Louisiana Flair

Tim and I had read about this lunch destination on the corner of Grace and 4th Streets but were unable to get there until last Friday.  The interior was open and filled with second-hand tables and chairs.  Walls were decorated in Mardi Gras colors of purple, gold, and green.  The background music was zydeco and blues and set the atmosphere.  We were greeted warmly by the woman behind the counter and told to take a seat wherever we liked.  Menus were already on the table, so we perused our options while we waited for our waitress.  The number of items was limited: about six different types of po’boys (shrimp, beef, chicken, catfish, etc.) and a couple of salads.  There was also gumbo and a couple of desserts to chose from.  Tim selected a catfish po’boy while I opted for the Cajun chicken po’boy.  We had a choice (although it actually cost $1.75 extra) of either potato salad or french fries for side dishes.  We both chose fries.

What is a po’boy?  I know it a sandwich that finds it roots in New Orleans, but that is about it.  Upon receiving our po’boys, I wondered even more – it appeared to just be a big submarine sandwich.  Later, I looked up po’boy on Wikipedia and discovered the following:

A key ingredient that differentiates po’ boys from subs, gyros, and grinders is the bread. Louisiana French bread is different from the traditional baguette, in that it has a flaky crust with a soft, airy center.  This is generally attributed to the high ambient humidity causing the yeast to be more active. It also differs from the bread usually used for sub-style sandwiches in the rest of the country, which has a soft exterior.

It turns out that the po’boys at Louisiana Flair feature this bread – it was absolutely delicious, fresh, crisp and crusty on the outside and soft on the inside, and flavorful without overwhelming the other ingredients.  And the other ingredients were delicious as well.  My chicken was tender and full of well-rubbed spices.  The po’boy also had grilled green peppers and onions, tomatoes, and lettuce.  It was delicious, but be warned, it is also quite large.  I was well sated after eating half of the sandwich but could not bear to leave the second half behind (I did not feel that the sandwich would be good as leftovers).  I tried to eat the second half but only was able to manage a few bites.  Likewise, Tim enjoyed his catfish po’boy.  He said it was nice and fresh, with no bones.

The fries that accompanied the sandwiches were fresh (the chef must have just made them from scratch) and plain, but good.  We truly enjoyed this meal.  Service was polite and quick.  I would strongly recommend visiting Louisiana Flair.  I wish they offered more options on their menu because I would probably visit more often.  However, perhaps the limited menu allows them to excel at what they do.

As we were finishing, we were told that the restaurant would be having a crawfish boil soon.  They are going to have fresh, live crawfish flown in from Louisiana in the morning and boil them for a big feed for lunch.  You can eat as much as you want for as long as they last.  We had to put our name on a list and they will call us with the details as they develop.

Rating:

Kobe

A group of us visited the Japanese steakhouse Kobe a few weeks ago for Chris’s birthday.  I had never been to this Shockoe Slip restaurant so was eager to check it out.  Tim and I met Chris and John early and enjoyed a drink from their ground floor bar.  The decor on the ground floor was modern and well-lit.  Jenn and Ray arrived soon after, and we headed down into the basement to eat.

The basement was more dimly lit and full of scattered grills surrounded by seats.  The six of us were seated at one grill.  Another couple was soon seated at our table.  We were quickly brought miso soup by our waitress and then settled in for a wait.  The soup was good, but was very onion-y.  Our waitress took our food orders (because we were downstairs, our choices were limited to steak, chicken, scallops, shrimp, filet mignon, or some combination of these items).  After taking our order, we were each served a small salad, comprised of iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, and a delicious ginger peanut dressing.

After eating our salad, we settled in for a wait until our chef arrived.  Finally he did and started his performance.  If you have not been to a Japanese steakhouse before, the chef cooks at your table, flipping the meat, eggs, veggies, etc. with some prowess.  One of our chef’’s tricks was to saute shrimp and then flip one to each person seated at the table.  Only Chris and John had the skills to catch the shrimp in their mouths.  This was a typical experience for a Japanese steakhouse, although John was disappointed – he had recently been to other steakhouses and thought that the chefs showed more skill.

