tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30293580707017931932024-02-19T01:00:24.257-05:00Vintage Virginia DiningExploring Virginia's Food and WineAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08667853834187806339noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029358070701793193.post-69308738734828696452013-03-13T12:31:00.003-04:002013-03-13T12:31:58.625-04:00Miso Asian Grill & Sushi BarMy recent visit to Miso Asian Grill & Sushi Bar with my dad and sister was a tale of two stories: very good sushi and very bad service.<br />
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First, the food: We decided to start with the fried chicken dumplings. The dumplings were pretty average - nicely fried but very similar to the frozen dumplings Allie and I often buy at the grocery store. After finishing the dumplings, we ended up waiting a really long time for our sushi to arrive. When it finally did, though, it was worth the wait! We ordered the Angry Lobster roll off of the regular sushi menu as well as 3 rolls off of the daily specials menu (Batman roll and 2 others whose names escape me right now). The three special rolls were the first to arrive. The presentation was excellent (as you can see below), and each of the rolls was very good. The Batman roll - with snapper inside, then topped with tuna, avocado, and roe - was fresh and quite tasty. The Superman roll had tempura shrimp wrapped in rice paper and topped with a honey wasabi sauce. The third roll was filled with spicy tuna and then covered with a slightly spicy seaweed salad. And then the Angry Lobster roll arrived. The presentation was fantastic - with the roll presented as a lobster's body and capped off by a real lobster head and tail! The roll itself was our favorite of the night. It had crispy shrimp tempura, spicy crabmeat salad, and cucumber inside and then the roll was topped with sizeable chunks of sweet lobster meat. Delicious! <br />
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Now, the service: The first problem with the service was that Miso apparently had only 2 servers working on what turned out to be a pretty busy Friday night. Our server was inattentive and uninformed about the food. Our drinks and dumplings were served relatively promptly (though the server did bring us 2 waters and a Sprite in lieu of the 3 waters we had requested...). We ended up having to wait almost an hour between finishing our dumplings and receiving our first sushi rolls. During this long wait, we saw our server only once, at which time he stated that there was a party of 12 that ordered ahead of us and the sushi chef was really behind (and he did not offer to refill our by-then empty water glasses). We then watched as the sushi chef finished our dishes and placed them on the sushi bar. He then apparently took a break, as he disappeared for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, our server spent a full 5-10 minutes studying the sushi rolls and a menu, trying to determine which roll was which. He even called the other server over for help. Finally, he presented the sushi to us. Unfortunately, he still got the rolls completely mixed-up. Overall, very very poor service. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwiBoILvRlkcPhOKLEHkhYXq8v_SqQLM_u_9EliraOMni3JDfGD5wCidSx07GV6djSuKiW428_BPtMXQimKtKDg7DY-TqBBr_n-cnAQEIRQoFg-b0vALHyrcFrB61K_6_ZERfId6c3ucI/s1600/miso1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwiBoILvRlkcPhOKLEHkhYXq8v_SqQLM_u_9EliraOMni3JDfGD5wCidSx07GV6djSuKiW428_BPtMXQimKtKDg7DY-TqBBr_n-cnAQEIRQoFg-b0vALHyrcFrB61K_6_ZERfId6c3ucI/s1600/miso1.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;">Daily Special Rolls</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCrEdDtASe6qeufvBSg9K_v2rZd0DhF9l5J6b4iIMdky8XVQ5tXkquArbPMCqGzER3pwyVCv3dJRv94B58KNS6WedS5ImDwF5pmVO_qiKRKC5w8a7Dp-Cf3i-lfgDW3UKnvyveZrBL5gI/s1600/miso2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCrEdDtASe6qeufvBSg9K_v2rZd0DhF9l5J6b4iIMdky8XVQ5tXkquArbPMCqGzER3pwyVCv3dJRv94B58KNS6WedS5ImDwF5pmVO_qiKRKC5w8a7Dp-Cf3i-lfgDW3UKnvyveZrBL5gI/s1600/miso2.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;">Angry Lobster Roll</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjByBxcaOMw9rPqAELE6jGDWekYN2lSDfZqAXpeTNTCTJ5bYQj5rs4gk_4xgYTn8jwiJoymnp81Fo5gasE-00k-jz8CzJDdI-lgv_QdBu9CTKouneWOAsQW8Q9d83uHXnRunF9Qdc_6rsM/s1600/miso3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjByBxcaOMw9rPqAELE6jGDWekYN2lSDfZqAXpeTNTCTJ5bYQj5rs4gk_4xgYTn8jwiJoymnp81Fo5gasE-00k-jz8CzJDdI-lgv_QdBu9CTKouneWOAsQW8Q9d83uHXnRunF9Qdc_6rsM/s1600/miso3.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666;">Angry Lobster Roll again</span></td></tr>
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Overall Impression: Innovative, tasty sushi presented with a flair, though our experience was degraded by the terrible service. <br />
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Food Rating: <img border="0" class="rating" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" height="14" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" height="14" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" height="14" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold_half_grey.png" height="14" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_grey.png" height="14" width="14" /><br />
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Contact Information:<br />
Miso Asian Grill & Sushi Bar<br />
3601A Cox Road, Henrico, VA 23233<br />
(804)747-6888<br />
<a href="http://www.misoasiangrill.com/Henrico/index.html">http://www.misoasiangrill.com/Henrico/index.html</a><br />
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<br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/49/1659643/restaurant/Richmond/Glen-Allen/Miso-Asian-Grill-Sushi-Bar-Henrico"><img alt="Miso Asian Grill & Sushi Bar on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1659643/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08667853834187806339noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029358070701793193.post-35628163523941115502013-03-07T20:21:00.001-05:002013-03-07T20:22:15.947-05:00Virginia Wine ExpoAllie headed to Florida recently to participate in the Disney Princess Half Marathon (way to go Allie!). So I went down to Richmond to spend some time with my old man and we decided to hit up the 2013 Virginia Wine Expo downtown. Since we have both been to most (if not all) of the Charlottesville-area wineries, we decided to focus our Wine Expo experience on trying wineries that we had never tasted (and in some cases, never even heard of). This had the added benefit of helping to pace us through the enormous tasting room. Since there were so, so many wines at the expo, I decided that I would select my 5 favorite wines for this post.<br />
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And so, in no particular order, here were my 5 top wines from the 2013 Virginia Wine Expo:<br />
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- <b>Holly Grove Vineyards 2010 Chardonnay</b> - I don't normally like Chardonnay, but I must say I really enjoyed this one! Holly Grove explains that the soil on the Eastern Shore of Virginia imparts a different minerality to the grapes than is normally found. I have to agree with them! This particular Chardonnay was crisper and less buttery than most, which I appreciated.<br />
<a href="http://www.hollygrovevineyards.com/index.html" target="_blank">http://www.hollygrovevineyards.com/index.html </a><br />
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- <b>Wisteria Farm and Vineyard Seyval </b>- I haven't found a lot of Seyval Blancs in Virginia, but I have generally enjoyed the ones I have had. I found Wisteria's Seyval to have subtle but enticing aromas and flavors of citrus, making for a semi-dry and easily drinkable white wine. <br />
<a href="http://wisteriavineyard.com/5401.html">http://wisteriavineyard.com/5401.html</a><br />
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- <b>Bluestone Vineyard 2011 Sauvignon Blanc</b> - Sauvignon Blanc is one of my favorite white varietals, but I have had trouble finding versions of it from Virginia that I have enjoyed. Bluestone Vineyards surprised me with their estate-grown 2011 Sauvignon, which I found crisp and refreshing with hints of pineapple and grapefruit.<br />
<a href="http://www.bluestonevineyard.com/" target="_blank">http://www.bluestonevineyard.com/</a><br />
