Party planning
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FALL/WINTER 2015/16
Timest! to toa
grilled emade marle m o h t e Alb rfec Our pe starts with y’s pain e n s a e p e ch Com ! Baking campagne e d 40 Page
Bubble up The magic of local fizz
To market
Allie Redshaw changes kitchens
Foodie fodder
Three local food blogs to start devouring
Pumpkin it up
The fall fruit—from drinks to dinner
Taste is everything.
Carboloading
Seven pasta dishes you must try CHEW ON THIS
400+ spots to wet your whistle
From pretzels to bronuts— here’s what’s filling our bread basket
Pass the bread!
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TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S The Dish 11 Noodle on this
5'
That’s how big a sheet of butter and dough gets during the prep for MarieBette’s bronut (p.49).
Mona Lisa’s guide to making pasta at home and seven perfect restaurant dishes.
21 Party time
Caterer Gay Beery serves up ideas on sweet and savory dips.
23 When’s kickoff?
We put our taste buds to the test— the city’s best wings.
24 What a pair
Hunter Smith’s fave VA beers (and their inedible companions).
25 New beginnings
Timbercreek Market chef Allie Redshaw gets things started.
62 The number of wing sauces you’ll find on the menu at Lazy Parrot —from Hawaiian and bacon cheddar to spicy curry and hot pepper and garlic (p.23).
27 Food talk
Jenée Libby’s podcast gets down to business with local chefs.
29 Lovin’ spoonfuls
Features
An ode to bread
Let’s call Gerry Newman the starter to our local bread scene—the owner of Albemarle Baking Company has been churning out loaves since 1995, when a “bread scene” in Charlottesville was all but nonexistent. This issue’s feature takes a look into how he rose to local loaf stardom. Plus, the straight dough on local sammies, buying the right bread and the migration of the toast trend to Charlottesville. PAGE 40
Let’s get fizzy
It’s bubbly season! This issue takes a big gulp of the local Champagne scene—from the history of sparkling wine (did you know bubbles in wine were once considered bad?) to Claude Thibaut’s influence on the Charlottesville landscape. A Champagne native, he brought new insight to producing bubbles from Virginia soil and currently produces three varieties from higher end to an everyday option. PAGE 59
1,000,000
That’s how many bubbles are in a glass of Champagne (p.59).
Our favorite soups by the bite.
33 Hot in here
So you wanna spice things up? You got it.
35 Looking forward
Ian Boden and Caleb Warr on this season’s dishes.
37 Cocktail hour
A little pumpkin in your glass is all you need this fall.
Eat up
ON THE COVER: We start our homemade grilled cheese with Albemarle Baking Company’s pain de campagne. But if you have yet to perfect the art of melty cheese on toast, try one of these: Revolutionary Soup (get it on sourdough for a top-notch melty-crunchy ratio); The Nook (a classic, no-frills choice—white bread and a slice of American); or Feast! (it changes with the season—but you can count on a hearty cheese, savory veggie
PAGE 67
and bread from ABC). Photographed by Double Image Studio and styled by Cathy Hinton, Hinton Enterprises.
More than 400 restaurants to satisfy your craving—from cake to confit.
Fall/Winter Knife&Fork 5
Charlottesville’s News & Arts Weekly 308 E. Main St. Charlottesville, VA 22902 (434) 817-2749 Advertising/Editorial Fax: (434) 817-2758
www.c-ville.com Facebook: facebook.com/cville.weekly Instagram: @cvilleweekly
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Jessica Luck (x20) editor@c-ville.com SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS EDITOR
Caitlin White (x45) NEWS EDITOR
Lisa Provence (x14)
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KNIFE & FORK, a supplement to C-VILLE Weekly, is distributed regionally. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. ©2015 C-VILLE Weekly.
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The Dish
RAMMELKAMP FOTO
Tavola’s linguine alla carbonara
Noodle on this Seven pasta dishes to send you straight back to Italy
Fall/Winter Knife&Fork 11
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The Dish Whether you’re craving a delicate ravioli with sautéed local vegetables or hearty, homestyle spaghetti and meatballs just like mom used to make, our city offers plenty of ways to enjoy the ultimate Italian comfort food. Here are seven of our favorites.
Rigatoni al forno
Linguine alla carbonara
Bella’s, 707 W. Main St., 327-4833 This best-selling dish is straight from owner Valeria Bisenti’s childhood home in Rome. It was created by her mother, who “would make me this dish since I’m a big meatlover,” says Bisenti’s husband, Douglas Muir, who co-owns the restaurant. “She would add all the meat she had in the kitchen—usually pork and veal—and smother it in cheese.” It is no different at Bella’s, which is named after Bisenti, who is affectionately called “Bella” by her husband. Here, the rigatoni al forno is blended with the house pomodoro sauce, ground veal, ground beef and Italian sausage, then covered with shredded mozzarella and pecorino Romano and baked to homestyle perfection.
Tavola, 826 Hinton Ave., 972-9463 Tavola’s chefs have the restaurant’s most popular dish (ordered 30-40 times a night on weekends) “down to a science,” says chef/owner Michael Keaveny. “If you do anything that much you’re gonna get good at it,” he laughs. The dish is made with imported Italian linguine, one whole egg, Olli pancetta, pecorino Romano, black pepper and—different from other renditions—locally sourced sausage, a nod to the carbonara Keaveny experienced in his early days as a dishwasher at a popular Italian restaurant named Carbone’s in his Connecticut hometown. “It was made with sausage and prosciutto, and it was addicting,” he recalls. “I fell in love with it.” Obviously, his own version has plenty of us swooning as well.
Housemade ravioli with braised greens
Vivace, 2244 Ivy Rd., 979-0994 Opened in 1995, Vivace is a Charlottesville classic—as is chef/co-
Gnocchi bolognese The Local, 824 Hinton Ave., 984-9749 “Little clouds,” is how Melissa Close-Hart describes The Local’s gnocchi recipe. And she should know—she created it. This dish is a family collaboration between her husband, The Local’s chef Matthew Hart, who developed the bolognese recipe, and Close-Hart, who perfected the gnocchi after multi-
RAMMELKAMP FOTO
Orzo, 416 W. Main St., 975-6796 Chef Adam Spaar’s popular homemade ravioli entrée is a showcase of local produce. “We work with a variety of farms,” says Spaar, who lists Down Branch Farm, Sharondale Farm, Pleasant Pasture Farm in Virginia Beach and Michie Market, which features produce grown by area refugees, among his suppliers. The ravioli, handmade and cut in-house almost every day, is made with duck egg yolks to give the pasta a richer flavor. Ricotta is mixed with kale and other greens for the creamy filling, and the ravioli is cooked in a “quick, simple” pan sauce of Spanish olive oil and cream, says Spaar. It’s then topped with heirloom tomatoes and Sharondale’s oyster and shiitake mushrooms and finished with a medley of oregano, lemon, black pepper and Grana Padano cheese.
Clams oreganata
owner Landon Saul’s spicy Clams Oreganata: steamed Virginia clams with housemade sausage, white wine, plum tomatoes and Sicilian oregano over spaghetti. “It’s one of my favorite dishes,” says Saul, who created the dish with inspiration from his time at the Italian Culinary Institute in Calabria, which is known for its spicy fare. “Calabrian chile is the star of our housemade sausage,” he says. The real secret to the dish though, Saul says, is finishing the pasta in the clam sauce, “so the pasta gets all the brine, all that flavor, from the clams,” he explains. “It’s how the Italians do it.”
Vivace’s clams oreganata
ple cooking trips to Italy (CloseHart was formerly chef at Barboursville Vineyard’s Palladio and is opening her own restaurant next year). The gnocchi is lighter than most, “almost like a dumpling,” Hart says, and tossed gently with his traditional bolognese, made “in a long, slow process” with local Buffalo Creek beef and Double H pork, tomato paste, dry white wine and milk. “It’s here to stay,” Close-Hart says. “If Matty took it off the menu people would revolt a little bit.”
Pear and cheese Basil Mediterranean Bistro, 109 14th St., 977-5700 Who says pasta can’t be adorable? These beggars purses—little bundles of ravioli—are almost too cute to eat. But topped with cremini mushrooms, poached pears, walnuts and basil in a rich Gorgonzola cream sauce, it’s pretty much impossible not to dig in.
Spaghetti with meatballs Fellini’s #9, 200 Market St., 979-4279 This classic dish is all about “taking the time to do it right,” says Fellini’s chef Tess Vandenburg, who has adjusted both the marinara and meatball recipe in recent years. Her marinara is a little sweeter, she says, and “not too chunky, but not too watery.” The magic is in the meatballs, which are “just a little smaller than a tennis ball,” Vandenburg says, and are made with pork and beef (5 lbs. pork to 10 lbs. beef), as well as Parmesan, oregano, onion, garlic, egg and breadcrumbs. First cooked in a convection oven “to get them nice and brown on the outside,” says Vandenburg, they are finished at a lower temperature in a standard oven, then placed atop a nest of al dente spaghetti and covered with marinara.—Jennifer Senator
Fall/Winter Knife&Fork 13
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The Dish
Like grandma made Want fresh pasta at home? Here’s how
“M
aking pasta is not a hard thing to do,” says Jim Winecoff, owner of Mona Lisa Pasta. “It’s messy, it takes some time, but it’s just flour and eggs and water—that’s it.” Although pasta at the 13-yearold shop is made using an extruder, which makes 75 pounds of pasta at once, Winecoff still enjoys cranking out noodles by hand with his Italian-made Atlas pasta machine. He offers these tips for making your own pasta at home.
Choose your flour All-purpose flour works fine, he says, but Mona Lisa pastas are made with durum and semolina flours, which are higher in gluten, giving the dough more elasticity.
Mona Lisa by the mile 18 miles Amount of pasta made every week Amount of pasta made every month
303 miles Amount of pasta made every year
3,652 miles Amount of linguine made since opening in 2002
AMY JACKSON
73 miles
“It stretches easier when you roll it out and doesn’t break and crumble to pieces,” says Winecoff.
AMY JACKSON
Decide between whole eggs or egg yolks “We use whole eggs because the whites give the pasta a firmer texture, but using only egg yolks gives a richer flavor,” Winecoff explains. “If you want it really rich, use duck eggs, which have bigger yolks.” If desired, he suggests adding flavoring to pasta at this point—tomato paste, garlic, black pepper or fineJim Winecoff
ly chopped herbs. Just be careful adding anything that might add more liquid to your mix, like spinach, he says.
Choose your mixing method Although pasta can be made in an electric mixer or food processor, Winecoff prefers mixing it by hand: “The easiest, most traditional way is to make a pile of flour on your cutting board or counter,” he says. “Make a well in the middle of your flour, crack your eggs into it and
take a fork and slowly scramble your eggs into your flour until you get a mass of dough.”
Let the gluten relax The dough should rest for about 20 minutes before kneading it. Winecoff lets his pasta machine do most of the kneading for him, by feeding small amounts of dough (“not quite as big as your fist”) into the machine one by one, running each through 15 to 20 times until it’s smooth. CONTINUED ON PAGE 17
Fall/Winter Knife&Fork 15
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The Dish
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15
Cut your noodles
Read on Want to learn more? Winecoff recommends pasta newbies read the classic pasta cookbook, Bugialli on Pasta by Giuliano Bugialli.
Happy as a...tomato? Growing up as one of 10 kids in a Sicilian family, Liz James learned early on about the value of a good marinara sauce. “We had to really stretch the food budget, and marinara was a quick way of creating an easy, wonderful dinner—we put it on everything!” she says. But what stuck with her most about what she calls her “idyllic childhood” was how having that go-to sauce made it easier for her family to share meals together. When James’ husband died when her children were young, family dinners became especially important to her. “We got together whether it was over peanut butter and jelly or a bowl of pasta,” she recalls. “In spite of going through a terrible loss, we were able to come together as a family.” And so, four years ago, to help more families “create happiness” by sharing a meal together, the Charlottesville resident
bottled her marinara, derived from her family’s recipe, and founded The Happy Tomato.
AMY JACKSON
The wider noodles, like fettuccine or linguine, are easiest, Winecoff says. Or use the pasta sheets for filled pastas such as ravioli (which should be cut in squares rather than circles to avoid wasting pasta, he advises). But beware: “Fresh pasta is really wet, and if you start stacking it, it will all meld together,” Winecoff says. “When I first started making pasta at home, I’d have noodles hanging everywhere— over cabinet doors, all over the place—just trying to dry it out a bit so it wouldn’t stick together.” If you’re not cooking the pasta immediately, Winecoff suggests twirling it into portion-sized “nests” and freezing them on a tray. “Just drop a nest in boiling water and cook it when you want it,” he says. Winecoff recommends cooking pasta in an 8-quart stock pot for 90 seconds after the water returns to a roaring boil. To give the pasta flavor, the water should be “generously salted—like 2 to 3 tablespoons,” he says. And sauce it quickly, he advises—“even any pasta you have leftover. Otherwise you’ll have a giant clump of noodle.”—Jennifer Senator
Tomato, tom-ah-to? Marinara maker Liz James says, when it comes to her business, it’s the latter. Let’s call the whole thing off!
“It’s pronounced ‘tom-ah-to’ because that’s how my mother always said it,” James explains. And, just like her mother, she wants to streamline dinner with a one-pot meal that can be prepared quickly for everyone in the family—even those with health concerns, she says. James takes pride in the fact that her handmade sauces, which include her marinara, a pizza sauce and pesto (available through Relay Foods, Whole Foods, Rebecca’s Natural Food and other specialty stores), are low in sodium and fat and without added sugar. James, who often demonstrates recipes at grocery stores using her sauces, is so passionate about her product that she has been known to leave the demo table to help a customer shop. Says James, “I’ll walk the grocery store aisles to help them create a meal, so they have something yummy to put on the table.”—Jennifer Senator
“We had to really stretch the food budget, and marinara was a quick way of creating an easy, wonderful dinner—we put it on everything!” Liz James says.
∠ 䠀攀爀戀猀 ∠ 䔀氀椀砀椀爀 猀 ∠ 吀攀愀猀 ∠ 匀愀氀瘀攀猀 ∠ 匀甀瀀瀀氀攀洀攀渀琀猀 ∠ 䈀漀渀攀 䈀爀漀琀栀猀 ∠ 䘀攀爀 洀攀渀琀攀搀 䘀漀漀搀猀 ∠
吀栀攀 䔀氀搀攀爀戀攀爀爀礀 䌀漀洀洀甀渀椀琀礀 栀攀爀戀猀 愀渀搀 栀攀愀氀椀渀最
䄀渀 䠀攀爀戀愀氀 䄀瀀漀琀栀攀挀愀爀礀 伀昀昀攀爀椀渀最 䌀漀渀猀甀氀琀愀琀椀漀渀猀Ⰰ 䌀氀愀猀猀攀猀 愀渀搀 䰀漀挀愀氀氀礀 䴀愀搀攀 䤀琀攀洀猀
倀氀攀愀猀攀 樀漀椀渀 甀猀 昀漀爀 愀 昀爀攀攀 挀甀瀀 漀昀 栀攀爀戀愀氀 琀攀愀 愀渀搀 洀攀攀琀 漀甀爀 欀渀漀眀氀攀最攀愀戀氀攀 挀攀爀琀椀昀椀攀搀 栀攀爀戀愀氀椀猀琀猀 漀渀 猀琀愀昀昀℀
䰀椀欀攀 甀猀 漀渀
䘀愀挀攀戀漀漀欀
䘀愀挀攀戀漀漀欀⸀挀漀洀⼀攀氀搀攀爀戀攀爀爀礀
匀琀漀渀攀爀椀搀最攀 匀栀漀瀀瀀椀渀最 䌀攀渀琀攀爀縀 㤀㜀 䌀漀洀洀漀渀眀攀愀氀琀栀 䐀爀⸀ 縀 䌀栀愀爀氀漀琀琀攀猀瘀椀氀氀攀Ⰰ 嘀䄀 ㈀㈀㤀 縀 䔀氀搀攀爀戀攀爀爀礀栀攀爀戀愀氀猀⸀挀漀洀 㐀㌀㐀ⴀ㤀㘀㐀ⴀ㤀㌀㜀㘀
Fall/Winter Knife&Fork 17
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The Dish
Crowd-pleasers Dreading party season? Take these tips from a pro
W
hether you’re hosting or attending, A Pimento Catering owner Gay Beery has a few ideas on making the most of your holiday fanfare.— Caite White
Drinks Don’t worry that you don’t have a full or “properly stocked” liquor cabinet. Decide what you’d like to serve and do it well. A single cocktail offering is fine, as long as you have a good second go-to, like beer and wine, available for those who maybe have a poor history with martinis, if that’s your feature. It’s always nice to have some nonalcoholic beverages on offer, too. Juices and fruited Italian sodas are great and easy, and if you have sparkling water on hand, with a few garnishes like citrus and mint, you’ve done it. Fall and winter give us a good supply of fresh apple ciders, and they make beautiful drink foundations (my favorite is an apple-ginger sparkler with smoked ginger syrup base, lemon juice, cider and sparkling water to top off). Have fun—and if you’ve got something extra lying around, like other herbs or citrus fruits or even fresh figs, play with those, too.
Balance
RAMMELKAMP FOTO
Got a sweet tooth? Read this article on c-ville.com for Beery’s brown sugar bourbon sauce recipe, too.
A Pimento Catering owner Gay Beery says this about serving her beet borani at a party: “Don’t offer it in a room with white carpeting.” We’ll say!
Whatever you do, think about those guests who won’t go to dinner after your party. This does not mean you need to serve dinner, but it does mean you should think about balancing the offerings (not a bad idea, anyway). Think of hors d’oeuvres as a meal, in that you might serve some meat-based items, some dairy, some vegetables, some carbs. You’ll all feel better later. CONTINUED ON PAGE 23
Fall/Winter Knife&Fork 21
SWEET BLUEGRASS RHYTHMS. FRIED GREEN TOMATOES. A GREAT HERITAGE OF MUSIC & FARMING. BOTH ARE ROOTED IN APPALACHIA.
Thank you C-ville for voting
you can always count on abingdon for outdoor fun, live music and amazing restaurants. join a growing chorus of happy people choosing delicious and healthy local foods every day. visit our website for a list of participating restaurants, inns and retailers.
