Virginia - Small Cities and Towns

[wineitup]

how bout strike thru it like sheridan did? the valley: one topic

and leave the 95 corridor to grant: woodbridge, the wilderness, fredericksburg, spotslyvania, yellow tavern, richmond, petersburg (and points east and west). another.

nova, well that's easy.

now that leaves the great dismal swamp.... oh wait, virginia beach.

We in the South don't take kindly to Yankee names like Sheridan and Grant.

There are some good places in the Fredericksburg area now. if anyone needs recommendations, let me know.

[KMango]

Staunton

which reminds me that i found two worthwhile, moderately expensive restaurants in staunton early this year: zynodoa and staunton grocery. the former pits polyface and ayrshire farms against each other in a pork and chicken appetizer. i don't recall details of the food coming out of these modern American kitchens all that well, but i suspect that i would be visiting frequently if they were closer. both make interesting use of their deep, old storefront spaces. they are located on beverley, the main commercial street going through downtown, within a few blocks of each other.

near the train station, the small wine cellar has a nice selection from local vineyards.

Echoing the sentiment for Staunton Grocery, where I had lunch yesterday. An outstanding roasted beet salad with ideally bright baby arugula, crushed hazelnuts, cocoa nibs, and yes...a touch of goat cheese. Not served too cold, a lovely, seasonal starter.

Speaking of seasonal, the restaurant lists local producers on the back of the menu (picture attached).

I also tried my companion's country ham & cheese croquettes, three flavorful bites plated above a saffron garlic aioli and an abundance of micro-diced chives. Admittedly a bit salty on their own (ham, ham, you know what I am), but blissfully balanced when paired with aioli and onion.

An outrageously decadent Duck Confit Club sandwich followed, graced with local bacon on a puffy-egg heaven brioche. Grainy mustard bit through the richness, a towering tier of everything cardiologists stand against. I'd order that again in a heartbeat, but, as I did this time, would request a substitute for the flavor-canceling ketchup served with the accompanying fries. Ketchup has it's place, including beloved Mr. Burns quotes, but not next to that lush sandwich. The server offered a few other choices, and I settled on a black garlic aioli, a much more appropriate flavor booster for the fried tubers.

My dining companion enjoyed the milk-fed fried chicken served over mashed purple Peruvian potatoes, braised greens, and baby carrots. This was a show-stopper of an entree, crackle-crisp skin, outstanding moist flavor, and generous portion size for an elegant, hearty, and beautifully plated lunch.

Best of all, the lunch menu here is $15 prix fixe for two courses. You can choose an appetizer and an entree, or entree and dessert. A heck of a deal for this calibur of food in this Shenandoah town.

I recommend aiming for the app and entree, and then hitting the ice cream store a few doors down. The Split Banana offers incredible frozen concoctions, all created from grass-fed Pennsylvania cows. They also let you order a kid's size even if you are not a kid, a big boon for me. The Ancho Chile sent me through the roof with delight, and my dining companions raved about their maple and vanilla selections. Two small town gems not to be missed, leave time for the Staunton Grocery and Split Banana experience.

[ol_ironstomach]

Winchester

Diabetics, avert your eyes now. Whatever you choose for your dinner, the white chocolate and pecan bread pudding at One Block West is one crazy good sweet mess. I just hope I get home before the sugar crash catches up with me.

[Seanchai]

Roanoke

Spending a couple of days in Roanoke this week and can come up with two recomendations. I've enjoyed the food and beer at Blue 5 in the downtown district. Nothing fancy but slightly upscale bar food very well executed. Another place I discovered down here is Fork in the City, which has a real Philly gastropub or even Portland, Oregon feel to it. Located just outside the downtown business district in Old Southwest (?), it has a wood-fired oven, rustic open room with booths and neighborhood friendly menu (pizza, burgers, hot dogs as well as various southwesty stuff like chilis and burrritos). I had a small Italia pizza and a bowl of chili and both hit the spot on a chilly night.

[dcs]

Roanoke

I had a pleasant late lunch yesterday at Horizon Bar & Grill in Roanoke. The restaurant is about 3 years old but is in a beautiful space that must be at least 100 years old with original brick walls, tin ceiling, and some flooring. I had a ham panini with mushrooms, spinach, cranberries, and swiss cheese with a bourbon glaze. I thought it was nicely balanced, with just a smattering of mushrooms and not too much of the cranberries (which I have found other places to overdo sometimes). It was served with an apple slaw, which worked well for me. They had a bahn mi on the lunch menu, which tempted me but I passed on the theory that it could not possibly be better than what is available around here.

[lscanlon]

Winchester

My wife and I spent the weekend in Winchester, VA, and ate twice at the Union Jack Pub and Restaurant on Loudoun Street. Saturday evening we had the 12-oz Prime Rib ($22) and the Lobster Stuffed Ravioli in cream sauce ($17), both fantastic. On Sunday afternoon, I had Fish & Chips ($9.50), which came with excellent handcut, skin-on fries and coleslaw. My wife had Mac & Cheese, which she didn't care for because it was loaded with pepper.

The place has a very warm, pubby ambiance and the wait staff is friendly and helpful.. For food and drink suggestions, ask for Nikki behind the bar. They also have outside seating.