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- <b>Williamsburg Winery 2009 Trianon</b> - Cabernet Franc is one of the signature Virginia red wine grapes, and I generally enjoy it though I often find myself wishing that it had a touch less black pepper flavor and finish. Williamsburg's Trianon is 75% Cab Franc (blended with some Cab Sauv and Petit Verdot) that has just the most subtle of peppery finishes while maintaining the bright, bold, and earthy flavors of the Cabernet Franc.<br />
<a href="http://williamsburgwinery.com/">http://williamsburgwinery.com/</a><br />
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- <b>Annefield Vineyards 2008 Annefield Red</b> - Composed of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Cabernet Franc, and 20% Merlot. I found Annefield's 2008 Red blend to be full-bodied with well-rounded tannins and a bold flavor. With hints of dark cherry and cocoa, it begs to be paired with a hearty steak (like<a href="http://vintagevirginiadining.blogspot.com/2013/03/c-restaurant.html" target="_blank"> C&O restaurant's</a> Cuban ribeye). <br />
<a href="http://www.annefieldvineyards.com/index.php">http://www.annefieldvineyards.com/index.php</a><br />
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Finally, a few pictures from our visit to the Virginia Wine Expo...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikpxlclhmM4ZoSbEUbG68dGKS0eWvyllLajrx4d2civbBfuNiP3IhQV1rD6ZdZS97DB_6RfqH1Q4W-yw3Ze3CKm0qaUpGQvQemhcqN3ylVIQgUyWYx_X6iSHI3mdOHLJU5VsOjC9qejhM/s1600/expo1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikpxlclhmM4ZoSbEUbG68dGKS0eWvyllLajrx4d2civbBfuNiP3IhQV1rD6ZdZS97DB_6RfqH1Q4W-yw3Ze3CKm0qaUpGQvQemhcqN3ylVIQgUyWYx_X6iSHI3mdOHLJU5VsOjC9qejhM/s1600/expo1.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Tasting Sampler from the Homestead Resort</span></td></tr>
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Virginia Wine Expo<br />
2014 Dates: February 18-23, 2014<br />
<a href="http://www.virginiawineexpo.com/" target="_blank">http://www.virginiawineexpo.com/ </a><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08667853834187806339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029358070701793193.post-89268470775364872862013-03-07T20:18:00.001-05:002013-03-07T20:18:16.734-05:00C&O RestaurantI am ashamed to say that, after 8+ years in Charlottesville, this was my first visit to the legendary C&O Restaurant. Allie and I received a gift certificate to C&O, and because of that, finally made it out the restaurant! We made a reservation at the last minute for a chilly Wednesday evening. We were seated at a table on the main floor, just inside the entrance. The room is very rustic, with original hardwood flooring and wall paneling. There were several other tables seated in the small room, but it remained quiet and felt intimate nonetheless. I will also mention that the service was outstanding throughout our meal. (Side note: Please excuse my photography in this post - my camera flash decided not to work on this particular night.)<br />
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After spending some time with the wine list, we selected a bottle of Pinot Noir from one of our favorite Napa Valley wineries - Pine Ridge. We then moved on to the dinner menus. I must say that this was one of the few menus that I have seen off of which I would have ordered every single item! Allie and I decided to order 2 appetizers and 2 entrees and share them all so we could try as many dishes as possible. To start, Allie ordered the oyster stew and I selected the ricotta gnocchi. The oyster stew was delicious - with a subtle smokey flavor imparted by the bacon and some of the biggest, most tender oysters I have had in Virginia! We were also amazed by how well the oyster crackers in the stew held up - even by last few bites of the cup, the crackers still had a satisfying crunchy texture. The ricotta gnocchi was equally as good. The gnocchi themselves were delicate, pillow-like pouches of perfection. The gnocchi were arranged carefully atop a bolognese-style sauce of local pork that was slightly sweet and salty making for a perfectly composed dish that I would have been happy to eat an entree-sized portion of! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFnERjN2ySArcuxqKok_Uu07k66UHlv7L_mjdgIyq981vMbgbsbYz_FroNR2zBZYPPIHjdkaKiK98Wk3XAclHyQOc6HRgiH3XJOu2Qk_0paIUuqeHBXOD0TOoh79RlxjvM2ZPXldeW8Ks/s1600/cando1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFnERjN2ySArcuxqKok_Uu07k66UHlv7L_mjdgIyq981vMbgbsbYz_FroNR2zBZYPPIHjdkaKiK98Wk3XAclHyQOc6HRgiH3XJOu2Qk_0paIUuqeHBXOD0TOoh79RlxjvM2ZPXldeW8Ks/s1600/cando1.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Oyster Stew</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFPUW1ltV9FURZ9p0wbGtiCdjqlj35aXTahdu05uU1-tHG39f3OcEZA_M6RvsLMVw8xViekJQuQx2TvKTuYw73HGUJB-8vkhSnRXFax2uZCTZxul9ahlc7WOe_B15IOlLzeWQ6oTiE190/s1600/cando2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFPUW1ltV9FURZ9p0wbGtiCdjqlj35aXTahdu05uU1-tHG39f3OcEZA_M6RvsLMVw8xViekJQuQx2TvKTuYw73HGUJB-8vkhSnRXFax2uZCTZxul9ahlc7WOe_B15IOlLzeWQ6oTiE190/s1600/cando2.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Ricotta Gnocchi</span></td></tr>
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For dinner, both Allie and I selected steak options. This, too, was a tough decision for both of us and had I not just ordered Rag Mountain Trout at another restaurant recently, I think I might have opted for that as well. Anyhow, Allie ordered the Cuban ribeye steak and I ordered the Steak Chinoise. The Cuban ribeye came cooked to a flawless medium. The steak itself is modestly spicy - it is marinated in Tabasco and dijon mustard after all! The spice is attenuated perfectly by the tangy buttermilk blue cheese and sweet red onion jam that top the steak. If you like ribeye as much as I do, this dish is a must-try! And if
you don't think you like ribeye very much, just wait until you taste
this one! The Steak Chinoise was also delicious (though Allie and I both agreed that the Cuban ribeye was our favorite). The flank steak was incredibly tender (which can be quite an accomplishment) and also cooked to a perfect medium. The sauce is described as a "ginger, tamari, and scallion pan sauce" and had delicious umami qualities and invoked subtle flavors of peanut and soy. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnvvWRYJZ4BybrUrhqd9gZq1K_XBUNBZo266d3moB7UV-3rueNeQbsfQ0OQq2SlE18Xi3pernZw-oxv3i6G7KXS1rXVeRquHzJohAhdh12rtW30kw45E4U2WLPb-8fmqbuh4r8-XzeXtc/s1600/cando3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnvvWRYJZ4BybrUrhqd9gZq1K_XBUNBZo266d3moB7UV-3rueNeQbsfQ0OQq2SlE18Xi3pernZw-oxv3i6G7KXS1rXVeRquHzJohAhdh12rtW30kw45E4U2WLPb-8fmqbuh4r8-XzeXtc/s1600/cando3.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Cuban Ribeye Steak</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3yKtE4ZA-jI0HO57OouVC2CsmQFSyeyKmKh8Ko6Cs7LbtAyXWfRKP9PTZhZuX4vpbX5G-GenLpuH4B0_st3pLWS0RF5QRuWCz-x_FVbenUfRzo2K4Ofj45UG-fZuuFfJxs662PJAZD88/s1600/cando5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3yKtE4ZA-jI0HO57OouVC2CsmQFSyeyKmKh8Ko6Cs7LbtAyXWfRKP9PTZhZuX4vpbX5G-GenLpuH4B0_st3pLWS0RF5QRuWCz-x_FVbenUfRzo2K4Ofj45UG-fZuuFfJxs662PJAZD88/s1600/cando5.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Steak Chinoise</span></td></tr>
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By the time we had finished devouring all that beef, we were both really too full for dessert. But we looked at the menu anyway. And then we ordered dessert anyway. The warm cinnamon bun with homemade espresso chip ice cream was just irresistible. And it did not disappoint! The bun was gooey and delicious and the ice cream complemented it perfectly. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfpF3Th6Z21GXdeQSBEyMsK_bcyzL20i_f-1UUtuF-1l29TPGS-l0fydk5Y_3tPyZ5K6UnOhHO3JvXll4CqQoKzohEgw85cEOSgbH3SVIeqFW_YUYe3Iw6uouSCwGsEKxs2cA_S5hJ_HI/s1600/cando6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfpF3Th6Z21GXdeQSBEyMsK_bcyzL20i_f-1UUtuF-1l29TPGS-l0fydk5Y_3tPyZ5K6UnOhHO3JvXll4CqQoKzohEgw85cEOSgbH3SVIeqFW_YUYe3Iw6uouSCwGsEKxs2cA_S5hJ_HI/s1600/cando6.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Warm Cinnamon Bun</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Overall Impression: This was the best meal Allie and I have had in Charlottesville in years! Incredible food, great service, and a marvelous atmosphere! Get yourself to C&O as soon as possible!<br />
