Richmond Restaurant Hot List 2009

This year, I started posting a Richmond Restaurant “Hot List” on the always popular restaurant page. The criteria used were somewhat vague/based on gut feeling: “These restaurants are getting lots of heat and buzz from media and bloggers (100% unscientific method).  Usually, this list consists of new restaurants or restaurants with new chefs or menus.” (Disclaimer: Just because a restaurant made this list doesn’t necessarily mean I liked them):

• Acacia 2601 West Cary St (804) 354-6060 The “Beard Winner” is Back.  Tan, rested, and ready. A Richmond Magazine Best New Restaurant.
• Alamo BBQ 2202 Jefferson Avenue (804) 592-3138 In a really short period of time (opened in May), these fellas have already been given Top 10 BBQ honors by Richmond Magazine (noted the beef briquette as a stand-out). All of Church Hill is buzzing about Alamo.
• Anokha Unique Cuisine of India 4015 Lauderdale Drive (804) 360-8686 Indian has come a long way in Richmond. Finally, a fine dining concept with NO buffet.
• Aurora 401 E. Grace St (804) 519-9982 Gotta love a downtown location with an in-house bakery and pastry chef.
• Aziza’s on Main 2110 Main St (804) 344-1583 When the genius that invented “Billy Bread” (if you eat at Richmond restaurants, you’ve had it) teams up with his mom…watch out!
• Balliceaux 203 N. Lombardy St (804) 355-3008 Quickly vaulted to the top spot on the first day. Ex-Millie’s chef, check. Iconic location, check. Chris Bopst booking the music, check.  See RVAJazz , Style Weekly , Richmond.com,  Richmond Magazine, and RVA Magazine for the inside dope.
• The Belvidere at Broad 506 W. Broad St (804) 344-0644 Eclectic restaurant in the First Friday Arts District. Belgian beers, too! And gotta love a restaurant that blogs! (see Richmond Grid preview)
• The Boathouse at Rocketts Landing 4708 E. Old Main St  (804) 622-2628 The two Boathouses have secured the “restaurant with best view” awards for years to come. The James River/City Skyline is a magnificent backdrop to sip a beer on their covered outdoor deck/bar. Seafood focus with wood pizza oven.  (See Style Weekly’s architectural review)
• Bojangle’s 4901 Nine Mile Rd (804) 222-0883 Richmond has been without Bojangle’s for far too long. Imagine our surprise when they built a big modern version on Laburnum and 9 Mile!
• Bouchon 1209 East Cary Street (804) 225-9116 French bistro takes over the space of Pomegranate (a former Top 25 RGL restaurant).  Richmond.com’s astute Varmit Pickeral (yes, nom de plume) recently wrote a ga-ga review.
• Capriccio Pizza 9127 W Broad Street, Suite A  (804) 346-0184 Authentic Brooklyn slices.  What else can you ask for?
• Chicken Fiesta 7568 W Broad St Merchants Walk Shopping Center (in the old Taqueria del Sol location) Will this location’s menu be expanded to be more like its parent Guapo’s?
• Coast 5806 Grove Ave (804) 288-8466  From the makers of Enoteca Sogno comes this new Libbie-Grove seafood restaurant. Soft opening period. Can they break the “curse” of this location?
• Croaker’s Spot South Hull St (Old Manchester Plaza Building) The Croaker empire expands south of the river!
• Gibson’s Grill next to the National 7th and East Broad  The anticipation was killing us. Very important restaurant as out-of-town famous rockers performing at the National could develop city impression/perceptions through this establishment.
• Islamorada Fish Company 11550 Lakeridge Parkway (inside the Bass Pro Shop) (804) 496-4700  Probably, the most expensive restaurant (the aquarium by itself!) ever built in metro Richmond.
• La Sabrosita Bakery 7730 Midlothian Tpke Richmond, VA 23235-5172 (804) 562-8937 This place is like a Latin Willie Wonka bakery.  The respected RVAFoodie se gusta’s this place as well (Review 1 | Review 2).
• Lemaire 101 W. Franklin Street (804) 649-4644 Opened July 8. Re-inventing itself with updated cuisine and interior. But more importantly, they want to be the new “it” bar for the glamorous cocktail set (think Manhattan chic bars like Rose/Jade at Gramercy Park Hotel). Read Whine Me, Dine Me’s preview | review. Reviews are starting to trickle in from MSM, and everyone seems pleased with this updated landmark. Breaking: Esquire Magazine just named it one of the Best New US Restaurants of the year.
• Lucky Buddha 1421 E Cary St (804) 648-5100 Style Cover Girl Bartender Jennifer Whitehead just increased their bar sales by 1000%
• Magnolias Wine Bar & Bistro 7021 Three Chopt Road (804) 673-0006 Wine bar invasion hitting Westham set (note: this restaurant has since closed. Very short life span)
• Mediterraneo Ristorante 3730 Winterfield Rd Midlothian, VA 23113 Through the sheer will of VCUSpoon’s evangelism, this new Founder’s Bridge Italian restaurant rockets to the list!
• Mezzanine 3433 W Cary St (804) 353-2186 Winner of Style Weekly’s Restaurant of the Year.  Also, a Richmond Magazine Best New Restaurant (although a few reviews have come out recently questioning this conventional wisdom). High-concept Carytown restaurant-bar specializing in local ingredients.
• Nate’s Taco Truck anywhere Richmond’s version of the Goki truck.  Fanboys and fangirls utilize Twitter and follow Nate like a Taco Grateful Dead. Got rave reviews in recent Style Taco guide.
• Q Barbeque 2077 Walmart Way Midlothian, VA 23113 (804) 897-9007 If they stay consistent, they could challenge for Richmond BBQ heavyweight championship.  Got much love in the recent Top 10 BBQ Richmond Magazine issue (July 2009) and #2 in Best of issue (August 2009).  People I trust on Twitter (like @bpfox) also think this is the best BBQ joint in all the 5 counties.
• The Republic 2053 W. Broad St (804) 592-4444 Pretty neat that they’re encouraging employees to twitter.
• Sensi 2222 E Cary St # 101 (804) 648-3463 Strong showing at Broad Appetit (their lobster risotto entree and zabaglione dessert were a huge hit). New website, and they want to remind folks that they ain’t going nowhere.
• Shula’s Steak House at The New Hilton Richmond Hotel & Spa 191 Towne Center West Boulevard (804) 218-3860 Shula’s enters Richmond’s crowded high-end steakhouse fray inside the highly anticipated (probable) 4 Star Short Pump Hilton.
• Stronghill Dining Company 1200 N Boulevard (804) 359-0202 Another “anticipation” restaurant. Needed addition to Scott’s Addition! A Richmond Magazine Best New Restaurant. Now open for lunch.
• Water Grill 3411 W Cary St (804) 353-3411 Opened July 31. Everything Michelle Williams touches turns to gold.  She’ll be the latest to make it a go in the crowded Carytown restaurant scene.  Will the menu be another Hard Shell or more (or less)??
• Wild Ginger 734 Winterfield Rd Midlothian, VA (804) 378-4988 Chris Tsui has the magic touch. On any given night, his River Road Osaka has the highest concentration of Richmond power players. You could say the same thing about his latest Founder’s Bridge Asian fusion creation.

