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And now we have also been to ZZQ.  We were driving south on I-95 and bet on getting quick enough service to reach our destination on time.  There was no line on Friday at around 1:45.  The service was friendly and efficient.  We ordered pork ribs, brisket (mix of fatty and lean), hab sausage, hot guts, pulled pork, pastrami, small buttermilk potato salad, small jalapeno mac and cheese, 2 pickled jalapeno, and banana pudding.  The order also came with a health stash of pickles and pickled onions.

Overall we're really impressed.  All the meats were moist, perfectly textured, and deeply flavorful.  The least of the batch is probably the pastrami, which was a little saltier and tougher than I'd like it (yeah, I know it's pastrami).  I think I still like my dry rubbed ribs better but the ZZQ pork ribs were delicious and perfectly cooked.  The rest were all amongst or are the best of their kind I've ever had.  The pickles and provided sauces went really well with the meats.

Of the sides/desserts, we liked the potato salad the best.  The mac and cheese and banana pudding were good specimens for their kind, but we felt they were not worth sacrificing the space that could be otherwise allocated to more meat.

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My friend had to travel down to Richmond to get his Covid vaccination.  The first time down he sent me sad photos from McDonalds...the second time down I was like, dude, go to ZZQ.  I then sent him an order to bring back.

Even after traveling back from Richmond and then sitting in my fridge overnight, this is some mighty fine bbq.

The pulled pork was succulent with smoke and great peppery bite.  The beef hot gut sausage was also very tasty.  This is a fairly coursely ground sausage with great flavor and a tingle of heat.  Their slaw is just ok, esp. by itself, but it was pretty good when add to the pork in sandwich form.

Overall, great success. 

Photo is a bbq plate I made at home.  Pickles not included.

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When I made the reservation for Longoven last week I didn't realize the restaurant would be on the front page of the Times Dispatch a few days in a row for being the first in the area to require proof of vaccination to dine, which seemed to cause quite the dust up.  We ate lunch at a restaurant that didn't require, ate dinner at a restaurant that did - both were fine meals.

The price at Longoven is currently $110 for 6 true courses, plus a 'snack' and a petit fours/candy final.  I've found tasting menus in late summer can run into tomato overload, which Longoven avoided.  Dishes were seasonal while being varied and inventive.  Highlights were the Shrimp, Avocado, Daikon, Bell Pepper (shrimp, avocado, tomato, daikon radish, fermented bell pepper sauce) and my wife's Grilled Leek course, which she subbed in from the vegetarian menu so I don't have the full details.  Low point was Maitake, Egg, Miso, Furikake (marinated and grilled maitake mushroom,  egg yolk, furikake, miso, yuzu).  All dishes currently have asian accents - being our first visit, unsure if this is the norm or just the chef's preference this season.  My biggest feedback was that each dish was a little too salty, and after 6 courses I was on salt overload.

Wine pairings were $85, and while they were interesting and well-chosen, the pours were small to the point of not having enough wine to pair with each course, and seemed out of balance compared to the price of the menu (and bigger pours may have smoothed some of the rougher edges of the menu).  Service was excellent, and the menu does require a 22% service charge.

Avoiding more specific dish critiques, overall we enjoyed our meal.  Clocking in at 90 minutes and $110, this is an approachable tasting menu, though I would forego the pairings and just order by the glass/bottle if a future seasonal menu was attractive.

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The dining scene in Short Pump is not good.  A lot of sub-optimal chains - I find myself eating Cheesecake Factory more often than I'd like to admit because they have something for everyone and that poorly-named Skinnylicious menu.  West End Provisions can be good, but it can also be an expensive disappointment.

In my opinion, Yaya's Cookbook is the diamond in the rough.  Pan asian may be the best description, but this place doesn't claim to be authentic to any cuisine - Peter Chang's is across the street for those seeking that.  But Yaya's is a heck of a lot more fun with great cocktails, good atmosphere (think more party than serene) and satisfying food.  

I usually get the Miss Me Mexico (Mezcal, Smoky honey-pineapple 3 spiced, limes, Hell fire bitter, Ground nutmeg, $10) but the drink menu is almost as long as the food menu.  The Surf and Turf roll (Shrimp tempura, crab stick, pickle, onion inside and top with torched fillet mignon garlic butter sauce, scallion and tobiko, $19) will make any sushi purist cringe, but is delicious nonetheless.  The curry bowls, fried rice and noodle dishes we've tried have all been above average for Thai takeout in the area.

Side note - Yaya's often closes for Carry Out on Friday and Saturday nights to avoid their kitchen from becoming overwhelmed.

