Five Finds on Friday: John Schaible
Today’s Five Finds on Friday come from John Schaible, chef of the new-and-improved Fry’s Spring Station, under the guidance of Ben Thompson and Tommy Lasley. Schaible first worked with Lasley at Orzo and Thomspon at The Rock Barn, before they both suggested he take some time away from Charlottesville to train in other venues. After stints at two highly acclaimed spots – Westchester’s Blue Hill at Stone Barns and Brooklyn’s The Meat Hook – Schaible, who has been dubbed Johnny Meat, has returned to town to run the kitchen at Fry’s Spring Station. Schaible’s picks:
1) The Gobbfather at Ivy Provisions. “Always a healthy start to my day – hahaha! When I can squeeze past 40 other people and get a sandwich, it’s the Gobbfather and a Traeger Brothers coffee. The staff is actually really friendly and the space is fun and pretty accessible. They carry great product, wine, beer and lots of grocery for adding to your pantry or inventory.”
2) Potato, Egg, and Cheese Taco by Brazos Tacos from Atlas Coffee. “Atlas is right next to Fry’s, so if I can’t have a Gobbfather in the morning, I get a taco from the steam table. Laurie at Atlas is one of the coolest business owners and she introduced me to this great idea that Brazos has and their awesome tacos.”
3) Cheddar Jalapeno Dogs from The Rock Barn at the City Market. “Though I don’t butcher with Ben any more, if I have some time Saturday morning, I stop by the Market to give him or his crew some guff and pick up these dogs. Ben’s products are really great and he isn’t afraid to R&D new stuff and test it on the public.”
4) Raw Fish Salad at Now & Zen. “Really just the best for a quiet lunch and to satiate any raw fish cravings a meat eater finds when they are low on omega 3s. I have always really liked Now & Zen. They do really good, fun sushi for a very affordable price. Their raw fish salad is pretty amazing. Fresh, light, citric and loaded with salmon, tuna, mackerel, scallop. It’s like their kitchen fish sink.”
5) Manhattan at The Whiskey Jar. “Something about Charlottesville brought out my love of bourbon. The Whiskey Jar has pretty simple straightforward and perfected cocktails. A Manhattan does it for me. I like the casual and social feel of the Jar and sometimes, when I am lucky, I get to see Red and the Romantics there.”