After the show, we were served our food.  I had the chicken with vegetables and it was delicious.  The meat was tender and moist.  I loved the spicy mustard/soy sauce combination we were each served with our dish, and dumped most of it on top of my meat and veggies. 

I enjoyed Kobe, except for the atmosphere.  It was difficult to hold a conversation with your table-mates due to the open layout and all the chefs cooking in front of you.  It was also quite warm due to all the open grills.  Kobe was satisfactory, but nothing particularly special (except that mustard/soy sauce).

Rating:

Cafe Rustica

Tim and I visited Cafe Rustica a number of weeks ago when we read that it was expanding its hours in order to serve dinner and realized that it was located downtown, near to our home.  We were pleasantly surprised with the setting – it is a small restaurant with a long, pretty bar running the length of one wall.  Against the other wall was a series of booths – the backs of each booth was made from old wooden doors, which looked neat.  Tim and I were seated next to the front plate glass window, at a two-top cafe table with tall chairs.  It was a romantic yet comfortable setting.

Our waitress was knowledgeable yet friendly.  We were served bread quickly and it was good.  Tim ordered schweinschnitzel, which was served with red cabbage and spaetzel.  The pork was flattened and took up half of his plate (obviously, quite a big portion).  Tim ate most of his food.  I ordered a beef dish served with a rich, hearty brown gravy.  I also received side dishes of red cabbage and spaetzel.  I am not a big red cabbage fan, but Rustica’s cabbage was truly excellent.  My meat was tender and the gravy was flavorful (I believe it was made with red wine).   I almost cleaned my plate.

There were additional German-themed selections on the menu, as well as several fish dishes.  German is not my favorite ethnicity for food, although Tim adores it (and now that our beloved Acapella is closed, I believe the only German fare available in Richmond can be found at Cafe Rustica).  We grabbed a paper menu on our way out and salivated over the breakfast and lunch offerings (some breakfast items include the rustic skillet, crab omelet, and several varieties of poached eggs).  We will definitely be visiting some time soon for breakfast.

I highly recommend Cafe Rustica and hope that Richmonders will go out and enthusiastically support it.  However, if you have a large party this is not the place to go, as they do not have tables big enough for more than four or perhaps five people.

Rating:

The Phoenician

For the past three years on February 14, Tim and I have made reservations, dressed up, endured long waits in painful high heels (the high heels was just me, not Tim), and spent a lot of money on some good and some not-so-good food.  We have tried eating at Pomegranate (not-so-good for V Day), Millie’s (very good, but extremely long wait), and Zeus’s Gallery (very good).  Unfortunately, Tim and I haven’t enjoyed these Valentine’s Days of past.  One of us has been sick, or grumpy, or sad on all of them.  This year we decided to be free and just go to a normal dinner and a movie. 

To that end, we took the recommendation of RVA Foodie (who, incidentally, I have started using as my personal consultant – I followed his advice on voting day and on Valentine’s Day), and visited the Phoenician, the new Lebanese restaurant on Broad Street.  I’m glad we did.

We were crunched for time because the movie started at 7:00 and we worked until 5:00.  We got to the restaurant and admired the interior – very lush, very romantic.  Gentle lighting, maroons and golds on the walls and in swaths hanging from the ceiling, and nicely spaced booths and tables throughout the premises.  We were seated quickly, and after only a moment, our friendly waiter came over to take our drink orders.  The Phoenician had a nice selection of Lebanese and Armenian beer, as well as some domestics, and a pretty extensive wine list.  While our waiter got our drinks, Tim and I perused the two pages of appetizers on the menu – everything from hummus to babbaghanoush to Lebanese cheeses to spinach pastries to falafel.  Although we wanted to sample all the appetizers, we held off, saving our hunger for the main courses. 

