Tag: Mas Tapas

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Culture Food & Drink Living

Take us out

The Corner Juice’s PSW Smoothie and California sandwich are a healthy, tasty takeout option. Staff photo

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.

Mas Tapas

While carryout can’t quite compare to dining in, to me it’s nothing short of a civic duty to support my favorite restaurants by ordering to-go, in the hopes of helping them weather the pandemic storm and survive till “normal” resumes. Mas has long been one of my go-to restaurants in town, and I feel lucky to still be able to enjoy its food. Online ordering is easy, with pick-up in designated parking spaces behind the restaurant.

My Mas must-haves did not disappoint, starting with the warm, smoky, rich Tomates Asados—tender, Roma tomatoes smoked with herbs and sea salt in olive oil. I can eat these straight up or atop a slice of Pan Casero—a wood-fired, hearth baked bread I could never replicate at home (I order extra to have the next day). The Queso y Alcachofa, a warm roasted artichoke and goat cheese spread blended with onions, garlic, and herbs is the perfect tangy, creamy garlicky accompaniment on bread as well.

I can’t order Mas without getting a Bocadillo, the simple yet perfect sandwich of air-dried, cured Spanish serrano ham and manchego cheese, smeared with a garlic aioli on a crusty roll, and I save the best for last: Gambas a la Parrilla, Catalan-style shrimp grilled in the shell with garlic aioli and gray sea salt. A mess to eat, but every bite is simply divine.

In the before times, getting a table at Mas could require one to be a little cutthroat—especially once it got too cold to dine on the patio. I’m going to take the optimistic view that takeout is the next best thing to being there for the time being: the chance to eat some of the finest food in town, in the comfort of my home, minus the wall of bodies all waiting for the rare table opening. —Jenny Gardiner

Milan Indian Restaurant

In this foggy and raw pandemic winter, my household has returned again and again to a restaurant with food that is indulgent and comforting, but also fresh and zesty enough to blast through the haze—Milan Indian Restaurant on Route 29.

The Charlottesville staple offers a wide variety of vegetable dishes, and the Chana Masala is a standout. The chickpeas have a satisfying bite, and they’re served in a tangy tomato-based sauce with a gentle sweetness and layers of spice.

I am also particularly fond of the Baingan Bahaar, a melty eggplant-based vegetable stew. Eggplant is a delicate flavor but this is not a delicate dish; the mixture is oily and rich, and the vegetable’s flavor comes through with plenty of authority.

The chicken Tikka Masala is lighter and less creamy than at some other Indian restaurants. The flavorful sauce, rather than the meat itself, is the star of the show here. It’s especially tasty with a dollop of roughly chopped mint chutney on top. The cool clarity of the herbs multiplies the warmer flavors of the main course.

Milan is a popular spot, and its to-go pickup operation isn’t quite as seamless as some other local restaurants, so it’s wise to order a little before you plan to tuck in.

When the food arrives, it’s plentiful—all the more important in these times of takeout, when there’s special joy in leftovers. I love to follow an evening Milan dinner with a daytime Milan lunch, dumping all of the quarter-tubs of this or that into a pan and sliding the stew onto a bowl of rice. The flavors blend together, but the mixture loses none of its components’ sharpness or fragrance, and the afternoon’s work is always easier after a warm midday meal. —Ben Hitchcock

Corner Juice

Corner Juice is like Bodo’s healthier, trendy sister, and I find myself craving it almost as much as a bagel these days. The menu offers a variety of light, fulfilling options, and provides more than the name suggests: Corner Juice offers sandwiches, toasts, coffee, and oats in addition to cleansing juices, smoothies, and smoothie bowls. Both locations (the Corner and the Downtown Mall) aren’t allowing customers inside due to COVID concerns, but they offer online ordering for pick-up.

I ordered from the Corner shop, which has a QR code to scan to view the menu, so you can order without contact, and I felt immensely safe getting my takeout.

