Five Finds on Friday: Riki Tanabe
On Fridays, we feature five finds selected by local chefs and personalities. In honor of tomorrow’s once-in-a-lifetime event, Pi Day (3/14/15), today’s picks come from Pastry Chef Riki Tanabe, the man behind the pies, cakes, and other pastries at Albemarle Baking Co., which will be celebrating tomorrow with, of course, pies. Tanabe’s picks:
1) Drinking Wine and watching Polo at King Family Vineyards. “This is a family favorite–the kids get to run around, and the adults can relax and drink wine over good conversation. It’s a good thing they have a scoreboard, because occasionally, we will miss a goal (or three).”
2) Anything at C&O Restaurant. “Dean Maupin and his team are fantastic. Whenever we need to entertain family from out-of-town, we can always trust that we will have a phenomenal meal at C&O.”
3) Bacon, Egg and Cheddar on an Onion Bagel at Bodo’s. “Just eat it.”
4) Datil con Tocino at MAS Tapas. “Just about anything wrapped in bacon is awesome, but there is something about the bacon-wrapped dates at Mas that make it a staple when we go there. The grilled calamari with romesco sauce–although rarely on the menu–also is a favorite of mine.”
5) Hopwork Orange IPA from Blue Mountain Brewery. “While all the beers I have had at Blue Mountain Brewery are excellent, the Hopwork Orange IPA is particularly refreshing–just the right balance of hops and malt. It is great on a warm afternoon on the deck with friends.”