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We (my husband, my 7-year-old, and I) just decided to go to Virginia Beach next weekend. (Thanks, Yom Kippur and a day off from school in MoCo.) I haven't been to Virginia Beach in 20 years (!) and I don't think my husband has ever been.

We'll be driving from Silver Spring and I'm thinking we'll break up the drive by stopping for lunch in the Richmond area (but probably not in Richmond itself -- I'm well aware of ZZQ, but that's probably not happening this time). Looks like we'll be getting on 295 from 95 and then getting on 64 around Richmond. I'm sure it's mostly chain central in terms of restaurants in that area, but any chance anyone knows of any decent choices not too far off the highway?

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Chez Max is not hip, not trendy, not the latest big thing.  It's not in Scott's Addition or Church Hill.  It's a quiet little neighborhood restaurant tucked next to a strip mall in Tuckahoe/Far West End.  But everything about our experiences here has been a half step better than it needs to be for a lovely little French restaurant serving classic French dishes.  Cocktails are cold and crisp and service is always friendly.

Foie Gras ($18) on crostini with blackberries, pear and vanilla syrup is my go-to with a glass of Sauternes.  Duck A L'Orange ($28) is well cooked with bright sauce work, and Dover Sole ($45) meuniere, fileted tableside, is a nice splurge.  The Key Lime pie is homemade and not cloyingly sweet like too many version.  Wine markups are reasonable, with many in the 1.5-2x retail arena.  Like everything else, selections are classy, if not too inventive.

My one complaint - dishes are heavy.  While this fits with the theme, a nice ratatouille wouldn't be too far afield...  But definitely worth a stop for any Francophiles in the area.

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Celladora is a wine bar/wine shop/pseudo restaurant that I must have walked by at least 20 times on my way to another wine bar (Jardin) and didn't even realize it was there until I read a profile in Wine Enthusiast on the best wine shops in the United States.  Honestly even after I'd parked with an address it took us a hot second to realize it was right across the street. 

Intended first and foremost as a wine shop, the shop focuses on natural wines.  As such, the llean toward central and eastern Europe is heavy - certainly the largest share of Austrian wines I've seen in a retail space.  But, I also recently snagged a 1988 Arbois magnum and have been enjoying spatburgunder bottles from the modest, but not tiny by an means, collection.

The wines by the glass menu runs 6-10ish glasses with offers of more if you don't find just what you like, and any bottle in the shop can be opened with a $10 corkage.  To call in a wine "bar" would be disingenuous as no bar exists, but a few small tables or the chance to sip while you stroll around the shop.

The owner admits she started offering some "snacks" and small dishes to offer guests a nibble while they sip on a glass, hoping they would then buy the bottle.  Now, it seems she's a very happy "victim" of her chef's talent, as the brief dinner menu is pumping out some really incredible food.

Our visit earlier in the week brought a trio of Mediterranean dips with toasted Sub Rosa bread (and several requested refills).  I've eaten at a number of 2-3 star Michelin restaurants over the last 12 months, but the Braised Fennel in a parmesan cream was the most delicious, most satisfying dish I've had all year.  Braised Short Rib pasta was a deceptively short description for a dish that was packed with little surprises, and Pork Belly Sausage with spinach had an almost kimchee slant to it.  Fluke stayed on the lighter side but had a crumble topping that I've been dreaming about since.  The only menu disappointment was that descriptions are so scant, its hard to do the dishes justice in writing.  Not bad for a "kitchen" that is behind a divider and manned by one person.

While still somewhat hiding in plain sight, Celladora is starting to gain notoriety - there was another photo shoot the evening we visited.  Frequent pop-up events are very popular with the local crowd.  That being said, its still possible to text for a reservation one night and be seated the next (its becoming harder to just pop in on a Sunday afternoon and find a seat).

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Have recently dined at two of Richmond's most esteemed southern-themed restaurants that can be a challenge to get into.

Shagbark in the Libbie Mill is an upscale variant on the theme that feels, both in menu and atmosphere, just like you're sitting in Charleston.  Service is prompt and professional, with one notable exception I'll come back to.  Overall it feels like a restaurant run by people who know how to run a restaurant.  The wine list is also extensive, with some great finds (albeit quite the markup).

Fried Green Tomatoes ($16)with field peas, ham hock, arugula and tomato broth are a bit cliche but were very well done, with us fighting over the last bite.  Seared duck breast ($37) with cress, onion, oven cured tomatoes, baked fennel, beluga lentils and foie gras emulsion was prepared (in my opinion) flawlessly, with the duck cooked perfectly having a crispy skin.  That being said, the whole dish ate heavy with muddled flavors - I would have gladly traded the "foie gras emulsion" for some acid to brighten things up.  The feedback from my wife on her Pumpkin Seed Crusted Salmon ($34) with brussels sprouts, bacon and squash risotto was similar - the apple cider jus couldn't quite lift the dish up despite a perfect cook on the salmon, and both ended up going back partially eaten.

