Huevos Kuba

Huevos Kuba a photo by pjpink on Flickr.

Brunch at Kuba Kuba. Yummy! Don't forget to enjoy a limeade or some Cuban coffee.

Donostia Basque Kitchen

A few doors away from The Portman we discovered Donostia Restaurant, a Basque tapas spot. Clean contemporary lines with a rustic touch met us as we entered this teeny place on a rainy evening. We secured the last unreserved table. At times it is advantageous to be unfashionably early.

All of the offerings were small to medium-sized plates and, for a London restaurant of this caliber, prices were less than expected.

We chose a Spanish Rioja to start.

And then on to the food. We kept our menu with us throughout the evening until we were through and experienced quite a few dishes from the expected to the unusual (unusual stateside, at least).

First up were Boquerones - white anchovies with piquillo peppers. While traditional, a bit too fishy for me. I concentrated on enjoying the peppers.

And then Pisto with Quail Egg. The ratatouille-like veggies were tasty and the egg delightful.

The Tempura Prawns with Ham and Mango were most excellent. We could have ordered many more rounds of these shrimp.

On to Creamy Croquettes with Jamon. Crunchy, creamy, salty.

Check out the Mini Wagyu Beef Burger with the Purple Potato Chips. Cute with great flavor.

One of the meduim-sized plates was the Monkfish with Black Rice. The fish was not fishy-tasting and had a nice sear. The black rice was unusual and a treat.

We also enjoyed Pigeon Breast with Peas and Pancetta. Served medium-rare, the pigeon was a hearty fowl more akin to duck or even ostrich.

Of course, we also had to try the Triple Cooked Potatoes with Brava Sauce. Yummy, indeed, with a slightly spicy sauce featuring pimenton.

A great place with a wonderful vibe and lovely service. If you go, try to make reservations. We got lucky.

In Arcadia

While the Shockoe Bottom location is anything but pastoral, the interior of Arcadia portrays an idyllic notion. White tablecloths, a river of round mirrors flowing down a soft yellow wall, cozy tables for quiet conversations.

We arrived early with no reservations and were promptly seated. The place did fill up as we progressed with dinner, so reservations are recommended.

Menu options include starters, salads, small plates, and entrees and then a selection of Braveheart Beef steaks along with a la carte sides. We spent a lot of time sipping our Manhattan cocktails ($10) (my cocktail of choice for the last couple of months) and deciding what to order. The menu held lots of tasty options in various price ranges.

Once we decided on our eating strategy, we selected our wine. Arcadia sports four wine lists: Wines by the glass, $20 bottle wines, $30 bottle wines, and reserve wines. The $20 and $30 lists are the some of the best restaurant wine prices in all of Richmond, maybe all of Virginia. For this evening we chose the Sharffenberger Brut Sparkling from Mendocino, CA for $30. Lovely bubbles.

For eating we began with Deviled Eggs with White Truffle Oil and Caviar ($6) and Shaved Iceberg Salad with Duck Bacon, Roma Tomatoes and Creamy Shallot and Mustard Dressing ($6).

The yolks of the deviled eggs were whipped and fluffy and had a slight earthiness from the truffle oil. We liked them because they were slightly different from what we grew up with. The presentation of the iceberg lettuce salad was delightful. The dressing was flavorful and I loved the duck bacon.

Next we ordered two small plates: Grilled Agave Basil Shrimp with Curry Basmati Rice ($12) and Braised Chicken Thighs with Ricotta Spaetzle and Beet Oil ($12) as well as a side dish of Yukon Gold and Sweet potato Fries with Truffle Oil and Sea Salt ($6).

Hubby raved over the shrimp and rice. The shrimp were plump with just the right amount of grilling. He could have eaten another plate of just rice - it was that good. And the thighs were perfect. I usually do not order chicken in a restaurant, but the dish intrigued me and did not disappoint. And, of course, the spaetzle delighted the palate as well. We had a generous portion of fries to share.

Upon hearing the list of desserts, we decided to share a Della Nonna Lemon Torte ($7) and Illy coffee ($2.50).

Not too sweet, not too tart. A nice finish to the evening.

Lauren, our server, was delightful. She gave us time to decide what to eat and drink. She expertly opened our bottle of sparkling and continued to fill our glasses until the bottle was emptied. Well done! And John Van Peppen, the owner, glided from table to table asking how everything was. Great service, inviting atmosphere, delicious food, affordable wine.  Arcadia.

My, What Great Buns You Have

We hit Ejay Rin at the right time just as they expanded their menu and put some kick-ass duck on the menu.

We had headed off to Manchester for the Art Works 4th Friday shows (yours truly has a photo on display in the All Media exhibit). We then decided to hit Ejay Rin since we were in the neighborhood.

I liked the warehouse feel, the clean lines, and the giant fishes hanging on the walls.

Our waitress, Jenny, was fun and noticed my WRIR t-shirt and talked about her volunteer work there. (BTW, kudos to all of you who donated this time around.) She let us know that there were new menu items and duck was one of the featured items.

