By Will Ham
Dinner winners
Congrats to the six recipients of Bread & Roses kitchen scholarships. The local nonprofit, an outreach ministry of Trinity Episcopal, has awarded each winner $2,000 to rent space in the church’s commercially licensed kitchen.
Eric Agee of Agee’s Catering & Concession has operated a food truck out of Fluvanna for the last several years with a menu that features American food-stand classics such as hamburgers, hot dogs, and the Walking Taco, a combination of Fritos, chili, cheese, and salsa. “It’s a great blessing,” he says of the scholarship. “Having a kitchen with the right equipment and fresh water access has really given me the opportunity to build my business because now I can make more food at one time.”
Afghanistan native Khadija Hemmati moved to Charlottesville with her children in 2016. Once here, she gained a reputation for her cooking, and began selling Middle Eastern favorites such as spicy chicken kabob, lamb kabob, dolma, and falafel at the farmers’ market under the name Khadija’s Kitchen. The funding will help her expand her catering options.
Sherry Bryant is the mastermind behind Elbows Kitchen—and some of the most enticing gourmet macaroni and cheese in the area. She’ll use her award to prepare more original combos, like Chorizo and Pesto Mac, then get them to your door through various food-delivery services.
Another food truck looking to expand its catering options is Slice Versa, courtesy of Emma Luster and Aaron Hill. Their Neapolitan-style pizzas are gorgeous to look at and better to eat. If you want to shake up your pie game, check their Facebook page to find out where they’ll be parked next.
Terrence Smith’s Taste of Tee offers Southern-style seafood, T’s Famous Chitlins, and bottles of Awesome Sauce, a combination of garlicky Alfredo butter sauce, freshly squeezed lemon, and dill. All menu items can be ordered online at tasteoftee.bigcartel.com.
Fans of the Spanish-Caribbean soul food from Tiffany, “Miss Tiff” Davie, will be thrilled to know that her famous mac ‘n’ cheese and jerk chicken are making a return. Miss Tiff’s Catering enjoyed a trial run at The Ante Room in 2017 before the venue closed. But now, with the support of Bread & Roses, Davie is jumping back into the local food scene.
High five
As we mentioned a couple weeks ago, several new spots are (or are about to) open at Dairy Market, and they include brand-new names and some familiar favorites.
Andy McClure, the founder of Citizen Burger Bar and sister location Citizen Bowl, has added Citizen Burger Stand, which features a pared-down version of Citizen Burger’s classic menu with an emphasis on speedy service.
For those who lean toward plant-based eating, GRN Burger offers all the staples of a good burger joint but with a completely vegetarian menu. Beef and chicken alternatives, plus dairy-free cheeses, provide plenty of delicious, tree-hugging self satisfaction.
The long-running, Filipino food truck Manila Street, owned and operated by Fernando Dizon, has found its brick-and-mortar home at the market. Dizon is excited to be able to share his authentic, made-from-scratch Filipino classics like the pancit and lumpia.
Another East Asian dining spot to look forward to is Mashu Festival, headed by Silk Thai chef TK Chin. Mashu will specialize in classic Japanese festival foods including various sushi and sashimi.
Finally, the Dairy Market’s retail section is launching with Quattro Tizi, literally “four dudes” in Italian. This high-end clothing boutique is expanding from its downtown location in an effort to bring its trendy, designer styles to a wider local audience.
Folding its wings
Exam crammers and stoners lost another late-night hot wings option when College Inn announced its closing. Serving the UVA Corner crowd for over 60 years, the dining establishment offered reliable eats for students on a budget, with delivery past midnight on weekends. As Reddit user /UtsukushiShi wrote, “Long before GrubHub or Instacart, College Inn would deliver you a pizza, some fettuccini Alfredo, a burger and a side order of meatballs or whatever other insane shit you suddenly wanted while blazed at two in the morning.”
One stop shop
Aldi, a German-based supermarket chain known for its affordable quality and broad range of items opened recently in Albemarle Square. Now area shoppers can save money (and gas) by picking up milk, bread, an air conditioner, bike rack, undergarments, and a portable hammock at a single store.