I chose a PSW smoothie, with pineapple, mango, spinach, mint, and coconut water. This was a first, as I usually opt for the Corner Colada or the Green Bowl. I realize there are greens in these smoothies, but I promise you can hardly taste the vegetables. I also added the California sandwich to have for lunch later in the day. It’s a combination of avocado, hummus, carrot, cucumber, red onion, and alfalfa sprouts on organic wheat Pullman bread. Most of Corner Juice’s sandwiches are made on MarieBette bread, which has had my heart for a while, so I was really looking forward to this one. It was a bit dry, so I would recommend adding the herb mayo or basil pesto to it, but other than that, it was fresh and filling, without making me feel sluggish. The coffee with house cashew milk is another great energizer. Overall, Corner Juice helps you get past those early morning or midday blues—in a healthy, delicious way. —Madison McNamee

Categories
Living

Small Bites: Juice boost and cocktails delivered

In mid-April, Governor Ralph Northam directed Virginia ABC to let restaurants and distilleries to sell mixed drinks through take out or delivery. Jeffery Gleason

Frontline feeding

Restaurants throughout the area continue to band together to nourish health care workers and other community members in need. Corner Juice is making bi-weekly drops of immunity-boosting juices to various UVA hospital departments. A $60 donation equals a case of juice for health care workers. Those in a position to give can do so on the Corner Juice website.

Others are teaming up to give back through Frontline Foods Charlottesville, a local organization partnering with World Central Kitchen, led by chef Josè Andrès, to support area restaurants and feed frontline workers and community members. The organization has already served thousands of meals locally.

Fundraising partners

We first covered the Charlottesville Restaurant Community Fund, an effort run by Kate Ellwood, former general manager at Citizen Burger Bar, back in March. Dollars raised are going directly to support local restaurant employees in need, and daily donations continue to arrive. Meanwhile, Ellwood’s launched a second fund that will stretch even further, thanks to a partnership with Charlottesville-based charity Blue Morning, which means fewer fees and faster distribution of grants. The effort’s raised more than $75,000 so far, and donations help a local restaurant employee afford a doctor’s visit or buy a week’s worth of groceries.

Until further notice

The open or closed status of restaurants is understandably in flux at the moment. Some have remained open with creative curbside offerings, some have closed only to re-open again, and at least one local restaurant, The Downtown Grille, has announced permanent closure after 21 years of business on the Downtown Mall. A sincere mea culpa is due to Rapture, which C-VILLE Weekly incorrectly announced as closed for good in a recent issue. Rapture joins a number of other area restaurants, including Brazo’s Tacos, Take It Away, and The Virginian, which are closed indefinitely with plans to re-open at some point. Our team has created an updated guide to area takeout and pickup options.

 

Is your pet a winner?

Last year, Devils Backbone Brewing Company received more than 6,000 entries from people who wanted to see their own furry friend on a can of the brewery’s Gold Leaf Lager. The contest is back for 2020, and new this year, pets of all varieties are eligible to compete. Through June, pet owners can submit a photo at dbbrewingcompany.com that highlights an adventure of any kind, even one from the couch. In addition to the bragging rights that come with being featured on a beer can, five grand prize winners will receive an adventure pet swag pack for maximum pet spoiling.

Cocktails to go

You can’t go out, but you shouldn’t have to go without a cocktail. Governor Ralph Northam directed Virginia ABC to temporarily allow businesses with mixed beverage licenses, such as restaurants and distilleries, to sell mixed drinks through takeout or delivery. In other words, besides beer and wine, your to-go beverage options now include sangria from Mas, or a margarita from Zocalo. Cheers!

Categories
Living

Hometown hero: Local chef wins big, restaurant openings at Stonefield, and more

Duner’s executive chef Laura Fonner recently won $20,000 on the Food Network’s“Guy’s Grocery Games.” Photo: Amy and Jackson Smith

The next time you find yourself at Duner’s, raise a glass to executive chef Laura Fonner, who took home a big prize on a recent charitable rendition of the Food Network show “Guy’s Grocery Games.” Fonner will use her $20,000 winnings to help pay for her ownership of the Ivy restaurant and to support PACEM, a local organization that provides shelter—and meals, sometimes cooked by Fonner herself—for homeless people in the winter months.

New kids on the block

One new restaurant has opened—and another is on the cusp—for your dining and imbibing pleasure at The Shops at Stonefield. The taps are flowing at Champion Grill, a sports bar from Champion Brewing Company, in the former Rocksalt space, and the first franchised location of Matchbox, a D.C. venture known for its wood-fired pizza, has announced a December 17 debut.

