Richmond Dining-Out scene

[wrldcoupe4]

Even the exterior reminds me a bit of 6th St.

[burt]

Style's Deveron tells us that a popular Middle Eastern restaurant, THE GRAPELEAF in The Village Shopping Center at Patterson Avenue and Three Chopt Road, closed abruptly.

[burt]

Dana Craig continues her ethnic tour. Last week it was Pakistani; this week, it's southern Italian.

She awards three stars to MAMA CUSINA squeezed between CAPITAL ALE HOUSE and Dairy Queen on Cox Road. Its Neapolitan/Sicilian/Calabrian specialities are appealing to a growing fan list in the Innsbrook area and elsewhere.

MAMA CUSINA

4028 Cox Road

Noise Level: Medium to loud

Tel. 804/346-3350

Tab for Two: $47

Rating: 3 Stars

Edited August 15, 2008 by burt

[burt]

Here's a list of Richmond area restaurants which have received three-to-four star ratings in the last year or so from Dana Craig at inRich:

http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/entertainmen...08-14-0028.html

I'm pleased to say that of the 23 listed, I have visited and enjoyed eleven. A party of us wanted to go to VERBENA, but it was a Monday and they were closed. We ended up, with no regrets, at ROWLAND.

I have to admit that ARIANNA's in The Museum District (which my date and I walked in and out of because she was dying for her martini) was a bit off-putting from an ambiance standpoint. But again, no regrets because we ended up at THE PHOENICIAN on West Broad near Westmoreland Street. I have since learned that ARIANNA's is expanding into an adjoining building on Belmont Street. Maybe they'll get a full liquor license and spruce up the place.

Edited August 14, 2008 by burt

[burt]

Does anyone have an update on the status of GIBSON's at 7th and Broad in The National?

A friend who is a downtown worker parks in a garage behind The National and passes GIBSON's every week day. She reports that there is constant activity, but she's unable to guess its progress. I think I'll inquire of Johannas Design.

Edited August 15, 2008 by burt

[wrldcoupe4]

Burt I believe I noticed booths and lighting fixtures in place when passing earlier this week...

[burt]

Burt I believe I noticed booths and lighting fixtures in place when passing earlier this week...

Ahhh! Good news, Coupe. Maybe, very soon, GIBSON's will be welcoming guests.

[burt]

I wonder what is the status of Prodigy Partners' plans for a restaurant in the 300 block of East Broad? It was to be called CANVAS. Can anyone update us?

[burt]

Several friends who attended Springsteen's show at The Richmond Coliseum last Monday went to BLUE FIRE STEAK HOUSE for pre-show dinner. They selected the restaurant in The Marriott at my recommendation because it is the closest to the arena and meant one-time parking. Also, few restaurants are open on Mondays in Richmond. I also suggested PENNY LANE PUB and CAFE RUSTICA which are within comfortable walking distance. Until GIBSON's, PIE and new places in M&R Residences open, I'm not aware of any other close-by eateries.

Anyway, they said the food at BLUE FIRE was pretty good, but service was deplorable. They waited over an hour for their meals despite arriving at 5:15PM. I gather BLUE FIRE had one of its better crowds that evening.

Edited August 20, 2008 by burt

[burt]

The glacier has melted and one of America's few ice bars is drifting off on a floe. Maybe cold temperatures and a few bucks will revive INFUZION in Scotts Addition, but for the nonce, the club has closed its doors.

This is from our friend Deveron at Style Weekly:

http://styleweekly.com/article.asp?idarticle=17562

[CommRE]

I stumbled upon this Richmond food blog that has been around for a few months. Richmond, Food for Thought

Interesting that just about every dining experience starts with drinks at Flemings (not that there is anything wrong with that).

[burt]

I stumbled upon this Richmond food blog that has been around for a few months. Richmond, Food for Thought

Interesting that just about every dining experience starts with drinks at Flemings (not that there is anything wrong with that).

This blog is delicious!!! It would be fun to join Janet and her friends for an evening on the town. But once a fortnight, or once a month, is about all I could afford on a Dutch Treat basis. And I think FLEMINGS is a perfect spot to meet for cocktails and also to stick around for one of their sumptious meals and wine tastings.

Besides FLEMINGS, she likes SENSI. And so do I. It is definitely on my list of memorable dining experiences in Richmond.

Thanks for finding this, CommRe.

[burt]

Times dispatch restaurant critic Dana Craig has mixed feelings about TAELLA'S BISTRO. The good part is that food is well prepared and generally agreeable. Not so hot are service and ambiance.

I wonder if the restaurant scene in Richmond hasn't gotten too big for its britches. There are just not enough experienced wait persons to go around. Servers have to be trained to deal with the public as well as being conversant on menu offerings. For instance, it is reported that Johnny Giavos has been training servers in his restaurants for weeks so that they will be ready for the imminent launching of GIBSON's downtown.

