By Dan Catalano, Brendan Fitzgerald, Will Goldsmith, Cathy Harding, Erika Howsare, Katherine Ludwig and Meg McEvoy
Oh Lordy, we love to eat around here! No wilting Kate Bosworth-Keira Knightley-Carson Daly types on this staff. Three squares, Guv’ner, that’s what we’ll be having. Once a year (and it’s that time again), we enlist our healthy appetites for the public good, eating and drinking robustly across this burg for the benefit of our always-curious readers. What’s good to consume this year, you wonder? Everything from grape leaves to coconut to cake batter to risotto. There’s coffee and tea, too, plus tequila and beer. See, we’ll do anything for you fine people. Is there no limit limit to our altruism? you might wonder. Only the constraints that a belt and good manners might impose.
Aberdeen Barn
Baked Clams Casino
For those occasions when you want to feel like a high roller, but you just don’t have the appetite to down a whole serving of prime rib, this old-fashioned steak house can still satisfy your fantasy with an order of hot-from-the-oven Clams Casino. If there’s anything that goes better than bacon with open-faced cherrystone clams…shoot, we don’t know what it is and we don’t care! Melt, chewy, crispy, warm and rich, this appetizer gets an extra kick from a dash of Worcestershire. Every time we eat it, we swear we’re channeling Sammy Davis Jr. or Dean Martin!
Aroma’s Café
Dolmades
The appeal of these little morsels is immediate: They have a beguiling scent of lemon, and they lie there on your plate looking nice and plump. Inside the tender leaves, there’s a dense filling of rice and a refreshing citrusy flavor. We appreciate the satisfaction of eating any well-constructed wrap-type food, be it burrito or sushi, and these are expertly wrapped indeed. In fact, with the grape leaves’ own subtle flavor and the stickiness of the rice, these dolmades are rather like sushi, only oilier.
Atomic Burrito
Fried Avocado
O.K., it’s not exactly healthy (just keep telling yourself, “It’s the good kind of cholesterol”), but this $3 appetizer might just have the best cost-to-pleasure ratio of any dish in Charlottesville. They start with an edge-of-ripeness avocado (anything softer won’t take the heat), coat it with seasoned breadcrumbs, throw it in the deep fryer, then serve it piping hot with a side of spicy chipotle ketchup. Crunchy on the outside, soft and incredibly rich inside, this is one diet-killer that’s worth the guilt.
Bang!
Tempura Monkfish
Little plates, big flavors—that’s how we describe this Asian tapas outfit. It’s hard to single out just one favorite from the delectable choices that cover the East Asian gamut from China and Japan to Thailand and Vietnam, especially when you can sample them all with little guilt—really, they sweep those dirty dishes away so quickly you never need see the big stack of your little-plate conquests. But forced to choose, we have to gush about the tempura-battered, flaky monkfish smothered in creamy Chinese mustard. The wasabi and soy-sauce tinged sauce is the perfect complement to the crispy-covered, meaty white fish It’s a little plate that makes you say, “Ole! …er, Kampai!”
Ben & Jerry’s
Bananas on the Rum
The weather may be getting colder, but Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream keep dishing out the summer flavors. The duo’s new “Bananas on the Rum” flavor splits a strong banana cream scoop with a ribbon of butter rum and brown sugar—a nice switch from overly rich chocolates. This relatively simple scoop may surprise a lot of B&J customers, who are used to unlikely topping combinations. If you need to spice it up a bit, add warm caramel sauce—it works, trust us.
Bodo’s Bagel Bakery
Coffee
We couldn’t tell you the back story on this perfect cup o’ Joe—and we don’t care. Tanzanian peaberry? Shade-grown? Who knows? Just let that smoky darkness of an honest cup of coffee do the talking. Astringent, but not too bitter, full-bodied but so much so that it could threaten your manhood, Bodo’s coffee stands up to even the most complicated bagel sandwich. But call us purists—we like to catch this blue collar buzz on its own.