We highly recommend Union Jack.

[astrid]

Chilhowie

We're making a pilgramage to Town House Restaurant on 4/26 and then driving home the next day. Are there any particularly worthy victuals to be had in Blacksburg, Roanoke, Charlottesville, etc?

[ktmoomau]

We're making a pilgramage to Town House Restaurant on 4/26 and then driving home the next day. Are there any particularly worthy victuals to be had in Blacksburg, Roanoke, Charlottesville, etc?

Check the Charlottesville thread, there is one I am sure of it... I have posted tons and tons on it. But Maya is great. I really like Hamilton's too.

In Roanoke, there is some good stuff downtown. I forget names, will go back and look for them. But right around the outdoor market are a couple good places.

[Joe H]

Crozet

We're making a pilgramage to Town House Restaurant on 4/26 and then driving home the next day. Are there any particularly worthy victuals to be had in Blacksburg, Roanoke, Charlottesville, etc?

Crozet pizza would compliment the Town House experience quite nicely.

[UStifosi]

Chilhowie

I had the oppotunitiy to go to a wedding over the weekend in Blacksburg so that made a perfect excuse to make a much anticipated visit to Town House last Friday. Extremely impressed with everything! Probably one of my top 5 meals ever which is saying a lot. We ordered the 10 course tasting. The highlights were the Chilled Vegetable "Minestrone" (flavor after flavor of spring and summer), Preserved Cucumber (green almonds were added a neat touch), Soft Shell Crab in Brown Butter & Lime (in season starting this week). Chef Shields and staff did not disappoint with anything. The attention to detail, the service, the wine selection, everything was just perfect. All the flavors just popped througout the evening. We also got a chance to duck into the kitchen which resembles something out of Penn Quarter rather than sw Virginia. it's possible to do a wine pairing. Instead we went with a red from Bandol and then eventually one of my favorites Pride Merlot.

As mentioned before there is nothing noteworhy for miles. Most of the clientele come from DC or the RTP area. Most weekends they are full (7-8 tables) which is a good sign as I definitely want to go back soon. For those making the trek, I would recommend the Staunton Grocery for lunch. We also stopped by Restaurant 50 in Roanoke and the nearby Valhalla winery.

[ktmoomau]

Stuart's Draft (near Staunton and Waynesboro)

Had a nice little diversion from Charlottesville over to Stuart's Draft to go to the Mennonite greenhouse on Saturday and then made a detour to the Cheese Shop in Stuart's Draft, the one that isn't in the main part of town but down the road. The one in town is more like a sandwich deli, the one out of town is their market. Growing up with an Amish Nanny I have always had an affinity for the bulk markets in small Amish and Mennonite communities. This one had a great selection of grains and flours, baking supplies, cereals, and had chips and snacks for amazingly cheap prices. They also had a nice cheese shop- not like cowgirl creamery or whole foods, but some good stuff and a great deli meat selection with fresh roasted turkey breast, tuscan style fresh roasted turkey breast, pastrami and etc. They also had a lot of boars head deli meats. Wide selection of candies and dried fruit. But what surprised me the most was the very good selection of gluten free items. It was very well stocked for that. Had sandwiches with the turkey when we got home that were quite tasty.

[astrid]

Great to hear the recent Town House review! Thanks UStifosi!

Thanks too to Katelin and Joe H for your recommendations and suggestions. We stopped by MAS because of the recommendations on the CVille thread and had a great experience.

[astrid]

Chilhowie

I'm happy to say that Town House is a top 5 dining experience for me. It's definitely much quieter on a Tuesday night - they had a private function with 15 people but the main dining area was less than half full. The food was very creative and very vernal - from little seasonal touches like wild flower in several dishes (which also adds interesting flavor and textures to the dish) to serving lamb and mushrooms. The closest DC area comparison is probably Volt, Town House is like a salad at Volt on steroids. Everything is very, very carefully conceived and put together, so that every little bite is just a bit different.

Our favorites were the "cephalopod" squid risotto, the oyster in mussel broth, the beef cheeks, and the lamb and mushroom.

I definitely recommend the 10 course option. There's relatively little food in each course and none of the courses felt heavy. Also, since the dishes are intentionally put together so that every bite is just a little different, it's better to get your own dish rather than just get a taste from someone else at the table.

[ol_ironstomach]

Charlottesville

Dr. Ho's Humble Pie at the crossroads. about 8 miles south of C'ville on the Northbound side of the road.
humble pie

Thanks, Joe! That was expensive but satisfying...some really great flavor combinations, as deck-oven pies go. You'll need to plunk down more than $20 to get the medium (14") Bellissima, which is fresh mozz, tomato, basil, and shaved Turner country ham, topped with a heap of arugula, lemon vinaigrette, fresh pepper, sea salt, and both grated and planed parm. But it's fabulous. The crust is a good effort, but more New York than Naples, and again somewhat limited by the oven. Hip counterculture vibe.

