What do Oliver’s Dream, a Wilson, a Gus, and a Raucci have in common? The names can be heard, hollered by cooks, in some of our favorite kitchens around town. Chefs get attached to their creations, and many pay tribute to ones they love when naming those dishes. Here’s the story behind some popular insider-named eats and drinks.
Shrimp Raucci is a pasta dish that Tavola chef/owner Michael Keaveny created early in his career, while hosting his Italian grandmother, who had a love of seafood. In his kitchen, Keaveny found only frozen shrimp and a few spare ingredients including gorgonzola, capers, and some tomatoes—and the signature dish was born. Keaveny deemed it “Raucci” after his grandmother’s maiden name.
Downtown at The Whiskey Jar, you’ll find two menu items honoring people: The Wilson and Alston’s BBQ Mac. The Wilson is named for owner Wilson Richey (the restaurateur who’s also responsible for The Bebedero, South and Central, Revolutionary Soup, and Café Frank). It combines roasted chicken, griddled Swiss cheese, bacon, coleslaw, and hot sauce on sunflower wheat bread, while Alston’s BBQ Mac is named for Richey’s son.
The Gusburger from The White Spot on UVA’s Corner is named for Dr. Gus Egor. Legend has it that Dr. Egor would come nearly every day to order a cheeseburger topped with a fried egg. Eventually, it caught on, and the Gusburger became immortalized on the menu.
Premiere sandwich shop KITCHENette boasts two of man’s best foods: Oliver’s Dream and The Penny, named for the owners’ dogs. Apparently, Oliver dreams of smoked brisket, apple-ginger chutney, and crunchy onions, while Penny prefers roasted sweet potatoes and roasted red pepper on ciabatta.
In the world of local brewing, Potter’s Craft Cider has Lopé’s Pink Lemonade, a dry cider mixed with lemon, raspberries, and strawberries, and named after co-founder Tim Edmond’s dog Lopé, who can be found looking cool on the can’s artwork.
For coffee-lovers, try Dave’s Blend from Shenandoah Joe. Crafted by Roast Master (and Shenandoah Joe’s owner) Dave Fafara, it’s a rich blend of dark French roast and earthy Estate Java from the Indonesian archipelago.