The Charlottesville 29

Where to eat in Charlottesville

Tag: Brookville

07/05/2013

Five Finds on Friday: Dylan Allwood

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On Fridays, we feature five finds selected by local chefs and personalities.  Today’s picks come from Dylan Allwood, sous chef of Brookville Restaurant, which this week introduced a lunch menu, as well as mid-afternoon hours for drinks and their “Munchies” menu.  Allwood’s picks:

1)  Gambas al’ parilla at Mas.  “Everything that Tomas and his team come up with is delicious, but I have to get these giant shrimp with garlic aioli whenever I go.”

2)  Fried Chicken at Wayside.  “Wayside’s chicken is always juicy and crispy – everything that I want in fried chicken.  I love dipping it in the mashed potatoes and gravy.  I hit this spot up on my days off for lunch – a little more often than I should.”

3)  Whiskey on the patio at Miller’s.  “My cooks and I always go for a drink after the brunch shift.  It’s my favorite place to sit and relax after a stressful week in the kitchen.”

4)  Hell Sandwich at BBQ Exchange.  “I have known Chef Craig for a few years and he is always trying to get me to try his latest hot sauce experiments.  The hell sandwich is painful to eat, but I end up ordering one almost every time we make the hike to Gordonsville.”

5)  Foie Gras at Ivy Inn.  “If I see foie on a menu I have to get it.  Chef Angelo’s foie dishes are some of the best I’ve had.”

07/02/2013

Two for Tuesday: Brookville and Wolf Creek Farm

1)  Mom’s Favorite at Brookville.  The lunch menu at Brookville, introduced today, does not leave much choice.  Sure, many options sound delicious, like a corned beef sandwich and slow-roasted duck buns.  But, if “Mom’s Favorite” is on the menu, who in their right mind is going to turn it down?  House roast beef and  slices of beautiful local tomatoes are piled high on grilled fresh bread, slathered with Duke’s mayo.  Mom knows best.  If we have ever had a better roast beef sandwich in Charlottesville, we’ve forgotten it.

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2)  Bulgogi from Wolf Creek Farm at City Market.  Grass-fed natural beef, seasoned by a Korean woman who knows what she’s doing, Mihye Whiteside.  Take it home and cook it for just seconds on a hot griddle.  Then, you can do as she recommends and enjoy it wrapped in lettuce leaves.  Or, do as we do, and try it on an indulgent sandwich on a roll from Albemarle Baking Co., topped with a fried egg.  Either way, it’s a seriously delicious, easy, local meal.

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06/25/2013

Two for Tuesday: Brookville and Bashir’s

1)  Lamb Bolognese at Brookville.  Not many people look at a rib-sticking dish like bolognese and think: “You know what this needs more of?  Richness.”  But, then again,  Brookville has always marched to the beat of its own drum, and has never held back.  In a recent addition to the “Munchies” menu, Brookville replaces the ragu’s traditional beef plate or veal with an even richer cut:  ground leg of lamb.  The preparation reveres the dish’s roots, as the lamb is cooked for six hours with carrots, onions, rosemary, white wine and cream.  It’s then served over grits and topped with smoked Piedmont cheese and a few leafs of micro basil.   In typical Brookville fashion, it’s all local:  lamb sourced from Autumn Olive Farms, carrots from City Market, onions from Local Food Hub, wine from Veritas, herbs from Manakintowne, cheese from Everona Dairy, and grits from Woodson’s Mill.  The result is astounding.  The lamb seems a natural fit.  Created by sous chef Dylan Allwood, this is one of the best things we’ve eaten all year.

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2)  Algerian Spiced Chicken at Bashir’s Taverna.  Bashir’s has been dishing out good sandwiches on the downtown mall for so long that it is easy to take it for granted.  We can remember Bashir’s in its original hole-in-the wall digs on the mall, what seems like ages ago.  While we go through phases as to our sandwich of choice, one of our current favorites is the Algerian Spiced Chicken, an occasional special.  Moist, heavily spiced, slices of chicken breast are served on crusty house bread.  Say yes when they ask if you’d like tzatziki.  It is house-made, delicious, and helps mellow the zesty spices.

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