[thetrain]

Roanoke

I had a pleasant late lunch yesterday at Horizon Bar & Grill in Roanoke. The restaurant is about 3 years old but is in a beautiful space that must be at least 100 years old with original brick walls, tin ceiling, and some flooring. I had a ham panini with mushrooms, spinach, cranberries, and swiss cheese with a bourbon glaze. I thought it was nicely balanced, with just a smattering of mushrooms and not too much of the cranberries (which I have found other places to overdo sometimes). It was served with an apple slaw, which worked well for me. They had a bahn mi on the lunch menu, which tempted me but I passed on the theory that it could not possibly be better than what is available around here.

If anyone is taking the VA bar this summer, or any summer I guess, I'd recommend this place for dinner after day one. Nice, but not too fancy; food leans towards American, but with a little flair, reasonably priced. Great place to have a relaxing meal. And no one else from the bar exam was there.

Alejandro's Mexican Grille nearby serves serviceable tacos and has a salsa bar. Not as good as some tacos in DC, but still tasty and a good cheap eat.

[jandres374]

Strasburg

Happen to be spending a night in Strasburg, VA this weekend and I am in charge of arranging dinner for 4 adults and 4 kids.

Any suggestions?

[wineitup]

Stanardsville (near Charlottesville)

I have not seen this one mentioned so i thought I would add it.

Did a 3 day weekend near C'ville and while looking for a place for our anniversary dinner came across The Lafayette Restaurant and Inn . It's in Standardsville, VA. After checking out the website i noticed they did a Chef's Tasting Menu for $125/pp that included wine. I was intrigued, so i made a reservation.

I can safely say it was well worth the money. Since we went on a Friday evening, we basically had the whole restaurant to ourselves and even had the chef come out for basically every course and talk about the food and wine. They generally do 10-12 courses, but I got the impression he would keep going if you had more room. The wines were a mix of Virginia wines, along with some, Italian and Argentinean wines if i remember correctly. A new wine is served with each course, which ended up be way to much wine, and we did not drink all of it obviously (took a cab to and from, just to be safe).

The food itself was good. We had to stop him at 10 courses because we were stuffed.

Here's what we had:
Cold Strawberry soup
Corn fritters (these were bite sized bits of awesomeness)
Fried green tomatoes
Caprese salad
Scallop & watermelon (sounds weird, but it worked)
Southern eggroll
Lobster ravioli
Vegetable wellington
Voodoo mahi mahi
Bread pudding w/blackberry sauce

[kturkey88]

Lake Anna (between Fredericksburg and Richmond)

Going to Lake Anna – staying in Bumpass – for the first time later this month…does anyone have any recs on restaurants or local markets to check out?

[jparrott]

Waverly (near Petersburg)

Lunched yesterday at Cowling's BBQ in Waverly, VA, just north of the Virginia Diner on US-460. Excellent white oak-cooked pork shoulders, chopped to order with plenty of browns (you pay extra for inside-only, as it should be) and dressed by you with a slightly thicker-than-pure-vinegar sauce (tomato, perhaps?). Good onion rings, white slaw.

Yay!

[Atenna]

Northern Neck area

I did not know if there is a better place for this entry but perhaps someone will move it if there is a more appropriate place:
Kilmarnook, VA
Carried Away Cuisine: like a deli with some eat-in tables. Really, really good offerings. Probably the most fun I have had in a deli in a really long time. Food is not boring; they weigh everything and charge by the lb. Husband and I a tablespoon of 8 different things and loved them all. Baked goods to die for. If you are there and want good food, worth the stop.
Topping, VA
Not well advertised little known place down Locklies Creek Road, @ the water is a shack with some tables on the porch outside and some bar stools inside where they pair oysters with wine and beer. Rappahannock River Oysters Co farms 3 types of oysters and decided a good way to get people to try their product is to create like a tasting room so folks can give their product a try. The freshest oysters one can have and yes, the wine paring was very complimentary. Also have created their own sauces, 3 of them, to try with the 3 oyster types. Craft beers on tap. limited wine selection; I let them do the paring choices. they have cooked products also, but we did not care to try that. If you are in the area, you gotta go. 784 Locklies Creek Rd, Topping, VA. They have an actual name for the restaurant but i don't have that written down. just look for the Rappahannock Oyster sign. Will definitely seek this place out again in the future. <www.rroysters.com>
Irvington, VA
Nate's Trick Dog Cafe, 4357 Irvirngton Rd. Irvington is the home of the famous Tides Inn; a tourist area. We shared dinner here and was a bit underwhelmed with the finished product. Calamari was tender and flavorful. The yellow fin tuna entree was OK, the food experience here was a bit of a let down but the bar scene was rocking. We did not partake in the house made drinks so cannot comment on the beverage quality here. Will not likely eat here again.
Tides Inn, 480 King Carter Dr, Irvington prides itself for its service and nicely kept premises. If you stay at Tide Inn or if you are in the area and want an upscale resort dining experience, then go here. If you think you may want to travel from DC only for dinner at the Inn, you may find yourself disappointed. The food was creative, well executed, fun to eat. The prices are resort prices, so I think one gets more for their buck at most of the better restaurants in the metro DC area. I was disappointed that the chef had a very limited wine selection for pairing with his food. although their bottled wine selection was decent, staff limited by the glass selection to the 5 or 6 offerings at the bar. The server tried to help us out with a choice to compliment the food, but it really did not do the food justice. We stayed 2 nights at the Inn and it was a wonderful place. check out the web site for more info. Will visit the Inn again, but likely not have dinner there again. www.tidesinn.com
Urbanna, VA
Something Different Country store and Deli. <www.pine3.info> This place is absolutely worth the trip. The owner is a retired farmer who loves food and loves to play with it. He does barbeque worth eating, both beef and pork. He makes his own ice cream (chocolate with chili peppers) and has adult versions (Brandy Alexander & Grasshopper) too. Everything is house made, does not appear to use anything preprocessed. NOT a fine dining establishment, the tables are large old butcher blocks with milk crates and cushions with chairs. We plan to very soon go back down to the northern neck just to go to this place. check out the link and download the menu. Seriously worth the trip. FYI a "hoecake" reminds me of a corn fritter.