La Cocina del Sol
Southwestern Salad
At a lesser restaurant, a dish so named could easily resemble something on an Old El Paso box. Not so at La Cocina. The salad, a big bowl of mixed greens with a creamy dressing and a few tortilla strips atop, did not amaze us visually—but, as we soon discovered, it tasted better than it looked. That dressing has a smoky flavor and a little kick, and under the first layer of greens lurks a tasteful combination of black beans, corn, cucumber, tomato and red onions. Though this dish is essentially a healthy pile of raw vegetables, its dressing kept us eating as though it were junk food.
Continental Divide
Milago-Reposado Tequila
You want some tequila talk, pop in the door on West Main where you’re commanded “Get In Here.” Continental Divide has a plethora of tequila varieties, including one that costs $24 bucks for a single shot. We tried a lesser-priced margarita, shaken on the rocks, with the Reposado tequila by Milago, a clear liquor that’s not even on the menu but that the staff recommends as their favorite (incidentally, the bottle included no worm—to which we say, “Thank God for that”). Served with Cointreau (aka triple sec), lime juice and optional salt, this margarita is tasty enough to chase away any cheap tequila demons from your impertinent shot-taking youth.
Crozet Pizza
Shitake Mushroom Pizza
This town does not lack for creatively topped pizza. But there’s something especially charming about consuming exotic ingredients in a down-home, unpretentious atmosphere. Who needs fine linens and china when you can thoroughly enjoy your East Asian fungi-adorned pizza pie on a paper plate at an authentically aged wooden picnic table? Bravo, Crozet Pizza, for letting the food speak for itself.
Escafé
Beet Salad
Named for one of the most maligned members of the vegetable world, a beet salad doesn’t exactly scream “great taste.” But with a fat dab of goat cheese breaded with bacon bits resting above a heap of greens artfully surrounded by a host of roasted beets, the durn thing was hollering with flavor. Those badnews beets? Pretty tasty after all, served as they are—still warm, melting (in a strange beet way) in your mouth. Post-roast, the beet wedges resemble purple tomatoes layered like an onion. We remain unschooled in the mystery of the beet, but we can now say that we like ‘em.
Feast!
Vatapa!
Combine the silky-smooth texture of coconut milk with the earthy flavors of peanut and the tang of beer. Throw in some pleasingly tender shredded chicken (free-range, of course, from Polyface) and you have Feast’s version of the light but filling Brazilian soup known as Vatapa. Delicate strips of onion enhance the texture, which, thanks to the coconut milk, is comfortingly creamy while remaining dairy-free. Backed up with a few slices from a fresh baguette, this soup provides a solid but not portly lunch.
Fellini’s # 9
Bloody Mary Bar
From 11am to 2pm every Sunday, the slightly hung-over brunch crowd makes a beeline for its own personal Mecca: Fellini’s ingenious Bloody Mary bar. Stocked with everything a Bloody connoisseur could ever hope for—olives, celery, carrots, lemons, multiple hot sauces, even pickled okra!—the spread perfectly illustrates why some bartending wits refer to the drink as a “vodka sandwich.” But what really makes these these tomato shakes shine is Fellini’s Bloody Mary mix: A surprisingly sweet (is that ketchup we taste?), addictively satisfying concoction that, when spiced with a good dose of Tabasco, is easily the best in town.
The Flat
Dark Chocolate Crepe
We love Paris—but getting there for lunch, or a snack, can be so inconvenient. But for only $3.50 the taste of the Marais comes back to us in the form of a lusciously bittersweet, warm-melty crepe. Packed with Michel Cruz dark chocolate, this traditional crepe is simple compared to the onion-brie-tofu-chicken combos that are possible at the little storefront creperie, but the contrast between the chewy pancake and the thick, oozing chocolate is immensely comforting—and a whole lot cheaper than a ticket on Air France.