The menu featured about 10 entrees for dinner.  There were also about 10 sandwiches on the menu, but they were served for lunch only.  Tim ordered beef schwarma and I ordered chicken schwarma.  Our entrees came very quickly.  The chicken was very tender and juicy, and was nicely seasoned.  It was served with rice pilaf and green beans with stewed tomatoes.  On the side, we each received an order of tahini sauce.  I of course, drizzled the entire side dish of tahini all over my chicken – it was delicious and added a lot to the taste of the meal.  I gobbled up all of the chicken and rice and tried to cram the last few forkfuls of beans in, but I couldn’t make the space.  Tim was equally impressed with his beef schwarma.

We didn’t have time or room for dessert.  The entrees were reasonably priced – about $14-$15 each.  I do wish that they offered the sandwiches for dinner so there would be more variety (I was really craving a falafel sandwich for my meal, but could not get it after 3:00).

I highly recommend that everyone go to the Phoenician and savor the pleasures of the atmosphere, the staff, and the food.  It was all very good.  And Tim and I actually had an enjoyable Valentine’s Day (even though the movie was quite long and a bunch of binders fell on Tim’s head when we got home).  Thanks for the suggestion RVA Foodie!

Rating:

DeLux

John, Tim, and I visited DeLux several weeks ago for dinner.  DeLux is relatively new (our waitress told us it had been open about 5 weeks at the time of our visit) and is located across from Sticky Rice.  I honestly cannot remember what used to be in that location (maybe the Dogwood Grille or Magnolia?) because many of the Fan restaurants on Main Street blend together in my mind (although I like them all, they are often indistinguishable from one another). 

Upon arrival, we were told there would be a bit of a wait but that we could occupy ourselves at the bar upstairs.  We trudged upstairs and made ourselves comfortable at the modern and chic bar.  The bar was very attractive – an S-shaped bar top, an interesting mirror sculpture hanging on the wall, and small lights suspended from the ceiling.  Besides the bar, the upstairs also featured a working fireplace, several couches, and ten or so small tables and chairs.  It was inviting.

Or bartender served us quickly.  Since we had a long wait until dinner, we ordered some appetizers.   Tim and I split the hummus and vegetable plate, and John had some crab soup.  The hummus was creamy and fresh, although I prefer it with a little more garlic.  John enjoyed his soup.  After about two beers and about halfway through the hummus plate, our hostess told us our table was ready downstairs.  We headed down and were seated in a comfortable booth along the side of the wall, next to the windows.  There is another bar downstairs. 

The menu featured some entrees, including blue plate specials, as well as a variety of sandwiches and burgers.  Tim and I both ordered the Cuban Pork Press, which was a typical Cuban sandwich (pork, ham, Swiss cheese, and a pickle) served on focaccia bread.  The sandwich was good – the pork was tender and moist; however, I do wish it had a little more zing (maybe some additional spices would have jazzed it up).  Tim did not think the focaccia bread complimented the sandwich ingredients, and I concur (although I thought it was ok).  If you are craving a Cuban sandwich, I prefer the Cubanaso at Kuba Kuba or the Cuban at the Positive Vibe Cafe (not that DeLux’s was bad – it was very satisfying).  I asked for an order of fries with my sandwich.  The fries could have been good (not too thick and seasoned lightly) except they were quite soggy.  Tim ordered homemade potato chips with his sandwich and thought them tasty.  In retrospect, I wish I had ordered the sweet potato fries as my side in order to try something a little different.

John ordered a burger (as usual) and enjoyed it.

I liked DeLux: the food was good, the interior is pretty and comforting.  Service was fine but I felt like I did not belong.  It seemed as if the entire staff knew everyone else in the restaurant and was gregariously friendly with them while we were intruders.  They treated us courteously and efficiently, but I felt like an outsider.  The place seems to be very popular (having to wait 45 minutes for a table when the restaurant has only been open for 5 weeks is a good sign).  However, I don’t see it as distinct from any of the other bars/restaurants in that area (3 Monkeys, Star-Lite, Metro Grill, etc.). 