[qwertyy]

Front Royal

Element was a cute place to stop on the way to Skyline Drive this week. The crab tomato dill soup was off the hook--one of the best soups I've had in a while (despite a couple of small pieces of shell and the need for a touch of salt). And the curried chicken salad was really tasty. My dining companions said their sandwiches were "fine." The little wine shop off to the side is cool too, and our server, who also turned out to be the wine buyer, was really excited to talk about his wines and recommend good vineyards in the area. I don't know how much else there is around there, but Element makes for a decent pit stop.

[jpbloom]

Chilhowie

We had reservations at Town House at the end of March, but were just told that John and Karen Shields are pursuing "a new culinary opportunity" so the restaurant will not be re-opening after its winter break. Shame I didn't make it there in time.

Any recommendations for an alternative in that part of the state? We'll be stopping on a drive down to Asheville for a wedding.

[DonRocks]

Harrisonburg

We had reservations at Town House at the end of March, but were just told that John and Karen Shields are pursuing "a new culinary opportunity" so the restaurant will not be re-opening after its winter break. Shame I didn't make it there in time.

Any recommendations for an alternative in that part of the state? We'll be stopping on a drive down to Asheville for a wedding.

It's no replacement for Town House (and I don't mean to beat this horse to death), but if you're driving past Harrisonburg in the morning, have breakfast at The Little Grill.

[wrash]

Staunton

We had dinner on a very busy Friday evening at Aioli in Staunton. This is a tapas and Mediterrian cuisine place in old town. Most of our party of five had tapas. I had marinated olives with herbs and feta, grilled diver sea scallops and Marquez lamb sausage. Others had hummus, grilled crimini mushrooms, truffle risotto and several other items, but memory fails.

I knew the chef had promise when the scallops arrived perfectly cooked. They were not the rubbery overcooked shellfish you see so often, but were fresh and velvety inside - exactly the way they should be cooked. The lamb sausage was made in-house and had the French - Morroccan favors that I loved in Tangier. The chef, Said Rhafiri, is originally from Morocco, and it shows.

The chef uses fresh local ingredients and treats them with great respect. This is a fine place to eat and the tapas are well crafted with perfect execution.

Wayne Rash

[qwertyy]

Staunton

Echoing the sentiment for Staunton Grocery, where I had lunch yesterday. An outstanding roasted beet salad with ideally bright baby arugula, crushed hazelnuts, cocoa nibs, and yes...a touch of goat cheese. Not served too cold, a lovely, seasonal starter.

Closed.

[qwertyy]

Northern Neck area

Irvington, VA
Nate's Trick Dog Cafe, 4357 Irvirngton Rd. Irvington is the home of the famous Tides Inn; a tourist area. We shared dinner here and was a bit underwhelmed with the finished product. Calamari was tender and flavorful. The yellow fin tuna entree was OK, the food experience here was a bit of a let down but the bar scene was rocking. We did not partake in the house made drinks so cannot comment on the beverage quality here. Will not likely eat here again.

Urbanna, VA
Something Different Country store and Deli. <www.pine3.info> This place is absolutely worth the trip. The owner is a retired farmer who loves food and loves to play with it. He does barbeque worth eating, both beef and pork. He makes his own ice cream (chocolate with chili peppers) and has adult versions (Brandy Alexander & Grasshopper) too. Everything is house made, does not appear to use anything preprocessed. NOT a fine dining establishment, the tables are large old butcher blocks with milk crates and cushions with chairs. We plan to very soon go back down to the northern neck just to go to this place. check out the link and download the menu. Seriously worth the trip. FYI a "hoecake" reminds me of a corn fritter.

You. Rock.

Thank you SO much for recommending Something Different. I stopped there on my way down to Irvington and had an outstanding platter of tri-tip, just off the smoker. It was incredibly tender and flavorful, and the horseradish mustard was a perfect match along with a few shakes from whatever that magic not-salt and not-pepper shaker on the table holds. And those hoe cakes, with their crisp buttery edges and fluffy interior, served with molasses, are dangerously good (it's probably best that they only serve two). On the way back I pretty much bought out the store--officially, to feed houseguests, but unofficially, so I could eat through most of the menu myself: more sliced tri-tip, smoked salmon, pulled pork, Eastern NC BBQ sauce, peanuts, baked beans, cole slaw, and slices of the buttermilk, pecan, and coconut custard pies. I have not tried the pie or salmon yet, but everything else is top notch, especially the beans. I was surprised to like the beans so darn much. Most definitely worth the stop.

