The Charlottesville 29

Where to eat in Charlottesville

Tag: Now & Zen

10/03/2014

Five Finds on Friday: Hillary Lewis

On Fridays, we feature five foods finds selected by locals chefs and personalities.  Today’s picks come from Hillary Lewis, founder of Lumi Juice, the Charlottesville-based cold-pressed juice company that in just eleven months has already established a national footprint.  Yet, Lewis stays true to her local roots, with juice names like Wahoo Orange and Belmont Beet, which the bottle says will surprise and charm you “just like the Charlottesville neighborhood that shares its name.”  Lewis’ picks:

1)  Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies at Brookville.  “This is hands down THE BEST dessert I’ve found in the city. Actually, everything Brookville does is amazing, from bacon popcorn to bacon waffles (you can tell they dominate when it comes to bacon). You can’t go wrong eating at this establishment on the downtown mall.”

2)  Sushi at Now & Zen. “When I walk into this sushi restaurant, I instantly get a smile on my face. The staff is personable and the specials are always dynamic and flavorful. Whenever pomegranates are in season they use them, and combined with fish its a wonderful way to get not only your omega-3s, but also, antioxidants!”

3)  Blanchard’s Coffee at La Taza.  “Living in Belmont makes grabbing any meal at La Taza a seamless endeavor, and now they have Blanchard’s coffee from Richmond. Many of their blends are organic and all are full of flavor. Making your way to La Taza is definitely worth the drive!”

4)  Late Night Menu at C&O.  “I typically don’t get out of work at a reasonable ‘dinner time’ hour, and I’m always hungry! From cocktails to food, there is something for everyone on this menu. I love the charcuterie plate with their in-house brown mustard. It is happiness in a bite.”

5)  Beer and Ambiance at Champion Brewing Company.  “Every week I feel like Champion has a new beer that pushes the envelope with ingredients like cayenne or lavender. The atmosphere rocks – you can watch a sports game or the news, or hang outside for a game of corn hole with a cold beer. Not to mention, there’s always a delicious food truck.”

07/12/2013

Five Finds on Friday: Tim Burgess

TheSpace-99

On Fridays, we feature five finds selected by local chefs and personalities.  This week’s picks come from Tim Burgess, co-owner of Bang, Bizou, and The Space.  Be sure to check out Burgess’s great blog where he shares some of his favorite recipes, or follow along on Facebook or Twitter.  Also be on the lookout for pop-up dinners at The Space starting this fall, with food by Burgess and co-owner Vincent Derquenne.  We expect the duo may recreate some of the magic of their much-missed Metropolitain, which was a standard-bearer among Charlottesville restaurants.  Burgess’s picks:

1)  Tofu Steak at Now & Zen.  “Toshi is a master sushi chef who came back to the kitchen after a long hiatus.  Incredible value.  Oddly enough, I get the tofu steak every time I go.”

2)  Pastrami and Swiss on an Everything Bagel at Bodo’s.  “Am I exaggerating by saying we might have the world’s greatest high volume fast food restaurant (3) here in Cville?  Think about it.”

3)  Octopus at Orzo.  “Tommy Lasley is a talent.  His enthusiasm for cooking bleeds into his dishes.  Go during a weeknight when he’s cooking.  His bitter green ravioli with chicken sausage was awesome, but it’s his octopus, whichever way he does it, that is off the charts.”

4)  Da Vinci Sandwich at Mona Lisa (three-seed baton with genoa salami, sopresatta, provolone cheese, tomato, mixed greens, house dressing and sun-dried tomato pesto).  “I love Mona Lisa.  I can’t put my finger on it, but there is such a pleasant vibe in that place.  Great pizza, sandwiches, little freebies, and a pasta zip line, what’s not to love?”

5)  Belly Q at BBQ Exchange.  “You have to love what Craig is doing at the BBQ Exchange in Gordonsville.  The BBQ is great, the bacon stupid (in a good way), and then bacon brownies?  This is a guy who is talented and loving what he is doing.  It shows.  It’s already a destination BBQ place.”

04/05/2013

Five Finds on Friday: Ethan Zuckerman

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Ethan Zuckerman, with son Galen.

On Fridays, we feature five food finds selected by local chefs and personalities.  This week’s picks come from Ethan Zuckerman, of Barefoot Bucha, which has just released a new kambucha flavor.  “The Cherry Root,” made from dark cherries and sasparilla, is said to be reminiscent of a smooth cherry root beer.  On Thursday, April 11, Zuckerman will appear at the Blenheim Artisan Series, where he will discuss the art of fermentation.  Zuckerman’s picks:

1)  Ragu Bolognese at Bella’s. “Add the house salad, the calamari fritti, and a bottle of Italian red. You’ll definitely have leftovers.”

2)  Datil con tocino (bacon-wrapped dates) at Mas Tapas. “Sweet, savory, sizzling slow food.”

3)  Pork Gyoza at Now & Zen. “Try them with the spinach and eggplant dish and a roll or two.”

4)  Pastrami & Swiss on an Everything Bagel at Bodo’s. “Don’t hold the mustard, horseradish, and lettuce.”

5)  South Side of Heaven crepe at The Flat. “Local sausage from the awesome folks at the Rock Barn, spinach, and cheese–super filling, local ingredients, and under $10.”