Fleurie
Pan Roasted Duck Breast
Yes, it’s a bit pricey, but—unlike some other high-dollar dishes around town we could name—Fleurie’s Pan Roasted Duck Breast is worth every penny. The duck is braised to a caramel-colored perfection, cut into succulent, glistening medallions (deeply rich, but never fatty), then fanned next to a scoop of duck-liver-and-dried-cherry risotto. The intricate dance of competing flavors—savory duck, tart cherries and a subtle red wine sauce—is perfectly calibrated, and the essence-absorbing risotto is so good, it feels like a second meal—it’s like picking up a stray diamond, and discovering a brilliant gold nugget hiding underneath.
Fox’s Cafe
Chocolate Ice Box Pie
As the spiritual center of old-time Belmont, Fox’s Café is beloved by neighborhood fixtures and outsiders alike for its cheap eats, friendly staff and pretension-free vibe. They do a lot of things well over there, but it’s the great selection of homemade desserts that keep bringing us back. One of our favorites is the Chocolate Pie, which is made “icebox” style and consists of nothing more than a thick, silky-smooth pudding filling inside a flaky and flavorful shortbread crust, topped with a nicely browned meringue. Simple, yes—but like Grandma used to say: Sometimes the simple things are the best.
Fuel Co.
Provencal Sandwich
A medley of roasted vegetables, basil and goat cheese, there wasn’t much not to like about this sandwich, which we opted to have on a ciabatta roll. The Provencal mix of mushrooms, squash, zucchini, onions and carrots had a surprising kick thanks to the freshly ground pepper, but the mellow goat cheese helped even out any rough edges. The gas station shop serves in decidedly French portions, but you can supplement with fries that include eclectic alternatives to the standard-issue Heinz, including pesto mayo or spicy ketchup.
Gearharts Fine Chocolates
Pistachio Toffee Orange Chocolate
The description for this small, semi-sweet wonder reads: “chocolate ganache mixed with homemade pistachio toffee, dipped in dark chocolate, and topped with candied orange peel.” To which we reply: Bring it on! The chocolate shell is so thin that at first bite, the semi-sweet ganache—light, silky and just a tad citrus-y—practically bursts in your mouth. Then, the hard pistachio-flavor toffee makes its sweet presence known in the candy’s middle. Little chunks of toffee-ed pistachios float around in the rest of the ganache, and a sweet little piece of candied orange tops off this chocolate marvel. All in all, it brings interesting flavor and texture without messing up the candy’s real appeal: chocolate.
Grand Market
Bulgarian Feta Cheese
Tucked away among the halal meats and hookah pipes in this great little Middle Eastern market on Main Street, the discriminating cheese lover can find this rare (for these parts, anyhow), sharp-flavored feta. After fishing it out of its watery storage bin (where it floats among its cheesy brethren in refrigerated comfort), throw it on flatbread with some tomato, and enjoy. Lighter and less dense than normal feta, with a goat-cheese-esqe bite and lingering finish, it provides an exotic, flavor-packed twist on an old Greek classic.
Greenberry’s
Cinnamon Scone
Everyone knows scones are the heartiest of baked goods. While croissants or buns may rely on their flakiness, tender gooeyness or fruity filling, scones stand their ground as the persistently satisfying, brick-resembling, spit-in-the-face-of-low-carb-diets delicacies they are. But Greenberry’s scones are different. About the size of your palm, these triangular treats are crumbly, moist and dense without being too starchy. And, while this beanery stocks tons of flavors, their cinnmon scone is reigning champion of the sweet, morning carbohydrate rush. Little dots of aromatic cinnamon are scattered throughout the smooth dough. They’re best practically right from the oven. As the day progresses, they toughen to resemble their rock-like scone relatives, so get there early to secure yours.