WWW.ROOTEDINAPPALACHIA.COM
One of The Best Kids’ Menu RUNNER-UP
Serving Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Mon-Sat 6-10pm Sun 7-3pm 1420 Richmond Rd
22 Knife&Fork Fall/Winter
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21
Appetizers Pick up a few favorite or seasonal cheeses, charcuterie and bread and crackers. Grab a bundle of seasonal fruit, which will be beautiful and delicious with those cheeses. Look to your cabinets at home for those thoughtful gifts of local jam and honey you tucked away. Make a couple simple spreads, and ask your best friend who’s begging to help host if she’ll bring along something no-fuss.
Set the table Keep it simple. Just some beverage napkins and cups, and perhaps little plates to keep things neat for those folks squeezed together on the sofa. Or, get out all those cool little glasses you got from the last few years’ yard sales and enjoy using them! Remember: It’s about sharing time with your friends, not worrying. Once you open the door, relax.
The Dish
Your new go-to Here is one of Beery’s sure bets for holiday party treats.
Beet borani “Easily the most beautiful colored dish you’ll ever put on your table (but don’t offer it in a room with white carpeting). This recipe can actually be used as a base and utilize other roasted root veggies you happen to love or have an abundance of, as long as it roasts up sweet and moist enough to purée (i.e. carrots or sweet potatoes),” Beery says. Serves four to eight guests 1 pound of beets 3/4 cup thick yogurt 2 or 3 cloves crushed, chopped garlic 2 tbsp. lemon juice 1/4 tsp. (or more) ground cumin (ideally from freshly toasted cumin seeds) Dash of cayenne (to taste) Olive oil
Wash the beets, rub all over with a bit of olive oil, wrap in a pocket of foil (or place in covered glass dish—just not too big) and roast at 350 degrees for about 60 to 90 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork. Allow the beets to cool a bit until you can handle them. Using a paper towel to shield your hands (this is where it gets messy/beautiful), slip the skins off the beets with a paring knife until the beets are cleaned of any skin (and stems). Place the beets in a food processor and purée. Then add garlic, yogurt, lemon juice, cumin and just a pinch of cayenne (if desired), and purée until smooth. Add a bit of olive oil if you like. To garnish, add a handful of toasted walnuts, drizzle with olive oil or add fresh dill. Serve with toasted pita or flatbread.
Calling fowl Eating wings and watching football could save your autumn “Even though they’re little, brine really helps with juiciness and flavor,” Wraight says. And don’t forget the traditional, flavorpalooza wing trifecta of Wild Wing Café, Buffalo Wild Wings and Lazy Parrot. WWC offers 33 different varieties, with highlights like Ragin’ Cajun, The General, Crazy Daisy Asian BBQ and the crowd favorite, ranch-style Wild West. The wing spot next to the Amtrak station, which sells up to 18,000 wings on Super Bowl Sunday according to owner Chad Ragland, also offers some of the hottest wings in town with the Bravehearts—these babies bring the kind of kick that makes you dread putting another bite of something spicy to your inflamed lips. The Lazy Parrot is the local king of flavor combos, offering up a whopping 62 flavors ranging from Hawaiian and bacon cheddar to spicy curry and hot pepper and garlic. The hottest heaters at the Parrot are the Cancuns, which come along with the menu disclaimer, “Stupid Out of Control Hot.” Might as well make those afternoon football games a bit more interesting.—Shea Gibbs
Wing fact 1.25 billion Number of wings Americans typically eat during the Super Bowl (except for the dark days of 2013, when we ate only 1.23 billion). Source: National Chicken Council
RAMMELKAMP FOTO
Fall Sundays are football Sundays. Grab yourself a swivel chair with a good view of one to 10 big screens, kick back and—with permission from your loved ones—watch seven hours of uninterrupted NFL action. Now, at some point during your football frenzy, you’re gonna get hungry. And is there any better way to feed that hunger than with nearly bite-sized pieces of spicy, sticky, smoky chicken on the bone? Let’s start with Beer Run, which likes to do things differently. Baked rather than fried, finished on the grill with a sweet-sticky barbecue sauce and served with a tangy aioli, the wings are a stripped-down counterpoint to the breaded beasts so many chain spots turn out. How about an upscale piece of winged fowl? Chef Tristan Wraight at Oakhart Social says he put wings on the menu as a replacement for his roasted chicken soon after the joint opened. He does them two ways—Caribbean-style fried naked and Nashville-style dredged in flour, spices and cornmeal before frying. Both are brined (bathed in a salty bath before cooking).
Wild Wing owner Chad Ragland says on Super Bowl Sunday, he makes 18,000 chicken wings.
Fall/Winter Knife&Fork 23
RAMMELKAMP FOTO
The Dish
Special Beer & Wine Dinners Sept 19 - Oct 4 Enjoy a four-course Oktoberfest meal with beer or wine pairings for $35 Also available without alcohol for $27
Let’s get together A local brew dude’s favorite pairings Hunter Smith has had a busy year. As owner of Champion Brewing Company, he’s grown production capacity by more than 30 percent, added three new canned beers to his lineup and expanded into North Carolina. But we didn’t want him to get a big head, so we asked the brewmaster to tout a few of his favorite Virginia craft beers that he didn’t make—and what inedibles to pair them with.—Caite White
Optimal Wit
View the menu at theBavarianChef.com For reservations call (540) 948-6505
24 Knife&Fork Fall/Winter
Brewery: Port City Brewing Co. (Alexandria) Find it: Pad Thai, Firefly, Jack Brown’s Beer & Burger Joint, Rocksalt and more “The fruity and spicy witbier is good for drinking when in a phase of hop fatigue, or a case of Irish
flu. Pair with Weezer’s Blue Album, another refreshing classic for which it’s impossible not to be in the mood.”
Bitter Valentine Brewery: AleWerks Brewing (Williamsburg) Find it: Whole Foods and Beer Run “Indisputably the best Double IPA in Virginia, this big, bitter heavyhitter is a refreshing eye-opener. Known for sporadic limited releases, I grab several bottles whenever I see it. Pair with High Country, the new heady riff-laden album from Texas metal outfit The Sword, another producer from whom I’ll always buy the freshest release.”
Vienna Lager Brewery: Devils Backbone Brewing Company (Charlottesville) Find it: Citizen Burger Bar, Threepenny Café, Continental Divide, Vivace and more “One of the best-selling beers in Virginia, this malty flagship of DBB is a simple and pleasant staple that is an easy go-to. For this type of comfortable utility, I would pair this beer with the movie Goodfellas. It’s always on, and it may be familiar, but you’re in good hands.”
The Dish
Market maven
Allie Redshaw takes the lead at newcomer Timbercreek café
Always on the bar: A good
round red wine, not too tannic Special-occasion drink:
Parliament from Zocalo Energy source: Coffee (just one
because I’m pregnant!)
Unhealthy snack: Watermelon
Sour Patch Kids, and Julie’s lemon ice cream sandwiches Unusual ingredient: Bone
marrow Condiment: Duke’s mayo, aioli,
butter Chocolate: Dark Grocery store cookie: Mission Home Bakeshop monster cookie Dessert: Ice cream Beer: Wine? Specifically,
Caburnio, a super Tuscan that is absolutely beautiful and was introduced to me when I was working for Francesco Buitoni in Red Hook, New York. Ice cream flavor: Strawberry Kitchen aroma: Fresh-baked
bread Always in the home fridge:
Amish hand-rolled butter Always in the pantry: Honey Bodo’s order: Sausage, egg and
cheese on everything whole wheat Cut of meat: Pork belly Fish: Skate wing Vegetable: Ramps Midnight snack: Cinnasticks Knife: Misono UX10 Appliance: French top range Cookbook: On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen by Harold McGee
AMY JACKSON
C
hef Allie Redshaw set her sights on culinary school after a high school trip to Paris introduced her to fine food. She attended the Culinary Institute of America, where she met her now-husband Ian Redshaw (a coowner of Lampo) and worked for a while in Red Hook, New York, before moving to Charlottesville, where she took a position in the kitchen at Pippin Hill’s Farm Table & Wine Bar. Now she’s at the helm of newly opened Timbercreek Market, an outpost of Timbercreek Farm, which has been preaching Joel Salatin’s gospel of sustainable farming since 2010. The café menu boasts everything from a classic cheesesteak to bone marrow tigelle (an Italian bread with bone marrow torchon, prosciutto and topped with shaved fennel and arugula), but Redshaw says it’s rabbit that she’s excited to work with in the colder months. “And pasta dishes, of course,” she says. “Classic fall, heavy pasta dishes, laden with butter and cheese.” We asked her to tell us a few of her other favorite things.—Caite White
Fall/winter menu items:
Lunch spot: Ace Biscuit &
Howard “Corky” Clark of the Culinary Institute of America
Barbecue
Dream trip: Fiji
Chinese restaurant order:
Food city: Paris
I am very excited to work with the rabbits that we have coming from the farm. And pasta dishes, of course (classic fall, heavy pasta dishes, laden with butter and cheese).
Cooking clothes: Scrubs pants,
First food memory: A trip to
Breakfast: Smoothies by my
hubby
Bubble scallion pancake from Taste of China Sandwich: Ol’ Dirty Biscuit
with fried green tomatoes from Ace Biscuit & Barbecue Healthy snack: Kale, any way
Mentors: Joe Depaola and
Bragard jackets Kitchen shoes: Dansko Cooking music: Leon Bridges Food-related tattoos: None
France when I was in high school that actually changed my mind about my life career, to becoming a chef and devoting my life to the passions of the
industry. I was completely overwhelmed and overtaken by the passion and intensity that I found in the various regions of France—from the patisserie to the poissonnière! Best meal ever: Penne
arrabiatta from Mercato in Red Hook, New York Egg order: Scrambled with
Colby Jack Bread topping: Butter or cheese? Butter
Fall/Winter Knife&Fork 25
Fresh produce, herbs, plants, grass fed meats, crafts, and baked goods all from local vendors!
CITY MARKET
(Downtown - Corner of Water Street and 2nd Street)
April - October Saturdays 7:00a.m. - 12:00p.m. November - December Saturdays 8:00a.m. - 1:00p.m.
FARMERS IN THE PARK
(corner of Chesapeake Street and Meade Avenue)
June - September Wednesdays 3:00p.m. - 7:00p.m.
More Information At:
charlottesville.org/citymarket Media Partner
Mason Serif Regular
EST. 1976 | 40TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON
October 30, 2015 | November 1, 2015
LaTraviata April 8, 2016 | April 10, 2016
SEASON AND SINGLE TICKETS ON SALE NOW (540) 345-2550 | www.operaroanoke.org
26 Knife&Fork Fall/Winter
Words with chefs
The Dish
J
enée Libby always wanted to be on the radio. As a child, she spent hours pretending—“Remember Mr. Microphone?” she asks. But Libby’s all grown up now, and she no longer has to pretend, thanks to Edacious, her twice-monthly podcast devoted to all things food. “I initially thought [Edacious] would be a terrific way to bring people to my writing,” says the author of The Diner of Cville blog. “I don’t always write what people want to read—things like restaurant reviews and recipes bore me to tears— so my writing delves deeper, but I realize a lot of people aren’t interested in the history of canning beans in Virginia.” Turns out Libby’s podcast, which premiered last February, provides her with something even better than a larger audience: “I’m meeting all the wonderful chefs, growers and purveyors and learning their stories,” she says. Among her favorite guests have been Pearl’s Bake Shoppe’s Laurie Chapman Blakey, whose grandmother, Pearl, grew up in Greene County “and she uses many of her recipes to make her shop’s cupcakes and other goodies,” Libby says, adding that Blakey brought her grandma’s cookbook to the interview, and the pair spent two
on-air hours comparing notes on each other’s grandmother’s cakes. Other Edacious highlights include learning how Splendora’s PK Ross creates a new gelato flavor; hearing chef Melissa Close-Hart’s thoughts on being a female chef “in an industry where women aren’t always recognized as invaluable” and talking with the C&O’s Dean Maupin “about the oldschool way of apprenticeship.” “Every time I finish an interview it’s a high,” Libby says. “I’m terribly neurotic, so each interview is an exercise in fear. But I breathe through it, do my best...and [when I’m done] it’s like flying.” Asked who her dream Edacious interviewee is, she says, “One word: Tomas [Rahal, owner of Mas].” You can hear more from Libby at thedinerofcville.com/category/ podcasts.—Susan Sorensen
AMANDA MAGLIONE
Jenée Libby’s Edacious podcast gives listeners food for thought
One of Edacious podcaster Jenée Libby’s favorite interviewees? Cupcake queen Laurie Chapman Blakey, who owns Pearl’s Bake Shoppe.
On the web
Brooklyn Supper, the brainchild of Elizabeth Stark and Brian Campbell, is an award-winning blog that wants to make eating seasonally simple and straightforward, courtesy of recipes aimed at home cooks of all levels (potato, leek and fennel soup, anyone?). If it’s in season, Stark and Campbell are likely to write about (and photograph) it. brooklynsupper.com
In addition to her Edacious podcast, Jenée Libby writes The Diner of Cville blog (thedinerofcville.com), which she calls “a frenzied literary mosaic of all things food.” But as you’ll see from the list below, Libby isn’t the only area foodie to put her keyboard where her mouth is.
Renee Byrd’s Will Frolic for Food is filled with vegetarian recipes that are seasonal and approachable and show readers that eating a mostly plant-based diet can be “luxurious, decadent, invigorating and help you live your most vibrant life.” But
Byrd’s blog isn’t exclusively foodfocused, as evidenced by her recipe for The Sugar Hollow, a watermelon gin cocktail (we’ll take two, please!). willfrolicforfood.com Roux Studio bills itself as a culinary collective, which is code for a mouthwatering collection of photographs, recipes, thoughts and “doodles” about all things food. You’ll find everything from a recipe for rye gnocchi with crispy purple scallion (aka “moving day pasta”) to the lowdown on a Peter Chang Champion Brewing Company dinner and frame-worthy drawings of pickles, pastries and caviar. roux-studio.com—S.S.
This is our town. .com
Handmade pasta. Handmade Made daily. pasta. Made daily. Catering Available. Catering Available. Sauces, soups, entrées, pizza & pasta made daily! Sauces, soups, entrées, pizzamonalisapasta.com & pasta made daily! 921 Preston Avenue, Charlottesville, VA 22903 921 Preston Avenue, Charlottesville, VA 22903
monalisapasta.com
Fall/Winter Knife&Fork 27
THESE PEA NUT BUTTER CU PS WILL CHANGE YOUR WORLD
Cater your next event with South Fork Food Truck, old school southern cooking on wheels. 434-989-8422
•
4 06 E Ma in S t , C h a r lo t t esv ille O n t h e D ownt own M a ll L oc a lly owne d a nd op e ra t e d ( 4 3 4 ) 995-54 2 8 L ik e u s on Fa c e b ook !
w w w. s o u t h f o r k f o o d t r u c k . c o m
RAPTURE
Hey Foodies! It's time for the annual Rapture
FARM
TO TABLE
HERITAGE
PLATES
28 Knife&Fork Fall/Winter
Saturday, Nov 7th, 7:00 PM call for reservations 434/293.9526
rapturerestaurant.com
303 e main street on the downtown mall charlottesville, va
The Dish
See you ladle!
One of the best things about saying hello to cooler weather? It finally makes sense to eat soup again. Here are nine of our favorites.
1
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Petit Pois petitpoisrestaurant.com Tender onions and broth-soaked bread await beneath a canopy of melted cheese in this sinful French onion.
2
Blue Ridge Country Store blueridgecountry.com A no-frills chicken noodle, fully loaded with organic veggies, hormone-free chicken and penne noodles in a deceptively peppery broth.
3
Court Square Tavern courtsquaretavern.com A roast beef chili just like mom made (but the downtown spot won’t scrimp on the extra sharp cheddar).
4
Guadalajara charlottesvillemexicanfood.com You’d be remiss not to mix the pico de gallo and sour cream directly into the bowl of this traditional black bean soup.
5
Revolutionary Soup revolutionarysoup.com Spice alert! If you like it hot, the chicken tortilla’s a good bet: chicken, tomatoes and homemade tortillas on the side for dipping.
6
Littlejohn’s Deli littlejohnsdeli.com Pulled chicken winds its way around fluffy dumplings in a thick, creamy sauce-like soup.
7
Fig figuva.com This jambalaya—shrimp, chicken and andouille sausage over rice—has enough kick to get you down to New Orleans and back.
8
Thai 99 II thai99usa.com A spoonful of the Tom Kha Gai gets you chicken, lemongrass and mushrooms in a creamy coconut broth.
9
Tavola tavolavino.com Shrimp and mussels take center stage in this zuppa di pesce show, which also features Calabrian chilis and housemade fish stock.—Caite White
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Fall/Winter Knife&Fork 29
Locally Inspired Seasonal American Cuisine
& Executive Sedan Service
Charlottesville’s Premier Limousine Service Wine & Brewery Tours • Wedding Transportation Airport Transportation • Corporate Meetings Proudly Serving Central Virginia Since 1996.
Dinner Every Day
www.ivyinnrestaurant.com 434-977-1222
VA Permit 148
277 Hydraulic Ridge Road, Suite 105 • Charlottesville, VA
434.973.5466 or 888.725.5466(LIMO) www.ambassadorlimos.com
Fine IndianCuisine
ALL YOU CAN EAT
LUNCH BUFFET
More than 25 Items and choices of Vegetarian Delivery Available Through
Take Out Also Available.
434.984.9944 | TasteOfIndiaCvl.com | 310 E. Main Street Downtown Mall, Charlottesville | Mon. - Sun. 2:30pm - 10pm 30 Knife&Fork Fall/Winter
401 E. MAIN STREET CHARLOTTESVILLE VIRGINIA TUSCAN-INSPIRED KITCHEN ON THE DOWNTOWN MALL
EXECUTIVE CHEF LEE HENDRICKSON
Eric Kelley
REDPUMPKITCHEN.COM
SEASONAL INGREDIENTS HAND CRAF TED DISHES EXQUISITE SERVICE
434.202.6040
EASTONPORTER.COM
5022 PLANK ROAD NORTH GARDEN VIRGINIA AWA R D - W I N N I N G WINES D A I LY TA S T I N G R O O M & V I N E YA R D S T O P R AT ED EV EN T VENUE
Eric Kelley
EXECUTIVE CHEF B I LL S CAT EN A P I P P I NH I LLFARM.COM 434.204.8063
Fall/Winter Knife&Fork 31
City of Charlottesville Live local, serve local. Make a difference and a career in your community! We are accepting applications for full-time and temp positions. For a complete listing of current openings and directions on how to apply for a City job, visit our website at:
www.charlottesville.org/jobs HR Office: 434-970-3490
A Leading Employer in a World Class City Equal Opportunity Employer
Reasonable accommodations will be made for persons with disabilities. The City conducts pre-employment drug testing for all positions. Final applicants required to register with Selective Service must show proof of registration. You will be asked to provide personal identity and eligibility for work in the U.S. in accordance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act.
