The Charlottesville 29

Today’s Five Finds on Friday come from Alicia Simmons, sous chef of Tavola, which has just enhanced its already-stellar pasta dishes by switching to house-made linguine, bucatini, and pappardelle. Check it out at their Eat Well, Do Good fundraisers, each month in Tavola’s Cicchetti bar, where you can enjoy platters of bucatini and meatballs with proceeds going to charity. Follow along on Tavola’s Facebook page for details and dates. Simmons’ picks:

1) Fried Chicken Sandwich at The Fitzroy. “Charlottesville has no shortage of good fried chicken, but this sandwich is a stand-out. The chicken is always perfectly crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, but the lemon cayenne aioli really takes this sandwich to the next level. It has the perfect amount of kick to it without being overbearing.”

2) Salted Dark Chocolate Sorbet at Brasserie Saison. “If I’m on the downtown mall, I always try to stop into Brasserie to try whatever flavor of gelato or sorbet is on special. There is always a new and inventive flavor I want to try. That being said, I love the salted dark chocolate sorbet in particular. As a chocolate lover, I really appreciate when a kitchen can take what seems to be a simple concept but then perfectly executes it—in this case, chocolate sorbet that is silky, rich, and balanced with the hint of salt at the end.”

3) Fried Catfish at Oakhart Social. “I love Nashville, and the Nashville hot sauce on this dish brings me straight back to one of my favorite cities. There’s nothing like perfectly fried catfish that melts in your mouth. This dish has a great amount of heat that is balanced with the napa cabbage and apple salad—not to mention the addition of pimento cheese, one of my favorite Southern classics.”

4) Wings at Doma. “I can’t choose just one flavor. I usually go for both the Korean Hot and the Sweet Chili. One of the things I love about these wings is that they’re just as good on the go as they are when you’re dining in. They’re definitely one of my cravings on a busy work day when I don’t have time to cook (for myself!).”

5) House Gin and Tonic at Tavola’s Cicchetti Bar. “I always look forward to the Cicchetti Bar’s Gin and Tonic at the end of a long shift. The house made tonic is packed with citrus, so it almost feels like I’m drinking something healthy. The way they add a little vermouth to the mix really smooths out the bite that’s usually associated with gin. This drink is a must have for summer nights.”