Bohemian Nights @ Common House

The lush sound of old Memphis blues saunters from a turntable across the room to a pair of battered leather chairs where we lounge with cocktails and contemplate a plan for this young Friday night. Smartly dressed cats pepper the lounge around us, their cocktail hour chatter reaching a friendly din not quite rowdy enough to stifle our breezy thoughts. Backdropping the scene is a wall adorned with various pieces of original artwork -- a shiny, happy collage of inspiration and whimsy. The air is charged with a mischievous energy that punctuates the start of every weekend. ‘Where to from here?’ The question is muttered again. Soon, the warm and fuzzy booze meshes with the grimy guitar licks in our heads and we smile wide at a familiar epiphany that hits us like deja vu -- we need no plans when we can let the whole night unfold right here at Common House.

Celebrating its one-year mark this month, Common House is Charlottesville’s avant-garde social club that satisfies our jones for the urbane. It’s a house party at some random, wealthy, eclectic friend of a friend of a friend in SOHO. In the subtext of the name dwells a playful irony because there’s absolutely nothing common about the space or the ride -- the style is totally unique to Charlottesville and the attitude just right. Set in a charming historic Vinegar Hill building and transformed into a Bohemian, Gatsby-esque hideout by founders Derek Sieg and Ben Pfinsgraff, CH is the antithesis of your father's crusty men’s club and way more progressive than any country club around.

To wit: Common House is skinny Paige denim, the rest are pleated khakis.

La Bibliothèque (photo: Andrea Hubbell)

CH curates a diverse range of experiences that educate, inspire and widen cultural parameters in a space that’s totally jacked with creative energy and light. The spectrum includes blacksmithing classes, rooftop yoga, intimate live music sessions (think: Tiny Desk), art exhibits, women’s networking luncheons, readings by acclaimed writers, fashion shows, mixology classes, wine tastings, book club and whole animal butchery instruction. This litany just scratches the surface of a place we’ve come to see as a social innovation lab where nothing is off limits, except maybe an Eyes Wide Shut throw down.   

Now we carve through the stylish crowd to the bar, where we are magically handed another round, and wait for our dinner guests to arrive. Earlier we put out a bat signal for some friends to join because we’re dying to expose them to the giddy crush we have on the food of newly-hired Chef Matt Greene.

Chef Matt Greene

Greene has a cult-type of street cred most locals know and love. It started five years ago when he opened the imitable JM Stock Provisions, an old-school butcher shop that stole this town’s heart with its gritty Brooklyn ways, un-ironic mustaches and (obvi) tattoos. Behind a greaser persona was the kindest meat whisperer who made a sometimes intimidating topic accessible and relatable. We’d never experienced his cooking, so when we heard about his move to Common House, our expectations were blind. We just loved that CH was spiking its punch with a brand like Greene’s. It was like accenting a Theory suit with a wallet chain -- we were intrigued AF.     

Seated on the rooftop at the gloaming hour, we subtly rubberneck in all directions to take in the Blue Ridge vista and pretty people around us. Shadows crawl and cast early traces of night upon the scene as the horizon fades to a pink farewell glow. We’re already brimming with verve, then the sharpest service pro in the business approaches to greet and top us off with his charm.

Rooftop Terrace (photo: Andrea Hubbell)

Always dapper and perfectly postured, General Manager Joe Scala has a presence that draws our sharpened attention every time. Locals know him from his days of managing the upscale Fleurie and its bistro sister, Petits Pois. Maybe it’s the NYC, high-end industry backstory preceding him -- Thomas Keller’s Per Se, etc. -- but he wears on his sleeve a level of sophistication and polish that is scarce around here. None of which is to say he’s uppity -- he balances accessible with posh. And it’s encouraging to see how seriously he takes his craft, mentoring CH servers via thoughtful training sessions to reflect and execute on the same standards, always pressing the bar higher. In a town where the default for service tends to be casual, a quirk too often written off and forgiven, Scala’s approach is a passionate kiss at the end of a long dry spell.

Chicken Liver Pate

Dishes start landing before us, carpet bomb style. Poker faces are on display around the table, as everyone tries to make the death grip on their fork not so obvious, the groans in their stomachs not so savage. Steak Tartare is first to be assaulted like Lord of the Flies – dry aged, perfectly seasoned, citrusy and so short for this world. Soon, sated momentarily by the bloody shot of protein, we regain our manners and pass the plates around. To cleanse our palates of raw meat, we throw back a round of Radishes, so fresh they had to be straight from the ground, garnished with salted butter and shaved baguette. The simple, healthy dish sends a jolt of goodness that momentarily pauses the hands of time on mortality. Then, feeling chesty, we dive straight from the self righteous perch into Chicken Liver Pate, a dark horse for the best in town and a dish that might drive you straight to a confessional post dinner. Really, would it surprise anyone that a former pro butcher could slay this dish, or the tartare for that matter? No, that’s why ordering both was a no-brainer for us fangirls and boys. A piece of Arctic Char -- skin crisp, flesh dense and dank, over a bed of roasted turnips, salted kale and a zesty carrot turmeric puree -- barely makes it around the table before an encore round is ordered and we all agree it’s dish of the year material. This did surprise us -- we get that Greene knows his way around four legged beasts, but to hit us in the mouth hard with a fish dish? We didn’t see it coming but were happily run over. To bookend, we decide not to sleep on the Bone-in New York Strip -- a dish that inspires naughty eye rolls and giant slugs of red.

Arctic Char

Perfectly food and wine buzzed, smiles light up our table as CH booze specialist Michael Okusa educates us on the latest additions to his stash of amari. He knows well by now that we tend to drink our dessert, reads the table expertly and returns with a dealer's choice round from his collection. While we sip, the banter on the roof around us builds to a vibrant crescendo, filling our sails with a second wind that we ride into the night with plans to return much sooner than later.  

Recs + Rants

New Metrics. The older you get, the more nuanced your life metrics become. Chatting up Greene, we stumbled upon a new benchmark that will hereby be applied to all future reviews. He is a wise cat and has reached an age where he considers deeply the biochemistry of cooking and seems to have developed something of a moral culinary compass. Now in his mid/late 30s, a guide star for him is one that dates back to his catering days: when people leave [a wedding] will they want to make love? We appreciate the hell out of a chef who looks out for our loins, or at least how we go into the night after dinner. So how does it translate? Simplicity, a reliance on fresh ingredients and a gentle hand with butter and cream might be the best answer. Greene has made an art of doing a lot with a little, and for us, that's a true litmus test of creativity.     

Fluid AF. The menu, like everything at CH, is fluid and speaks to thoughtful design. Accommodating both individual eaters and those who are into more of a shared-plate format (we’re partial to the latter), it serves as a nimble culinary support system that enriches whatever direction you decide your night should take under the CH roof and beyond. In our case, collectively experiencing and engaging over the full spectrum of menu options is a cornerstone of an evening out together, and Greene’s lineup readily allows for just that. But we know by now not to fixate too hard on any dish because Greene's menu adheres to the intellectually curious spirit that drives CH, which is to say it evolves and changes regularly to keep diners on the edge of their seats. 

Spring Pasta

Somm Game Strong. One of the most delightful personalities in the wine biz happens to direct the CH program as a side hustle. Erin Scala’s list is peppered with playful Virginia wines, adventurous Euro head turners, hard-to-come-by domestic oddities, and, like everything here, is meant to educate and enlighten. If you happen to dine on an evening she is prowling the room, try to chat her up – she’s so thoughtful and not remotely snobby about wine and clearly just loves talking about it.  Did we mention she does a wine podcast, writes wine articles and owns a local wine store that’s about as hip and garage as they get? Her passion is contagious, so get you some!

We find Erin's prose, like her wine recs, to be intoxicating, so we'd be remiss if we didn't spike this jam with her take:  

“The wine list is an irresistible, pleasure-seeking collection of all our favorite wines to drink: rare red and white Burgundy, extraordinary Côte Rotie, Austrian Grüner Veltliner, and new cult California wines by Scholium Project, Clos Saron, and Mount Eden. By the glass, we pour tasty values from around the globe. Whenever possible, we highlight local wines, beers, and spirits. And like the Common House space itself— which features solar panels, reclaimed wood, and refurbished antiques— the entire beverage program is put together with an eye towards sustainability.

The cocktail program on the Terrace is playful, like our “Pool Party” cocktail garnished with a mini floating beach ball. You’ll find more serious drinks at the Social Hall bar, most of which came from Michael Okusa’s unique imagination. For me, a highlight at the bar is the tasty selection of amari and vermouths, which Okusa has painstakingly collected over the last year.

But perhaps the coolest part about the Common House beverage program is that we regularly bring our drink list to life by inviting winemakers, spirit makers, brewers, and experts to share their stories with our members.”

Dress Code. Is anyone else just done with kitchens that overdress salads? Thanks to a horde of chefs who scarred us over the years, we've become those cats who religiously order dressing on the side. It always feels like the gutless play for some reason, and when we get that side it’s basically a Big Gulp, which begs the question – can that really be how much dressing they toss it with? Overdressing defeats the purpose and does no justice to the farm fresh vegetables. Don’t kitchens get that we ordered that salad because, gee, we might be vaguely health conscious? Let the ingredients shine. We love that you make a legit vinaigrette but don’t need to bathe in it. We’d rather see you balance a dish. That’s where it’s at.

At CH we found shelter from the oily storm and gladly order salads straight up with no fussy caveat. Greene’s compass is clearly at play in the salad forum – he lets the crisp texture of the vegetables stand out and generally steers clear of dairy. His creamy tofu dressing is gently tossed and comes off as more a zesty compliment to the vegetables. The toss is light and leaves us room to explore more corners of the menu with a little less guilt. Props! 

Fresh AF Veggie Platter

Confessions. A rub on writing about a private club for a broad audience is the potential to come off as elitist, so if you did not make it this far, we get it. It’s worth admitting we bristled at media buzz ahead of the launch and wrote it off as another UVA watering hole with a higher cover charge. Then we gave it a shot and just fell hard for the space and creative energy that envelops you right away. Our food crush came way later -- for many months we were just in lust with the vibe. The concept of a pregame and nightcap option in our back pocket at a dope venue was the hook. At the end of the day, our game is to highlight the best dining experiences and single out the best talent in the industry, and we leave it with you to access it. Which brings us to...