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Food Rating: <img border="0" class="rating" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" height="14" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" height="14" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" height="14" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" height="14" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" height="14" width="14" /><br />
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Contact Information:<br />
C&O Restaurant<br />
515 East Water Street, Charlottesville, VA 22902 (on the Downtown Mall)<br />
(434)971-7044
<br />
<a href="http://www.candorestaurant.com/">http://www.candorestaurant.com/</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/108/853074/restaurant/C-O-Restaurant-Charlottesville"><img alt="C & O Restaurant on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/853074/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08667853834187806339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029358070701793193.post-43378355022140642262013-02-26T19:51:00.001-05:002013-02-26T19:51:19.576-05:00Wine Review: Seven by King Family VineyardsLet me preface this review by telling you that I have never been a huge fan of after-dinner wines. That being said, King Family has definitely won me over with their Seven. As they will always mention at the tasting room, the wine is named after the "Seventh Chukker" in polo - which apparently is like the "19th hole" in golf - a very appropriate name for an after-dinner wine. Seven is made from 100% Merlot, which is fortified with brandy and aged in Kentucky bourbon barrels for two years. The result is a complex and luscious port-style wine. Seven has hints of oak and smoke on the nose. The flavors of the Merlot fruit can be identified in the wine, which then finishes with touches of caramel and vanilla imparted by the bourbon barrels. A word of caution - Seven clocks in at 18% alcohol by volume, so be careful!<br />
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Now, this is not a review of King Family Vineyards themselves, but I will mention one of the most unique aspects of King Family. The winery has a polo field located just outside the tasting room, where they host the extremely popular summertime Roseland Polo events and the annual Pink Ribbon Polo Classic. Polo kicks off May 26th this year with the Pink Ribbon Classic on June 16th. <br />
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Overall Impression: Slightly sweet, subtly smokey, and dangerously smooth - Seven is the perfect finish to just about any meal! <br />
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Wine Rating: <img border="0" class="rating" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" height="14" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" height="14" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" height="14" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" height="14" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_grey.png" height="14" width="14" /><br />
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Contact Information:<br />
King Family Vineyards<br />
6550 Roseland Farm, Crozet, VA 22932<br />
(434)823-7800<br />
<a href="http://www.kingfamilyvineyards.com/index.php">http://www.kingfamilyvineyards.com/index.php</a><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08667853834187806339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029358070701793193.post-27527668609666987232013-02-26T19:45:00.002-05:002013-02-26T19:45:30.133-05:00Eppie'sEppie's is a Charlottesville legend that serves classic, down-home comfort food on the Downtown Mall. Allie's mother wanted to take us to lunch recently, and we picked Eppie's. I ordered the jerk chicken, which I had never had before, with mac-and-cheese and coleslaw. The chicken was less spicy than I would have preferred for something labeled "jerk." Even so, it was flavorful and the meat was tender and juicy. The coleslaw was vinegar-based and easily made up for the lack of spice on my chicken. The mac-and-cheese was a cup of gooey, cheesy deliciousness. All of the chicken plates are also served with a piece of cornbread. Eppie's cornbread is among the best I've had in Charlottesville - with pieces of real corn baked right in and served warm.<br />
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My mother-in-law opted for the lemon pepper chicken plate. She liked the flavor on her chicken, but unlike mine, felt that the meat was too dry. She chose a sweet potato and collard greens as her sides. She raved about the sweet potato - saying that it was so sweet and juicy that she didn't even need to put butter on it (which is definitely saying something!). She also really enjoyed the collards.<br />
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Allie ordered her favorite item from the Eppie's menu - the Santa Monica salad. The salad is definitely big enough to make a meal out of and filled with fresh veggies. Eppie's starts with crisp spinach and tops that with tomatoes, freshly sliced-off-the-cob yellow corn, goat cheese, and dates. The salad comes with a side of champagne vinaigrette, which Allie says compliments the fresh veggies with the perfect amount of sweetness and acidity. The salads at Eppie's are served with one of their famous pumpkin bread muffins. (Side note: If you haven't had it before, you should definitely try Eppie's ham biscuits - Kite's "pink salt" country ham layered on pumpkin bread - delicious!)<br />
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Overall Impression: Eppie's is the place to go for good ole' down-home country food! Though the chicken was cooked somewhat inconsistently at this visit, all of the flavors were spot-on! <br />
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Food Rating: <img border="0" class="rating" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" height="14" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" height="14" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" height="14" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_grey.png" height="14" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_grey.png" height="14" width="14" /><br />
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Contact Information:<br />
Eppie's<br />
412 East Main Street, Charlottesville, VA 22902 (on the Downtown Mall)<br />
(434)963-9900<br />
<a href="http://eatateppies.com/">http://eatateppies.com/</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/108/853133/restaurant/Eppies-Charlottesville"><img alt="Eppie's on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/853133/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08667853834187806339noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029358070701793193.post-20948032277803297622013-02-17T12:47:00.001-05:002013-02-17T12:47:09.907-05:00Wine Review: Virginia FizzFor Valentine's Day this year, I picked up a bottle of our favorite local sparkling wine - Virginia Fizz from Thibaut-Janisson Winery (to pair with a plate of local cheeses and jams, homemade chicken all'Arrabbiata, and chocolate-whiskey pots de creme!). Virginia Fizz is a cremant-style sparkler made from 100% Chardonnay grapes sourced exclusively from local Monticello AVA vineyards. <br />
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Virginia Fizz is crisp, refreshing, and slightly sweet (with 1.5% residual sugar). It has a vibrant acidity and subtle notes of apple and pear. And oh so many tiny bubbles that enchant the tastebuds and delight the tongue! (Trivia: Did you know that the average bottle of champagne has around 50 million bubbles? Wow!) <br />
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Overall Impression: Fizz, Fizz, Fizz! Virginia Fizz remains our go-to Virginia sparkling wine!<br />
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Wine Rating: <img border="0" class="rating" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" height="14" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" height="14" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" height="14" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" height="14" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold_half_grey.png" height="14" width="14" /><br />
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Contact Information:<br />
Thibaut-Janisson Winery<br />
Charlottesville, VA - Unfortunately, T-J does not have a public tasting room<br />
