Trio Grill - An Indulgence in NOVA

In July we traveled up to Northern Virginia for a brief weekend respite from RVA. On Friday night we weighed a few options for dinner and had decided to take our chances in the Mosaic area when we drove by Trio Grill. In the span of a few seconds my thoughts were: I remember seeing/hearing something about the place - It's right here on Lee Highway? - Maybe we should try it. And then, "Hey Hubby! Can you turn the car around?"

We were early and thirsty and they had a table just for us. With a Trio Manhattan under our belts we indulged ourselves with a kick-ass wine, medium-rare steak, and over-the-top fries with duck fat hollandaise sauce. While the meal wasn't too adventurous, it was sumptuously delicious. Our waiter was personable and attentive, and it was a great beginning to our getaway weekend.

Trio Grill received an Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator in 2016. Conn Creek Anthology was a real treat for us.

A perfectly cooked steak topped with a roasted shallot. Yum!

The ultimate indulgence - fries with duck fat hollandaise

The menu should have something to please most palettes, and they have a nice patio when the temperatures become reasonable.

Tastings of Charlottesville

Tastings of Charlottesville has been around since the early 80's. It's a wine shop, wine bar, and restaurant. Folks may be put off by the dining room decor which reminds me of a last holdout from a 70's seafood restaurant.

But ignore the decor and enjoy lunch or dinner and fabulous wine (a $7 corkage fee on top of the retail price in the shop).

About a month ago we popped in for lunch. I only had the Lobster Bisque, but the description nailed it: Real Lobster, Real Butter, Real Cream. Period. Service with Croustades.

And true to the description the bisque was creamy with little lobster bits in every bite. A rich indulgence for a Saturday lunch.

Sign up for Tastings email list and be tempted to travel to Charlottesville on a regular basis.

As Always - Tasty Offerings from Camden's Dogtown Market

I never get over to Camden's Dogtown Market as often as I would like. The food is delicious and plentiful and the wine is only $10 over the retail price. What a winning combination!

Recently, I enjoyed the Blossom Chicken - yogurt-marinated chicken breast that is panko-crusted and fried and served over a green bean and potato salad. Yummy!

And I could enjoy one of my favorite reds for a very reasonable price.

So, what are you waiting for? If you go on a weeknight, specials make your efforts even more rewarding (if only I could remember what they were or they listed them on Facebook). Don't forget to read the entire menu for a sarcastic quip or two.

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.

Should I expect good wine service when I am ordering a $50 steak?

Why, yes, I should.

We had delicious filets. The salad and sides were more than satisfactory. The timing of the presented food was spot on. Our bus person was prompt and courteous.

But I left extremely tweaked over this bottle of wine while dining at Buckhead's.

A nice Bordeaux. Not the most expensive item on the list; not the cheapest either. Our waiter opened the bottle and presented without a hitch. And then we never saw him again until it was time for dessert/coffee. I was forking over $50 for a hunk of beef and I could not get decent wine service?? I want to support local restaurants, but the upscale chain steakhouses have the service bit nailed. Sadly, Buckhead's did not demonstrate this concept when we dined. Maybe I have to order a $200 bottle? Is there a wine service monetary threshold?

Many years ago before I even started this blog we dined at Buckhead's and the waiter then attempted to steer me towards a wine that I already knew I did not like. He assumed I knew zilch and thought I was taking too much time perusing the multi-paged list. And the evening spiraled from there. We forgot about Buckhead's for a long time. When we finally returned we still experienced wine issues.

At least our waiter did not lay some wine BS on us like he did at a neighboring table.

Bottom line - if I have to pour my own wine, I want my meal to be comparably priced.

A Mighty Fine Evening at Brux'l Cafe

Last week we headed over to Brux'l Cafe for an early dinner. We discovered all of the tables were reserved (a good sign for the place), but found a couple of spots at the cozy bar. The entire staff seemed giddy with the spirit of Christmas and this rubbed off on the two of us during the evening.

Brux'l Cafe in the Fan - all decked out for the holidays

The joy of going early on a weeknight is that Brux'l has a decent happy hour with specials on wine, beer, and martinis. Sweet Bubbles (sparkling and violet syrup) came my way and hubby had the Famous Dirty martini. As we sipped our bartender, Jared, took us through the highlights of the menu.