Everyone Deserves a Slice of the Pie Special Olympics • JABA • Blue Ridge Area Food Bank Salvation Army • Albemarle HS Chorus • Monticello HS Independence Resource Center • Toy Lift • March of Dimes Goodwill Industries • Thomas Jefferson Food Bank • SARA Make A Wish Foundation • St. Judes • Kluge Children’s Rehab • Habitat for Humanity • Ronald McDonald House Mosby Foundation • Shelter for Help in Emergency ARC of the Piedmont • Albemarle Fire & Rescue Virginia Wounded Warrior Program • Caring for Creatures • ARC of the Piedmont • SPCA • SOCA
Free Kindness with Every Order!
We invite you…
to revel, relax, and enjoy a unique dining experience at The Farmhouse at Veritas. Lose yourself in an evening of fine food expertly prepared by Chef Andy Shipman in our open kitchen with wines carefully curated by our wine maker. Four course, wine paired prix fixe menus are available Tuesday through Saturday and offered at our 6:30pm seating time. Start your meal with a complimentary glass of Veritas Scintilla and relax as Chef Andy does the rest. Reservations required.
FreshNever Frozen Dough
o et ad r M rde O Locally owned Fresh Toppings
www.veritasfarmhouse.com/farmhouse-dinners | (540) 456-8100
Ray Sellers
Owner of Your Local Domino’s Pizza
32 Knife&Fork Fall/Winter
The Dish
Spice up your life Now that temperatures have dropped, warm up by adding some spice to your plate. Here are just a few local options to put a little hair on your chest.
1. Peri-peri chicken Shebeen Pub & Braai The peri-peri chicken is a Sub-Saharan African staple. Made with crushed peri-peri chili pepper, the sauce “gets really hot, but never so hot that it’s miserable,” according to owner Walter Slawski. It’s served with a side of mango chutney to cool you off a bit, but if you can’t get enough spice, order it with extra crushed peri-peri chili on the side.
2. The Shocker Jack Brown’s Beer & Burger Joint When it comes to chili peppers, you could remove the seeds, soak them in some pickle juice or switch them out for a bell pepper to reduce the heat, but Jack Brown’s embraces the spice. The Shocker has both jalapeños and habaneros—raw, with the seeds still in—and pepper jack cheese and shocker sauce, a tears-inducing condiment made in-house with habaneros.
3. Pepper vinegar
PHOTOS BY BRIANNA LAROCCO
Maya While Maya chef Christian Kelly says there’s “no one dish that sets
anyone’s mouth on fire” on the menu, there is one condiment that may give your taste buds a run for their money: the pepper vinegar, served with the collard greens. “Dried chili is so complex in its flavor profile that you almost forget about the heat because there’s so much other stuff going on,” Kelly says. “Our pepper vinegar is like that.”
4. Pad Thai Downtown Thai The servers at Downtown Thai will ask how spicy you want your meal on a scale of one to five, but you can request a spice level of up to 50. Restaurant manager Mahila Mehtab recommends the pad Thai, which “tastes better when it’s really spicy.”
Burnin’ love?
5. El Jefe sauce Brazos Tacos The spiciest item at the newest taco joint in town is the El Jefe, a thick green hot sauce found at the condiment table. Made from emulsified jalapeños, it commands attention. Owner Peter Griesar recommends pairing it with any of the breakfast tacos, particularly the Austin Morning—braised brisket, scrambled eggs, mashed potatoes, pickled onion and queso fresco.— Laura Ingles
Head to this story online for the Spice Diva’s recs on bringing the heat home. 1
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Fall/Winter Knife&Fork 33
We have the BEST customers. Thank you from the bottom of our tarts. You make us better and we love you.
BAKERY
418 W. Main St. 418 W. Main St. Monday-Friday 7-6 Mon-Friday Saturday 7-5 7-6 | Saturday 7-5 434.293.6456 434.293.6456 albemarlebakingco.com albemarlebakingco.com
PREMIUM QUALITY CATERING & BARBEQUE LOCATION: HOURS: PARKING: PHONE: EMAIL: WEB:
202 10TH ST NW (AT THE BOTTOM OF WERTLAND AVENUE) 11AM - 4PM MON-THURS, 11AM - 7PM FRI-SAT, NOON - 5PM ON SUN AVAILABLE IN THE ALLEYWAY RIGHT OF THE BUILDING 434.975.2271 ORDER@REDHUBFOODCO.COM REDHUBFOOD.COM Proudly serving our
34 Knife&Fork Fall/Winter
hometown of Charlottesville
Season’s eatings
The Dish
A seasonal shift is an exciting change for any chef—a new menu awaits! We asked two local culinarians—Ian Boden of The Shack in Staunton and Caleb Warr of Tavola—to tell us what they’re most excited about adding to the offerings this fall and winter, respectively.—Caite White
Ian Boden
The Shack (Staunton) Ham fat confit pumpkin with fresh herbs
NORM SHAFER
“I feel like people get stuck in a rut with pumpkin. They go to the classics—pumpkin pie, purées, etc., which tend to be overly sweet and have so much spice in them you can’t taste the pumpkin. I like to push pumpkin more to the savory side. How can I put pumpkin in a different context and let people taste pumpkin in a different way? This dish is pretty easy to turn into a vegetable-centric dish. For an upcoming event, I am serving it with cured egg yolk and fresh herbs, but you could add a poached or fried egg and make it super lush. Or it could be a side dish for Thanksgiving. “In preparing and presenting the dish, you don’t want to be scared of the fat. The fat itself gives the flavor, so keep the pumpkin well-coated in it as you cook it. And you want to finish the plated dish with a little bit of the fat (not soaking in it, but a nice drizzle).”
Fall/Winter Knife&Fork 35
BAR + RESTAURANT + GAMES
CLASSIC ARCADE GAMES · POOL · PING-PONG PINBALL · BOARD GAMES · FOOSBALL Happy hour everyday Family friendly and Open to groups OPEN MON–FRI at 4pm SAT & SUN at 10:30am Join us for Sunday Brunch! Locally sourced. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free options.
1304 E. Market Street
36 Knife&Fork Fall/Winter
fireflycville.com
The Dish
Gourd to glass In late July, when a mysterious, creeping sugar pumpkin vine emerged from my compost pile, I started thinking about the strange fruit and how to get it from gourd to glass. The answer? Pumpkin butter.
Pumpkin butter
RAMMELKAMP FOTO
8 sugar pumpkins; 1 1/2 cups Dr. Pepper (or something cola-esque); 1 1/2 cups brown sugar; 2 cups table sugar; 1 tbsp. freshly grated cinnamon (or cassia); 1 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg; 1/2 tsp. whole cloves; 1/2 tsp. allspice (grind the cloves and allspice in a spice grinder)
Tavola
RAMMELKAMP FOTO
Pancetta-wrapped scallop sausage with smoked branzino collar and onion tops, served on a fennel and bay aioli “It’s a dish in which all the ingredients are in peak season during late autumn and early winter months. A traditional version of this technique is commonly seen where I am from, Southern Louisiana. I learned to perfect the technique while working at The Rock Barn, and think it will present well with classic Italian pantry items. The exciting part for us comes from the fact that we will be utilizing trim that would otherwise be thrown out by most, and turning it into a delicious few bites to be enjoyed with some of [Tavola bar manager] Christian Johnston’s winter cocktails.”
Home cookin’ Want to try Bodens’s recipe at your own dinner table? Here’s how.—C.W.
Ham fat confit pumpkin (previous page)
Yes, Mr. Washington
1 medium pumpkin (delicata, butternut or acorn are good options) 1 qt. lard 2 cups Edwards ham scraps 1 head garlic (halved) 2 sprigs thyme 1 sprig rosemary 2 bay leaves In a large sauce pot, put the lard and ham scraps on medium low heat. Do not fry the ham, but allow it to slowly render. There should be little to no movement in the fat. When the ham bits become shriveled and crispy, remove them from the heat. Slice the pumpkin into large 1"-thick chunks, removing the seeds and skin if necessary. Lay flat in a baking dish and sprinkle with kosher salt. Add the remaining ingredients and cover with the ham and lard. Cover with aluminum foil and put into an oven set to 300 degrees. Cook until tender but not falling apart (approximately 45 minutes to an hour). Allow to cool slightly before serving. Does not need to be piping hot—room temperature is perfect.
1 1/2 oz. Laird’s Applejack or Bonded apple brandy; 1 tbsp. pumpkin butter; 1 oz. cider reduction (apple cider reduced to one-third volume plus a pinch of sugar); 1/4 oz. lemon juice; 1/2 oz. egg white Dry shake without ice, shake with ice, double strain into a chilled cocktail coupe and garnish with nutmeg.—Micah LeMon
RAMMELKAMP FOTO
Caleb Warr
Cut the tops off of eight sugar pumpkins and cut them in half. Remove the seeds. Roast them face down on a sheet pan at 350 degrees for one hour, or until the flesh can be easily scraped from the shell. Allow them to cool, then scrape out the flesh, yielding about 3 to 4 quarts. In a pot, add the rest of the ingredients. Bring them to a boil, then simmer for about an hour on low heat. Run the butter through a Vitamix in batches until it’s smooth.
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Albemarle Baking Company owner Gerry Newman
40 Knife&Fork Fall/Winter
Love it or loave it, here’s the straight dough on bread
Time to toast
Warning: This issue’s feature is not gluten-free. But the good news is, we’ve figured out the best thing since sliced bread: a whole loaf. White, rye, baguette, pain de campagne, sunflower wheat—any way you slice it, this issue celebrates all things doughy. The story starts with Charlottesville’s godfather of grain, Albemarle Baking Company owner Gerry Newman, and continues with Ace’s biscuits, Lampo’s starter and Bavarian Chef’s pretzels. Of course, we didn’t stop there. Learn how to buy bread, salvage your leftovers and dig in to a trendy toast bar, too. You know what they say, after all: Virginia is for loavers. PHOTOS: JOHN ROBINSON, ASHLEY TWIGGS
Fall/Winter Knife&Fork 41
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Newman’s own G
erry Newman can’t construct a building. He can’t set a broken bone, tune up a car or write the Great American Novel. What he can do is make the best baguette this side of Paris. Thousands of them every week, baked around the clock in a large, brick-lined oven, and available at dozens of area restaurants and shops. Then there’s his ciabatta, pain de campagne and chocolate cherry levain, to name just a few of the 26 different varieties of bread for sale at his Albemarle Baking Company. “Aren’t we the lucky ones?” he asks on a sunny Wednesday morning at a table outside his West Main Street bakery, where he’s been in the kitchen since 4:30am. “Everyone has something they do well that other people enjoy, and people want to buy the bread we bake here. What we do makes them happy, and they come and see us.” Newman calls bread “a simple form of food,” adding that it’s “of the earth.” “The grain is here, the water, the yeast and the salt are all here; it’s a very natural thing. And when you make it, it’s a wonderful tactile experience of mixing and shaping and forming,” he says. “It makes your house smell good, and you have a feeling of accomplishment when you take it out of the oven and share it with family and friends at your table.” Newman began baking out of “curiosity,” he says, and he honed his craft in the early 1980s during a four-year stint as an apprentice to a Swiss master baker in Southern California. “The first six months there were the hardest of my life,” he admits. His boss set the bar high, and “he never moved it the entire time I was there—and you had to hit that bar every day. You strived to be the best he thought you could be. It shaped me and taught me what it would take to be successful
at what I do.” Newman learned during those years that it wasn’t enough to be able to finish a cake or shape a loaf of bread. He had to do it with “exactness and purpose and always with quality in mind. If I was careless, I’d hear about it.” When Newman opened ABC in 1995, his round, rustic pain de campagne (“country bread” in French) became a staple, but “I really like baguettes,” he says, likening them to good vanilla ice cream because “they’re simple and very versatile. You can serve them with butter or jam or meat or cheese.” “We grill slices of baguette with olive oil and sea salt,” says Tavola owner-chef Michael Keaveny, who buys 150 of Newman’s baguettes every week. “We rely on Albemarle Baking Company for all the bread we pair with our dishes.” Keaveny isn’t the only one, and although business might be good these days for Newman and his 32 employees, things haven’t always been so rosy. Remember the great bread boycott Dr. Atkins started in the 1970s? It lasted into the aughts, and calorie counters everywhere eschewed bagels, boules and brioche in favor of burgers, brats and bacon (hold the buns and biscuits, please). And there certainly wasn’t much of a bread scene in Charlottesville when Newman and his wife, Millie Carson, opened ABC downtown. (The pair’s sole employee was Dean Maupin, now the C&O’s chef-owner.) Albemarle Baking Company changed all that—suddenly Charlottesville had bread that was the equal of any, anywhere. In 2006, Newman and Riki Tanabe, ABC’s pastry chef, competed in the National Bread and Pastry Championship that’s held every two years in Atlantic City. It pairs a baker and a pastry chef in a two-day, 14-hour test of skills. Newman and Tanabe won best bread, best viennoiserie (croissants
ASHLEY TWIGGS
Any way you slice it, bread takes the cake at Albemarle Baking Company
and Danish pastries), best entremet (cake) and third place overall. All that came later, though. In the beginning, there were some rough spots for Newman’s fledgling company. He recalls that ABC’s first next-door neighbor was Woolworth’s, and the store’s manager advised employees to take the bakery’s baguettes home and put them in the microwave so they’d soften up and “lose the crust.” Newman laughs at the memory, and admits his European-style bakery with its crusty breads may have been a little ahead of its time. “But as Charlottesville grew, we grew,” he says. “When the City Market opened in 1996, that’s when things really happened for us. And once we got in restaurants, people started coming in and saying, ‘I had your bread at this place...’” It also helped that downtown was in transition. “The Mudhouse opened just before we opened and Hamiltons’ opened just after us,” Newman says. “Businesses were
moving in and people at the university didn’t have to go elsewhere to get what they wanted. We hit a sweet spot.” When he outgrew his downtown location, Newman’s was the first place to open in the Main Street Market in 2001. During a recent tour of his high-ceilinged, unairconditioned kitchen, which is usually between 80 and 90 degrees (”We know it’s really hot outside when we come in here and it seems cool,” he says), Newman pauses in front of his bread oven, which arrived in pieces from France. He recalls the week that he and Maupin put it together: “We worked from 7am to 7pm, for seven days,” he says, smiling at the memory. “That was a fun week.” Truth be told, Newman’s had a lot of fun weeks over the past two decades. “It’s just an honor and a privilege to bake bread for people who then take it home and serve it to their family and friends,” he says.—Susan Sorensen
Fall/Winter Knife&Fork 43
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Even if you have all the ingredients for a gourmet sandwich, if you choose the wrong bread, the result will be a soggy mess. So how can you tell what bread goes best with different ingredients? According to Pat Pitts, manager at Bellair Market, which offers 18 sandwiches on a variety of breads, both flavor and texture should be considered. Take, for example, pumpernickel or rye. “Those definitely add a certain flavor,” Pitts says. “For something like a corned beef sandwich, you’d expect that on rye bread.” Texture is important, too. Bellair’s standard is French bread. “For us, it has to be crusty but not too crusty,” Pitts says. (The shop has been using the same French bread, by Vie de France, for 24 years.) It’s used for many of Bellair’s sandwiches, including its bestseller, the Farmington, made with smoked turkey, bacon, Havarti cheese, cole slaw, lettuce, tomato and herbed mayo. Pitts says hearty sandwiches like that do best on heartier breads. “The whole profile looks and tastes better,” she says. This is also true of sandwiches with runny sauces, she says. Select whole wheat ciabatta, “since it has lots of holes and a stable, hearty profile.” But steer clear of white bread, Pitts warns. “It’s too soft, and it just doesn’t give anything back to the sandwich.”—Jennifer Senator
The Farmington
AMANDA MAGLIONE
For ’wiches, which bread’s best?
Take brunch down a notch with Milli Joe’s toast bar.
Burn, baby, burn Milli Joe toast bar offers simple yet decadent breakfast options Listen, nobody’s trying to diminish the value of a heavy, boozy, indulgent $30 brunch. But sometimes the first meal of the day just calls for something a little lighter, and that’s where the toast bar at Milli Joe comes in. It’s a trend that emerged back in 2011 in (of course) New York, but hit its stride sometime last year, burning through dining scenes in cities such as Seattle, San Francisco and Minneapolis. “It’s something that’s just really simple, and a good way to try a bunch of high-quality ingredients,” says Milli Joe owner Nick Leichentritt. At the Preston Avenue shop, they start with thick slabs of Albemarle Baking Company country bread (pain de campagne), toast ’em up, then slather them with one of several topping choices. The UVA Jams is a classic option, which includes Kerrygold butter and your choice of orange marmalade or raspberry jam. If you’re feeling cheesy, try the Spicy Goat and Sweet Goat featuring chevre and either pepper jelly or apricot jam, respectively. And for those of you who regard breakfast as more of an early dessert, there’s the Lemonberry, with its sweet, decadent lemon curd topped with blueberries.—Laura Ingles
TOOL TIME What’s the most important thing you need to make bread at home? Says ABC’s Gerry Newman, “Equipment-wise, a thick pizza stone (or you can use quarry tiles) to put in the oven and get really hot. An old, metal pan placed in the bottom of the oven to generate steam. A pizza peel. Time and patience.” Fall/Winter Knife&Fork 45
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Don’t be duped by ‘fresh’ bread How do you know if that supermarket or bakery loaf is fresh? Patrick Evans, co-owner of MarieBette Bakery, says you probably won’t know unless you can touch it or break it, so, if you can, ask for a sample, he suggests. “You’re looking for a high crust-tocrumb ratio,” he explains. “If bread is freshly baked, the outside will be crusty and the inside will be soft; if bread has been sitting overnight, or is older than 12 hours, the crust will be softer and the inside will be harder.” You can also tell a lot by the bread’s color. “I think color is flavor,” Evans says. “It’s that caramelization of the flour that gives it a rich color.” Smell can be another indicator, he says. “Bread is definitely not going to be as aromatic if it’s old.” “Or just come to MarieBette,” laughs Evans, where sourdough loaves— which have a longer shelf life of a few days, he says—are made fresh every day beginning at 5am, followed by baguettes (“meant to be eaten that day,” he says) at 7.—Jennifer Senator
AMY JACKSON
Chews wisely
AMY JACKSON
Keep it fresh
MarieBette’s Patrick Evans says a freshly baked bread will be crusty on the outside, soft inside.
