Bob and I love Mediterraneo and are thrilled they have opened in our neighborhood. We go there often for cocktails which often ends with us having dinner at the bar. We bring friends and are doing what we can to get the word out.
But I have been negligent in going there for lunch. It's a little out of my way but not a significant drive on a slow work day.
I had my first lunch today and it won't be my last. I arrived and went to my usual bar stool (third from the left) and chatted with Kevin briefly while deciding what to have for lunch. I wanted to try a panini as I'm a panini freak and it's one of those items I judge a place by.
I ordered the proscuitto and fresh mozzarella panini with basil and olive oil and a club soda (it's tough being on the clock). It arrived warm and melty on homemade Ciabatta which is flavorful with olive and just the right balance of crusty and soft. The homemade potato chips were very good...not too greasy and just the right amount of salt.
I left happy and now have another reason to frequent my favorite new place in town. The setting is nice and spacious and perfect for a group lunch, business lunch for two, girls lunch, lunch with Mom or a treat for yourself. .:: Mediterraneo Fine Cuisine ::.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Thursday, February 26, 2009
EatingRichmond.com....a gathering of food blogs
In Richmond we are blessed with a great blogging community and with a number of food blogs giving a wide variety of perspective on local restaurants as well as recipes and information about the goings on in Richmond about all things food.
Now we have gotten together with the help of Jason, Matt & Bookstore Piet and there is one blog sharing the posts of 15 local food bloggers Eating Richmond. It is in its infancy and all thoughts and suggestions are welcomed. Check it out.
Now we have gotten together with the help of Jason, Matt & Bookstore Piet and there is one blog sharing the posts of 15 local food bloggers Eating Richmond. It is in its infancy and all thoughts and suggestions are welcomed. Check it out.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
A comforting meal in a warm setting...dinner at Chez Max
Some nights you want to try something new or a place that is cutting edge, pushing the envelope and surprises you. Other nights, you know what you want and you want some place comforting, consistent and reliable. That is what I wanted last night and Chez Max did not disappoint.
Located just west of Pump Road on Patterson Avenue in a free standing building adjacent to a strip mall, Chez Max is unassuming. People hear it's a French restaurant and sometimes mistakenly believe it is going to be formal or stuffy. Chez Max is both comfortable and elegant, which is a challenge to pull off successfully.
We arrive and are warmly greeted by one of the owners, Annie Lecomte. We stop in at the bar (our table was ready but we weren't quite ready to sit down) and order a bottle of French Chablis. We proceed to the warm and elegant dining room. There is a fire going in the stone fireplace and we are fortunate to get a table next to the fire...perfect on a chilly night. There is a nice crowd on this Tuesday night, and one thing I love about Chez Max is everyone seems happy to be there. It is festive but not loud.
Our server arrives and tells us about the specials, but we go with what we know and what I was craving. Bob orders she crab soup and I order French onion. Our server quickly brings us some nice French bread and butter. I love French onion soup but many places screw it up where it's too salty or too boulliony (I realize that is not a real word). This is French onion soup the way God intended. Flavorful, full of caramelized onions and covered with melted Gruyere. Bob is very pleased with his she crab soup also.
We ordered the same entree, Veal tenderloin sautéed with mushrooms served with a Cognac cream sauce and garlic mashed potatoes and green beans. This is one of my favorite veal dishes in town. The veal is always tender and the Cognac cream sauce is to die for. While our entrees are being prepared, a house salad is served. I love that Chez Max serves a small salad with the meal. It's a simple green salad (the lettuce is a dark butter lettuce as best as I can tell) with their homemade oil and vinegar dressing.
Our entrees arrive and they are just as we knew they would be. The potatoes are piped in the center and topped with their signature crispy potato ring. The beans are a perfect al dente, seasoned well and the veal is tender as always and the cream sauce hit the spot. Our bill with tax but before tip was $127.89. Chez Max is a great place when you want a nice romantic meal, but want to be comfortable as well.
We left satisfied, but not stuffed and look forward to our next visit. Home / Chez Max Restaurant
Located just west of Pump Road on Patterson Avenue in a free standing building adjacent to a strip mall, Chez Max is unassuming. People hear it's a French restaurant and sometimes mistakenly believe it is going to be formal or stuffy. Chez Max is both comfortable and elegant, which is a challenge to pull off successfully.