In regards to “hottest of all,” the Final Four has to be Acacia,  Balliceaux, Lemaire , and Mezzanine.

Kosher in Richmond, VA from a Goyische perspective

It’s gotta be difficult to be Orthodox in Richmond as I recently found out while hosting a Shabbat dinner at Chez Good Life. There are practically zero “eat out” options in our fair town (yeah, I hate cooking plus all my pots, pans, and silverware have held many a bacon cheeseburger).  We graciously had a “ghetto Kashrut dinner” featuring cold cuts, junk food, and challah on paper plates.  Funny thing about the paper plates/plasticware, I use them anyways at my house because I am a really, really lazy person (Of course, for guests, I put out the good Chinette plates. And, yeah, I’m going to Al Gore Hell.).   Also was able to pick up some decent Yogev Kosher wine (Cabernet/Shiraz blend).

You know, at the end of the day, it definitely wasn’t gourmet but it was still a fantastic, fantastic and memorable dinner!

Here is my Kosher Guide to Richmond, VA (it’s not much*)!
* Simple supply/demand working here in terms of the lack of choices. For a Kosher restaurant (or any “Ethnic” restaurant for that matter) to work in Richmond, I think you really need to have cross-over appeal for us non-Jews (or, more importantly, non-Orthodox Jews).

More Links of Interest

• Jewish Community Federation of Richmond
• Style Weekly Cover: In search of tradition and truth in a modern world, Richmond’s tiny population of Hasidic Jews practice quiet, strict yet joyful lives.