The Charlottesville 29

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

Tag: Thai Siam

07/03/2015

Five Finds on Friday: Trish Clinton

Trish

On Fridays, we feature five food finds selected by local chefs and personalities.  Today’s picks come from Trish Clinton, formerly of Clifton Inn, and now the new pastry chef at The Barbeque Exchange.

1)  Duck Curry at Thai Siam Takeout. “This was the first place that chef Tucker Yoder recommended to me and it was a great one! Ms. Mae and her brother are making the best Thai food around, that is for sure. The dumplings are also something to try, and it is worth however long of a wait Ms. Mae might tell you it is.”

2)  Absolutely ANY Dessert at Duner’s.  “I will drive out of my way just to drop in and get a dessert to go. The dessert menu is constantly changing and rotating to reflect what is available in the current season along with some staples. Call ahead and they will have it ready to go quickly!”

3)  Fresh Oysters and Frites with Garlic Aioli at Public Fish and Oyster.  “Be sure to get two sides of the aioli because it will go fast! Donnie is putting out some fantastic food, and you would have a great dish in any of the entrees that are available as well. Those frites and aioli with a great beer are definitely one my guilty pleasures.”

4)  “Sake Garden” Cocktail at TEN.  “This cocktail is the most refreshing drink for the summer in my opinion. Grapefruit vodka combined with sake, ginger, cucumber, and mint makes it easy to consume quite few on those hot summer nights.”

5)  Pollo Cemita at Al Carbon.  “The sesame bread that this sandwich is served on is a great base, then add the pulled rotisserie chicken, spicy chipotle sauce, sliced avocado, and oh that cheese! All of that combined make it over-the-top delicious. Be aware it is large and will fill you up you may not need anything else!”

12/12/2014

Five Finds on Friday: Will Gray

On Fridays, we feature five foods finds selected by local chefs and personalities.  Today’s picks come from Will Gray of The Rock Barn.  The Rock Barn’s owner, Ben Thompson, was recently named Virginia’s Rising Star Artisan by StarChefs.Com, and Gray is a rising star of his own, says Thompson. “Will has a passion for local food production and will inevitably leave a significant mark on the local food system,” Thompson said.  Gray’s picks:

1)  Pad Kee Mao at Thai Siam in Arrington. “My sense is that at this point the secret is out about what Ms. Mae is cooking on Rt. 56 in Nelson. Be polite, phone ahead, and remember that if they’re too busy, you’re getting sent home empty handed. If you want to try some Thai cooking at home, ask Ms. Mae if you can have a few of the kaffir lime leaves she grows in the windows.”

2)  Meritage 2008 at King Family Vineyards in Crozet. “Full disclosure: winemaker Matthieu Finot is a friend and mentor of mine, and I’ve passed many a great evening on the back porch at Stu and Ali King’s, so KFV will always be my favorite Virginia winery. It gets crowded during the summer, but stop by on an early winter afternoon and you’ll have all of Jarman’s Gap to yourself.”

3)  Whatever Wine Andrew Cole from Lampo pours in my glass. “Andrew is one of my oldest friends in Charlottesville, and I have been lucky enough to drink more than my share of the ‘sommelier’s choice.’ His excellent palate, thoughtful recommendations, and overall front-of-house excellence make him a favorite of customers and vendors alike. I can’t wait to see what he and the crew at Lampo are rolling out this winter.”

4)  Roaster’s choice at Trager Brothers Coffee in Lovingston. “I’m a coffee fiend. Hot, iced, morning, evening… I drink it all day. A critical part of my Rock Barn commute included a 6am stop at TBC in Lovingston to fill up my travel mug with whatever they had had just finished roasting. We went through so much coffee they started blending us our own ‘Rock Barn Roast.’ Will Trager will also pull you some of the prettiest shots of espresso I’ve ever seen.”

5)  Cocoa-Marsala Canolli, Three Cheese Filling, Salted Chocolate and Hazelnut Crumble at Tavola. “I know Tavola is a perennial favorite on Five Finds, but now that Sous Chef Caleb Warr jumped the fence from MAS, he’s bringing some inspired desserts to the menu. Check it out this weekend, and send him a glass of wine, too – it was his birthday on Thursday.”

11/09/2012

Five Finds on Friday: Tyler Teass

Tyler Teass, standing, with Chef Tucker Yoder.

On Fridays, we feature five food finds selected by local chefs and personalities.  This week’s picks come from Tyler Teass, sous chef at Clifton Inn.  On Monday, November 12, Clifton Inn will host a four-course wine dinner with pairings from Blenheim Vineyards.  Teass’ picks:

1)  Nugget’s Raw Kombucha at City Market.   I love all fermented foods, and all of their flavors of kombucha are really tasty.

2)  Cocktails at 9 1/2 Speakeasy.  It’s got great cocktails, and they keep it quiet.  It’s a great place for after work drinks or dates.

3)  Vegetable Soup with Bread and Butter on the late night menu at C&O.  Delicious and hits the spot especially now since the weather’s gotten colder.  Plus, they play great music.

4)  Duet of Lamb “Greek Style” at Ivy Inn.  Angelo is the nicest guy ever and makes awesome food.  His gyros are worth the trip to Ivy alone. 

5)  Larb at Thai Siam.  It’s one of a kind and I constantly crave their food. 

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