How to keep your bread fresh once you get home? Evans says to store bread in a brown paper bag—not plastic, unless you’re freezing it. To freshen a loaf that has been sitting out, he suggests spritzing the bread with water and heating it at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. But only one reheat, he cautions. “It will taste great for a little while, but will stale quickly afterwards.”—J.S.
Fall/Winter Knife&Fork 47
Photography © Eze Amos RUNNER-UP
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Did you know jokes about flour are on the rise? It’s true. But they’re worth sifting through. All joking aside, flour is nothing to sneeze at in the kitchen. The finely ground powder made from grains and other plants is a staple in pantries everywhere and for good reason: It’s found in carb-lovers’ favorite foods, from breads to cakes. There are three main types of flour: bread flour, all-purpose and soft wheat. Bread flour has the most gluten and protein of the major types of flour. It’s made from hard, high-protein wheat, which works well when baking with yeast. It’s most commonly used when loafing around (that is, making bread). All-purpose flour is softer, without as much protein. It blends hard and soft wheat and is perfect for cakes and cookies. You’ll find bleached and unbleached varieties—bleached has less protein, and is best for pie crusts, cookies and pancakes or waffles. An unbleached variety is good for pastries, cream puffs and popovers. And then there’s soft wheat flour, aka cake flour. Its super-fine texture is often used for baked goods that have a high ratio of sugar to flour because it’s less likely to collapse. (Think popovers gone terribly wrong.) Of course, there are nearly as many types of flour as there are types of fruitcakes. Those with gluten issues can still get their grain on with varieties including corn flour, quinoa flour and soy flour. There’s also stoneground or milled flour, which has
NORM SHAFER
CONTINUED ON PAGE 51
Wade’s Mill
AMY JACKSON
Flour power
Do you even bronut?
MarieBette’s brioche feuilletée makes a name for itself Brioche feuilletée, where have you been all our lives? This delicately sweet classic French pastry quickly became a local favorite after local food blogger Simon Davidson affectionately coined it the “bronut”—that is, a brioche-donut, not a donut for bros (though the bakery’s proximity to UVA could certainly allow for both). We went behind the scenes with co-owner and baker Patrick Evans, who runs the cafe and bakery with his husband and business partner, Jason Becton, to see the pastry-making process for ourselves. Evans says it’s one of the more labor-intensive treats they roll out, but it’s a labor of love. The process begins with a dough similar to that of a croissant with more than six pounds of butter, which goes into the freezer after it spends about half an hour in the mixer. “This is the point when it looks like it’s never going to come together,” Evans says as one of his bakers
adds fistfuls of frozen butter by hand. “But then it gets this yellow sheen, and it’s the most beautiful dough.” The dough then gets flattened through a dough sheeter (basically an industrial-sized rolling pin) in two layers, with another two pounds of butter layered in between. This is the part of the process that creates those flaky, buttery layers, Evans explains as he folds the dough-and-butter sandwich on top of itself to send through the sheeter several more times. Once the many layers of dough and butter have been flattened into a sheet about 5' long, Evans slices it into a couple dozen triangles. He could use a pastry cutter, but Evans prefers to eyeball this step and use a standard pizza cutter. “Every baker does everything a little differently,” he says. From there, they either get rolled immediately into shape to go into the oven, or they’re filled with a hazelnut-and-almond pra-
line mixture before being rolled and baked. The plain variety receives a cream filling (flavors vary; this particular week it was orange-vanilla) once it’s cooled, and both get a dusting of sugar on their way to the pastry case upstairs. The finished product is everything you want in a pastry—light and flaky while at the same time buttery and indulgent, with just enough sugar. And to think Evans originally only planned to bake and sell the brioche feuilletée for a week.—Laura Ingles
Fall/Winter Knife&Fork 49
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 49
become popular of late. Billed as a healthier option, the beige-colored flour is coarser and less likely to be used in bread because of its dense texture. There are seasons to flour, believe it or not. “Hard winter wheat is grown in a colder climate,” explains Jason McKown, manager of BreadWorks in Charlottesville. “Farther south, we’ll see more soft flours grown for cake and all-purpose flour.” BreadWorks makes about a dozen kinds of loaves, from challah and sourdough to the most popular choice, sunflower wheat. McKown shared that the different kinds of wheat and where and how they’re grown determine what each kind of flour is used for in the kitchen. McKown should know. His uncle, a baker, emigrated from Holland and McKown has carried on his family’s baking heritage. “Flour is one of those basic necessities that everyone needs, and to be able to contribute to those needs means a lot to me.” By the way, ever wonder who puts too much flour in their bread? Someone who’s a gluten for punishment.—Lynn Thorne
DON’T HOLD THE MUSTARD!
Great grains Shopping local? These two area mills have been in the flour biz for centuries (literally!) and can fix you up with everything from all-purpose to whole wheat.
Wade’s Mill 55 Kennedy Wades Mill Loop (Raphine), (540) 348-1400 Founded: 1750 Fun fact: Built by one of the Shenandoah Valley’s earliest settlers, Capt. Joseph Kennedy, Wade’s Mill is powered by a 21' water wheel that’s fed by a nearby stream.
Woodson’s Mill 3211 Lowesville Rd. (Roseland), (804) 803-1794 Founded: 1974 Fun fact: Once owned by Dr. Julian B. Woodson, a medical doctor and state senator who expanded the mill to include an icehouse, sawmill and foundry. —C.W.
Get it twisted
Few things scream Octoberfest like a good, old-fashioned Bavarian pretzel, which is exactly what you’ll find at The Bavarian Chef in Madison. The restaurant imports its pretzels from—where else?—Germany, and owner Christine Thalwitz describes the crust as “chaotic” in all its dark brown, crispy, chewy, salty goodness. Inside is “an amazing pillowy texture” that she also says is “plump.” Bavarian Chef serves about 250 per week with house mustard—a special blend of whole grain and regular Dijon, yellow mustard, horseradish, cayenne and maple syrup—and beer cheese (cheese blended with Tabasco and house beer). The restaurant is also known for its Schwarzbrot, a rye bread made daily with local rye flour from Big Mill Spring in Elliston, Virginia. “In Germany, it’s important to pair every meal with the perfect bread,” Thalwitz says.—Lynn Thorne Fall/Winter Knife&Fork 51
Get right to The Pointe. Experience great daily specials at the Omni Charlottesville Hotel. Join us at The Pointe Pub or The Pointe Patio overlooking the downtown pedestrian mall afternoons and evenings for our specialty cocktail of the week, as well as delicious snacks and other favored libations. Whether you’re a hotel guest or a Charlottesville native, we make it a point to give the very best we have to offer.
212 Ridge McIntire Road Charlottesville, VA 22902 434-971-5500
52 Knife&Fork Fall/Winter
AMANDA MAGLIONE
Barbecue is Ace’s bread and butter, but owner Brian Ashcroft has put a lot of thought into his biscuits, too. Just one batch (70 biscuits) takes 90 minutes from start to finish.
Doughn’t you forget about me Ace’s barbecue’s top-notch—but what about those biscuits?
M
ost chefs don’t offer up their recipes. Ingredient lists are often well-guarded secrets, maybe only existing within the mind of the creator. Not so with the biscuit recipe at Ace Biscuit and Barbecue. Owner Brian Ashcroft is happy to share the six simple ingredients in his tender, flaky concoction: butter, buttermilk, baking powder, all-purpose flour, salt and pepper. Ashcroft said people most often comment on the biscuit’s “peppery
aspect.” He also says they stay soft longer because they’re made with butter instead of lard. Not that they have time to sit around for long. With Ace’s catering business in addition to its regular diners, they might churn out 80 pounds of biscuits at a time while still “biting our nails, hoping we don’t run out.” A batch takes about an hour and 30 minutes, start to finish. The restaurant makes 20-pound batches, which yield roughly 70 biscuits (plus a little
left over, which gets used as breading for their fried green tomatoes). Ashcroft combines the dry ingredients first, cubes the butter and uses a beater paddle in the mixer to combine it all. Once the butter chunks are about the size of a lima bean, he puts in the dough hook, adds the buttermilk, and keeps it going until it pulls clean from the bottom of the bowl. “It’s all hand work from there.” That hand work calls for his favorite item—his rolling pin, which
is a section of a dowel rod purchased at Lowe’s just before he opened three years ago. The unusual tool ties in to his philosophy of keeping things simple. “There’s a fine line when preparing simple foods the right way; you have less to hide behind than when you’re making something complicated,” Ashcroft says. “If it’s messed up, everyone can tell. For me, just knowing I don’t have to look for somewhere to hide is great.”—Lynn Thorne
“There’s a fine line when preparing simple foods the right way; you have less to hide behind than when you’re making something complicated,” Brian Ashcroft says. Fall/Winter Knife&Fork 53
Come for the wine.
Stay for the food.
Celebrating the Virgina Table earlymountain.com Early Mountain Vineyards is located in Madison, Virginia off Highway 29, just 30 minutes North of Charlottesville.
Start me up Lampo chef and co-owner Loren Mendosa gets this question a lot: What makes his pizza dough different? While most people think it’s the 00 flour, he has a different idea: “It’s the use of natural yeast starter [the leavening agent] that really makes it special,” he says. “So much flavor can develop in your dough over the course of a couple of days as the yeasts ferment and grow, not only adding depth of flavor but also allowing you to digest the product so much easier.” Mendosa assures us that raising and training a sourdough starter is “really pretty easy” for the average at-home baker, if you’re
The golden ratio Says Mendosa, “10 grams of starter, 50 grams of flour, 30 grams of water will produce enough starter to leaven a couple loaves of bread.” seeking to make pizza from scratch. It just requires a good feeding schedule. One option is to ask a local baker to share some starter with you, but if that’s not possible, make your own. He recommends Fifth Season Gardening as a jumping-off point for sourdough cultures (and a helpful staff, if you’re an amateur). “The base starter needs to be fed regularly, but that also depends on how often it’s being used,” Mendosa says. “We feed twice a day and use just our regular flour to keep our starter healthy and happy.” And, as they say: happy starter, happy customers.—Caite White
RAMMELKAMP FOTO
Making dough? Here are tips from an expert
TGIF! Friday is cinnamon chip bread pudding day at Great Harvest.
Leftover loaves Three ways to avoid tossing that slightly stale bread
Croutons and bruschetta aren’t the only ways to use bread that’s just past its prime. Local franchise Great Harvest Bread owner Matt Monson shared a few of his favorite ways to reuse and recycle a loaf of bread when it’s no longer fresh enough for the perfect sandwich but not yet ready to be tossed.—Laura Ingles
BURGER BINDER “I’m a big fan of a half-ounce of bread added to a hamburger—as the burger cooks and the proteins tighten, the juice it releases will be absorbed by the bread crumbs and you’ll end up with a juicier end product. At home I usually use one of our seedy whole grain breads like Dakota.”
THE PROOF’S IN THE (BREAD) PUDDING “Just about any type of bread can work, but at Great Harvest we make a cinnamon chip bread pudding every Friday. And don’t discount the idea of a savory bread pudding—think of the softness of the dessert combined with the flavors of an egg-and-sausage casserole.”
SALAD DAYS “Our multigrain sourdough makes great panzanella (bread salad). Now’s the season at the farmers’ market for great tomatoes and other produce, and the crispy bread and doughy tang make for great combination of flavor and texture.” Fall/Winter Knife&Fork 55
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Ample on-site parking & centrally located in Charlottesville at 1804 Hydraulic Road and Route 29 (behind Meineke Muffler, in front of Kroger and across the street from Whole Foods.)
Hours: Mon.-Sat. 9:30-7:30, Sun. 12:30-5:30.
1804 Hydraulic Road • Follow us on Facebook, Call for more information: 434.296.1727 or email us at www.wineinc@aol.com
106 5th street S.E. 434-249-5291
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W
hen you consider the past 8,000 years or so of wine production history, sparkling wine is relatively new on the scene, becoming popular as late as the 1700s. In the early millennia of wine production, sparkling wines were usually made accidentally when a wine would continue its fermentation after warming up in the spring after harvest. When the weather gets cold, yeast goes dormant and stops fermenting, but it will continue its fermentation as soon as it warms up. If a wine container is sealed while yeast has the potential for activity, you could end up with a sparkling wine. Before Louis Pasteur identified yeast as a cause of fermentation, the varying degrees of haphazard bubbles in wines caused havoc in the wine business. Much misunderstood, bubbles were considered to be a wine flaw, and most producers tried to avoid them. But sometimes fashion prevails: In the 1700s, growing popularity for sparklers in England helped drive sparkling Champagne production. Though Champagne locals mostly preferred to make still wines, the prices they could get for sparkling wines helped nurture interest in bubbly production—but not without risk. It was impossible to control the pressure in the bottles. Some would explode, causing others to explode, and in a few minutes, most of a harvest could be lost and cellar workers could be gravely injured. Thus, during the 18th century, most Champagne wine was made without bubbles, and resembled today’s wines of Burgundy.
Even Thomas Jefferson did not fully subscribe to bubbles. He traveled through Champagne in 1788, and later, in 1803, he ordered 400 bottles of Champagne from his favorite producer, Dorsay, to be sent to Washington. But Jefferson made sure to specify that he wanted the non-mousseux (non-sparkling) wine. In Jefferson’s day, the bubbly Champagne market was heavily driven by British tastes. And Jefferson, having recently declared independence from Britain, was eager to distance himself from British culture. In a way, aligning with the tastes of the winemakers in France and focusing on incorporating French cuisine into White House menus were methods of asserting culinary independence from a recent oppressor.
Pétillant in the present day Things have changed dramatically over the last two centuries. The Industrial Revolution and advances in science made large-scale sparkling wine possible, with stronger bottles, an understanding of yeast and how it works and a method to disgorge (remove yeast sediment from) the bottles. In this new era, the craze for bubbles spread throughout Europe and Asia, and was especially popular among nobles and the upper class. The epicenter of sparkling production was the Champagne region, and winemakers came from all over Europe to learn how to control the secondary CONTINUED ON PAGE 63
Know this term: PetNat Another form of bubbly, Pétillant Naturel or Method Ancestral (PetNat in wine lingo), is rising in popularity. PetNats are not made with the secondary fermentation you find in Champagne; instead, they are made by finishing the original wine fermentation in the bottle to capture the CO2 in the wine. One local winemaker, Riaan Rossouw of Lovingston Winery, is currently experimenting with PetNat bubbly, though you will not find it on the market quite yet. PetNats are quite popular from the Loire Valley, and at most local wine shops you’ll be able to find some from France or Spain. If you dine at Mas or Lampo, try the Ca’dei Zago by the glass.—E.S.
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Fall/Winter Knife&Fork 61
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fermentation that makes bubbles. Large-scale sparkling wine production spread to Spain, Italy, Germany and even California. Today, we see sparkling wine production in just about every wine region in the world—including Virginia. Because most regions in Virginia are more conducive to chardonnay as opposed to pinot noir (though there are some extraordinary exceptions!), locally you will find more Blanc de Blancs than sparklers from pinot noir.
Mr. Bubbles Claude Thibaut, of Thibaut-Janisson, has heavily influenced the Virginia sparkling wine scene.
Next time you are looking for a great Champagne value, keep your eyes peeled for “Special Club” wines. The Special Club is a group of 26 small producers in Champagne who submit their highest quality wine to the club for a peer review. If the wine passes the review, it is labeled as a “Special Club” wine. You’ll find many different Special Club producers available in our local market, including Marc Hébrart, Henri Goutorbe and A. Margaine.—E.S.
JOHN ROBINSON
Join the club When Claude Thibaut came to Virginia in 2003, it was a difficult year for Champagne. “Hurricane Isabel hit in September and we had to pick very early,” he says.
Originally from Champagne, Thibaut brought a host of experience and insight to producing Virginia bubbles from Charlottesville soil when he came to Virginia in 2003. “That was a very difficult year. Hurricane Isabel hit in September and we had to pick very early,” says Thibaut. When you pick early, as is customary in Champagne, the fruitiness that you smell from grape-
Value buy If you are celebrating on a budget, Crémant is a great alternative to shelling out half a day’s pay on a bottle of Champagne. Crémant is produced just like Champagne, but the grapes are usually different, and they are grown in French regions outside of Champagne. Crémant is rigorously controlled by the French government—only a few regions in France are allowed to make it. The quality/ value ratio is quite high—you can find an excellent bottle for $13 to $30 at Market Street Wineshops.—E.S. Wolfberger Crémant d’Alsace sparkling pinot blanc ($16.99) Rolet Crémant du Jura sparkling chardonnay blend ($21.99)
JOHN ROBINSON
Dirler Cadé Crémant d’Alsace pinot blend ($26.99)
At Trump Winery, Jonathan Wheeler is making Blanc de Noir from estate-grown pinot noir grapes.
ripeness is not always present, but the acid and pH levels make the wine conducive to long-term aging. Thibaut has learned to strike a balance between the two. He makes two
higher end wines, Blanc de Chardonnay and Xtra Brut, plus an everyday sparkler called Virginia Fizz. “Today, I don’t pick too green. I want to show more of the chardonnay instead of replicating exactly what they are doing in Champagne.” Thibaut has dialed in his picking regimen to match our local climate, and his contribution has truly helped guide local bubbly to its own distinction. Aside from his own production, Thibaut consults with several wineries on their sparkling wine programs. He helped guide Veritas’ Scintilla sparkling chardonnay until its winemaker, Emily Hodson, took the reins. While Thibaut and most producers focus on Blanc de Blanc, one local winemaker is pushing the bubbly boundaries: Jonathan Wheeler at Trump Winery makes a Blanc de Noir from estate-grown pinot noir. Wheeler makes a Blanc de Blanc, too, but his Blanc de Noir has captured some very special accolades, including a Silver Medal at the Governor’s Cup in 2014. “We have a fantastic block of pinot in our vineyard that is on a cooler CONTINUED ON PAGE 65
Fall/Winter Knife&Fork 63
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site and has both great acidity and flavors that I use exclusively for Blanc de Noir, but I also have a block that has terrific strawberry and fruit notes that blends in great for our sparkling rosé,” Wheeler says.
