The Charlottesville 29

Where to eat in Charlottesville

Tag: Five Finds on Friday

06/22/2018

Five Finds on Friday: Alicia Simmons

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Today’s Five Finds on Friday come from Alicia Simmons, sous chef of Tavola, which has just enhanced its already-stellar pasta dishes by switching to house-made linguine, bucatini, and pappardelle. Check it out at their Eat Well, Do Good fundraisers, each month in Tavola’s Cicchetti bar, where you can enjoy platters of bucatini and meatballs with proceeds going to charity. Follow along on Tavola’s Facebook page for details and dates. Simmons’ picks:

1) Fried Chicken Sandwich at The Fitzroy. “Charlottesville has no shortage of good fried chicken, but this sandwich is a stand-out. The chicken is always perfectly crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, but the lemon cayenne aioli really takes this sandwich to the next level. It has the perfect amount of kick to it without being overbearing.”

2) Salted Dark Chocolate Sorbet at Brasserie Saison. “If I’m on the downtown mall, I always try to stop into Brasserie to try whatever flavor of gelato or sorbet is on special. There is always a new and inventive flavor I want to try. That being said, I love the salted dark chocolate sorbet in particular. As a chocolate lover, I really appreciate when a kitchen can take what seems to be a simple concept but then perfectly executes it—in this case, chocolate sorbet that is silky, rich, and balanced with the hint of salt at the end.”

3) Fried Catfish at Oakhart Social. “I love Nashville, and the Nashville hot sauce on this dish brings me straight back to one of my favorite cities. There’s nothing like perfectly fried catfish that melts in your mouth. This dish has a great amount of heat that is balanced with the napa cabbage and apple salad—not to mention the addition of pimento cheese, one of my favorite Southern classics.”

4) Wings at Doma. “I can’t choose just one flavor. I usually go for both the Korean Hot and the Sweet Chili. One of the things I love about these wings is that they’re just as good on the go as they are when you’re dining in. They’re definitely one of my cravings on a busy work day when I don’t have time to cook (for myself!).”

5) House Gin and Tonic at Tavola’s Cicchetti Bar. “I always look forward to the Cicchetti Bar’s Gin and Tonic at the end of a long shift. The house made tonic is packed with citrus, so it almost feels like I’m drinking something healthy. The way they add a little vermouth to the mix really smooths out the bite that’s usually associated with gin. This drink is a must have for summer nights.”

06/15/2018

Five Finds on Friday: Jill Myers

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Today’s Five Finds on Friday come from Jill Myers, the certified Olive Oil Sommelier who does a great service for Charlottesville by bringing us some of the world’s best olive oils, from places like Umbria, Greece, Spain, Sicily, and Tuscany. Find these rare gems at The Spice Diva, Foods of All Nations, JM Stock Provisions, Beer Run, Mona Lisa, Greenwood Gourmet, Gabriele Rausse, Chestnut Oak Vineyard, Keevil & Keevil, C & O, MarieBette, and Lampo. “Each one has a story connected to it,” says Myers, “and a producer who is practicing stellar methods at every point of production.” For a deeper look at olive oils, save the date – July 15 – for a special seminar and tasting at The Spice Diva. Stay tuned for details. Myers’ picks:

1) Charcuterie Board and 2010 Petit Verdot at the Library at Barboursville Vineyards. “At the Library at Barboursville Vineyards, I love the elegant wine flights, charcuterie boards, and seasonal appetizers accented with estate grown vegetable and herbs. The warm Italian-style hospitality created by Alyson Foldvary and others at the Library makes this an incredibly unique and memorable experience.”

2) Dreams of Beirut Tea at Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar. “I love to cozy up during the cold winter months with a pot of Dreams of Beirut tea, a sweetened black tea with nuances of cloves and pepper. During the heat of summer, I like a rose milkshake garnished with petals on the quiet patio in the back. The drurrie/kilim pillows and the Middle Eastern style transport me to another place.”

3) Fromage Plate with Spanish Red at C & O Restaurant. “Although the bar for a cocktail is at the top of my list, the C&O patio is another favorite of mine. Dinner on the patio would include the fromage plate to start, followed by tuna crudo or beef carpaccio and ending with creme brulée. Wine, coffee or a digestive will never disappoint at the C&O.”

4) Viognier and Tim’s Fresh Bread with Olive Oil at Gabriele Rausse Winery. “The fresh bread that Tim Rausse bakes daily, paired with high quality Sicilian olive oil, while sipping Gabriele Rausse wines is a simple, yet beautiful tasting. This is a setting that causes one to slow down and enjoy the simple pleasures of good food and wine. I will return often.”

5) Qabuli Palow and Firnee at Afghan Kabob Palace. “I was introduced to this restaurant by Gabriele Rausse and have returned a number of times. The food is delicious. The bolanee kadu, maust-e-khiar soup, and naan are great for appetizers, followed by qabuli palow, chicken kofta and lamb tikka kabobs, and then firnee, a rose water and cardamom custard. My children love this restaurant and ask to finish up with the doogh, a yogurt shake garnished with mint. Writing this tonight, we may return this week!”

06/08/2018

Five Finds on Friday: Kerrie Pierce

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Today’s Five Finds on Friday come from Kerrie Pierce of Vitae Spirits, which has just released this year’s batch of Poptails — five different Pierce cocktails served frozen as popsicles in a tube. Collab & Cream, for example, is an astonishingly delicious blend of Collab #1 beer spirit, Orange liqueur, coffee vanilla syrup, milk, and malted milk ball pieces. Meanwhile, on June 21, Vitae is throwing a party to celebrate release of their Distiller’s Reserve Barrel-Aged Rum Batch #1, a blend of rums aged for over two years in Keswick Vineyard’s 2014 Cabernet Franc barrels and Smooth Ambler Old Scout bourbon barrels. Pierce’s picks:

1) Apricot Danish at Albemarle Baking Company.  “I enjoy devouring many things at Albemarle Baking Company, but this pastry is my top favorite and I will snag one every time I walk through the door. It was my favorite pastry when I was in France, and I love that I can get one whenever I want right here in town. Crispy, flaky pastry dough, creamy custard and a little poached apricot without being overwhelmingly sweet. What’s not to love?”

2) Moules Frites at Public Fish & Oyster. “You can’t beat perfectly cooked mussels in a delicious broth with frites and a glass of wine. A friend and I are making our way through all the broth options. It is a delightful quest, and a lovely way to spend an evening with a friend.”

3) Papas Bravas at MAS Tapas. “I order this every visit as long as they aren’t out! Pure comfort food. Sizzling hot yukon gold potato with aioli and grey sea salt? They disappear  too quickly, and then a little bread is needed to mop up whatever is left in the skillet.

4) Branzino alla Griglia at Tavola.  “I find it difficult to explore the rest of the menu because I want this every time. Tender and flaky sea bass with a parsley root puree, baby arugula and fennel with preserved lemon. The flavors all work so perfectly together and I could eat a giant bowl of the parsley root puree with a spoon it is so good.”

5) Tamales Oaxaquenos at La Michoacana. “One of my favorite dishes at Michoanaca, which again is difficult to pick because everything they make is so tasty! The masa is cooked perfectly and the mole sauce is one of the best I’ve ever had. I’ll always order a side of fried yucca if they have it on special too.”