The Charlottesville 29

Where to eat in Charlottesville

Tag: Mono Loco

09/19/2014

Five Finds on Friday: Andrew Cole

Cole

On Fridays, we feature five food or drink finds from local chefs and personalities.  Today’s picks come from Andrew Cole, the longtime sommelier of Tavola, who recently left to join three chefs in opening the much-anticipated restaurant Lampo, which will specialize in Neopolitan pizza.  “Since I’ve partnered up with three great chefs to open Lampo,” said Cole, “I figured it’d be appropriate to leave the food to the experts and focus on something I’m a little more familiar with.”  So, here is the first ever liquid Five Finds on Friday.  Cole’s picks:

1)  Parliament at ZoCaLo.  “Be it by choice or reputation, I can’t go to Zocalo without having at least one. Citrusy, balanced, and refreshing, this mojito/margarita riff with basil and Hendricks gin is as consistently delicious as the restaurant where you can find one.”

2) “Cherry Choke” at The Alley Light.  “The team at The Alley Light is astounding. I love the depth of the wine list, the food is as creative and exciting as it is delicious, but it’s the cherry choke that keeps me sidled up to the bar. Admittedly, I am a sucker for Amaro, but Micah’s use of Cynar in this cocktail is particularly brilliant.”

3)  Domaine de la Pepiere Muscadet with Skillet Roasted Mussels at Tavola.  “I would admit to a bit of bias on this one, but a glass of the Pepiere Muscadet with the skillet roasted mussels at Tavola is truly tough to beat. I know shellfish and muscadet is a bit cliché at this point, but in this case it’s a perfect foil for one of the best dishes in town.”

4)  Jalapeño Margarita at Mono Loco.  “A classic margarita with a healthy dose of jalapeño peppers, but don’t be intimidated because this drink really works. It’s spicy as hell, but that’s only fitting of brunch at Mono Loco, and you can balance it out with a shot of passion fruit if you don’t like the heat.”

5)  Greyhound at C&O.  “I’ve always appreciated the classics, and C&O defines the term. It’s a simple drink, but you can’t make it much better than they do at C&O. The whole bar program deserves applause, they’ve got a great whiskey collection, and an extensive list of interesting and obscure amaro.”

08/05/2014

Food Truck Party with South Fork

Meatloaf

Photo by Jonathan Baskin.

If you have never heard of food truck parties, you should.  They are an incredibly easy way to throw a party, and are delicious, too.

We recently hosted a party catered by South Fork, and it was perfect.  They pull right into your driveway, and hang out for a few hours.  Your guests can wander out as often as they wish to order their dinner.  Best of all, chef/owner Phillip Gerringer, who was once Sous Chef at Mono Loco, is one talented dude in the kitchen.

Our guests loved  the Smoked Jalapeno Meatloaf Sandwich (pictured) with garlic mashed potatoes (on sandwich), green tomato salsa, chipotle BBQ, and bacon on sourdough.  Also delicious was a Catfish Sandwich special added to the party menu at our request. Meanwhile, our vegetarian guests had a hard time deciding which was better: the excellent Lima Bean Hummus topped with roasted tomatoes, and served with tortilla chips, or the more indulgent Grilled Pimento Cheese Sandwich w/ arugula on toasted Mission Home wheat bread.  But, the most addictive dish of all may have been the Sweet Potato Fritters with brown sugar sauce, which work equally well as a side as they do as a dessert.

The truck was such a hit with guests that one even hired them on the spot for a party a few weeks later.

Delicious, reasonably priced food, made to order.  No cooking or clean-up, so you can focus on the drinks and the company.  They even bring a garbage can to take away all of the trash.  Hard to beat.

 

05/16/2014

Five Finds on Friday: Jeanette Peabody

Jeanette Peabody

On Fridays, we feature five food finds selected by local chefs and personalities.  Today’s picks come from Jeanette Peabody, the former Hamiltons’ chef who now runs the kitchen of the new Oakhurst Inn, adjacent to UVa’s South Lawn.  The Inn serves breakfast to guests and the general public seven days a week from 7 – 10 am, with coffee service until 2 pm.  Parking is extremely limited, so it’s best to walk over for now.  Peabody’s picks:

1)  Spicy Italian Sausage from Double H Farm.  “It’s highly seasoned with lots of fennel and perfectly salted. Packs a serious punch and you can create any meal out of it. I used to buy it from my favorite farmer Richard Bean and thank goodness Ara is carrying on the recipe. You can buy it from him at the City Market.”

2)  Eating at the Bar at Hamiltons’.  “It’s the best bar service in town. You won’t get treated better by anybody than Daniel Page. Curtis has a real knack for home-made pasta. We’re still dreaming about the gnocchi he and Hannah made for the Hill & Holler dinner at Montalto.”

3)  Margaritas at Mono Loco. “Mike Lewis is the consummate comic host. On a whim he will create a new margarita with seasonal ingredients. I like the spicy cucumber.”

4)  Red Row cheese from Caromont Farm. “This melty deliciousness made such an impression on me I immediately decided to use it on the baked eggs at Oakhurst Inn. I need to have it close by at all times.”

5)  Thai Mussels at Public Fish & Oyster. “I’ve only been there once but it’s my new favorite place for now. You can do an oyster tasting starting with a briny Virginia people-pleaser leading up to a full-flavored Katama Bay. Chef Matty’s Thai Mussels are amazing.”