Also agree on Nate's. My rockfish sandwich was fine (the spicy coleslaw on top was great), but it was nothing to write home about. The manhattan was syrupy sweet--stick with beer. The patio was definitely a better choice than the mobbed bar, but the service is perfectly pleasant, and if you're staying in Irvington and don't want to drive, it's pretty much the only game in town.

The Hope and Glory Inn is a gorgeous B&B with wonderfully kind, welcoming staff. The breakfast is mighty fine; the four-course dinner is just okay. And the alcohol program is disappointing--three bad beers, limited hard liquor selection, and no wine list (they tell you the six grape varietals they've and you pick, even if buying a bottle). You can only drink what they sell on their property, so you're pretty much stuck with it.

[baczkowski]

Raphine (between Staunton and Lexington)

We headed down to Smith Mountain Lake this past weekend and by accident took 81 most of the way despite the recommendation to take 29. Right when my son decided to drop a deuce in his diaper, we passed a sign that said, "Smiley's Fuel City: Best Dang BBQ in VA," so we were required to stop at the next exit. Even if you've had better luck potty training your two year old than I have, I'd say it's worth a stop in Raphine, VA. The barbecue was very good and I thought the brisket pushed into great. They serve both "Carolina" (i.e. vinegar based) and "Texas" (i.e. tomato based) barbecue styles for pulled pork and I tried the Carolina, which was quite good and better than any place around DC trying to pull Carolina style off. My wife got the brisket and she scored the winner. The brisket was thinly shaved (not the thicker slices I've normally had) with a pink smoke ring and pleasant smoke flavor, but it's texture was what I especially appreciated because it had integrity, juice, and, best of all, fat that truly melted in your mouth. No stringiness or grissle here. I liked her sandwich so much that I asked for an order of just the meat, which they sell by the pound for $10.99. I picked up my pound, squeezed some of the "made fresh daily" Cattleman's (tomato-based) BBQ sauce into a styrofoam drink cup, popped on a plastic lid, and carried out one of the culinary hits of the weekend. Regretfully, I haven't eaten nearly enough barbecued brisket to be anywhere close to an authority on it, but I have to say I enjoyed this version more than any other I've had before. I'd love to know where around DC there is better smoked brisket.

The sides are worth briefly noting. My side of crinkle fries looked like crispier versions of the crap they served in my junior high cafeteria, but I ate every last one of them even though (or because?) they were overly salty and had that delicious trans-fat taste that you miss in a McDonald's french fry (eat a bag of Martin's Kettle-cooked potato chips found only at certain Giant stores here and you'll know that taste I'm talking about). My wife hated the side of cole slaw, but my dad would have loved it: a densely packed mound of diced cabbage in a sweet and creamy dressing spiced with a little celery seed and possibly a little relish. A true simple-man's pleasure.

We drove back to Bethesda via 29 and sacrificed better mountain views, less congested stop lights, and "the best dang BBQ" I've had in VA, DC, and MoCo. We didn't have to make any diaper stops and there was far less whining coming home, but I enjoyed the drive down better.

[Escoffier]

Marion (extreme southwest)

If you happen to find yourself in Marion, VA (as I did a couple of weeks ago), it's hard to beat the Black Rooster in the General Francis Marion Hotel for some pretty esoteric food for a small town.

[dcs]

Staunton

We had dinner on a very busy Friday evening at Aioli in Staunton. This is a tapas and Mediterrian cuisine place in old town. Most of our party of five had tapas. I had marinated olives with herbs and feta, grilled diver sea scallops and Marquez lamb sausage. Others had hummus, grilled crimini mushrooms, truffle risotto and several other items, but memory fails.

I knew the chef had promise when the scallops arrived perfectly cooked. They were not the rubbery overcooked shellfish you see so often, but were fresh and velvety inside - exactly the way they should be cooked. The lamb sausage was made in-house and had the French - Morroccan favors that I loved in Tangier. The chef, Said Rhafiri, is originally from Morocco, and it shows.

The chef uses fresh local ingredients and treats them with great respect. This is a fine place to eat and the tapas are well crafted with perfect execution.

Wayne Rash

We were at Aioli on Saturday night. In small Virginia towns, restuarants like this often display more promise than execution (I am looking at you, Dish), but we were quite pleased with our meal. We stuck to the tapas side of the menu and found the portions relatively generous. We had the diver sea scallops (which may be what you had) that were grilled perfectly. We also particularly liked the roasted beets and goat cheese salad (the beets were plentiful and tasted fresh). Roasted quail and some pork skewers (served simply in a shallow pool of a perfectly spicy tomato and red pepper based sauce), both from the specials board, rounded out the meal, along with some Barboursville Cab Franc Reserve by the glass.

[JPW]

Lynchburg

(I am looking at you, Dish)

The one time I ate at dish a few years ago I ended up getting into an argument with the owner after I mentioned that my pork chop was overcooked (as in medium well). His position was that it was the proper temperature for a pork chop.

