The Charlottesville 29

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

Tag: Peter Chang’s

06/01/2016

Peter Chang’s Auction

P Chang

Here is your chance to experience Peter Chang’s like you never have experienced it before, while helping to feed the area’s hungry. It’s The Charlottesville 29 Restaurant Auctions, presented by McGuireWoods. Along with all of the other restaurants in The Charlottesville 29, Peter Chang’s has created a signature experience available to whoever pledges the highest donation to The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. Thanks to the generosity of Peter Chang’s and The Wine Guild, the winning bid goes directly to the food bank, and each dollar donated is enough to provide four meals to the area’s hungry. So, a winning bid of, say, $2,000 would mean not just a wonderful meal for the winner and their guests, but also 8,000 more meals for the area’s hungry.

The Peter Chang’s signature experience for The Charlottesville 29 Restaurant Auctions:

The Ultimate Szechuan Corkage Dinner

Heavyweight wine critic Robert Parker is known for his fondness for Szechuan corkage wine dinners, where he and a group of friends bring some of their favorite wines to a top Chinese restaurant to accompany a true Szechuan, family-style meal.  The winner of the Peter Chang’s auction will enjoy the ultimate paradigm of such a meal, prepared by someone who many have called the nation’s best Szechuan chef. Peter Chang will cook eight courses of his favorite home-style dishes, served family style to the auction winner and nine guests. Chang will even come out to greet guests and (through a translator) describe the dishes and their preparation. The auction winner and guests will receive the menu in advance so that they can plan their wine selections accordingly. Guests will also receive a personalized menu, signed by Peter Chang, to commemorate the evening.

To help find the right wines for the meal, the auction winner’s package includes five annual memberships to the local wine-buying club, The Wine Guild. Members of The Wine Guild receive deep wine discounts, and can often buy wine for as much as 20% below retail. They also receive expert recommendations from The Wine Guild’s board members, who taste thousands of wine each year, and choose only the very best to sell to The Wine Guild’s members. And, there are even regular wine tastings, complimentary to members, where The Wine Guild showcases some of their favorites. These five memberships alone are valued at $1,000.

The ultimate Szechuan corkage dinner.

Note: The auction winner will schedule the dinner on a night that is mutually convenient for the restaurant, and when Peter Chang is present at the Charlottesville restaurant. If current members of The Wine Guild win the auction, their prize will include one-year membership renewals, instead of new memberships.

Bidding

Bidding for the Peter Chang auction closed on July 1, 1016.

Winning Bid: $3,000

05/13/2016

Five Finds on Friday: Caleb Warr

Caleb

Today’s Five Finds on Friday come from Caleb Warr, chef of Tavola, which announced this week a sister relationship with acclaimed Tuscany restaurant Ristorante Il Falcone, as part of Charlottesville’s Sister Cities Program.  Among the highlights of the relationship is a June 11 street fair in front of Tavola with dishes inspired by Il Falcone chef Roberta Vivetta Cintelli, who will visit Tavola from June 6-11. Get your tasting tickets for the fair here. Warr’s picks:

1) Hellboy Pizza at Lampo.  “There are many great and interesting things coming out of this kitchen. I am always open to trying whatever the boys have going on down the street, but every time I go, the Hellboy is a must. A beautifully flavored crust with the spicy chili honey glaze . . . oh yea!”

2) Queso con Mermalada at MAS Tapas.  “The award winning Monte Enebro Goat Cheese from Spain, on top of their house made brioche and house apricot marmalade might be my favorite dish in Charlottesville. Pair this with one of the amazing Priorat wines on Tomas’ list, and I am in heaven!”

3)  Tea Smoked Duck with Fried Onions at Peter Chang’s.  “This has become my new favorite lunch spot, and since my first visit this dish has captured my attention. Super tasty, and highlighted with the spicy crispy onions, it is definitely one to try.”

4)  Chocolate Almond Croissant at MarieBette.  “As someone who loves to create delicious pastry, I always judge bakeries by their ability to succeed at this product. I have eaten countless takes on this item, and this is one of the best I have ever had. I make visits to MarieBette frequently just for it, and my staff knows to always buy me one when they are there. Working with laminated dough is difficult and to get the perfect texture is even harder. Then toss in chocolate, and the perfect amount of almond paste; these guys have got it down. This one product can turn a bad day completely around for me!”

5)  Pumpkin Ravioli at The Ivy Inn. ” There are too many things to list as great at The Ivy Inn. This one dish, which usually runs in the fall, has a special place in my journey at learning this craft. When I first began cooking, I was so blown away at how great pasta could be that I volunteered to work in Angelo’s kitchen, for free, several times to learn how to create this. I still try every now and then to spend some time with this awesome chef to get better at my craft, a true leader!”

03/25/2016

Five Finds on Friday: River Hawkins

River

Today’s Five Finds on Fridays come from River Hawkins, bar manager and co-owner of the hot new restaurant, The Bebedero, which had its grand opening this week.  Hawkins’ picks:

1)  Papaya Salad (Som Tum) at Monsoon Siam.  “I lived in Thailand for a couple of years managing a large dance club, and everyday before work I would get a bowl of Sum Tum from a little old vendor lady who carried around the ingredients on her shoulders and made it for you right there on the sidewalk with a little mortar and pestle. Monsoon’s Som Tum takes me back to Thailand and those strange beautiful days.”

2) Roasted Beet Salad with Blackened Catfish at The Whiskey Jar.  “I have this almost every time I get lunch at the Whiskey Jar. It’s just so perfect and light and savory. I never feel heavy or sleepy after eating a huge bowl of it.”

3)  Cemitas at Al Carbon.  “I was blessed to have traveled throughout Peru for a while, and the way they prepare their meats at Al Carbon is just as delicious as the vendor food I had in Cusco. I just wish I could get guinea pig there.”

4)  Kung Pao Chicken at Peter Chang’s.  “Spicy deliciousness. Every Chinese I place I go, I have the Kung Pao Chicken. If that’s good I know everything is good.”

5) Nachos at The Bebedero.  “This may seem like shameless self promotion, but I’ve eaten nachos all over the world and I honestly think Chef Cesar makes the best and most creative nachos I’ve ever tasted. I don’t have any control over the food, so this really is my objective opinion.”