When opportunity knocks, Karen Laetare answers. After news broke in March that the Brix Terrace Café owner was prematurely bought out of her spot at Monticello Café, she told us she had “other irons in the fire.” One of those irons? To open a satellite Terrace Café in Martha Jefferson Hospital’s Outpatient Care Center.
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Karen Laetare is adding more Brix to her local food empire: She’ll open a satellite Terrace Café in Martha Jefferson’s Outpatient Care Center by the end of this month, filled with to-go items and signature dishes like the Limoncello Cake. |
The restaurant, which Laetare expects will open this month, will serve the same food found at her Pantops location, but with earlier hours. “Terrace Café at Martha J,” as Laetare calls it, will be open Monday through Friday, 7am to 3pm, giving her plenty of opportunity to serve the breakfast crowd.
She’s particularly excited about a pastry she’s resurrecting from the Brix Marketplace, her former place on Rte. 53: a savory roll with ham, swiss, spinach and mozzarella. It’ll be perfect, she says, as one of many on-the-go breakfast options.
She hopes the second location will bring a little more exposure to the restaurant’s Pantops location, which Laetare says has been “a lot more difficult than I thought it would be.” Even more difficult, no doubt, after a debacle over the Brix name itself. With Brixx Wood Fired Pizza moving to the former Boston Market space at Barracks Road—soon, according to a recent sign in its window—the corporate newcomer forced Laetare to stop using the name “Brix.” While she complied by modifying the name to Brix Terrace Café, the issue isn’t completely resolved. She says, “So far, we’re just gonna hang tight with it.”
Java juice
A new mustard-colored paint job isn’t the only change at Java Java on the Mall. Owner Masood Ayat is adding to the menu, too. Starting this week, the coffee shop will offer more salads and a chicken burger, giving customers the hot food options they’ve been asking for.
Also added to the menu? Looseleaf green and black teas and fresh smoothies in tasty flavors like strawberry peach and even canteloupe, a flavor Ayat said was very popular last summer when Java Java first offered it.
L is for Leaving
Sad news, burrito fans. L’s Burrito & Juice Company owner Lyndon Larson announced last week via Facebook that he’s closed up shop after less than a year in business on the Downtown Mall. Said Larson, “Charlottesville just isn’t my kinda town.” Later this year, he’ll head to Spain.
Bangkok in Crozet
Says a recent banner erected in the window next to the Crozet Subway Restaurant, Bangkok ’99 is moving in. Brought to you by the owners of perennial Best Asian winner Thai ’99, Bangkok ’99 will also serve Thai cuisine. Do you hear that? County folk sighing with relief.
