The Charlottesville 29

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

Tag: The Juice Laundry

01/31/2020

Five Finds on Friday: Kay Pfaltz

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Kay Pfaltz, left, with Sallie Justice.

Today’s Five Finds on Friday come from Kay Pfaltz, founder of the Nellysford legend Basic Necessities, which she now co-owns with Sallie Justice and Rosie Gantt. Since 1997, the cafe, wine and cheese shop has strived to offer “a taste of Europe in the Blue Ridge Mountains.” Pfaltz’s picks:

1) Mile 842 from Devils Backbone Brewing Company. “Sometimes all a wine shop owner wants is a good beer, preferably on tap, with a little patch of sunshine. Hike the AT, then hop off at milepost 842 for a well-deserved beer. Hoppy, with great flavor.”

2) Clean Green at The Juice Laundry. “Going to the other end of the beverage spectrum, I love anything The Juice Laundry makes. Sometimes I’m in the mood for Clean Green (kale, spinach, cucumber, celery, apple, parsley, ginger, and lemon), sometimes, Spicy Green, sometimes Rinse & Refresh, and always the nut milks, which are wonderfully addictive. I was thrilled when The Juice Laundry first opened and glad to see the rise of vegan restaurants. And you can slip over to The Juice Laundry after you’ve bought C’ville’s best and freshest (and mostly local) produce at Integral Yoga.”

3) Edmond Fallot Walnut Dijon Mustard at Feast! “Add a scoop of the walnut mustard to your vinaigrette, instead of plain dijon, and your friends start oohing and exclaiming: ‘Ahh, there’s a secret ingredient . . . oh, I know it . . . but what is it?’ Somewhat similar taste to using walnut oil but less pricy.”

4) Marinara D.O.C. Pizza at Lampo. “From antipasti to pizzas to their excellent and unpretentious wine list, Lampo is my go-to restaurant. The Marinara D.O.C. is pure, vegan, simple, and delicious. Next best thing to a ticket to Naples.”

5) Almond Pavé at Paradox Pastry. “When I returned to Virginia in the early 90s after more than ten years in Paris, good pastries, bread, and chocolates were the things I missed the most. Not all pâtisseries in Paris carried pavé aux amandes, but I’d buy one when I saw it. At Paradox, buy it by the slice, or do like I do now and buy the whole cake and freeze. Be forewarned, you may eat it so quickly, there’s no need to freeze. Moist, dense, and delicious. I eat chocolate after lunch and dinner (Hello, Gearharts) and, well, sometimes one just needs a change of pace. Four simple ingredients: almond flour, butter, sugar, and egg . . . so gluten-free, as they say, by default.”

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04/26/2019

Five Finds on Friday: Maya Hood White

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Today’s Five Finds on Friday come from Maya Hood White, Early Mountain Vineyards Associate Winemaker and Viticulturalist, who will be part of a special guided tasting this Monday, April 29 at Market Street Wine. She and Early Mountain Winemaker Ben Jordan will take guests through a series of rare, small batch wines from Early Mountain and Lightwell Survey, including Maya’s pet nats like Early Mountain White Pétillant Naturel 2018 Malvasia and Early Mountain Red Pétillant Naturel 2018 Blaufränkisch. You can even buy the rare wines on site. Details and full lineup for this unusual opportunity. Call (434) 202-0511 for your slot. White’s picks:

1) Patatas Rancheras at Little Star. “I know I will love just about any (vegetarian) dish that Ryan Collins at Little Star makes, but the Patatas Rancheras is one of my absolute favorites. It’s a tad spicy from the ranchera sauce, with the aioli cooling it down and the potatoes are always perfectly cooked and crispy. I don’t think I could ever eat at Little Star without ordering this.”

2) Marinara D.O.C. at Lampo. “I grew up vegetarian and my mother is a vegan, so I’m pretty familiar with scanning menus to see what I can eat. Aside from the many delicious reasons to love Lampo, it is one of the places that you can easily have an amazing vegan meal without even realizing it. Their Marinara D.O.C. pizza has notably few and straightforward ingredients, but they come together in the most perfect way.”

