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Richmond Dining-Out scene

burt

By burt
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georgeglass
georgeglass

If you haven't been here, you definitely need to go. It is my favorite restaurant in the city, and I have had some of my favorite dining experiences ever here. It does not surprise me that it is garne

Henrico Weather
Henrico Weather

Did I read somewhere that Hooter's and/or Tilted Kilt were going to open in Short Pump in the space(s) vacated by Keagan's and The Halligan? Or was that just wishful thinking on my part?   Twitter

rjp212
rjp212

Comfort is set to close at the end of the month, after 17 1/2 years in business. https://www.richmond.com/food-drink/restaurant-news/it-s-time-comfort-restaurant-is-closing-at-the-end/article_131

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burt Megalopolis

burt

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That kind of rings a bell, but I don't know. I was waiting for someone else to jump in that might know for sure.

ZED was discussed in this thread a few months ago. I'll try to find it and move it up here, but it will take me a little while.

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burt Megalopolis

burt

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Our friend Deveron at Style tells us about a new restaurant tenant in what used to be Indocine at 2923 West Cary Street. It is called CARYTOWN SUSHI. It is affiliated via partnership with the highly respected AKIDA sushi houses. In addition to sushi, habachi dinners and other cooked entrees will be available.

The non-smoking space will have a long bar that serves up exotic concoctions such as Tokyo Sunsets and Blushing Geisha cocktails.

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Deveron makes reference to new banners strung outside BECKY's, the breakfast and lunch cafe at 101 East Cary Street (at 1st Street). My inference of Deveron's comment is that the banners resemble a form of unattractive grafiti. This particular block has some architectural treasures which deserve respect.

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burt Megalopolis

burt

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Dana Craig's pick for this week's restaurant assessment is VIVA MEXICO in Carytown. The two-star rated south of the border cafe at 2929 West Cary Street, tel. 804/377-9240 joins many other similar places in the area, though it might be a tad less spicy than most. But it's reasonable in price.

Perhaps someday Richmond will get an expansion of ROSA MEXICANA, a chain with limited locations that offers a taste of Mexican cuisine and decor not presently found in Metro Richmond.

VIVA MEXICO is a couple of doors up the street from my Carytown favorite, The Track.

Tab for two: $30.

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Icetera Burg

Icetera

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I have to admit to being amazed that BLACKFINN appears to be doing so well. After years of vacant space at the base of the buildings at ROTJ as well as the ABC application on the Power Plant door since last October, I took it as an omen that the area was jinxed.

Sad to hear that McAllisters called it quits, but you have to hand it to them for pioneering the Haxall Canal front when no one else would.

Here's hoping the other vacant spaces with great river views on the first level of the residential building get some tenants as well as the Power Plant and the now vacant McAllisters.

It seems that with Blackfinn now drawing so many down there, McAllisters may be calling quits prematurely.

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journiyin Hamlet

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It seems that with Blackfinn now drawing so many down there, McAllisters may be calling quits prematurely.

It is like those people who invested in Yahoo and Google... you pick the right horse, you win, because they are the fastest and they can do it over and over again. Someone will take McAllisters place though.... once they see the money being raked in by Blackfinn. It doesnt hurt though that everyone who goes to BlackFinn right now is because it is the 'New Bar' downtown... and you arent hip if you dont visit it each night.

I guess I fell out of the hip crowd when I decided to bypass BlackFinn due to the line... which didnt move...

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burt Megalopolis

burt

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A line at BLACKFINN's??? I wouldn't want to stand in it, or anybody's line, at my age. But a line to many youngsters means "it's the place to be."

And if there was a slow-moving line on Thursday at BLACKFINN's (which I suppose you are referring to, journi), imagine what it must have been like last night after the Chuck Brown concert on Browns Island! According to news reports, Brown attracted crowds not only on site but at distant locations, such as Manchester Bridge where carsfull parked to listen.

