Author: aaron1

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Living

REW News & Views 7.5.2012

Save Your Green: Only Chance to Earn 12 Elective CE Hours for FREE

Register for July 12 – 13 Sustainability Training to Become ‘Earth Advantage Broker’
Home energy performance and green construction or retrofits have become mainstream in Charlottesville and the surrounding areas. To bolster the REALTOR® community’s understanding of how to incorporate it into daily business practices, a two-day Sustainability Training for Accredited Real Estate Professionals will be held at 9 am – 4 pm on July 12 -13 at CAAR.
STAR gives REALTORS® the knowledge and skills to communicate with clients about, and promote, the value and benefits of a new or remodeled eco-friendly home. Attendees will learn how to:
  • Distinguish themselves in the marketplace with green home knowledge and marketing skills.
  • Describe basic green home features and trends.
  • Communicate effectively about green building concepts.
  • Articulate the value of the Energy Performance Score and recommended energy upgrades for 
homeowners. Home Energy Rating System and Home Energy Score also will be discussed.
  • Identify the differences among leading third-party green home certification programs.
  • Tailor their marketing message to clients who have varying green values.
This course is free to all REALTORS®. More details and registration through Earth Advantage Institute is available here:  http://www.earthadvantage.org/education-events/certification/star/.
2012 Wintergreen Summer Music Festival – 
Innovation 2012
This year, from July 6 through August 5, the Wintergreen Summer Music Festival will focus on INNOVATION with events and performances that include music, dance, theatre, film, food, wine and the visual arts. For as long as human beings have inhabited the planet, there have been innovators…people who move us in new directions. Living innovators will be celebrated, but the emphasis will be on innovation during the past 1,000 years. As always, there will be the familiar and the unfamiliar. There will be something for everyone, including orchestra concerts, jazz performances, seminars, kids programming, cooking classes, nature-related events and so much more!
The Festival is held at Wintergreen Resort and other Central Virginia locations with more than 200 events in 31 days. Tickets range in price from $10-$50 (prices vary by event and many events are free)
Phone: (434) 325-8292 
or visit: 
www.wintergreenperformingarts.org
Email: 
info@wintergreenperformingarts.org
Categories
Living

C-VILLE Kids: Little rocket man

(Photo by Jen Fariello)

Five-and-a-half-year-old Jackson Sneathern received his stomp rocket—an outdoor toy that relies on forced air to launch a plastic missile—as a gift a couple years ago, but his interest in it has only started to, er, take off in the last six months, providing hours (“seriously—hours at a time,” said his mom, Larissa) of entertainment. “He and the neighborhood kids each take turns trying to stomp it the hardest and make the rocket go the highest,” Larissa said. The only downside? It gets stuck on the roof.

Categories
Arts

Preview: Pretty Lights Music elevates the digital playing field

Gramatik plays with your attention span this Saturday as part of Pretty Light Music Spring Tour at the Jefferson. (Publicity Photo)

Give it away for free and they will come. That’s the philosophy behind Pretty Lights Music, a label and touring brand founded by Derek Smith. It’s a simple philosophy, albeit one that sounds a bit contrary to the big-money aspects of the music industry. But Smith is used to betting against the odds.

Now a self-made, one-man-band/label mogul, in his freshman year at the University of Colorado, he took himself out of school to play beat-driven “sound collages” under the moniker of Pretty Lights and broke with industry rules by giving away his music for free. The result? An exploding fan base and, eventually, following years of successful touring, Pretty Lights Music as a label.

“PLM was a natural fit for Derek to harness the power of fan loyalty via this new label model and expose his friends’ music,” said Adam Foley of Pretty Lights’ management team at Red Light Management.

It helps that Smith’s friends include talented electronic artists Gramatik and Break Science, who, with Smith, are ushering in a new era in the music business: producing, sharing, and contributing to a scene that is about “the feel” of the music. Fans flock to these shows for the communal experience—as participants in the sonic fabric that is uniquely woven at each live show. There is freedom in this music that doesn’t follow rigid set lists and frequently produces a gift of new grooves, created on stage while the audience writhes.