Jared was a most excellent host and as the bar filled up, he continued to give personalized service to all. He helped to make our evening very special. What really made a difference was when we were choosing a wine for dinner. Brux'l Cafe carries a very limited but drinkable selection. All wines are available by the glass and bottles range in price from $32-40. We were torn between a Bordeaux and something from the South of France. Jared thought we might also enjoy the Spanish red. To help us with our selection he poured us a taste of all three. The Spanish option won out - an Arrocal Tempranillo.

Jared helped steer us in the right direction for wine

Jared also helped other bar patrons figure out which draft beer would be best for their evenings. Being able to taste and then choose - fantastic!

The rest of our experience was delightful. To begin I took advantage of the evening special and had fried frog legs. The legs came straight from the fryer with a crisp coating and with the legs being meaty - a real treat. As I ate with my fingers, Chef Meers came out of the kitchen to ask how they were. Yummy!

The frog legs were very tasty

Hubby ordered the Croquette de Fromage - a fried ball of cheese and potato. For me, very rich. For him, swoon-worthy. He raved about this and really liked the bit of salad on the side.

While the croquette may look small it packs a rich flavor punch

For an entree hubby ordered the Moules a la Provencale. Dozens of mussels swimming in white wine, tomatoes, herbs, garlic, and cream. Served with a side of frites. Jared gave us more bread to take advantage of the sauce. Very satisfying.

I indulged in the L'Entrecote with Bearnaise sauce. A big ribeye topped with butter, parsley, and shallots and served with a side salad with a Dijon mustard vinaigrette. A huge portion and very tender with all the flavor one could hope for. I appreciated the fact that the sauce was served separately so I could enjoy my steak both with and without the Bearnaise.

Very traditional meal, superbly prepared

As we enjoyed our meal Chef Meers would pop out of the kitchen occasionally to check on diners. He seemed so happy and his vibe was infectious. At the end of our meal I got up to retrieve out coats and he even helped me find our jackets. A delicious and magical evening. I can't wait to go back and try the truffle burger.

Vermilion in NYC

Vermilion brings together Latin and Indian flavors and has garnered high acclaim from all over the globe. The decor was sleek, airy, and contemporary with touches of red.

A Bogle Petite Sirah was greatly enjoyed.

And paired well with the Tandoori Skirt Steak - seared churrasco, Indian marinade, plantain chips, chorizo Swiss chard, and jicama citrus roll.

Prices for NYC were fairly reasonable and the meal was delicious.

A Visit to Tazza Kitchen

While it's been around for a while and it's garnered lovely reviews, we had never been out to Tazza Kitchen. Quite frankly, we just don't get out to the Short Pump area very often. And when we do, we almost always regret the traffic and the hassle and the mind-boggling layout of some of the parking lots. We don't need the stress.

Well, last week we were both there and we decided to give TK a try. We went early since we had no reservations. A good thing, too. The place filled up as the evening progressed. It seemed to attract hen parties. There were three in our seating area alone. Later on we saw some cock parties strutting in as well.

Tazza Kitchen has a decent layout. In the front there are small casual tables and a fire place when it's chilly. The bar offers a view of the wood-fired oven and a glimpse into the kitchen. The outdoor patio is extensive with another small bar thrown into the mix. Appealing to both hens and cocks alike.

Next time we want to enjoy the patio

We ordered a Barbera to enjoy with dinner. The wine list is an eclectic mix, but everyone should find something to satisfy.

A very nice Italian red

To eat we shared the Meatballs - pork, beef, and veal served with Parmesan, tomato sauce, and "brick oven bread." Neither one of us liked the dish. The tomato sauce had a charred, almost burnt taste. It wasn't that it was bad; it was not to our taste.  I did like the bread, soft and kissed by the wood-fired oven then drizzled with a little bit of olive oil and sprinkled with salt. Here is where our waiter excelled. He asked us about our meal. We told him it did not suit our taste and let him know why after he probed a bit. He apologized and offered us something else. We said we didn't need another starter; we were going to order entrees, and we were fine.

While the meatballs were not to our liking, the service was stellar

We both ordered the Steak and Peppercorn Potatoes - a grilled flat-iron steak with smashed fingerlings, salsa verde, and a sunny-side up egg. This was a very tasty dish. The steak was cooked perfectly, and the egg paired very well. The salsa verde added a little twist, but did not take away from the main attractions.

A wonderful entree cooked and seasoned perfectly

While we were eating a manager came over to ask about our meal and the meatballs. We repeated our experience with the meatballs and expressed high praise for the steak dish. Kudos to both the waiter and the manager since they took the meatballs off of our tab.