We arrive and are warmly greeted by one of the owners, Annie Lecomte. We stop in at the bar (our table was ready but we weren't quite ready to sit down) and order a bottle of French Chablis. We proceed to the warm and elegant dining room. There is a fire going in the stone fireplace and we are fortunate to get a table next to the fire...perfect on a chilly night. There is a nice crowd on this Tuesday night, and one thing I love about Chez Max is everyone seems happy to be there. It is festive but not loud.
Our server arrives and tells us about the specials, but we go with what we know and what I was craving. Bob orders she crab soup and I order French onion. Our server quickly brings us some nice French bread and butter. I love French onion soup but many places screw it up where it's too salty or too boulliony (I realize that is not a real word). This is French onion soup the way God intended. Flavorful, full of caramelized onions and covered with melted Gruyere. Bob is very pleased with his she crab soup also.
We ordered the same entree, Veal tenderloin sautéed with mushrooms served with a Cognac cream sauce and garlic mashed potatoes and green beans. This is one of my favorite veal dishes in town. The veal is always tender and the Cognac cream sauce is to die for. While our entrees are being prepared, a house salad is served. I love that Chez Max serves a small salad with the meal. It's a simple green salad (the lettuce is a dark butter lettuce as best as I can tell) with their homemade oil and vinegar dressing.
Our entrees arrive and they are just as we knew they would be. The potatoes are piped in the center and topped with their signature crispy potato ring. The beans are a perfect al dente, seasoned well and the veal is tender as always and the cream sauce hit the spot. Our bill with tax but before tip was $127.89. Chez Max is a great place when you want a nice romantic meal, but want to be comfortable as well.
We left satisfied, but not stuffed and look forward to our next visit. Home / Chez Max Restaurant
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Our trip to Culpeper, part three, Frost Cafe and the Thyme Market
Saturday morning we slept in (love sleeping by a fire) a bit and headed across the street to the Frost Cafe for breakfast. The building originally was a drug store with a fountain.. Frost Cafe, Culpeper, VA and now is a lovely cafe/diner. The specials of the day are posted...including fried bologna with eggs and home fries..something you don't see everyday. We find an open booth and the counter is filled with men who are clearly regulars and my guess is most any morning you will find them there.
We get coffee and menus and Bob orders country fried steak with gravy, two eggs over medium, home fries and biscuits. I order sausage gravy and eggs. Everything is solid, not fancy, prepared well and the sausage used in my gravy is most likely local....nice and peppery and spicy. If I could break away from It's About Thyme and Foti's, I would love to try it for lunch sometime.
After breakfast we check out and head to the Thyme Market, next door to the Inn. First on the agenda is their house speciality...Better Cheddar Spread. This spread for crackers is made with sharp white cheddar, butter, garlic, chives and I'm not sure what else, but the stuff is addictive and wonderful. We also pick up some homemade bread, desserts (individual key lime cheesecakes, chocolate torte, limoncello tart, and pear tart), and a couple of jams and jellies.
Bob pulled the car around and we load up the trunk with our wares and waiting for me on the passenger seat is a small box. I open it and it's the blue topaz and diamond earrings I admired at the jewelry store the night before. I am surprised, overwhelmed and very touched. Happy Valentine's Day to me. It was a perfect night away from town. I love Culpeper.
We get coffee and menus and Bob orders country fried steak with gravy, two eggs over medium, home fries and biscuits. I order sausage gravy and eggs. Everything is solid, not fancy, prepared well and the sausage used in my gravy is most likely local....nice and peppery and spicy. If I could break away from It's About Thyme and Foti's, I would love to try it for lunch sometime.
After breakfast we check out and head to the Thyme Market, next door to the Inn. First on the agenda is their house speciality...Better Cheddar Spread. This spread for crackers is made with sharp white cheddar, butter, garlic, chives and I'm not sure what else, but the stuff is addictive and wonderful. We also pick up some homemade bread, desserts (individual key lime cheesecakes, chocolate torte, limoncello tart, and pear tart), and a couple of jams and jellies.
Bob pulled the car around and we load up the trunk with our wares and waiting for me on the passenger seat is a small box. I open it and it's the blue topaz and diamond earrings I admired at the jewelry store the night before. I am surprised, overwhelmed and very touched. Happy Valentine's Day to me. It was a perfect night away from town. I love Culpeper.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Our adventure in Culpeper...part two...It's About Thyme
It's About Thyme is one of Virginia's great little treasures. We discovered it years ago when it was simply a restaurant. Mckenzie was horse showing and we were going through horse show hell and It's About Thyme gave us something to look forward to and a place to escape during those long hours of waiting that horse shows bring.