Rating:

Que Pasa

Along with a lot of Church Hill denizens, Tim and I headed to Que Pasa on its opening night last Monday.  We were hesitant to visit a restaurant on its opening night, but we wanted to show our support for our new neighborhood establishment (and now Que Pasa is the closest restaurant to us).  Our friend Leigh was the first person in the restaurant for dinnertime and was seated at the bar when we arrived.  She was disappointed that Que Pasa did not have a liquor license yet, but we expected this to be the case.  Leigh did receive a complimentary plate of plantain spiders (an appetizer).  We tried them and they were quite good.

Since the restaurant was empty, we were told to select a table wherever we liked.  We sat right near the fire since it was so very cold outside.  We were shortly thereafter joined by the remainder of our party, Jake and Susan.  There seemed to be only one waiter in the place, and he was obviously extremely inexperienced or just plain unexperienced.  Now, I’m not expecting perfect service on opening night by any means.  But this waiter seemed to be lacking basic common sense – had he never eaten at a restaurant before?  I also think that if you are going to have only one waiter at a restaurant, you need to compensate by hiring someone with some good experience or a great attitude.  Our waiter had neither: he messed up our order; brought the food at different times; could not answer simple questions (and it never occurred to him to ask someone else for the answer until I finally said, “Can you please ask someone?”) (and, if you know me, I never fuss or complain or demand at restaurants) (just afterward on my blog and to my friends).  Mind you, I know others have commented that they had poor service that night at Que Pasa but that it was unexpectedly crowded.  However, we were the first, and for a time, only customers in the restaurant when our orders were taken and the questioning happened.  The waiter never checked back with us after our food arrived.  We had to basically run after him to finally get our check and then we had to flag down one of the owners in order to pay our check.

But, in between servings of bad service were servings of yummy food.  The menu at Que Pasa is limited but features several soups and salads, and entrees of chicken, pork, fish, and beef.  Susan and Leigh (and Jake as it turned out since he received the incorrect order) all had a bowl of black bean soup.  It was thick and chock full of green onions and peppers.  All of them polished off their bowls.  Tim and I both ordered flat bread stuffed with pork, black beans, peppers, rice, and cheese.  We both enjoyed the stuffed quesadilla.  The meat was tender and seasoned lightly.  The beans, rice, and vegetables were fresh.  We also received sides of plantains and tostones.  The tostones were not to my liking – fried and too dry and salty.  The plantains however were scrumptious – sweet and dreamy.  Jake had an entree of pork (I’m not sure that was actually what he ordered), also with sides of plantains and tostones.  He liked it and it looked tender although plain.

Except for the service issues, we enjoyed Que Pasa.  Of course we will go back – it’s only 2 blocks away!  Hopefully, some of these issues will get ironed out.  I am not going to give it a rating yet but check back later.

Melito’s

Tim and I visited Melito’s last Saturday evening.  He asked me if I would review the restaurant and I answered that I must have already, as we visit Melito’s fairly frequently.  I was surprised to discover that in fact, I had not yet reviewed this West End establishment, even though I always enjoy it.

I used to live with friends of mine in a house in a neighborhood off of Three Chopt to the east of Melito’s.  That is when I first discovered this neighborhood bar/restaurant.  Melito’s is a smoke-free environment and has recently had an external face-lift (Melito’s is located in a strip mall near Westbury Pharmacy and Regency Mall).  We have never had a long wait at Melito’s and, on this visit, were able to score a booth seat quickly.  One negative aspect of Melito’s is that many of the seats are four-top tables with free-standing chairs.  These tables are crammed into small spaces and we have felt squeezed into our seats when we have been seated there (for example, on this recent visit, we watched as a heavyset, but not obese, man was escorted to one of these tables and was unable to sit down as the people at the table behind him were already squeezed in – he could not move his chair back far enough to sit down).

Melito’s has a regular menu that includes a diverse array of sandwiches and a few entrees.  The also offer nightly specials that primarily include entrees.  I usually order an appetizer of soft pretzels and a house salad for my meal, basically because I am a soft pretzel whore and because Melito’s concocts fabulous salads – simple yet fresh – and serves them with homemade dressings.  However, on this visit, I opted for a meatball sandwich with a side of french fries.  The meatballs were small, but juicy and flavorful.  The marinara sauce was a little sweeter than I like, but still good.  The sandwich bread was fresh and hot, just the way I like it.  Overall, the sandwich was pretty darn good.  The french fries were battered and were also very tasty (because I love Melito’s salad dressings so much, I asked for a side of ranch to dip my fries in – very good).