(434) 996-3307<br />
<a href="http://www.tjwinery.com/">http://www.tjwinery.com/</a><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08667853834187806339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029358070701793193.post-48856227539241703762013-02-12T15:58:00.000-05:002013-02-12T15:58:28.600-05:00Sweet Reasons CupcakesYes... it's another cupcake review! Allie and I were in Fredericksburg doing some shopping and couldn't help but notice Sweet Reasons tucked into a strip of the Central Park shopping metropolis. When we stopped in to satisfy our mid-afternoon sweet tooth, Sweet Reasons was packed! I have to admit that I was a little disappointed in the flavor selection, having seen their Facebook page which mentioned such past selections as: caramel macchiato, bananas foster, strawberries & champagne, and the boss hog (a maple brown sugar cake with bacon!). The weekly specials when we visited were much less inventive and included hot chocolate, blueberry pancake, and cinnamon roll. Regardless, we made our selections and settled in at a high-top table to indulge ourselves.<br />
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I opted for the turtle cupcake... a chocolate cake with caramel center, pecans, and chocolate buttercream frosting. The cake itself was really moist and tasty, thanks in large part to the perfectly salty caramel sauce poured down the middle. The pecans added a nice crunch and the chocolate buttercream was smooth and delicious. Allie went with the cookies and cream cupcake. In case you couldn't guess, that's a vanilla cake with pieces of Oreo in it and topped with vanilla buttercream. Allie's cake wasn't quite as moist as mine, but certainly wasn't dry by any means. She enjoyed the sizable chunks of cookie (and Oreo cream filling!) in the cupcake, but felt that the cupcake as whole was just a touch too sweet. <br />
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Even though Sweet Reasons' cupcakes (like those from <a href="http://vintagevirginiadining.blogspot.com/2013/02/sweethaus-cupcake-candy-shop.html" target="_blank">Sweethaus</a>) don't beat our all-time favorites from Bubblecake in Roanoke, they are definitely not a fad that's going out of style anytime soon. And always remember - Love thy cupcake! <br />
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Overall Impression: Really tasty (though not the most unique) cupcakes that we will definitely try again next time we're in Fredericksburg! <br />
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Food Rating: <img border="0" class="rating" height="14" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" height="14" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" height="14" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" height="14" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold_half_grey.png" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" height="14" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_grey.png" width="14" /><br />
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Contact Information:<br />
Sweet Reasons Gourmet Cupcakes<br />
1672 Carl D. Silver Pkwy, Fredericksburg, VA 22401<br />
(540)785-1550<br />
<a href="http://www.sweetreasons.com/#!">http://www.sweetreasons.com/#!</a><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08667853834187806339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029358070701793193.post-57634310167517771562013-02-11T16:44:00.000-05:002013-02-11T16:44:41.933-05:00Fry's Spring StationI can remember when Fry's Spring Station was actually a gas station/mechanic shop. Now it has become a fun neighborhood hang-out with great pizza and local beer. It's especially lively when the weather is nice - they have a large patio (with a firepit) and they open up the garage doors and make the whole restaurant open-air. The restaurant itself is clean and modern - you would never guess it was a working auto shop just a few years ago! It also features a large open kitchen where you can watch the pizzas going into and out of the brick oven fire. <br />
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Now... first I want to talk about the food - and I will get to the service in a minute. Allie and I started our meal with the Fried Green Tomato and Mozzarella Stack. It's pretty much a riff on the classic caprese salad but with fried green tomatoes instead of raw tomatoes (and who doesn't love fried green tomatoes?). As you can no doubt see, they actually stack the fried green tomatoes and fresh mozzarella and layer them with basil pesto. When you get all of the elements (including the balsamic glaze) in one bite, it is the perfect balance of crispy, creamy, salty, and tangy. My only complaint is that the fried green tomatoes were room-temperature. I think the dish could have been elevated to the next level had the tomatoes been hot out of the fryer and made the mozzarella get just slightly melty. <br />
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<br />The pizzas at Fry's Spring are definitely big enough to share - especially if you have appetizers and beer too! Allie and I opted to try one we hadn't had before - The Greco (though we omitted the kalamata olives - I'm not a big olive fan). Instead of a traditional red sauce, this pizza has a tangy but slightly-sweet balsamic glaze as its base. It's then topped with earthy artichoke hearts, juicy and just slightly shriveled grape tomatoes, and creamy feta cheese. The best part, though, is the spicy Merguez lamb sausage - I only wish there were more of it on the pizza! And all of this is, as always, layered atop the soft but perfectly charred fire-roasted pizza dough. Yum!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuKxlQB43nc3mxL9xHU2_rz1jgynTUBxdPKTagZFgnmsNrIfxBbKHPGKGSPZPwNZGw9DQzNInw7z0eKtiLuW7vbicDY-DWQQZAzdj-xsMRspSqsKN-q5F6B05wcJ7DvNfRozmgnzdJG70/s1600/frysspring3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuKxlQB43nc3mxL9xHU2_rz1jgynTUBxdPKTagZFgnmsNrIfxBbKHPGKGSPZPwNZGw9DQzNInw7z0eKtiLuW7vbicDY-DWQQZAzdj-xsMRspSqsKN-q5F6B05wcJ7DvNfRozmgnzdJG70/s400/frysspring3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Now, about the service. On my multiple visits to Fry's Spring, I would say that the service has been great 50% of the time and no-so-great the other 50% of the time. On this particular night, the service was okay, but not exceptional. When we first arrived, we were told that there was about a 30-45 minute wait. We agreed to wait and headed to the bar to order some beer. We had just settled in and were still waiting to catch the bartender's attention when the hostess approached and said that our table was ready. Now I'm certainly not complaining about only having to wait 5 minutes, but I can't quite understand how they could be so far off in their estimate. Regardless, we headed to our table instead and I selected a local beer on draft from the menu. When our waitress appeared, she informed that that beer was among 3 of the 6 draft beers that had been "substituted out." Now again, I don't mind Fry's Spring rotating through a wide variety of local beers, but I feel like they should update their menu accordingly. Luckily, Allie's selection - the Wild Wolf Blonde Hunny Ale - was available, and she enjoyed it very much! The service for the rest of the night was pretty average. <br />
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P.S. - Has anybody tried the weekend brunch at Fry's Spring? I'd love to hear what you thought of it!<br />
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Overall Impression: Fun atmosphere, great pizza and local beer, but the service can be hit-or-miss. <br />
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Food Rating: <img border="0" class="rating" height="14" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" height="14" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" height="14" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" height="14" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold_half_grey.png" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" height="14" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_grey.png" width="14" /><br />
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Contact Information:<br />
Fry's Spring Station<br />
2115 Jefferson Park Avenue, Charlottesville, VA 22903<br />
(434)202-2257<br />
