Time to dust off the blog....a wonderful time at Arcadia.

It's been nearly 9 months since my last blog post. I haven't been enjoying great food and cheer. I've been lazy.

We went to some great places in 2010 I should have written about...The Inn at Little Washington, Town House in Chilhowie and of course the new Stella's here in town, among many others.

I am back now, for better or for worse.

Bob and I visited John Van Peppen's place, Arcadia, at the end of December. Let me start by stating I have known John for eight years and consider him a friend. While one's first reaction is I may be biased, that isn't the case. I had very high expectations because I know what John is capable of when it comes to making a restaurant work. He loves food and wine, but more importantly (or at least as important), he loves people and appreciates dining is not only about the food. It's about the experience.

Arcadia is in the former Cafe Gutenburg location adjacent to the Farmer's Market on Main. Richmonders know how challenging parking can be in that area. Arcadia has valet parking available daily and we were happy to use it.

We walk in and the atmosphere is sleek, elegant and very comfortable. We were greeted by the hostess and John and decided to have a drink at the bar before dinner.

Arcadia has a solid and very user friendly wine list. With selections of $20/bottles and $30/bottles, one doesn't feel they need a GPS in order to navigate. We started with a bottle of Sharfenberger Brut sparkling ($30) and shared with others around us to toast the new kid in town.

The two bartenders, Mark and Brian, made us feel so welcomed we decided to have dinner at the bar rather than a table. We shared a salad of Shaved Iceberg with
Duck Bacon, Roma Tomatoes, Creamy Shallot & Mustard Dressing that was the perfect start to the meal. The lettuce and tomato cut the richness of the bacon and the shallot and mustard dressing was very flavorful and not heavy. It was one of the best starter salads I've had in some time. For an appetizer, we shared the rock shrimp mac & cheese. Perfectly cooked pasta with an indulgent gouda cheese sauce and topped with the shrimp, it could easily be paired with a salad for a meal. For entrees, Bob had the Pork Osso Bucco with Barley Risotto & Port Wine Reduction. On John and Mark's recommendation I had the John Dory with black lentils and diced pineapple. Bob's meal was rich and comforting and he enjoyed it immensely. My John Dory was off the charts delicious. The fish and the lentils (both cooked perfectly) complemented each other and the small dice of pineapple on top brought a nice sweetness to the dish. Chef Matthew Tlusty knows his way around the kitchen for certain. We had a bottle of Adelsheim Pinor Noir with the meal and ended the meal with a satisfying but not overly rich pear tart.

Not only was it a great meal, but it was a great experience. The staff is charming and welcoming. The other diners all seemed to be enjoying themselves and I cannot wait to go back for another dinner and also to try their lunch and Sunday brunch.

Arcadia accepts reservations via OpenTable and is perfect for dinner with friends and family or date night with your best guy or gal.

Good job John. I knew you could do it.
http://www.arcadiarichmond.com/index.html