The Shebeen

In honor of Johannesburg native Dave Matthews’ impending two-nighter at the JPJ, we stopped by The Shebeen for a taste of authentic South African cuisine. The unique blend of East Indies flavors and traditional Dutch and English dishes makes for a delicious dinner—and, given their generous portions, tomorrow’s lunch, too. Try the Lamb Sosatie: chunks […]

Fountain heads

Rafael Tal is evidently a modest man, eschewing the word “chef” when asked to describe his role in the kitchen at The Fountain Room at the Mark Addy Inn. So permit Restaurantarama to say what Tal will not: Based on the meal we shared last week at the recently renovated Nellysford inn, he is definitely […]

The music man

For those of you who don’t obsessively read media gossip (and really, who would—because really, who cares?), like I’ll admit to doing, allow me to reduce one of the big stories of the past year to 28 words: Lately, The Village Voice has sucked. No surprise, then, that the legendary rag has, for the past […]

Travel Plans

I’m not much of a planner. And these days, without parents around to plan for me, nor the endless vacations of the academic life that make planning less imperative, I lose out. Every year, those precious two weeks of freedom inevitably arrive with not so much as a sojourn on Virginia Beach planned. Thus, I […]

Just Curry

In Restaurantarama’s experience, it’s not unusual to walk through a parking lot and wonder to oneself, “What’s that smell?” Normally, the answer is not the kind of subject that is suitable to a dining column. But all that has changed since mid-August, when Alex George opened Just Curry, a place where the name says it […]

We ate here

When it rains, which it’s been doing lately, we need sandwiches—basic, comforting, well-made sandwiches. This is why we went to the New Deli, shaking off our umbrellas and shutting the door quickly to keep out the dampness. Behold the veggie wrap! Stuffed with all manner of crispy produce, layered with provolone and expertly constructed inside […]

Chained up

There are restaurants, and then there are restaurants. We were at a local eatery recently, slurping down some fine, housemade soup full of ingredients from area farms, when a slightly hungover-looking fellow approached.

Spice of life

It\’s been a hot and sweltering summer. Yet one of the most popular dishes at D\’Ambola\’s Italian restaurant in Afton is the equally hot and spicy Alici con Bucatini Rigati.

We ate here

Is there any restaurant in Charlottesville or Albemarle—or the entire Commonwealth, for that matter—with a weirder location than Aroma\’s?

Local music matters

With the recent completion of the massive John Paul Jones Arena, and the continuing popularity of music venues like Starr Hill and the Satellite Ballroom, Charlottesville now rivals Richmond for the title of hippest city in Central Virginia.