The Charlottesville 29

Where to eat in Charlottesville

Tag: BBQ Exchange

03/29/2013

Five Finds on Friday: Curtis Shaver

curtis-shaver

Photo courtesy of Greg Vogler.

On Fridays, we feature five food finds selected by local chefs and personalities.  This week’s picks come from Curtis Shaver, who recently left his position as sous chef of Duner’s restaurant to become executive chef of Hamiltons’ at First & Main.  Beginning this Sunday, Hamiltons’ is launching a weekly brunch – just in time for spring weather and people watching on the downtown mall from Hamiltons’ well-situated patio.   Shaver’s picks:

1)  Crispy Fried Eggplant at Taste of China.  “Taste of China is consistently good.  The soup dumplings are great too.”

2)  House-smoked Pastrami Reuben at Fardowners.  “The fact that they use pastrami and smoke it themselves makes this Reuben top notch.”

3)  Animal Crackers at Glass Haus Kitchen.  “What’s not to love about fried chicken skins and pigs ears?”

4)  Gyro or Souvlaki at Mykonos Cafe.  “A lunch time favorite of mine.”

5)  BBQ at BBQ Exchange.  “Craig is a culinary mastermind and his BBQ is worth the trip to Gordonsville.  Worst part is I never can decide on a sauce. They’re all so good.”

03/01/2013

Five Finds on Friday: Gerry Newman

On Fridays, we feature five food finds selected by local chefs and personalities.  Today’s picks come from Gerry Newman, Master Baker at Albemarle Baking Company, which he owns with his wife, Millie.  For the Easter season, Newman says Albemarle Baking Company will offer Hot Cross Buns and an Italian Easter treat called Colomba de Pasqua, which is like Panettone.  Newman’s five picks:

1)  BBQ Lovers 3 Meat Platter at BBQ Exchange.  “Worth the drive!  My family loves to head over on a Sunday afternoon when the weather is warmer and squeeze in one of the front porch picnic tables.  My son and I share a 3 Meat Platter of brisket, pulled chicken, and pork belly.  We’re always trying different sides and Chef Craig never disappoints.”

2)   St. Brendan Omelet and Caesar Salad at Bodo’s.  “Millie and I have been Bodo’s fans for over 23 years.  We used to drive over from Covington, Va before we moved to Charlottesville and would always get a dozen bagels to have back in our rural post.  Now, my youngest and I like to share the St. Brendan omelet and a Caesar salad.   Good food and the price is right.  Though, as my daughter points out, you need to be mindful of social engagements after the garlic-y Caesar.”

3)  Upstairs Window Table at C&O.  “Every meal at C&O is a winner.  I love the Berkshire Pork Saltimbocca while Millie prefers the Cuban Ribeye Steak.  Our favorite table is upstairs by the center window, but it doesn’t really matter where we sit because when Dean is in the kitchen, we know we are in for a stellar dining experience.”

4)  Cheeseburger at Riverside Lunch.  “I first ate at Riverside years ago when it was at the west end of Free Bridge (now home to CVS).  It was small, crowded, loud and you entered close enough to the grill that you could lend a hand with the lunch rush, if need be.  Today, when the five of us go to to Riverside for lunch we make sure to order a basket of fries first to share while we wait for our sandwiches.  I always get the cheeseburger all-the-way and I always leave happy.”

5)  Pimento Cheese Fritters with Pepper Jelly at Maya.  “My mom visits from Portland, Oregon every winter and loves going to Maya while she is here.  If you have five or six people in your party, get a double order of these babies.  Crispy on the outside, slightly melted on the inside, and full of flavor with the pepper jelly.  Go on Tuesdays when they have the Chicken Fried Chicken and entrees are twelve bucks.  Christian also makes a creamed cabbage that is out of this world.”

11/06/2012

Two for Tuesday: November 6, 2012

1)  Parmigiano Crusted Farm Egg at Orzo.  Imagine an election ballot with dozens of choices.  Such is the conundrum at Orzo, where chef Tommy Lasley’s new menu includes so many options that it is difficult to know which to choose.  Among appetizers, pastas, and entrees, there are more than twenty-six dishes.  And, that doesn’t include specials!  With a menu so large, it is inevitable that some dishes will be better than others.  The trick is to hone in on the standouts.  That’s what we’re here for.  During a recent group meal at Orzo, we enjoyed nearly all of the dishes we tried, but the winner in a landslide was the Parmigiano Crusted Farm Egg with Italian Porcinis, Crispy Broccoli Rabe, Chickpeas, and Italian Pecorino.  It left some swooning, and won without running a single negative ad about the other dishes on the menu.

2)  Home-style Coleslaw at BBQ Exchange.  It was only a few years ago that we discovered how serious the subject of coleslaw can be.  We had not realized how passionate some people are about the humble dish found at almost any supermarket deli counter.  We soon learned that attention to detail is required to perfect the dish, and opinions abound as to those details.  Buttermilk or no buttermilk?  What about vinegar?  Should the cabbage be salted and rinsed before dressing?  We were converts.  Food TV personality Alton Brown devotes an entire episode to the precision required to get coleslaw right.  At BBQ Exchange, chef Craig Hartman has perfected it.  In texture and flavor, it is the Platonic ideal of Home-style coleslaw.  As with most of the food at BBQ Exchange, we wouldn’t change a thing.