The Charlottesville 29

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

Tag: Tempo

02/28/2014

Beach Party at Tempo

Tempo

If this cold weather makes you long for the beach, head to Tempo tomorrow night, March 1, for a Mardi Gras Beach Party.  Yes, beach party.  Tempo is turning its lounge into a sandy beach, while, in the dining room, offering a menu of exotic French-Tahitian fare.

It’s hard to imagine any chef in town coming up with such a plan other than Tempo’s owner Brice Cunningham, who is known for mixing good, irreverent fun with serious food.  Cunninghmam spent much of his childhood in Tahiti, and plans a three-course prix fixe menu ($39) of dishes with a tropical flare, like poisson cru a la tahitienne and mahi-mahi in passion fruit butter sauce.

Call (434) 244-0217 for reservations.  Or, if you prefer to skip the dinner, just go for the frozen cocktails and dance party on the beach, which starts at 8 pm.

02/08/2013

Five Finds on Friday: Brice Cunningham

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On Fridays, we feature five food finds selected by local chefs and personalities.  This week’s picks come from Brice Cunningham, the Paris-born chef who once co-owned Fleurie and Petit Pois, and now owns Tempo, serving “modern French cuisine with an international twist.”  On Tuesdays, Tempo offers a great deal called Champagne and Burgers.  Buy one bottle of champagne and get two free Angus burgers.  Cunningham’s picks:

1)  Cornmeal-Crusted Fried Oysters and a Special at Maya.  “I start with a nice bottle of white wine and the cornmeal-crusted oysters and then usually have the special for the night.  The guys in the kitchen are always doing something fun for the Southern food lover’s palate.”

2)  Cocktails at Commonwealth.  “When I need a good cocktail I head to Commonwealth’s bar and chat about cheese and wine with Steven, the manager there.”

3)  BLT Sandwich at Bagby’s.  “I love a good old fashioned BLT for lunch from Baggby’s.”

4)  Pain au Chocolat at Albemarle Baking Company.  “For the perfect pain au chocolat, I always turn to Albemarle Baking Company.”

5)  Dinner at Clifton Inn.  “When I have friends in from New York or Europe, I take them to the Clifton Inn to enjoy some of Tucker Yoder’s creative cooking.”

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