fairly ordinary. My sister-in-law produces about the same (minus the salmon roe which did not impart a lot of flavor) for a lot less money. We would pass on this small plate next time.

Sweet Tea Smoked Trout $11

Kick ass. Loved this dish. Lightly smoked and moist. I would order this dish every time.

Brussels Sprouts $6

Hubby enjoyed them. I thought they were okay, but I'm not a huge sprouts fan. The portion seemed small for the price.

Fried Oysters $10

Served with cole slaw. Hubby (who is my fried oyster aficionado) said they were decent, but a small helping. The slaw was just okay. Pasture would not be his go-to fried oyster place.

Pork Rillettes $8

While hubby was not a fan, I really enjoyed this dish. The intense pork flavor and creamy fat with crostini-like toast was fabulous. Served with quince and whole-grain mustard, fresh parsley, and pickled fennel. I thought the amount and quality of food for the price was also good. I would order this again.

Fried Chicken $11

Served with spicy honey (a nice touch) and potato salad. Some of the best fried chicken ever outside of my mom's (about the only dish she can make) and my husband's grandfather (cast iron skillet on the grill). The potato salad was just so-so. I took some of my parsley from the pork rillettes and mixed it with the potato salad to give it a flavor boost. So even though the chicken was great we kept talking the price and the smallness of the plate. We weren't sure if we could continually justify the price when I can make pretty good chicken at home.

While the Candy Bar looked tempting for dessert, we had ordered a lot and decided to pass on the sweet stuff.

We had attentive, casual service throughout the evening. As our dinner progressed the place filled up and got a bit louder. The number of cars using the valet parking service astonished us. I guess for the later diners, it was the thing to do. For us, we left with full bellies, a few memorable dishes, and a few misses and wandered back to our car parked about a block away from The Jefferson.