Last call

Speaking of neighborhood bars, Tin Whistle Irish Pub will be vacating the space at 609 E. Market St. by January. 1, 2020, over lease woes. You’ve still got a minute to stop by and enjoy pub fare, a brew, and maybe some live music—and offer a fond farewell to a Charlottesville stalwart.       .

Under the stars

Bundle up and bring a blanket, because Keswick’s Castle Hill Cider is playing host to a free evening of stargazing to celebrate the winter solstice. Local astronomers will guide attendees through a presentation, and professional telescopes will be available for prime solar-system viewing. 6-9pm, December 20. 6065 Turkey Sag Rd., Keswick. 296-0047, castlehillcider.com

Lone Star State, meet Waterbird?

Waterbird Spirits is dropping hints on its social media channels that distribution in Texas might soon be a reality for the new-to-the-market canned cocktails produced by Wilson Craig and his team at the Water Street facility. Local makers doing big things—we can get behind that.

Jingle juice

Feeling festive? Head to Bold Rock Hard Cider for the release of its latest cider cocktail (no hard liquor here!), made with a blend of Bold Rock White Cranberry cider, lime, and mint. Bonus: A holiday-themed glass can be yours with the purchase of any beverage while supplies last. 11am-9pm, 1020 Rockfish Valley Hwy., Nellysford. 361-1030, boldrock.com

Bottomless tapas

Local restaurants offer many ways to ring in 2020, but we’ve got our eye on Belmont’s Mas Tapas, where New Year’s Eve brings an endless bounty of carne asada, papas bravas, and other small plates. $75 per person, plus tax, tip, and bar tab. Seatings at 5:30 and 8pm. Reservations required: call 979-0990 or email info@mastapas.com. 904 Monticello Rd. mastapas.com

Categories
News

Incoming! Belmont Apartments on the horizon

The Belmont Apartments will increase the total amount of impervious surface on the 6.6-acre lot by about 30,000 square feet, according to developer Alan Taylor.

Popular Mas Tapas in the middle of Belmont is getting a new neighbor. Actually, more than 100 of them.

The Belmont Apartments, proposed by Coran Capshaw- and Alan Taylor-owned Riverbend Development, will consist of at least 138 by-right apartment units, a clubhouse and 27,000 square feet of office and commercial space spread into six main structures.

Residential buildings and the mixed-use space will each be four stories tall, according to the plans, which say the development will sit on about 6.6 acres—although the site plan preliminary application puts that acreage at 5.3, and Taylor says any discrepancy will be cleared up through normal survey work.

“We have talked to the neighbors several times and are planning to set up a regular meeting once a month,” says Taylor. “While they’ve been supportive of the project, they are most concerned about potential traffic issues.”

Taylor estimates 918 vehicle trips in and out of the complex per day, with a peak of 70 vehicles per hour in the morning and 86 per hour in the evening.

Belmont resident Joan Schatzman, who calls the project an “environmental disaster,” says the impending traffic is only part of the problem.

The property used to be wooded and teeming with salamanders, toads and frogs, says Schatzman. The amount of impervious surface will increase from 155,850 to 184,175 square feet, to cover 58 percent of the total area, according to Taylor.

“I want to see smart, environmentally sensitive development,” says Schatzman, who commends the underwater catchment below nearby restaurant Junction, and suggests a huge storm drain for the Belmont Apartments that collects runoff water that would then seep back into the ground, rather than sending it to the Chesapeake Bay.

Schatzman also says a project representative has twice said the apartments won’t be financially viable unless they get a special-use permit to increase the number of residences.

“Here’s what pisses me off,” she says. “They’re going through this charade of by-right apartments of 138 units. Their real objective is to double that.”

Taylor concurs, but says he’s still working on the details.

“In general, we would like to increase density via a rezoning or special-use permit, which would allow for the creation of onsite affordable housing as well as a number of amenities that would benefit all of Belmont,” he says.

Taylor submitted the preliminary site plan application in February and has until July to resubmit a new version that addresses comments from folks at Neighborhood Development Services, according to Missy Creasy, the city organization’s assistant director.

As for the project’s moniker, the Belmont Apartments actually already exist at 1000 Monticello Rd.—so Schatzman suggests a new name for the 46-foot-tall buildings already at a 440-foot elevation: the “Block My View Apartments.”