There is something almost poetic about listening to a chef distill the passion for his craft. It is even more impressive when all the talk is about sausages. I set out for Nelson County to learn about the process of turning ground hog meat into succulent, encased slugs of utter deliciousness. Little did I know […]
There is something almost poetic about listening to a chef distill the passion for his craft. It is even more impressive when all the talk is about sausages. I set out for Nelson County to learn about the process of turning ground hog meat into succulent, encased slugs of utter deliciousness. Little did I know […]
Once you manage to traverse the winding, narrow gravel road that could just as easily be mistaken for somebody’s driveway, and approach the converted farmhouse that serves as the new tasting room for Wisdom Oak Winery, you instantly start to understand why owner Jerry Bias chose this small estate to start his winery a little […]
Topeka’s Steakhouse is now open at 1791 Richmond Rd., offering a restaurant and butcher shop. The latter is a concept unique to Topeka’s, and gives the option of full-service steak cutting so you can take home the same cut you ate at the table, “just like having your own personal butcher,” says the restaurant’s website. […]
On Fridays, we feature five food finds selected by local chefs and personalities. Today’s picks come from Matthew Hart, chef of The Local. In last week’s Five Finds on Friday, his wife Melissa Close Hart of Palladio included one of his dishes among her picks. This week, Hart sensibly returns the favor. Hart’s picks: 1) […]
This started out as a nachos survey, with me sampling some platters from a few establishments around the village perimeter, plus one on the Downtown Mall, just to establish a baseline. But I knew all along where it was going, where I would end up directing my sunshiny prose. I wanted to be in a […]
The first thing that pops into your mind as an everyday wine drinker who’s looking to start laying down a few bottles is, inevitably: “Don’t I need a big temperature-and-humidity-controlled dungeon, replete with rustic stone walls, candles, and old first-growth Bordeaux?” The answer is “No.” Cellaring wine is, really, all about understanding the rules and […]
Now open in the former Pita Pit space on 14th Street: Onyx Lounge, a crêperie, sandwich shop, and hookah bar. It’s open until 4am Thursday-Saturday, giving Littlejohn’s a little competish on the late-night scene. Also open? The C’ville Cheese Store on Fifth Street SE in the former Downtown Deli spot. There’s more than 30 different […]
On Fridays, we and The Charlottesville 29 feature five food finds selected by local chefs and personalities. Today’s picks come from four-time James Beard award semi-finalist Melissa Close Hart, chef of Palladio Restaurant at Barboursville Vineyard. On June 9, Palladio will be celebrating the release of Barboursville’s 2012 Vermentino Reserve with a multi-course dinner with […]
If you own a house in a historic district, it turns out that implementing any kind of renovation project is tricky business. Mark and Caroline Shaffrey knew this when, in 1997, they decided to buy their 1902 Colonial in Downtown Charlottesville. And it meant waiting to make any changes to the space until they were […]
In a blind taste test by a panel of experts last fall, Virginia wines squared off against those from leading regions of the world. The results stunned many. Virginia won. In case it had not been clear already, there was now no doubt: Virginia wine is on the rise. With the popularity of Virginia wine […]