The Charlottesville 29

Where to eat in Charlottesville

Tag: Two for Tuesday

06/25/2013

Two for Tuesday: Brookville and Bashir’s

1)  Lamb Bolognese at Brookville.  Not many people look at a rib-sticking dish like bolognese and think: “You know what this needs more of?  Richness.”  But, then again,  Brookville has always marched to the beat of its own drum, and has never held back.  In a recent addition to the “Munchies” menu, Brookville replaces the ragu’s traditional beef plate or veal with an even richer cut:  ground leg of lamb.  The preparation reveres the dish’s roots, as the lamb is cooked for six hours with carrots, onions, rosemary, white wine and cream.  It’s then served over grits and topped with smoked Piedmont cheese and a few leafs of micro basil.   In typical Brookville fashion, it’s all local:  lamb sourced from Autumn Olive Farms, carrots from City Market, onions from Local Food Hub, wine from Veritas, herbs from Manakintowne, cheese from Everona Dairy, and grits from Woodson’s Mill.  The result is astounding.  The lamb seems a natural fit.  Created by sous chef Dylan Allwood, this is one of the best things we’ve eaten all year.

Food 248

2)  Algerian Spiced Chicken at Bashir’s Taverna.  Bashir’s has been dishing out good sandwiches on the downtown mall for so long that it is easy to take it for granted.  We can remember Bashir’s in its original hole-in-the wall digs on the mall, what seems like ages ago.  While we go through phases as to our sandwich of choice, one of our current favorites is the Algerian Spiced Chicken, an occasional special.  Moist, heavily spiced, slices of chicken breast are served on crusty house bread.  Say yes when they ask if you’d like tzatziki.  It is house-made, delicious, and helps mellow the zesty spices.

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04/23/2013

Two for Tuesday: Hill & Holler and KimKim Sauce

Food 245

1)  Dinner with Hill & Holler.  Hill & Holler founder Tracey Love describes it best:  “a roving farm dinner event company bringing farmers, chefs, winemakers, and the community together with the goal of enjoying a farm crafted dinner while raising funds for local food and agricultural organizations.”  The dinners she puts together several times a year have quickly become legendary in the Charlottesville food community.  We had the pleasure of enjoying the most recent one – a four course family-style dinner (menu pictured) at the newly opened Old Metropolitain Hall, prepared by one of the most accomplished chefs in Charlottesville, Dean Maupin of C&O.  A benefit for Beyond the Flavor, the meal featured products from a bevy of outstanding local purveyors, including Potter’s Craft Cider, Pollak Vineyards, Sausage Craft, Border Springs Farm, Free Union Grass Farm, Silky Cow, Rare Lynx, Albemarle Baking Co., and Shenandoah Joe.  One in our group remarked that it was some of the best food they could ever remember eating.  Hill & Holler is a Charlottesville treasure.  For updates on upcoming dinners, follow along on their Facebook page.

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2)  KimKim Sauce and Coco Pop.  Watch out, this Virginia-made sauce is addictive, based on the habit-forming Korean paste gochujang, made of fermented chilis, rice, and soy beans.  After first discovering it at Feast!, we have been wolfing it down with almost anything – bulgogi, pork, chicken, rice, eggs, etc.  It complements all of these things beautifully.  But, the sauce is so good that it can even play a starring roll.  To wit, it is great on Coco Pop, the airy cakes made from popped wheat flour, rice flour, and corn flour.  The neutral, nutty flavor of the cakes allows the delicious KimKim Sauce to shine.  KimKim Sauce is available at Feast! and Whole Foods;  Coco Pop is available at Whole Foods.  This would be a very healthy snack if it were possible to stop eating.

04/16/2013

Two for Tuesday: Paradox Pastry and Kabab & Curry

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1)  Pignoli Cookies at Paradox Pastry.  Ever since a bad case of pine mouth several years ago, we have approached pine nuts with trepidation.   Yes, they are tasty little seeds, but do not seem worth risking another week of misery.  After years of avoiding anything with pine nuts (pesto!), we recently took the plunge with Paradox Pastry’s Pignoli cookies.  We are glad we did.  No pine mouth (phew!), and some mighty fine cookies.  Made of sweet almond paste and dotted with pine nuts, these soft and chewy Italian cookies are one of the better renditions we’ve ever had.  Unless you have a mouth full of sweet teeth,we highly recommend having them with a glass of milk or, better yet, a cup of coffee.  They are sweet.  Another success at Paradox Pastry.  Delicious.

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2)  “Pakistani Dip” at Kabab & Curry.  OK, it’s not on the menu.  But, this riff on a French Dip sandwich is easily assembled.  Here’s how.  First, order the goat curry, which comes with a side of rice, a vegetable curry of your choice, and tandoori bread.   Next, de-bone the goat.  This is easy.  It falls off.  Then, tear off a piece of bread and fold it around some of the goat meat.  Now, dip the whole thing into the goat’s heady sauce.  Enjoy.