The Charlottesville 29

On Fridays, we feature five food finds selected by local chefs and personalities.  Today’s picks come from Charlottesville’s leading mixologist, Nick Crutchfield of Commonwealth Restaurant and Skybar.  Crutchfield’s picks:

1)  Corned Beef Hash at Bluegrass Grill and Bakery.  “Their corned beef hash is the stuff that a breakfast lover’s dreams are made of.  Hands down the best I’ve ever had.  Ever.  Then, we head home, go into a food coma, wake up, and head to Champion for some pints.”

2)  Chef’s Counter at Clifton Inn.  “My favorite date night place for my wife and I to head to is the Clifton Inn. I love the whole place, but when we go, I prefer to sit at the Chef’s Counter in the kitchen and go through the tasting menu. This is by far my favorite restaurant that I have ever had the joy of dining in.”

3)  Pan con Miel at MAS Tapas.  “Mas is where you can find me on a late and quiet night.  The sherry menu, pan con miel, carne asada, and seared tuna are my go to items.  But, I love anything that Tomas and his staff pull together.”

4)  Ol Dirty Biscuit at Ace Biscuit and BBQ.  “For lunch I usually try to eat at home due to the amazing abundance of produce we have in the area, but if I go out it’s to Ace Biscuit and BBQ. Holy smokes! (See what I did there?) It is impossible to go wrong with ANYTHING on their menu!”

5)  Egg Salad Sandwich from Greenwood Gourmet with Sparkling Wine at Afton Mountain Vineyards.  “It’s not fair that I have to narrow this to five. Alas, it is the Five Finds though. Number Five would have to be a nice day out in the country, stopping by Greenwood Grocery and picking up some quality sammies and heading to Afton Mountain Vineyards to sit on the patio with great company and relax with a bottle of their sparkling wine. My favorite sparkler to this day.”