If we are in the Short Pump area, we would definitely consider eating at Tazza Kitchen again. Let's hope the weather cooperates with some mild air so we can experience the patio and sample the pizzas at a future date.

Bacon Cheeseburger at Camden's Dogtown Market

Feast your eyes on this baby of a burger from Camden's Dogtown Market. Beef, cooked medium - medium-rare; Swiss cheese; house-cured bacon; lovely bun.

Wine is our choice from what the market offers (add $10 corkage fee except on Tuesdays). The Nebbiolo D'Alba was a friendly pairing.

And don't forget the house-made pickles!

Yummy!

Pomegranate in Carytown

In the early Spring we wandered into Pomegranate for dinner. On that Friday night they still had a table available.

Hubby wanted to try the gnocchi. Unfortunately, they had just switched to their new Spring menu and it was not available. Disappointing, but the only disappointment of the evening.

We toasted our incredible lack of gnocchi luck with a Milanese Manhattan and then ordered a bottle of The Possessor, a Tooth and Nail red blend from California. Loved the wine; loved the label.

 

To begin our meal we ordered Roasted Veal Marrow Bones with Watercress and Radish Salad. Kind of a Winter into Spring starter. The marrow bones were rich and full of flavor; the salad, light and zesty.

For entrees I chose a traditional Steak and Frites accompanied by grilled ramps. All very tasty and so nice to welcome in Spring with the ramps. The large portion meant leftovers for a future dinner at home.

Hubby had the Italian Sausage with Pickled Mustard Seed, Spinach, and Spaetzle. The portion looked deceivingly small, but turned out to be just right and delicious.

We enjoyed great food. We also experienced excellent service from the talented Ashley. Her cheerful demeanor and patience as we perused cocktail and wine lists and her timing ensured that we had a most incredible evening.

A Chef's Kitchen in Williamsburg

At last, a culinary reason to go to Williamsburg. A Chef's Kitchen is a complete delight and well worth a trip to the former Colonial Capitol. Owner and CIA-trained chef John Gonzales along with his CIA-trained assistant, Nick Allen, present an entertaining, informative, and delicious multi-course meal paired with wine. The venue hosts no more than 40 diners per night. The tables are configured like stadium seating in a movie theater facing a kitchen. John and Nick prepare the meal in front of the dining audience while passing along preparation tips and bits of food wisdom, as well as a bit of wry commentary about the world of food. Questions and photography are encouraged. The menu changes every month with a eye towards seasonal ingredients. When we dined in February we tasted a stellar line-up and were provided recipes to try at home.

Enjoy the photos and make plans well in advance. Weekend seatings fill up very quickly.

John Gonzales prepping waffle chips. After the meal a dining participant asked about how he balanced his work with home-life. He stated that his venture here which is now in its 10th year was less work and less stress than any other culinary position he had held. 

Nick Allen preparing to sear strip loins. Both he and John displayed a welcoming conversational manner. They enjoyed imparting their knowledge and displayed a quick wit for any hiccups in the cooking process.

Pierre Larousse Blanc de Blancs  sparkling was served as we arrived. All of the wines served paired well with the food and were inexpensive. A Chef's Kitchen contains a small wine shop and every wine is $10 a bottle.

First course - Roasted Apple, Parsnip, Sharp Cheddar, and Applejack Brandy Soup with Pasqua Pinot Grigio Delle Venezie. Great soup for a winter evening. The tiny apple chucks gave a sweet texture. Sharp cheddar was melted into the soup with diced chunks to garnish. I liked the melted cheddar. For cheddar lovers, the diced morsels would be welcomed. For non-cheddar lovers (like me), I would omit the diced cheese.

Second course - Mixed Baby Lettuces with Toasted Pistachios, Pineapple, and Creamy Watergate Lime Dressing and Skillet Baked Corn Bread. I really enjoyed the pineapple and nuts in the salad, a culinary deconstructed nod to the Watergate Salad of years' past, but the star of this dish was the cornbread. John touted the wonders of a cast iron skillet and the need for fresh corn meal. He mixed up the batter and cooked it for 15 minutes while we were eating the soup. Light and tasty, not too sweet. The recipe is flexible enough to add more sugar if one prefers a sweeter taste. Heavenly!