[MMM]

Orange (between Culpeper and Charlottesville)

Driving up 15 from southern Virginia last Friday, we stopped for lunch at Real Food in Orange, here: http://getreal22960.blogspot.com/. It's a quirky little place with no sign and only a few tables. The couple who run the place were nice and the food interesting and really good. As you can see, they are only open for lunch and on Monday - Friday.

[Justin Bittner]

Catawba (near Roanoke)

Right on the outskirts of Roanoke in a town called Catawba there's a restaurant called home place. It's on top of a mountain and they are open from 4-8. They serve the same thing all the time, so for 14 dollars you get your choice of 2 meats and for 15 you get all three. This comes with fried chicken country ham and roast beef, sides include biscuits, mash potato and gravy, Mac n cheese cole slaw, braised green beans pinto beans. You also get your choice of soft drink all included. They will refill any dish you'd like throughout your meal and you can take your leftovers, everything is awesome with the green beans probably being my favorite. I will be going back on wedsday when I come back up from Alabama.

[Escoffier]

Winchester

Grover and I were in Winchester last weekend (okay, Thursday through Sunday) and to celebrate a special occassion, we decided we'd take advantage of Chef Ed Matthews of One Block West and his tasting menu. Because Chef Matthews uses ingredients that he has purchased (mostly) the same day, the menu is a flexible work of art. I'm not sure that comments on the food are necessary other than to say that the first course was amazing and each following course was even more amazing. The combination of ingredients, the textures and the well-blended flavors all came together to create probably the best dinner four of us have ever had. Here is the menu:

Pepperoni-Spiced Pork Terrine
Ground local Berkshire pork shoulder and scraps
Interior garnishes: Chorizo, Mangalitsa pork pancetta (house-cured), pistachios
Seasoning: ground fennel seed, pimentón, garlic, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, Chianti
Mâche
Roasted red pepper goat cheese truffle
Wine: Grotta del Sole Asprinio d’Aversa

Scallop Tartare
Diced sea scallop (dayboat, landed New Bedford), mango, avocado, capers, shallots, cilantro vinaigrette
Coconut-wasabi sorbet
Wine: Glen Manor Vineyards Petit Manseng Virginia 2011

Pan-Roasted Steelhead Trout (wild, origin Quebec)
Goose Egg (local) Fried Rice
Roasted haricots verts
Crispy local oyster mushrooms
Hoisin/Dobanjang/Fish Sauce/Garlic Chive glaze around bowl
Wine: Amalie Robert Pinot Meunier Willamette Valley 2010

Porcini, Arugula, Duck Confit Pizza
Grilled house-made naan dough
Topped with lemon-caper cream cheese
Fresh (Oregon) porcini stewed in butter, garlic, parsley (porcini trifolati)
House-cured duck confit (3-month curing process)
Wilted arugula with slivered garlic
Wine: Argyle Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2010

Mojito Sorbet

Rabbit
Pulled local rabbit bound with saffron-dill sauce in phyllo
Creamed fennel stalks
Salad of mâche and locust blossoms (Ed’s yard) with honey-lemon dressing
Crispy Morels (local)
Fennel cream/fennel pollen around plate edge
Wine: ADEA Pinot Noir “Deano’s Pinot” Willamette Valley 2009

Lemon Panna Cotta
Honey rhubarb compote
Lemon balm (Ed’s garden)

If you have never had the opportunity to eat at One Block West, I can't recommend it highly enough. Dinner for the four of us with wines, tax and gratuity was roughly $150 each. Click the link for the website: One Block West

NB: I found out later that Ed and I both grew up in the same place, went to the same schools and followed parallel career paths, however, I must say his is much more satisfying than mine.

[Joe H]

Winchester

We had dinner at the Chef's Table of One Block West a week and a half ago. It is, indeed, outstanding. Similar to the former Standard Grocery in Staunton (whose chef is now establishing a national reputation in Charlottesville) it is a superb destination restaurant, well worth the drive from D. C. One Block West is almost unknown, not reviewed by Tom, Todd or anyone else in the D. C. area.

It is a gem worth discovering.

A block west, outside of its door, is the Bourbon street of Winchester which is also unknown here. Old Town Winchester has a lot of character! The analogy with Bourbon street is not a bad one: street minstrels, musicians and magicians the seven, eight block long hundred plus year old main street has a real personality. Start with dinner at One Block West and then, afterwards, amble over the source.

Whatever the yesterday image of Winchester was, today it is well worth the drive. And adventure.

[porcupine]

Winchester

A block west, outside of its door, is the Bourbon street of Winchester which is also unknown here. Old Town Winchester has a lot of character! The analogy with Bourbon street is not a bad one: street minstrels, musicians and magicians the seven, eight block long hundred plus year old main street has a real personality.

Does it also have skanky people hanging out the doors of sex toy shops waving vibrators at you, and the smell of booze, puke and piss in the sidewalks? (Granted I haven't been there in 13 years, maybe it's gotten better.) But I agree that One Block West is underrated. I've been there several times on Friday or Saturday nights when it wasn't more than half full. Do the good people of Winchester know what they have?

