The Charlottesville 29

Where to eat in Charlottesville

Tag: The Local

05/24/2013

Five Finds on Friday: Matthew Hart

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On Fridays, we feature five food finds selected by local chefs and personalities.  Today’s picks come from Matthew Hart, chef of The Local.  In last week’s Five Finds on Friday, his wife Melissa Close Hart of Palladio included one of his dishes among her picks.  This week, Hart sensibly returns the favor.  Hart’s picks:

1)  Sunday Lunch at Palladio.  “Palladio was my favorite special occasion restaurant long before I married Melissa, their lovely and talented chef.  Sunday is my favorite day to go, and not only because it is the only day I can manage to make it out there.  After a busy weekend the perfect way to unwind is a leisurely lunch and glass of wine (okay, maybe a couple glasses of wine) and good company.  Since my lovely wife is invariably cooking the food, I like to bring my ten year old son who is already smart enough to know good food when he tastes it, and loves Palladio as much as I do.”

2)  Bacon, Egg, and Cheese on an Everything Bagel at Bodo’s.  “Yummy.  What kind of cheese?  American.  Don’t tell anyone please, because I know it is terribly unchefly, but when it comes to egg sandwiches and burgers, American cheese is gooey delicious.  Being a chef, whenever I travel, I always try to eat the regional specialties in order to sample the best dishes as they are meant to be prepared.  When I was younger and would find myself in New York, I would always ask around for the best bagel place because everyone always said that was where the best bagels were.  Now, when in New York, I order whatever I am in the mood for because I had a lot of good bagels, but never one that was better than what Bodo’s serves all day, every day.”

3)  Pork at BBQ Exchange.  “Being outside of my regular stomping grounds, I don’t make it out to the BBQ Exchange as often as I would like.  Fortunately, it is not too far out of the way for my wife to swing by and scoop some up on the way home.  What do I like to eat there?  Everything!  As long as it is pork I am a happy camper.  (I am sure that the non-pork meat offerings are good there as well, but I have not found a good reason to deviate.)  Round it out with collard greens, macaroni and cheese (better get extra because my son can eat his own body weight in mac-n-cheese), some slaw, and some of the spicy pickles and that is about as good as it gets.  Craig Hartman really shows that when a chef, who’s fine dining game is as good as anyone’s I know, turns his ambitions towards BBQ, then great things happen.”

4)  Pizza at Ciro’s Pizza.  “Ciro’s Pizza in Waynesboro is something I grew up eating and it is still my favorite pizza in the world.  In my family, on your birthday, you get to pick what everyone eats, and we have been having Ciro’s Pizza since I was 12 years old.  Judging by how old I feel, that is about 75 years of birthday dinners.  My parents still live in Waynesboro, and Ciro’s Pizza helps ensure that I am a dutiful son and visit as often as I can.”

5)  Blue Crabs on the Beach with my Family.  “Every year my family gets to sneak away for a week and we go to the Outer Banks for some R&R.  One of the highlights for me is getting a bushel of crabs, some potatoes, some corn, some shrimp, and whatever else looks good at the market and throwing together a crab boil.  I literally look forward to this all year long.  Dinner takes about three hours as we sit around and pick crabs and drink beer.  I always get way more crabs than we can eat so that I can eat them for lunch the rest of the week.  This is my favorite meal in the world and the crabs are only a small part of the recipe.  Every year, I prepare this meal and sit down with my loved ones to eat it.  The crabs taste great, but when mixed with the company and the memories of sharing this meal in years past, they become something indescribably delicious.  This is what food and drink is all about.  Making memories while breaking bread and sipping wine (or in this case beer).”

05/17/2013

Five Finds on Friday: Melissa Close Hart

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On Fridays, we feature five food finds selected by local chefs and personalities.  Today’s picks come from four-time James Beard award semi-finalist Melissa Close Hart, chef of Palladio Restaurant at Barboursville Vineyard.  On June 9, Palladio will be celebrating the release of Barboursville’s 2012 Vermentino Reserve with a multi-course dinner with guest chef Roberto Donna, who Esquire Magazine last year named national Chef of the Year.  Hart’s picks:

1)  Crispy Shrimp with Pickled Ginger-Sesame Aioli & Honey Sambal Drizzle at The Local.  “The chef, Matthew Hart, who also happens to be my husband, jokes that customers may revolt if he takes these delicious crispy shrimp off the menu.  Truth of the matter is he knows that I might revolt.  Just kidding, honey.  I love to sit at the bar with a cocktail and these shrimp!  It makes for a happy wife!”