Gramatik, a Slovenian-born producer, has been perfecting his craft since childhood, when he got into American funk and jazz. He began his career by producing a mix tape series, and—you guessed it—giving it away for free. In the early 2000s, he used sampling as his main form of artistic expression, chopping up and remixing old funk, soul, jazz, and blues tracks into new creations.

“I always looked at them as hip-hop beats on steroids,” said Gramatik. ”They are still raw, sample-based beats, but with evolved arrangements, and wrapped in a fine layer of live instrumentation.” Live instruments, Gramatik says, keep the listener enthralled through the whole track. “Classic hip-hop beats without vocals lose me after two minutes.”

As for Break Science (a.k.a. Adam Deitch and Borahm Lee), the Brooklyn-based duo has already released two EPs (the latest, Monolith Code, dropped earlier this year) and boasts an impressive list of collaborations to back their talent. Deitch and Lee have produced and performed around the world with The Fugees, Wu Tang Clan, Lee Scratch Perry, and Miles Davis collaborator John Scofield. “He’s a bad boy that’s for sure,” Scofield recalled of his time working with Dietch. “He’s got that jazz mentality and a take-no-prisoners type of creativity. All combined with the groove of death.”

PLM Spring Tour featuring Gramatik and Break Science
Jefferson Theater
March 31, 2012

Electronic music stands on the platform of traditional sound, while positioned as the harbinger of sonic evolution. Pretty Lights understands this, so it’s easy to understand why Break Science shows up on the label. Dietch, who grew up with two professional funk-drummer parents, was sitting in on his father’s gigs by age 8. ”They made it look fun,” he said, “and that’s what got me hooked on doing it.” Lee learned piano at age 4, scaling the ropes of classical music while digging hip-hop, reggae, rock, and pop sounds on his own. He later discovered programming and is now an accomplished keyboard player, sound designer, and producer.

In many ways, electronic music is most susceptible to evolution due to its inherent connection with technology. That isn’t to say that technology wholly drives its innovation, but it does influence the creative and production culture at its core. What this new age of career-oriented musicians have learned is that it’s about the experience, and it’s more important to have legions of dedicated fans than to sell one recording at a time.

Download PLM artists music for free on the website prettylightsmusic.com.

 

Categories
Arts

Review: Chroma Projects’ One/Off Richmond Printmakers

There’s something for everybody at Chroma Projects’ “One/Off Richmond Printmakers.” Whether your bag is technical ability, or work that throws technical restraint to the wind, the 13-artist show has both, with some real stunners in the mix.

Janet DeCover’s “Baru,” from “One/Off Richmond Printmakers,” up through December at Chroma Projects. Image courtesy Chroma Projects.

Beckoning from the window are two sumptuous color field monotypes by Janet DeCover. Basically, they’re paintings done on a surface in reverse that are subsequently applied to paper. The rich color saturation of DeCover’s work is immensely satisfying, and thanks to the thickly applied paint, her pieces have surprisingly weighty surfaces. Dennis Winston’s emotionally charged series of trees features boldly rendered trunks and branches—these are arbors with attitude. Winston sets them against backgrounds of wood grain, which is a nice graphic touch, and the grain is rendered in lovely, subtle hues that add a dash of levity and serve to highlight the trees’ silhouettes. There are a number of other artists in the show who look to nature for inspiration, and though they’re all technically impressive, Kris Iden’s “Herbaria: Locus 93” showcases compositional juxtapositions that are particularly moving.

Within the main gallery space, a number of prints are quick to draw in the viewer, and they all share a similar primitive character. Jack Glover’s work almost looks like it could have been done by an outsider artist, but there’s a raw crudeness about it that imbues it with power. Working with old newspaper stories, Glover recreates them including text (which since they’re prints, is all done backwards). He chooses stories that focus on ordinary citizens and small-town life, and with slight editing succeeds in creating a quirky, timeless and poignant version of reality. The saints that compose Mary Holland’s “Pyramid of Saints” are rendered in a similarly unpretentious way. Stripped down to the basics, Holland’s stylized figures have a remarkable strength and genuineness. In the same vein, Patricia Martin-Nelson’s earthy “Bag Lady” recalls the work of illustrator R. Crumb, with the added punch of distinctly contemporary composition.

