The Charlottesville 29

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

Tag: Oakhart Social

11/25/2022

Five Finds on Friday: Sarah Trundle

It’s a Thanksgiving tradition for a reader selected at random to participate in Five Finds on Friday, and, from the hundreds of entrants, this year’s winner is artist Sarah Trundle.  Her abstract paintings can be purchased here, and you can keep up with her latest art on her Instagram page. Trundle’s picks:

1) Grn Street Single Veggie Burger from GRN BRGR. “I pop in to Dairy Market to grab one of these for lunch as often as I can. The burger patty itself is amazing, but the toppings are what keep me coming back. The bun is soft and simple and perfectly sized (i.e. non-mammoth), and it comes with ched’dar, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles (the latter being a must-have for a burger in my mind), and the final piece de resistance, their “street sauce” – some kind of condiment amalgam perfection. The whole thing is just synergistic burger magic.”

2) Birthday Cakes from Chandler’s Bakery. “Granted I have a thing for layer cakes with buttercream frosting, but Chandler’s makes by far the best. Every reason to celebrate calls for a Chandler’s cake, perfectly moist, creamy, sweet without being too-sickly-sweet, and beautifully decorated. Shout out to their radio bars as well; like gourmet hostess ding dongs but a million times better. Plus it just smells so good in there, and the assortment of goodies behind their old school glass bakery case delivers a huge blast of nostalgia.”

3) Charred Carrots at Oakhart Social. “I’m always happy to order whatever the group wants when I find myself at Oakhart Social — it’s ALL good — but this item is a non-negotiable must-have for me. The natural sweetness of the carrots, the slightly smoky flavor, the creamy sauce, the little crunch of the nuts. This is one I’d prefer not to share with the table.”

4) Käsekrainer at Kardinal Hall. “Had to look up the spelling on that one! I don’t know much about sausages other than that I like them, but this one is other-sausage-worldly, and I’ve never tasted anything like it. Kind of savory, kind of sweet, kind of very delicious. Just get it. It comes on a roll but you can order it on top of one of their salads, which is what I do. Ser Guht.”

5) Farmers Bread with Meze Trio at Smyrna. “Really this is mostly about the bread. Order extra. And more extra. It’s lightly toasted/grilled, and just chewy, crusty, perfection that will transport you directly to the Mediterranean. The trio of dips – yogurt goat cheese/ hummus/ and charred eggplant – are amazing as well but they are really just a vehicle for bread. And even more bread. Best I’ve had locally.”

09/23/2022

Five Finds on Friday: Jahnavi Wraight

Not every chef has a muse, but Oakhart Social chef-owner Tristan Wraight’s sure seems to. Tristan’s wife Jahnavi is a vegetarian, and his vegetable dishes always seem especially inspired. Jahnavi herself has just opened La Vie en Rose, a salon she lured her friend Shana from Chicago to launch. Jahnavi and Shana share their salon’s Allied Street space with their friends’ boutique LOUISE, which offers ethically made and mostly women-owned fashion and home accessories. “We are all very excited to have this collaborative space to hopefully bring people together so we can create and support our community, especially about causes we find important,” said Jahnavi. “If you have any ideas for events, please get in touch with us.” Jahnavi’s picks:

1) Vietnamese Bún at Chimm. “I  could eat this every day, and actually do eat it every week. I wouldn’t be surprised if they recognized my name. It is delicious, can be made vegan, and is a wonderful fresh component to every takeout order.”

2) “Eriste” Pasta and Rom & Kola at Smyrna. “This new restaurant is amazing, so it was hard to choose, but this pasta dish is beautifully simple and satisfying, with asparagus and a poached egg to finish. The rom & kola is something I wouldn’t usually order but the housemade cola syrup is so good and gives a cherry cola taste without being too sweet.”

3) Summer Squash Pizza from Oakhart Social. “Duh, gotta shout out my husband and fave restaurant in town. But this pizza for real is truly something special, and will only be on the menu for another week or so. The combination of Appalachian cheeses, thinly sliced zucchini and squash with sunflower gremolata creates this beautifully dynamic flavor combination. Chef’s kiss.”

4) Ranch from Dr. Ho’s Humble Pie. “No need to explain. If you haven’t had it just go try it. They even sell it in massive jars, for nasty people like me who want to put ranch, especially this ranch, on everything. I’ll add a nod to the blue cheese as well from Dr. Ho’s as well because #buffalobills.”

5) Tres Leche Popsicle from La Flor Michoacana. “This little shop is amazing. I can’t speak to the food because I’m always so focused on the popsicles. It is a hidden treasure and I love trying a different one every time.”

04/15/2022

Five Finds on Friday: Emily Harpster

Today’s Five Finds on Friday come Emily Harpster, who has just launched Sugarbear –  made-from-scratch ice creams celebrating great local ingredients of Charlottesville. Buttermilk with Strawberry Jam, for example, swirls in jam from Jam According to Daniel, while Honey Sea Salt Latte draws on Lone Light Coffee and Hungry Hill Farm honey, and Vanilla Blueberry Stracciatella features shards of Gearharts Blueberry chocolate bars. Flavors change often, so check out what’s in the the freezer at MarieBette or order online for pick-up at MarieBette.

A graduate of UVa, as well as ice cream college at Penn State, Harpster’s Charlottesville culinary roots run deep, all the way back to the original Tokyo Rose, where she worked as an undergrad. After more than a decade on the west coast, she and her husband returned to Charlottesville “because we love it here,” says Harpster. “In many ways, my ice cream is a love letter to Charlottesville.” Harpster’s picks:

1) Everything Prezzant from MarieBette. “I spend a lot of time at Marie Bette, so I feel like I am a connoisseur of the MarieBette baked goods library. Honestly, the everything pretzel croissant (prezzant) cannot be beat. It cannot. It is a perfect creation. Also a perfect creation in the cupcake department: cupcakes by Tammy. Have you seen what she can do with frosting? She is basically a magician.”

2) Coconut Shrimp from PineappIes Thai Kitchen. “I’m sort of obsessed with everything Pineapples Thai does. We always have to put in a double order for their coconut shrimp.  They are light, perfectly crispy, and perfectly sweet.”

3) Golden Milk and Cocoa Macarons from Bowerbird Bakeshop. “Good macarons are not easy to pull off, and we have world class seasonal ones from Bowerbird? They are like pretty, colored, delicious jewels. They are one of my favorite presents to give.”

4) Blackberry and Apricot Jam from Jam According to Daniel. “I’ve had a lot of jam in my life, and I have never had jam as good as the jam that Jam According to Daniel makes. Ever. You can put it on anything.”

5) Double Smash Burger from Oakhart Social. “I love a good cheeseburger. Shout out to Oakhart, whose smash burgers got us through some of our hardest pandemic days. Unfortunately, our kids no longer consider other burgers acceptable.”

 

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