Himalayan Fusion
Lunch Buffet
It’s hard to highlight just one item from Himalayan Fusion’s Indian-themed lunch buffet. (The point of a buffet being, of course, to pile as many different items on one plate as possible, and enjoy the accidental minglings that result.) Quartered mushrooms in a mild tomato-based sauce with peppers and onions; cauliflower in a subtle yellow curry; spicy sauce with steamed potatoes and zucchini—all this stuff pleasantly soaks into the nutty basmati rice that anchors the plate, and is nicely followed by a scoop of carrot pudding flavored with rose water for dessert. No macaroni salad on this buffet, we’re glad to report.
Hotcakes
Curry Chicken Salad
Cinnamon stands out in this sweet curry of chicken, celery, apple and green onion. The dressing is light and the chunks will stand up to a healthy tear off a baguette. The salad was served very fresh the day we ate it, the chicken moist and lean. Hotcakes’ version provided a great alternative to the mayonnaise texture that sometimes dulls chicken salad.
Italian Villa
Super Big Complete Breakfast
Owner Ken Beachley calls the Villa’s typical greasy spoon selection of breakfasts “high-quality comfort food,” and the Super Big Complete Breakfast fits the bill. The meal consists of two eggs any style, sausage or bacon, toast, hash browns, juice, and coffee for a reasonable price—the original blue collar breakfast, and it’s a mammoth one. The coffee is included in the meal, as if the restaurant staff knows that they have perfected the combined taste of sausage, fried egg and a cup o’ joe. Remember the diners in “Twin Peaks,” where all the food was well portioned and the coffee was “blacker than midnight on a moonless night”? You’re there.
Just Curry
Butter Chicken
Just Curry offers homemade, authentic Caribbean tastes, and the Butter Chicken is their star standout. Tender chunks of chicken fall apart easily with your fork, the basmati rice is cooked to firm perfection and the rich, buttery curry, in contrast to some cheesy “ethnic” eateries we’ve tried, tastes, well, real. The fried plantain served on the side perfects this dish with its slightly sweet, exotic banana flavor. There’s nothing glamorous about the presentation—plastic stemware and tupperware—but at $5 and $8 the portions are price-perfect satisfaction.
Kiki
Basil Limeaid
Fans of this chi-chi, cosmopolitan bar and lounge know that the Basil Limeaid is Kiki’s signature drink—and with good reason. Even if you’re not partial to the taste of gin, the delicate mix of flavors in this heady cocktail might make you change your mind. The tart acidity of fresh-squeezed grapefruit and lime, the honeyed undercurrent of simple syrup, the unexpected edge of basil and, finally, the slightly astrigent, juniper-flavored kick of Tanqueray No. 10, make this drink a sipping experience par excellence.
The Lazy Parrot Grill
Chicken Wings
Charlottesville is definitely a wings town—the tasty, meaty little treats are available all over town, in every shape, size and flavor you could hope for. But, in our humble opinion, the Lazy Parrot has some of the best around. Although the wings aren’t the biggest, they’re deliciously crisp-yet-tender (the way a good wing should be), and soaked in innovative sauces like Jack Daniels BBQ (mild, with a sugary, earthy undertone) and Sweet Heat (exactly what you’d expect). Get the plate of 25, and you can sample five different flavors at once.
Lime Leaf Thai
Mussamun Curry Jay
Here it is: a no-meat dish that doesn’t treat veggies as an afterthought. First of all, its ingredients are many—snow peas, red pepper, cauliflower, green beans, potato, carrots, baby corn, mushrooms and greens. Second, those ingredients are nice and crisp, not overcooked. Finally, they are served in a delicate curry that has a very slight bite, along with tofu with that chewy texture we can never quite reproduce at home. Oh, and there is the occasional peanut.
Littlejohn’s New York Delicatessen
Nuclear Sub
This Corner institution has been satisfying students’ (and locals’) late-night cravings for longer than we can remember. And, judging by sheer popularity, their crowning creation has to be the Nuclear Sub—a bubbling-hot, belly-swelling mixture of sliced white turkey breast (cool, savory), pulled-pork BBQ (warm, tangy), fresh cole slaw (cold, sweet and crunchy) and provolone cheese (milky yet sharp). Throw the whole thing into Littlejohn’s magic broiler for a minute or so, and you have an intoxicating, wickedly indulgent, browned-to-perfection mass of post-bar-hopping pleasure.