[Joe H]

Winchester

Does it also have skanky people hanging out the doors of sex toy shops waving vibrators at you, and the smell of booze, puke and piss in the sidewalks? (Granted I haven't been there in 13 years, maybe it's gotten better.) But I agree that One Block West is underrated. I've been there several times on Friday or Saturday nights when it wasn't more than half full. Do the good people of Winchester know what they have?

This was the first time I've perhaps ever been in Old Town Winchester and was really surprised by the pedestrian only strip that is the center of it. My analogy to Bourbon street was a poor one. This had a lot of character but this was emphasized by street performers and the absence of cars.

Is One Block West appreciated there? I think it would do better in say, old town Leesburg but I guess it is where it is. A real surprise for what I expected of Winchester!

[Escoffier]

Winchester

Does it also have skanky people hanging out the doors of sex toy shops waving vibrators at you, and the smell of booze, puke and piss in the sidewalks? (Granted I haven't been there in 13 years, maybe it's gotten better.) But I agree that One Block West is underrated. I've been there several times on Friday or Saturday nights when it wasn't more than half full. Do the good people of Winchester know what they have?

No, they don't know, or if they do, they seem to think it's "too weird" or "too expensive". I believe most of the business comes from places that know (and to some extent) understand outstanding food. I'd almost be willing to host a dinner there for DR members just so more people could experience the amazing food that comes out of the kitchen. Chef Ed deserves a lot of credit for bringing world class food to a town that maybe just isn't quite ready for it. I have a feeling that as more and more "city" people move towards Winchester, the level of sophistication towards fine dining will increase.

[frogprince]

Winchester

If you ever want to make your life truly miserable, go to One Block West and get the Lamb Terrine and curse your damn luck that A: the restaurant is in Winchester, B: you live in DC and C: neither you nor your wife has a car.

[DanielS]

Winchester

Winchester has come a long way in the last 10 years.

One sign of that is the upcoming http://hopblossom.com/ on June 8th.

We had the first Alamo Drafthouse outside of Texas, and are getting a Carmike 12 Screen "BIGD" theater soon.

The walking mall was recently redone before Apple Blossom, and looks great. In the summer they hold movies, concerts, etc on the mall.

While One Block West might not be considered "appreciated" by the locals, it has been in business for many years, probably 6 or 7 since Chef Ed took over and has slowly allowed him to really expand his dishes, many of which you would have never imagined in Winchester ten years ago. He should be given a lot of credit for pushing the boundaries of what the town will eat.

[John William G]

Hume

This is short notice but: We're going to be near Hume, VA, tomorrow at lunch time. Any recommendations for place to have a nice meal?

[southdenverhoo]

Hume; Flint Hill

This is short notice but: We're going to be near Hume, VA, tomorrow at lunch time. Any recommendations for place to have a nice meal?

My best friend in HS (class of, alas, '71 ) lived in Hume; his father was farm manager at the Marriott-owned Fairfield Farm (now, I believe, referred to as "the Marriott Ranch", but you see where one of Marriott's brand names came from).

Anyhow, Flint Hill is just a hop, skip and a jump from his old place via Hume Road to 522, then south (north would take you to Front Royal); if you're closer to Hume proper, ie the intersection of Leeds Manor Rd and Hume Rd, I think it would be quicker to go south on Leeds Manor and then turn west on Crest Hill Rd. which will put you in the middle of Flint Hill. There your choices would be the newly re-opened Flint Hill Public House (thread here recently), The Griffin Tavern, or, 24 Crows. There's a nice review of this last in roadfood.com: http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Review/7882-9393/24-crows.

A place crying out for a restaurateur, but currently (mostly) vacant, is a little south of Hume in Orlean, the Orlean Market. While the restaurant is closed, they still serve sandwiches and light fare in the market, and they have a nice wine selection and an especially nice if limited craft beer selection in what is basically a (closed) restaurant-cum-gas station-cum-convenience store with "gourmet" aspirations. This is about 6 miles south of the aforementioned "downtown" Hume (Hume Rd & Leeds Manor Rd), at the intersection of Leeds Manor Rd and John Barton Payne Rd. If you don't want, or don't have time for the drive over to Flint Hill ( I said "hop, skip, and jump" but it's 12 or 13 miles on mostly country roads, ergo 20 minutes each way from "downtown" Hume) this is a pleasant place for a sandwich (I believe their bread comes from the Red Truck Bakery in Warrenton) or some decent cheese, and a beer or glass of wine (at regular retail price). But in the right hands it could be so much more!

[southdenverhoo]

Hume; Paris

should have also mentioned that Hume is only 15 miles (about 25-30 minutes, on these roads) south of the much-loved Ashby Inn in Paris. Just go north on Leeds Manor Rd, cross the interstate, keep going until you run into US 17 just outside Sky Meadows Park; stay on 17 to US 50, then west on 50 just a wee bit to Paris...don't exceed the posted limit (a ridiculous 45 IIRC) on 17...

[John William G]

Flint Hill

southdenverhoo thanks for the recommendations. We ended up at the Griffin Tavern, and had a very enjoyable meal. A very pleasant place, very comfortable, and nice selection of sandwiches and stuff for lunch. I had chicken on flatbread, with a salad.

Mrs. G had a Ruben.