<a href="http://www.frysspringstation.com/index.php">http://www.frysspringstation.com/index.php</a> <br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/108/1526713/restaurant/Frys-Spring-Station-Charlottesville"><img alt="Fry's Spring Station on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1526713/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a> </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08667853834187806339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029358070701793193.post-48265027612334069932013-02-03T14:44:00.000-05:002013-02-03T14:44:14.304-05:00Sweethaus Cupcake & Candy ShopWe needed cupcakes... and we needed them bad! So Allie and I headed over to Sweethaus Cupcake and Candy Shop. Sweethaus is located in a strange-seeming location, inside of the old Charlottesville Tire building on West Main Street. From the outside, it doesn't necessarily seem like it would work, but once you're inside, it really does! The Sweethaus team has transformed the space into a rustic yet inviting bakeshop. The cupcakes are displayed behind a large glass case next to the coffee bar. Next to this is a small retail area with everything from t-shirts to cards to baking supplies (Allie fell in love with all of the "cute party supplies"). And, of course, there is the candy! Sweethaus has dispensers with a rainbow of colored chocolate candies (so you can make your own mix of colors) and candy treats ranging from swedish fish to chocolate-covered pretzels to cayenne pepper truffles. Sweethaus has also put in a large picture window that looks in on the bakery, so you can watch owner Tara Koenig and her team in action. There is also a space in the back with tables for enjoying the goodies, or hosting a party. <br />
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I chose to order the Special of the Day cupcake - called the "Salted Caramel." Allie went with the vanilla coconut. The salted caramel was very tasty - moist marble cake topped with caramel buttercream, chocolate, and a salted caramel swirl. The perfect blend of sweet and salty. Allie's vanilla coconut cupcake was just as good. The cake was very moist and flavorful and the cupcake was topped with creamy, not-too-sweet buttercream and then sprinkled with grated coconut. Allie also ordered an espresso, which paired nicely with her cupcake. All in all, Sweethaus' cupcakes were moist and delicious, and certainly rank among the best in C-Ville (though I must admit that they still don't quite stand up to my all-time favorites from Bubblecake in Roanoke). <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Salted Caramel</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Vanilla Coconut</span></td></tr>
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Overall Impression: Really good, fresh cupcakes from a charming little bakeshop that's definitely worth a visit!<br />
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Food Rating: <img border="0" class="rating" height="14" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" height="14" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" height="14" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" height="14" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold_half_grey.png" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" height="14" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_grey.png" width="14" /><br />
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Contact Information:<br />
Sweethaus Cupcake and Candy Shop<br />
843 West Main Street, Charlottesville, VA<br />
(434) 422-2677<br />
<a href="http://www.sweethaus.com/">http://www.sweethaus.com/</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/108/1717368/restaurant/Sweethaus-Charlottesville"><img alt="Sweethaus on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1717368/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08667853834187806339noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029358070701793193.post-33455039678999409332013-01-30T09:13:00.000-05:002013-01-30T10:25:29.321-05:00Kabuto Sushi and TeppanyakiYou know when that craving for sushi sets in and you just can't shake it until you get some good sushi? Well luckily for Allie and I, Kabuto Sushi came to town a few months ago. And when the craving hit the other night, we knew that's where we had to go. <br />
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When we pulled up in front of Kabuto on Pantops, I was rather surprised to see that they still had their "Now Open" banner hanging, considering that they have been for several months. Anyway, we headed inside to the rather small restaurant. Kabuto has about 10 tables total, though it has not been full either time we have been. We ordered a couple bowls of miso soup right away. Kabuto's miso soup is quite good - it is thicker than some of the miso soup you find at other places in town (which is often a thin, clear broth). Kabuto seems to blend some tofu into the broth itself in addition to the tofu and seaweed pieces in the soup.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Kabuto</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Miso Soup</span></td></tr>
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We spent some time looking over the sushi menu, but Allie is kind of stuck in her ways and we ended up deciding to order the same sushi rolls we had ordered the first time we visited Kabuto. First was the caterpillar roll. The caterpillar roll is essentially a spicy tuna roll with tempura flakes inside and sliced avocado draped over the top. The caterpillar roll was very good, but not great. The tuna was not as spicy as I would prefer in a spicy tuna roll, though the tempura flakes inside the roll do add a very nice, subtle crunch to the roll. Next came the Philadelphia roll. A traditional roll with smoked salmon, cream cheese and avocado, it too was very fresh and well-made. Finally, we had the butterfly roll. My favorite roll of the night, the butterfly is a shrimp tempura roll with avocado inside and a spicy snow crab salad on top. The tempura shrimp was crispy and the spicy snow crab was actually spicy and added a nice kick to the classic shrimp tempura. The butterfly roll was also topped with a "special sauce" which was quite tasty, though I'm not sure exactly what it was.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhChAwM-SSmVu2gEGiZueWIkB7-DNDf-dVtpsH0v3fQAqQ-SJqIzmREHFzSlLWXiByTxtfZqJkTvbtcwl4wvfosJ2tV9JpUe_VvIvzZNO_CaQBAjLv2r1a0KoCbWHweiSDpdybVhTgDNkY/s1600/kabuto3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Caterpillar Roll</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCefGJKk8VjC6EdAabKCAuOSIqF05ct992uGtrSmvChRVlAXZV9Mz-jg_GwGxfVU48Cmg-Qqp-CJjOWAmS8ROK7U5WPV14YjwKYySX5eNfHFfFBxCqGqD5PMZViVUDXEIY2pUbisv__rU/s1600/kabuto5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCefGJKk8VjC6EdAabKCAuOSIqF05ct992uGtrSmvChRVlAXZV9Mz-jg_GwGxfVU48Cmg-Qqp-CJjOWAmS8ROK7U5WPV14YjwKYySX5eNfHFfFBxCqGqD5PMZViVUDXEIY2pUbisv__rU/s1600/kabuto5.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">Butterfly and Philadelphia Rolls</span></td></tr>
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Overall, Kabuto is my new #1 choice for sushi that is fresher and more inventive than many of the other places in C-Ville. While it is certainly not the best sushi I've ever had, it is the best sushi I've found in Charlottesville (unless you want to pay an arm and a leg to eat at Ten). Kabuto also has hibachi dishes (which I haven't tried) and a number of lunch specials, making it the perfect place to grab sushi to eat-in, carry-out, or have delivered. Allie and I will definitely be returning to Kabuto next time the sushi craving hits!<br />
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Overall Impression: Fresh, reasonably-priced, made-to-order sushi that is as good as sushi gets in Charlottesville. <br />
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Food Rating: <img border="0" class="rating" height="14" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" height="14" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" height="14" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" height="14" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold_half_grey.png" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" height="14" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_grey.png" width="14" /><br />
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Contact Information:<br />
Kabuto Sushi and Teppanyaki<br />