Ludwig’s Schnitzelhouse
Cambonator
Ludwig’s beer hall limits customers to two liters of Cambonator, and now we understand why—the combination of malt and sweetness could keep you drinking this all night long. This brew haus favorite is typically in stock year ‘round, but sells like wild. Cambonator is a dopplebock, which means you will get your money’s worth in malt and alcohol (8 percent by volume). Don’t let the name intimidate you. The brew has a smooth, buttery texture and a taste of caramel and molasses.
Maggie Moo’s Ice Cream and Treatery
Better Batter Mix-in
The gimmick with marble slab joints is that you don’t just get pre-fab ice cream: You get to essentially make you own flavor of choice by having extra “toppings” mixed into your individual ice cream scoop, thanks to the chilled marble slab that allows the server to beat in additional ingredients while keeping the creamy dessert cold. With dozens of add-ins to choose from, we decided to just sweeten ourselves to death by adding Reese’s pieces and white chocolate chips to our cake batter ice cream. And Jehosaphat! it was rich and delicious. What did you expect?
Market Street Wineshop
Assorted Wines
You know, there’s only one thing we like better than wine: free wine! Every Friday night, the Market Street Wineshop, that little basement-level purveyor we like to think of as a home away from home (until they made us take out the cot, that is), offers a free tasting of at least a half-dozen select wines. It’s a chance to throw around phrases like Petite Verdot and Chateauneuf du Pape and Super Tuscan—though we urge you exercise your vocabulary early in the session as you could well be slurring your speech by the end. Did we mention there are beer samples, too? Recent favorites in the wine department include Epifanio Tempranillo Ribera del Duero 2005, Raats Family Cabernet Franc 2003 and Blenheim Viognier 2005.
The Fountain Room at The Mark Addy Inn
Three Chocolate Mousse
Layers of chocolate. O.K., that’s probably all you need to know. But in case the promise of a delicate dessert that’s alternately sweet, bright and bittersweet and presented with country sophistication (it’s decked out with a dollop of crème fraiche and small berries) doesn’t have enough appeal, consider that the elegantly appointed dining room is a charming getaway destination that’s not too far away.
Mas
Huevos Revueltos con queso
With a leisurely Sunday on our hands, we bypassed the typically bruncheries and went out to Belmont’s trendy tapas establishment to examine their Spanish-influenced menu. The huevos is served on a tasty flatbread (resembling a grilled pita), with the other ingredients artfully piled on: a huge hunk of smoked mozzarella, a mass of slightly runny scrambled eggs, a fat slab of yellow tomato, and three generous slices of avocado. Artfully eating such an artful creation was an, um, artful challenge, but the dish was served with a steak knife and yielded a flavor combination that rewarded all carving efforts.
Mel’s Cafe
Sweet Potato Pie
Forget about making the same old canned pumpkin pie recipe for this year’s Thanksgiving spread. Instead, head over to Mel’s and buy yourself a few slices of the homemade sweet potato pie. It’s the same brown sugar, butter, cinnamon- and nutmeg-spiced fare you already know, but we think the sweet potatoes yield a meatier, creamier pie than your pulpy pumpkin. And for a $1.30 a sensuous slice, this might be the best dessert deal in town!
The Melting Pot
Flaming Turtle Chocolate Fondue Dessert
Who knew there were so many ways to throw chocolate in a pot, cook it up and dip strawberries in it? Apparently, fondue is a delicate art form—it should be neither goopy nor clumpy nor too sweet. The Flaming Turtle is smooth and hot—your waiter flambees it for you tableside. Caramel balances the chocolate and the floating walnuts give you something to chase around with your fondue stick. A dazzling array of dip-ables, including brownies, pound cake, cheesecake and different fruits, beckons.
