The Charlottesville 29

If there were just 29 restaurants in Charlottesville, what would be the ideal 29?

Tag: King Family Vineyards

05/05/2017

Five Finds on Friday: Andy Hannas

hannas

Today’s Five Finds on Friday come from Andy Hannas, cider maker at Potter’s Craft Cider, which has just launched a cider garden and tasting room next to Lampo. In addition to bottled ciders, the rural farm cidery’s downtown tasting room has six ciders on tap, offering guests access to small batch, seasonal, and experimental ciders. Enjoy a cider flight, a whole glass, or a growler to go. There is also a full calendar of events with co-host The Bridge, including live music and First Friday exhibits, like today’s reception for artist Bolanle Adeboye. Regular cider garden hours are Friday 4 – 9 pm and Saturday 12 – 9 pm. Hannas’ picks:

1) The Italian Stallion from Hunt Country Market & Deli. “Potter’s Craft Cider runs on cold cut sandwiches from here, and the Italian is the long running staff favorite. It’s also a great opportunity to pick up beer for after work, and check in and see how our cider is selling. When local tomatoes are in season, this sandwich gets even better.”

2) Brioche Feuilletée from MarieBette. “Laminated brioche dough with pastry cream filling (passion fruit is my favorite) and an iced coffee out on the sidewalk patio is the start to my ideal Saturday morning.”

3) Tonkotsu Ramen at Lemongrass. “Whether from Kokoro, Mican or their new home inside Lemongrass, the ramen by Yoshihiro and Yukiko Tauchi  has always been killer. Ramen is only available at Lemongrass on Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5:00, so make sure to set a reminder on your calendar. Once summer hits and The Corner clears out, I plan on being there every weekend possible.”

4) Sushi at Tokyo Rose. “Perfectly cooked and seasoned rice at the optimum temperature is what sets good sushi apart from mediocre sushi for me. The rice and the maki rolls are always spot on here, but just as importantly, so is the service. I would eat dinner here every day if I could. As an added bonus, I love the history of punk shows in the basement.”

5) Brut from King Family Vineyards. “Honestly this should say ‘anything that Matthieu and his team are putting into a bottle out in Crozet.’ But, as a cider maker, I have a real love for sparkling wine. Not only is Matthieu making excellent wines, but he is also an incredibly generous source of knowledge. With help from him, Emily from Veritas, and Damien from Afton Mountain, we have been working on some really cool wine/cider hybrids that should start seeing the world this year.”

10/02/2015

Five Finds on Friday: James King

James

On Fridays, we feature five finds from area chefs and personalities.  October is Virginia Wine Month, and today’s picks come from James King of King Family Vineyards.  This Wednesday, the vineyard is hosting another First Wednesday, from 5 pm until 8:00 pm, with food by Smoked BBQ Co. and Blue Ridge Pizza Co., and music by Jenifer Jackson.  King’s picks:

1)  The Perfect Sandwich at Restoration.  “While I often opt for their signature burger, ‘The Royale,’ The Perfect Sandwich has become a recent favorite. Bacon, arugula, and a fried egg on Goodwin Creek Bread. You can often find me here on Sunday taking in their amazing view of the Blue Ridge Mountains while sipping on a local beer. Kids eat free on Sundays . . . enough said.”

2)  Steak Chinoise at C & O.  “Went here for date night and was seated in their outdoor patio.  The food, service and atmosphere were all very nice. Served with Gruyere-thyme potatoes and comes in a tamari-ginger pan sauce.”

3)  Anything at The Alley Light.  “I can’t say enough good things about this place.  I don’t make it into Charlottesville that much with work and kids, but when I can I want to go here.  The food is excellent, the cocktails are delicious, the atmosphere is perfect and the service is superb. Ask for ‘Katie.'”

4)  Pork Belly at Parallel 38. “Small plates made to share allow you to try several different things throughout the course of the evening and ensure you don’t leave hungry. Served with cipollini onions, roasted garlic sumac and a pork jus reduction. A great place to eat if you’re planning on catching a movie afterwards.”

5)  Red Row from Caromont Farm. “While I love all of their cheeses, this is my favorite by far.  It’s a semi-soft cow’s milk cheese and the rind is washed in local hard cider from Albemarle Ciderworks.  Simply delicious.”

 

03/13/2015

Five Finds on Friday: Riki Tanabe

Pi

On Fridays, we feature five finds selected by local chefs and personalities.  In honor of tomorrow’s once-in-a-lifetime event, Pi Day (3/14/15), today’s picks come from Pastry Chef Riki Tanabe, the man behind the pies, cakes, and other pastries at Albemarle Baking Co., which will be celebrating tomorrow with, of course, pies. Tanabe’s picks:

1)  Drinking Wine and watching Polo at King Family Vineyards.  “This is a family favorite–the kids get to run around, and the adults can relax and drink wine over good conversation. It’s a good thing they have a scoreboard, because occasionally, we will miss a goal (or three).”

2)  Anything at C&O Restaurant.  “Dean Maupin and his team are fantastic. Whenever we need to entertain family from out-of-town, we can always trust that we will have a phenomenal meal at C&O.”

3)  Bacon, Egg and Cheddar on an Onion Bagel at Bodo’s.  “Just eat it.”

4)  Datil con Tocino at MAS Tapas.  “Just about anything wrapped in bacon is awesome, but there is something about the bacon-wrapped dates at Mas that make it a staple when we go there. The grilled calamari with romesco sauce–although rarely on the menu–also is a favorite of mine.”

5)  Hopwork Orange IPA from Blue Mountain Brewery.  “While all the beers I have had at Blue Mountain Brewery are excellent, the Hopwork Orange IPA is particularly refreshing–just the right balance of hops and malt. It is great on a warm afternoon on the deck with friends.”

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