The Dish
Grillin': Farmington blaze blamed on creosote
Published on Nov 13th, 2003
0 comments Last week Dish traced the migration of a pizza oven from the former Espresso Royale Caffé on the Corner to its new home at Mona Lisa Pasta on Preston Avenue. Well, a pizza oven is in the news again...
Qdobas: Tex-Mex comes to the Corner
Published on Nov 6th, 2003
0 comments If you've been to the Corner lately, you've surely spotted the freshly painted, canary yellow facade of the historic Chancellor's drug store building-­ former home of Espresso Royale Caffé. Dish...
Fair trade? Coffee debate winds up in cup
Published on Oct 30th, 2003
0 comments Tall or grande? Regular or decaf? Free trade or fair trade? Once again, coffee questions are multiplying– only this time some questions involve a major global debate. It's being played out...
Milking it: Cheese with grass-roots feel
Published on Oct 23rd, 2003
0 comments Slow Food Virginia sure is picking up the pace. Just last month, Dish announced the debut of the local chapter of Slow Food USA, an educational, not-for-profit food organization dedicated to...
Bonsoir, Ciboulette! Market gets a bistro
Published on Oct 16th, 2003
0 comments With its ample parking and pleasant seating areas, it's no surprise that the Main Street Market is becoming an increasingly popular place to grab a gourmet sandwich, bowl of soup, or slice of quiche...
Pop a cork! Getting a taste for the bubbly
Published on Oct 9th, 2003
0 comments Weddings, anniversaries, romantic candlelit dinners– champagne is definitely the drink of choice for special occasions like these. Like caviar and fine chocolate, we tend to associate this...
Cookin' or cuisine? Virginia fare from dumplings to duck eggs
Published on Oct 2nd, 2003
0 comments What exactly is Virginia cuisine? Massachusetts has its baked beans and simply-prepared seafood, Louisiana is noted for Creole and Cajun specialties, Maryland boasts crab cakes, and Texas is big on...
Isabel's wrath: The Dark descends on foodville
Published on Sep 25th, 2003
0 comments Blackout on West Main You're expecting 80 people for lunch tomorrow– a wedding party, no less– and then an obnoxious guest with no reservation shows up and cuts off all electricity...
New 'opportunity': Dueling gelatos meet on the Mall
Published on Sep 18th, 2003
0 comments THE DISH- New 'opportunity': Dueling gelatos meet on the Mall By CHRISTINA BALL DISH@READTHEHOOK.COM When Chaps announced it would soon be adding a few gelato flavors to its abundant rainbow of ice-...
Take it easy: Slow Food creeps into town
Published on Sep 11th, 2003
0 comments If you're a fan of the homegrown bounty on display at the City Market, of locally grown produce bursting with flavor, of deliciously varied artisanal cheeses, or of leisurely, sit-down lunches...
Suck it up: Bubble tea stirs the town
Published on Sep 4th, 2003
0 comments Ever wondered just who's snooping about the local food scene? Why, it's Christina Ball, who bursts out of the shadows this week. Until now, Dish had been running without a byline, but her identity is...
Doing wonders: A Garden grows on Market Street
Published on Aug 28th, 2003
0 comments Banana trees, reggae music, and Caribbean curry in downtown Charlottesville? It's no mirage. The August heat-­ along with lots of sweat and positive vibes– brought a bit of the islands to East...
Dig those dots: Twist on a classic
Published on Aug 21st, 2003
0 comments If classic ice cream is a good thing, then why not make it even better? That seems to be the notion behind a new ice cream stand in Fashion Square Mall called Dippin' Dots. There are several hundred...
For sale: Dew Drop Inn
Published on Aug 14th, 2003
0 comments  How'd you like to have a piece of history to call your very own? Ever wanted to own a restaurant? If you answered yes to both questions, Dish has the answer for you: Grab your wallet and head...
Sail away: Fuel goes nautical
Published on Jul 31st, 2003
0 comments  If you've driven past the former Market Street Café and Chevron station in the past week, you've probably given yourself whiplash checking out the massive canopy frame covering the gas pumps...
