The Charlottesville 29

Where to eat in Charlottesville

Tag: The Charlottesville 29

03/21/2016

Hamiltons’

hamiltons-at-first-main101 West Main Street . Charlottesville, VA . (434) 295-6649
http://hamiltonsrestaurant.com/

Why Hamiltons’?

A visit to Hamiltons’ can feel like a time warp to a “New American” restaurant of the 1980s or 1990s –  with a soundtrack of light jazz, brightly colored walls, and margaritas served in martini glasses. The menu includes standards like crabcakes and pot de crème, and the signature blue plate special is even served on a blue, glossy plate.

But, it’s not just superficial similarities that Hamiltons’ shares with restaurants of the New American renaissance. It’s also the sense of professionalism and attention to detail that the era brought. And so, the butter with your bread is always room temperature, as it should be. And, the bread, itself, is warm, salty, yeasty, and spot-on every time – the kind that seems to make you hungrier as it fills you up. Most importantly, the cooking is excellent. Owners Kate and Bill Hamilton know good food, and have always had a talented Chef de Cuisine, from Gail Hobbs-Page, to Jeanette Peabody, to Curtis Shaver, to the current chef Hannah Moster.

What to Order

Below is a list of our suggestions, the chef’s favorites, and appearances in Five Finds on Friday, where a local chef or personality has named a Hamiltons’ dish as one of the best in town.

Our Picks

  • Vegetarian Blue Plate Special
  • Crispy Fried Oysters
  • Shrimp and Grits 
  • Pan Roasted Jumbo Lump Crabcake

Chef’s Picks

  • Grilled Romaine Caesar Salad
  • Chopped Romaine and Radicchio Salad with Fried Oysters
  • Housemade Pappardelle with Tomato Braised Lamb Ragu
  • Grilled Double H Farm Pork Chop
  • Arctic Char with Edamame Mash, sautéed Sharondale Farms Mushrooms, Blistered Cherry Tomatoes, and Charred Lemon Vinaigrette

Five Finds on Friday Picks

03/18/2016

Sultan Kebab

Sultan333 2nd Street SE . Charlottesville, VA . (434) 981-0090
https://www.sultankebabcville.com/

Why Sultan Kebab?

A restaurant that some chefs call the best in town, Sultan Kebab draws on the Turkish heritages of co-owners Serhat Peker and Deniz Dikmen. Peker is from Adana, and Sultan Kebab’s Adana Kebab is stellar – grilled kebabs of ground beef, spiced with red pepper and paprika. Dikmen is from Izmir, and the Izmir Kofte Kebab is likewise excellent – grilled meatballs seasoned with onion, cumin, and garlic.

With years of experience at Clifton Inn before opening Sultan Kebab in 2012, Dikmen and Peker are committed perfectionists, and won’t put anything on the menu until they have gotten it right. The house-made pita bread warrants special mention. While “pita” has come to connote any flatbread in the United States, Sultan Kebab’s pita bread is the real thing from Turkey, discs of soft and flavorful bread. For sandwiches, the bread is sliced, and stuffed with your choice of kebabs, Turkish sausages, or vegetables. Regardless what the menu says, we ask for all of our sandwiches to be served on it. Sultan Kebab should always have a home on The Charlottesville 29.

What to Order

It’s difficult to go wrong at Sultan Kebab, where several items appear throughout the menu in different forms, from appetizers, to sandwiches, to platters. Below is a list of our suggestions, the owners’ favorites, and appearances in Five Finds on Friday, where a local chef or personality has named a Sultan Kebab dish as one of the best in town.

Our Picks

  • Sigara Borek
  • Lentil Soup
  • Lahmacun
  • Adana Kebab Sandwich, on pita
  • Izmir Kofte Platter
  • Ali Nazik
  • Manti

Owners’ Picks

  • Hummus Casserole (Dikmen)
  • Lentil Soup (Peker)
  • Adana and Lamb Combo Platter (Dikmen)
  • Chicken Platter (Peker)
  • Vegetarian Platter (Peker)
  • Baklava (Dikmen)
  • Rice Pudding (Dikmen)

Five Finds on Friday Picks

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Photo by Tom McGovern

03/17/2016

The Clifton Inn

Clifton1296 Clifton Inn Drive . Charlottesville, VA . (434) 971-1800
http://www.clifton-inn.com/

Why The Clifton Inn?

No kitchen has trained more of Charlottesville’s top chefs than The Clifton Inn’s.  One former chef owns the C&O. Another co-owns Maya, while another founded The BBQ Exchange. And, others are scattered among the kitchens of great Charlottesville restaurants. It’s no wonder because, for twenty-five years, The Clifton Inn has been one of the area’s top fine dining destinations.

From the professional service, to the elegant and historic setting, to the stellar wine list, The Clifton Inn has become synonymous with special occasion dining. But, the star of the show is the food.  While the men and women who have served as The Clifton Inn’s Executive Chef over the years have varied in style and approach, they have all shared one thing: exceptional talent.  This is no less true of current chef Yannick Fayolle, who took over in 2015 and has continued the inn’s recent trend towards more progressive cuisine.  Whether for a drink on the beautiful verandah or an over-the-top meal, The Clifton Inn is Charlottesville’s signature destination for a luxurious night out.

What to Order

The most exciting place to dine at The Clifton Inn is the Chef’s Counter, a seven-seat marble bar inside the kitchen, with a front row view of all of the action.  There, the chefs themselves will serve a multi-course extravaganza of tastes of their favorite dishes, while chatting with the guests. As for the regular menu, it changes so often that specific dishes may be less helpful than suggested categories. Below is a list of our suggestions, the chef’s own favorites, and appearances in Five Finds on Friday, where a local chef or personality has named a Clifton Inn dish or experience as one of the best in town.

Our Picks

  • Chef’s Counter
  • Barrel-aged Cocktails

Chef’s Picks

  • Ramen with traditional dashi, pickles, quail Egg, and house kimchi
  • French Kabosha Squash Cassoulet with Mt. Torrey Farm quail, bacon powder, and roasted beets
  • Reconstructed Duck Egg in Hay Nest, with layers of garlic purée, lemon meringue, and a soy cured yolk, topped with iSi hollandaise and sturgeon caviar
  • Colorado Lamb Rack with fig and jarrahdale squash mostarda, coriander dust, charred shallots, lamb jus, fig gelee and young sorrel

Five Finds on Friday Picks