The Charlottesville 29

Where to eat in Charlottesville

Tag: Petit Pois

11/14/2014

Five Finds on Friday: Phillip Gerringer

Phillip

On Fridays, we feature five food finds from local chefs and personalities. Today’s picks come from Phillip Gerringer, the former Mono Loco cook who now runs the stellar food truck South Fork.  We’ve hosted parties catered by South Fork, and they’ve knocked it out of the park. Gerringer’s picks:

1)  Pimento Cheese Fritters at Maya.  “I could eat good pimento cheese with a spoon. Ball it up and fry it . . .  that’s ballgame. I ordered these for my mother-in-law who was a pimento cheese skeptic (they exist). It totally converted her.”

2)  Beef Tartare at Petit Pois.  “The patio here on a beautiful night will make you feel like you managed to transport to a Parisian cafe. A glass of wine . . . the beef tartare . . . it’s a great way to start off a night downtown. It’s simple, elegant, and uncomplicated. Just a delicious start to any of their dinners.”

3)  Spicy Noodle Bowl at Pad Thai.  “My wife and I love this place. I think through the years I’ve sampled just about everything on their menu, but the Spicy Noodle Bowl has become my go-to dish. The herb broth is perfection and I either get it with the Red Pork or Chicken Meatballs.”

4)  Bread from Mission Home Bakeshop.  “I picked up a loaf on a whim and it’s become my favorite for sandwiches. It’s budget-friendly, no frills sandwich bread, and when you toast it on the grill, it’s incredible.”

5)  The Royale at Restoration.  “I’m usually a traditionalist when it comes to cheeseburgers, but the bacon jam and tomato relish take this one to another level. I’ve loved watching this place come into its own.  Rich and Kelly’s commitment to getting every detail right is what makes their menu so amazing. They can take something as simple as a burger and make it creative but approachable.”

05/14/2014

If It’s Tuesday, This Must Be Charlottesville

road trip

Passion.  We know it when we see it, to paraphrase the late justice Potter Stewart.  And, Stuart Pigott has it.

When I met the wine writer at Petit Pois last night around 9:30, he could barely keep his eyes open. “Day Nine!” repeated the bleary-eyed Brit-from-Germany-who-lives-in-Manhattan again and again.  Indeed, this was the ninth day of a grueling road trip – the Riesling & Co. Road Trip – where Pigott and James Beard Award winner Paul Grieco travel from city to city in a wine bar on wheels to spread the gospel of Riesling.  This is their second annual trip, planned by Wines of Germany, the U.S. hub of the Deutsches Weininstitut (German Wine Institute).  22% of Germany’s vineyard area is planted with Riesling.

Key West.  Miami.  Palm Beach.  Orlando. Savannah. Charleston.  Raleigh. And now, Charlottesville.  It’s tiring just to think about.

Who knows how many glasses of wine Pigott had downed over the last nine days?  And who knows how few hours of sleep he had enjoyed?  He looked as if he were ready to sleep for days.

But, then something happened.  Shortly after 10 pm, he boarded Wines of Germany’s extraordinary wine bar on wheels, parked beside the Downtown Mall, to conduct a Riesling tasting for about twenty Charlottesville wine enthusiasts.  And, he sprung to life.  It’s as if his passion was his caffeine, I told him. “It’s called adrenaline,” said the man who has written an entire book on Riesling, titled Best White Wine on Earth.  Whatever it was, it was something to behold.  The man loves his Riesling.  And, soon we did all, too.

bar

But, why travel the country conducting Riesling tastings?   Ask Grieco, who’s been dubbed “Riesling Overlord,” and he will tell you that he is determined to right the wrong of the underappreciation of Riesling.  “We fight the fight,” said Grieco.  To do so, he said, it’s not enough to proselytize in the confines of New York City.  If he wants folks in other parts of the country to see the light about Riesling, he said, then he needs to travel to those parts of the country and pour Riesling down their throats.  Indeed, at his wine bars in New York, he has been known to come darned close to pouring Riesling down throats.  At one wine bar in 2008, during the first Summer of Riesling, he offered nothing but Riesling.  30 by the glass.  100 by the bottle. All Riesling.

For their Charlottesville visit, Pigott and Grieco first stopped at Monticello, the home of America’s original wine enthusiast, Thomas Jefferson.  A Riesling fan, Jefferson visited Germany’s famed Rheingau region in 1788, and enjoyed the wine so much that he bought vine cuttings to take back to Virginia to plant in his vineyard.

Next was a wine dinner at Petit Pois, where chef Brian Jones prepared a menu that Pigott said paired perfectly with the wines he brought.  I was sorry to have missed this part of the evening.  Pigott and guests raved about a dish of Rock Barn pork belly, black-eyed peas, Swiss chard, grilled radicchio and panisse, served with the 2010 Fritz Haag Riesling Kabinett Braunenberger Mosel.

So, what to make of all of this?  Well, I can tell you that every wine we tasted was outstanding. Really. So, what I’d suggest is this.  If you haven’t tasted a good German Riesling in a while, go out and find one.  And, if you like it, ask for more.  Ask your restaurant server, ask your sommelier, and ask your wine retailer.  If they don’t listen, ask them, again.  Demand it.

Prost.

 

05/02/2014

Five Finds on Friday: Brian Jones

jonesSmiling

On Fridays, we feature five food finds from local chefs and personalities.  Today’s picks come from Brian Jones, chef of Petit Pois.  On May 13, Petit Pois is hosting the Charlottesville stop of Wines of Germany’s second annual Riesling Road Trip.  Paul Grieco (of NYC’s Hearth and Terroir), who in 2012 won the James Beard Award for nation’s best wine and spirits professional, is traveling up and down the east coast with wine writer Stuart Pigott in a wine bar on wheels.  On May 13, Grieco and Pigott will be at Petit Pois for a multi-course dinner with eight different German wines.  $52, all inclusive. To reserve, call 434-979-7647.  Jones’ picks:

1)  Pepperoni Pizza and Grape Soda at Vinny’s Pizza & Pasta in Ruckersville.  “Just like the local pizzeria in my town where I grew up. While I can’t put down the grape soda like I used to as a kid, this combination makes me feel like I’m 14 again.”

2)  Original Tart Yogurt with Oreo Cookie Crumbs at Sweet Frog.  “With my six and seven year old girls, these Sweet Frog dates are always sweet times.”

3)  Olive Thyme Levain at Albemarle Baking Company.  “Toast a slice for breakfast to go with your coffee.”

4)  Spicy Tuna Tartar at ZoCaLo.  “Super clean flavors with a little bit of spice. A great way to replenish some calories after a hard night’s work.  Probably the most consistent restaurant in town.  They’re always on point.”

5)  Mussels from Seafood @ West Main.  “The place to grab a bag of mussels before your next party, or any seafood for that matter.  Petit Pois Restaurant sources all of their seafood through Seafood @ West Main. Everything is always super fresh. Pristine quality fish.”