Some say with veracity that many clubs have their day then fade away. I hope that's not the case with the aforementioned spot. The Tobacco Company bar still thrives after 35 years as do many other spots.

If Cordish were smart, he'd capatalize on the success of his first bar on scene and start filling other vacant spaces with attractive businesses assuring sure-fire appeal.

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Has anyone any news on ICE BAR in Scott's Addition? I saw a travel piece on Denmark and Sweden last night on TV, and one of the scenes was in the "Ice Bar" in Stockholm. Looked and sounded like a lot of fun!

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nhughes Whistle-Stop

nhughes

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Did anyone attend First Friday Art Walk last night? How about a comment or two?

And has anyone dined at MARSHALL STREET CAFE at the corner of Marshall and Adams Streets? I plan to try it out on my upcoming visit.

No, we had out of town guests and were dining at the Cheesecake Factory on Friday night. It was my first time there, and I enjoyed it.

I have always heard that the portions were immense, but none of our dishes seemed out of the ordinary. This isn't a complaint, because I had room to try the cheesecake (WOW). Also, I hate feeling like I'm being gluttonus just because the restaurant doesn't have any concept of portion control. It's nice to have enough food for a few meals left over, but it's really not necessary.

The prices were also surprisingly reasonable.

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burt Megalopolis

burt

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Hahaha, nhughes. Most people who read and contribute to this thread loathe chains. I have a preference for home-owned local eateries, but chains are a fact of life and many are quite good, IMO.

I've never tried CHEESECAKE FACTORY, but have been to several others in the life-style shopping centers. FLEMING'S WINE & STEAK at Stony Point is quite good, and I especially enjoyed BRIO TUSCAN GRILL. And PF CHANG's has been a fun and tasty experience on my two visits.

MORTON's and RUTH's CRIS are good in Richmond, but BUCKHEAD's, locally owned, in Beverly Hills Shopping Center at Patterson and Parham is a super good steak house.

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nhughes Whistle-Stop

nhughes

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Hahaha, nhughes. Most people who read and contribute to this thread loathe chains. I have a preference for home-owned local eateries, but chains are a fact of life and many are quite good, IMO.

I've never tried CHEESECAKE FACTORY, but have been to several others in the life-style shopping centers. FLEMING'S WINE & STEAK at Stony Point is quite good, and I especially enjoyed BRIO TUSCAN GRILL. And PF CHANG's has been a fun and tasty experience on my two visits.

MORTON's and RUTH's CRIS are good in Richmond, but BUCKHEAD's, locally owned, in Beverly Hills Shopping Center at Patterson and Parham is a super good steak house.

Yeah, I know. I try to stay away from them, too, but they are part of the Richmond dining landscape, so they can't be ignored.

I haven't been to most of the chains (although PF CHANG's was nice, and I'll probably go back sometime). Usually I end up at a chain when I'm dining with my parents and/or my sister. They know I prefer the non-chains, but there's no reason for me to be a snot about it. :) --- Plus, there are a lot of decent places that I would miss entirely if I absolutely ruled out chains.

That being said, I always return to the non-chains because I like to help support the independents. The chains make way more than their deserved share of the overall market.

In fact, just last night we ate at THAI DINER II in Carytown, and had dessert at CAFE GUTENBERG (mmmm....Banoffi!).

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burt Megalopolis

burt

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If they market this right, they can get a ton of exposure... even on the national level I would imagine. This should be a very interesting "addition" to Richmond's club scene although I wish it were coming downtown instead.

Right, ric75. And what better location than the Cold Storage six-building complex in "North" Shockoe Bottom getting ready to begin conversion to residential and commercial?

But better Scott's Addition than no where for INFUZION.

Just for clarification, as in Stockholm, the entire space will not be a frozen room. The Ice Bar itself will be a separate area which customers may enter after being issued parkas. Vodka will be the specialty bar drink in the room made of ice, including the bar itself. Visitors in the igloo like space will probably be limited to visits of 45 minutes or so, then be required to surrender their parkas and re-enter the warm, snug lounges with dance floors. It'll probably attract a lot of curious bar adventurers from as far away as DC and HR.