[jiveturk21]

Orange

Early Mountain Vineyards has built a very impressive building, however, their wines aren't the best. They are doing something interesting though - they are including other Virginia wineries (maybe 8-10) in their tastings and selling their wines at the winery - so that makes it a good place to stop and try a wide variety of wines. The staff there was knowledgeable and very nice.

Elmwood at Sparks is a solid place for lunch. Nothing is creative, but all of the food is good and is a great value. If you are looking for a drink with lunch, I would instead go to the Light Well. We did not eat there, but walked in and they had a pretty extensive bar, and they seemed to have a few people that can make a cocktail.

If you are going to stay anywhere in the area, the Inn at Willow Grove is as good as it gets. In fact, in all my years staying at fancy places to attempt to impress the ladies, this is the best of the bunch. We stayed in the Overlook West room, I can't recommend it enough. Granted, that is the only room that I saw, but just looking at the property, I can't imagine any of the 14 rooms are bad.

Dinner at Vintage, the restaurant on site, was a whole other story. I think that something was going on in the kitchen that they did not divulge to us (short staffed, new chef, etc.), but our meal ended up being below average on account of it. I give them credit for taking responsibility and comping all of the food (two appetizers, two entrees, one dessert), but it was quite a miserable experience. I would, however, go back in the future because the space is beautiful, the wine list if very strong and the food that we got was good. But, clearly they have some serious kinks to work out.

[porcupine]

Orange

Thanks, jiveturk21.

[schulju]

Fredericksburg

Yes, it's fast food next door to the Wawa at Central Park, right off of 95 (in the old Red Hot & Blue space I believe).  But dang, I have to say that Shane's Rib Shack surpassed our every expectation.  After hours in July 6th traffic up from Tidewater, we stopped at Central Park for gas and to switch drivers.  We were starving and needed something fairly quick so we could get back on the road to more traffic!

We were a bit dubious when we walked into Shane's, but decided to give it a try.  I ordered a platter which included half a rack of ribs, two sides and Texas Toast for $14.  Hubby had a "sampler" which included some ribs, some pulled pork and a couple of chicken tenders plus the sides and toast for $12.  Yes it's expensive for fast food.  But the quality and quantity seemed very in line with the price.

We had stopped off at Pierce's on our way down a few days earlier.  The pork at Shane's was better!  The ribs were every bit as good as the one's I've had at Famous Dave's.  The mac and cheese side was good and served piping hot.  Coleslaw and the toast were both meh.

We decided this would be our new go-to stopping point on future trips to Tidewater.  Definitely more than just your average fast food.

[Mark Dedrick]

Gordonsville

BBQ Exchange - There's been a ton of love expressed for this place on this board, and I agree with all of it. We ate here twice while in Orange for a wedding last weekend. The pulled pork is better than the brisket. My friend ordered ribs which I did not get to try because they disappeared too quickly. I like all of the sides, although my typical order is the spicy slaw, collards, and an extra side of spicy pickles.

[porcupine]

Danville

There is hope.  We dined - and I do mean dined - at Golden Leaf Bistro this evening.  Not that the food was excellent.  It was merely good in a way that wouldn't last a month in DC.  But in Danville?!  Hoo-ray!  Easily the best food I've had (other than the late Tater Bugs barbecue) in the 15 or so weekends we've been here over the last decade.  Heck, people were even dressed!  Previously, "dressed" for dinner in Danville meant clean jeans and t-shirt (there are a hell of a lot of shorts and tank-top and torn-tees wearing folk around here).  But tonight I saw khakis and button-down shirts.  Even a blazer.

OK, I'm being snarky, but my usual food plan for Danville is to pack breakfast and lunch items in a cooler and then just nibble my way through dinner at wherever everyone else wants to go.  (Unless I hit Biscuitville or Bojangles or get a greasy country ham and egg biscuit at the track.)

I had the surf and turf special (something I've never ordered before, anywhere).  The lobster was not overcooked, the steak was fine (with a decent sear it would have been much better), the smashed potatoes were pretty tasty, and the asparagus was... well, it was just asparagus, you know?  but not overcooked limp asparagus.  Mr P had crab macaroni and cheese.  Not much to say about that.  One of the better examples of such things I've had in the past year.  A decent chocolate mousse and a banana trifle which was a thinly-veiled banana pudding, actually quite light and not at all cloying, were pleasant ways to end the meal.

I am ecstatic.

[porcupine]

Sperryville; Linden

If you're out and about near Shenandoah National Park, drop in to Central Coffee Roasters for a cup of brewed coffee (no espresso or pour-overs).  It's not a coffee house as such, but a roaster; nonetheless, they have carafes of coffee for tasting (and beans for sale).  The roasts are dark but not terribly so.  It's just neat to find a place like this in Sperryville.  The company has been in business for 14 years now, iirc.

Also, it's been said before, but the apple butter cinnamon donuts (not "apple cider donuts") at The Apple House in Linden are the best donuts in the known universe, especially when hot out of the fryer.

[Joe H]

Warrenton

Warrenton has come a long way over recent years.  From Clair's at the Depot to the Iron Bridge Wine Company we've stopped there a number of times over the past year.  Returning from Charlottesville, visiting wineries or returning from the mountains both of these restaurants are worth remembering.