Fizzy future What’s next in the realm of sparkling wine? We’ll see more in Virginia. Thibaut is experimenting with a new bottling called Côte Est that blends fruit from Virginia and the Finger Lakes. “When I tried some juice from a very nice vineyard on the south side of the lakes, I realized I could use those components to blend,” said Thibaut. We can also start to think about sparkling wine as a more familiar part of our everyday wine culture. Sparkling wine is often associated with celebrations, but today we can find such great values that it need not be reserved for special occasions. In addition to its festive refreshing qualities, bubbly wine can make magical pairings. It has a reputation for near universal compatibility with most cuisines and can be especially practical with fatty foods, because the texture helps cleanse your palate. But no matter your reason, one thing is certain: Bringing more bubbly into your life will make your wine experience anything but flat.—Erin Scala Erin Scala is the sommelier at Fleurie and Petit Pois. She returned to Charlottesville a year and a half ago, after working in Manhattan restaurants for several years. Scala holds the WSET Diploma in Wines and Spirits and is a Certified Sake Specialist.
Get your fizz Did the wines mentioned here spark(le) your interest? Here’s where to find them.—E.S. Thibaut-Janisson wines: Tastings, C&O, Brookville, Hamiltons’ at First & Main, Orzo, Petit Pois and Ivy Inn Veritas’ Scintilla: The Local Trump Winery’s Blanc de Blanc: Fossett’s at Keswick
Wineries, Vinyeards, and Cideries Afton Mountain Vineyards Try the Albarino, a limited-production, estate-grown white only available in the summer. Tastings are $7 per person. 234 Vineyard Ln., Afton. (540) 4568667. aftonmountainvineyards.com
First Colony Winery Adopt a row of grape vines and you’ll get to watch the growing process, learn how to prune and participate in its harvest. $5 tastings. 1650 Harris Creek Rd. 979-7105. first colonywinery.com.
Albemarle CiderWorks What started as an orchard for rare and heirloom apples grew into a popular area cidery. Tastings and tours are available for $3 per person. 2550 Rural Ridge Ln. 297-2326. albemarleciderworks.com.
Flying Fox Vineyard Named after the weathervane on the vineyard’s main building, Flying Fox boasts a limited production of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Viognier and Pinot Gris. Tastings are $5. Hwy. 151 and Chapel Hollow Rd., Afton. 361-1692. flyingfoxvineyard.com.
Ankida Ridge Vineyards A Sumerian word that means “where heaven and earth join,” Ankida marks the spot—at 1,800' on the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Visit the Downtown tasting room (209 Second St., 9897420, 22brixwineroom.com), too. 1304 Franklin Creek Rd., Amherst. 922-7678. ankidaridge.com. Autumn Hill Vineyards Only open four weekends per year, Autumn Hill produces eight varietals. Tastings are $7 per person. Stanardsville. 985-6100. autumnhillwine.com. Barboursville Vineyards Routinely listed on national “Best winery” lists, Barboursville is a true destination—for the wines and the scenery. Open for tastings ($5, includes glass). 17655 Winery Rd., Barboursville. (540) 8323824. bbvwine.com. Blenheim Vineyards Established in 2000 by owner Dave Matthews (yep, that Dave Matthews), Blenheim’s timber-frame tasting room looks down into the barrel room. Tours and tastings are $5 per person. 31 Blenheim Farm. 293-5366. blenheim vineyards.com. Bold Rock Cidery Virginia’s largest (and growing!) cidery. Free tours and tastings daily. 1020 Rockfish Valley Hwy., Nellysford. 3611030. boldrock.com. Burnley Vineyards One of the oldest vineyards in the Monticello Viticultural Area. Tastings are $2 per person. 4500 Winery Ln., Barboursville. (540) 832-2828. burnleywines.com. Cardinal Point Vineyard & Winery Try the Quattro—a blend of Riesling, Gewurtztraminer, Viognier and Traminette—at this spare but relaxing spot. Open for tours and $5 tastings. 9423 Batesville Rd., Afton. (540) 456-8400. cardinalpointwinery.com. Castle Hill Cider Enjoy a glass of Terrestrial on the octagonal porch or explore the grounds. Open for tastings daily. 6065 Turkey Sag Rd., Keswick. 296-0047. castlehillcider.com. Cooper Vineyards There’s something for everyone—including sangria—under Cooper’s LEED-certified roof. Open for tastings daily. $10 per person. 13372 Shannon Hill Rd., Louisa. (540) 894-5253. coopervineyards.com. DelFosse Vineyards & Winery Try the reds at this off-the-beaten-path spot 30 minutes from Charlottesville. $5 for a classic tasting, $10 for reserve. 500 DelFosse Winery Ln. 2636100. delfossewine. com. DuCard Vineyards A successful grape-growing business bloomed into what’s now this boutique winery. Tastings are $6 per person and are credited back with a two bottle minimum purchase. 40 Gibson Hollow Ln., Etlan. (540) 923-4206. ducardvineyards.com. Early Mountain Vineyards Beautifully appointed facility, with a terrace for mountain and vineyards views while sipping. 6109 Wolftown-Hood Rd., Madison. (540) 948-9005. earlymountain.com.
Glass House Winery Don’t miss the tropical conservatory next to the tasting room—or the hand-crafted chocolates! Tastings are $5 per person, $8 with an etched wine glass. 5898 Free Union Rd., Free Union. 975-0094. glass housewinery.com. Hill Top Berry Farm & Winery The bread and butter at this medieval-themed winery is the authentic honey meads. Try the Dragon’s Blood. Open for tours and tasting. 2800 Berry Hill Rd., Nellysford. 361-1266. hilltopberry wine.com. Horton Vineyards Fruit and dessert wines abound at this winery just outside of Barboursville. Tastings are $5. 6399 Spotswood Trail, Gordonsville. (540) 832-7440. hortonwine.com. Jefferson Vineyards Grab a bottle of Meritage and get a spot on the tree deck for a completely picturesque afternoon. Tastings are $10. 1353 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy. 977-3042. jeffersonvineyards.com. Keswick Vineyards Dog-friendly tasting spot located at the historic 400-acre Edgewood Estate. Tastings daily. 1575 Keswick Winery Dr., Keswick. 244-3341. keswickvineyards.com. King Family Vineyards Frequent Governor’s Cup award winner, King Family is also the site of polo matches every Sunday from Memorial Day weekend to mid-October. Tastings are $7, and you get to keep the glass! 6550 Roseland Farm, Crozet. 823-7800. kingfamilyvineyards.com. Lazy Days Winery A boutique winery that’s home to local festivals like the Virginia Summer Solstice Wine Festival. Open for tastings. 1351 N. Amherst Hwy., Amherst. 381-6088. lazydayswinery.com. Lovingston Winery A densely planted 8.5 acres yields wine of high-quality fruit. (Word to the wise: Leave your pups at home; there are two here already!) Free tastings. 885 Freshwater Cove Ln., Lovingston. 263-8467. lovingstonwinery.com. Meriwether Springs Vineyard The postand-beam event space is just the beginning— there are also two ponds, a three-acre lake and beautiful Ivy Creek here, which flanks the property. Open for tours and tastings. 1040 Owensville Rd. 270-4299. meriwethersprings.com. Michael Shaps Wineworks Sample Virginia wines in the spare but stylish tasting room, as well as the Premiere Cru Burgundies, grown and bottled in France by owner Michael Shaps. $10 for a tasting of 12 wines. 1781 Harris Creek Way. 296-3438. michaelshapswines.com. Mountain Cove Vineyards Even better with age? The first batch of wine here was made in 1976. Open for tours and tastings. 1362 Fortunes Cove Ln., Lovingston. 263-5392. mountain covevineyards.com. Mountfair Vineyards You’ll find small-batch, blended red wines at Mountfair, just 20 miles west of Charlottesville. Open for complimentary
tastings. 4875 Fox Mountain Rd., Crozet. 8237605. mountfair.com. Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards Try a glass of the Merlot Reserve while having lunch at the Farm Table & Wine Bar. Tastings are $6 per person. 5022 Plank Rd., North Garden. 202-8063. pippinhillfarm.com. Pollak Vineyards Located between Charlottesville and Wintergreen, this 98-acre farm produces 27 acres of French vinifera. Open daily. 330 Newtown Rd., Greenwood. (540) 4568844. pollakvineyards.com. Prince Michel Vineyard & Winery Sip a glass of Chardonnay in Prince Michel’s tasting room, above the barrel cave and tank room. Tastings and self-guided tours. 154 Winery Ln., Leon. (540) 547-3707. princemichel.com. Rappahannock Cellars West Coast wine on the East: A desire to raise their 12 children in Virginia led Rappahannock’s owners to relocate from California. Open year-round for tours and $8 tastings. 14437 Hume Rd., Huntly. (540) 635-9398. rappahannockcellars.com. Sharp Rock Vineyards Once a working family farm, Sharp Rock is now a vineyard, winery and bed and breakfast. Tastings and self-guided tours available. 5 Sharp Rock Rd., Sperryville. (540) 987-8020. sharprockvineyards.com. Stinson Vineyards The cozy tasting room opens to a quaint patio for sipping award-winning wines and noshing on farm-fresh snacks. Tastings are $7, $10 per person for groups of 10 or more. 4744 Sugar Hollow Rd., Crozet. 823-7300. stinson vineyards.com Stone Mountain Vineyards A rustic winery offers panoramic views of the surrounding counties from 1,700'. Tastings and tours available. 1376 Wyatt Mountain Rd., Dyke. 9909463. stonemountainvineyards.com. Trump Winery Virginia’s largest vineyard, Trump (yes, that Trump) offers 200 acres of French vinifera varieties. Tastings are $10 for seven wines. 3550 Blenheim Rd., 984-4855. trumpwinery.com. Veritas Vineyard & Winery Award-winning wines at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Bring a picnic basket! Tastings are $5. 145 Saddleback Farm, Afton. (540) 456-8000. veritas wines.com. Weston Farm Vineyard & Winery Small, family-owned winery. Must love dogs: Charlie and Suzie, the owners’ French bulldogs, often roam the property. $5 tastings and you keep the glass. 206 Harris Creek Rd., Louisa. (540) 967-4647. westonfarmvineyardandwinery. webs.com. White Hall Vineyards Call ahead to reserve a cheese plate from the neighboring monastery to enjoy with your $5 tasting. 5282 Sugar Ridge Rd., White Hall. 823-8615. whitehallvineyards. com. Wintergreen Winery This Nelson County spot includes a selection of fruit wines from raspberry to apple. Tastings are $5 and include the glass. 462 Winery Ln., Nellysford. 3612519. wintergreen winery.com. Wisdom Oak Winery Make your way down the long gravel road to get to an intimate tasting room and outdoor picnic area. Tastings and tours are $5 per person and $10 per person for groups of eight or more. 3613 Walnut Branch Ln., North Garden. 984-4272. wisdom oakwinery.com.
Fall/Winter Knife&Fork 65
Fossett’s at Keswick Hall Influenced by the spirit of colonialism that founded the region. Call today to rediscover Charlottesville’s finest in locally sourced, regional cuisine. (434) 979-3440 Keswick Hall and Golf Club, 701 Club Dr, Keswick, VA 22947
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Asian Cuisine Asian Express Cheap and cheerful. Delivery, too. 909 W. Main St. 979-1888. $. Asian Fusion Buffet Mandarin, Cantonese and Szechuan. Seminole Square Shopping Center. 973-8988. $. Bamboo House Korean and Chinese served with an aesthetic flair. 4831 Seminole Trail. 973-9211. $$. Bang! Asian fusion tapas, martinis to die for. 213 Second St. 984-BANG. $. Bangkok ’99 Traditional Thai. 540 Radford Ln. #700, Crozet, 823-5881; 2005 Commonwealth Dr., 974-1326. $$. Café 88 Dim sum, bento boxes and soups. Veggie offerings, too. Preston Plaza. 293-9888. $. Chen’s Chinese Take-out or eat-in. 73 Callohill Dr., Lovingston. 263-8865. $. Chopsticks Express Straight-up no-nonsense Chinese place. 1841 Seminole Trail. 975-4380. $. Downtown Thai Earn your spot on the Wall of Flame. 111 W. Water St. 245-9300. $$. East Garden Chow mein to General Tso’s. Pantops Shopping Center. 295-2888. $. Flaming Wok Japanese standards prepared before your eyes. 1305 Seminole Trail. 9746555. $$. Giddy’s Good Fortune Take-away Vietnamese, Chinese and Thai. 4916 Plank Rd., North Garden. 245-0332. $. Ginkgo Chinese Restaurant Sichuan classics from a Peter Chang-trained chef. 104 14th St. NW #8. 872-9386. $/$$. Hibachi Grill & Supreme Buffet Watch chefs prepare food hibachi-style. 1185 Seminole Trail. 973-8889. $$. Himalayan Fusion Curries, tandoori and more, plus a lunch buffet. 520 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 293-3120. $$. Hong Kong Restaurant & Take-out Chinese favorites down Avon way. Southside Shopping Center. 245-8818. $. Jade Garden Chinese essentials, plus twists like Hawaiian-style Triple Delight. 1139 Fifth St. SW. 979-3512. $. Kabuto Sushi and Teppanyaki Fresh sushi and teppanyaki, plus soups and desserts. 1836 Abbey Rd. 973-1585. $. Kokoro Small but upscale sushi spot with friendly service. York Place on the Downtown Mall. 977-0167. $$. Korean House Traditional Korean specials for modest prices. Cheap lunch specials, too. 221 Carlton Rd. 244-0736. $$. Kuma Sushi Noodle & Bar Pan-Asian restaurant and karaoke bar. 12 Elliewood Ave. 328-2741. $. Kyoto A mix of Japanese and Chinese meals —teppanyaki to bento boxes. Rio Hill Shopping Center. 923-8889. $. Lemongrass Vietnam meets Thailand. Veggie options and delivery, too. 104 14th St. NW. 244-THAI. $$. Lime Leaf Thai A tad more upscale than the average Thai place. Rio Hill Shopping Center. 245-8884. $/$$.
Maharaja Spicy Indian specialties. The lunch buffet’s a deal. Seminole Square Shopping Center. 973-1110. $$. Marco & Luca’s Noodle Shop Dumplings under $5. York Place, 295-3855; 107 Elliewood Ave., 244-0016; 176 Zan Rd., no phone. $. Mi Canton Think pupusas with a side of beef lo mein. McIntire Plaza. 296-8661. $. Miso Sweet Ramen and donuts. 414 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 979-6496. $. Milan Indian Cuisine Authentic Indian cuisine with all the standards; daily lunch buffet. 1817 Emmet St. 984-2828. $$. Ming Dynasty Chinese food with many vegetarian options. Low-fat menu available. 1417 Emmet St. N. 979-0909. $. Monsoon Siam Curries, paht Thai and other entrées, plus an outdoor patio. 113 W. Market St. 971-1515. $$. Ni Hao Café Budget-friendly entrées from across Asia. 104 14th St. NW. 872-9386. $. Noodles & Company Noodles, soups and sandwiches. The Shops at Stonefield. 984-9621. $. Now & Zen Bite-sized gourmet Japanese and sushi spot. 202 Second St. NW. 971-1177. $$. Oriental Express Chinese standards plus sushi. 3440 Seminole Trail, Suite 107. 974-9988. $. Pad Thai Excellent homestyle Thai cooking from an experienced chef. 156 Carlton Rd. 2934032. $$. Peter Chang China Grill Authentic Sichuan from a renowned chef. Barracks Road Shopping Center North Wing. 244-9818. $$. Red Lantern Chinese cuisine by the pint or the quart at this Carlton Road eatery. 221 Carlton Rd. 979-9968. $. Royal Indian Restaurant One of the best-kept secrets in town. Seminole Square Shopping Center. 973-2288. $$. Sakura Japanese Steak and Seafood Teppanyaki seafood and Japanese-style steaks. Hollymead Town Center. 872-0099. $$/ $$$. ShangHai Wide array of regional selections, plus a lunch buffet. 312 Pantops Shopping Center. 984-2688. $. Shun Xing Szechuan, Hunan and Cantonesestyle dishes for the Forest Lakes crowd. Forest Lakes Shopping Center. 974-9888. $. Szechuan Szechuan, Mandarin, Japanese hibachi and all-you-can-eat lunch buffet. Delivery, too. 2006 Holiday Dr. 296-9090. $. Taiwan Garden Basic assortment of Chinese fare in basic surroundings. 2171 Ivy Rd. 2950081. $. Tara Thai Affordable Thai faves with multiple meat, fish and veggie options. Barracks Road Shopping Center. 984-9998. $$. Taste of China Chinese favorites on 29N. Albemarle Square Shopping Center. 975-6688. $$. Taste of India Delicious Indian fare and a lunch buffet under $9. 310 E. Main St, Downtown Mall. 984-9944. $$. Tea House Chinese-American and authentic Chinese weekly specials. 325 Four Leaf Ln., Crozet. 823-2868. $.
Restaurant price ranges $/Under $10, $$/$10-25, $$$/$25+
Ten Super swanky second-floor spot serving modern Japanese. 120B E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 295-6691. $$$. Thai ’99 Thai restaurant with everything you’d expect, served simply and reasonably priced. 2210 Fontaine Ave. 245-5263. $. Thai ’99 II Similar food as its numerical predecessor but with a way different interior. Garden Shopping Center. 964-1212. $. Thai Fresh Thai take-out with great prices. 2210 Fontaine Ave. 245-5263. $. Thai Siam Take-Out Pad Thai, spring rolls, curries and more. 4137 Tye Brook Highway. 263-8577. $. Tokyo Rose Long-standing landmark serves sushi and sashimi. 2171 Ivy Rd. 296-3366. $$. Vu Noodles Four kinds of homemade noodle bowls from a take-out window. 110 Second St. NW. $. Yuan Ho Great lunch deal before 4pm. 117 Maury Ave. 977-7878. $. Zzaam Fresh Korean Grill Tacos, rice bowls, noodle bowls and more—Korean-style. 1232 Emmet St. 284-8980. $.