Michael’s Bistro
Baked Brie
That earthy, bitter Brie flavor is all dressed up in this appetizer—specifically, with the sweetness-slash-tartness of blueberries, strawberries, green apple slices, and toasted almonds. Oh, and honey. Is it secretly a dessert? We’re not sure, but it’s definitely an engineering puzzle; you have to assemble the perfectly balanced bite from fruit, cheese and fresh crusty bread, using honey to bind it all together. Bring a friend.
Milan Indian Cuisine
Palak Paneer
Milan is an Italian city; therefore, Milan must be an Italian restaurant. Not so fast, friends: it’s actually home to Indian treats, including this creamy dish of spinach, spices and blocks of specially prepared cottage cheese (even after many years of Indian cuisine, we cannot quite fathom that cheese: It resembles tofu but tastes, indeed, like a savory but mild-mannered cheese). The spinach beckons the diner with a vibrant green color and the whole thing is served with steaming saffroned basmati rice.
Miyako
Unagi (fresh water eel)
Considered by many sushi lovers to serve the freshest fish in Charlottesville, Miyako has made a name for itself by serving both traditional sushi and more exotic, cross-cultural creations like the Downtown Roll (a tempura-fried concoction of tuna, crabmeat, avocado and cream cheese). But we like to stick to the basics—with fish this good, why mix it up with cheese or mayo? The true standouts are the soft, buttery tuna (either standalone, as nigiri, or eye-openingly piquant, in a spicy tuna roll), the warm and flavorful yellow tail, or—our personal favorite—the sweet and satisfying Unagi, with its crisp, papery skin and moist, meaty interior. Who knew a slimy, water-bound invertebrate could taste so good?
Mono Loco
Flank Steak Burrito
We’ve heard it said that there’s a shortage of good burritos in this town. Well, has anyone bothered to the wander to the often forgotten restaurant row at Water Street and tried the heaping helping of joy that is Mono Loco’s flank steak burrito? It’s an overly generous portion of tender marinated meat and spicy filling of black beans, peppers, tomatoes and rice all stuffed inside a fluffy floured blanket and covered with tart and creamy Mexican mayo. But beware: This mountain of flavor packs a punch, so get the homemade limeade to soothe your overworked taste buds.
Palladio Restaurant
Risotto con Funghi di Stagione e Zucca
Some risottos are stiff; others are creamy. This one approaches the consistency of soup, with its little pond of unabsorbed broth around the mound of rice. But as far as we’re concerned, Palladio can call this dish whatever they want. We’ll happily savor the wild mushrooms, roasted butternut squash, and local pecorino that decorate this second course in Palladio’s prix-fixe dinner—it’s a lovely, hearty bowl, perfect for fall.
Pee Wee’s Pit Barbecue
Macaroni and Cheese
Do you really need to be told that macaroni and cheese tastes good? Taking that as one of the universe’s givens, all that remains is to differentiate the merely yummy from the sublime. Pee Wee’s mac’ n’ cheese falls somewhere in the middle. The no-frills elbow noodles are coated with a cheese sauce that obviously bears no relation to any kind of powder—it’s a real, warm dairy product. Eat slowly: This dish expands in your stomach.
Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers
Chicken Tenders
An entire restaurant concept based on chicken tenders? O.K., but they’d better be good. Luckily, these lightly breaded, oh-so-tender strips live up to the challenge. The batter has a wholesome, floury smell and the chicken itself is moist and fresh (and doesn’t rely on an overly seasoned armor of breading like some joints we’ve tried). Cane’s sauce, a peppery, ranch-y, barbecue-y, mustard-y goop, is the perfect accompaniment. And, their drive-through availability makes these tenders a cut above most car cuisine.
Revolutionary Soup
Ham & Brie Wrap
Everyone knows that Rev’s Senegalese Peanut Tofu soup is a treasure, but this spicy-and-sweet wrap will give it a run for its money. The key is the mix of the soft, savory cheese and “figged Dijon” mustard—get the right proportions of Brie, mustard and smoked ham, and the sweetness will just about overlap the spice. And, for those of you still spooked by the spinach scare, you’ll be pleased to hear that the wrap features a generous bed of arugula instead. A great taste indeed, so tuck in.
