The Charlottesville 29

Where to eat in Charlottesville
09/03/2021

Five Finds on Friday: Chris Martin

Today’s Five Finds on Friday come from Chris Martin, the Johnson & Wales graduate with a background in fine dining who moved to Charlottesville to launch a pop-up bakeshop. Her Baker No Bakery now pops up periodically at Guajiros and elsewhere, offering treats like sesame leaf glazed donuts, fritters, tarts, and more. And, cookie deliveries are always available here. Look for her tomorrow, September 4, at Guajiros from 9 am – 12 pm. Early bird gets the worm, because she can sell out fast. Stay up to date on her Instagram page. Martin’s picks:

1) Café con Leche at Guajiros Miami Eatery. “The perfect balance of espresso, sweetness, espuma, and milk. And enough caffeine to fuel me for eternity. I drink this iced every single day I can.”

2) Taiyakis from Basan. “Basan is delightful because of their specials, and I’m personally obsessed with their taiyakis. There is typically always a red bean flavor, but there was a banana cream flavor that lingers with me to this day.”

3) Baleadas at El Ciruelo. “This restaurant has amazing flour tortillas, and they shine in any and all of the baleadas. My Honduran coworker introduced me to these and I can’t get enough.”

4) Ddukbokki at Kuma Sushi Noodles & Bar. “Their ddukbokki is perfectly spicy, with chewy rice cakes that I adore. Also the iced honey plum tea is *chefs kiss*.”

5) Biko from Manila Street. “I love sticky rice, and Manila Street’s traditional Filipino dessert called biko in the Dairy Market is so good. The chewiness of the rice, just sweet enough, and toasted coconut are super yum.”

08/27/2021

Five Finds on Friday: Chase Davidson

Twelve years ago today, this guy entered the world, which he has brightened every day since. Chase’s picks:

1) Lumpia from Little Manila and Manila Street. “I’ve been eating these for a long time. When I was younger, I used to look forward to Saturdays because we would always go to the market and Little Manila would have a tent set up there. It’s one of my favorite foods, and it goes perfectly with the sauce.”

2) Marinara D.O.C. from Lampo. “It’s been a tradition for a while that every year on my birthday, I get this pizza from Lampo. I don’t typically like really cheesy pizzas, so this one is perfect for me. Another tradition we had was every Friday in the pandemic my dad would go out and get this pizza for me.”

3) Pan Tomate at Little Star. “I could consume a lot of these.”

4) Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream at La Flor Michoacana. “My dad introduced this place to me. My sister wanted to go to Chap’s but I wanted to try this place, and I’m glad I did because it is some of the best ice cream that I have ever had.”

5) Mini Corn Dogs at Riverside Lunch. “Anytime I travel for a swim meet, my dad tries to find places close to the pool with mini corn dog nuggets because I enjoy them so much. I have gone to many places but none are better than the ones that Riverside has.”

08/25/2021

Introducing Siren: Chef Laura Fonner Finally Has Her Own Place

A dream of award-winning chef Laura Fonner is finally coming true. This fall, the multi-time Food Network winner will open Siren in the former home to The Shebeen. Fonner was the longtime chef of Duner’s before joining Champion Hospitality Group last year, and launching a food truck. A partnership between Champion and Fonner, Siren will feature a seafood-focused menu of what Fonner calls an ever-changing mix of gourmet stoner food, with American and Mediterranean influences. “I am blending my two worlds together to create a unique and approachable menu,” said Fonner.

Check back for further details, but, for now, Fonner is particularly excited about the “red plate special,” a whole fish of the day that Fonner says is a chance to poke fun of herself, having suffered her only ever Food Network loss because she served her final dish on a red plate, instead of a white one.

“Having my own restaurant has been years in the making,” said Fonner, “and I can’t wait to share my passion for food with the community again, in a space that is unique and full of character.”