Tim ordered the hotdog plate, which was a hotdog served with chili, mustard, and onions.  He also had a side of fries and was served a side salad as part of the plate.  He enjoyed his dinner but did state that the hotdog he had at Table 9 was better (alas he also received no side dishes with his Table 9 dog).

Our server was fantastic during this visit, being very attentive – she filled up our waters and coffees repeatedly without prompting.  In the past, the service has always been fine, although not exceptional – a bit brusque as the place gets busy.  I love the atmosphere at Melito’s, as the lighting is dim, the music does not get too loud, and the furniture and bar are outlaid in soothing dark woods.  I also like how Melito’s always seems to be filled with neighborhood regulars.  No, not those skeevy regulars who sit at the bar all day, drunk and smelly, but families and older folks who come in for drinks and meals often.  I will definitely return and encourage others to visit if they have not been there before.  Also, if you are a fan of American Idol, Elliot Yamin used to work there.

Rating:

The Mexican Restaurant in Carytown that is not Nacho Mama’s and is located where the old Mom’s Siam was

We visited the new Mexican restaurant in Carytown last week, after meeting our football team and some other friends for drinks at New York Deli.  We should have remained at the Deli and eaten there, because, as succinctly stated by the West of the Boulevard blog, this new Mexican restaurant was “bad.”  Also, I cannot remember the name of this restaurant and cannot seem to find it on-line, after an extensive search (by extensive, I mean a 10-minute Google search and a search of RVA blogs).

Tim and I visited the new establishment on Friday night with our friends Leigh and David.  We were quickly seated and served the customary salsa and chips.  We, like all the other tables, received a horrible white dipping sauce in addition to our salsa.  I don’t believe it was a queso sauce, but I am at a loss as to how to describe it, except to say it was wretched – very, very sweet and sugary tasting.

I ordered a margarita, on the rocks, with salt and received a margarita on the rocks, with no salt.  It was fine, but like most cheap Mexican restaurants, was made using an awful margarita mix rather than tequila, triple sec, and lime juice.  I ordered a chicken burrito with mole sauce for my dinner, and it was almost inedible.  I ate approximately 5 bites before giving up in disgust.  The chicken was overcooked, the burrito shell was mushy, and, most disappointingly, the mole sauce was thick, too sweet, and not spicy.  It was “bad.”

Tim and David thought their entrees were fine, but not noteworthy.  Leigh enjoyed her chicken and rice entree, but, how can you screw up chicken and rice?  If you know me, you know my constant lament on the closing of El Rio Grande in the Fan near VCU.  Their burrito with mole sauce was extraordinary, and I cannot seem to replicate its magnificence anywhere. 

I did not like the atmosphere of the new Mexican restaurant either – a bit rundown and very glaring lighting.  I thought most items were over-priced, although I suppose that is to be expected for a restaurant in Carytown.  My recommendation is to stay far, far away.

Rating:   

Penny Lane Pub

Tim, Leigh, and I headed to Penny Lane Pub last week prior to heading to the ballet.  Penny Lane is located on the corners Franklin and 6th Streets, and sells itself as a traditional English pub.  I have visited Penny Lane a few times, both at its old location and its current location.  The pub is spacious; the bar is set off in a room with tables on the side.  If you pass through a foyer, there are additional tables out of sight of the bar.  There is also a semi-outside section, a former open air space that is now enclosed, although plenty of natural light still pours into that area.  Apparently, there is a spacious upstairs area that I have never visited.