In the Passage Gallery is Tim Michel’s series of prints, “Over the Wall.” A successful Realtor by day, Michel has produced an impressive array of both abstract and landscape work on the side, and the latter, which are beautifully hand-colored, are particularly strong. Michel  has a feel for what deserves focus, often reducing landscapes to a section of brook or corner of sky. Anyone who has lain out on a summer night looking up at shooting stars can appreciate his rendering of perspective. One only wishes that, with his landscapes, Michel used frames that showcased the real quality of his work.

Hanging in the Black Box are Jim Henry’s dark “Nocturnes,” commanding paintings that almost look like they were painted with tar. The way Henry manipulates paint allows potent glimpses of color to peek through, forceful Franz Kline-like slashes in one and luscious Francis Bacon daubs in another. Situated near Henry’s pieces are Gary Keyes’ “Objects of Wonder.” The objects themselves are marvels, resembling Origami confections made out of fabric, but Keyes showcased them in digital prints. His creations are interesting enough that their absence makes one feel a little gypped, but this is a small quibble. There’s plenty to satisfy this month at Chroma, from printmakers who would be worth a trip to Richmond to see again.

Categories
News

Food & Drink

RESTAURANT
MAS
Runner-up: C&O Restaurant
 What’s a no-fail recipe for winning this category year after year? One part atmosphere (see Best Dining Patio), one part food (see Best Chef) and you’ve got it. MAS takes the win again, proving you can never have too much of a good thing. Thirty-five-year-old C&O rounds out the category. For more information on this winner, click here.

NEW RESTAURANT

Peter Chang spices things up in the kitchen and on your tastebuds. All hail the chili pepper.

Peter Chang China Grill
 Runner-up: Brookville Restaurant
Who else saw this one coming? Plenty of media buzz and an incredible menu of savory (and often spicy) Szechuan dishes is a difficult combination to beat. Not to say that this year’s crop of competition wasn’t up to the challenge. Harrison Keevil packs an all-local punch at his Downtown eatery, Brookville Restaurant. Backed by the notion that nothing on the menu should come from more than 100 miles away, readers gobble up his ever-changing, über-fresh offerings. For more information on this winner, click here.

COFFEEHOUSE
Mudhouse
 Runner-up: Shenandoah Joe
Straight from Best of C-VILLE Tallying Headquarters (a.k.a. The Internet), this was a close race. With its latest addition—a coffee cart located in (and sometimes outside of) the Main Street Arena—merely feet from the Downtown Mudhouse, Shenandoah Joe may be closing in on the perennial winner. Now wouldn’t that create a buzz? (See what we did there?) For more information on this winner, click here.

 

FIRST DATE SPOT
Downtown Mall
 Runner-up: Bang!
What you readers lack in specificity, you sure do make up for in great taste. While “Downtown Mall” is a bit more vague than we’d anticipated, there’s no denying it has all you could ever need for wooing: restaurants, bars, theaters, live music, shopping, and, if things are getting even more amorous than you bargained for, there’s a hotel, too. A little off the Mall is runner-up Bang!, with easy-to-share tapas, low lighting and walls the color of passion.

HANGOVER MENU
Bodo’s Bagels
 Runner-up: Blue Moon Diner
Nothing cures the woozies like a Bodo’s Caesar salad with a side of everything (regulars don’t say “bagel with”) bacon, egg and swiss. Grab a cup of Bo’ Joe and you’re good to (pardon the rhyme) go. In the mood for a little hair of the dog? Blue Moon Diner’ll serve you up a mean Bloody Mary with your eggs and bacon to set you right again. You’ll thank us later. For more information on this winner, click here.

 

SANDWICH SPOT
Bodo’s Bagels
 Runner-up: Bellair Market
Bodo’s takes this win, too, but not without stiff competition from other area sandwich spots like runner-up Bellair Market. The Tiger Fuel-adjacent eatery in Ivy has long been praised for superb sammies like the Birdwood: avocado, banana peppers, pepper jack cheese and herb mayo overtop Boar’s Head cracked pepper turkey. Who’s with us?