The Hack. If you’re not a member, don’t sweat that one bit. Just dial up the concierge and express interest in learning more about CH. That’s all it will take to open sesame for at least one feast. They may revoke our access for this, but how will they know if your ‘interest in exploring membership’ is genuine and bonafide? It’s totally legit for any potential member to test drive the food and drink game, so you can absolutely hit this one without the rigmarole of joining if you just want to try out a unique experience in town. Or, get out your rolodex and hit up friends or friends of friends you haven’t seen in awhile. Chances are good that one of them is a CH member, and guests are always welcome. 

Tea Room (photo: Andrea Hubbell)

Get Lost @ The Alley Light

A Winston Churchill quote-turned-trope flutters like a swarm of champagne bubbles in our heads as we sink deep into leather chairs at one of Charlottesville's premier restaurants. 

"It is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma."

It’s 5ish on a recent Friday evening, the beginning of service. We’re the only diners seated so far, yet not blue hairs. Strategy guided our booking of one of two window tables early in the evening for a final round of research. We need photos that might do justice to what lands before us, so the natural light is key. The wide-angle interior view offers perspective on the graceful mechanics that unfold as patrons file in. Most importantly, the privacy affords the chance to openly synthesize our take on The Alley Light.

And, well...it’s complicated. With its ever-changing menu and village of personalities, this speakeasy-style restaurant is so layered with nuance, fluid on so many levels, that tracking down and penning its soul has become the snipe hunt of our food-writing lives.  

Then, mid-dinner, the epiphany hits us: The essence is about letting go and getting lost. 

It’s the culinary version of a sketch by M.C. Escher - you don’t solve it, you joyfully lose yourself in its whimsical mastery.

This tiny, former studio apartment covertly stashed in an alley just off the Downtown Mall, marked only by an inconspicuous lantern above the door, delivers giant doses of serendipity.

Our score of innovative and fresh restaurants in town can be counted on one hand, give or take the occasional one-hit wonder, which often lands us in a continuous loop. Thanks to a dynamic philosophy that eschews the comfort zone concept, The Alley Light keeps us guessing, and returning for more.  

Recs + Rants

Squid Ink Risotto, Mussels, Chorizo, Meyer Lemon Confiture

50 Shades. Unbelievably this small kitchen offers 50 dishes at every service. Half of those are constant - a series of small plates, shared dishes, boards and desserts. Our staples on this slate of usual suspects are the French Green Beans, the Carrots, the Tuna Carpaccio, and the Pork Belly. Perfectly etched on a chalkboard in the dining room is a menu of weekly specials that rounds out the other 25 or so dishes. This is your walk on the wild side, babe. On a recent visit, a Squid Ink Risotto topped with lemon verbena-scented mussels and spicy bits of chorizo, anointed with dots of Meyer lemon confiture and finishes of parsley oil left us gasping with pleasure. Lamb Carpaccio, paper thin slices of lamb loin spread atop a broad stroke of saffron aioli with a handful of vinegary Planet Earth Diversified tatsoi inspired smiles around the table another night. What can best be described as an 'elevated deconstructed gazpacho' - a tower of crab, watermelon, heirloom tomato, basil lime sorbet, and crispy prosciutto set in a clear tomato broth - cooled and cleansed our palates with bright summer flavors. We could write a novella about the many specials we've crushed on. Here's the catch: you basically have to consider each encounter a one-night stand because just when you fall too hard, your crush blows town. Don't fret though because odds are you'll be back sooner than you think for another round of seduction. 

In hindsight. Two years ago, our first night as official Charlottesville residents, we joined The Washington Post’s Tom Sietsema for a review dinner of The Alley Light. In his final piece, one strike had to do with the very casual service style, described as “better suited to a college tavern.” We’ve chewed on that observation a long time, and while it stings, we tend to catch his drift as it relates to his core audience - Washingtonians. Let’s be honest, Washington’s fine dining is emblematic of the big city it is, and Charlottesville's dining bears its own personality. That’s okay and nothing anyone here should envy. To us, this commentary boils down to a difference in paradigms. Around here, we dig on the easy-going, informal style servers bring to your table, as long as passion and knowledge for the food and drink come with it. That’s what you will find here. The second ding in Sietsema's review was the size of tables and configuration of the dining room: “Cozy doesn’t necessarily translate to comfortable.” We’re happy to report that over the years, the crew has played Tetris with the room and solved the layout puzzle to make for ample space. 

Veg out and go aioli.

Board AF. Simple, refreshing and colorful, one of our favorites in town is the Vegetable Board. Spread with a lovely arrangement of in-season and pickled vegetables, dashed with the perfect dose of salt and vinegar, it's practically a still life work of art. It's simple, straightforward ingredients served as their best versions of themselves. When you get past the remorse of disrupting this artful display, you are basically grazing with your hands at the best vegetarian aioli monstre feast in town, and feeling slightly self righteous about it. But don’t let it go to your head because…  

WTF(oie). If you dig on French food, the decadence permeating the menu won’t surprise you. It’s a litany of dietary indulgences that reads like food smut and offers several iterations of foie gras that will make you blush. Foie Brûlée, on the surface, rings like something you’d vigorously scrub from your Google search history after devouring. Chef Robin McDaniel loves to pair foie with sweet accompaniments and uses several pastry techniques to deliver something sinful, savory and subtly sweet. The foie is cured and cooked with egg, cream, kirsch, white port and Sauternes -  is there is a better foie pairing than Sauternes!? -  and served over a rhubarb carpaccio (think fancy AF fruit roll-up). The brûlée is a raspberry tuile, which is similar in look and texture to the burnt sugar topping we'd expect. It's all finished with Chiles Orchard strawberries macerated in sugar, kirsch, and black pepper, some almond crumble and a drizzle of balsamic. No one knows when a new seasonal take on this version will return, but trust us: if you see foie gras on the menu, do yourself right and dial it up. 

Dealer's Choice

Cocktails and Dreams. Maybe you’ve heard about Micah LeMon, bar manager and cocktail artist at The Alley Light? Well read on all things mixology, eloquent booze writer and funky urban farmer, LeMon brings a refreshing intellectual curiosity to the craft that locals are so blessed to tap. If he weren’t so warm, kind and quick to dismiss the applause he’s received in this business, you might hate him for being so damn talented. Like the food menu, his thoughtful drink list reflects and changes with the seasons, so chances are you will find something that suits your mood nicely. If you choose to go it alone, you’re forgiven if you feel overwhelmed by the tower of booze that lords over you. LeMon stocks a selection so deep, it puts many big city cocktail clubs to shame. Being suckers for booze labels, we love to get lost gawking at that wall of wonder. Your best bet might be to light up his eyes by ordering the Dealer’s Choice. Not only does this mean the delightful thrill of imbibing on a fresh creation, it elicits an educational dose of conversation about obscure spirits you’ve never encountered before. Pro tip: The point here is to let the professionals take over, so relax and don't go overboard with direction. It's cool to guide the dealer's hand a bit by highlighting spirits you love or hate. Just promise not to order a Jack & Coke.  Pro tip 2: Stay tuned for LeMon’s cocktail book - The Imbible - to hit shelves this fall.

Crab, Watermelon, Heirloom Tomato, Lime Basil Sorbet, Crispy Prosciutto 

Choose wisely. This is one of the priciest spots in town, and justifiably so. Chris Dunbar, the affable AF owner and GM, describes The Alley Light as a fine dining destination. When we consider the high-end ingredients and roster of top-tier talent that makes those ingredients dance on your plate (or in your glass), we’re down with that label. That said, you should know there’s a wild card in the deck, and how you play it will determine how the experience aligns with the check you will pay at the end of the night. We’re talking about location, location, location. Many of the thoughtfully constructed dishes come with an unwritten context for how and where to devour them.

Lucky for you, P+K has developed a formula that guarantees the perfect Alley Light experience, and all it requires is some basic forethought. You should know by now to reserve in advance because tables don’t come easy here. While you’re at it, consider what kind of night you’re looking for and ask for the right table.

Here’s a cheat sheet to guide the way.    

• Barstools: Ideal for cocktails/wine, snacks, small plates, chitchat with mixologists and fellow imbibers, fancy first dates. No reservations required.  

• Cabaret Tables: You can do it all from this perch and get a 360-degree people-watching perspective. Stagger your food orders to avoid space invasion by too many plates at once. No need for clutter to clash with your vibe.    

• Lounge/Couches: This is where you kick it with your homies. Cocktails, wine, snacks and boards are the way to go here. Because leaning forward from a couch to stab a bite of $34 halibut then guiding it to your face under a cupped hand is just plain awkward, stick to dishes that are tailored for noshing and grazing.    

• Lounge/Windows (for two): Anything goes here, even dirty talk if you are so inclined. No other spot in the house offers this much privacy.  

• Dining Room: The full spectrum of fine dining awaits you here. Tables are spaced out enough that you don't need to whisper, but some discretion is advised.  

Lamb Carpaccio with Saffron Aioli and Local Greens

#ImWithHer. We’d love to see more baller industry women celebrated in Charlottesville. In our book, Chef Robin McDaniel is one of the best in the business and somehow buzz about her is absent. WTF? It’s undeniable that (prior Alley Light) Chef Jose De Brito shot the moon and garnered high praise and accolades when helming the kitchen. His inspired fare and reputation drew the likes of Tom Sietsema to Charlottesville. It’s also true he saw a fire in McDaniel and mentored her. His legacy of excellence is woven deeply into the fabric of the menu where some of his dishes remain. That said, touching and thoughtful tributes surrounding Jose's departure fell short on highlighting the creative spirit in the remaining crew and glossed over the collaboration that continues to make The Alley Light one of the best restaurants in town. It’s never a one-man show, and more often than not there’s a woman behind that man, propping him up. With all due respect to De Brito, who established one hell of a cornerstone, the sequel directed by McDaniel deserves major props. We’re not trying to spark a gender debate here and we don’t believe that kind of awkwardness inhabits this cozy joint. There’s clear and present harmony at The Alley Light and we credit much of that to McDaniel’s player-coach approach in the kitchen and empathy for front-of-house nuances (thanks to her starting in this business as a server). Her inspired dishes gracefully toe the line between complex and accessible - no fuss but plenty of elegance in this French fare. In a space seemingly dominated by men, it’s refreshing to shine a light on a woman who quietly gets shit done and blows minds while at it. Hats off to you, Chef Robin!

