Tag: Lemongrass

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Take us out: Local restaurant favorites will make you happy at home

Monsoon Siam’s Fresh Rolls are made with spring mix, avocado, and carrots, and wrapped in rice paper and served with a tamarind peanut sauce. Image: John Robinson

Restaurant dining has changed dramatically due to coronavirus, but we still want our favorites— and a night off from the kitchen. We asked our writers and staffers to give us their best takes. Keep watching for more, and send in your own to living@c-ville.com. Oh, and save the griping for Yelp. We want to support the hard work our restaurants are doing and see them through this COVID winter. See our Take Out Guide for your next order.

Selvedge Brewing has been open since midsummer, but only started offering takeout recently. The menu is brewery food, but with Chef Tucker Yoder at the helm in the kitchen, it’s elevated above average pub fare. Online ordering was simple and pickup was quick. The food did not disappoint. Bibb lettuce salad with garlic dressing was nicely accented by slices of smoked pork jowl and house-pickled red onions that were just the right balance between sweet and sour. Croutons made from pretzel buns brought a bit of crunch. The chicken sandwich is the best I’ve had in town, a pickle-brined thigh fried with light batter that reminds me of Japanese tempura, topped with a generous amount of pickles and some white barbecue sauce. Their small-batch, craft beer is available for takeout only in 32-ounce “crowlers” (single-use cans filled on demand). I opted for the Poplin, an Italian-style pilsner that was light, full of mildly sweet biscuit flavors, with just a hint of bitterness on the finish.—Paul Ting

Dr. Ho’s Humble Pie offers alternative pizza, but it has so much more. Everything on the diverse menu is made from scratch. To partake of the deliciousness involves a short drive (pickup only; no delivery) to North Garden, and the process is easy. On what appeared to be a pretty busy night, my order only took 20 minutes to prepare, and it was ready for me when I arrived.

A Dr. Ho’s meal is not complete without the Fat and Sassy. This pull-apart garlic cheese bread is a shareable appetizer that looks like a pizza. Mozzarella and cheddar cheese are melted on hand-tossed pizza crust made from homemade dough loaded with cloves of roasted garlic. The Fat and Sassy is traditionally served with marinara sauce and homemade ranch, but the ranch is so good I skipped the marina and opted for two ranch dressings. (The ranch dressing is so popular, Dr. Ho’s sells it by the pint and quart.)

On this night, I wasn’t feeling pizza, so I decided to go for another staple—the burger. The cheeseburger is made with local grass-fed beef, sharp cheddar cheese, lettuce, and tomato. The burger was cooked perfectly to the temperature I specified, and the toppings tasted fresh. It comes with a large helping of hand-cut French fries—so many that I couldn’t finish them all. It was super satisfying comfort food.—Laura Drummond

C-VILLE Weekly staff takes:

Al Carbon remains a gem. The chicken itself is delectable and tender with just the right amount of rich smokiness. The South American spices are different from almost anything else in town. And the caramelized plantains are heavenly.—Ben H.

Citizen Bowl and Monsoon Siam: Ready on time, always fresh, always correct, and COVID protocols followed.—Nanci M.

I recently ordered delivery from Lemongrass via DoorDash. I had the mango curry with tofu, and it was the perfect blend of sweet and savory. However, beware if you’re getting delivery in the evening and have a taste for sushi—for the second time in a row, I ordered sushi to go with my entrée, but the restaurant was out of it.—Brielle E.

We have loved our experiences at Oakhart Social and Now & Zen. Delicious options and safe, easy pickup at both locations! We love Oakhart’s pizzas and shaved salad. I am so happy to be able to get my Green Giant roll to go from Now & Zen. The Bodo’s drive-through experience is fantastic too. The lines move fast and the process is easy.—Anna H.

I have ordered Maru from DoorDash recently. I was happy with the items I picked and they traveled well. The food and service was excellent, and I will definitely be ordering from them again.—Gaby K.

During the heart of COVID stay-at-home restrictions, the fact that Chimm would deliver to Lake Monticello every Saturday was a godsend. A bowl of hot pho on a cold April day made me feel a little normal again.—Tracy F.

Up 29 North is the Timberwood Grill, which has kept us supplied with Honey Fire Tenderloin Tips; Stoplight Enchiladas; Wild Mushroom Ravioli; and BEER (build-your-own sampler = four different brews for $7.95) since the pandemic started.—Susan S.

TEN sushi to go was the perfect choice to celebrate a birthday with a small group during these careful times. The chef’s omakase nigiri was a glistening, jewel-like array of fresh, perfect slices over rice, the rainbow roll of sashimi wrapped around the kani avocado roll was a decadent, fun conversation starter, and the spicy toro roll stood out with chu toro, avocado, pickled jalapeño, crunch, spicy sauce, and tobiko sending an exhilarating rush of heat and umami across the palate. The easy curbside pickup and careful packaging made for an impressive home dining experience.—Tami K.

Categories
Living

Cornering UVA’s food scene

When it comes to dining out on the Corner, you can’t go wrong with The Pigeon Hole’s biscuits with creamy red-eyed gravy and two eggs over easy. Photo by Tom McGovern

By Sashank Sankar

With a new school year comes a new group of university students eager to explore Charlottesville. For most of them, their first stop is the Corner, an area of shops, restaurants, bars, and coffee spots on the edge of UVA’s Central Grounds.

The Corner has long been a popular hangout for students and faculty alike, given its location and its wide variety of food. It’s the place to enjoy an afternoon of leisure between classes, a relaxing lunch break, or a night out. Some of the Corner’s more popular spots serve Charlottesville food staples: the locally owned (and nationally beloved) Bodo’s Bagels, Trinity Irish Pub, Boylan Heights, Roots Natural Kitchen, and Got Dumplings, to name just a few.