1836 Abbey Road, Charlottesville, VA 22911<br />
(between Christian's and Sticks in the Giant shopping center)<br />
(434)973-1585<br />
<span style="color: #0000ee;"><u>http://kabuto-cville.com/</u></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/108/1729106/restaurant/Kabuto-Sushi-and-Teppanyaki-Charlottesville"><img alt="Kabuto Sushi and Teppanyaki on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1729106/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08667853834187806339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029358070701793193.post-71885448212977248992013-01-29T12:00:00.001-05:002013-01-29T12:00:25.805-05:00Ace Biscuit and Barbecue So when I heard there was a new restaurant in town specializing in biscuits and barbecue, I couldn't wait to go! Unfortunately, it took me until now to actually make it over to Ace - the new culinary outlet of former Zocalo sous chef Brian Ashworth. And even now, I only made it for breakfast, but man was it worth it!<br />
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This past Saturday was actually the very first day that Ace had ever been open on the weekend, so Allie and I decided we had to head over and give it a try. We were worried it might get crowded and had heard it was a small place, so we went right when it opened at 9am. Pulling up outside of Ace, you can get a feeling for just how small the restaurant is inside. It is situated in a small brick building a few blocks off of Preston Avenue and has a small parking lot right outside the door. We knew we were in the right place when we saw the large pig mural on the side of the building!<br />
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When we got inside, we were the second couple to have arrived for breakfast. The restaurant itself is, as I mentioned, quite small, with one 6-person
table in the middle and bar-style seating for about 8 more guests along
2 walls. By the time we had ordered and taken a seat at the table, the place was starting to fill up and before we left, it was standing-room only. Ace also seemed to do a robust carry-out business just during the short time we were there. We took a moment to examine the large chalkboard menu on one wall, but we had already studied the menu on the way over (oh the beauty of iphones!). We headed up to the pig-inspired kitchen mixer to order our breakfast.<br />
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Okay, so first let me say that this place makes almost everything in-house, including much of their meat - from the breakfast sausage, to mexican chorizo, oak-smoked pulled pork, slow-cooked turkey breast, and pit beef. Biscuits are made fresh daily and eggs are cooked to order. <br />
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So, for breakfast Allie chose to create a biscuit sandwich with southern breakfast
sausage, a fried egg, and cheddar cheese and added some hash browns. I
opted for an order of 2 sausage gravy biscuits. Speaking of biscuits, I think if a place is going to put them in their name, they better make some darn good biscuits. Luckily, Ace's biscuits do not disappoint. The biscuits are not your typical flaky, buttery biscuits, but they were deliciously soft and melt-in-your-mouth good! Allie's egg was cooked to a perfect over-medium and the sandwich covered in melty, gooey cheddar cheese. The hash browns were also crispy (clearly made-to-order) and very flavorful, exactly what you would want to accompany your breakfast sandwich. Allie didn't even ask for ketchup for the potatoes, which is a huge compliment to the chef. Allie and I both agreed that it was the southern breakfast sausage that really stole the show, though. The sausage had the perfect texture and the right amount of spice and sage flavor to keep me wanting more. It was delicious both in patty form on Allie's sandwich and crumbled in the creamy, spicy sausage gravy that smothered by 2 biscuits. <br />
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I will definitely be going back to Ace Biscuit & Barbecue in the near future - the only question is whether I go back and try some of the other breakfast options, or head over for lunch and try the barbecue first. Heck, maybe one day I'll even be able to convince Allie that we need to hire Ace for a whole hog pig roast!<br />
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Overall Impression: Sausage = the breakfast of champions and Ace = Charlottesville's king of sausage!<br />
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Food Rating: <img border="0" class="rating" height="14" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" height="14" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" height="14" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" height="14" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" height="14" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_grey.png" width="14" /><br />
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Contact Information:<br />
Ace Biscuit and Barbecue<br />
711 Henry Avenue, Charlottesville, VA<br />
(434) 202-1403<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/AceBiscuitBbq" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/AceBiscuitBbq </a><br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/108/1714237/restaurant/Ace-Biscuit-and-Barbecue-Charlottesville"><img alt="Ace Biscuit and Barbecue on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1714237/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08667853834187806339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029358070701793193.post-62552612716631585922013-01-28T17:40:00.000-05:002013-01-28T17:40:34.263-05:00Old Mill Room at Boar's Head InnIt's Restaurant Week (1 of 2 - more on that in a minute) in Charlottesville! That fabulous time of year when you can eat a 3 course meal at some of the best restaurants in town for a super reasonable price (and support a local charity at the same time)! And this year, C-Ville somehow ended up with 2 separate Restaurant Weeks right in a row. The first is the "original" Restaurant Week from January 21st-27th put together by the Hook, which you can find at <a href="http://www.cvilleyum.com/">www.cvilleyum.com</a>. The second is the new-this-year "official" Restaurant Week (January 28th-February 3rd) organized by VMVBrands and found at <a href="http://www.charlottesvillerestaurantweek.com/">www.charlottesvillerestaurantweek.com</a>. There has been lots of hoopla and jawing about the addition of the this second restaurant week, but I for one say "the more the merrier!" If the powers that be want to offer two consecutive restaurant weeks, well then by golly I'll just have to try them both! <br />
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So, for the first of our Restaurant Week meals, Allie and I selected the Old Mill Room at the Boar's Head Inn. We'd both eaten the "world-famous" brunch here before, but had never been for dinner. We made our reservations well in advance (as one must during Restaurant Week) and, on a blisteringly cold Thursday night, headed out to the Boar's Head. When we arrived, we were surprised to see only about 4 other tables seated in the dining room, though this changed quickly and every seat was taken within the next 30 minutes. Our waiter presented us with the Restaurant Week menus and the extensive wine list. After consideration of the wintry weather outside, we both decided it would be best to have just one glass of wine each with dinner. I was pleased to see that they had a good variety of wines by the glass. Allie ordered a glass of the Barboursville Viognier, while I opted for the Sensual Malbec (which I later learned had been replaced with the Catena Malbec, though I was charged the lower price for the Sensual!).<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://cvilleyum.com/files/2011/06/boarshead_full_1203.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRlSbtCm6jBti0fDyuHH97xuDi4mbeGTPhsR58jvE6Md-1p3WFFcQW-6-VgZ1OuuWctzndAdw2II9H32e1iKFtMGKkuyKzocXzV6rJDBmm8U8FjMxf0Mu7MqP7nhEjcz_emdzsVMFMLzI/s400/boarsheadmenu.jpg" width="285" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">Boar's Head Restaurant Week Menu (click to see full-size)</span></td></tr>