3) Fried and Raw Brussels Sprouts (made vegetarian) at Brasserie Saison. “The first time I ate at Brasserie Saison, I ordered this salad, and have ordered it nearly every time since. The texture of the raw and fried leaves is great, but what really makes the salad is the sun-dried tomato marmalade. It is slightly sweet to balance out the acid of the tomatoes and a great complement to the earthy Brussels sprouts.”

4) Tofu Red Curry with Broccoli at Thai 99 II. “Thai 99 II, luckily for me, is on my way home, so it is definitely my most frequented takeout spot, with the Tofu Red Curry being my favorite dish.  I’m somewhat obnoxiously picky about bell peppers, and they are are always very accommodating about swapping out the peppers with broccoli. Their tofu is always light and fluffy, and the curry wonderfully rich and concentrated.”

5) Rinse and Re-Beet at The Juice Laundry. “I’ve always loved carrot juice, but the addition of beet and cucumber makes this my favorite at The Juice Laundry. Their juices are cold pressed, organic and very flavorful. If I feel a cold coming on, I’ll grab one of their fire shots and drink it with this juice and keep my fingers crossed.”

 

02/01/2019

Five Finds on Friday: Carolyn Stromberg Leasure

carolyn with cheddar

Today’s Five Finds on Friday come from Carolyn Stromberg Leasure of Righteous Cheese, which was once a cheese and wine bar in Washington D.C. and now hosts cheese events here in Charlottesville. On Valentine’s Day is Righteous Cheese’s most popular class ever: Chocolate, Cheese & Baller Bubbly. Leasure and award-winning cheesemonger Sara Adduci will lead guests through four rare grower champagnes, cheeses, and a spread of local chocolates. 6:30 – 7:30 pm in Oakhart Social’s private dining room. Details and tickets. Leasure’s picks:

1) Cold Brew Latte (made with cashew milk & cold brew coffee) from The Juice Laundry. “I really appreciate good coffee, and I get to feel like I’m being healthy when I drink this. Unlike a lot of juice places, The Juice Laundry is 100% organic, which I appreciate. Their Cold Brew Latte is creamy and nutty with a hint of cinnamon and a great start to the day.”

2) Fried Chicken and Onion Rings at Mel’s Cafe. “We cook at home almost every night, but when we are too tired and want something fast, it’s often Mel’s fried chicken. Even with takeout, it stays crispy, the onion rings are the apex of the genre, and even the breast meat is juicy. Though, of course, the best way to eat it is at Mel’s, with chicken straight out of the fryer, while chatting with the folks behind the counter.”

3) Hot and Numbing Shredded Tofu Skins at Peter Chang’s. “I love to order tofu when dining out, since making it at home never turns out quite as good. The Hot and Numbing Shredded Tofu Skin almost has the texture of al dente pasta: thinly shredded, toothsome pieces of tofu skin seasoned with chili pepper, chili oil, sesame oil, fresh cilantro and a host of other spices and seasonings. While not the spiciest dish at Peter Chang’s (which means you can eat more!), it leaves a pleasant, buzzy tingling on your lips. Yum.”

4) Eggs and Pancake Special at Tip Top Restaurant. “With a two-year old toddler/tyrant living in our house, my chef-husband and I don’t get out often for dinner, but we take breakfast seriously. I am a bit particular (read: annoying) about my eggs, and prefer them over-medium, apparently the hardest way to cook them. The number of times my eggs are cooked properly – with firm whites and a soft yolk – at most restaurants is few, but the kitchen at Tip Top has never disappointed. Eggs are always perfect, and there’s nothing wrong with the pancakes and bacon (ordered extra-extra-crispy for me). The relaxed dining room is bustling but it doesn’t take too long for a table, they have crayons for my kid, and the staff is the perfect mix of gregarious, surly, and at the top of their game.”

5) Budino at Lampo. “I love absolutely everything at Lampo, and my standard order is the kale salad, a cheese and charcuterie board, and the Margherita DOC pizza. The perfect dish for me, though, is the chocolate budino. Chocolate and olive oil are one of my all-time favorite flavor combinations. The budino is silky and rich with a savory drizzle of olive oil, a salty, crunchy, caramel-y top, and nutty crushed hazelnuts, all of which come together for an ideal balance of flavors and textures.”

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Hot and Numbing Shredded Tofu Skins

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