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[burt]

MANSION FIVE 26 approaches the entertainment/food business in a secret-agent kind of way.    Or so writes Robey Martin in her Style Weekly review.  When climbing the few stairs to the mansion's front door, her party was diverted by a bouncer to an alleyway where they found a sort of hidden entry.

That was not my introduction to the building back in December.  I simply walked through the front door, down a corridor with a dining room to the left and a sumptious bar at the end of the hall where I had a highball.

Anyway, soul food is the focus, and judging from the picture, it's heavy on cholesterol -- chicken and waffles, mac & cheese with beans.  There are less fattening options on the menu as well.

From the current Style Weekly:

http://www.styleweek...ent?oid=1664421

MANSION FIVE 26
526 North Second Street in Jackson Ward
804/266-2021
There is a website for the adjoining Hippodrome Theatre:  

http://www.hippodromerichmond.com

Edited by burt, 08 February 2012 - 11:41 AM.

[burt]

A feature in Deveron Timberlake's Short Order column this week is about Holy Yang who runs a chic restaurant called MADE IN ASIA at 7302 Hancock Village Drive in western Chesterfield County.  Encouraged by the growth of nightlife activity in the Shockoe Slip area, she has taken a lease on the former Hunan Cafe at 1112 East Main Street.

Her new elegant venture, aimed at a youthful efluent demographic, will be called A2.  It will join new venues such as SYNERGY and KAI and established clubs like OFF THE HOOKAH, EPIC THEATRE, BANK and TOBACCO COMPANY CLUB.

A side note:  In the photograph accompanying Deveron's story, the white-fronted building at extreme right  in the 1970's was a high-end French restaurant for about a year, although I've forgotten its name.  It's the structure at the northwest corner of 12th and Main with the artfully peeling paint effect on its facade.

From the current Style Weekly:

http://www.styleweek...ent?oid=1664590

Edited by burt, 08 February 2012 - 11:45 AM.

[540_804]

Peter Chang's Richmond Spot Now Open

http://www2.richmond...ove-ar-1584363/

[burt]

540_804, on 08 February 2012 - 07:05 PM, said:

Peter Chang's Richmond Spot Now Open

http://www2.richmond...ove-ar-1584363/

Yes!!!  And if it's successful in Short Pump, Chang may open a restaurant in the downtown area.

[burt]

Dana Craig bestows three stars on ARCADIA.

The new steak house is in the 2-story building formerly known as Cafe Gutenberg (and before that, the funky Main Street Grill.)

I dined there over the holidays and agree with everything Dana has to say. It and Julep's add class to The Bottom.

From Dana Craig in today's RTD:  (Click on the "gallery" for photos.)

http://www2.timesdis...mak-ar-1674427/

ARCADIA
Dana's rating:  3 Stars
1700 East Main Street in Shockoe Bottom (valet parking available for $5.)
http://www.arcadiarichmond.com
Twitter:  @ArcadiaRVA
Noise level:  Average
Tab for two:  $85

[burt]

C STREET in the old church space once occupied by Acacia before it moved a few blocks east is reviewed by the Nelson couple who awarded it 2 and 1/2 stars.

From today's Richmond dot com:

http://www2.richmond...iew-ar-1676656/

C STREET
Leah and Jon's rating:  Two-and-a-half stars
3325 West Cary Street
804/355-2200

Edited by burt, 10 February 2012 - 11:48 AM.

[burt]

PETER CHANG is in town and he welcomed a house full of Richmond chefs to sample his World Class cuisine.

http://fatbackandfoi...n-richmond.html

[burt]

Just imagine a PETER CHANG CAFE on East Grace Street between 5th and 6th Streets.    It would be the kind of "destination" restaurant that  would attract heavy traffic to an area that is just starting to come alive.

[burt]

Karri Peifer sounds like the reverse of those suburbanites who swear they'll never set foot downtown.  But PETER CHANG'S CAFE has changed her mind.

She succumbed to Chang's mystique and is now a devotee.

Apparently PETER CHANG'S CAFE in a Short Pump shoping center is advertising itself as being just off Richmond's Beltway (I-295) so that  eager Washingtonians can be tempted to make the 2-hour trip.

Some suggest that Chang's present location will morph into a training center for the Chinese master's future dining empire after he establishes a signature restaurant closer to downtown Richmond.

From today's Richmond dot com:

http://www2.richmond...eal-ar-1679763/

[burt]

Here is the list of ELBY winners announced at the awards affair at Virginia Historical Society.

From chpn News:

http://chpn.net/news...12-elbys_21441/

PS:  The word "ELBY" springs from one of the best chefs ever in Richmond -- Paul Elbling whose LA PETITE FRANCE put Richmond on National culinary maps.  He and his wife Marie Antoinette, who was the hostess at the restaurant, had a large following before finally closing down after a decade or more.

Edited by burt, 13 February 2012 - 02:05 PM.

[burt]

Brandon Fox interviewed Peter Chang for Richmond Magazine on February 7th:

http://www.richmondm...d77b329b7039965

[burt]

Deep South Magazine has some good advice for eating out in the Southeast.  So, if any of you folks live in Dixie you might want to scan this story to see if your favorite restaurant is listed.

The only entries for Virginia are in Richmond.  PASTURE gets some good words, and they REALLY like ROOSEVELT.