BREAKFAST
Bluegrass Grill & Bakery
 Runner-up: Bodo’s Bagels
What do these two restaurants have in common? Readers want to visit them early and often. At Bluegrass, you swoon over the scrambled eggs, omelets, homemade granola, home fries, biscuits and pancakes. At Bodo’s, it’s bagels all the way, topped with cream cheese, eggs and bacon or even simply an avocado—readers can’t get enough. Just be sure to be the first in line at both locales. As they say, the early bird gets the worm. For more information on this winner, click here.
QUICK LUNCH
Bodo’s Bagels
 Runner-up: Eppie’s
In Europe, it takes a few hours to enjoy a decent mid-day meal. On this side of the pond, we like it quick and tasty, which is why both Bodo’s and Eppie’s top the list for places to grab and go. Get a bagel sammy and an iced tea and hit the road. Or, at Eppie’s, order your meal and it’ll be there waiting by the time you walk to the end of the bar. Talk about fast food!

BRUNCH
Bluegrass Grill & Bakery
 Runner-up: Beer Run
The always-reliable Bluegrass Grill wins again! (Those biscuits just can’t be beat.) Closing in, however, is Beer Run, where the Sunday brunch is a taste to behold. We recommend the Clint Eastwood “Hang ’em high” Huevos: A western omelet with local eggs, red peppers, pepper jack cheese topped with fresh tomatillo salsa. Delish!

LATE-NIGHT MENU
Littlejohn’s New York Delicatessen
 Runner-up: C&O Restaurant
We’re going to level with you. This category exists for folks who imbibe just a bit too much and need a snack at the end of a long night out. Again this year, readers agree Littlejohn’s provides just what you’re looking for. Try the Corner spot’s most popular sandwich, the Wild Turkey: turkey breast, melted Muenster cheese, crispy bacon, tomato and herb mayonnaise on 12-grain wheat bread. Nothing satisfies an owl’s appetite quite the same. For more information on this winner, click here.

 

VEGETARIAN MENU

A Revolutionary concept: Vegetarians love the souped up menu at the Downtown and Corner stew spot.

Revolutionary Soup
 Runner-up: Eppie’s
Just because you’re a vegetarian doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice taste and creativity. You praise Rev Soup for its unique veggie menu, with choices like the Garlic Garden Club: sautéed red onions, roasted red pepper, white cheddar, fresh avocado, lettuce and tomato on sunflower wheat bread. Runner-up Eppie’s offers delicious “big salads,” a host of customizable pasta dishes, plus a daily menu of veg-friendly specials. (Try the cheese and pepper hot tamale on Wednesdays!)

MEAL UNDER $10
Bodo’s Bagels
Runner-up: Sticks Kebob Shop
 Again this year, you reach for a Bodo’s bagel when you want something inexpensive and filling. Newcomer Sticks takes the runner-up spot, with 10 years’ experience in meals under 10 smackers.

DRAFT BEER SELECTION
Beer Run
 Runner-up: South Street Brewery
Judging by all the extra drink-focused categories we added this year, readers like to booze it up. When it comes to brew, you head to Beer Run, the Carlton Road restaurant with 15 beers on tap daily (plus even more in the bottle, if that’s more your speed). Making it to the runner-up spot this year is South Street, with seven brewed-on-premises choices. For more information on this winner, click here.

 

RESTAURANT WINE LIST
Siips Wine & Champagne Bar
 Runner-up: C&O Restaurant
New winner alert! Siips Wine & Champagne bar overthrows C&O this year as best place to get your gulp on. (We suspect it was that extra “i” that set it over the edge.) The Downtown spot offers more than 75 wines and champagnes by the glass nightly. Recommended: Memorize which one you’re particularly fond of. After a few sips, it’ll likely become difficult to decipher the list.

ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT BUFFET
Milan Indian Cuisine
 Runner-up: Wood Grill Buffet
Milan takes the lead over perennial winner Wood Grill Buffet with its tandoori chicken, naan and palak paneer, among other traditional Indian dishes. You also crave the many meatless dishes at Milan’s daily lunch buffet. Up 29N, Wood Grill serves a packed buffet all day long. You head there for the sheer volume of choices and the family-friendly prices. For more information on this winner, click here.

