In the vast and varied repertory of Italian cuisine, one dish stands above all others for its versatility and humble beginnings (in my Italian eyes at least). Risotto is the quintessential fare of la cucina povera, or the poor man’s meal. All you really need is rice and some sort of liquid and together they […]
In the vast and varied repertory of Italian cuisine, one dish stands above all others for its versatility and humble beginnings (in my Italian eyes at least). Risotto is the quintessential fare of la cucina povera, or the poor man’s meal. All you really need is rice and some sort of liquid and together they […]
Zinc announced over the weekend that it will close at the end of June. Open less than seven years, the West Main Street spot will close its doors after service Saturday, June 29. Owner Vu Nguyen posted this to the restaurant’s Facebook page Saturday: “It’s been a tough, fun, frustrating, enlightening, debaucherous, humbling, hazy, and […]
On Fridays, we feature five finds selected by local chefs and personalities. Today’s picks come from Brooks Tanner, who recently rejoined chef Craig Hartman at Barbecue Exchange, after previous stints with him at Fossett’s restaurant and The Statler Hotel. Tanner’s picks: 1) Sunday Brunch at Hamiltons’. “Chef Curtis Shaver and his kitchen ninjas reinstated an […]
Normally I try to avoid pigeonholing and categorizing wine too intensely; the thing about winemaking and viticulture is that they’re seemingly built to buck trends, to defy the accepted knowledge, to alter the industry’s trajectory one barrel at a time. And yet, one of the most overused categorizations in the wine world, “old world/new world,” […]
On Fridays, we feature five finds from local chefs and personalities. Today’s picks come from Tomas Rahal of MAS Tapas, who focused on some of his current daytime favorites. Rahal’s picks: 1) Double Macchiato from Shenandoah Joe. “Sometimes this is a meal, others a reward. Perfect pitch by the baristas at Shen Joe.” 2) Blueberry […]
Gourmet food is moving downscale. The work of talented chefs is increasingly available to diners who don’t wish to dress up or pay a small fortune for a good meal. While the proliferation of inexpensive, casual, high quality restaurants has generally been a good thing, one downside is the squeezing out of a dying breed—a […]
Bill and Jessica Norton’s Belmont home boasts two kitchens. The first, at the rear informal entrance to their home, is a warm, welcoming space with built-in seating, a vintage porcelain sink picked up on their honeymoon, concrete and copper countertops, chicken-themed everything (upholstery, paintings, dishes, and assorted tchotchkes) and a custom made second sink by […]
My love affair with all things drinkable began in scotch and evolved to bourbon. Kind of backwards, I know, but it conjures up memories of friends gathered next to a fire in early spring, sitting on the porch sipping Mint Juleps in the dead heat of summer, and a clear change in how and what […]
Now open in Scottsville: Baine’s Books & Coffee, just steps away from the James River Brewing Company. It’s a full-service espresso bar, sourcing coffee beans roasted by Lexington Coffee Roasters and prepared in a variety of styles. Baine’s also brews its own Chai from scratch with a housemade recipe, and makes its own almond and […]
Having grown up in smaller cities during the pre-culinary America era, the last few decades, for me at least, have been a psychedelic deliverance from the doldrums of Big Boy, Sizzler, egg foo young, and cardboard pizza. The accompanying historical landscape of the period —colored by preemptive and proxy military actions and psychopathic financial tactics […]