Third course - Flash Fried Chesapeake Flounder Filet with Fennel Slaw and Brown Butter Caper Sauce served with Pere et Fils Chardonnay-Viognier. I love capers. I love fennel. I am not a fish fan, although I have come to realize that the fish I do not like is the fish that is poorly cooked. This flounder knocked my socks off. It was so tasty, so moist, and not fishy. A delightful surprise for my evening. Afterwards I related my experience to Nick and he explained that the secret is not to overcook the fish. 

Course four - New York Striploin Steak with Roasted Bell Pepper-Oregano Onion Saute served with Colsanto Ruis Sangiovese-Merlot. Medium rare perfection and a generous portion of beef. A Chef's Kitchen uses certified Hereford beef which The Fresh Market carries.

Fifth course - Almond Frangipane Torte with Warm Apricot and Cherry Chutney a la Mode. A very sweet ending to a marvelous evening.

A truly enjoyable experience. In the fall they feature venison. It would be worth going back.

Leviathan

Leviathan a photo by pjpink on Flickr.

I'm sure we paid way too much for this wine at Morton's (thank goodness for gift cards!), but Leviathan was a lovely and bold red. Kick ass!

An Evening of Specials at Tastebuds American Bistro

Yes, Tastebuds American Bistro is still my favorite dining spot in RVA. Hubby and I look forward to the weekly email listing the specials for the weekend. We then email each other to indicate we must eat there this weekend. We try to make reservations on Open Table and sometimes will leave a message. These guys ALWAYS read the messages. On this occasion I just stated "Yeah veal." We were set to dine on a Saturday. About an hour before dinner, we receive a call from Valentina making sure I still wanted veal. They had an early run of veal orders and wanted to make sure they reserved an order for me.  Talk about customer service.

And Andrew and Valentina do not reserve their customer service just for me and hubby. Take the wine we enjoyed on this trip - MacRostie Pinot Noir. Tastebuds American Bistro regularly hosts a table of four who always orders a pinot noir. Andrew ensures that pinot noir is on his list, but not just any run-of-the-mill stuff. He wants the pricing to be reasonable, while introducing the regulars to an expanded palate of the grape nectar. Hubby and I reap the benefits. It's all good. And despite my usual aversion to California pinots, I thoroughly enjoyed this one. It had enough punch for me and a lingering cherry essence. I can be such a sucker for cherriness in a wine.

For dinner we started with a Shrimp Saganaki with fresh tomato, feta, and a touch of ouzo. What a great dish. Tons of flavor. The licoriceness of the ouzo really made this dish special. We had to request extra rolls to sop up all of the feta and tomato sauce.

And, indeed, I had veal scallopini with fresh fig sauce and a green peppercorn-lemon risotto cake. Tastebuds has delicious veal and I love if when the fresh figs arrive and they utilize them in different ways. The fig sauce was delightful and different. The risotto cake featured a refreshing lemon accent. Lovely fruits of the summer.

Hubby selected seared scallops with pancetta cracklings and housemade wide fettucine. He greatly enjoyed his meal. The generous portion of pancetta crackling was particularly appreciated.

We also enjoy eating here because not only are Andrew and Valentina a wonderful and welcoming couple, but the rest of the staff also makes our experience special. Currently, James, Leanne, and Greg all say hello; ask us about our day; and other places we have eaten at lately. They understand we are here to enjoy the food, but to also relax and take a slow approach to dinner. This combination of good food and good staff along with the fortunate walking distance location keep us coming back time and again.

Braised Rabbit with Hominy and Corn at Belmont Food Shop

Braised Rabbit with Hominy and Corn a photo by pjpink on Flickr.

While Belmont Food Shop changes its menu frequently, I was fortunate enough to dine there when the appetizer list featured Braised Rabbit with Hominy and Corn. Tender chunks of rabbit with a creamy-silky sauce. The balance of corn and hominy perfected this dish. Because of the richness, the portion size was just right as well.

We had not planned to eat here, but arrived early enough to snag a couple of places at the bar. I also enjoyed the Roast Chicken with Spoon Bread and Spinach. The chicken was moist and tasty; spoon bread, spot on with the balance of corniness and sweetness.

The wine that I imbibed was the Petit Petite from David Michael. One of my recent favs, but a bit pricey given a restaurant down the street offers it for $12 less per bottle. I guess the wine prices make up for the fantastic price of the $30 three course prix fixe.