TAELLA'S BISTRO

13561 Midlothian Tpk (Midlothian Station Shopping Center)

Tel. 866/794-7271 (this is a toll-free number and the only one listed for the restaurant)

Web Site: http://www.taellasbistro.com

Tab for two: $57

Dana's Rating: Two and a half stars

Edited August 21, 2008 by burt

[burt]

There seems to be considerable shufflings, closings, openings and what have you in Shockoe Bottom. What used to be called AFTER 6 on Main Street is now called 3-2-1 SUPPER CLUB, and what formerly was BIG DADDY's is now (yes!) AFTER 6.

BPM (formerly TONIC) on 18th Street has closed and a new tenant is being sought for the building.

The former MOONDANCE is now an Ethiopian Restaurant called SHEEBA.

And we've reported pages back about LULU'S, HALLIGAN BAR AND GRILL and ALEX'S THAI CUISINE on 17th Street.

[burt]

nhughes (Nathan), what can you tell us about RENDEZVOUS on West Broad between Foushee and Adams Streets? It reportedly is going to be a sleek new club. Any news about when (or if) it will open?

Also, what is the status of the building at the corner of Walnut Alley and 18th Street in Shockoe Bottom? There seemed to be some renovation going on when I was in Richmond early July.

[burt]

RED ROBIN, a 5,000+ square foot burger spot, is scheduled to open late September at Chesterfirld Town Center. It will be the first in Richmond for this chain.

Edited August 28, 2008 by burt

[burt]

Good girl, Dana!!

My favorite restaurant critic from The Times Dispatch has discovered a Jackson Ward eatery that has been struggling to make its mark. For a while, it was known as MAGGIE'S, then CHICKEN & WAFFLES. Despite its proximity to the office of Jackson Ward developer Ron Stallings, the fabulously successful CROAKER'S SPOT as well as the popular Gallery District, the place simply never caught the attention of Richmond's restaurant cognoscente.

Read about AMBIANCE BAR AND GRILL and book a table. Here are Dana's three-star comments:

http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/entertainmen...08-28-0123.html

AMBIANCE BAR AND GRILL

415 North 1st Street (between Marshall and Clay Streets)

tel. 804/612-7053

Full Bar

Noise level: Average

Dana's rating: Three Stars

Tab for two: $31

Edited August 28, 2008 by burt

[jbjust]

RED ROBIN, a 5,000+ square foot burger spot, is scheduled to open late September at Chesterfirld Town Center. It will be the first in Richmond for this chain.

There has been a Red Robin out at Short Pump for more than two years now.

[blake_p]

There has been a Red Robin out at Short Pump for more than two years now.

There's also one at VA Center Commons that been there for a several years.

[ric75]

There's also one at VA Center Commons that been there for a several years.

There about 250 of them in the USA and Canada thus the reason chains are boring and lend nothing to the identity of an area.

Has anyone else noticed the recent chain restaurant reviews in the Times-Dispatch? Most recently they reviewed Moe's.. hope this doesn't become a trend.

[wrldcoupe4]

Aren't these the Daniel Neman cheap lunch type of reviews? Dana, the primary reviewer at the RTD IMO, still devotes her energy to sampling local restaurants.

Edited August 28, 2008 by wrldcoupe4

[burt]

Thanks, guys, for correcting me on RED ROBIN locations in the area. Shows you how little I know about some of the chains.

I think I am correct in saying that the new SILVER DINER opening at Innsbrook is a chain.

And yes, the press coverage of MOE'S was one of those quick lunch reviews written by various staffers at RTD which appear weekly in the RTD.

Dana pretty much (or probably exclusively) covers non-chain restaurants such as AMBIANCE BAR AND GRILL.

Edited August 28, 2008 by burt

[ric75]

Thanks, guys, for correcting me on RED ROBIN locations in the area. Shows you how little I know about some of the chains.

I think I am correct in saying that the new SILVER DINER opening at Innsbrook is a chain.

And yes, the press coverage of MOE'S was one of those quick lunch reviews written by various staffers at RTD which appear weekly in the RTD.

Dana pretty much (or probably exclusively) covers non-chain restaurants such as AMBIANCE BAR AND GRILL.

burt I haven't forgotten your request. With the long weekend ahead I hope to get out and take some photos in the Bottom

[burt]

burt I haven't forgotten your request. With the long weekend ahead I hope to get out and take some photos in the Bottom

Thanks, ric75. And will you be sure to double check all the places on the north side of Main between 17th and 18th so we will know exactly where AFTER 6, the former BIG DADDY'S and 3-2-1 SUPPER CLUB are located. I'm still confused about what is on the corner of 18th and Main.

[ric75]

Thanks, ric75. And will you be sure to double check all the places on the north side of Main between 17th and 18th so we will know exactly where AFTER 6, the former BIG DADDY'S and 3-2-1 SUPPER CLUB are located. I'm still confused about what is on the corner of 18th and Main.

Nothing on the corner of 18th and Main yet as far as I know. The owner of Big Daddy's had plans to open it as new incarnation of Good Fellas but that doesn't seem to have panned out.

Edited August 29, 2008 by ric75