 

DINING PATIO
MAS
Runner-up: Zocalo
For those of you who enjoy dining en plein air, you say there’s no better place than at the center of the hustle and bustle. Your winner, at the bottom of Hinton Avenue in Belmont, looks out over the neighborhood. Runner-up Zocalo is the perfect spot to people watch on the Downtown Mall.

VEGAN OPTIONS
Revolutionary Soup
 Runner-up: Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar
This town may be lacking in strictly “vegan” restaurants, but readers find plenty of options at winner Rev Soup. Try the Spicy Senagalese Tofu (a favorite among regulars), Classic Miso or, during the summer, Chilled Carrot & Ginger. On the Mall, Twisted Branch serves up a dahl and rice appetizer that’s almost sinful, plus vegan sammies and even dessert. For more information on this winner, click here.

 

PLACE FOR A BUSINESS LUNCH
Hamiltons’ at First & Main
 Runner-up: Bizou
The original working-lunch spot on the Downtown Mall, Hamiltons’ has served up a business-minded menu since 1996. Readers say it wins in this new category for its excellent food (try the crab cakes!), fresh atmosphere and large tables for spreading around important papers. Bizou, with its uber-private booths, secures the runner-up spot. For more information on this winner, click here.

BARTENDER
Ted Norris at Maya
 Runner-up: Al Zappa at Rapture
It’s only fitting that, on the fifth anniversary of Ted and Al’s previous win in this category, readers would send them to the winners’ circle once more. Here’s what we had to say about them in 2006: “Once again, the quick-handed and entertaining Ted ‘top shelf’ Norris left other Charlottesville drink-slingers chasing his ponytail in the race for best bartender. While the congenial, always-working Al ‘perfect pour’ Zappa is nearly as well-beloved by Downtown drinkers, in the end he came up just a few shots shy of first place.”

ENTREE
Santa Fe Enchiladas at Continental Divide
 Runner-up: Meatloaf at Bizou
We’ve got two words for you: pumpkin muffin. O.K., we’ve got a few other words for you, too, like tortilla, melty cheese, refried beans, Spanish rice—oh, that’s enough talkin’. Get in there and eat! In the runner-up spot, Bizou’s down-home meatloaf, served with a baby greens salad and a mouthwatering scoop of creamy mashed potatoes. In a word, yum. For more information on this winner, click here.

WINERY
Veritas Vineyard & Winery
 Runner-up: King Family Vineyards
Its sizable tasting room and beautiful outdoor area land Veritas at the top in this new category. The 9-year-old vineyard and winery is situated at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains and boasts a dozen wine varieties. Crozet-based King Family lands the runner-up spot for its impeccable mountain views and cozy fireplace sipping spot. For more information on this winner, click here.

BREWERY
Blue Mountain Brewery
 Runner-up: Starr Hill Brewery
Two stops on the local Brew Ridge Trail, Blue Mountain and Starr Hill, quench your thirst for locally produced craft beer. The winner is Nelson County-based Blue Mountain, which Taylor and Mandi Smack and Matt Nucci opened in 2007. The runner-up, Masterbrewer Mark Thompson’s Crozet-situated Starr Hill. For more information on this winner, click here.

MARGARITA

Three margs are better than one, and readers say Continental Divide’s margs are better than any other.

Continental Divide
 Runner-up: Guadalajara
How do you know if a margarita’s good? When no one can stop talking about it. Midtown restaurant Continental Divide pulls ahead in this category, followed closely by the Guad. Straight up or fruit-flavored, you fall for the ’ritas, which come frozen or on the rocks in a glass the size of a small cereal bowl.

MARTINI
Bang!
 Runner-up: Ten
The more the merrier, we always say. Sounds like, when it comes to martinis from Bang!, readers agree. The Second Street tapas spot serves a ’tini menu of 30 flavors with enticing names like the Pink Squeeze and the Mr. Big. On the Mall, you go wild for Ten’s self-titled cocktail, containing sake, Ciroc vodka and aloe juice. Mmm! For more information on this winner, click here.

BAR
South Street Brewery
 Runner-up: C&O Restaurant
So you want to go to a place where everybody knows your name, huh? Readers recommend South Street Brewery, where the beer’s cold (and brewed in-house!) and the bar staff’s quick on its feet. Runner-up C&O never disappoints, with a fully stocked bar made from an Albemarle County barn. For more information on this winner, click here.