South Street Brewery
Anniversary Barley Wine
You want a big beer? Step up for this brew in the barleywine category, brewed in 2002 and released around the anniversary of South Street’s opening in the fall. It’s served in a wine glass, but don’t let the smaller portion fool you—the beer is a whopping 10 percent alcohol by volume. The Anniversary has a thick and syrupy body, no head and a deep caramel hue. The detectable taste of alcohol can be a shock to the system of a drinker not accustomed to the barley wines, but take your time, enjoy every sip, and you’ll find yourself celebrating this Anniversary.
St. Maarten’s Café
Chicken and Cheese Quesadilla Roll Ups
If you want fried and cheesy, St. Maarten’s is a great bet. Rather than devour a plate of their excellent Cajun Cheese Fries again this year, we opted for these 12 or so chicken quesadillas, stuffed with cheese then fried. The result is a handful of Southwestern spring rolls, served with a smoky ranch sauce—perfect for those who dislike the work of assembling cheese and meat onto nachos themselves. Apply the spiced ranch sauce liberally to balance the peppery and piping hot mix of jack and Colby cheeses.
The Tavern
Strawberry Belgian Waffle with Whipped Cream
As the menu warns, this thick Belgian waffle, mounded high with sugary strawberries in syrup and rich whipped cream, is not for dieters. The summit of fruit and dairy that arrives at your table at this short order joint is unbelievably decadent. It’s the perfect sweet treat to balance out some salty bacon and grits, if you can stomach it all. Adding to the experience: The Tavern is a Charlottesville tradition where, say it with us, ”students, tourists and townpeople (yes, townpeople) meet.” The service and atmosphere are just as charming.
Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar
Pi Lo Chun
We wanted something without too much caffeine, so the teahouse gave us a pot of green tea—specifically the Chinese green called Pi Lo Chun. Served in a simple brown pot and wrapped in the ambience that makes the teahouse unfailingly restorative (shabby-opulence décor, understated service and wonderful, complex smells), the Chun tasted grassy and light, with a slightly brassy undertone. And the longer it steeped, the more kick it acquired. Just as we’d hoped: alert but not buzzy.
Waffle House
Smothered, covered and chunked hash browns
One WH devotee calls these hash browns “heaven on a plate.” From the smothered (onions always cooked to firm perfection) to the covered (tasty American cheese melted over top) to the chunked (salty chunks of ham dotting hash browns that are crispy on the outside and warm and soft on the inside)—if there’s a way to make fried potatoes even more angelic, this is it. A single order is still heart-stoppingly large, and every WH lover gets her hash browns differently. Bravery points for those who get them “topped”…with chili. Tums, anyone?
Willow Coffee
Pancakes
Willow, possibly the most down-to-earth restaurant in the land, does a friendly little breakfast business, with the weekend crowds constituting a Who’s Who of Scottsville. You pour your own coffee and, if you’re smart, you order the pancakes. They arrive in a tower of glorious, fluffy flapjackitude. Nothing could be simpler than the warm, easy experience of putting these babies away, and you’re always free to get another cup of joe.
Zocalo
Adobo Romaine Caesar Salad
Sometimes, it’s the little things that matter most. In this case, it’s the fried polenta croutons in Zocalo’s Spanish-flared Caesar salad. Traditional? Of course not. Genius? Definitely. The little morsels elevate this ubiquitous salad to entrée-worthy fare. Crisp and spicy on the outside and warm and—we mean this only as a compliment—mushy on the inside, these golden nuggets perfectly pair with the slightly bitter greens, pungent pecorino cheese and tart and creamy dressing. Go for the Adobo!