I found this on the facepage for 525 AT THE BERRY BURK:

http://deepsouthmag....-south-in-2012/

[burt]

About 80,000 tickets have already been sold for the 4-week run of THE LION KING opening tonight at The Landmark Theatre.

Considering the number of theatre-goers, and VCU students, as well as attendees at basketball games at the nearby Siegel Center, finding parking will require some ingenuity.  Theatre management is suggesting patrons arrive an hour and a half before performance time.

Why not go early to the neighborhood, find a spot and dine at a near-by restaurant?

Here's Richmond Good Life's listing of Fan area restaurants, many of which are within walking distance of The Landmark Theatre:

http://www.richmondg...restaurants.htm

PS:  It's not as if the parking situation is a new problem.  The Landmark has lots of sold-out houses, i.e.  concerts, forums, shows and other events (remember WICKED?)

[burt]

Deveron Timberlake's Short Order column in the current Style Weekly discusses:

KEBAB & BIRYANI in West Broad Village
BLOWTOAD in Carytown
TOWER FISH HOUSE (formerly known as Byram's) under the Channel 6 tower on West Broad Street
THE ROOSTER CART, often found near Bandito's on Patterson Avenue West of The Boulevard
and
BURGER BACH on Thompson Street near near Elwood Thompson Market.  It's Michael Ripp's newest venture.

http://www.styleweek...ent?oid=1667019

[burt]

I hope readers are not bored with stories about Peter Chang.  His entry into the Richmond Market is big news, make no mistake.

I hope one of the future news accounts tells of his plans for downtown Richmond -- Miller & Rhoads, perhaps?

From Deveron Timberlake in the current Style Weekly:

http://www.styleweek...ent?oid=1667013

Edited by burt, 15 February 2012 - 02:02 PM.

[burt]

burt, on 15 February 2012 - 12:20 PM, said:

About 80,000 tickets have already been sold for the 4-week run of THE LION KING opening tonight at The Landmark Theatre.

Considering the number of theatre-goers, and VCU students, as well as attendees at basketball games at the nearby Siegel Center, finding parking will require some ingenuity.  Theatre management is suggesting patrons arrive an hour and a half before performance time.

Why not go early to the neighborhood, find a spot and dine at a near-by restaurant?

Here's Richmond Good Life's listing of Fan area restaurants, many of which are within walking distance of The Landmark Theatre:

http://www.richmondg...restaurants.htm

PS:  It's not as if the parking situation is a new problem.  The Landmark has lots of sold-out houses, i.e.  concerts, forums, shows and other events (remember WICKED?)

Here's Channel 12's video:

http://www.nbc12.com...d-for-lion-king

[burt]

MANSION FIVE 26 gets no rating in Dana Craig's RTD review.  That's an omission that is happening with some frequency at The Times Dispatch.  I wonder if Dana is aware that the online editions of the newspaper have failed to print her ratings in three of her last four weekly reviews?

But worry not.  IMO, you'll be able to read at least 3-stars between her lines.

MANSION FIVE 26 in Jackson Ward may be heavy on the caloric side, but it's a clever and fun place.  (Have you ever read a web page written in ancient Latin? )

From today's RTD (be sure to click on all the highlighted links in the Related box:)  

http://www2.timesdis...the-ar-1691971/

MANSION FIVE 26
Dana's Rating:  ?
526 North 2nd Street (between Clay and Leigh Streets)
Valet Parking available
804/308-2913
http://www.mansionfive26.com
http://www.hippodromerichmond.com
Noise level:  Average to high
Tab for two:  $66

[burt]

The annual Virginia Wine Expo will liven up the Greater Richmond Convention Center Friday, Saturday and Sunday, February 24th, 25th and 26th.

http://virginiawineexpo.com/

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

burt, on 15 February 2012 - 12:48 PM, said:

Deveron Timberlake's Short Order column in the current Style Weekly discusses:

KEBAB & BIRYANI in West Broad Village
BLOWTOAD in Carytown
TOWER FISH HOUSE (formerly known as Byram's) under the Channel 6 tower on West Broad Street
THE ROOSTER CART, often found near Bandito's on Patterson Avenue West of The Boulevard
and
BURGER BACH on Thompson Street near near Elwood Thompson Market.  It's Michael Ripp's newest venture.

http://www.styleweek...ent?oid=1667019

Being Indian, I actually visited the month-old K&B in WBV a couple of weeks ago, and I enjoyed the walk up counter and order-layout and style of the catering. The food was pretty good, and of course washed down with an ol' Kingfisher
And you better believe I visited BlowToad.... that place has become SO anticipated, whenever I've visited it so far (which is like, 10 times already) it has seemed pretty packed and popular.... that is certainly a good sign. It really livens up C-town.

[burt]

PASTURE is getting lots of attention.  Jason Alley (of COMFORT) and Ry Marchand (of SIX BURNER) who joined forces to create PASTURE, have spearheaded the return-to-downtown movement. There are new apartments in the area; the existing entertainment facilities (Coliseum, Convention Center, The National and Center Stage) attract thousands; and at least one more new up-scale restaurant is on the cusp of opening with, perhaps, another snooping around the Miller & Rhoads building for potential space.

Leah and Jon Nelson, writing in today's Richmond dot com, give PASTURE three stars.

http://www2.richmond...iew-ar-1694666/