Overheard on the restaurant scene: C’ville Market announces closing, and new Thai spot replaces Song Song’s

Thai Fresh replaces Song Song’s Zhou & Bing

The bad news is, Song Song’s regulars can no longer run by the little hole-in-the-wall on Fifth Street SE off the Downtown Mall to grab a bing for a quick and cheap lunch. The good news is, they can now pop in for a to-go box of pad Thai or wonton soup, for just as cheap.

Song Song’s Zhou & Bing opened in 2012 selling a limited menu of zhou, a traditional Chinese porridge, and bing, a crispy Chinese pancake stuffed with things like meat and leeks, and developing a loyal following for its cheap, healthy grub. All good things must come to an end, of course, and at the end of March, restaurant owner Song Song posted a message to her customers on Facebook, announcing that she and her two children are moving to China “so that they can learn Chinese and Chinese culture.” Song’s friend and loyal customer Patcharin Pramoonjago has taken over the business, and with the help of her brother Khomphop, a chef who’s spent the last seven years in Miami, turned the place into a Thai restaurant with simple, inexpensive, and classic dishes.

The menu includes steamed and fried stuffed dumplings, spring rolls, Thai fried rice with chicken and vegetables, pad Thai that Thailand native and restaurant employee Poon Panichpibool says is the best he’s ever had, and three different soups, including tom yum kung, which is spicy and sour with shrimp, lime juice, lemongrass, and chili peppers.   

According to Panichpibool, the owners hope to expand the menu to include more appetizers and entrées, and eventually desserts, as the restaurant gains popularity.

Thai Fresh opened its doors on Wednesday, May 7, and serves lunch and dinner every day, 11am-8:30pm. For more information or takeout orders call 249-5291.

C’ville Market to close May 31

After 13 years of providing fresh local produce and health foods, C’ville market announced that it is closing its doors on Saturday, May 31. Starting June 1, the market space will become part of the company’s wholesale division, Cavalier Produce. You’ll no longer be able to pop into the Belmont spot after work for a few pounds of local veggies and seasonal fruits, but the heart of what they do will ultimately stay the same, as they continue to connect the community with local products.

The good news is, as the market’s closing approaches, everything from wine to baked goods will be on sale as the inventory is cleared out. For more information and updates, visit www.cvillemarket.com and the store’s Facebook page.

Big moves for local brews

Wild Wolf Brewing Company, the three-year-old brewery located south of Charlottesville in Nellysford, is getting ready to roam. Currently distributed only in Central Virginia, the brewery’s new partnership with COPA Wine Corporation, a subsidiary of Al Pugh Distributing Company, will enable Wild Wolf beer to be distributed to the Northern Chesapeake Bay and Potomac areas, completing the brewery’s distribution coverage of Virginia and Washington, D.C.

Ten miles north of Wild Wolf, Blue Mountain Brewery is also gearing up to expand its footprint into Pennsylvania. Last week, the seven-year-old Nelson County brewery announced its partnership with Origlio Beverage to distribute its craft beers, particularly the barrel-aged varieties, in the Philadelphia area.

Pig ’n’ pours

Nothing says springtime quite like an afternoon picnic. On Sunday, May 18, King Family Vineyards is hosting its annual spring barbeque. Gordonsville’s BBQ Exchange will serve up everything from hickory smoked pulled pork and grilled chicken to pumpkin muffins and cookies until 5pm, and the Last Call Gospel Choir will perform from 1-3pm. Tickets are $16 per person. For more information, visit www.kingfamilyvineyards.com.