Early Birds in the Gloaming Hour 

The Coat Room: A Spa for Drinkers

The speakeasy trend has seen plenty of ups, downs and detours over the years. Generally gone now are the days when being in the know is required to land a perch at a swanky private watering hole. Hidden doors, secret knocks, dark passageways - these mechanisms of the old times, when such protocols were actually legit, have begun to play themselves out of modern favor, turning the rigmarole into little more than a charade. Let's face it - when New Yorkers scoff at the concept that has saturated their city, it's time to dress it down.         

These days you're more likely to find private bars informally earning the speakeasy label because it evokes mysterious tones and illicit metaphors of a bygone era that comfort imbibers. Just about everyone is hiding from something, not just prohibition agents, and these venues provide that fleeting sense of escape.

Which brings us to restaurateur baller Will Richey's latest, enchanting AF gift to food and drink lovers here - The Coat Room. 

Covertly nestled in the dark, wood-paneled, basement of Brasserie Saison, Cville's newest clandestine bar delivers a modern fine dining experience shrouded in old-timey allure and romance. Offering two seatings, at 6pm and 8pm, on Friday and Saturday evenings, The Coat Room is destined to become one of the most unique destinations in the area.  

Running the show is one of the best tag teams in the business -- sommelier/wine buyer/manager Will Curley and bar manager Reid Dougherty. These veterans are in their element here, seemingly made for the kind of high end, light touch service The Coat Room brings. We frequent the upstairs dining room regularly and have seen them in action, so needless to say, it came as no shock to be dealt an intimate, polished experience from their hands. 

On the first Saturday evening of service, when we descend the stairs and land at a table beneath a mounted vintage sport coat, a round of bubbles is set before us. And so begins our giddy little first look.  

Recs + Rants

DC/DC

It's basically a spa for drinkers. Dougherty and Curley created an exclusive imbibing blueprint for The Coat Room - wines, beers and cocktails you won't find on the list upstairs. The Parchment Fizz (Bluecoat gin, massenez poire william, priortat natur bianco vermouth, peychaud's bitters, absinthe rinse) served in a Collins glass was the opener we needed -- refreshing, effervescent, a lovely balance of bittersweet, almost a sassy cousin to the Negroni Bianco. A playful homage to the District, where the base spirits were made, the DC/DC (greenhat gin, don ciccio cinque, nocino, finochietto, habanero tincture) deals a blend of bitter, spicy and smoky that candidly felt criminal, so we nicknamed it the Marion Barry. The show stopper was A Much Better Rusty Nail (suntory toki whiskey, carpano antica vermouth, war & rust quinquina, drambuie). Will was so smitten over this one that he has already begun drafting his next Cville cocktail feature on it, so we'll just leave this tease right here and not steal his booze writing thunder. Props to Dougherty for incorporating a P+K favorite local spirit, War & Rust, into a dreamy cocktail. 

Curley's refreshing and playful tasting notes beneath each offering on the wine list are a model for accessibility that we'd love to see catch on around town. The abbreviated descriptions beg conversation and curiosity, which he loves to sate with charming crumbs of education. He makes wine an adventurous experience, not a stuffy and intimidating endeavor for drinkers.

In no particular order, some of our favorite clever quips:

• Rovellotti 'Chioso dei Pomi' Ghemme Piedmont, It, 2009: jumps out of the glass, complex, incredible finish
• Comte St. Hubert 'Muscadet Sevre-et-maine,' Loire Valley, Fr, 2000: can almost vote and go to war
• Masciarelli 'Villa Gemma,' Abruzzo, It, 2007: montepulciano on steroids, legendary vintage  
• Domaine Tollot-Beaut 'Chorey-les-Beaune,' Burgundy, Fr, 2014: focused, precise, big shoulders
• Ametzoi 'Rubentis,' Getaria, Es, 2016: the king of txakolina rosé

We crushed that txakolina, by the way!   

Let it flow, let yourself go. The speakeasy life is mostly about letting a romantic experience seamlessly unfold, not so much about overthinking or fussing over your order. Unless you’re a high maintenance cat - in which case you’re really in the wrong place - we strongly recommend surrendering your food order (with any allergy intel) to Curley’s adept hands and sticking with the business of whispering sweet nothings to your date and/or eavesdropping on hushed conversations around you. 

Share the love. We’ve opined that the food at Brasserie Saison is some of the most creative and inspired in Charlottesville. The dinner menu at The Coat Room is the same jam as upstairs, so diners are free to order away. Pro tip: If you decide against a dealer's choice model, consider the table size when you order. These small round tops are not ideal for a conventional, linear dining style. Sharing small/large plates in a staggered succession will keep your night from turning into a round of table Tetris. 

Filters + effects do no justice to this lively dessert. 

Summer fare. On our maiden subterranean visit, Curley guided us through a tour of light and refreshing summer options Chef Tyler Teass created for dog days like this one. We opened with white stone oysters dressed with a michelada mignonette, not technically a new dish but a P+K go-to and the perfect pair for bubbles. Next came a dish we're already plotting to meet again soon - smashed cucumbers with lump crab and carrot-miso dressing. This welcome Teass riff on a classic Asian dish had our forks clashing for the last bits of crab swimming in that sweet nectar of a marinade. Then the cucumber + zucchini gazpacho hit us in the mouth and left us swooning. The headline ingredients are buzzed and strained with olive oil, vinegar and red onion to create this smooth, refreshing, cold summer soup, then the whole jam is topped with pickled, green tomato chowchow and Caromont Farm goat cheese. All of these lovely vegetables hail from Richey's Red Row Farm in Esmont, VA, culminating in a dish that couldn't be more local. The grilled branzino, dressed in a lovely Mediterranean sauce vierge (tomatoes, red onion olive oil, anchovies, garlic, capers, almonds) was just the shot of protein we needed, so delicate and savory. In the end we waved off the idea of dessert, but Curley wasn't having that, so he sent out the cutest little saucers of local pickled peach galette topped with cream cheese gelato and tiny mint leaves. It was the perfect punctuation for a light summer meal.  

Instagram be damned. This will surprise no one - The Coat Room is dark. There's no anti-photog policy here, but there also aren't enough filters in the world to compensate for the poor lighting that will make those Instagram posts, like ours, meh. If our intentions on the first visit were not blog related, we'd have kept our phones stashed. Glowing screens don't exactly jive with the vibe.    

History repeats. This isn’t Richey's first rodeo in the speakeasy category. Locals will know that for this creation he's drawing from the first time he absconded with this town's heart in 2014 by founding the distinguished Alley Light -- another P+K favorite hideout.

Book it! Unlike Brasserie Saison upstairs, which does not take reservations, its alter ego speakeasy is reservation-only. With service limited to two nights per week and a capacity for 8 patrons, it's likely to be tough table, so plan ahead. 

As we resurface to the streets above, we sense the presence of the same intoxicating muse that spiked us with shades eloquence on the heels of our first Brasserie Saison night. And just like that night, we return to our barn in the country hollow to mix rounds of nightcaps and scribble feverishly into the trusty P+K notebook our fresh takes on The Coat Room. The next morning that notebook had vanished and remains a ghost to this day. Thankfully the experience was so impressed upon us that recalling these lovely highlights was a summer breeze.       

First Bites: Brasserie Saison

As our P+K crew steps out into the night after a dinner at Charlottesville's newest restaurant, our banter reaches fever pitch — giddy thoughts expressed in fragments, completing each other's sentences, the usual chatter about big balls, vows to return asap, and lamentations over how hard a table will be to score moving forward thanks to a no-reservations policy. We are a pack of tween girls fresh off a Taylor Swift concert. When the fervor spills over into a tsunami of 'how good was that?' texts the next day, we know it's time to break tradition and get right to spreading the gospel on this spot. 

There's an old adage about pornography that fits into our evolving take on new restaurants. To paraphrase: You just know it when you see it.

Until now, the protocol on reviews has been to hit a local venue at least four times, usually over the course of a month or two, before even glancing at the publish button. Our philosophy is that you have to engage with a place over time before its soul reveals itself. It's unfair to dispense with lore on a restaurant based on a single visit, especially if the doors just opened.

Well, every now and then a newcomer wastes no time showing you what it's made of, and damn is Brasserie Saison loaded with some serious mettle!    

We'll rewind a little. The warm vibe and good light immediately pulled us in from the cold and greeted us with a cozy, shotgun-style dining room where a happy din buzzed. All the details are addressed — from potted succulents brightening the bar to sepia lighting casting a no-filter-needed glow on everything. The place glides and grows on you instantly.  

We park at the bar with Reid who slings us perfectly balanced cocktails and some booze-list intel on the side. We mumble f-bomb platitudes over the 23 Skidoo (Bulleit rye, Aperol, Luna Amaro, charred lemon bitters) and take in the dining room. Among the smart crowd are industry cats like Lampo's Andrew Cole nodding his head with a broad sheepish smile on his face—further confirmation that we're in the right place. 

Recs + Rants

Smell the Roses. We're no strangers to Rose's Luxury, having experienced the darling of DC's dining scene many times as residents and returning often when back in the city for business. Straightaway you'll recognize the artful nuances of Rose's in many dishes at Saison, brought to you by Chef Tyler Teass, the Cville prodigal son who hails from that rocking kitchen. With most offerings, each bite starts with a relatively straightforward flavor mission, then midway through the seductive spectrum, you're introduced to some side hustle through an unexpected texture or ballsy flavor. It's like learning your successful attorney friend moonlights as a painter whose work graces hip gallery walls across Soho — you were already impressed, then blown away. 

Menu brought to you by the brilliant design minds at Watermark Design.

Design nerds, dig it. The actual menu is one of the most refreshing design concepts we've seen in town. Crafted by Charlottesville brand studio Watermark, the beautiful menu graced with hand-drawn images of root vegetables and oysters is UX eye candy. 

Ginned up and down.  The range of gins available is impressive and inspires an urge to educate ourselves further on the deep depths of this spirit. The namesake Brasserie Saison Cocktail (Bombay gin, lemon, pink peppercorn, Saison) will land in front of us again soon. Similar to a French 75 but with a home-brewed Saison kick, it brought to mind Germans' beloved radlers. Refreshing, light and definitely for citrus lovers, this'll be a perfect patio drink come the warmer months. And to cap the night they offer quite the sophisticated amaro list —Will loved the Amaro delle Sirene with a twist. 