Now, we've all grown up & It's About Thyme is not only a lovely restaurant with terrific food, but an Inn and a gourmet market. Located on Davis Street in Downtown Culpeper, it's convenient to many shops and restaurants (such as Foti's reviewed earlier this week) Culpeper is fortunate enough to call their own.
After our lunch at Foti's, we checked in.....big hugs from one of the owners, Connie, who always remembers us and welcomes us with open arms. Our room is the Thyme room It's About Thyme - Apartments which is reasonably priced at $175/night. This room faces Davis Street and has two small balconies, a fireplace and a lovely bathroom with a jacuzzi tub.
And we can walk...I love a town where I can walk to shops, to restaurants, bakeries (why does Culpeper have a better bakery scene than Richmond?) a diner, and a couple of very nice inns.
After checking in, we walked down Davis Street. We stopped at the wine shop owned by Kim Kelley who used to work for Robbins Cellars and I get some grey salt and a bottle of French rose sparkling. We stop at The Frenchmen's Corner and sample cheeses and pick up some spices, kitchen gadgets and Caesar dressing. The Frenchmen's Corner has an impressive array of chocolates...if I was into chocolate I would have been in heaven..instead I hung around the cheese section since I'm a cheese whore. We then head to The Camelteer and buy possum gloves (which are much nicer than they sound) for Mckenzie and look at their variety of great greeting cards. We venture to a few more places and head back to our room and change for dinner.
We head back out and walk to Foti's for a couple of glasses of wine and to chit-chat with the staff. On the way back to It's About Thyme, Bob wants to stop into the Hazel River Inn. AVOID THE HAZEL RIVER INN AT ALL COSTS. For some reason only known to Bob he always wants to stop in there for a cocktail and the place stinks (literally and figuratively). I have a glass of old white wine and Bob has a Jim Beam and ginger because that is the only bourbon they carry. The place is sad, dirty, the bartender is rude, we don't finish our drinks, I declare we are never returning and head out. Next to It's About Thyme is a jewelry store closing their store and we stop in there and I see a few things I like and they are kind enough to clean my rings and we leave.
Now we're at It's About Thyme for dinner...we are a bit early so our table is not quite ready but are seated after a few short minutes at a lovely window table. They bring out olives to snack on and their homemade foccacia bread and we order wine and review the menu and the specials. Bob orders the pork tenderloin with smoked gouda mac and cheese. I order the NY strip with parmesan and truffle oil French fries. And we order an arugula and goat cheese salad to share (the kitchen was kind enough to divide for us) before our entrees. The arugula was very tender and the goat cheese (local) was creamy and flavorful and not too strong. They keep their dressings simple with high quality olive oil and vinegars.
The entrees arrive and are wonderful and huge...my NY Strip was probably close to 16 oz and cooked perfectly (rare plus) and the fries were to die for and rich with the flavor of the truffle oil. Bob's pork tenderloin (which we think was one entire tenderloin) was cooked perfectly medium, the mac and cheese very good and both entrees came with broccolini, which can be bitter but in this case was not.
John was nice enough to take our remaining wine and glasses upstairs to our room and Connie was kind enough to store our leftovers (which becames quesadillas Sunday night) at the market for us to pick up on our way out Sunday.
We went up and finished our wine enjoying the view of Davis Street (and some college basketball) and called it a night.
Now, we've all grown up & It's About Thyme is not only a lovely restaurant with terrific food, but an Inn and a gourmet market. Located on Davis Street in Downtown Culpeper, it's convenient to many shops and restaurants (such as Foti's reviewed earlier this week) Culpeper is fortunate enough to call their own.
After our lunch at Foti's, we checked in.....big hugs from one of the owners, Connie, who always remembers us and welcomes us with open arms. Our room is the Thyme room It's About Thyme - Apartments which is reasonably priced at $175/night. This room faces Davis Street and has two small balconies, a fireplace and a lovely bathroom with a jacuzzi tub.
And we can walk...I love a town where I can walk to shops, to restaurants, bakeries (why does Culpeper have a better bakery scene than Richmond?) a diner, and a couple of very nice inns.
After checking in, we walked down Davis Street. We stopped at the wine shop owned by Kim Kelley who used to work for Robbins Cellars and I get some grey salt and a bottle of French rose sparkling. We stop at The Frenchmen's Corner and sample cheeses and pick up some spices, kitchen gadgets and Caesar dressing. The Frenchmen's Corner has an impressive array of chocolates...if I was into chocolate I would have been in heaven..instead I hung around the cheese section since I'm a cheese whore. We then head to The Camelteer and buy possum gloves (which are much nicer than they sound) for Mckenzie and look at their variety of great greeting cards. We venture to a few more places and head back to our room and change for dinner.
