Richmond Dining-Out scene

[burt]

Star mixologist, Bobby Kruger, will be slinging his last cocktails across the bar at BISTRO 27 pretty soon.

Like many excellent Richmond-based actors who long for a nibble at The Big Apple, Kruger aspires to bartending at top-line New York City bars. He has an excellent gig awaiting him at an up scale Soho bar in lower Manhattan.

Here's an interview with Deveron Timberlake in today's Style Weekly:

http://www.styleweek...ent?oid=1726871

Edited June 28, 2012 by burt

[burt]

Richmond's star mixologist, Bobby Kruger, will be slinging his last cocktails across the bar at BISTRO 27 pretty soon.

Like many excellent Richmond-based actors who long for a nibble at The Big Apple, Kruger aspires to bartending at top-line New York City bars. He has an excellent gig awaiting him at an up scale Soho bar in lower Manhattan.

Here's an interview with Deveron Timberlake in today's Style Weekly:

http://www.styleweek...ent?oid=1726871

Mr. Kruger will be behind the bar of an excellent restaurant on Prince Street that was formerly known as SAVOY.

Here is its website:

http://backfortynyc....ty-west-mobile/

Edited June 28, 2012 by burt

[burt]

A new restaurant in The Museum District has been carved out of an old service station and will open tomorrow (Thursday, June 28th) at 2901 Park Avenue.

Guiseppe Scafidi who has associations with Stuzzi and Azzurro, two highly rated Richmond Italian restaurants, will call his new cafe DECO. It's across the street from Bandito's in "The Devil's Triangle" formed by The Boulevard, Park and Patterson Avenues and Shepard Street.

From today's Richmond dot com:

http://www2.richmond...eco-ar-1998284/

[burt]

Adam Richman, the Travel Channel's foodie, named Kevin Roberts' Confederate steamship sandwich the best in the mid Atlantic region. Now, Kevin and his BLACK SHEEP restaurant near VCU will go up against nine other regions in America.

From Karri Peifer in today's Richmond dot com:

http://www2.richmond...han-ar-2018554/

[burt]

More on Adam Richman at THE BLACK SHEEP:

From today's RVA News (click the highlighed phrase to see the video):

http://rvanews.com/features/travel-channel/62149

[burt]

Dana Craig hits every city neighborhood in her quest for fine dining. Sometimes she comes upon true gems; other forays uncover a few dogs.

Since early winter, in Shockoe Bottom, she has found 3-star satisfaction with Arcadia; less than pleasing results at 2113 (although it subsequently has hired John Maher as co-chef) and 3-star pleasure at ON THE ROX.

For a few years, ON THE ROX at 119 North 18th between Franklin and Grace Streets was a bar called Element but has lately transformed itself into a more than respectable bistro.

It has a rather stark interior (www.roxrva.com) but its Johnson & Wales trained chef is providing tasty appetizers and entrees. And it offers a HALF-priced Happy Hour.

There are a few other new-ish Bottom restaurants that I hope we'll be hearing about from Dana -- Maximo's, C'est le Vin, Tio Pablo and even one called Luncheonette.

From today's RTD:

http://www2.timesdis...out-ar-2018461/

ON THE ROX

Dana's rating: 3 Stars

119 North 18th Street in Shockoe Bottom

804/303-9444

Noise Level: Average to High

Tab for two: $46

[burt]

Yesterday, I wrote about Dana Craig's coverage of On the Rox and mentioned other newly opened restaurants in Shockoe Bottom that I hoped might be on her to-do review list. One of them was TIO PABLO.

Today, Richmond dot com's dining-out couple, Jon and Leah Nelson, offer their comments on the new Taco space that was once known as Pappa Nino.

I'm a bit puzzled by their opening line, but they certainly seem to have enjoyed their meals in the colorful Mexican cantina. TIO PABLO is a spin off of Millie's and Lulu's.

From today's Richmond dot com:

http://www2.richmond.com/entertainment/2012/jun/29/tio-pablo-restaurant-review-ar-2020717/

TIO PABLO

The Nelson's rating: 3 Stars

1703 East Franklin Street in Shockoe Bottom

804/643-4828

[burt]

A few years ago, restaurateur Mo Roman came to Richmond from Fredericksburg and transformed an old bank building on East Main between 10th and 11th Streets into the most "in" spot for upscale downtown dining. Tables at BANK were in high demand and the bar was a popular meeting place. After delays, he opened the lower level of the building as a flashy night spot called VAULT.

Hie announced a plan to open a chic Italian Pizza restaurant on the ground level of the *Berry Burk building to be called PIE. That never materialized, but he did take over the tiny but charming Il Pagliacci on Lombardy Street in The Fan and tagged it with the PIE name. Almost directly across the street from the booming Balliceaux bar and restaurant, PIE is still open for business.