Don't choke the sun. One among us would like to admit she had very little idea what sunchokes were as she ordered this dish, and at first impression thought they looked like pieces of ginger root stuffed with well-cooked potatoes. Further research shows that this root vegetable is in fact a type of native North American sunflower. Otherwise known as a "Jerusalem artichoke," the tuber not only bears zero connection to its eponymous Middle Eastern city, but is also seemingly unrelated to artichokes. We can't help but feel this is the culinary equivalent of being cat-fished. Another among us really dove into said research and feels compelled to indulge his inner 8-year-old self by sharing that sunchokes are also known as "fartichokes" due to the unfortunate side effect of their elevated levels of the carbohydrate, inulin. Team P+K can neither confirm nor deny the real world findings of this allegation. Anyways... we digress. The Roasted Sunchokes dish is damn delicious and served with creme fraiche, horseradish, and trout roe (to our utter, caviar-loving delight). We absolutely encourage you to order it, hypothetical flatulatory implications aside.

Winner winner. The Chicken Liver Toast didn't survive for long once it landed at our table. The thick, perfectly charred and smoked crust of bread was the ideal vehicle for the creamy spread. Also appreciated were the subtle complimentary notes of burnt hazelnut and pickled celery sewn throughout. All in all, a strong opener for us and right up there with Oakhart's and Timbercreek's. 

The house mussels are served with killer fries and some spice. 

We got the beet. There are some within our foursome who love beets and some who do not. We're not naming any names, but the Marinated Beets with homemade straciatella and puffed rice quickly had the non-lovers backpedaling. The word we kept repeating while cleaning the plate was texture. Man, did this have it! The perfect mix of crunch, cream and consistency, we're just going to go ahead and throw this out there — an order at Brasserie Saison is not complete without this dish.

Flexing it. The name of the place grants a roster spot for a few menu staples. Mussels are a solid go-to and one of those litmus tests you need to check off the list right away with a Belgian-themed concept. We shared the House Style and were in unanimous thumbs-up agreement around the table. Quick note — the pot includes a whopping 50 mussels and is definitely meant for sharing.  

Swine dining. The Pork Cut is an exercise in brevity that turns out, in practice, to warrant a novella. At first glance, the menu copy doesn't exactly pull you in — Grayson grits, marinated kale, jus — but the dish itself exhibits the understated vibe that abounds here. What initially seems simplistic turns out to be layered with flavor that punches you good. Dual cuts of Autumn Olive Farm pork belly and loin allow you to indulge both virtuous and sinful tastes.

The buttered popcorn pudding offers up some next-level interplay of textures and flavors: creamy pudding, crunchy, cracked corn, sweat butter & eye-lash curling lime curd.

Can't stop, won't stop. After various small plates, two entrees and a few glasses of wine, we weren't sure if dessert was a viable option. We're incredibly thankful to the kind folks at Saison for showing us the error of our ways and sending out a full spread, including Buttered Popcorn Pudding, Jackie's Brownie, Frozen Yogurt, and the trio of Ice Creams. As innocuous and State Fair-ish as the name sounds at first pass, the buttered popcorn pudding offers up some next-level interplay of textures and flavors: creamy pudding, crunchy, cracked corn, sweet butter & eye-lash curling lime curd. The salt & cracked black pepper ice cream topping the Jackie's Brownie punched in close to cacio e pepe weight which left us cheering. The Frozen Yogurt with strokes of saffron honey, olive oil shortbread and sweet jam could even make for a nefarious breakfast. When was the last time you dug into a dessert course that gripped your palate and imagination as deftly as the appetizers and entrees that preceded it? 

Wash it down. We'd be remiss if we didn't highlight one of the most critical aspects of Brasserie Saison— the beer. Upon first conceptualizing the project, co-owner and serial Cville restaurateur Will Richey knew he wanted the suds to not only be local, but true to the Benelux-themed menu he had been dreaming up. Enter Hunter Smith, founder of Cville's own Champion Brewing Company. Known for a bevy of knockout releases since opening shop in 2012, Smith and Co. got to work outfitting the restaurant space with its very own mini Missile Factory (or, more appropriately in Dutch, "Raket Fabriek"), from which lead brewer, Josh Skinner, would sling in-house his take on classic European styles and collaborate daily with Chef Teass. As expected, the final product does not disappoint, with the flagship brew — and restaurant namesake — Saison jumping to the top of the P+K list of personal, local favorites after a few sips. Not to be overshadowed, the wine list offers up a number of local and outsider gems alike, including our group pick: a killer, brand new 2016 Gewürztraminer from tenured VA winegrowers, Afton Mountain Vineyards.

And so, many months of labor and love later, the story of Brasserie Saison begins. 

Channeling Hemingway at Keevil & Keevil Grocery and Kitchen

As far back as Will can remember, corner markets have been a part of his fabric. Countless days of his childhood were spent roaming the city streets of St. Louis, when free-range parenting was not a crime, with regular stops at the many options in his neighborhood—usually for penny candy. 

Eventually, as his sensibilities evolved, these gave way to dicey bodegas in DC’s Adams Morgan and Capitol Hill neighborhoods and finally a gourmet haven in Chevy Chase that graduated him to bonafide food-lover status, Broad Branch Market. These days, just around the bend of his road is a bend that begets another. Convenience means a short drive into town, but until recently he hadn't found a neighborhood market in Charlottesville to fill that void.

P+K has kept an eager eye on Keevil & Keevil Grocery and Kitchen since its soft launch in August. With K&K's kickoff, a few months earlier than originally planned, came a glistening ripple of press. Mostly (and justifiably,) the coverage seemed predicated upon the good name Chef Harrison and Jennifer Keevil had already built for themselves in the Charlottesville food community. It’s hard not to tune in unless you live under a rock—Harrison endearingly wears his passion on his sleeve and lobbies regularly for the local food and farm industry on the social channels.

The K&K breakfast biscuit - so sinfully good. 

A few weeks after K&K opened, we dropped in and found that while the sandwiches were legit, the concept was a skeleton still being fleshed out. We held off on voicing our thoughts and rooted quietly on the sidelines for them to grow into their vision. The young days of any small business rarely indicate what it will ultimately be, and if you’re spread thin running another business in tandem, just imagine the challenges that abound. When the Keevils rolled out K&K, they were running Brookville Restaurant on the Downtown Mall, burning the candle at both ends. After 6 years, they ended the restaurant’s run last December so they could direct all attention to their new passion play.

Geographically, this modest barn-red market perches at the corner of Avon Street and Hinton Avenue, the gateway to Charlottesville’s hip Belmont Neighborhood. At first glance, we could see how one might expect little from a place this size, but don’t let the small scale fool you. K&K covers the whole spectrum of culinary desires with convenience and serious quality—binge-worthy breakfast options, a deep lunch menu of sandwiches, a well-curated collection of gourmet pantry items, a thoughtful roster of beer and wine, and now (drumroll) take-out dinners made from scratch with local ingredients. Oh, don’t forget all the Albemarle Baking Company pastries and  Arley Cakes you could dream up.

Best of all, K&K is set to serve as a sort of food lab for the couple, a flexible space where they plan to experiment with concepts like popup collaborations with local chefs and food/wine pairings soon—and ‘the ideal context to take chances’. We’ll be tuning in for that kind of action.   

Recs + Rants

 The calling card. Let’s cut right to it - Harrison’s biscuits are the headliner. It’s no surprise they grace the cover of the latest Our Local Commons. They are so sinfully good, you’ll begin to wonder when you last hit the confessional booth. Rock these for your breakfast sandwich and you will be so pleasantly full, you could (should?) skip lunch that day.          

There will be guilt. If you’re a health conscious mofo—as many are now when new year’s resolutions abound —leave room for exercise before/after you feast at K&K. The sandwich-heavy menu lacks in innocence. But, life is too short to neglect those biscuits, so just plan accordingly!

Put your Duke's up. Skim the menu and you’ll quickly diagnose a Duke's Mayonnaise fan hood here. The classic Southern condiment graces several sandwiches. We get it—mayo is a love-it or hate-it ingredient—so read the fine print and order carefully.   

Take(out) comfort. Some days you have to kick ambition to the curb. Maybe you had a brutal day at work, shudder at the thought of cooking and cleaning but don’t want to venture out. The creative takeout dinner menu at K&K is that big warm hug you need, and it’s just a few clicks and keystrokes away on their website. The menu, jammed with locally sourced ingredients, rotates weekly and offers healthy gluten-free and vegetarian options some evenings. So far, our whole family has dug into the roast pork loin, grits, and collard greens and plan to try others.  

Local love. K&K has a deep passion for the work of local farmers and artisans, as its menu and shelves will proudly attest. It’s practically their religion. And while this sometimes means paying more for the fare, it feels good to support a local business that champions local sweat, blood and tears.  

Early one recent Saturday morning, Charlottesville’s first legitimate snow day, Will heeded the siren call of Harrison’s Instagram post and navigated the sketchy roads to K&K to get his hands on those biscuits. When he walked in he felt so safely sheltered from the storm - the light and warmth of the place being at once nothing and everything, bringing to mind Ernest Hemingway’s 'A Clean Well-Lighted Place,' in which the old man just needs a safe place to drink brandy alone to fend off feeling alone. On subsequent visits, K&K has also conjured the communal vibes of old school barber shops, where sharp banter spawns a magnetic desire to stick around and have a long chat with that sandwich you ordered. While Harrison worked the griddle, Will asked about life after Brookville.

“We’re so excited to focus and evolve our vision here at Keevil & Keevil. Brookville was a good run, but it was time to move on. At some point, once restaurants find that formula, they can also feel eventually confined by it. My creative energy is back to peak levels now.”      

In a day when big box chain grocers are hyped, the Keevils are channeling the dying art of the local market—a move and spirit we at P+K celebrate.

Photo Credit = Harrison Keevil

Tavern & Grocery: Choose Your Own Adventure

Take a quick glance at our bios and you’ll realize that the gang behind P+K is still relatively new to Charlottesville, our time served varying between two and four years. We’re continuously sorting out the culinary nuances of this town and getting familiar with what makes Cvillians tick. One thing we know for sure - there’s a real movement taking place here. Food entrepreneurs are bringing creative concepts that are welcomed and celebrated, and locals are bringing big city accolades to this small town. We’ve enjoyed the ride and have developed a deep appreciation for what feels like a localized revolution of sorts.

