The Dish
Tempo treat: Lemongrass Scallops Lafayette
Published on Aug 18th, 2012
4 comments Surprised more restaurants haven't done something like this? A great idea, and a great way to get some attention by presenting a James Beard-inspired dish. Over at Tempo Restaurant & Bar, chef...
Chang-dango: Top chef gets Bon Appétit nod, new locations
Published on Aug 17th, 2012
6 comments It seems like only yesterday when we met with Peter Chang at a local Starbucks, adrift as he was with no restaurant, and talked with him about his plans to open a restaurant in Charlottesville. At...
On a cliff: Bold Rock plans to build big
Published on Aug 15th, 2012
14 comments So we're getting ready to drive to Richmond for the UVA Board of Visitors meeting Wednesday morning when we get a call from John Washburn, the bossman out at Bold Rock Cider in Nelson County. He's...
Serving up summer: Keswick's new chef Aaron Cross
Published on Aug 12th, 2012
1 comments Keswick Hall has a new executive chef, replacing Dean Maupin, who left to eventually take the reins of the C&O Restaurant. That's some big shoes to fill, and 29-year old Aaron Cross knows it....
The Champion: Smith eyes Thanksgiving brewery opening
Published on Aug 6th, 2012
4 comments Keep your eyes peeled this fall for a new brewery and public taproom, as construction continues on the inside of what will become Champion Brewing Company. Located on Sixth Street Southeast, near the...
Pho letter word: Moto Pho Co. opens it doors
Published on Aug 1st, 2012
39 comments Charlottesville diners jonesing for a pho fix can rest easy– as Zinc owner Vu Nguyen opened the doors of Moto Pho Co. today, Wednesday August 1. Open for lunch and dinner, the new spot features...
Philly in C'ville: New cheesesteakery comes to Long Street
Published on Jul 26th, 2012
91 comments During their lunch break, some guys sit waiting at foldout tables with thin paper tablecloths at one of Charlottesville’s newest eateries, with a flavor that Lucious "Lou" Craig Renfrow couldn’t...
More coffee: And more hand-tamping at Milli Joe
Published on Jul 25th, 2012
0 comments When you walk into Milli Joe, a new caffeinery at the foot of Vinegar Hill, you know you’re among coffee people. Glass doors open up into a wide-open shop with a dark mocha-colored ceiling that...
Route 29 exits: Calypso, Olivaté close shop
Published on Jul 24th, 2012
17 comments July saw the closing of two restaurants on 29 North, including one that opened less than four months ago. Over at Albemarle Square, Olivaté, the family-owned Italian restaurant that opened in the old...
Belt loosening: Restaurant Week draws diners
Published on Jul 17th, 2012
0 comments If Ken Wooten at Orzo had one complaint about Restaurant Week, it would be that with the full seatings July 9-15, "A lot of our regulars didn't come in." Perhaps that problem was offset by serving...
Belt loosening: Restaurant Week draws diners
Published on Jul 17th, 2012
0 comments If Ken Wooten at Orzo had one complaint about Restaurant Week, it would be that with the full seatings July 9-15, "A lot of our regulars didn't come in." Perhaps that problem was offset by serving...
Dean Maupin: C&O's heir apparent takes the reins
Published on Jul 17th, 2012
13 comments After 32 years, C&O Restaurant owner Dave Simpson is ready to pass the torch. "Not only am I beginning to run out of steam," says the 58-year old Simpson, "but after 32 years I'm running out of...
Monday bustle: Diners skate out for Restaurant Week
Published on Jul 10th, 2012
10 comments Tony and Ana Jorge were making their way back to their car on Water Street as the rain stopped and the mercury dropped Monday evening, the first night of Restaurant Week. They had just enjoyed a...
South Street does lunch
Published on Jul 10th, 2012
2 comments Downtown just welcomed a weekend new weekend lunch option. Last Friday, July 6, South Street Brewery started serving lunch."We're running a limited soup, sandwich, and burger menu until 5pm Friday...
Emergency coffee: Mudhouse serves sans power
Published on Jul 2nd, 2012
2 comments One bright spot for the coffee-deprived on an otherwise  power-less Saturday morning in Crozet was the open door at Mudhouse. Inside, "Build Me Up Buttercup" played with the baristas dancing and...