Alas, VAULT shut down some months ago and sadly, BANK folded this month. But, the bank building will open within days as a remodeled restaurant called BLISS.

*The very elegant 525 AT THE BERRY BURK has no connection to Mo Roman. It opened officially at 6th and Grace Streets on June 20th. It is managed by Paul Haas and partially financed by Jim and Ted Ukrop.

From Karri Peifer in today's Richmond dot com:

http://www2.richmond...iss-ar-2020957/

Edited June 29, 2012 by burt

[burt]

There has always been a restaurant of the diner variety at 9 North 4th Street for as long as I can remember.

The space, next to Massad House Hotel, has been known as 4th Street Diner and, most recently, Bill's Barbeque.

This week, it will reopen as TIMES SQUARE DINER with an emphasis on fast service and Philly Steaks.

From today's Richmond biz sense:

http://www.richmondb...ew-york-minute/

Edited July 3, 2012 by burt

[jbjust]

Bank appears to be closed and a restaurant with a different name (which I can't remember) appears to have taken its place. Seemed to be open today, but was hard to tell.

[burt]

Bank appears to be closed and a restaurant with a different name (which I can't remember) appears to have taken its place. Seemed to be open today, but was hard to tell.

The former Bank is now called BLISS (see my long-winded comment about Mo Roman two postings above.)

[burt]

Deveron Timberlake's Short Order column is devoted primarily to Kevin Healey's next restaurant project. He operates two places in Richmond called "Boathouse" -- both with water vistas.

Healey's first Boathouse is on the eastern shore of Swift Creek Lake. But it's his second one overlooking the tidal James River with spectacular views of the downtown skyline that has won architectural awards.

Around the first of November, a third Boathouse, although it will be called by its Spanish name, CASA del BARCO, will open on yet another water site. The plan is for an upscale Mexican style cantina in the Italianate multi-storey structure along the Haxall Canal.

From the current Style Weekly:

http://www.styleweek...ent?oid=1729645

Guessing from other recent photos that show patches of white, I suspect the entire buff-colored Italianate building will be cleaned.

[burt]

Scroll down on the website and take a look at the interior of MAXIMO's with what looks like an almost full house in a very attractive space.

It joins several other toney places in Shockoe Bottom such as JULEP's,and ARCADIA.

I will certainly dine there on my next Richmond visit. It is at 14 North 18th Street.

http://www.maximosbi...#!home/mainPage

[burt]

The sleek new dining room and bar at 6th and Grace Street has been (to use a theatrical phrase) "in previews" since late May.

Writer Nathan Cushing takes a look at 505 AT THE BERRY BURK in anticipation of the restaurant's formal Grand Opening which has not yet been announced.

Manager Paul Haas and his crew faced an onslaught last Friday night when 150 ticket holders for a sold out concert at neighboring Carpenter Theatre simultaneously filled every seat for pre-show dinner.

From today's RVANews:

http://rvanews.com/news/525/62344

Edited July 6, 2012 by burt

[burt]

Leah and Jon Nelson took a bucolic dinner break at a farm house half way between Richmond and Williamsburg.

You'll see CHARLES CITY TAVERN on your left as you're driving along Route 5. It is before you get to the Chickahominy River Bridge, so keep your eyes peeled.

Like the Nelson's, the likelihood is that you will be enchanted by the homey setting and the sophisticated menu.

From today's Richmond dot com:

http://www2.richmond.com/entertainment/2012/jul/06/charles-city-tavern-restaurant-review-ar-2036314/

CHARLES CITY TAVERN

The Nelson's rating: Three and a half stars

9220 John Tyler Memorial Highway (Route 5) -- about a half hour drive east of Richmond

804/829-5004

[burt]

Jake Crocker is one of Richmond's food barons. In addition to his Richmond operations he is expanding his properties in Fredericksburg.

Locally, he all but controls the intersection of Stafford and Main Streets. LADY N'AWLINS CAJUN CAFE and F. W. SULLIVANS occupy the southeast and southwest corners and UPTOWN MARKET & DELI is ready to open on the northwest corner.

From today's Richmond Biz Sense:

http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2012/07/06/long-delayed-fan-deli-set-to-open/

[burt]

Style's restaurant expert, Deveron Timberlake, writes today in her Short Order column about current goings-on in town.

DECO, the new and unusual Sicilian small eatery generally eschews red sauces. Chef Giuseppi Scafidi has only a dozen or so tables in DECO at 2901 Park Avenue.