That said, you will have to forgive us if the recent fanfare surrounding the opening of a grocery store chain left us scratching our heads. Don’t get us wrong, we love a dynamic grocery shopping experience as much as the next cat, but the hype seemed a little over-the-top. According to reports, hundreds of people lined up, some actually camped out in the parking lot, to get first dibs on Fifth Street’s new retail resident, and thousands paraded through during the first day. In our minds, it sounded like the mother of all big box Black Fridays, one we were happy to bypass in favor of another kind of grocery that is quietly and unexpectedly becoming one of our favorite spots in town: Tavern & Grocery.  

On the sleepy, unremarkable stretch of West Main Street between The Corner and the Downtown Mall - a haunted swath of bygone thoroughfare - sits this curio of a dining venue that pleasantly mystifies and regularly draws us back in search of clues as to what the place wants to be. After several visits and many wine-fueled conversations intended to distill our experiences, we find it to be a restaurant analog of the "Choose Your Own Adventure" book series we devoured as kids.  

Before P+K’s launch, we had not studied up much on T&G in the wake of its late January 2016 opening. What we did catch here and there led us to believe it was just another restaurant in the long line of local play-it-safe spots offering traditional Southern fare with flare - another peddler of fried chicken and waffles. “They have great sandwiches!”’ was one friend’s comment. Not exactly tractor beam material there. “The service is super friendly,” said another, triggering a scowl reflex we find ourselves wearing when too often it seems that Southern hospitality is expected to excuse otherwise middling quality.

Much to our delight, the truth of T&G couldn’t be further from our cynical preconceptions. It's the real deal and has picked up steam in its inaugural year.

Recs + Rants

#TrustinPatrick for all booze options.

Pick your poison. T&G aims to please and is happy to role play whatever your visit requires:  pre-game drinks, date night, stopover on a night of bar grazing, chill dinner with the kids, rowdy dinner with a crowd, night caps and brunch. (You’re probably used to your Bloody Mary’s being red - at T&G, go green!)

Raising the bar. Have you figured out that our crew loves saddling up to the bar for dinner? On the stick, and wearing several hats including GM and head mixologist, is Patrick McClure who has run restaurants in Charlottesville with his brother, T&G owner, Andy McClure, since 2001. Patrick is a well-traveled cat, having worked in New York, San Francisco and DC, and brings to the craft a creative confidence and thoughtfulness that shines in the cocktails. You’re missing out if you don’t chat him up - his character and charm make you want to wear out your welcome. Aside from charged chitchat, each drink is crafted delicately, and he dares you to let him riff on what you order. Our advice is let him - he took a Mezcal Negroni to delightful heights with Vida mezcal, Ramazotti amaro and Aperol. It was brilliant, an instant favorite for our fall into winter.

Wisdom is served. The front of house - they got smarts. One server could be a ghost because he just knows too much, as if he’s been lingering in the place for ages absorbing each and every intricacy. We’re talking about Michael, the Paul Auster doppelganger, whose descriptions of each dish are so detailed and riddled with passion that you almost feel as if you are looking over Chef David Morgan’s shoulder in the kitchen. There’s a theatrical vibe to his presentation that at first comes off as affected, but soon translates as nothing but genuine. This cat has fun at his profession regardless of the scene - slow or jumping, he brings the same gusto. It’s a contagious joy.

Earl-approved. Generally we don’t bother with sandwich options unless the sole reason for venturing out is to grab one (or it’s the chicken fried octopus down the road at Oakhart). Alas, the Steak & Fromage sandwich rarely fails to flip that script on us. Dry-aged four weeks, cold smoked, seared, then sliced paper thin before being married with brie, caramelized onions and garlic aioli on a crusty roll from Albemarle Baking Company, it’s a labor of love that you will savor. The Crispy Chicken Sandwich is a beast of a southern classic, sliced into three portions, the third of which you will more than likely take home.

We dare you to eat all of this crispy fried golden goodness in one sitting! (Photo courtesy of Tavern & Grocery.)

Sunday Night BBQ. We unintentionally timed our first double date at T&G perfectly, as it was the very Sunday night they decided to unveil their house-made BBQ platter. After Michael’s description - house-smoked brisket, braised pulled pork, freshly prepared coleslaw and baked beans, all offered together for the insane price of $14 - we had to jostle our minds from collective BBQ euphoria and remind ourselves that, for the purposes of blog research, all four of us couldn't order identically. So be it. We made do with one, and it more than exceeded expectations. Hearty, carefully spiced meat, punctuated perfectly by a homemade coleslaw crunch - we’re relieved to relay that this dish will become a Sunday night (only!) regular at T&G.

Egg sluts, rejoice! Our favorite protein shapeshifter, the farm-fresh egg, graces several offerings on the dinner and brunch menu (below). Atop the list is a WTF! dish that elevated eyebrows around the table: Squid & Eggs. Braised in a red wine reduction jazzed up with pickled jalapeños and green olives, the squid is topped with a 62-degree egg so artful that you almost feel bad about shanking it to spill its yolky richness into the gravy. But when you do it blends with the other components so well that you want to lick the bowl. Thankfully it comes with a crusty hunk of bread to soak it all up so you can appear civilized. We are most thankful to Michael for encouraging us to order this our first night, as even the bravest eater among us casually passed over the dish initially. Unbeknownst to us at the time, this apparent oddity is rooted intimately in the happy highlight reel of T&G owner Andy’s past culinary adventures:

“Walking along La Rambla in Barcelona... we sat on a stool that looked inviting. A good-looking man pops his head up from behind his skillet and smoke and asks what we'd like. Wine...obviously, we reply, and whatever dish is best. He replies quickly and confidently: ‘You've got to have the squid and eggs.’ Not only was this dish amazing, but after talking to some people and reading a few things, we quickly found out that this dish and this man were quite famous in Catalonia, and maybe even in all of Spain. He made what he loved and shared it with whoever wandered by. And while there have been many awards and accolades for him and his dish, most of us don't even know that he exists or that this dish is even a ‘thing.’ Turns out it's quite a thing, and we were lucky to find it.” - Andy McClure, T&G Owner

How to properly describe the gloriousness that is squid & eggs? (Photo courtesy of Tavern & Grocery.)

Brussels beware. We’re near the point of Brussels sprout fatigue. Everyone does them - even year round now - and sometimes it seems like chefs are just checking a box when adding them to a menu. Chef Morgan’s Crispy Brussels riff is just the shot in the arm this usual suspect needs, halved and fried alongside sweet Chinese lap cheong sausage and then drizzled with a sticky sweet soy reduction. Patrick says it best, “The result is more reminiscent of a Chinese dish like Beef with Broccoli than any Brussels dish we've tried." If you close your eyes, it’s the dopest beef and broccoli dish this side of Peter Chang’s.

Parlez vous quelle?! On a recent P+K visit, we never expected to stumble upon one of the best Steak Frites in town. Like the scrawny kid chosen last for a pickup game of sandlot baseball, the order was an obligatory choice to cover the bases for research and ended up being utter serendipity. It could be that we are suckers for chimichurri or that we’ve never met hand-cut frites we didn’t fall hard for. Either way, when you merge these on the plate with a tender fan of sliced hangar steak and a bed of sautéed spinach, there’s a je ne sais quoi that has us hooked.   

This particular Quiche of the Day featured cauliflower & BACON.

Brunch you! Let's be honest, many brunch experiences are forgettable at best. It's the sad reality of a meal all too often devoured following a late night when one is still shaking off symptoms of the old Irish flu. While we appreciate with the best of them the occasional smothered, covered, and chunked American morning self-loathing indulgence, the Francophile in all of us is drawn to T&G's Sunday offerings. From inventive Quiche of the Day selections to another cameo by our friend the 62-degree egg, we were happily taken by the thoughtfully orchestrated lineup. Having also logged more than a few miles on our Croque Madame research odometers, T&G's sits squarely towards the top of our ever-evolving domestic list of favorites. Did we mention that morning Caviar service is offered as well? What good is the rest of Sunday afternoon if you can't attack it with a belly full of fish eggs and heightened sense of bougy badassery? (Incidentally, the caviar often graces us with its presence for dinner as well.) Front to back, it's a thoroughly enjoyable brunch experience, and don't just take it from us either - Simon says so too, so you better believe it.

Bust a cap in the night! The darkened stairwell at the back of the joint leads downstairs to the ideal spot to cap your night with a range of specialty and classic craft cocktails - a speakeasy style bar called Lost Saint. 

It's the little things. One Sunday morning, the waitress (unprompted) brought out a fresh plate of bacon for the dog hanging out under the table next to ours. Safe to say that pup will be insisting on T&G for brunch for the rest of his life. Another night at dinner, one of our 9-year-old dining companions requested some chocolate sprinkles with his ice cream. The dish was delivered to the table with chef-grated dark chocolate shards topping the ice cream in lieu of store-bought sprinkles. The thoughtfulness of T&G extends far beyond its dishes and drinks.  

Perhaps the best way to wrap up our feelings about T&G is with a quote from Michael. After welcoming us back for yet another Sunday-night BBQ plate last weekend, he noted, "For us - and for anyone in this industry - the very best compliment we can receive is when our patrons return again, and again, and again. That's what makes this all worth it."

We couldn't agree more, Michael. You'll definitely be seeing this P+K gang again, and again, and again. 

When the check arrives...

Barbie's Burrito Barn: A Baja Oasis

In Washington, DC, our favorite taco joint was an illegitimate business - a speakeasy in the sweetest Salvadoran woman’s tiny Mount Pleasant apartment. Its street name smacked of cloak and dagger - El Clandestino. The protocol for dining at this glorious hideout: stand outside an unremarkable, rundown apartment building on Park Road, dial a secret phone number, catch the set of keys dropped from a second floor window, climb one flight of dingy stairs to the cash-only ‘establishment’ and feast your ass off at a communal table for 10 where Estee’s tacos (and tamales) quietly stole the thunder of all DC tacos. Sorry, José, but these led the league. Her ingredients were fresh, the slow-and-low embrace of craft evident, and the most impactful ingredient was love. You could not help notice the choreography of passion taking place - as if she and her husband were doing a culinary piece of performance art. This was an exclusive indie food insider stop that delivered Oaxacan food highs that drew us back often. As a bonus, you could purchase other things from the chintzy shelves lining the living room walls: penicillin, a house dress, or maybe a bottle of generic Drakkar Noir. 