Usually, the British owner is on-hand to give a hearty welcome to all guests, chat with them, and flirt with the ladies.  When our group visited recently, he was not present.  We were seated quickly and drink orders were taken promptly by our waitress whose curt friendliness was adequate.  Penny Lane has a nice selection of British beers on tap, although nothing truly rare or remarkable.  The menu has the typical British fare – shepherd’s pie, fish and chips, bangers and mash, etc.  None of this food appeals to me (actually, none of the entrees appealed to me).  Our waitress brought over the pub menu, which had about 5 sandwiches featured.  I opted for a burger with fries.  The burger came cooked as ordered, with tomatoes, onions, and lettuce.  It was fine, but not remarkable.  The fries were those big, thick fries that I don’t like because they are too mealy (I always douse them with vinegar and salt to make them more edible).  Both Tim and Leigh ordered shepherd’s pie, which came prettily presented with mashed potatoes atop the meat and pea stew.  Both Leigh and Tim enjoyed their meals.

As mentioned above, I have visited Penny Lane several times before, primarily for drinks.  I do like the bar and the atmosphere for drinking is nice.  I don’t think the food is very good, but mostly because none of the options appeal to me.  I give Penny Lane Pub 2 out of 5 stars – great for a drink, not so great for entrees.

Bar Louie

We met our friends Jenn, Ray, Chris, and John at Bar Louie in downtown Short Pump, our first visit to this relatively new space.  Apparently, it used to house a more formal seafood restaurant that failed miserably.  The owners then decided to convert it into a spacious bar.  The layout of Bar Louie was pleasing – lots of open space with two large square bars (you could sit around all sides of each bar).  There were tables scattered around the floor, separate from the bar.  Bar Louie has some good happy hour specials: $2 draft beers (with a decent selection of beers on tap) and half-price appetizers from 7:00 until 9:00.

Tim and I arrived first and were shocked about how loud the place was - overbearingly blaring music drowned out the din of conversations.  Since we were meeting some old friends traveling from out-of-town, we really desired a setting that would be conducive to conversation.  We debated as to whether or not to leave and find quieter digs.  Unfortunately, neither of us were very familiar with Short Pump and could only think of some chain restaurants that did not seem very appealing.  So we decided to wait it out and see what the others thought.  

Our hostess let us know it would take a few moments to get a table for six ready, so Tim and I went to get a drink at the bar.  I received my drink quickly, but then it took approximately 20 minutes to get my change.  My bartender kept coming over to me and asking, “Have you gotten your change yet?”  “Well,” I wanted to reply, “Do you remember giving it to me?” or “Do you think I am waiting here expectantly for pigs to fly?”  Finally, I received my change.  By that time, our table was ready, so we sat down.

Tim and I could barely hear each other, as the music clamoring from the stereo was inordinately loud.  I understand that the place is primarily a bar, but does it have to be so loud?  It was extraordinarily so, and cast a pallor on the evening.

Eventually our friends arrived.  We started our dinner with some half-priced appetizers: hot, doughy pretzels and spinach and artichoke dip.  The pretzels were not pretzel-shaped but rather long logs of pretzel-y goodness.  They came served with three dipping sauces, cheese, mustard, and hot mustard.  I thought these were excellent, but, then again, I love hot pretzels and it is very difficult to serve low-quality ones.  The spinach and artichoke dip was fine – typical bar fare.

After the appetizers I was not particularly hungry so just ordered a grilled cheese sandwich.  It came with bacon and tomato and was a gooey combination of different cheeses.  It was fairly good, but unremarkable.  The french fries that came on the side were very tasty – they were battered and seasoned, just the way I like them.  Everyone else was pleased with their food.  Items ordered varied from burgers to wraps to an entree of baked macaroni and cheese with chicken that Chris ordered (he liked the mac and cheese but thought the chicken ruined the dish).

Our waiter was courteous and accommodating, and usually, food and drinks arrived promptly.  However, there were a few times when we seemed to wait an inordinately long time for drink orders to be filled.  Overall, I think Bar Louie fills a niche out in Short Pump: primarily a bar at which the 20- to 30-something crowds can mingle.  I give it 3 stars out of 5.  Incidentally, if you are a sports bar fan, there seemed to be quite a number of TVs placed throughout the restaurant, all tuned to sports.

After dinner, we went bowling.  I broke 100 both times, and got a turkey in my second game.  I was on fire!