THE MOVABLE FEAST at 1318 East Cary Street is calling it quits. The building's owner, Tom Papa and his son, are contemplating a pizza shop as replacement for the highly regarded catering business.

POSITIVE VIBE at Stratford Hills is adding a continental chef with a Scottish burr. Craig Smith was trained by Jamie Oliver and was a chef at JAMIE'S ITALIAN in Glasgow.

Local culinary school MISE EN PLACE at Shockoe Plaza in The Slip is offering a brief course on cup-cake making.

From the current Style Weekly:

http://www.styleweek...ent?oid=1732443

[burt]

Book early if you want to celebrate Bastile Day at a French restaurant in Richmond.

Karri Peifer has compiled menu information about three of the best -- and one of them will go so far as to have a line of high kicking Can Can girls dancing on its bar (you can guess which one. )

Here are websites for two of them (click on the highlighted CAN CAN BRASSERIE link in Karri's story:)

http://www.amourwinebistro.com/

http://www.bistrobobette.com/

From Richmond dot com:

http://www2.richmond...day-ar-2044271/

[burt]

Don't let the name LUNCH limit your visits to Scotts Addition. The humble appearing reincarnation of a country style diner has a 3-star menu and serves from 8AM (10AM on weekends) to 10PM every day of the week.

Dana Craig has sampled sandwiches as well as entrees and rates them highly.

Dana's slideshow with appropriate harmonica and guitar scoring includes an exterior shot of the frame building. I bet a quarter esteemed local and out-of-town muralists are salivating over the blank space on one of the walls.

From today's RTD:

http://www2.timesdis...t-d-ar-2050330/

LUNCH

Dana's rating: 3 stars

1213 Summit Avenue (in the block north of West Broad Street in Scotts Addition)

804/353-0111

Noise level: Average

Tab for two: $39

[burt]

SINE, which I don't know how to accent but know it is pronounced "shi-nay" is undergoing a $243,000 remodeling.

The very popular Irish pub is at the corner of East Cary and Virginia Streets in Shockoe Slip. Directly across Cary Street at the Religious Freedom site, two Marriott hotels (Residence and Courtyard) have been approved and will be under construction soon.

[burt]

REPUBLIC at 2053 West Broad has reopened after a brief shut-down.

IPANEMA, the funky vegaterian restaurant and bar at 917 West Grace in the VCU area is undergoing a refurbishing.

An Italian restaurant called ANTHONY'S ON THE HILL at 2824 East Broad is open for business.

And, apparently a soul-food place on North 25th between Marshall and Clay Streets that call's itself OMG CAFE has put its business (not the property itself) up for sale.

See full details (and be sure to click on the highlighted links) in this piece from today's RVANews.

http://rvanews.com/f...novations/62659

PS: This is not mentioned in the story, but I have written about it on these pages. Another new restaurant is almost ready to open in Church Hill at 27th and East Marshall Streets. It will be called DUTCH & CO. The fellow who runs AZIZA'S ON MAIN is one of the partners in the operation.

[RVA-Is-The-Best]

This isn't really settling to hear, but the REPUBLIC has filed for Chapter 11 protection, and is reopening.

The good side is of course that it is reopening, but the bad side is that the restaurant was having trouble paying $300,000 in taxes, thus shutting it down. Now, we wait and watch.

Here's what BizSense says about it:

http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2012/07/13/the-republic-files-bankruptcy-but-reopens/

[burt]

Here is the latest update of non-chain restaurants in Richmond from Richmond Good Life:

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

[burt]

Two items that caught my eye in the current Short Order column by Deveron Timberlake (with an assist from Jason Roop) were that PASTURE is being partially sound-proofed, and that 2113 had its Grand Opening July 9th after barely surviving a five-month trial run. The menu has been spiffed up by chefs John Maher and Aaron Hoskins

From Style Weekly:

http://www.styleweek...ent?oid=1734915

[burt]

Avalon is practically next door, Helen's is just down the street and Acacia is only a block and a half away.

But you gotta try The 'BOO, folks.

OK, officially it's THE BAMBOO CAFE at Main and Mulberry Streets and it has owned that corner for -- how long? Maybe 40/50 years? I always thought of it in my Richmond years as a dark neighborhood bar with a very propicious clientele.

And then, along comes Dana Craig who reveals its culinary secrets.

Here is Dana's 3-star review in today's RTD:

http://www2.timesdis...enu-ar-2067259/

THE BAMBOO CAFE

Dana's rating: 3 Stars

#1 South Mulberry Street (on the corner of Main in the Upper Fan)

804/353-1609

http://www.bamboo-cafe.us

Noise level: Average to high

Tab for two: $45