There’s no denying that the illicit nuance of the whole thing lent a mystique to the experience that had us biased, but these days we look at the whole picture: it’s never just about the food. Kitsch went a long way for us here. Eventually, the narcissist culture of foodie social media permeated its walls and blew the secret up. Later Estee went legit, opening a spot on Mount Pleasant Avenue. Her tamales are strong but the tacos don’t bring the same slow-burn passion. Maybe outlaw life inspired her more back in the day.      

Quietly opening in Charlottesville during the dog days of August, Barbie’s Burrito Barn entered our life and became the happy analog for El Clandestino. The unassuming little shack is tucked away on Avon Street in the shadow of the Belmont Bridge, just a stone’s throw deeper into the dead end from Champion Brewing where the graffiti splashes happily on the bridge’s underbelly and weed deals probably go down in the cave of the parking lot below. It’s a boutique, fast-casual spot where Barbie spends her days doing what she has done at home for over 20 years: slinging the freshest Baja fare for loved ones, a passion play she finally elevated to a seriously legit option for Southern Cal inspired Mexican. And like our beloved El Clandestino, BBB captures that same elusive ingredient that takes us straight back to the shanty on Park Road: clear and present love.

Barbie is a delightful ray of energy, all smiles, sometimes dancing a cute jig to an eclectic playlist (Arcade Fire, Pavement, etc.) in the kitchen that opens right up to the small dining area of two four-tops. Often her daughter, super friendly, is there helping her after school, and sometimes her husband plays sous. It’s as if you are in their home kitchen enveloped and welcomed into the aura of their family vibe. Just a big warm hug that eases the pain of it only being Tuesday night during a long-ass week.

"I love cooking and socializing with guests and seeing them happy when they walk out," Barbie shares between tickets. "I get to cook all day and it's what I love. You can't beat that." 

The fare rivals and, in some cases, eclipses most of the usual praised suspects in town with so much fresh texture infused into the small menu of dishes. Ingredients like jicama slaw, chili-lime cucumbers, radishes, shredded cabbage, guacamole and salsas blended daily mesh perfectly with rich, slow-cooked pork or chicken in more than one dish: packed heartily into Tacos or gloriously stacked on the Guac Tostada. Meanwhile, plenty of places do a burrito bowl, but none touch the fresh punch that Barbie’s Chopped Bowl brings. It’s not a work of art visually but the whimsical blend of delightful chili-lime pickles and jicama slaw blended with fresh guac atop a bed of slow cooked pork and pintos, all garnished with a handful of house made tortilla strips (edible utensils) hits so good. You tell yourself it’s a salad and feel almost healthy eating it because it's all is so fresh. Finally, the headliner Burrito is the only dish that lacks the crunch factor of veggies - it’s all beans, cheese, and delicious slow-cooked swine. It’s sort of macho. 

Guacamole Tostada

Recs + Rants

Alcohol Hack. Alas, BBB has no liquor license. Maybe soon, they say. Hipster sodas and water are available. So get it to-go and park at next-door neighbor Champion’s picnic tables where you can sip a legit range of beers with your BBB.

Manners not required. It's nearly impossible to crush anything on the menu with grace. Generally everything is messy so just dig in and enjoy the delightful chaos of this cuisine. If you kill a tree's worth of napkins after, we won't judge. 

Lampo refugees welcome. It’s well documented that we at P+K we’re hardcore fangirls and boys for Lampo. It hasn’t happened yet, but depending on the night, if we couldn’t hang with the Lampo wait time, we’d consider catching a quick bite at Barbie’s, which is just a path through the brush and a short walk under the bridge away.

Cheapskate Approved. Your wallet gets barely scratched here. We’ve fed four quite well for less than $30 many times.   

Oakhart Social: The Trailblazer

Last month, Bon Appetit’s Andrew Knowlton penned a fine piece naming Washington, DC, Restaurant City of the Year. You won’t catch a shred of dissent from this corner. We get back to DC regularly for work - at least twice a month - and remain giddy about the broad range of culinary options and the pace at which strong new restaurants continue to open. One piece of the article especially resonates with us:
 

Glengarry Glen Ross 

"What all these restaurants have in common is fearlessness. There are no consensus polls being taken on what diners might want or need. Instead, these are chefs and restaurateurs who are simply taking their passions and diverse backgrounds and turning those into the restaurants of their dreams. And thankfully, these days, they have a hungry and food-savvy audience that is willing to try new things. I mean, have you seen the lines at Rose’s Luxury and Bad Saint these days?"
- Andrew Knowlton, Bon Appetit  


Culinary fearlessness is something P+K is all about encouraging in this town, and Oakhart Social is certainly blazing that trail. The Devil is in the details at this garage-turned-restaurant, from the mismatched vintage silverware to the Christmas Story leg lamp behind the bar. We love the sophisticated grease monkey spirit that lives on in the space - a refreshing reincarnation of a former auto repair shop. The folks behind it have maintained many of those elements to keep it rough and rusty, but have added an open, lively energy thanks to the whitewashed brick walls, huge window doors and incognito lighting scattered throughout. It's approachable and has an attitude all at the same time, bringing a fresh face and fresh grit to West Main Street. Every dish has a bold mojo that hits us in the mouth only the way Chicago transplant Chef Tristan Wraight can.  

Recs + Rants

The sandwich that launched 1,000 tropes. We talk about the Open-Faced Chicken Fried Octopus Sando more than we should admit. It inspires poetic musings, metaphors and mischievous grins. To quote one of our food-loving friends who fell under its spell: "This is your spirit sandwich." Embrace it. Go with it. And good luck fending off the knives and forks of your table mates. There won’t be leftovers. Only giddy WTF?! expressions on faces all around. We want to see this open-faced, tentacle-filled joint up against another local badass dish, Lampo’s Hellboy Pizza. That would be one heck of a culinary cage match.

Have we mentioned that we love chicken wangz?

Ain’t no thang. Add Chicken Wangz to the list of dishes you’ll develop an instant stalker crush on. Don't be foolish and overlook this menu item because it's just chicken wings - one of the reasons Oakhart does what it does so well is that it's able to take classic, unassuming dishes and completely transform them. You know before-and-after photos? All previous wings you've eaten are "before." Oakhart's are the "after". We actually checked with the management about whether they do takeout orders on Wangz. The answer was a hard no, so we will happily continue dining in to get our wang-fix.

Pairing Tip: If there is one pairing that could bring even the devil to his knees, it’s the unsettlingly satisfying Wangz and Quinta de Raza Vinho Verde. From northern Portugal to the American south, this international odd couple is dynamite. Brimming with youthful green fruit and grassiness on the nose and slight effervescence on the palate, the Quinta is the perfect yin to the Wang yang. In the event this pour isn’t available the night of your visit, don’t hesitate to ask for the inside scoop on a suitable stand-in. Oakhart co-owner and wine cellar czar, Ben Clore, has stocked plenty of gems - many on tap - that will do the trick.

P-I-Z-Z-A. You can't go wrong with any of Oakhart's pizzas, but we are incredibly partial to the House Sausage Pizza. It comes freshly wood-fired, dripping with gouda and fennel and sprinkled with the delicious, spicy bites of sausage. It's the perfect appetizer or main meal, and great to split with others at the table. Be warned though, a finite amount of pizza dough is made per day, so if you're dining after 8 pm you may be out of luck. Speaking from experience, it's heartbreaking, so dine on the earlier side if this 'za is on your list. 

Garden game. One thing we dig about the mostly small-plate format is how we never leave feeling like we need to unbutton our pants. Singularly, some dishes can be rich (oh hey, pork belly!), but when you’re sharing these and augmenting dinner with some of the most irresistible veggies in the league, you won’t carry a doggie bag of guilt out the door. Charred Carrots are an automatic order for the crew. Our lovely server Tareq says it’s Wraight's take on peas and carrots of childhood. Charred perfectly, these recently exhumed beauties are dressed with a light buttermilk dressing and topped with delightfully crunchy stash of pea-shoots. Be sure to grab one of the charred spicy pecan bits - they are a punch of savory-sweet spice that gives perfect pause, at which point you realize what a great idea it is to treat vegetables like they are meat and deserving of star status. We can't say it enough - the devil is firmly, happily rooted in the details. And hey, don't stop at the carrots - the Shaved Salad with a shower of crispy bread crumbs and bright shots of carrots, fennel and watermelon radish to cleanse the palate and the body. It's a shot of health behind a shroud of intimated sin that tastes like an off-day for the diet. Hit the Roasted Beets too. Beets get an odd rap sometimes. We don’t mess with them too much at home, but love diving in when a ballsy chef like this is behind the wheel. TMI alert, we'll even brave the beets to accept the fleeting but false alarm pang of imminent death in the restroom the morning after said beets.        

Bar flight. If you hit the bar first, you’ll come face to face with the most lovable mofo in the business. One minute you want to bro-hug Albee Pedone, the next you want to ask him to get your back in a knife fight. Either could get weird, so keep it on the bar level and opt for a cocktail, or two. You’ll be hard pressed deciding on one, the list is so deep and dope. Perusing it is like flipping through a collection of Raymond Carver stories - the titles smack of whimsy with a subtle dash of imminent dread. He recently turned us on to the virtues of Ransom Dry Vermouth, a key ingredient in two of our favorites: The Paradigm Shift (a subtle commentary on the need for more balls in this town?) features the Ransom Dry as the headliner with sage, tarragon water and anise. It’s a lovely herbal opener for sipping and savoring and tastes like a gussied up Cocchi Americano aperitif. We also dig on the Perfect Perfect Manhattan with its hybrid offering of the two main components: a blend of Templeton and Woodford rye for the muscle and a combo of vermouths, Ransom Dry and Carpano Antica Sweet, for the muse. If you like a bit of smoke and burn on the way down, try what sounds right: the Smokey Rose. Fresh lemon juice, rosemary simple syrup, and ginger beer freshen up your tastebuds, then the rabble-rousing duo of peaty scotch and rye show up to the party. 

Get your glamp on with the S'mores Bread Pudding by candlelight.