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After taking our time perusing the menu and enjoying the first sips of our wine, we set about ordering our three courses each. Allie started with the braised veal cheek. Neither of us had tried veal cheek before, but we are certainly glad we did! The cheek was braised to extreme eat-it-with-your-spoon tenderness and served atop super creamy Wade's Mill grits. Also on the dish were some cajun-seared shrimp, which were tender and tasty but rather puny (I'm talking shrimp fried rice tiny). We are both fans of braised beef short ribs, and now we know we're fans of braised veal cheek too! For my first course, I opted for the salmon tartare, which was very fresh and delicious. The salmon was clean and fresh and smothered with a mildly-spicy roasted shallot vinaigrette and then topped off with pickled fennel, radish, and frisee. The first courses certainly did not disappoint - though if I went back again, I would definitely order Allie's braised veal cheek over my salmon tartare.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8dh97WJMHG1sGwpbYIxljiO4fSL1JxykErh_J78ecpfPvTaJDsOPTRgNB1DavdraXmdxR_D7GgZyvw3GPiKIDRGuu1JYue1pPKI6HUf38mXghnK2FumwEpUsj5b4p0gZwmljUTDLEcnQ/s1600/boarsheadveal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8dh97WJMHG1sGwpbYIxljiO4fSL1JxykErh_J78ecpfPvTaJDsOPTRgNB1DavdraXmdxR_D7GgZyvw3GPiKIDRGuu1JYue1pPKI6HUf38mXghnK2FumwEpUsj5b4p0gZwmljUTDLEcnQ/s400/boarsheadveal.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">Braised Veal Cheek with Cajun Seared Shrimp and Wade's Mill Grits</span></td></tr>
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For her main course, Allie ordered the chorizo-crusted atlantic flounder. The flounder was perfectly cooked - warm, flaky, and still juicy. The chorizo crust added a nice amount of spice and grease to the fish, and the butternut squash puree under the fish was smooth and slightly sweet, to perfectly complement the chorizo's spice. The plate also included a very tasty chopped brussel sprout and bacon accompaniment. For my own main course, I chose the grilled flat iron steak, which I ordered medium. The steak arrived a perfect medium (which can be rather hard to find these days!) and covered in a deliciously sweet and tangy madeira mustard jus. The celery root potato puree was smooth and creamy, though I had a hard time finding the celery root flavor in it, and the sauteed kale was a nice addition to the dish. Finally, for dessert Allie had the apple spice cake with candied pecans and salted caramel ice cream. The spice cake was tasty, but might have been better if it had been served warm instead of room temperature. The ice cream was perfectly salty and the candied pecans gave a nice bit of crunchy texture to the dessert. I went with the chocolate creme brulee served with a sweet potato cookie. This too was tasty, though felt a bit pedestrian for such a nice restaurant (and compared to the other 5 dishes we'd had already). <br />
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In the end, this was one of our favorite restaurant week meals ever in Charlottesville. I felt like the portion sizes were more than adequate for the price and the fact that everyone was eating 3 courses. The food was overall delicious and every dish was perfectly prepared (which cannot be easy to do when the dining room is packed all-night every-night for the whole week). The service was excellent, the wine selection was great (as were our personal wine choices), and the price was very nice! We will certainly be returning to the Boar's Head for restaurant week in the future (July 8th-14th is the next one!), and maybe even sooner!<br />
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Overall Impression: Delicious Virginia-style food in a vintage setting at an unbelievable price - the Old Mill Room definitely earns its Four Diamonds in my book!<br />
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Food Rating: <img border="0" class="rating" height="14" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" height="14" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" height="14" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" height="14" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" height="14" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold_half_grey.png" width="14" /><br />
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Wine Rating: <img border="0" class="rating" height="14" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" height="14" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" height="14" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" height="14" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" height="14" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_grey.png" width="14" /><br />
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Contact Information:<br />
The Old Mill Room at the Boar's Head Inn <br />
200 Ednam Drive, Charlottesville, VA 22903<br />
<table class="ts intrlu" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td valign="top"><nobr> (434) 296-2181</nobr></td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.boarsheadinn.com/Dining/The-Old-Mill-Room.asp"> http://www.boarsheadinn.com/Dining/The-Old-Mill-Room.asp</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/108/853251/restaurant/Old-Mill-Room-Charlottesville"><img alt="Old Mill Room on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/853251/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08667853834187806339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029358070701793193.post-21280627964850825792013-01-19T20:26:00.000-05:002013-02-01T09:48:19.976-05:00Revolutionary SoupSince Allie had to work this weekend and I didn't, I decided to bring her lunch at work today. I went to one of my old stand-by's - Revolutionary Soup. For those of you who have not been, Rev Soup is a Charlottesville staple that specializes in homemade soups, sandwiches, wraps, and salads utilizing the freshest ingredients sourced from local farms. You can also pick up a variety of local (and not-so-local) wine and beer at reasonable prices. They have 2 locations in town - the original on the Downtown Mall and a newer space on the UVA Corner. <br />
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I ordered Allie her favorite combination - Spicy Senegalese Peanut Tofu soup with an Adam's Apple sandwich. The peanut tofu soup is a thick, creamy soup made out of - you guessed it - peanuts and tofu. It is spiced with jalapenos giving it a not-so-subtle but not-mouth-on-fire heat and then topped off with crisp scallions and cilantro. For a vegan and gluten-free dish, its pretty darn tasty! The Adam's Apple, meanwhile, is a Charlottesville legend. Start with a pile of smoky sliced turkey, cover that with creamy chevre cheese, and add tangy garlic aioli and you have the start of a good sandwich. But Rev Soup doesn't stop there - they add salty bacon and fresh arugula to the mix. Sounds pretty good, right? Well we're not done yet. Top all that off with crisp, thinly-sliced granny smith apples and house-made apple butter and put it all on toasted sunflower wheat bread. Okay, now I'm done. It might sound like a lot to put on one sandwich, but believe me (and everyone else I know who's tried it), it definitely works! <br />
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For my own lunch, I opted for the Garlic Garden wrap paired with beef chili. Let me first say that I am a carnivore at heart and very rarely choose a vegetarian option when faced with choices that include meat. But the garlic garden wrap is on exception to this. Imagine roasted red peppers, melted red onions, creamy avocado, lettuce and tomato smothered with melted cheese and topped off with smooth, garlic-infused cream cheese. Rev Soup prepares the garlic garden 2 ways: wrapped in a flower tortilla or piled on sunflower wheat bread. I generally prefer the wrap, as it makes for a somewhat healthier and easier to eat sandwich. As for the beef chili, Rev Soup uses local Timberwood Creek beef combined with hearty chunks of green & red pepper, onion, and beans in a smoky, spicy, and subtly sweet base - making for a warm-your-soul-on-a-cold-day kind of chili that perfectly "meats-up" the vegetarian wrap. <br />
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Overall Impression: Fresh, flavorful, and locally-sourced soup and sandwiches that are simply revolutionary!<br />