DELIVERY
Basil Mediterranean Bistro
 Runner-up: College Inn
When you say Basil Mediterranean Bistro delivers, you mean it. The Corner-located eatery boasts a novel-length menu packed with flavor, like the Penne me Kota (penne pasta, artichoke hearts, red peppers, Kalamata olives, garlic, capers, tomatoes, chicken and feta in a creamy pesto sauce). What’s more, your dish arrives promptly and piping hot. Ballot newcomer College Inn takes the runner-up spot, delivering everything from cheese pizza and chicken alfredo to fried mushrooms and pecan pie. For more information on this winner, click here.

 

STEAK
Downtown Grille
 Runner-up: Aberdeen Barn
Q: Why was the butcher worried? A: His job was at steak! We kid, we kid. We know your Porterhouse is no laughing matter. That’s why you vote Downtown Grille and Aberdeen Barn into the winners’ circle this year. For both locales, an A-plus steak is serious business. Serving up certified Black Angus beef, DG and The Barn satisfy carnivores with high standards. For more information on this winner, click here.

 

BAKERY
Albemarle Baking Company
 Runner-up: Chandler’s Bakery
How difficult is it to run a beloved bakery in this town? As easy as ABC! Albemarle Baking Company, that is. Owners Gerry Newman and Millie Carson’s Main Street Market sweet shop has been serving up breads, pastries and wedding cakes since 1995. Another oldie but a goodie, Chandler’s Bakery is your runner-up. Readers return to this Albemarle Square spot for desserts large and small. For more information on this winner, click here.

 

CHEF

Chef Tomas Rahal’s culinary creations leave readers wanting MAS. 

Tomas Rahal at MAS
 Runner-up: Michael Keaveny at Tavola
They’ve got a good thing going over there in Belmont. At the end of Hinton Avenue, chef/owner Tomas Rahal cooks up a mean plato de jamon, but did you know he originally came to Charlottesville as an undergrad at UVA’s School of Architecture? And Michael Keaveny, chef/owner at the best Italian spot in town, is a Culinary School of America grad with 30 years’ experience in the restaurant industry. Chef! Chef! Chef!

CHINESE
Peter Chang China Grill
 Runner-up: Red Lantern
The second Charlottesville restaurant that chef Chang’s put his stamp of approval on (the first was Taste of China in Albemarle Square), the China Grill opened this past March to anxious diners and media fanfare. Since then, his Szechuan menu has been charming readers and numbing their tongues with his signature spicy style. In other words, this ain’t your typical Chinese food. It’s better. In the runner-up spot, ballot newcomer Red Lantern on Carlton Road impresses with both delivery and catering menus.

JAPANESE
Ten
 Runner-up: Sakura
Readers will no doubt be surprised to learn that, literally translated, “sushi” means “sour-tasting,” as nothing we’ve ever tasted from Ten substantiates that translation. Each unique dish feels a bit sinful on the taste buds. Up 29N, Japanese franchise Sakura cooks everything before your very eyes. For more information on this winner, clickhere.

 

THAI
Thai ’99
 Runner-up: Lime Leaf
We’re gonna be honest with you, it’s pretty unclear which Thai ’99 readers are voting for. That’s the downside to multiple unrelated businesses with similar names (Vinny’s and Sal’s, we’re looking at you). Luckily, both Thai ’99s offer delicious menus and charming atmosphere. We can see why you voted for (either of) them. For more information on this winner, click here.

 

MEXICAN
Guadalajara
 Runner-up: Continental Divide
Seems like every time we turn around, Gilbert Lopez is opening another location of his popular Mexican eatery. That’s O.K. with you; each Guad serves a menu as tasty as the last. Runner-up Continental Divide offers solid Tex-Mex entrées and appetizers, including the praiseworthy Santa Fe Enchilada. For more information on this winner, click here.