And there are plenty of other eateries on the Corner that will satisfy your appetite. Whether this is your annual reminder or first timer’s primer on what to eat around the university, here’s a list of several sometimes-overlooked gems—places to check out when you’re too hungry to wait in the out-the-door line at Bodo’s. 

The Pigeon Hole

11 Elliewood Ave.

This tiny restaurant is a perfect breakfast or brunch spot, and it has all the classics—biscuits (with red-eyed gravy!), huevos rancheros, pancakes, and French toast. And if you’re really running on empty, go for the Sunrise Burrito.

Armando’s Mexican Restaurant

105 14 St. NW

A relative newbie on the Corner, Armando’s provides solid Mexican fare for a good price. It’s also a perfect spot if you (and your wallet) are in the mood for something simple. Pro tip: The enchiladas poblanas are a must.

Take It Away Sandwich Shop

115 Elliewood Ave.

Take It Away is the place to go for a tasty, inexpensive sandwich on bread that’s not a Bodo’s bagel. This small shop has a variety of options for both meat-lovers and vegans, and its house dressing—used as a sandwich spread—is legendary. There’s a hefty offering of classic sandwiches, but you can also build your own, so the world is your oyster (er, sandwich).

Lemongrass

104 14 St. NW

Tucked underneath a parking deck, Lemongrass offers Thai and Japanese cuisine that is healthy and fairly affordable. It might not seem like an obvious place to eat, but we’re betting it will become your go-to after you’ve tried a rice bowl, the curry, or a noodle platter. And if you’re looking for something slightly different, you can’t go wrong with the pineapple fried rice.

Michael’s Bistro
and Tap House

1427 University Ave.

Located on the second floor above Little John’s, Michael’s Bistro offers American cuisine and plenty of beverage options. If you’re in the mood for something savory and salty, try the Green Goddess Grilled Cheese, made with pesto, avocado, and arugula. And when the weather’s nice, ask to sit on the balcony—the view from there is tough to beat.

Categories
Living

Mican and Lemongrass merge their menus

Mican's dynamite roll is still on the menu at Lemongrass on 14th Street. Photo by Natalie Jacobsen

After celebrating a decade in business, Pham, the owner of Lemongrass on the Corner, has been looking ahead to the next 10 years. Yoshihiro and Yukiko Tauchi, owners of Mican, a Japanese restaurant that, until this fall, had been located at York Place on the Downtown Mall, fused with Lemongrass.

Says Yoshihiro Tauchi, “[This was] a big idea of Pham. He was a longtime customer of Mican, and [is] our friend.”

Yoshihiro Tauchi is still serving up Japanese dishes, such as the dynamite roll, from his former Mican menu at Lemongrass on 14th Street. Photo by Natalie Jacobsen
Yoshihiro Tauchi is still serving up Japanese dishes, such as the dynamite roll, from his former Mican menu at Lemongrass on 14th Street. Photo by Natalie Jacobsen

“Their set menu of traditional Japanese dishes attracted me again and again,” says Pham. The Tauchis’ menu features flavors from the Kyushu and Hokkaido prefectures of Japan.

And Yukiko mirrors Pham’s praise. “[Lemongrass] stands apart from other Thai restaurants because they rely on subtle flavor to [preserve] freshness and healthiness,” she says.

Now the Tauchis are working under one roof alongside Pham, with both using the Lemongrass name. “The colors of the interior have changed slightly, and we may add a few more Mican touches,” says Pham.

Tauchi is adding sushi, donburi (rice bowl with fish) and ramen to the already-established Lemongrass menu. Due to the number of ingredients and swath of space ramen preparation requires, however, the steaming bowl of traditional noodles will only be available on the weekends for now.

“We hope to make even more menu choices, including ramen, gluten-free and vegan-friendly,” says Pham. “Right now, we offer vegetarian substitutes to our staples.”

Both owners are unified in their focus on healthy dishes.

“We like being in Charlottesville,” says Yukiko. “Both Thai and Japanese cuisines are so popular in Washington, D.C., but we are bringing it here for everyone to enjoy.”

Popping back up

L’etoile is back—but for two nights only. On November 18 and 19, L’etoile chef and owner Mark Gresge, with the help of sous chef Kelsey Naylor, will host 10 diners each night for a seven-course meal at the L’etoile catering station in Crozet.

Gresge closed L’etoile—the restaurant was located on West Main Street, next to Continental Divide and across from the Amtrak station, where Mezze is now—in 2014 after 20 years of serving French-Virginia cuisine. He’s been catering ever since, but Gresge says he misses his restaurant.

Cooking for catering is very different, much more heavily planned than restaurant cooking, Gresge says, and he misses the spontaneity of the restaurant kitchen.

“I wanted a fun evening to capture the L’etoile feeling…let’s just have a meal,” Gresge says about his decision to host a pop-up restaurant. And apparently Charlottesville diners want the same: The 20 seats sold out almost immediately after the pop-up was announced, Gresge says, adding that “the response has been graciously excessive.”

The seven-course menus will be a surprise to dinner guests—“I want to serve what I want to serve,” Gresge says—but he will likely feature some L’etoile favorites and some seasonal local produce.

If you didn’t score a seat, don’t fret: This probably won’t be a one-time thing, Gresge says. He hopes to host more dinners in the new year. We’ll keep you posted.

Tasty tidbits

At the helm…Firefly has a new chef, Ted Miller. And we hear there will be some new menu items rolling out this week. …Eight is their lucky number…Devils Backbone Brewing Company is celebrating eight years of brewing craft beer in the Blue Ridge with two parties—one at its basecamp brewpub in Roseland and another at its outpost brewery and taproom in Lexington—on November 19. The Milestone 8 Imperial Schwarzbier will be on tap at both places.