We head back out and walk to Foti's for a couple of glasses of wine and to chit-chat with the staff. On the way back to It's About Thyme, Bob wants to stop into the Hazel River Inn. AVOID THE HAZEL RIVER INN AT ALL COSTS. For some reason only known to Bob he always wants to stop in there for a cocktail and the place stinks (literally and figuratively). I have a glass of old white wine and Bob has a Jim Beam and ginger because that is the only bourbon they carry. The place is sad, dirty, the bartender is rude, we don't finish our drinks, I declare we are never returning and head out. Next to It's About Thyme is a jewelry store closing their store and we stop in there and I see a few things I like and they are kind enough to clean my rings and we leave.
Now we're at It's About Thyme for dinner...we are a bit early so our table is not quite ready but are seated after a few short minutes at a lovely window table. They bring out olives to snack on and their homemade foccacia bread and we order wine and review the menu and the specials. Bob orders the pork tenderloin with smoked gouda mac and cheese. I order the NY strip with parmesan and truffle oil French fries. And we order an arugula and goat cheese salad to share (the kitchen was kind enough to divide for us) before our entrees. The arugula was very tender and the goat cheese (local) was creamy and flavorful and not too strong. They keep their dressings simple with high quality olive oil and vinegars.
The entrees arrive and are wonderful and huge...my NY Strip was probably close to 16 oz and cooked perfectly (rare plus) and the fries were to die for and rich with the flavor of the truffle oil. Bob's pork tenderloin (which we think was one entire tenderloin) was cooked perfectly medium, the mac and cheese very good and both entrees came with broccolini, which can be bitter but in this case was not.
John was nice enough to take our remaining wine and glasses upstairs to our room and Connie was kind enough to store our leftovers (which becames quesadillas Sunday night) at the market for us to pick up on our way out Sunday.
We went up and finished our wine enjoying the view of Davis Street (and some college basketball
Monday, February 16, 2009
Our lovely overnight getaway to Culpeper...part one...an incredible lunch at Foti's
Bob and I aren't big into traveling; we enjoy short trips with good food and lodging, close to home but away from it all.
Culpeper is one of our favorite towns in Virginia to visit. A short, pretty drive from home, lots of good food, quaint shops and some lovely inns.
Mckenzie was generous enough to give us a gift certificate to our favorite little inn for Christmas and we decided to use it as a Valentine's Day adventure.
We left home in time for lunch at a true gem... Foti's Restaurant - Fine Dining, European Cuisine, Culpeper, Virginia -. The owners, Frank and Sue Maragos, are former Inn at Little Washington employees and it has served them (and the Culpeper community) well. The place is beautiful and could be intimidating, but they are very welcoming..don't let the white table cloths and elegant interior scare you away for lunch. Plan on a wonderful meal and an unbelievable reasonable price.
We are seated and our waiter Pierre lists the special and the soup of the day....root vegetable. Bob loves soup and orders a cup and I'm thinking "root vegetable...whatever". It arrives and is gorgeous....dark caramel color and garnished with toasted hazelnuts and grated apples. Bob offers me a spoonful and it truly is one of the best soups (and definitely the best root vegetable soup) I've had in many ages. Nicely spiced, creamy, not too thin or too thick. And it cost $3.95.
A bread basket is offered for $1.95. Now before everyone gets up in arms about the charge....it will be the best $2 you have spent in a long time. Crusty outside, holey and light on the inside, creamy butter....this is not a time to skip on the bread.
Our entrees arrive and the fun continues. Bob has the Herb Roasted Chicken Bread (French cut) with an orzo, tomato and feta salad with sauteed vegetables and a tomato citrus sauce($11.95). I have the Pomegranate Glazed Pan Seared Salmon on jasmine rice and roasted acorn squash finished with a pickled ginger and granny smith apple salad ($12.95). Both dishes were cooked perfectly and seasoned well and the quality of ingredients and execution cannot be emphasized enough. With Bob's iced tea our bill came to $36 before tip.....an incredible value.
I believe on our next venture, we will have to try it for dinner.
Culpeper is one of our favorite towns in Virginia to visit. A short, pretty drive from home, lots of good food, quaint shops and some lovely inns.
