I grew up in the dinner party era. Among my favorite childhood memories is falling asleep to the mysterious sounds of my parents’ parties—roars of laughter, clanging glasses and high heels across wooden floors. My parents loved them, too. When preparing for their guests’ arrival, they always floated around the house with a gleam of anticipation. […]
I grew up in the dinner party era. Among my favorite childhood memories is falling asleep to the mysterious sounds of my parents’ parties—roars of laughter, clanging glasses and high heels across wooden floors. My parents loved them, too. When preparing for their guests’ arrival, they always floated around the house with a gleam of anticipation. […]
Shenandoah Joe rolls out beer-inspired iced coffee Good news for all the caffeine junkies who also happen to be beer snobs. As of a couple weeks ago, there’s a beverage on the market that allows you to (kind of) have a beer first thing in the morning without alarming anyone: Introducing Hoppn Joe, Shenandoah Joe’s […]
In the fall of 1993, in a booth at an unassuming new restaurant on Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall, I dug into a plate of rabbit quesadillas. I was floored. “Who puts rabbit in quesadillas?” I thought. “And, how could they taste this good?” In an era when fine dining meant white tablecloths and fussy French cuisine, […]
Amateurs are making some darn good beer in this town. Amateurs, dude. Anyone who had the opportunity to attend the Homebrew for Hunger event at Fifth Season Gardening last fall knows about the quality of ale-shine C’ville has to offer. The only problem, assuming you’re able to get past your hang-ups about drinking unregulated beer […]
Albemarle County ducks, be on your guard. You may have been safe before, owing simply to the fact that some people don’t know how to break you down and make you delicious. But that’s all changing. The Charlottesville Cooking School is training duck butchers by the classroom under the tutelage of Le Cordon Bleu graduate […]
The Downtown Grille is officially back open for business after being closed for an extensive six-week renovation. Located on the west end of the Downtown Mall, the restaurant has been serving up steakhouse-style fare for 15 years, and managing partner Robert Sawrey said it was time for a change. The entire interior, from the host […]
Zocalo is busting loose. On Monday, February 24, for one night only, Zo.Ca.Lo is turning into Zy.De.Co, serving up Cajun and Creole cuisine in celebration of Mardi Gras. A handful of small plates, ranging from $6-9, will include dishes like gumbo, boudin balls, and Natchitoches meat pies, as well as beignets and bread pudding for […]
The next big thing in beer is going to be weed. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. You’ve likely heard of sommeliers, the expertly trained snobs who help you negotiate a wine list. But you might not have heard of cicerones, the sommeliers of the beer world. Trained to guide you through ale and lager […]
Ever tried chocolate covered bacon? Now’s your chance. Just in time for Valentine’s Day, My Chocolate Shoppe is open for business! Located at 406 E. Main St. on the Downtown Mall, is open 11am-7pm Tuesday-Saturday, and 12-5pm on Sunday. Stop by for a box of treats for a loved one—or for yourself—this week. An elusive new Downtown Mall […]
On Fridays, we feature five food finds from local chefs and personalities. Today’s picks come from Jose De Brito, who once owned Ciboulette and is now the chef ofThe Alley Light. De Brito’s picks: 1) Croissant at Albemarle Baking Company. “Having grown up in Paris, I am always looking for good French food. The croissants at ABC are my way […]