The Charlottesville 29

Where to eat in Charlottesville

Tag: Continental Divide

04/21/2017

Five Finds on Friday: Brandon Wooten

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Today’s Five Finds on Friday come from Brandon Wooten, co-founder of Grit Coffee, now with four locations: the Downtown Mall, Elliewood Avenue, Crozet, and Stonefield. The new Stonefield location, Wooten says, has more of a “European cafe vibe,” and will soon introduce weekend evening service, with small plates, dessert, draft beer, wine, and craft cocktails. Evening service begins next Friday, April 28. Wooten’s picks:

1) Carne Asada at MAS Tapas. “I’ve probably had dozens of steaks since the first time I had the carne asada (8 or so years ago), and have still yet to have a better steak dish in this town or really anywhere else in the world. It’s that good.”

2) Rotisserie Chicken and Fried Yucca at Al Carbon. “Their rotisserie chicken is something special, as is everything else I’ve had there. I love sauces and theirs are exceptional.”

3) Cuban Sandwich at Grit Coffee Downtown. “Hopefully this doesn’t read as self-promotion because we can’t take any credit for the local iteration of this sandwich. (That honor goes to Tony Jorge of Cafe Cubano fame). All we’ve tried to do is carry on the legacy of what we think is the best Cuban sandwich outside of Florida.”

4) Red Hot Blues and a House Margarita at Continental Divide. “I know I’m not alone in coveting either one of these, but for me they are inextricably linked (and a necessity at least once a month).  I think often of the Wait-A-Minute mango habañero sauce – probably more than I should.”

5) Double Bacon Cheeseburger and Fries at Riverside Lunch. “My dad used to take me and my brother to Riverside back in the days when it was just a counter in the back of a laundromat. There’s just no beating the simple perfection of their burgers and fries. It’s a Cville tradition I’m more than happy to pass on to my two boys.”

09/16/2016

Five Finds on Friday: Kevin McElroy

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Today’s Five Finds on Friday come from Kevin McElroy, Brewer and co-founder of Randow Row Brewing Co., the new brewery on Preston Ave. whose Grand Opening is today at 4:30 pm, with Moe’s Original BBQ food truck. Details here! A beer lover, McElroy went the extra mile and included a pairing with each of his picks.

1) Vella Jack Cheese Fritters and Black Bean and Corn Relleno at ZoCaLo. “The cheese fritters are crunchy on the outside and gooey on the inside, and come with an awesome raspberry chili sauce and I save the leftovers for the rest of the meal. Each time you get the relleno, the spice level of the pepper varies, so its a different experience each time. Beer pairing: Bell’s Two Hearted Ale to go with the spiciness of everything.”

2) Plain Bagel with Turkey and Veggie Cream Cheese at Bodo’s. “If I’m feeling adventurous I’ll add tomato and sprouts. Hands down the best bagel in Charlottesville.  With the brewery across the street, I eat plenty of meals here. Haven’t gotten tired of it yet. Beer pairing: all the beers at Random Row that I ‘have’ to test each day. Someone’s gotta do it.”

3) Cheese Pizza at Vita Nova. “Having two toddlers and a third baby on the way, I use the excuse that it’s for the kids, but Vita Nova is the best pizza in town for your money. Won’t break the bank and is a good New York style pizza with a creamy cheese topping. Beer pairing: Six pack of Hydraulion Red from Three Notch’d.”

4) Pulled Pork Sandwich with Fries at Ace Biscuit and BBQ. “As you can probably tell, I have a pretty simple palate. But the pork here doesn’t need much else. A dash of Carolina style sauce and it’s good to go. Beer pairing: PBR or Natty Boh.”

5) Red Hot Blues with “Wait a Minute” Hot Sauce at Continental Divide. “Just the right amount of heat to start your meal. Every entree I’ve had here I’ve been impressed with. Beer pairing: Sierra Nevada Pale ale, followed by one of the best margaritas in town!”

03/11/2016

Five Finds on Friday: Arley Arrington

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Photo by Amy Jackson.

Today’s Five Finds on Friday come from Arley Arrington of Arley Cakes, who also makes desserts for Brookville.  This Monday is Pi Day – 3/14 – and Brookville is celebrating with a pop-up pie shop, from 12 – 6 pm, offering Arrington’s creations.  Details here.  Arrington’s picks:

1) Meta Burger at Mel’s Cafe.  “I love Mel’s with all my heart – partially, because I think it is important to support minority-owned businesses, and because they always ask about my recent vacation, and notice my haircut, and are excited to meet my friends. But also because of the Meta Burger. Grilled onion, Swiss cheese, and a perfectly greasy burger on rye bread for $3. That can’t be beat.”

2) Tuna Tostada at Continental Divide.  “While I am a daily purveyor of incredible amounts of sugar, I don’t actually have much of a sweet tooth myself. I love food that has a good balance of savory and sweet. Fresh tuna with goat cheese and mango chutney makes my heart sing.”

3)  Prosciutto and Blue Cheese Sandwich at Market Street Market.  “Everyone always talks about their $5 special, which seems cool, but I have never ever regretted opting out of that for this sandwich. Again, it’s got the sweet and savory combo that I love, topped with honey, pear, and basil.”

4) Chicken Kao Soi at Monsoon Siam.  “Years ago, a friend clued me in to this fairly regional, hard to find, dish.  It’s been at least 3 years, and I haven’t looked back since. It has so many of my favorite things–curry, coconut milk, and pickle.”

5) Chicken & Waffles at Brookville.  “This was the first chicken & waffles I ever had. It ruined me. Set the bar way too high. Led to a lot of disappointment. Fortunately, I have pretty good access to Brookville’s version.”