Mckenzie was generous enough to give us a gift certificate to our favorite little inn for Christmas and we decided to use it as a Valentine's Day adventure.
We left home in time for lunch at a true gem... Foti's Restaurant - Fine Dining, European Cuisine, Culpeper, Virginia -. The owners, Frank and Sue Maragos, are former Inn at Little Washington employees and it has served them (and the Culpeper community) well. The place is beautiful and could be intimidating, but they are very welcoming..don't let the white table cloths and elegant interior scare you away for lunch. Plan on a wonderful meal and an unbelievable reasonable price.
We are seated and our waiter Pierre lists the special and the soup of the day....root vegetable. Bob loves soup and orders a cup and I'm thinking "root vegetable...whatever". It arrives and is gorgeous....dark caramel color and garnished with toasted hazelnuts and grated apples. Bob offers me a spoonful and it truly is one of the best soups (and definitely the best root vegetable soup) I've had in many ages. Nicely spiced, creamy, not too thin or too thick. And it cost $3.95.
A bread basket is offered for $1.95. Now before everyone gets up in arms about the charge....it will be the best $2 you have spent in a long time. Crusty outside, holey and light on the inside, creamy butter....this is not a time to skip on the bread.
Our entrees arrive and the fun continues. Bob has the Herb Roasted Chicken Bread (French cut) with an orzo, tomato and feta salad with sauteed vegetables and a tomato citrus sauce($11.95). I have the Pomegranate Glazed Pan Seared Salmon on jasmine rice and roasted acorn squash finished with a pickled ginger and granny smith apple salad ($12.95). Both dishes were cooked perfectly and seasoned well and the quality of ingredients and execution cannot be emphasized enough. With Bob's iced tea our bill came to $36 before tip.....an incredible value.
I believe on our next venture, we will have to try it for dinner.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Happy, happy, joy, joy!! Finally a great little sandwich shop near my office & they make their own bagels to boot!!
I've been working at this office since January 1996. I have been to virtually everyplace on the Hull Street corridor of Midlothian. And it's been chain after chain after chain with the few independent places often being average at best. And to get a decent sandwich was an exercise in frustration and disappointment.
But that's not the case any longer. Now we have Pirozzo's New York Bagels and Deli on Hull Street just west of Woodlake. Sandwiches :::sigh::::, freshly made authentic bagels :::::sigh:::::. They make their own potato salad and flavored cream cheeses and also serve egg/breakfast sandwiches all day.
I entered the small, quaint shop and was overwhelmed (I still think it's going to take me a couple of more visits not to be overwhelmed by the many temptations they offer). I decided to order a Manhattan....pastrami, Swiss Cheese and cole slaw grilled on rye. Warm and melty with the right meat/cheese/bread ratio THIS is what I've been looking for in lunch offerings for over a decade. Best sandwich I've had in our area since the original New York Deli in Carytown.
I got a few sesame (for Bob) and poppy seed (for me) bagels to go....they offer a wide variety of bagels and make them fresh throughout the day. I also brought back some olive cream cheese and veggie cream cheese. And for those fortunate enough to live close, they deliver bagels on weekend mornings....how cool is that?!?
There also was a dessert case offering a number of items, including cannolis, cookies and crumb cake I look forward to trying also.
If you are out west on Hull Street check it out...you'll be glad you did.
But that's not the case any longer. Now we have Pirozzo's New York Bagels and Deli on Hull Street just west of Woodlake. Sandwiches :::sigh::::, freshly made authentic bagels :::::sigh:::::. They make their own potato salad and flavored cream cheeses and also serve egg/breakfast sandwiches all day.
I entered the small, quaint shop and was overwhelmed (I still think it's going to take me a couple of more visits not to be overwhelmed by the many temptations they offer). I decided to order a Manhattan....pastrami, Swiss Cheese and cole slaw grilled on rye. Warm and melty with the right meat/cheese/bread ratio THIS is what I've been looking for in lunch offerings for over a decade. Best sandwich I've had in our area since the original New York Deli in Carytown.
I got a few sesame (for Bob) and poppy seed (for me) bagels to go....they offer a wide variety of bagels and make them fresh throughout the day. I also brought back some olive cream cheese and veggie cream cheese. And for those fortunate enough to live close, they deliver bagels on weekend mornings....how cool is that?!?
There also was a dessert case offering a number of items, including cannolis, cookies and crumb cake I look forward to trying also.
If you are out west on Hull Street check it out...you'll be glad you did.
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