 

ITALIAN
Tavola
 Runner-up: Vivace
Congratulazioni Tavola! Ci sembrava opportuno riconoscere il miglior ristorante italiano in citta’ in propri termini: in italiano. Tutto quel che riguarda il piu’ giovane ristorante in Belmont e’ eccezionale: il menu con piatti tipici provenienti dalle varie regioni italiane; il servizio, l’atmosfera, la lista vini e il cibo stesso, fresco e curato con la massima attenzione. Come si dice in America, the food speaks for itself. E’ cosi’ vero! For more information on this winner, click here.

 

FRENCH
L’étoile
 Runner-up: Petit Pois
Bon appétit, readers! Mark Gresge’s French spot edges out the competition this year, offering local food prepared using French culinary techniques. The Midtown eatery got its start as the Tea Room Café in 1993. Downtown, Mark Helleberg’s teeny-weeny dinner, lunch and brunch spot assumes the runner-up position. For more information on this winner, click here.

MEDITERRANEAN
Orzo Kitchen & Wine Bar
 Runner-up: Basil Mediterranean Bistro
Dining at Orzo means getting the best of many worlds. Chef/co-owner Charles Roumeliotes combines traditional Mediterranean recipes with influences from Greece, Italy, Spain and southern France to create a no-fail menu that readers agree is the best in town. Raif Antar’s Basil Mediterranean always wows with its mile-long menu and specialty beverage list. For more information on this winner, click here.

INDIAN
Milan Indian Cuisine
 Runner-up: Himalayan Fusion
Again this year, readers agree: Milan’s the best. Whether you want vindaloo, matar paneer or just a simple side of naan, the Emmet Street spot serves up authentic, delicious Indian dishes worth praising. Downtown, Himalayan Fusion offers a great selection and a patio for people-watching. For more information on this winner, click here.

WINGS
Wild Wing Café
 Runner-up: McGrady’s Irish Pub
Thirty-four sauces at Wild Wing, from “Medium” to “Sweltering” (ain’t no “Mild” on this menu, folks), make your list this year when it comes to flavorful chicken wings. The Amtrak-adjacent franchise offers plenty of deals, like the “All-You-Can-Eat Wing Bar,” so you can devour as many wings as you can handle. For $8.95, gain access to three wing flavors, three nugget flavors, soup, fries and a featured item of the day. In the runner-up spot, McGrady’s offers 37-cent wings (try the “Sweet and Sweaty” flavor) on Mondays. For more information on this winner, click here.

 

BURGER
Boylan Heights
 Runners-up: Five Guys and Riverside Lunch (tie)
Boylan brings it home again. The gourmet burger spot’s been the one to beat two years in a row now, wowing Corner diners with its beef and veggie patties. Beloved local establishment—and one-time burger standard-bearer—Riverside Lunch makes the ballot this year for the first time in five years, tying Arlington-born franchise Five Guys. For more information on this winner, clickhere. 

 

FRENCH FRIES
Five Guys
 Runner-up: Riverside Lunch
Five Guys knows just how we like our fries: piled high, tucked in a greasy paper bag and, for some of us, liberally sprinkled with an irresistible blend of spices. Old school burger joint Riverside snatches the runner-up spot, serving up classic shoestring taters. For more information on this winner, click here.

 

BBQ
Belmont BBQ
 Runner-up: Barbeque Exchange
Pint-sized ’cue spot Belmont BBQ smokes the competition once again, proving that it’s not the size of the pig in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the pig. Or something. (We’re busy chewing; we can’t worry about the facts.) Craig Hartman’s Gordonsville newcomer brings top-quality ’cue to the ballot for the first time, taking runner-up. For more information on this winner, click here.

 

PIZZA
Christian’s Pizza
 Runner-up: Mellow Mushroom
One more trophy in this category and Christian’s will have itself a decade of wins. Pretty impressive, considering all the stiff competition from the city’s other 40-plus ’za joints, like runner-up Mellow Mushroom. For more information on this winner, click here.

 

SUSHI
Ten
 Runner-up: Tokyo Rose
Holy mackerel! Readers agree: Ten’s sushi is the best. You’ll find everything from snapper to squid on the menu, artfully presented at your table and a tastebud explosion as it goes down. The runner-up, Ivy Road-situated Tokyo Rose boasts a fresh sushi bar and delivery options.