2)  “Family Dinner” at The BBQ Exchange.  “Since I work out in Barboursville and live in Charlottesville, I can stop by and see my mentor, Craig Hartman, at his now famous BBQ joint.  His pork is perfect.  Everytime!  And he’s smoking a lot of pork – thousands of pounds a week, I’m sure.  But back to the Family Dinner: 1 pound of pork, 3 sides (we choose Mac & Cheese, Southern Slaw & Collards), 2 sauces (we go for Hog Fire & Craig’s Carolina), 4 buns and 4 pumpkin muffins.  And you can’t forget those muffins!  Yum.  And all for less than $25.  Can’t beat it!  Pick up a six pack of Blue Mountain brew on the way home and life is good!”

3)  Drunken Noodles with Chicken, Spicy at Pad Thai.  “From the first time I had their noodles, I was sold.  The balance between the spice, the acidity, the sweetness and the herbs is just perfect.  Plus I really love how crispy they let the noodles get.  I have to admit I get noodles from them almost every week!  Pairs very well with a nice cold sweeter wine, like Barboursville’s Riesling or even the Dry Rose (not as sweet but works well with the spice).”

4)  Any of the Southern Creations at Rapture.  “Chris Humphrey and I are cut from the same cook’s cloth.  We grew up on southern soul food and his interpretations always please me, my palate and my belly.  Last time I was there we had Cherry Coke Braised Pork Cheeks over Grits.  What the bleep!  I was in pig heaven.  And that’s a place I like to go often.  Have some gumbo and fried green tomatoes to start and some draft beers and you will feel transported to the deep South, y’all!”

5)  Donuts at Spudnuts.  “Jacob, my stepson, likes when I drive him to school, because he knows that I can be talked into stopping by for a donut.  I couldn’t tell you which is my favorite because that would be like picking a favorite child.  They are all great in each of their own ways.  But if I HAD to pick, I’d have to say the basic glazed, especially if they are warm.  But you can’t go wrong with the apple fritter either.  The kitchen and office crew at work like when I go because I’ll usually pick up an extra dozen to share.  Got to share the donut love.  The hardest part is waiting the 30 minutes it takes to get  to work at Barboursville so I can have a cup of Shenandoah Joe’s Palladio Blend with my donut.  Well to tell you the truth, I usually have one on the way.  I have no self control!”

05/03/2013

Five Finds on Friday: Treat Huey

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Today is the 50th edition of Five Finds on Friday, where chefs and local personalities pick five favorite food items in the area.  To mark the occasion here at The Charlottesville 29, we have the picks of a Charlottesville resident who is among the top 29 in the world in his field.  In fact, tennis player Treat Huey is ranked exactly 29th in the world in doubles.  Next week, the undefeated men’s tennis team of his alma mater, UVa, will begin the NCAA Championship tournament, en route to its first ever title.  Oh yeah, Huey also happens to be a lover of food.  Huey’s picks:

1)  Yuca and Caramont Farm Goat Cheese Fritters at Commonwealth.  “This appetizer is ridiculously good.  Then you can not go wrong with any of the entrees especially if you get the smashed, roasted red potatoes as a side.  A great meal and then heading upstairs to Skybar to have a drink when there is good weather is a great way to end a day.”

2)  Local “Double H Farm” Berkshire Pork Chop at The Local.  “Get the blackberry cobbler with house made vanilla ice cream for dessert.  All the food is great, and the restaurant building and decor are also  reasons I come back and eat here as much as I can.”

3)  Cajun Crusted Tilapia wrap with Chipotle Dressing and Salt and Vinegar Chips at Zazus Fresh Grille.  “I have this at least once a week when I am in town.”

4)  Lunch Buffet at Milan Indian Cuisine.  “When I am really hungry, the lunch buffet at Milan is my go to.  One of my friends, Sanam, who moved here from India five years ago, took me here for the first time a few years back after raving about it and I have been hooked ever since.  The naan, curries and tandoori chicken are must haves.”

5)  Pasta al Forno and House Salad at Bella’s.  “Start with the large Bella’s house and then have the Pasta al Forno. Two people sharing these is the perfect amount of food.  Also, I recently ate at the bar because there was a wait and my friend and I got to talking with Ayo the bartender.  He’s a great guy and made dinner even more enjoyable.”