We started off with a sparkling vinho verde. Light, refreshing, gulpable. And ordered some steamed wontons stuffed with local sausage and served with a tasty chili sauce. The wonton skins were thin and light, so the dough did not weigh down the appetizer. Delish.

We then ordered a Novy Four Mile Creek Red from the North Coast of California. Some body, a hint of spice, a bit of jam. A good choice for the upcoming food.

We then had to try some steamed buns. But what to get? A no brainer for me. I ordered crispy duck breast with house-made duck sauce and jicama. Hubby tried the Korean fried chicken with spicy slaw and black bean sauce. Both were great and sported a great deal of flavor. I liked the meat, crunch (cabbage or jicama), and sauce combination on both. Hubby liked his chicken better. I liked my duck better. My duck buns were kick-ass. I might have to get these buns every time I come back.

We continued on our culinary exploration and selected the Rice Bowl with pulled pork, poached egg, vinegar carrots, cucumber, and scallions with a side order of Kimchi. When Ejay Rin first opened there was a rash of comments in the blogosphere about dishes tasting bland, not enough seasoning, etc. Here's my take: The wontons and steamed buns had spectacular flavor explosions with lovely sauces. The rice bowl was more laid back and since it did not explode with flavor, one could easily discount it. I added some soy sauce to give the dish a little punch. I took most of it home, since I had scarfed up buns and wontons earlier. When I had the rice bowl for lunch the next day, the subtleties of the pork and richness of the egg appeared.

Of course, the toned-down nature of the rice bowl went well with the kicked up kimchi. I am surprised at how much I like kimchi. Granted, I've now only had it three times (Korean Gardens, my cafeteria at work, and Ejay Rin), but I really liked the spiciness and heat. Since I'm not a huge cabbage fan, this is phenomenal. And at least one other person likes the kimchee here, too. As we were arriving this guy was leaving and said that we had to try the amazing kimchi. He was right.

And I could not resist trying dessert: Fried buns with ginger pickled apples, pear/yuzu ricotta, and truffle honey. This was not hubby's cup of tea (or plate of sweetness). For me, the apple was okay. I really liked the fried buns and the ricotta combination. Fried dough and sweet creamy goodness.

I was more than satisfied with my meal and the atmosphere. And, as an incentive to cross the river on a weeknight Ejay Rin features an "I'm not cooking tonight you Cheap Bastard!" special: $28 for two people (throw in a bottle of select wine offerings for an extra $15). The Cheap Bastard lets you select 4 steamed buns - all alike (get the duck buns - you'll be happy you did), a large bowl of vegetable fried rice with a pickle plate to share, and two almond cookies and scoop of  rice cream. You can add different types of protein for a few dollars more.

So, whether you are duck fans or cheap bastards, Ejay Rin has something for everyone. Go admire some buns soon.

Korean Garden

On Friday we found ourselves south of the river and I insisted that we try Korean Garden. The last time I was in this building it was a Red Lobster (yes, I know, I'm showing my age). We arrived early to a nearly empty restaurant, but as the evening progressed more diners entered.

The menu offered Korean specialties as well as traditional Japanese dishes and sushi. But we came for the Korean dishes. Since we had a hard time deciding we ordered some steamed dumplings and hot tea to start. The dumpling wrappers were delicate and filled with beef. Our waitress, dressed in a traditional outfit of red and black, realized we still had problems deciding and suggested that we order Bul Gogi, one beef and one spicy pork. We readily agreed. Both dishes featured thinly sliced seasoned meat. With the Korean BBQ dishes a bevy of traditional side dishes accompany the meal as well as rice and lettuce leaves. To eat the meat, one takes a lettuce leaf, spreads a bit of flavorful paste on the leaf, adds a dollop of rice, and then some of the meat. Wrap the leaf around everything and consume. The lettuce was red leaf and of high quality - no bad spots or blemishes. Very delicious.

The side dishes were small but numerous and featured spicy hot, vinegary/sour, sweet, and salty as well as steamed eggs with a bit of green onion. My favorites were the radish in a sweet/sour vinegar, seaweed, noodles, and kimchi. Hubby liked the bean sprouts, the black beans, and the radish. Anchovy slivers were also served and we tried them, but they were not as appealing to us.

We were clumsy in making our wraps, but enjoyed the food and the different flavors immensely. The wait staff brought more lettuce as we continued to devour our meat. The meat portions were big with the side dishes being small and served family style.

A tasty evening. The little side dishes were the surprise of the evening and gave us a peek into the flavors of this cuisine. In the back of the building is a Korean market with a wide variety of items including big jars of kimchi.

Korean Garden
6827 Midlothian Tnpk
Richmond, VA

804.675.0511

Red Beans and Rice

Unfortunately, I was under the weather for the Richmond Folk Festival. I did manage to catch Phil Wiggins and Corey Harris on Sunday. While I was soaking up the sun rays, I also consumed the meaty red beans and rice from Send-a-Chef. Great blues and fantastic food.

Send-a-Chef was impressive.

Unfortunately, just that activity tuckered me out and I had to go home.