An Evening at The Viceroy

Most of you know that I am a huge fan of Ryan Baldwin from his days at Tastebuds American Bistro. I was distraught we he left to go to Accanto. I knew I would miss him not being here in the city. I am pleased to report that he is now at The Viceroy and showcasing a fairly ambitious menu. While it's a jaunt for me to walk there, it is closer to my humble abode, affording me an opportunity to dine on the offerings of an incredibly talented chef.

Hubby and I met at The Viceroy for dinner a couple of weeks after it opened. Lots of wood accents and almost as many high, bar-like tables as booths. Art work dons the walls along with a painting of The Queen of the Viceroy (my moniker) as one heads to the restroom.

Our cocktail of choice was The Baron - Maker's Mark, Byrrh, and Dry Vermouth, with Orange Zest.

We slowly sipped our Manhattanesque beverage and strategized our dining plan. So many options.

We decided that we had to begin with Torched House-made Mozzarella Wrapped in Prosciutto with Grilled Fig Balsamic Sauce and Arugula. Both of us are suckers for fresh mozzarella. I'm sure the kitchen revels in torching this dish. The creamy, melted cheese melded well with the salty ham. The balsamic sauce added just a touch of sweetness. The dish was definitely large enough to share.

We then ordered a Lyeth Meritage to enjoy with dinner. The Viceroy has a varied wine list with several Virginia offerings alongside the bottles from France, California, New Zealand, etc. Quite a few bottles are under $30 and very drinkable.

For the main attraction we decided upon sandwiches. It's nice that The Viceroy offers a variety of options for both small and large appetites. Hubby chose a classic Shaved Prime Rib-Eye French Dip with White Cheddar, Herb Au Jus, and Fresh Horseradish. The grated fresh horseradish was a wonderful added detail.

I ordered the the Charred Pork Belly Bahn Mi. While I enjoyed the pork, I enjoyed the topping even more which was a mix of watermelon, Napa cabbage, purple basil, radish, scallion, carrot, and jicama kimchee slaw. Lots of flavor.

Each sandwich comes with your choice of mixed baby greens, crispy frites, house-made slaw or potato salad. We got the frites. We really loved the frites. Very crispy on the outside, but soft inside. There are a few places in Richmond that make yummy fries. I now count The Viceroy in that category.

We were full, so we were not able to try any of the Bittersweet Endings. Ryan has put together a dessert menu that features some unlikely combinations, but are very intriguing, such as Avocado Key Lime Cheesecake Popsicles and Grilled Peach Trifle with Pink Peppercorn Ice Cream.

We will also have to head back soon to sample some entrees. The Grilled Rack of Wild Boar sounds fantastic.

Haiku Sushi

Haiku Sushi is now open in Shockoe Bottom. We went a few weeks ago and had a delicious time.

The new restaurant inhabits the space that was one Sensei. Vestiges of the old decor now mixes with the new.

The owners of Haiku have (or had - not sure of the details) a connection with Eat Partners and parts of the regular menu resemble offerings from Wild Ginger or Osaka. But Haiku also presents a secondary menu listing 30 different rolls. Wow! What a quandary. So many choices.

We opted to order a bottle of wine - Roza Ridge Cabernet from Washington State

and Steamed Spicy Pork Dumplings while we made decisions on which rolls to try.

I fell in love with the dumplings. The dumpling skin was thin which thrilled me. So many places use a thick, bland skin that fills me up, but does not satisfy. The pork filling was tasty and the soy-based sauce, delicious.

And then it was roll time. We splurged and ordered two rolls each. We were not disappointed and left quite full. One of the things I generally get at a sushi restaurant is yellowtail sashimi; sometimes with rice, sometimes not. Haiku did me one better with the Silk Road Roll - spicy tuna topped with yellowtail and avocado and served with a wasabi mayo. I really got the best of all worlds. I could pull the yellowtail out and eat as is while enjoying the rest of the item as a true roll.

I also had the Shockoe Roll - spicy shrimp topped with avocado and beet. Yummy!

Hubby went with the Sleepy Hollow Roll - tempura shrimp, jalapeno, onion, cilantro, spicy kani as well as the Friday Roll - a tuna, goat cheese, and avocado roll tempura fried. Both were delicious. It's recommended to eat the Friday Roll first to enjoy the warm goat cheese.

I'm glad that Haiku Sushi has opened. They are closer to my abode than either Wild Ginger or Osaka, and I am a fan of the myriad choices in rolls.