The Charlottesville 29

Today’s Five Finds on Friday come from Peter Robertson who, with his wife Merrill, runs the outstanding food truck Côte-Rôtie. In addition to their regular gig at Champion, Côte-Rôtie has lots of exciting upcoming events, including tomorrow at IX Park for a party celebrating the release of Potter’s The Haven, next weekend at Blenheim Vineyards and, perhaps best of all, June 10 at Afton Mountain Vineyard for a multi-course wine dinner, when the Culinary Institute of America alumni really plan to let loose. Robertson’s picks:

1) Olive Boule at Albemarle Baking Company and Sourdough at MarieBette Cafe & Bakery.  “Charlottesville is blessed with two fantastic bakeries. Every Friday, Albemarle Baking Co. makes an olive boule which we try to get every time we pick up our fish order from Seafood @ West Main. MarieBette has a delicious sourdough available in large and small, where the latter can make an excellent soup bowl for French onion soup, which you can throw right under the broiler to gratinee and get yummy burnt edges.”

2) Bread at MAS Tapas. “While in Libourne, France, we purchased a life-changing boule from a baker who had a small cart at the farmer’s market. He baked his bread in a wood burning oven, made of stone out in the countryside and brought it to market occasionally. MAS’s bread is the closest thing to that we have had in the United States. Every time we go there we ask if we can buy one to take home, the closest to burnt that they have. Everything at MAS is delicious but their bread is old world, and we love it.”

3) Pizza Dough at Lampo.  “These guys know what’s up.  Whenever we sit at the bar, I just marvel at the tray of perfectly formed white pillows of stretchy dough. It’s amazing how it cooks in just a few minutes with just the right amount of burnt bubbles on the edges.  The ingredients on top are always fresh and delicious but ‘dat dough’ is what I crave.”

4) Stickin in My IPA at Champion Brewing Company. “‘Yea! Heavy and a Bottle of Bread’ – Bob Dylan and The Band’s song always runs through my head when drinking a Champion Brewing Company beer. So many tasty beers come out of there. I think my first Champion brew was Stickin in My IPA in the tall can. It was ice cold and I nearly downed the whole thing after a busy night cooking and it definitely stuck to me. Also, it’s one of our regular stops and everyone who works there is aces in our book.”

5)  Double Bacon Cheeseburger at Riverside Lunch.  “My list wouldn’t be complete without Riverside Lunch. I know Merrill mentioned it, but it’s just perfect. No pretension, consistent, super friendly staff, fast and efficient. I love the thin crispy ‘smash burgers’ which chefs in NYC are starting to copy, but I doubt it will get any better than they do it at Riverside.”