ZydeCo Bourbon St. Barbecue
Crawfish Etoufee
Of ZydeCo’s range of classic Cajun dishes, the crawfish etoufee is Charlottesville’s best bite of bayou (jambalaya and pulled pork are close runners up). This thick stew is stocked with an array of peppers, onion and crawfish tails, served over a mound of white rice. The classic Cajun burn—subtle and lingering—comes courtesy of a buttery sauce heavy on the cayenne pepper and garlic. ZydeCo., on Elliewood Avenue, is owned by the same folks that run The Shebeen, and offers the same generous presentation and portions that make the latter a favorite.
Great Tastes Directory
Aberdeen Barn
2018 Holiday Dr., 296-4630
Aroma’s Café
900 Natural Resources Dr., in the Fontaine Research Park, 244-2486
Atomic Burrito
109 Second St. SE, 977-0117
Bang
213 Second St. SW, 984-2264
Ben and Jerry’s
Barracks Road Shopping Center, 244-7438
Bodo’s Bagel Bakery
1609 University Ave., and two other locations, 977-9598
Cocina Del Sol
1200 Crozet Ave., Crozet, 823-5469
Continental Divide
811 W. Main St., 984-0143
Crozet Pizza
5794 Three Notch’d Rd. (Route 240W), 823-2132
Escafé
Downtown Mall, 295-8668
Feast
416 W. Main St. (in the Main Street Market), 244-7800
Fellini’s No. 9
200 W. Market St., 979-4279
The Flat
111a E. Water St., 978-FLAT
Fleurie
108 Third St. NE, 971-7800
Fox’s Café
403 Avon St., 293-2844
Fuel
900 E. Market St., 220-3700
Gearharts Fine Chocolates
416 W. Main St., in the Main Street Market, 972-9100
Grand Market
321 W. Main St., 245-4012
Greenberry’s
1049 Emmet St., 984-0200
Himalayan Fusion
520 E. Main St. 293-3120
Hotcakes
Barracks Road Shopping Center, 295-6037
Italian Villa
129 N. Emmet St., 296-9977
Just Curry
1435 University Ave., 242-3211
Kiki
117 Fifth St. SE, 977-5454
Lazy Parrot Grill
532 Pantops Shopping Center, 977-1020
Lime Leaf Thai
Rio Hill Shopping Center, 245-8884
Littlejohn’s
1427 University Ave., 977-0588
Ludwig’s Schnitzelhouse
2208 Fontaine Ave., 293-7185
Maggie Moo’s
145 Community St., Hollymead Town Center, 974-6249
Mark Addy Inn
56 Rodes Farm Dr., Nellysford, 361-1101
Market Street Wineshop
311 Market St. E., 979-9463, and 230 Shoppers World Court, 964-9463
Mas
501 Monticello Rd., 979-0990
Mel’s Café
719 W. Main St., 971-8819
Melting Pot
501 E. Water St., 244-2463
Michael’s Bistro
1427 University Ave., 977-3697
Milan Indian Cuisine
1817 Emmet St., 984-2828
Miyako
112 W. Main St., 984-3000
Mono Loco
200 W. Water St., 979-0688
Palladio
17655 Winery Rd., Barboursville, (540)-832-7848
Pee Wee’s Pit Barbecue
485 Valley St., Scottsville, 286-7744
Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers
1805 N. Emmet St., 293-4331
Revolutionary Soup
108 Second St. SW., 296-SOUP
South Street Brewery
106 South St., 293-6550
St. Maarten’s Café
1400 Wertland St., 293-2233
The Tavern
Corner of Emmet Street and Barracks Road, 295-0404
Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar
Second Floor of 414 E. Main St., Downtown Mall, 293-9947
Waffle House
1162 Fifth St. SW and 495 Premier Cr. On 29N., 296-5010, 975-5860
Willow Coffee
370 Valley St., Scottsville, 286-4979
Zocalo
201 E. Main St., in Central Place, 977-4944
Zydeco Bourbon St. Barbecue
12 Elliewood Ave., 979-3539