In an ongoing effort to support local dining establishments during the pandemic, our writers have been enjoying a variety of takeout meals from some of their favorite restaurants. Contribute to this ongoing series by sending your own delicious experiences to living@c-ville.com.
Angelic’s Kitchen
946 Grady Ave.
dairymarketcville.com
When your soul needs soothing, Angelic’s Kitchen offers a variety of fried foods, as well as homestyle sides. Unable to decide, I ordered Angelic’s Sampler Tray so I could try a little bit of everything. It came with fried fish, two crispy wings, mac-and-cheese, hush puppies, cheese sticks, and street corn fries with ranch and marinara. There’s enough here to share, and my roommates got to feast on what I unfortunately could not finish from my delicious meal. The hush puppies and mac-and-cheese were the best part of my order. (You know a hush puppy is going to be good when you can see real corn on the inside.) The mac-and-cheese was clearly made with love, and had gobs of melted cheese and a crispy top. Next time it will be a large order of mac, just for me. While I feel I got an ideal sampling of Angelic’s food, I’ll be back soon because I can’t stop thinking about everything else on the menu. The service was also excellent. Angelic herself enthusiastically welcomed me to her Dairy Market stand, which is open seven days a week, gave me my order, and was eager to offer me extra sauces. I felt like I was at home in my own kitchen. —Madison McNamee
Ivy Road House
4300 Three Notched Rd.
ivyroadhouse.com
The menu at the new Ivy Road House has something for everyone. The wide-ranging offerings from chef Christian Kelly (Maya) infuse traditional American fare with Asian and Mediterranean influences, and feature small plates, entrées, salads, a kids’ menu, and even family meal packages. I decided to order the best of all words—artichoke corn cakes (featuring cilantro and kimchi mayo), lamb meatballs with braised greens, tzatziki and harissa, and the (phenomenal) Winter Vegetarian Lasagna comprised of sweet potato, spinach, roasted red pepper, and herbed ricotta cheese. I recommend IRH for the sauces alone—all of them are housemade and unique. The bistro, located outside Crozet, opened for take-out in January and dine-in in March. There’s a price adjustment to account for the packaging costs, but the food is worth the few extra cents. Each takeout container is microwave-safe, to ensure a proper warm-up if you have a long car ride home. —Desiré Moses
Wayside Takeout & Catering
2203 Jefferson Park Ave.
waysidechicken.com
It’s just chicken, man—and I mean that as a serious compliment. Wayside doesn’t get cute. Its fried chicken is everything fried chicken should be: crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, salty enough to sting your lips, and greasy enough that the box gets damp. Scarfing down a couple of wings will leave you in a glorious, satisfied haze. The sides complete the picture. The coleslaw cuts the grease a bit, the beans add a little sweetness, and the cornbread fills in the cracks—if you still have room.
The Jefferson Park Avenue shop has always done a brisk takeout business, so the pandemic hasn’t disrupted its usual system. The decadent chicken is affordable, reliable, and fast. You can’t eat like this every day, but it would be a sad world if you couldn’t eat like this once in a while.—Ben Hitchcock