Bakeries Albemarle Baking Company Get your ABCs of baked goods here. 418 W. Main St., in the Main Street Market. 293-6456. $. BreadWorks Breads, desserts and a full deli. Preston Plaza, 296-4663; 2955 Ivy Rd., 2204575. $. Carpe Donut Well-loved donuts, hot beverages and locally brewed kombucha. McIntire Plaza. 202-2918. $. Chandler’s Bakery Cakes for any occasion, plus cookies and brownies. Albemarle Square Shopping Center. 975-2253. $. Duck Donuts Outer Banks donut spot with made-to-order treats. Stonefield Shopping Center. 823-1960. $. Great Harvest Bread Company Sandwiches, sweets and bread baked from scratch every day. McIntire Plaza. 202-7813. $. MarieBette French pastries for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 700 Rose Hill Dr. 529-6118. $$. Paradox Pastry Retro-urban-vibed bakery and dessert café. 313 Second St., in the Glass Building. 245-2253. $. Pearl’s Bake Shoppe Classic and specialty cupcakes, plus desserts and other sweets. 711 W. Main St. 293-2253. $. SweetHaus Homemade cupcakes and candy at this sweet shop. Candy catering, too. 843 W. Main St. 422-2677. $. The Pie Chest Homemade breakfast and hand pies, plus by-the-slice options (for those who can’t decide). 119 Fourth St. NE. 977-0443. $. The Spudnut Shop A Belmont institution: homemade potato doughnuts. 309 Avon St. 296-0590. $.
Bars, Breweries and Grills Beer Run Rotating beers on tap, booze to take away and three meals daily. 156 Carlton Rd., Suite 203. 984-2337. $$.
Black Jack’s Mobile Soul Food Kitchen All-American burgers and dogs with Southern soul. 801 Cherry Ave. 322-0275. $. Blue Mountain Brewery Well-liked brewery with local drafts, lunch and dinner. 9519 Critzers Shop Rd., Afton. (540) 456-8020. $$. Blue Tavern & Sports Bar Food offerings include 55 flavors of chicken wings. 8315 Seminole Trail, Ruckersville. 985-3633. $$. Brick & Mortar Classic burgers, sandwiches and small plates—plus beer! 32 Mill Creek Dr. 296-7472. $$. C’ville-ian Brewing Company Pint-sized brewery with occasional live music. 705 W. Main St. 328-2252. $. Champion Brewing Company No food, but at least five ales on tap and sometimes food trucks outside. 324 Sixth St. SE. 295-2739. $. Coupe’s Pub food with a popular late-night scene on one of the Corner’s most bustling streets. 9 Elliewood Ave. 282-2141. $. Devils Backbone Brewing Company Awardwinning craft beers with lunch and dinner. 200 Mosbys Run, Roseland. 361-1001. $$. Fardowners Restaurant Local ingredients liven up pub fare like sliders and sandwiches. 5773 The Square, Crozet. 823-1300. $/$$. Firefly Craft beer, tasty eats and arcade games. 1304 E. Market St. 202-1050. $. Henry’s Home-cooked Southern comfort food, plus outstanding burgers. Don’t miss the homemade desserts. 1305 Long St. 295-7550. $. James River Brewing Co. There’s only beer here—plenty on tap, plus seasonal and reserve offerings. 561 Valley St., Scottsville. 286-7837. $. Joe’s Pool Hall & Sports Bar Pool, darts and poker, but don’t miss the ’que. Scottsville Shopping Center, Scottsville. 286-7665. $. Lazy Parrot Grill Tropical-themed sports bar serving wings (62 flavors!) and burgers. Pantops Shopping Center. 977-1020. $. McGrady’s Irish Pub American pub fare and Irish specialties. Twenty-four beers on tap, pool, TVs. 946 Grady Ave. 293-3473. $/$$. Miller’s A truly classic Downtown bar, with pub grub and live music every night. 109 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. 971-8511. $$. Mountainside Grille Everything from Cobb salad to peanut butter and chocolate chip pie. 375 Four Leaf Ln., Crozet. 823-7080. $$. Poe’s Public House Edgar Allen-themed pub on the Corner. 1517 University Ave. 984-4653. $$. Rapture Contempo American with weekend brunch, purple pool tables and a dance club. 303 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 293-9526. $$. Rockfish 151 Pub Irish-American grub, with daily specials. 9278 Rockfish Valley Hwy. 9666992. $. South Street Brewery Brews and food from the folks at Blue Mountain. 106 W. South St. 293-6550. $$. CONTINUED ON PAGE 68
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Restaurant Guide CONTINUED FROM PAGE 67
St. Maarten’s Cafe More than 25 years of history fills this Corner lunch and dinner mainstay. 1400 Wertland St. 293-2233. $. Stoney Creek Bar & Grill Distinctive dining at Wintergreen’s Stoney Creek Golf Course. Wintergreen Resort, Rte. 664. 325-8110. $/$$. The Biltmore Large portions and a popular drinking scene, all at student-oriented prices. 16 Elliewood Ave. 202-1498. $. The Livery Stable Hole-in-the-wall (er, basement) spot Downtown. 120 Old Preston Ave. 202-2088. $/$$. The Smokehouse Grille Locally sourced barbecue, plus a seasonal farm-to-table menu. 515 Valley St., Scottsville. 286-4745. $$. The Southern Café & Music Hall Downtown music venue also does lunch. 103 S. First St. 977-5590. $. The Virginian Cozy Corner mainstay with an 80-plus-year history. 1521 University Ave. 9844667. $$. The Whiskey Jar Saloon-style Southern spot with more than 90 varieties of whiskey. 227 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. 202-1549. $$. Three Notch’d Brewing Company No food, but seven Three Notch’d beers on tap. 946 Grady Ave. 293-0610. $. Three Notch’d Grill Mixed American grill with sandwiches, pasta, seafood and more. 5790 Three Notch’d Rd., Crozet. 823-4626. $$. Timberwood Grill All-American eatery and after-work watering hole. 3311 Worth Crossing. 975-3311. $$. Tin Whistle Irish Pub Traditional Irish pub Downtown. 609 E. Market St. 979-4279. $$. Trinity Irish Pub Hand-carved wooden bars, exposed brick and an upstairs balcony directly across from Grounds. 1505 University Ave. 295-7100. $. Wild Wolf Brewing Company An outdoor Biergarten, robust menu and up to 12 brews on tap. 2461 Rockfish Valley Hwy., Nellysford. 361-0088. $$. World of Beer More than 500 different beers from more than 40 countries. Plus, y’know, food and stuff. 852 W. Main St. 970-1088. $$.
Breakfast Joints Bluegrass Grill and Bakery Unpretentious breakfast and lunch spot, beloved by weekenders. Cash and check only. Glass Building, Second Street. 295-9700. $. Cavalier Diner Breakfast all day long, plus burgers, subs and Italian standbys like lasagna. 1403 Emmet St. 977-1619. $. International House of Pancakes Standard breakfast fare. Long lines on the weekends. Rio Hill Shopping Center. 964-0830. $. Sam’s Kitchen All-day breakfast, plus American and French dishes at this local institution. 1863 Seminole Trail. 964-9488. $. The Pigeon Hole Cozy all-day breakfast spot with fresh-squeezed juices and stone-ground grits. 11 Elliewood Ave. 977-4711. $. The Southern Way Café Southern cooking done right with great daily specials. 5382 Three Notch’d Rd. 823-4328. $/$$. The Villa American breakfast all day. 129 N. Emmet St. 296-9977. $.
68 Knife&Fork Fall/Winter
The Well House Cafe Coffee, tea, smoothies and pastries. 118 10 1/2 St. NW. 973-0002. $. Waffle House Smothered, covered, scrambled and fried: breakfast ’round the clock. 1162 Fifth St. SW, 296-5010; 495 Premier Cir. on 29N, 975-5860. $.
Burgers, BBQ, Dogs and Diners Ace Biscuit & Barbecue Breakfast and lunch spot serving up soul food by the biscuit. 711 Henry Ave. 202-1403. $. Barbeque Exchange Pork shoulders and spare ribs, plus hushpuppies, pie and pickles. 102 Martinsburg Ave., Gordonsville. (540) 8320227. $. Belmont Bar-B-Que Cleaner version of downand-dirty Southern shacks, mostly serving take-out. 816 Hinton Ave. 979-RIBS. $. Blue Moon Diner Burgers, upscale sandwiches and big dinner plates at a local institution. 512 W. Main St. 980-MOON. $/$$. Blue Ridge Pig For connoisseurs of barbecue, the Pig is the place. No credit cards. Rte. 151, Nellysford. 361-1170. $. Boylan Heights Burger spot and popular bar serves organic Virginia beef and other local and organic fare. 102 14th St. 984-5707. $. Brother’s Bar & Grill The same barbecue folks have loved for years. 2104 Angus Rd. 293-6333. $. Buck Island BBQ Pulled pork, spare ribs, fried chicken and a 20-ingredient house sauce. 4842 Richmond Rd., Keswick. 872-0259. $. Buffalo Wild Wings Wings and burgers, plus 24 beers on tap, 35 TVs and 11 satellites. Barracks Road Shopping Center. 977-1882. $. Charlie’s Restaurant Down-home American favorites: pork chops, grilled cheese, burgers and steaks. 1522 E. High St. 293-7232. $. Chicken Coop Chicken, barbecue and a variety of sandwiches. Located in the Nelson Food Mart. 40 Front St., Lovingston. 263-7818. $. Citizen Burger Bar Gourmet burgers with high-quality meat, plus a large beer list. 212 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 979-9944. $$. Five Guys Two locations for local carnivores. Barracks Road Shopping Center, 975-GUYS; Hollymead Town Center, 963-GUYS. $. Fox’s Café Daily specials, burgers, dogs and dinners, all served homestyle and wallet-friendly. 403 Avon St. 293-2844. $. Jack Brown’s Beer & Burger Joint Classic burgers, daily specials and bras on the chandelier. 109 Second St. SE. 244-0073. $. Jak-N-Jil Foot-longs and fries. Also, hearty breakfast fare. No credit cards. ATM on site. 1404 E. High St. 293-7213. $. Jinx’s Pit’s Top Outstanding ribs and barbecue. Reservations recommended. 1307 E. Market St. 293-6904. $. Korner Restaurant This greasy spoon offers all the usual suspects. Daily lunch special. 415 Ninth St. SW. 977-9535. $. Lazy Parrot Backyard BBQ The Lazy Parrot Grill’s sister serves up a wide array of barbecue classics. Pantops Shopping Center. 244-0723. $/$$. Lord Hardwicke’s American fare in an English-tavern setting. 1248 Emmet St., 295-
6668; 5924 Seminole Trail, Ruckersville, 9902095. $. Lumpkins Classic burgers, salads, fried chicken and foot-long hot dogs. 1075 Valley St., Scottsville. 286-3690. $. Martin’s Grill Delicious hamburgers, veggie burgers and fries. 3449 Seminole Trail, in the Forest Lakes Shopping Center. 974-9955. $. Me2 Market and Eatery Barbecue and fresh baked treats just 3.5 miles east of Monticello. 2243 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy. 297-2201. $. Mel’s Café Southern soul-soothing food. A longtime favorite on West Main. 719 W. Main St. 971-8819. $. Moose’s By The Creek American favorites, plus mounted moose antlers for photo ops. 1710 Monticello Rd. 977-4150. $. Nelly’s Roadhouse American and Mexican menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 2815 Rockfish Valley Hwy., Nellysford. 361-1400. $$. Olive’s Grill Food for the working man. Most items under $10. 8839 Seminole Trail, Ruckersville. 990-2634. $. Otto’s All-American faves and daily specials at your service. Order at the counter and sit outside. 325 Four Leaf Ln. 823-4200. $. Paulie’s Pig Out First barbecue joint on the way to Wintergreen. 7376 Rockfish Valley Hwy. 361-2001. $. Pig N’ Steak Pig…and steak. ’Que is cooked “the old-fashioned way,” with wood for 16 hours. 313 Washington St., Madison. (540) 948-3130. $. Riverside Lunch Legendary burgers and fries. The secret? First they smash it, then they cook it. 1429 Hazel St. 971-3546. $. Riverside North Notable burgers and fries on 29N. Sunday morning buffet, too. Forest Lakes Shopping Center. 979-1000. $. Sam’s Hot Dog Stand Get three dogs, fries and a drink for only $8.20. 5786 Three Notch’d Rd., Crozet. 205-4438. $. The Colleen Drive-In On Rte. 29, look for the huge ice cream cone! 4105 Thomas Nelson Hwy., Arrington. 263-5343. $. The Nook Half-century-old Charlottesville diner with sandwiches, dinners and a full bar. 415 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 295-6665. $. Timberlake’s Old-fashioned soda fountain, sandwiches, burgers and dogs behind cosmetics and shampoo. 322 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 295-9155. $. Tip Top Breakfast, lunch and dinner with Italian and Greek specials. 1420 Richmond Rd., on Pantops Mountain. 244-3424. $. Wayside Takeout & Catering Come by for chicken livers, famous fried chicken and barbecue sandwiches. 2203 Jefferson Park Ave. 977-5000. $. White Spot Burgers with tradition at this popular Corner spot. Try a Gus burger. 1407 University Ave. 295-9899. $. Wild Wing Café Sports bar features wings and beer, plus pastimes like karaoke, trivia and poker. In the Amtrak station. 820 W. Main St. 979-WING. $/$$. Wings Over Charlottesville Wing delivery spot that encourages patrons to eat like a caveman. 2029 Ivy Rd. 964-9464. $$. Zinburger Wine & Burger Bar Gourmet burgers, fries, milkshakes and, of course, plenty of wine. Barracks Road Shopping Center. 244-2604. $$.
Coffee Places with Kitchens Atlas Coffee Get a cup of coffee or an espresso roasted by Shenandoah Joe at this Fontaine coffee spot. 2206B Fontaine Ave. 970-1700. $. Baine’s Books & Coffee Books, music, film, pottery, musical instruments, food and, of course, coffee. 485 Valley St., Scottsville. 2863577. $. Bon Coffee shop, performance space and art gallery in one. 100 W. South St. #1D. 244-3786. $. C’ville Coffee Co. Well-established café, with a kids’ corner and library to keep wee ones entertained. 1301 Harris St. 817-2633. $. Calvino Café Espresso, panini and smoothies, plus breakfast on Sundays. In the Main Street Market. 293-5696. $. Dunkin’ Donuts/Baskin-Robbins Coffee that America runs on, plus, obvs, doughnuts. 1509 University Ave. 984-9600. $. Greenberry’s Java and specialty drinks, plus fresh-baked goods. Barracks Road Shopping Center, 984-0200; in Alderman Library on UVA grounds, 243-8961. $. Grit Coffee People, coffee, food, space, design and work: That’s the focus at Grit. 110 Old Trail Dr., Crozet, 205-4253; 112 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. 971-8743; 989 Second St. SE, no phone; 19 Elliewood Ave., 293-4412. $. Hoo’s Brews and More Coffee drinks, Hershey’s ice cream and sandwiches in a UVAthemed spot. Corner of JPA and Fontaine, behind Durty Nelly’s. 293-4133. $. Java Java All fair-trade organic coffee all the time. There’s a lunch menu, too. 421 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 245-0020. $. La Taza Cuban press sandwiches, soups and salads. Live music often. 407B Monticello Rd., 296-8292; 212 Seventh St. (inside the SNL Building), no phone. $. Mermaid Express Mochas to smoothies. Inside PVCC. No phone. $. Milli Joe Coffee & Gelato Coffee and gelato? What’s not to like? 400 Preston Ave., Suite 150. 282-2659. $. Mudhouse Locally roasted, heavy-duty coffee. 213 W. Main St., 984-6833; The Square, Crozet, 823-2240; Bellair Market, 977-0222; Mill Creek, 984-1996; and Mulberry Station, 245-0163. $. Para Coffee Locally roasted coffee and pastries. During the week, get a small coffee for $1 before 9am. 19 Elliewood Ave. 293-4412. $. Rapunzel’s Coffee, books and music; chill out in Lovingston. Live music, too. 924 Front St., Lovingston. 263-6660. $. Shark Mountain Coffee Co. Roastery, coffee shop, chocolatier. 969 Second St. SE and 621 Nash Dr., (540) 327-1564. $. Shenandoah Joe Local roaster with a coffee bar and pastries. 945 Preston Ave., 295-4563; 2214 Ivy Rd., 923-4563. $. Smoky’s Black Bear Café Serving Colony Coffee with full coffee menu, lunch and snacks. Free Wi-Fi. 121 Blue Ridge Dr., Wintergreen Resort. 325-1227. $. Starbucks Multiple locations for your corporate coffee needs. 1601 University Ave., 970-
1058; Rivanna Ridge Shopping Center, 2954996; 1520 Seminole Trail, 973-5298; Hollymead Town Center, 975-6005; Fashion Square Mall, no phone. $. The Corner Cup Fresh Trager Brothers Coffee and espresso, plus pastries and muffins. 1325 W. Main St. 293-7905. $. Trager Brothers Coffee See the roastery in action and sample some of the fresh-roasted coffee while you’re there. 486 Front St., Lovingston. 263-8916. $.
Family-Friendly Ann’s Family Restaurant Good old country cooking. Fresh vegetables and specials every day. 1170 Thomas Nelson Hwy. (Rte. 29, south of Lovingston). 263-8110. $. Applebee’s Steak and Southwestern amid local memorabilia. 571 Branchlands Blvd., 9745596; Rivanna Ridge Shopping Center, 2933208; 2005 Abbey Rd., 293-3208. $/$$. Chili’s Southwestern eats in a colorful, boothheavy interior. Giant bar drinks and spicy salads. 100 Zan Rd. 975-0800. $/$$. Michie Tavern Traditional Southern lunch in an 18th-century tavern near Monticello. 683 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy. 977-1234. $$. Red Robin Gourmet burgers, salads, and bottomless pits of steak fries. Kid-friendly. Fashion Square Mall. 964-9523. $. Ruby Tuesday Burgers, salad bar and lotsa beer. Barracks Road Shopping Center. 2959118. $/$$. The Blue Toad Great for family fun and a drink during the game. 9278 Rockfish Valley Hwy. 996-6992. $/$$. The Light Well Coffee-kitchen-tavern combo with healthy homemade recipes. 110 E. Main St., Orange. (540) 661-0004. $. The Nook Half-century-old Charlottesville diner with breakfast, lunch, dinner and a full bar. 415 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 2956665. $. Wood Grill Buffet Big buffet featuring things grilled on wood. 576 Branchlands Blvd. 9755613. $.