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nhughes Whistle-Stop

nhughes

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Whoever would have dreamed that Virginia would rank fifth as a wine destination?

Also its restaurants are a drawing card according to Travel + Leisure Magazine. And the top four ahead of Virginia aren't even in the US of A! :alc:

http://www.timesdispatch.com/content/cva/r...07-12-0073.html

Yeah, I was happy to see that until I looked at the others that were mentioned. Now I'm scratching my head as to its validity.

I don't remember all of the others, but I do remember that Italy was on the top 5, and that France was not. How did we beat France as a top wine destination? If I remember right, California wasn't even on there. Are we really just that good, and I'm taking it for granted?

In any case, it's still great publicity for VA! :)

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nhughes Whistle-Stop

nhughes

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Had dinner at Rosie Connolly's down in Shockoe Bottom last night. WOW!

I've always loved going to see Tommy down there for a pint or two (or three), but this is the first time we've been down for a full meal. They have reasonable prices and incredible food!

Fish and chips (standard for a pub, but done perfectly)

Meatloaf with a blue cheese merlot sauce, real mashed potatoes, and fresh green beans

as an appetizer: Avocado stuffed with shrimp salad and a plate of fruit with seasoning (old bay, maybe?)

All in all, WOW! :)

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burt Megalopolis

burt

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Had dinner at Rosie Connolly's down in Shockoe Bottom last night. WOW!

I've always loved going to see Tommy down there for a pint or two (or three), but this is the first time we've been down for a full meal. They have reasonable prices and incredible food!

Fish and chips (standard for a pub, but done perfectly)

Meatloaf with a blue cheese merlot sauce, real mashed potatoes, and fresh green beans

as an appetizer: Avocado stuffed with shrimp salad and a plate of fruit with seasoning (old bay, maybe?)

All in all, WOW! :)

That's a great report on ROSIE CONNOLLY's, nh. Guess I never tought much about anyone eating there. I've had "grub" at PENNY LANE, and that one word is about all I could say to describe their food.

Is ROSIE's a popular place? Were there many others dining there?

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nh, I was a surprised as you by the Travel + Leisure ranking of Virginia's wine and, I have to say, just as skeptical. When Virginia outranks France and California in wine quality, I think one has to take it with serious doubt.

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burt Megalopolis

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I was about to comment on Dana Craig's dining-out review just as UP switched servers.

Richmond is not Addis Ababa or DC's Adams Morgan, but according to Dana, you can get a pretty damned good Ethiopian treat at NILE. The restaurant, once the home of the infamous HOLE-IN-THE-WALL, is on the east side of Laurel Street between Grace and Broad.

Dana says "Ethiopian cuisine isn't for everyone. It forgoes inedible utensils for injera, a pourous sour-dough flavored crepe used for scooping up exotic sauces, complex stews and aromatic meat and vegetable dishes."

This Northern African cafe, while offering meat on its menu, might well be put on vegetarians' lists as well.

"Nile opened several years ago but gained new life early last year when the current owners, Nathan Teklemariam and his mother, chef Yeshareg Demisse, took over. The pair revamped the decor and made the menu healthier with gluten-free, vegetarian and low fat options.

"Nile succeeds in making exotic approachable for its eclectic clientele. No traditional low tables and stools here. During our dinner visit, instrumental jazz from an 'Ethiopiques' compilation CD languidly mingled with the enticing aromas of unusual spices. Laid-back is an understatement."

And they can mix up some good martinis, too.

Try NILE, which has been awarded three stars by Dana Craig of the Times Dispatch.

309 North Laurel Street

tel. 804/225-5544

Tab for two: $36 ---- Huh? It must have been a "dry" evening, Dana! :lol:

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