|
Zinc co-owner Vu Nguyen (right) recently acquired the whole kitchen kaboodle, purchasing co-owner Thomas Leroy’s share of the business. Nguyen says he plans to give the restaurant a more “concrete identity.” Nguyen plans to branch out from strictly French cuisine and move away from tapas altogether, with the help of chef Justin Hershey (left). |
In this town, the tapas fad has outlasted even some local restaurants. One West Main eatery, though, is working to buck the trend. In fact, working seems to be all they’re doing. For the past few months, the guys in the kitchen at Zinc—Vu Nguyen and Justin Hershey—have been busy chronicling their adventures in sprucing up the restaurant patio and raising two Duroc pigs on a Barboursville farm. A few weeks ago, they took one of those pigs, Mr. Wiggles, to slaughter.
Right around that same time, restaurant co-owner Nguyen bought out his partner, Thomas Leroy. It’s a move that Nguyen says worked out for both parties and one that, eventually, will bring a few changes to the restaurant’s menu. He says there won’t be major alterations, but he plans to branch out from strictly French cuisine and, yes, remove tapas from the menu altogether. Returning to a more course-based menu, he says, will make it easier on customers and on the kitchen. He also plans to hand more of the reins to the chefs.
Nguyen couldn’t comment on Leroy’s future plans, and while calls to Leroy were not returned by press time, it seems the former co-owner is working on a new project: EWAL Culinary Consultants will offer planning and development services to burgeoning food-related businesses.
The bistro owner expects a “relaunch of some sort” by the end of this month.
Pig out
This month’s issue of Vegetarian Times gives a shout out to Nelson County’s White Pig Bed & Breakfast. The magazine praises the Vegan B&B for its setting, which offers “a natural buffer between you and a harried world,” and provides readers with a recipe for White Pig Blueberry Pancakes. Find out more at thewhitepig.com.
Market value
The food cart craze continues. The latest addition, an old-timey stand from Market Street Market, is parked on the Downtown Mall in front of Union Bank at the Fourth Street intersection. It boasts all the essentials—fresh fruit, bottled juices, pastries and freshly brewed iced tea—and menus for the Market’s deli, where you can build your own sandwich for $3.99. Restaurantarama hears they don’t skimp on the portions, either.
Farm stop
Business was booming for Patricia Kluge last week, as visitors to her estate auction preview crowded in to the Kluge Estate Farm Shop post-view to nosh on summer salads and sip on wine flights. Restaurantarama enjoyed a plate of crabcakes and a side of coleslaw. Yum!
What’s in a name?
Facilities at UVA’s Davenport Stadium were officially named—after major University donors—last week. On the list? The baseball team’s new OrderTopia Film Room. John McAllister, a UVA grad and key player in the film room renovation, is an investor in OrderTopia, a mobile application for placing food orders. OrderTopia is brought to you by another local face, Eppie’s co-owner Dan Epstein.
