We know you’ve been wondering: Just where do I go for a daily shot of wheat grass in this town? And how do I get a goji berry juice cocktail without entering into some wacko pyramid scheme? Well, those of you who care about your health and stuff have probably been wondering that. Those of you whose weekly caloric intake involves something McFried or McProcessed probably have never pondered these questions, and you probably won’t get all chai’d up by the news that Sublime All-Natural Food & Juice Bar is planning an October 1 opening at its location on Elliewood Avenue—“the first of many of these stores,” owner Geoff Robinson tells us. Everyone else’s chakras, however, should be quivering with delight that Robinson (former owner of Jarman’s Gap in Crozet) and his partners—Julia Jondahl, Stuart Madany and Tim Rose—will “bring health and vitality to the Corner.” After that, the four UVA grads who’ve been studying raw food and juice bars in New York, L.A. and other major cites, plan to bring their juice, smoothie and shake shop to a corner near you (they’ve already been scoping out sites in Chapel Hill and Asheville, North Carolina, for the next phase of world domination). But for now, they’re still constructing the Elliewood space, which will be all feng shui’d and biogeometric thanks to Madany’s expertise—he’s a designer with Ota Holistic Design. And they’re still working on the recipes for the drink menu, which will be (forgive us) delicious and nutritious thanks to Rose’s knowledge—he’s a certified holistic counselor and a graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York.
The sky’s the limit: Sublime All-Natural Food & Juice Bar owner Geoff Robinson, left, and one his three business partners, Tim Rose, hope to attract health food skeptics as well as health food nuts.
|
Rose says “Charlottesville is ready for this.” Ready for what exactly? That would be ready to replace its afternoon Diet Coke with a lean, mean juice drink like the Beauty Lift (carrot, apple, spinach and parsley) or perhaps the Cleanse Cocktail (carrot, apple, beet, ginger). Well, maybe not at first. Rose says he hopes to attract health food skeptics with Sublime’s sweet shake menu (made from more familiar whole foods like bananas, organic yogurt and cacao beans) and move them on to the more hardcore healthy stuff later.
And just how will this shop be different from the other smoothie joints in town, some of which, ahem, haven’t fared so well? Well, first off, unlike some other guys, Rose says Sublime won’t be making its smoothies with syrup—gross. Who knew? Nope, Sublime’s ingredients will be raw, whole foods and as organic and local as possible. Get ready to drink yourself silly with salubrity next month!
Three’s a charm
In the same spirit of the Corner getting all progressive, the Jabberwocky has reopened as three. a kitchen and lounge. We told you about the renovation earlier this summer—at that time the new spot was to be called 1517, but owner Andy McClure opted instead for “three” as a reference to this being his third restaurant in town (he and his brother Patrick also own The Virginian and West Main). Of course, the name could also refer to how quickly he and STOA Design (the folks behind the X Lounge) pulled off the overhaul (as in 1-2-…O.K., you get it). Restaurantarama was impressed by three’s sleek décor and more upscale yet unpretentious fare—think gourmet riffs on bar food staples, such as nachos served with a crème fraiche-based topping.
X-man
Speaking of the X Lounge, owner J.F. Legault has stepped down from his other day job as managing director of the Clifton Inn to focus on the Glass Building hot spot and his event businesses—the Event Company (which now offers catering) and the A.V. Company. Legault tells Restaurantarama he is extremely proud of his accomplishments at Clifton, having turned the once troubled outfit into a Relais & Chateaux property and one of the best small inns in the country during his four-year tenure there. About Clifton, he says he leaves behind “the best epicurean experience in Charlottesville currently.” Legault says he has turned Clifton’s reigns over to his very capable manager, Depne Candir.
Got some restaurant scoop? Send tips to restaurantarama@c-ville.com or call 817-2749, Ext. 48.