Get your glamp on. Our go-to bookend is the S'mores Bread Pudding, an urbane deconstructed take on the campfire classic. They had us at puppy chow - the perfect descriptor for the texture of graham crackers in this dessert - and the fact that the entire dessert rests on a puddle of melted chocolate sauce. One bite will quickly transport you to a cozy nook in the Blue Ridge, chilling under a blanket of stars before you crash in your fancy Airstream.   

The din. The driving ethos of Oakhart is "be social, eat together." Diners catch that drift and roll with it naturally. It gets rowdy in there, nearly reaching echo chamber levels. This means missing some of the table conversation, which is fine if you’re not that into your dining companions. Since we are, we end up shouting to be heard and leaning in to hear. It keeps you on your toes. Now, if you’ve had too many drinks (we have), the din combined with your state of mind could leave you spaced out and vague the next morning on several shreds of conversation. So be it. We'd rather dinner be a party than a wake. 

The kids are alright. Our kids are no strangers to Oakhart. The place seems to be more family friendly pre-rush, sometime between 5pm and 7pm.  If you bring kids, beware that the food fires in the order it's made, so that pizza your kid ordered might come at the very end of the meal. While you wait for that wonderful wood-fired fare, introduce the kids to some vegetables with attitude.           

Dress the part. Oakhart's half-tough, half-sweet demeanor is reflected in the style of both patrons and staff. Click here to read more.

Right now Oakhart Social is the baddest man in the whole damn town - Cville’s own Leroy Brown. Coincidence that Wraight hails from Chicago, the same city that mean sonofabitch Leroy roamed and ruled? We’re not saying; we're just happy to pick up what he's laying down. 

Our Haven, the C&O

One of our most reliable litmus tests for assessing a restaurant is to ask: Could we comfortably hide out here while a zombie apocalypse unravels outside?

Sitting at the top of our apocalyptic haven list is C&O Restaurant, an institution currently celebrating 40 uninterrupted years as one of Charlottesville’s most iconic dining and drinking destinations.

Akin to “The Winchester” in the Brit zombie spoof Shaun of the Dead  (the go-to pub where the crew takes refuge as the undead overrun the town), C&O is more than a restaurant, it is a spiritual and structural comfort zone. Pre- or post-apocalypse, you’ll find us at the downstairs bar. Officially referred to as “the Bistro” and declared “one of the greatest rooms in America” (we don’t know who said this but we heartily agree), it will slay you even before you’ve lifted glass or fork.  

Like a burly bear hug on a snowdrift night - or a seance that makes you feel you’re surrounded by friendly ghosts - the C&O bistro embraces you the moment you enter and sates you with perfectly curated playlists of lush tunes. Cocktail artist (and industry man crush) Anthony is typically behind the tunes and will gladly write on a napkin, in absolutely stunning penmanship, music recommendations. Our Spotify is loaded with some fantastic Anthony recs right now (Jason Molina and Naked Guns, to name a couple). He and the rest of the dialed-in crew make you feel like more than a guest in their home, they make you feel like this is exactly where you belong. Maybe that explains the tractor beam effect it has on us - inevitably when we go out, we always somehow end up downstairs at C&O.  

Recs & Rants

Raise a glass. The cocktails are crafty and we’ll get to that, but the C&O has been setting cellar standards in Charlottesville since Gerald Ford was falling down in the White House. Developed for over 30 years by local food and beverage industry icon, Elaine Futhey, the wine program at C&O still today embodies the spirit and thoughtfulness conveyed by her once-handwritten lists. Take special care to seek out some of the more esoteric options - our theory is the more arcane brands or varietals must have been picked by the wine buyer for a reason. If they went out of their way to get it, so should you. Don't be afraid to flag down an expert - the staff will gladly help you expand your wine nerd horizons.

We have happily traveled the globe with the wine list, allowing ourselves to be taken to the Mosel with a noteworthy bottle of Hofgut Falkenstein Neidermenninger Sonnenberg Riesling, to southern Rhone with Eric Texier St. Julien en St. Alban, and to Tuscany with a Chianti from Tenuta di Arceno. The food has roots in French country fare and simply begs to be enjoyed with wine (in between bookend cocktails to start and finish the meal, of course).

Apertif or digestif? It matters not. 

Be a barfly. Apocalypse notwithstanding, the likes of Charles Bukowski would have loved the C&O’s downstairs hideout. The cocktails are crafted with deliberate love and grit and the bar hands seem capable of holding their own in a fist fight with a literary loose canon. We are partial to the Jota Jota (Bulleit bourbon, chili and coffee infused Campari, Carpano Antica vermouth), a jolting riff on a drink near and dear to us, the Boulevardier. We could see any Beatnik writer starting their day around 3pm with one of these before pecking away at a typewriter. For you less savage creatives, simply start your meal with one. As for the classics, we’ve never met a Sazerac we didn’t savor here. We prefer to let Anthony or Dustin choose the rye for us since the selection is so vast and not a single land mine in the field. 

Break the rules. One of the many great things about bar dining - someday we will rant exclusively on this topic - is that you don’t need to order in order. You can graze the menu randomly and taste what jumps out at you or ask what your barman is digging. You might be open to sharing a Rag Mountain Trout entree with your date, following it up with a board of Charcuterie and side of Grilled Beets, devouring a Coupe Ellery dessert and then wrapping it all up with a Duck Confit Gnocchi. (For a recent birthday we dined at a local favorite and left feeling a bit empty of stomach and experience, so decided to hit the C&O for dessert and nightcaps. We ended up pairing those nightcaps with the Chocolate Bread Pudding and chased it all with an order of Duck Confit Gnocchi. We just can’t resist the siren call of this dish, we jones so hard for it.)  Time and order matters not, and the barman is glad to roll with your impetuosity, pairing drinks or wine with each stage of your game. The bar is where you start dating the C&O, where you use the perch to get intimate and talk food, booze, music, literature, clothing and Cville food gossip with the charmer on the stick. 

Peek under the pea shoots: layers of flavor in every dish. 
Photo cred: Dylan Allwood

Go-to fare. These summer days we are digging the Porchetta Tonnato - a play on the classic vitello tonnato swapping in thinly sliced porchetta for veal. Make yourself a bite with all the components of the dish and you’ve got a taste bomb of pork fat, briny fish, bitter arugula and salty parmesan going off in your mouth. The Beef Carpaccio is a structured and refreshing blend of thinly sliced rare beef, arugula, truffled aioli and manchego on top of a crispy potato hash to give it an extra layer of fun.

Text us late night. Once upon a time, a boozy Saturday night with friends culminated with a 2 am “LET’S GET SOME FOOD!” battle cry. Quickly making their way to C&O, the crew settled in at a big table in the corner. A server came over with a genuine look of pity on her face. "Sorry ya’ll, kitchen just closed up for the evening." Then, a lightbulb. "Actually, we have some leftover cream of tomato soup and a bunch of pretzel rolls. Would that work?" To this date, one of the most memorable late-night meals ever eaten. And as diligent researchers, we’ve tried the late-night menu at varying stages of tipsiness and evening hour. We can report the Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup and Mac n Cheese are strong and satisfying hits. And who knew a topnotch Pulled Pork Taco was hiding out here?   

Dutch-door window.

Step into the light. The Bistro does not take reservations so you have to take what you can get when it comes to real estate. Given the choice, we gravitate toward the front wall’s Dutch door. If the weather is agreeable, the top half of the door is usually open, dispensing good light (natural or unnatural) and the nostalgic low rumble of the occasional passing train into the room. If a party of two, we vie for seats at the end of the bar or the two top adjacent to the door; if a party of four, we go for the four-top in the corner - it just doesn't get much cozier.    

Miles of style. At first glance you could easily mistake the front of house as denizens of Brooklyn Heights thanks to the approachable hipster cool they radiate - a delightful mix that is more kind and sweet, not tragic and jaded. Clad in the dopest vintage gear (looking at you Sarah, Jenn, Dustin and Anthony), they evoke a style and playful swagger we find ourselves wanting to emulate. Read more about C&O style here.

Full Disclosure. We know owners Dean (chef) and Erin Maupin (pastry chef), though it wasn’t until after we’d already developed a severe crush on the C&O that we met them. Will & Rachel’s son and their daughter, who has a lovely dessert named after her on the menu, were in the same second grade class. This relationship has only added layers of good context to the lore of C&O. We don’t know anyone who enjoys a compliment less than Dean. Self depreciation is his jam, and it’s endearingly genuine. He eschews even the smallest crumb of praise and is vampire quick to direct all credit to the kitchen and front of house. He considers himself a steward of the C&O whose sole mission is to keep the train true and on track, but whether he wants to admit it or not, his fingerprints are on the C&O - an experience that continues to stand the test of time as one of Charlottesville's most iconic.

Even if the food was mediocre here (it emphatically is not), the level of service and personality would be enough to draw us in. After many rounds of ‘research’ we’ve decided that when we die (unless we end up roaming the streets in a pack of undead) we want to become resident ghosts who haunt the C&O bar every night and just disappear into the walls at closing time. That's how much we dig the vibe.

So whether you’re looking for an apocalyptic haven, a home away from home or a place that just makes you feel damn nostalgic for all that’s good and real in this world, make your way to the C&O downstairs. Once you land at the bottom of those wonderfully creaky steps, you'll pick up what we're putting down and fall willingly into its trance. 
 

Worth the Squeeze: The Juice Laundry

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It all started with Will finding Rachel’s stash in the fridge - bright green, organic, calling out to him. Ever since, he's been addicted and needs a fix at least weekly.

Unlike other vices, the ethos and mission of The Juice Laundry resonates with us our best intentions. We're rooting for this small business coloring outside the lines, pushing the envelope. Tucked in the corner of the old Coca Cola building on Preston Ave, it seems wonderfully out of place, almost ahead of its time, like it belongs in San Francisco’s Pacific Heights 'hood next door to a SoulCycle. It’s a vibe we crave lots more of in this town so we dove into the researching with high hopes.

Not to tire the metaphor more, but we think your best bet is to approach Juice Laundry as if you’re buying a bag of excellent weed: get in, score, be on your way. We say this with love, but like a dealer with the best sh*t in town, Juice Laundry can afford its service to be occasionally disheveled or aloof because the high caliber of their product keeps us coming back for more. 