FROZEN TREAT
Splendora’s Gelato
 Runner-up: Arch’s Frozen Yogurt
Just over a year under owner PK Ross’ watch, Splendora’s is still your favorite place to grab a cold one—dish of gelato, that is. Between 24 and 36 flavors fill the cases daily. Good luck making a decision! Speaking of decisions, at runner-up Arch’s, choose between Edy’s vanilla, chocolate or tartisan or low-calorie Wow Cow froyo. Whatever you do, don’t forget the sprinkles. For more information on this winner, click here.

SEAFOOD

Readers are all fired up over the seafood offerings at Bonefish Grill in Hollymead Town Center.

Bonefish Grill
 Runner-up: Duner’s
What a catch! Bonefish Grill, up 29N in the Hollymead Town Center, takes the win this year. Owner Scott Hutson and his team serve up the freshest fishies around: grouper, sea bass, salmon, tilapia, tuna and, a notable favorite, Bang Bang Shrimp. Duner’s, up Ivy Road, reels in runner-up with seared scallops and salmon, steamed mussels and jumbo lump crab cakes. For more information on this winner, click here.

SOUTHERN DISH
Wayside Chicken
 Runner-up: Maya
There’s no arguing with a southern classic like fried chicken. ’Round these parts, nobody does it better than Wayside. A little bridge repair at JPA doesn’t stop you from nabbing a “Big Eater.” Down on West Main Street, runner-up Maya charms you with menu items like pork tenderloin with Carolina BBQ slaw or baby back ribs. Wash it down with Moonshine Punch and call it a night. For more information on this winner, click here.

SERVICE
Clifton Inn
 Runner-up: Tavola
Service comes easy to the folks at the Clifton. After all, they’re in the business of making sure you enjoy yourself. No wonder readers say they’re tops. Over in Belmont, servers at Michael Keaveny’s Italian eatery impress. We know we sure couldn’t navigate that itty-bitty space while carrying hot plates and glasses of wine. For more information on this winner, click here. 

USE OF LOCAL FOOD
The Local
 Runner-up: Revolutionary Soup
You know that jam slogan, “With a name like Smucker’s, it has to be good?” Well, with a name like The Local, the food has to be local. Not quite as catchy, maybe, but certainly delicious. Regionally sourced meats, cheeses and even Mona Lisa Pasta flood the menu at the Belmont restaurant. Downtown and on the Corner, runner-up Rev Soup serves up local fare straight from owner Will Richey’s garden. Doesn’t get much more local than that. For more information on this winner, click here. 

PLACE TO DRINK AFTER WORK
South Street Brewery
 Runner-up: Miller’s
Located in a late 19th century warehouse with a working fireplace, steel barrels behind the bar and wooden fixtures throughout, 13-year-old South Street looks like the kind of place our forefathers once met to discuss important revisions to the Constitution over a pint of ale. Readers agree it’s No. 1 for imbibing after 5. For more information on this winner, click here.

FAMILY-FRIENDLY RESTAURANT
Tip Top Restaurant
 Runner-up: Eppie’s
We’ll put it bluntly: If your kid’s prone to tantrums, might you dine where the rest of the eating public isn’t quite as phased by that sort of thing? This year, you say Tip Top provides the best setting. In second place is Eppie’s, where the mac-n-cheese satisfies even the tiniest of palates—long enough for Mom and Dad to get a bite in, too. For more information on this winner, click here. 

PLACE WHEN SOMEONE ELSE IS BUYING
C&O Restaurant
 Runner-up: Fleurie
Parents in town? Friends volunteered to treat you to a birthday/anniversary/celebratory dinner? Readers say choose the C&O (try the beef tenderloin!) or Fleurie (we recommend the squab). Not a single entrée under $20 and worth every penny. For more information on this winner, click here.

 

BAR FOR SINGLES
The X Lounge
 Runner-up: Blue Light Grill
It’s a tough world out there for you parties of one. Luckily, you find refuge at The X Lounge, where lonely singles can sidle up to the bar, sip on a tasty cocktail and hope a dashing young lad (or lass) will ask to pay for it. For those looking to mix and mingle on the Mall, there’s seafood-centric Blue Light. Brings new meaning to the phrase “There’s other fish in the sea,” huh? For more information on this winner, click here. 

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