Fast Food Arby’s Big roast beef. 1230 Emmet St., 2968995; 1700 Timberwood Blvd., 978-1050. $. Bojangles Chicken and biscuits on Pantops. 2009 Abbey Rd. 293-1190. $. Burger King The Whopper. Pantops Shopping Center, 296-5145; 1181 Fifth St. Ext., 963-7827; 1000 Emmet St., 293-8566; 11518 James Madison Hwy., Gordonsville, 589-6854. $. Chick-Fil-A Waffle fries. 350 Woodbrook Dr., 872-0187; Fashion Square Mall, 973-1646. $. Cook-Out Usual diner fare, plus chicken nuggets—as a side. 1254 Emmet St. $. Dairy Queen Home of the Blizzard…but you knew that. 1248 Crozet Ave., 823-6585; 1777 Fortune Park Rd., 964-9595. $. Hardee’s Big burgers, bigger breakfasts and fried chicken. 1150 Fifth St. SW, 977-4804; Rte. 250E, 977-3191; Rte. 29N, 973-2083. $. Kentucky Fried Chicken Double-down with the Colonel. 1705 Emmet St. 295-5158. $.
McDonald’s Home of the Happy Meal. Barracks Road Shopping Center, 295-6092; 475 Ridge McIntire Rd., 977-2984; 1294 Stoney Point Rd., 295-6677; 29th Place, 973-3055; Forest Lakes Shopping Center, 975-1112; 11455 James Madison Hwy., Gordonsville, 589-6753; 85 Callohill Dr., Lovingston, 263-8066. $. Popeyes Chicken chain with savory sides. 1709 Emmet St. 529-8148. $. Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers Chicken fingers and Texas toast. 1805 N. Emmet St. 293-4331. $. Taco Bell Great late-night drive-thru. 820 Gardens Blvd., 974-1344; 1158 Fifth St. NW, 2959185; 801 Emmet St., 979-9074; Pantops Shopping Center, 296-7647. $. Wendy’s Spicy No. 6. 416 Fourth St. NW, 9790380; Corner of Rte. 250E and Rte. 20, 9795908; Fashion Square Mall, 973-6226; 8764 Seminole Trail, Ruckersville, 990-2021. $.
French Basic Necessities A taste of Southern France with fresh fare. Reservations preferred. 2226 Rockfish Valley Hwy., Nellysford. 361-1766. $$. C&O Sophisticated French at a 30-plus-yearold establishment. Excellent cheese plate, extensive wine list, popular bar. 515 E. Water St. 971-7044. $$$. Fleurie Upscale modern French restaurant gets rave reviews. Extensive wine list. 108 Third St. NE. 971-7800. $$$. Petit Pois French-American bistro from the owners of Fleurie. All the chic, lower check. 201 E. Main St. 979-7647. $$. Pomme Casual French in the heart of picturesque Gordonsville. Reservations recommended. 115 S. Main St., Gordonsville. (540) 8320130. $$$.
Gourmet Groceries and Gas Stations Batesville Market Sandwiches to order, salads and baked goods plus packaged goods. 6624 Plank Rd., Batesville. 823-2001. $. Bellair Market Gourmet sandwich spot on Ivy Road. 2401 Ivy Rd. 971-6608. $. Brownsville Market Hot breakfast starting at 5am and burgers, sides and famous fried chicken for lunch and dinner. 5995 Rockfish Gap Tpke., Crozet. 823-5251. $. Everyday Café Gourmet gas station with homemade pizza and gelato. 2404 Fontaine Ave., 206-3790; 250E on Pantops Mountain, 971-8771. $. Feast! Nationally noted cheese, wine and specialty food shop. 416 W. Main St., in the Main Street Market. 244-7800. $$. Foods of All Nations Sandwiches, deli and salads at this gourmet grocery. Try the West Coast. 2121 Ivy Rd. 296-6131. $. Gibson’s Grocery Fresh deli sandwiches and hot dogs plus Trager Brothers Coffee and locally made food and wine. 703 Hinton Ave. 977-4906. $. Greenwood Gourmet Grocery Made-toorder sandwiches, plus fresh soup and a deli. 6701 Rockfish Gap Tpke., Crozet. (540) 4566431. $.
Hunt Country Market A rotating menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 2048 Garth Rd. 296-1648. $. Integral Yoga Natural Foods All-natural food, supplements and personal-care products, plus a deli and juice/smoothie bar. 923 Preston Ave. 293-4111. $. Market Street Café Not on Market Street, but offers gourmet breakfast, rotisserie chicken and deli meats. 1111 E. Rio Rd. 964-1185. $. Market Street Market Deli in the Downtown grocery serves sandwiches and prepared foods. 400 E. Market St. 293-3478. $. Mill Creek Market The Southern sister of Bellair Market. Daily 24 hours. Avon Street, across from Southside Shopping Center. 817-1570. $. Mulberry Station at Shadwell A full-service convenience store with homemade breakfast, lunch and dinner items. 3008 Richmond Rd., Keswick. 245-0315. $. Salt Artisan Market Artisan cheeses, meats, charcuterie, sandwiches and prepared foods. 1330 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy. 270-2072. $. Timbercreek Market Grocery arm of Albemarle’s Timbercreek Farm. Produce, meats and cheeses, plus a café with a locally sourced menu. 722 Preston Ave. 202-8052. $. The Fresh Market A European-style market chain, with high-quality meats, cheese, seafood and über-fresh produce. Albemarle Square. 244-2444. $$. Trader Joe’s This much-anticipated grocery chain boasts top quality at low cost. The Shops at Stonefield. 974-1466. $$.
Whole Foods Market Fresh, all-natural foods (and groceries, too). Big salad and preparedfoods bar. 1797 Hydraulic Rd. 973-4900. $$. Yoder’s Sugar and Spice Grab a homemade sammy and shop for ingredients straight out of Amish Country. 3443 Seminole Trail. 995-2929. $.
Frozen Treats Arch’s Frozen Yogurt Wahoo-approved yogurt with tons of optional toppings. 104 14th St. NW. 984-2724. $. Ben & Jerry’s Thirty-four flavors of ice cream and froyo plus cookies and ice cream cakes. Barracks Road Shopping Center. 244-7438. $. Berry Berry Greek frozen yogurt on the Corner with plenty of toppings and other menu items. 1395 W. Main St. 244-0102. $. Bloop Self-serve froyo with rotating flavors. 1430 Rolkin Ct. 282-2093; 32 Mill Creek Dr. 328-2288. $. Chaps More than 20 years of gourmet homemade ice cream. Grub like burgers and diner fare. 223 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 9774139. $. Cold Stone Creamery Ice cream, cakes, shakes and smoothies at this frozen treat chain. 1709 Emmet St. 529-8526. $. Dips & Sips Friendly neighborhood ice cream and coffee shop. Made-to-order ice cream cakes. 3450 Seminole Trail. 974-4343. $. Kirt’s Homemade Ice Cream Ice cream made fresh in the store. Albemarle Square Shopping Center, 202-0306. $. Kohr Bros. Frozen Custard Cones, cups, floats, sundaes, “snowstorms” and smoothies. Woodbrook Shopping Center, 975-4651; 250E, 2960041. $.
Pezident elect Though he’s not credited with introducing Pez to America like he is ice cream, mac-n-cheese and olive oil (the Austrian treat was invented way after TJ’s time, in 1927), we’d like to think Thomas Jefferson would be charmed with this presidential candy dispenser. pezcollectors.com Smoothie King Chain features smoothies, supplements and healthy snacks. Barracks Road Shopping Center, 295-8502; Rivanna Ridge Shopping Center, 975-5464. $. Splendora’s Gelato Ranging selection of Italian gelato (and sorbet) in a bright Downtown location. 317 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 296-8555. $. Spoon & Berry Upscale self-serve frozen yogurt—14 flavors of low-fat yogurt and up to 45 toppings. The Shops at Stonefield. 9649338. $. Sweet Frog Interesting froyo flavors and even more unique toppings. 219 W. Main St., Downtown Mall, 293-7123; Hollymead Town Center, 975-3764; Barracks Road Shopping Center, 293-1130. $. CONTINUED ON PAGE 71
Fall/Winter Knife&Fork 69
Love and marriage
In the magazine, you'll find the area's best...
C-VILLE Weddings provides brides-to-be with a comprehensive guide to planning their big day. With the best weddings in the area and fresh, inspiring content in every issue, we’re your first stop on the road to wedded bliss. CENTRAL VIRGINIA’S BEST GUIDE TO GETTING MARRIED
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Restaurant Guide CONTINUED FROM PAGE 69
Inns and Hotel Restaurants Birdwood Grill at The Boar’s Head Open seasonally for breakfast and lunch. 410 Golf Course Dr. 293-6401. $$. Café 1201 Seven-day breakfast buffet. At Courtyard Marriott-UVA Medical Center, 1201 W. Main St. 977-1700. $$. Charlotte’s All-American in the Holiday Inn. Semi-upscale, but kick back over appetizers and the flat-screen. 1200 Fifth St. SW. 9775100. $$. Clifton Inn Historic inn with a redone kitchen, dining room and bar. Sit at the chef’s table to watch the action. 1296 Clifton Inn Dr. 9711800. $$$. Emmet’s Holiday Inn restaurant serves American fare. 1901 Emmet St. 977-0803. $$. Fossett’s American regional cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus a tapas bar. Inside Keswick Hall, 701 Club Dr., off 250E. 979-3440. $$$. Inn at Court Square Upscale Southern in the oldest house Downtown. 410 E. Jefferson St. 295-2800. $$$. Keswick Hall Monday through Friday lunch buffet in the Villa Crawford. Reservations required. 701 Club Dr. 979-3440. $$. Lafayette Inn Restored 1840s inn was once a boarding house for proper young ladies. Reservations recommended. 146 Main St., Stanardsville. 985-6345. $$$. Old Mill Room Restaurant Expect an historic ambience with your breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner. AAA Four-Diamond award winner. The Boar’s Head, 200 Ednam Dr. 972-2230. $$$. Oakhurst Inn Coffee & Café Southern breakfast, lunch and weekend brunch. 1616 Jefferson Park Ave. 872-0100. $. Prospect Hill Plantation Inn & Restaurant Candlelit prix fixe dinners in this 1732 plantation house. 2887 Poindexter Rd., Trevilians. (540) 967-0844. $$$. The Boar’s Head Formal dining at The Old Mill Room, relaxed dinner at Bistro 1834 and casual dining at Sports Club Café and Birdwood Grill. Prices vary widely. 200 Ednam Dr. 972-2230. $$$. The Edge Casual fare with a family-priced menu for a meal overlooking the slopes. Wintergreen Resort, Rte. 664. 325-8080. $$. The Fountain Room at the Mark Addy Inn Picture-perfect mountain B&B with a public dining room. Reservations required. 56 Rodes Farm Dr., Nellysford. 361-1101. $$$. The Inn at Meander Plantation Upscale American cuisine and candlelight dining. Breakfast open to inn guests only. 2333 N. James Madison Hwy., Locust Dale. (800) 385-4936. $$$. The Inn at Willow Grove This inn boasts an exquisite menu at its in-house restaurant, Vintage. 14079 Plantation Way, Orange. (540) 317-1206. $$$. The Pointe Tapas-style appetizers, filet mignon and Starr Hill beers on tap, in a seven-story atrium or a Mall-side patio. Omni Hotel, Downtown Mall. 971-5500. $$$. TJ’s Tavern and Dining Room Doubletree Hotel dining room with views of the Rivanna. 990 Hilton Heights Rd. 973-2121. $$.
Italian and Pizza Amici’s Italian Bistro Chefs from Dillwyn and Fork Union join forces to make authentic Sicilian cuisine. 370 Valley St., Scottsville. 286-4000. $. Anna’s Pizza No. 5 In the family for 35 years. Pizza, subs, dinners and desserts. 115 Maury Ave. 295-7500. $. Anna’s Ristorante Italiano From the folks behind Anna’s Pizza No. 5. 1015 Heathercroft Cir., Crozet. 823-1327. $. Bella’s Restaurant An authentic Roman-Italian family-style restaurant. 707 W. Main St. 327-4833. $$. Belmont Pizza and Pub Fresh, stone-baked pizza on hand-tossed pies. Beer, too! 211 Carlton Rd. Suite 10. 977-1970. $. Benny Deluca’s Giant slices from a simple five-pie menu. 913 W. Main St. 245-4007. Brick Oven Gourmet pizzas, sandwiches from an authentic wood-fired grill. Rio Hill Shopping Center. 964-1119. $. Brixx Wood Fired Pizza Franchise pizza spot serves, you guessed it, wood-fired pies. Barracks Road Shopping Center. 245-4050. $$. Carmello’s Upscale Italian cuisine, specialty pasta, veal, chicken, seafood. 29th Place. 9775200. $$. Chirio’s Pizza Authentic, homemade New York pizza, subs, salads and sandwiches. Eat in, take-out, delivery. 2777 Rockfish Valley Hwy. 361-9188. $. Christian’s Pizza The place to get fresh pies by the slice or the whole darn thing. 118 W. Main St., Downtown Mall, 977-9688; 100 14th St. NW, 872-0436; 3440 Seminole Trail, 9737280; Rivanna Ridge Shopping Center, 2936788. $. CiCi’s Pizza Franchise with all-you-can-eat pizza, pasta and salad. 240 Zan Rd. in the Seminole Square Shopping Center. 964-0001. $. Cobb’s New York Pizza & Grill Family-style pizza, subs and calzones; kids’ menu and burgers, too. 2800 Hydraulic Rd. 964-1040. $. College Inn Straight-up late-night goodness. Breakfast items, too. 1511 University Ave. 9772710. $. Crozet Pizza Unpretentious, family-owned pizza parlor with nationally recognized pies. No credit cards. 5794 Three Notch’d Rd., Crozet, 823-2132; 20 Elliewood Ave., 202-1046. $. Domino’s Six locally owned branches of the national chain. 1137 Millmont St., 971-8383; 1147 Fifth St. SW, 970-7777; 2335 Seminole Trail, 973-1243; 508 Stewart St., 979-2525; Food Lion Shopping Center, Ruckersville, 9902000; 325 Four Leaf Ln., Crozet, 823-7752. $. Dr. Ho’s Humble Pie Beloved pizza joint in the Crossroads mini-mall. 4916 Plank Rd., on 29S at North Garden. 245-0000. $/$$. End Zone Pizza Pizza, big subs and fresh salads. Forest Lakes Shopping Center. 973-8207. $. Fabio’s New York Pizza Pizza, subs, salads and calzones made by natives of Naples. 1551 E. High St. 872-0070. $. Fellini’s #9 A local landmark featuring Italian favorites and inventive new takes. Thriving bar scene and live music. 200 W. Market St. 9794279. $$. Fry’s Spring Station Characterful brick oven pizza joint with local beer along with the pies
and patio seating. 2115 Jefferson Park Ave. 202-2257. $$. Giuseppe’s Italian Restaurant Everything you could want out of classical Italian fare. 2842 Rockfish Valley Hwy., Nellysford. 3619170. $$. Lampo Authentic Neapolitan pizzeria in Belmont. 205 Monticello Rd. 282-0607. $. Little Caesar’s Pizza Home of the $5 Large Hot-n-Ready Pizza. 1301 Hydraulic Rd. 2965646. $. Mellow Mushroom Trippy-themed franchise, with great pizza and even better beer selection. Trivia on Wednesdays. 1321 W. Main St., 972-9366. $. Mona Lisa Pasta This market carries nearly every variety of pasta and sauce imaginable. Preston Plaza. 295-2494. $$. Nate & Em’s Pizza All your pizzeria faves: calzones, stromboli, pasta and—of course— pies. 5924 Seminole Trail, Ruckersville. 9859000. $. Palladio Restaurant Northern Italian cuisine and Barboursville wines. Reservations required. 17655 Winery Rd., Barboursville. (540) 8327848. $$$. Papa John’s Pizza fans come to Papa. 3441 Seminole Trail, 973-7272; University Shopping Center, 979-7272; 1305-A Long St., 296-7272. $. Pizza Bella Gourmet pizza and Italian dishes. Also, homemade salads and desserts. 32 Millcreek Dr., off Avon Street. 296-7472. $. Pizza Hut The Jabba of pizza chains. 1718 Seminole Trail, 973-1616; 540 Radford Ln., Suite 300, 823-7500. $. Ristorante Al Dente Formal Italian with a patio overlooking Second Street. 925 Second St. SE in the Ix Building. 295-9922. $$. Sal’s Caffe Italia Brick oven pizza plus subs, pasta and outdoor seating in a lively Mall location. 221 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 2958484. $$. Sal’s Pizza Hand-tossed pizzas, fresh bread, delicious pasta dishes since 1987. Crozet Shopping Center, Crozet. 823-1611. $. Tavola Open kitchen serves up lovely food and an artisanal wine list. 826 Hinton Ave. 9729463. $$. Threepenny Café Artisan pizza and rustic entrées. 420 W. Main St. 995-5277. $$. Travinia Italian Kitchen Contemporary American Italian, plus an outdoor patio for people watching. The Shops at Stonefield. 244-3304. $$. Vinny’s Italian Grill & Pizzeria This regional chain has pies plus a slew of subs, pastas and stromboli. Hollymead Town Center. 9734055. $$. Vinny’s New York Pizza and Pasta Authentic pies, pastas and subs. Lasagna and veal are faves here. 8841 Seminole Trail. 985-4731. $. Vita Nova Cheap and hearty pizza by the slice. 310 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 977-0162. $. Vito’s Italian Restaurant Specializing in pizza and Italian dishes. Rte. 29, 8181 Thomas Nelson Hwy., Lovingston. 263-8688. $$. Vivace Every kind of pasta imaginable, plus seafood, Italian wines, grappas and full bar. 2244 Ivy Rd. 979-0994. $$. Vocelli Pizza Pizza, pasta, panini, salads and stromboli for carryout and delivery. 1857 Seminole Trail in the Woodbrook Shopping Center. 977-4992. $.
Mediterranean Bashir’s Taverna Authentic Mediterranean cuisine by a Mediterranean chef. Outdoor seating available. 507 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 923-0927. $$. Basil Mediterranean Bistro Grape leaves to tapas, plus a late-night wine bar. 109 14th St. 977-5700. $. Copper Mine Bistro Entrées like shrimp provençal and veal saltimbocca. Wintergreen Resort. 325-8090. $/$$. Orzo Kitchen & Wine Bar Dishes from Spain to Greece and wines of the world. Main Street Market. 975-6796. $$. Parallel 38 Small plates, innovative farm-totable cocktails and an extensive wine list. The Shops at Stonefield. 923-3838. $$.