The non-illicit analog is at play here. Juice Laundry has the best sh*t in town. And we can’t get enough of it.

Recs + Rants

Let’s get the rants out of the way first...

Go with the flow. To get the goods you have to weather a few odd nuances. Our virgin visits, we were a little confounded by the lack of cadence but eventually accepted it for the grab-and-go that it is and enjoyed the healthy fix. It’s not nearly as intimidating as ordering a cheesesteak at Pat’s, but there are a few curves you should know how to navigate before you go.

Shop the cooler. Up front near the counter is a giant cooler stocked with bottled cold-pressed juices, ginger shots and seasonal salads. It’s a glorious sight, especially if you’re coming off a stretch of eating terrible food or putting your liver to the test. You should know the only things made to order are smoothies and smoothie bowls (see below). Everything else is in the cooler - juices, salads, puddings, shots. Those salads being made in a production line behind the counter? Not for you. We asked and were pointed to the cooler’s packaged salads, which turned out to be perfectly fine, but damn those freshies looked more appealing.

Time and temperature. Before you break the seal on a bottled juice or nut milk from the cooler, ask what time your choice was stocked. More than once we’ve cracked one to find it room temperature at first taste. When we requested a cup of ice, no dice - they don’t offer it. If you’re paying a justified premium for these, like us you probably want them cold, so ask first. 

No need to loiter. Unless you really need to sit and scarf something down, you probably don't want to stick around. The dining-in experience dilutes the healthy good vibes with blaring music and the sense you’re encroaching on the team’s workspace. While we dig the sweet sounds of Jimmy Cliff and totally understand that the roaring blenders make it hard for staff to hear the grooves, the result is sometimes a disconcerting mashup that drives you toward the exit. Instead, park yourself at the picnic tables out front of Timbercreek Market and pair some fresh air with your fresh juice. 

It's hard to hold any these quirks against The Juice Laundry folks though. We can all relate to the tenet of laundry: doing it is easy; sorting, folding and putting it away is the hard part. They'll get there. 

Now that we’ve established that, onto the good stuff. Our recs...

• Clean Green - kale, spinach, cucumber, celery, apple, parsley, ginger, lemon - Not unlike most green juices you’ve tried, but something pops in this one. We stood it up to the Whole Foods version and it tasted more alive.
• Creamy Cashew - filtered water, raw cashews, dates, vanilla bean, cinnamon, pink salt - Kills your hunger headache and turns that hangry frown upside down. If you're starved and dragging, rock the Cold Brew Latte version of this one for some caffeination.
• What’s in the bowl, bitch? The Acai Smoothie Bowls are dope. It’s basically any smoothie in a bowl with acai subbed in as a superfood thickening agent topped with banana, granola, chia seeds and another optional fruit. Little Miss Muffet would crush it!     
• Road to Redemption - If you hit the other bottle too hard last night, a Fire Shot 3 (turmeric, ginger, oregano oil) will bring you back from degenerate status. Before this act of contrition make absolutely sure to pound a Creamy Cashew or a Superman Smoothie (blueberries, dragon fruit, goji berries, dates, banana, house almond milk) to line the stomach or else you will ruin a perfectly nice pair of shoes where you stand.
• Cleanse Program - Juice Laundry offers three different cleanse systems stacked with a thoughtfully prescribed set of juices and shakes that we have yet to try but have earmarked for post-holiday gluttony recovery this year. 
• Bottle Recycling - *fist bump* - You get a  credit of 25 cents per bottle returned. Good looking out! 
• Internets - Great website. Super informative, educational, thoughtful. 

Bottom Line: The juice is the truth but the store experience needs a little polish. In time, they’ll find their groove and so will we. Meantime, at least the staff is friendly and always miles of smiles. One thing is certain - you will leave loving yourself.  

Lampo Strikes Nice

When plotting a culinary tour of Charlottesville for visitors from other cities, too often we find the top spots can easily be counted on one hand. At P+K we’re very partial to places you can proudly take visitors from other food cities and expect a strong vibe, interesting crowd and food that takes some risks. You might say we’re big on restaurants with big balls.

Which brings us to Lampo, a Neapolitan pizzeria in the Belmont neighborhood - Charlottesville's analog to Brooklyn - whose food, drink and vibe pleasantly jack your jaw and immediately make you forgive the no-reservations policy and the sometimes hours-long wait for a table. It's our go-to for visitors we want to show a gritty, cool side of this food town. 

And speaking of that wait, let's be honest: in addition to a culinary high, a coveted table at Lampo inspires a fleeting A-list buzz that enhances the experience. If you are so inclined (and we are), you may observe the dinner theater of newcomers at the door looking sucker-punched upon hearing it will be three years before a table is available to them. This news usually lands like a wrecking ball on some hungry soul's evening, turning their mood on a dime from hopeful to sour, and it brings to mind one of our favorite snippets of satire from Kurt Vonnegut: I wonder what the poor people are doing tonight? For the record, we've been on both sides of this equation, so no hard feelings to the losers on any given night. However, our bartender had good insights about when the place is busy and when it isn’t. During Fridays After Five: No. Anytime most Cvillians are on the mall or at the pavilion: No. Any other time: Yes. 

Recs + Rants:

• Hit The Bar - By now, can we all agree on the virtues of dining at the bar? Aside from basking in barman Andrew’s charm and witnessing the love and craft he dials into your cocktail, opting for the bar sometimes means bypassing the wait completely. Savor the drinks. Ask lots of questions. Get educated. Andrew is a scholar of vermouth, amaro and bitters.
• Consider the Sitter - If you bring kids, don't be an entitled jerk about your wait time. And if your kids aren’t mature enough to chill while you wait, Guadalajara is a block away. Really, it's not an ideal spot for small kids unless you sit outside. Get a sitter, make it a date night.     
• Down Some Cocktails - Have one or two while you wait outside to pass the time, and another right when you land at the table. Our Favorites: Bitter Giuseppe (A bold and bitter twist on the Americano.), Negroni (Solid ingredients do their thing. We love the Cocchi di Torino vermouth.), and Hell & Honey (You cheers, you sip, and suddenly you’re sitting next to a campfire just after the wind changes on a cold night with smoke caught in your throat. Moments later you’ve mistakenly bitten into a chili pepper, but you’re quickly soothed by bits of crushed ice and a stroke of honey.  It’s the ex-smoker’s cocktail, it’ll give you the just-inhaled tingle, but leave you with sugar on your tongue. And no lung cancer.)
• Go Big or Go Home - Go with the Hellboy Pizza, a permanent guest star on the specials menu that blends an orange blossom honey and scorpion pepper oil with soppressata and house-made mozzarella. You’ll want to punch your Italian grandmother in the mouth for never making this for you. (She's tough as nails and will understand.) Also legit is the Margherita DOC, a classic that always leaves us smiling and nodding like we're suddenly privy to a scandalous-as-hell secret. The Prosciutto Pie is also worth every calorie - fresh arugula, plenty of prosciutto, a mild cheese with white sauce. The crust is absolutely the best part. We like tomato sauce too much though to be a complete devotee to this pie. 
• Respect The Tradition - If you don't know much about this strictly certified style of pizza, Wikipedia it or ask your server. It’s been said there’s no such thing as a dumb question. What’s dumb is ignorant whining about the crust, size and texture that are distinct rules of this style of pie. The engaging crew loves to talk about the food, so strike up a conversation and open your mind. If you decide you don’t like Neapolitan pizza, too bad for you. And, for the love of Margherita, don't even think about complaining about the "burnt crust".
• Let It Rest - Speaking of hot stuff, treat your pie like a steak right off the grill. Let it sit for a couple minutes before you cut into it. The roof of your mouth and the fragrant, soupy middle will thank you. Sip your cocktail, watch the poor saps being turned away at the door for a spell, then dig in. Don’t believe us, just take it from Mario Batali. 
• Eat Your Veggies - When our pizza is this consistently good, we hate to say that, like flaky lovers, eventually we take it for granted and our eyes start to wander. Some of the most interesting dishes on the menu fall under Insalate. The Cavoletti di Bruxelles (shaved Brussels sprouts salad with hazelnuts and pecorino) is so good you'll want to follow our lead and order a second for dessert. Another we just can’t get enough of is the Barbabietole Arrosto (roasted beets, pistachio pesto and gorganzola). Yes, please! Really, vegetables should not be this good. 
• Say Yes To Dessert - Let's not waste time worrying about pious platitudes here, just get the Zeppoles. They arrive at the table with sugar crackling, syrup caramelizing and steaming with tender freshness. Squeeze lemon juice over them and surrender to hedonistic happiness.
• Pro tip - Pranzare (translation: have lunch) If you can't manage the dinner wait, roll in for lunch when the rush is easy as pie and the crew is fresh and chatty.   

Big picture, what gives us real pause and mad respect for Lampo is how they've crafted a dining experience so urbane and electrifying (see: lightning bolt logo) from utter simplicity. They aren’t reinventing the wheel here, they’re just bringing fresh, seasonal ingredients to the mise. Chef & author Barton Seaver nicely reflected on the philosophy of what we believe is happening at Lampo:

"I, like most young chefs, initially thought that the best ingredient on the plate was me, that through my manipulation and effort, I was going to make plates that wowed. But as I tasted the produce that was being brought to my kitchen, I began to understand that the flavor of an unadorned, summer-ripe tomato would never be bested, not even by my greatest efforts. That's when I learned to step back a little, to take myself off the plate. I then understood that my role was to taste the ingredients, come up with intelligent and supportive pairings, and do only what was necessary to get those flavors to the plate."

The brains and brawn behind Lampo -- Loren Mendosa, Ian Redshaw, Mitchell Beerens and Andrew Cole - personify the concept of keeping it real. Celebrity does not appear to be an objective here. Not once have we walked away with the impression that any of them is concerned with advancing a personal brand. It genuinely feels like it's all about the food. In a world where shameless self-promotion on social media feels like the norm, this shit matters to us. Ingredients are sourced locally, and you get the sense these cats have actual relationships with their farmers and producers. The locavore love in the air is so thick you could cut it with pizza scissors. 86ed are ingredients such as ego, fuss, complication and self-righteousness.

You can't go wrong at Lampo. Just go and you'll get our drift.  

RELATED POSTS: Lampo Style, 10 Ways To Kill Time Waiting For A Lampo Table