Merry go-round: New bagels, and <I>you</I> bake'mmm!
Published on Jul 24th, 2003
0 comments What's better than a bun in your oven? How 'bout a bagel? Janet Dob, "mother" of Bake'mmm Bagels, took the traditional New York bagel a few steps farther when she opened her Verona bakery, Agnes'...
Breakfast in Belmont: Monticello Grill ups the ante
Published on Jul 17th, 2003
0 comments We know from the constant crowds and overflowing patio that you love Mas, but did you know that Belmont should have a second new restaurant by mid-October? This time it's more turn-of-the-century...
Front and Center: Zocalo heats up the hub
Published on Jul 10th, 2003
0 comments ¿Donde esta el zocalo? If you ask this question in Mexico City– as in just about any other city or town in Latin America– you'll be pointed in the direction of the main city square, the...
Barkery: Dogs, kids-- one snack fits all
Published on Jul 3rd, 2003
0 comments If you're a regular reader of this delectable column, you know that Dish doesn't make a habit of sniffing out stories about dog food. But this week's a little different, because the food purveyor in...
Mono deco: History debate on Water Street
Published on Jun 26th, 2003
0 comments Did you ever notice– perhaps while waiting for that second margarita out on the patio– that Mono Loco is a gem of architectural history? The one-story, cayenne and green copper patina-...
Hot tip: Diners duped into donating?
Published on Jun 19th, 2003
0 comments Want to support the arts in Charlottesville? Well, a new fundraising program called "Feed the Arts" makes it easy. But some might argue that it's too easy and maybe even unfair. Hook reader Anna...
It's raining cafes: Are we the Seattle of the Southeast?
Published on Jun 12th, 2003
0 comments As people in cities like Seattle and Eugene know all too well, a good cup of coffee helps keep the rainy day blues at bay– at least as long as the buzz lasts. With all the precipitation that's...
Coffee today... New cafe now, gelato soon?
Published on Jun 5th, 2003
0 comments Ever since Caldo and Freddo died last Fall, Dish has been circling the vacant Seminole Square space like a hungry hawk. Well, last week's rounds brought an end to our hunt. The Grounds Café, a new...
Lease lost: Not a marvelous night for Moondance
Published on May 29th, 2003
0 comments Rumors have been swirling around town lately about the reasons for the imminent closure of Moondance, the established eatery owned and operated by John Slaughter in the smack-dab center of the...
Read all about it! Restaurants have no secrets now
Published on May 22nd, 2003
0 comments Health inspections. We mention them all the time– especially when it comes to new restaurants– but rarely reveal all the dirty details. Sure, you'd probably rather not know what sort of...
Arriverderci, mush: Al dente comes to town
Published on May 15th, 2003
0 comments Tired of overcooked pasta, menus dotted with misspellings (Dish's faves: proscuitto for prosciutto, focacca for focaccia, linguini for linguine), and a general lack of imagination in local Italian...
No closure: More late-hour options
Published on May 8th, 2003
0 comments Let's face it. People aren't exactly flocking to Charlottesville for its vibrant and varied after-hours scene. Yet recent activities– like the closure of Espresso Royale blamed on a dearth of...
Bulked buffet: Cici's Pizza comes to 29N
Published on May 1st, 2003
0 comments Cici's Pizza, the most rapidly multiplying pizza franchise in the country, is coming to Charlottesville. So save your pocket change-­ and your hearty appetite. Cici's, which was founded in 1985 by...
Belt-tightening: Schnitzelhouse fiddles while VDOT yearns
Published on Apr 24th, 2003
0 comments If you've driven down Fontaine Avenue lately, you've probably noticed the new sign heralding the arrival-­ or reincarnation– of the Schnitzelhouse, or Ludwig's Schnitzelhouse.  Who is...
Crowded out: Caffe meets Royale end
Published on Apr 17th, 2003
0 comments Coffee lovers on The Corner just lost one of their favorite low-key haunts. Having occupied a prime piece of real estate in the gorgeous and historic Chancellor Building for over six years, Espresso...