Mexican and Southwestern Al Carbon Chicken Tacos, tamales and sandwiches with rotisserie chicken. 1871 Seminole Trail. 964-1052. $. Aqui es Mexico Authentic Mexican and Salvadoran tacos, tortas, sopas, pupusas and more. 221 Carlton Rd., Ste. 12. 295-4748. $. Baja Bean Co. California Mex flair on 29N. Hearty salsa and margaritas to die for. 2291 Seminole Ln., 975-1070. $. Brazos Tacos Austin, Texas-style breakfast, lunch, early dinner and brunch tacos. 925 Second St. SE, 984-1163. $. Burrito Baby Made-to-order burritos, baby. 205 N. Main St., Gordonsville. (540) 832-6677. $. Chipotle Simple menu of burritos and tacos made before your eyes. Barracks Road Shopping Center, 872-0212; 2040 Abbey Rd. Suite 101, 984-1512. $. Cinema Taco Burritos, tacos and empanadas inside the Jefferson Theater. Delicious and cheap. 110 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 2454981. $. Continental Divide “Get in Here!” commands the neon sign in the window—do it early to get a seat in this popular spot. 811 W. Main St. 984-0143. $$. El Jaripeo Mexican favorites for the 29N crowd and also the UVA Corner crowd. 1750 Timberwood Blvd., 296-9300; 1202 W. Main St., 972-9190. $. El Vaquero West This tried-and-true Mexican place has sister locations in Palmyra, Haymarket and Orange. 1863 Seminole Trail. 9641190. $. Guadalajara Mexican food by Mexican folks. Cheap prices! 805 E. Market St., 977-2676; 395 Greenbrier Dr., 978-4313; 2206 Fontaine Ave., 979-2424; 108 Town Country Ln., 2933538; 3450 Seminole Trail, 977-2677. $. La Cocina del Sol Southwestern flair for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 1200 Crozet Ave., Crozet, 823-5469. $$. La Michoacana Mexican deli serves budget-friendly burritos, tacos and enchiladas. 1138 E. High St. 409-9941. $. Margarita’s the Flavor of Mexico Authentic Mexican, American and margaritas. 2815 Rockfish Valley Hwy., Nellysford. 218-7767. $. Mono Loco Latin-themed entrées, inventive sides and legendary margaritas. 200 W. Water St. 979-0688. $$. CONTINUED ON PAGE 72
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Plaza Azteca Tableside guacamole is just the start of the offerings at this Mexi chain. Seminole Square Shopping Center. 964-1045. $. Qdoba Mexican Grill Spicy burritos, quesadillas and Mexican salads made before your eyes. 1415 University Ave. 293-6299. $. Tequila Sunrise Bar & Grill Extensive menu of Mexican standards, specials and vegetarian options. 330 Valley St., Scottsville. 286-2300. $. Toro’s Tacos Luchador matches daily, plus, y’know, tacos and stuff. 1327 W. Main St. 2458676. $. Two Guys Tacos An explosion of authentic, delicious, Mexican street food for lunch, dinner and late-night. 101 14th St. NW. 202-0321. $. Yearbook Taco “Tacos, booze and nostalgia.” 223 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. 202-2619. $.
Miscellaneous Nationalities Afghan Kabob Palace Mouthwatering authentic Afghan cuisine. Dine in, take out or free delivery. 400 Emmet St. N. 245-0095. $$. Alhamraa Moroccan cuisine in the Ix Building: authentic flavors in an ornately decorated space. 929 Second St. SE. 972-9907. $$. Aromas Café Mediterranean and Middle Eastern fare. Sandwiches, salads and famous falafel. Barracks Road Shopping Center. 2442486. $. Bavarian Chef German cuisine in Alpine atmosphere. Very filling, to justify the 18-mile drive north. 29N in Madison. (540) 948-6505. $$. Just Curry Popular curry joint on the Mall with reliable Indo-Caribbean curry that kicks. 425 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 970-2001. $. Little India Delicious Pakistani, Indian and Middle Eastern-inspired food for veggies and carnivores. 1329 W. Main St. 202-2067. $. M&M Lounge Authentic Eastern European fare, dance floor and billiards room. Preston Plaza. 962-6526. $$. Mas Authentic Spanish tapas and wines in a funky, dimly lit atmosphere in the heart of Belmont. 904 Monticello Rd. 979-0990. $$. Sticks A quick, healthy alternative to fast food: kebobs! Preston Plaza, 295-5262; Rivanna Ridge Shopping Center, 295-5212. $. Sultan Kebab Authentic Turkish food: kebabs, vegetarian dishes, homemade Turkish baklava, tea and coffee. 1710 Seminole Trail. 981-0090. $. The Shebeen Pub and Braai Conjures the South African veldt with brunch on Sundays. Great bar for futbol-watching. Vinegar Hill Shopping Center. 296-3185. $$. Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar International vegetarian fare and 80-plus exotic loose teas and hookah. 414 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 293-9947. $.
Soups, Salads, Sandwiches Babes in the Wood Pork-focused breakfast and lunch menu with meat from Babes in the Wood farm in Buckingham County. 909 W. Main St. 980-6484. $.
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Baggby’s Gourmet Sandwiches Give your name; your sammich arrives in a bag with a cookie. Get it? 512 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 984-1862. $. Blue Ridge Café American-continental: crab cakes, gourmet burgers, homemade soups and salads. 8315 Seminole Trail. 985-3633. $$. Blue Ridge Country Store Breakfast is eggs, scones and muffins; lunch is a popular salad bar, plus wraps and soups. 518 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 295-1573. $. Bodo’s Bagel Bakery Still the king of bagels. 1418 N. Emmet St., 977-9598; 505 Preston Ave., 293-5224; 1609 University Ave., 293-6021. $. Café at Monticello Sandwiches, barbecue, coffee, tea and ice cream post-tour. Inside Monticello’s Visitor Center. 984-9800. $. Café Caturra Fresh food and boutique wines on the Corner. 1327 W. Main St., 202-2051. $$. Carving Board Café Inventive salads, soups and sandwiches for the 29N lunch bunch. Albemarle Square Shopping Center. 974-9004. $. Durty Nelly’s Jazz, blues and rock in a rootsy pub and deli that caters. 2200 Jefferson Park Ave. 295-1278. $. Greenie’s Vegetarian and vegan sandwiches. 110 Second St. NW. 996-1869. $. HotCakes Fancy sandwiches, homemade entrées and desserts. Delivery available. Barracks Road Shopping Center. 295-6037. $. Ivy Provisions Hot and cold sammies with inventive names like the Don’t Call Me Shirley and the K.I.S.S. 2206 Ivy Rd. 202-1308. $. Jimmy John’s Low-cost sandwiches near UVA and on 29N. “Freaky fast” delivery. 1309 W. Main St., 984-3131; 1650 E. Rio Rd., 9752100. $. Littlejohn’s New York Delicatessen Buxom sandwiches. Delivery, too! 1427 University Ave., 977-0588; The Shops at Stonefield, 9770335. $. Lovingston Café A pleasant surprise in the middle of Lovingston, offering a diverse, modestly priced menu. 165 Front St., Lovingston. 263-8000. $. Mac’s Country Store Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. 7023 Patrick Henry Hwy., Roseland. 277-5305. $. Martha’s Garden Café Healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner options inside Martha Jefferson Hospital. 595 Martha Jefferson Dr. 654-6037. $. Nude Fude Healthy grab-n-go grub. 2800 Hydraulic Rd. 973-5625. $. Panera Bread Co. Ubiquitous chain with breads and pastries, sandwiches and soups. Barracks Road Shopping Center, 245-6192; Hollymead Town Center, 973-5264. $. Quizno’s Subs Chain offering cheesesteaks, meatballs and specialty subs. Rivanna Ridge Shopping Center. 977-7827. $. Revolutionary Soup Choose from a slew of enticing soups made daily. 108 Second St. SW, 296-SOUP; 104 14th St. NW, 979-9988. $. Roots Natural Kitchen Fast-casual health food from UVA alumi. 1329 W. Main St. 529-6229. $. Stonefire Station Soups and sandwiches, plus premade picnics for toting to a nearby vineyard. 5361 Spotswood Trail, Barboursville. (540) 832-3330. $$. Subway Tons of locations, so you can “eat fresh” anywhere. 1764 Rio Hill Ct., 978-7008;
32 Mill Creek Dr., 295-5555; Pantops Shopping Center, 984-0652; 1061 E. Rio Rd., 973-9898; 2212 Ivy Rd., 293-0666; 104 14th St. NW, 2957827; 111 Maury Ave., 977-5141; 1220 Seminole Trail, 973-4035; 1779 Fortune Park Rd., 974-9595; Vinegar Hill Shopping Center, 2458000; 65 Callohill Dr., Lovingston, 263-6800. $. Take It Away Sandwiches, salads, sides and desserts in a jazz-themed shop. 115 Elliewood Ave. 295-1899. $. The Flat The place for crêpes: Choose sweet or savory for lunch or dinner. 111A E. Water St. 978-FLAT. $. Trackside Café Healthy fare and smoothies in ACAC. Open to all, even those not pumping iron. Albemarle Square Shopping Center. 9783800. $. Tubby’s Grilled sandwiches and subs galore. 1412 E. High St. 293-3825. $. Vinegar Hill Café In the Jefferson School City Center, wraps and burgers with grass-fed local beef. 233 Fourth St. NW. 245-5811. $. Which Wich Superior Sandwiches Create your own sandwiches by marking up pre-printed brown bags. Hollymead Town Center. 9779424. $. Zazus Fresh Grille Lots of wraps, salads, soups and fresh smoothies. Delivery available. 2214 Ivy Rd. 293-3454. $. Zoës Kitchen Fast, casual meals with an emphasis on health-conscious ingredients. Barracks Road Shopping Center. 955-5334. $.
Steaks and Seafood Aberdeen Barn More beef than you can shake a T-bone at, since 1965. Candlelit atmosphere and piano bar. 2018 Holiday Dr. 2964630. $$$. Blue Light Grill & Raw Bar Swanky spot with microbrews, raw bar, fresh seafood, extensive wine list. 120 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 295-1223. $$$. Bonefish Grill Sister to mega-popular Outback Steakhouse, but with seafood. Hollymead Town Center. 975-3474. $$. Devils Grill Restaurant & Lounge Above Devils Knob Golf Course with 50-mile views. Reservations required. Wintergreen Resort. 325-8100. $$$. Downtown Grille Upscale steak and seafood with white-linen service and a chummy bar scene. 201 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. 8177080. $$$. Outback Steakhouse Bloomin’ onions and giant steaks. Bar’s open late. 1101 Seminole Trail. 975-4329. $$. Public Fish & Oyster Simply prepared, responsibly sourced seafood. 513 W. Main St. 995-5542. $/$$. Red Lobster Seafood with daily specials. 1648 E. Rio Rd. 973-0315. $$. Rhett’s River Grill and Raw Bar She-crab soup, half-shell delicacies and steaks. 2335 Seminole Trail, Suite 100. 974-7818. $$. Rocksalt Seafood-centric chain with an outdoor bar and patio. The Shops at Stonefield. 326-5665. $$. Shadwell’s Seafood, steaks, burgers, pasta and salads made from fresh, local ingredients. 1791 Richmond Rd. 202-2568. $$.
Upscale Casual Bizou Upscale down-home cookin’ with fresh fish, pork and beef dishes. 119 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. 977-1818. $$. Brookville Restaurant Downtown restaurant with a rotating menu based on the availabile local produce. 225 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. 202-2791. $$. Burton’s Grill Contemporary American menu with stylish ambience. Don’t skip out on the cocktails. The Shops at Stonefield. 977-1111. $$. Commonwealth Restaurant & Skybar Swanky restaurant with inventive entrées, late-night menu and rooftop bar. 422 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 202-7728. $$$. Court Square Tavern English tavern with 130-plus bottled beers. Hearty pub food. 500 Court Square. 296-6111. $$. Duner’s Artful entrées and fine desserts on a rotating menu. 250W in Ivy. 293-8352. $$$. Escafé Friendly spot with a seasonal menu and bumping dance floor at night. 215 W. Water St. 295-8668. $$. Fig Bistro & Bar Mediterranean and New Orleans-inspired dishes with house-made ingredients like sausage and pork kielbasa. 1331 W. Main St. 995-5047. $. Hamiltons’ at First & Main Imaginative American menu, award-winning wine list and superb vegetarian. 101 W. Main St., Downtown Mall. 295-6649. $$$. Horse & Hound Gastropub Brit-style gastropub with streetside patio. Brunch on weekends. 625 W. Main St. 293-3365. $$. Ivy Inn Daily menu of modern American cuisine in an 18th century tollhouse. Reservations recommended. 2244 Old Ivy Rd. 977-1222. $$$. Maya Upscale Southern. Pleasant patio outside, sleek mod inside. Reservations encouraged. 633 W. Main St. 979-6292. $$. Michael’s Bistro Mucho microbrews and an artful menu. Excellent drinking atmosphere. 1427 University Ave. 977-3697. $$. Oakhart Social Seasonal Atlantic Coast food for sharing. 511 W. Main St. 995-5449. $$. Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards The restaurant here is as big a draw as the beautiful setting. 5022 Plank Rd., North Garden. 202-8063. $$. Restoration Indoor and outdoor dining at Old Trail Golf Course. 5494 Golf Dr., Crozet. 8231841. $$. Tastings Wine shop with wood-grilled entrées and the biggest wine list in town. 502 E. Market St. 293-3663. $$. Tempo A progressive American bistro incorporating cooking styles from all over the world. 117 Fifth St. SE. 244-0217. $$. The Alley Light Intimate small-plate spot above Revolutionary Soup. Look for the, ahem, alley light. 108 Second St. SW. 296-5003. $$. The Local Belmont neighborhood spot with unusual twists on local, organic ingredients. 824 Hinton Ave. 984-9749. $$. The Melting Pot It’s a fon-do! This meltedcheese franchise features warmers built into the tables. 501 E. Water St. 244-3463. $$$. Zocalo Flavorful, high-end, Latin-inspired cuisine with a full bar. 201 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 977-4944. $$.
Restaurant price ranges $/Under $10, $$/$10-25, $$$/$25+
Ready, set, EAT director of gardens and grounds, provide historical and cultural insight into the apple along with a tasting of different varieties. monticello.org/site/visit/events/ apple-tasting
Mark your calendar—these fall and winter food events will fill you up.—Caite White
City Market Saturdays, 7am-noon
Second Annual Race and Taste 10K
Through October, head to the parking lot at the corner of Water and First streets to take in all the things that are great about Charlottesville: artisan goods, community and, of course, food. Get there early to grab a taco! charlottesvillecitymarket.com
November 8, 11am-5pm Trump Winery (3550 Blenheim Rd.) Combine your love of running with your love of wine at Trump Winery’s 10K. The course runs through the scenic estate and ends at the winery barn, where you’ll find vino and entertainment. All of the proceeds benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. trumpwinery.com
Eat & Beats at Keswick Vineyards September 4-October 10, noon-3pm 1575 Keswick Winery Dr. (Keswick)
Charlottesville Restaurant Week
Relax with a glass of wine at the Keswick Vineyards with access to food trucks and the sound of local musicians in the background. keswickvineyards.com
Everybody likes a deal. And a deal that benefits charity? Even better. Get a taste of more than 20 local restaurants at a discounted price point—three courses for $16, $26 or $36. One dollar of every meal goes to the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, which works to alleviate hunger in Western and Central Virginia. charlottesvillerestaurant week.com
January 22-30
Chocolate Festival October 17, 9am-4pm Lee Park Indulge your sweet tooth with chocolate concoctions, listen to live music, take part in a cake walk and place a bid in the silent auction. The money raised benefits local, national and international charities. cvillefirst unitedmethodist.org/chocolate
We’ve got class Want to develop some new skills in the kitchen (or brush up on the few you already have)? Try one of these local classes through cooking schools, wineries and inns in the area.
CHARLOTTESVILLE COOKING SCHOOL 2041 Barracks Rd., 963-2665 charlottesvillecookingschool.com Knife Skills October 14 from 5:30-8pm, $75 Charlottesville Cooking School owner Martha Stafford leads this course. You’ll work with local seasonal vegetables and prepare a light meal to sharpen your skills in slicing, dicing, chopping and mincing. You’ll also learn how to choose, sharpen and store a high-quality chef’s knife. Holiday Cheesecake December 19 from 10am-1:30pm, $85 Making Artisan Cheesecake author Melanie Underwood shows you how to make—what else?— cheesecake. Choose from gingerbread, hot chocolate, eggnog, no-bake white chocolate cranberry, no-bake cinnamon apple or no-bake peppermint
cheesecake. You’ll go home with two kinds: traditional and no-bake. Prep for pro January 4-8 from 9am-5pm, $75 A five-day immersion class led by Cordon Bleu grad Tom Whitehead that will equip you with skills applicable to entry-level jobs in fine dining or catering establishments, including vegetable cookery, egg cookery, knife skills and palate development.
CHARLOTTESVILLE WINE & CULINARY Classes held at Mona Lisa Pasta (921 Preston Ave.), wineand culinary.com Two-technique Flank Steak October 20 at 7pm, $65 Prepare a butternut squash, chorizo and kale frittata, celery root purée and a pine nut tart to complement the grilled braised flank steak. Grilling and braising results in a succulent steak that’s tender with a caramelized exterior.
THE HAPPY COOK Barracks Road Shopping Center, 977-2665, thehappycook.com Knife Skills October 6 and July 24 at 6pm, Free Sharpen your knife skills at this class led by the shop’s Wüsthof rep. Canning 101: Apple Sauce October 15 at 6pm, $40 Join Becky Calvert to learn about hot water bath canning. Each student leaves with a jar of apple sauce from local apples.
Monticello Apple Tasting
Where else might you find classes?
The sorry excuses for apples you find in today’s grocery stores are nothing compared to crisp, juicy options from the 19th century. For $24 per person, Tom Burford (aka Professor Apple) and Gabriele Rausse, Monticello’s
Boar’s Head Inn The Lorna Sundberg International Center at UVA Monticello Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards Red Pump Kitchen Whole Foods Market
TIMBER PRESS
October 17, 9:30-11:30am Tufton Farm (1293 Tufton Rd.)
Tom Burford
Fall/Winter Knife&Fork 73
The Last Bite
How apeeling!
74 Knife&Fork Fall/Winter
ANDREA HUBBELL
We’ve picked this poached pear dish from Red Pump Kitchen for two reasons: First, it’s pretty enough to appear on a holiday postcard. But mostly because, with Marsala wine, saffron, cocoa and hazelnut, it’s the perfect punctuation to a winter meal.—C.W.