Emergency coffee: Mudhouse serves sans power
Published on Jul 2nd, 2012
2 comments One bright spot for the coffee-deprived on an otherwise  power-less Saturday morning in Crozet was the open door at Mudhouse. Inside, "Build Me Up Buttercup" played with the baristas dancing and...
Jeremiah Langhorne: From pizza boy to top chef
Published on Jun 26th, 2012
2 comments Albemarle High School graduate Jeremiah Langhorne, 26, has come a long way from being a pizza delivery boy. That was his first job in the restaurant business. Eventually, he moved on to being a sous...
Deals on meals: Restaurant Week line-up announced
Published on Jun 26th, 2012
0 comments Get ready foodies and deal fans, it's almost time again for the summer version of Restaurant Week, July 9-15. This year, 16 area restaurants are on board for a festive feasting free-for-all that's...
Paradox Pastry opens in the Glass Building
Published on Jun 12th, 2012
4 comments Paradox Pastry, the sweet shop whose owners encourage you to sweat as well, opened bright and early on Tuesday, June 12. "It's been nice and steady," says owner Jenny Peterson behind the cash...
Pub hub II: Mall burger bar's new opening date
Published on Jun 12th, 2012
6 comments The new Citizen Burger Bar on the Downtown Mall was all set for its grand opening last Friday, but alas, Andy McClure and company couldn't quite get to the finish line. No worries. They've been...
Claudius Place: Crozet skybar nears ground breaking
Published on Jun 8th, 2012
11 comments While plans for a downtown mall in Crozet may have stalled due to the foreclosure on the J. Bruce Barnes Lumber site, another urban infill project moves closer to construction: Claudius Place, which...
Claudius Place: Crozet skybar nears ground breaking
Published on Jun 8th, 2012
11 comments While plans for a downtown mall in Crozet may have stalled due to the foreclosure on the J. Bruce Barnes Lumber site, another urban infill project moves closer to construction: Claudius Place, which...
Here come da judge: Broad Appétit showcases Richmond eats
Published on Jun 7th, 2012
3 comments On Sunday, June 3 the Hook had a chance to sample the signature dishes of 62 Richmond restaurants that were participating in Broad Appétit, the 5th annual gathering of restaurants, eateries, wineries...
Hot oil: Grease creates a lucrative new crime
Published on Jun 6th, 2012
13 comments Back in the day, when John Spagnolo was in the restaurant business, he remembers having to pay to get rid of used cooking oil. "Then they began taking it away for free," says Spagnolo, a sales...
Pub hub: Mall burger bar set to open Friday
Published on Jun 5th, 2012
6 comments This Friday, June 8 the Citizen Burger Bar makes its debut on the Downtown Mall. Owner Andy McClure has been busy renovating the space formerly occupied by Siips Wine & Champagne Bar. In addition...
After Jefferson: Leahy pens history of Virginia wine
Published on May 28th, 2012
0 comments Richard Leahy, who helped launch Wine Made Simple over the Townside Shopping Center on Ivy Road, has penned a book: Beyond Jefferson’s Vines: The Evolution of Quality Wine in Virginia. While Thomas...
Turning two: Cav Diner revamps decor, menu
Published on May 28th, 2012
0 comments A shout out to the Cavalier Diner on Emmet Street, which just celebrated its second birthday. Owner Aristea Vlavianos, daughter of venerable local restauranteurs Margarita and Nick Vlavianos, reports...
Beer buzz: New laws a boon for local breweries
Published on May 24th, 2012
3 comments Unlike Virginia wineries, breweries in the state haven't been able to sell beer for on-site consumption without having a restaurant. All that began changing on May 15 when Governor Bob McDonnell...
Sweating for sweets: Paradox Bakery comes to Glass Building
Published on May 20th, 2012
0 comments Amidst construction work, unopened equipment boxes, stacked furniture, the smell of fresh paint, and general chaos, a chocolate layer cake sits temptingly on a high table covered with a dusting of...
New frogurt: Bloop plops down on Pantops
Published on May 18th, 2012
11 comments Like a cool dollop of twisty soft-serve ice-cream falling slowly in circles from the machine as it shapes a mound on a crispy sweet cone, Charlottesville's newest self-serve frozen yogurt joint has...