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Food Rating: <img border="0" class="rating" height="14" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" height="14" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" height="14" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" height="14" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" height="14" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold_half_grey.png" width="14" /><br />
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Contact Information:<br />
Revolutionary Soup<br />
Corner Location:<br />
104 14th Street Northwest<br />
Charlottesville, VA 22903<br />
(434) 979-9988<br />
Downtown Location:<br />
108 2nd Street SW<br />
Charlottesville, VA 22902<br />
(434) 296-SOUP (7687)<br />
<a href="http://revolutionarysoup.com/">http://revolutionarysoup.com/</a> <br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/108/853290/restaurant/Revolutionary-Soup-Charlottesville"><img alt="Revolutionary Soup on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/853290/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08667853834187806339noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3029358070701793193.post-67050459764768564942013-01-17T14:52:00.000-05:002013-01-21T13:35:59.511-05:00Early Mountain VineyardsOn a sunny and unseasonably warm Saturday in January, we decided to make the long trek out to one of the few area wineries that we hadn't visited - Early Mountain Vineyards. I was a little hesitant to make our way out to Early Mountain, knowing that it had only recently been reopened in the old Sweely Estate Winery location and was the latest example of a local wine-making operation being taken over by big money (think also Trump Winery). Early Mountain is owned by Steve Case, former co-founder and CEO of AOL, and his wife Jean. I also knew that Early Mountain had very few wines of its own, and was instead touting its "Best of Virginia" wine tasting program. For all of these reasons, we set out with cautious optimism.<br />
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It took about 50 minutes to get from our home near downtown C-Ville to Early Mountain (which is located in Madison County, about 17 miles near of the Charlottesville-Albemarle airport). On our arrival, we were met by the elegant stone facade of the winery building. The winery itself is situated within a valley, so the views are not as fantastic as some other area wineries, but there are still mountain views nonetheless. Inside, the tasting room is warm and inviting, with exposed wooden beams, chandeliers, and a cozy fireplace, which was lit the day we visited. There is plenty of seating with a wide variety of tables (of varying size) and couches. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="http://earlymountain.com/sites/default/files/styles/blog_main_image/public/field/image/120621_EMV_0681_1.jpg" height="184" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">The Tasting Room, Image courtesy www.earlymountain.com</span></td></tr>
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Early Mountain offers a variety of wine tasting flights, which each cost $12. The day we visited, they had a red flight, a white flight, a red/white flight, and a cider flight. We ordered one each of the red/white flight and the red flight - for a total of 8 2-oz tastings - and were told to have a seat and make ourselves comfortable and the wine would be delivered to us. We picked out a nice table near the fireplace and about 5 minutes later received our 8 glasses of wine. Out of our 8 varietals, we had 3 which were actually Early Mountain's own - Pinot Gris, Handshake Red, and Merlot. The pinot gris was light and flavorful, and certainly among the best Virginia pinot gris I have tasted. The Handshake Red, described as a Bordeaux-style blend, was somewhat disappointing. It was very light and fruity with little of the deep flavors expected in a Bordeaux blend. The merlot was silky and flavorful, but again lacked the depth of the best merlots. Overall, Early Mountain's wines were good, but not great, though I certainly see potential for them as they move beyond their first vintages. In addition to the Early Mountain wines, our flights included wines from King Family, Barboursville, and Breaux Vineyards, all of which were very nice selections that showcased some of the best Virginia varietals.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #cccccc;">Early Mountain Wine, Image courtesy www.earlymountain.com</span></td></tr>
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In addition to our wine, we ordered several dishes from the food menu. The food, like the wine, is brought right to your table, making for a very relaxed and self-paced tasting experience. We started with the Chef's Selection cheese platter, which was delicious. The platter included a variety of cheeses, from the wine-soaked Pride of Bacchus sheep's cheese to the soft, tangy Skyline blue cheese. The platter's accompaniments, including dried fruits and an incredible creamed honey, paired perfectly with the cheeses, as did the prosciutto which we added to the platter. Next we ordered the spinach and artichoke dip, which we found to be warm and hearty, though nothing special compared to the many other spinach and artichoke dips I have had before. Finally, we added the Smithfield pulled pork sliders to our order. The sliders were the perfect size and the cole slaw was very crisp and flavorful. The pork itself was slightly on the dry side, but when smothered with the incredible Setter Mountain Bourbon BBQ sauce, I barely even noticed.<br />
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Now, it was time for dessert and we simply couldn't resist the warm Carpe Donut with Homestead Creamery ice cream. The donut was warm and, as always, delicious (if you have never tried a Carpe Donut you really should!) and the ice cream was great, especially when topped with caramel sauce. To accompany our dessert, we decided to order a cider tasting as well. We promptly received a tasting of five Virginia ciders, ranging from the very dry and champagne-like Albemarle Ciderworks Jupiter's Legacy to the sweeter, off-dry Foggy Ridge's First Fruit. My personal favorite was the Potter's Craft Cider Farmhouse Dry, which was a perfect balance between dry and sweet with just the right amount of bubbles. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioZlZrQB5tDa2XayE86WDeALiwE3MywjoYdg5MclggxOMxUEyTi4zy1RamqEw_hVO3DaDmZcLVVBVKt_5YwGxnJQd_6KybMjS1ArVsPuBHlk9jCSX1UVD7ccyyO4wJPwXgQIyjtx9DodE/s1600/photoearlymtn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioZlZrQB5tDa2XayE86WDeALiwE3MywjoYdg5MclggxOMxUEyTi4zy1RamqEw_hVO3DaDmZcLVVBVKt_5YwGxnJQd_6KybMjS1ArVsPuBHlk9jCSX1UVD7ccyyO4wJPwXgQIyjtx9DodE/s1600/photoearlymtn.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
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Overall Impression: Boasting good wine, great food, and an awesome atmosphere, Early Mountain is certainly worth the drive!<br />
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Food Rating: <img border="0" class="rating" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" height="14" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" height="14" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" height="14" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" height="14" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_grey.png" height="14" width="14" /><br />
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Wine Rating: <span style="background-color: white;"></span><img border="0" class="rating" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" height="14" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" height="14" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_gold.png" height="14" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_grey.png" height="14" width="14" /><img border="0" class="rating" src="http://mastomillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/star_grey.png" height="14" width="14" /><br />
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Contact Information:<br />
Early Mountain Vineyards<br />
6109 Wolftown-Hood Road, Madison VA 22727<br />
(540)948-9005<br />
<a href="http://www.earlymountain.com/">http://www.earlymountain.com/ </a><br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/108/1726803/restaurant/Charlottesville/Early-Mountain-Vineyards-Madison"><img alt="Early Mountain Vineyards on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1726803/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08667853834187806339noreply@blogger.com1