Five Finds on Friday: Amanda Wood
Today’s Five Finds on Friday come from Amanda Wood, Bar Manager of Tavola, and an entrant in Malt Masters, where top bartenders are vying to create the best cocktail from Virginia Distillery Company’s whisky tribute to Charlottesville. There are 29 herbs, flowers, fruits, and roots in Vecchio Amaro del Capo, which is why it came to mind for Wood as a pairing for The Charlottesville 29 Single Barrel whisky. The pairing worked beautifully and made the base of a fall cocktail available at Tavola throughout the Malt Masters competition: Golden Hour, VDC 29, Vecchio Amaro del Capo, Orchard pear liqueur, butter pecan brown sugar syrup, lemon, Angostura bitters. Wood’s picks:
1) Ham, Egg, and Cheddar on Everything at Bodo’s. “Including my Bodo’s order on Five Finds makes me feel like a true Charlottesville native. No, it wasn’t my great-grandparents on both sides of my family settling down in Belmont and helping to shape the community. It is this breakfast sandwich, posted here, which has sealed my fate. This bagel is a delicious, filling classic and will set your day up for success.”
2) Bulgogi Stew at Maru. “This dish is the epitome of comfort food. It is a rich beef stew with veggies, rice cakes, and glass noodles served boiling hot. The rice cakes are dense and chewy. and possibly my favorite part. Pair this, or any of their food, with a small jug of makgeolli, which is a sweet, milky, lightly sparkling rice wine. And don’t sleep on the little side dishes served with every entree.”
3) Pupusas at Nuestra Cocina. “Tucked away inside the Marathon on Gasoline Alley – IYKYK – three ladies are cooking up traditional Latin dishes to go. The Salvadoran pupusas are my fave. It’s a thick masa dough stuffed with beans, cheese, and pork, then fried on a griddle. Each one is handmade to order, served with curtido and a thin tomato salsa. Get there early, as they are busy for lunch and close at 2:00.”
4) Margaritas at Continental Divide. “My husband and I had our first date here almost twenty years ago. Maybe it’s the nostalgia, or it could be the vibe, or the amazing staff. I’m looking at you, Jenny!. But, this is my go-to spot for a pre-dinner marg. And yes, that is a thing. I get mine with Vida mezcal and salt.”
5) Shaved Salad at Oakhart Social. “I could not possibly leave this restaurant off my list. I worked here for almost five years, and it is still one of my all-time favorites. But the shaved salad. She is fresh, she is crunchy, she is bright, creamy, and flavorful. This salad is so good that there were riots in the streets when it temporarily came off the menu. Go to Oakhart. Try all of the things. Get the shaved salad. The End.”