Side note - a table of 6 next to us ordered before us, and received their meal just as we were leaving.  Dishes were nearly thrown on the table before the server ran, as if he was afraid of the feedback - it was almost comical.  His approach likely didn't help...

Feedback for the The Stables at Belmont is somewhat similar.  Somehow the Cast Iron Baked Pimento Cheese and Collards Dip ($16) managed to be fairly light on its feet, with a slick of hot sauce on top that wasn't too spicy.  The Smoked and Stuffed Acorn Squash ($29) with wild rice, golden raisins, pine nuts and pickled peppers got credit for being a somewhat unusual vegetarian dish, but didn't quite come together.  The Lamb Lollipops ($23) with fennel rub and whipped chevre (appetizer as my entree) was decent, but the meat itself wasn't well-trimmed and was quite fatty.  Service was friendly and prompt, and my wife declared it the best martini she'd ever had - so perhaps everything else was superfluous.

I'd head back to both for a drink and appetizer, but wouldn't rush to either for dinner.

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https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2022/12/06/metzger-restaurant-family-foundation/

Metzger refused to serve a Christian group that's anti-same sex marriage and anti-abortion.  I personally don't think 2 wrongs make a right.  Also, make a list of those types of people you don't serve so those people won't accidentally make a reservation.  

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Stella’s was excellent.  We gave up our reserved table & sat at the convivial bar, talking to those next to us and 2 great bartenders.  The food was good, solid homestyle Greek, but done with better, fresher ingredients and with better kitchen skills than the many typical Greek places that I frequent in NYC.  No, its not high end stuff but everything was better than it should’ve been for the price.  The fried smelts were not the small baitfish but more like small mackerel, over a dozen to an order, cleanly fried and meaty.  I’d eat this regularly.  The “flaming cheese” (saganaki) was as entertaining here as in other Greek restaurants, but the cheese was better.  Apps are large and are sharable by 2-3.  So are the mains.  One excellent moussaka was enough for both of us.  We may have to stay in Richmond more often.

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Celladora continues to put out, in my opinion, some of the best food in the city.  Father's Day lunch brought shared bites of Sub Rosa bread with cultured butter, steak tartare (pictured below), sirloin sliders with a beet nduja, swiss chard gratin and a strawberry and pistachio panna cotta (pictured below).

The steak tartare was not only visually stunning, but was quite unique - the beef was cut with tabbouleh, topped with spiced pine nuts and served over what seemed like a greek yogurt sauce.  It was absolutely delicious, and while not for tartare purists, my wife, who I NEVER thought would eat it, took a bite and declared it delicious.

All paired with organic wines by the glass chosen by the owner/server.

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Longoven, 2 time winner of Bon Appetit's Best New Restaurant Award, has closed in Scott's Addition.  In the article, one of the partner's cites a lack of support from Richmond for the restaurant.  Personally, I felt the restaurant lost a step after Covid and the partners started exploring other opportunities, including a yakitori restaurant at Veil Brewery and the Italian restaurant that started in, and eventually took over, the Longoven space.  

I hope a similar concept, albeit with better execution, takes root in Richmond.  I do think the support exists if the experience can match the price point.

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With friends in town for the fantastic Steve Martin and Martin Short performance on Sunday evening, dining options were limited.  Bookbinders has a bit of a reputation for being your grandparent's special occasion restaurant, so we hadn't been before.

The crowd at 5:15 on a Sunday was... non-existent.  The hostess could not have been more clear that she didn't love her job so we made our way to the bar to wait for our guests, and had two well-made cocktails (with tip, $44.  It's the going rate these days it seems).

The decor is dated, the menu's are worn and dirty, the servers wear branded shirts.  The Jumbo Lump Crab Cake ($22) appetizer was comically small, and was definitely backfin crab meat.

But then our entrees came.  My Herb-grilled Swordfish with white beans, arugula and bacon jam ($35) was marvelous.  My wife's grilled salmon with white wine and citrus was similarly well received.  Our friends split Cider-Glazed Double Cut Pork Chop with Caramelized Apples ($38) and declared it the best pork chop they'd ever had.

Wine list markups are in the 'hard to swallow' range and I'm fairly sure the desserts are out of a freezer box, but I'll be honest, next time I need a nice place on a Sunday night, I'd be tempted to stick to the entrees and revisit.

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