Places I Like: Mary Angela's

I grew up in NY State and pizza in NY State equates to large slice of thin pizza that can be folded in half. So while I can appreciate other styles of pizza, my default will always be that NY style slice. For my money, that is no better replicated than at Mary Angela's in Carytown.

Mary Angela's is a typical 70's style pizza shop with the cramped booths, painted Italian murals on the wall, and Italian football..er..soccer on the tv. Its location in carytown gives it a good dose of foot traffic, and it always seems to be crowded. That being said, I live close by and I frequent it through the perverbial take out. They have delivery, but most people say that it takes too long to get the pies and they are often too soggy by the time they arrive.

Truth is that I am very boring when I order from there. I always order the 18" x-large pie. This is key for slice folding (see ablove). As for toppings- pepperoni or sauage, sometimes onions. sometimes basil. The final product is a crispy-brown crust, gooey-salty cheese and perfection in the mouth.

It tastes amazing, the product is consistant and that is why I will continue to order from there.

Brock's Bar-B-Que: It has a buffet?

I have heard about Brock's BBQ for years. It's a bit hazy whether it was from radio advertising or actual people. So yesterday when I was driving down RT 10 in Chesterfield yesterday at lunchtime, I deceded I should stop by for a quick bite.

The first thing I noticed was the big neon BUFFET sign. I was in a bit of a hurry so I figured I'd try it and really a buffet tells me a lot about a restaurant. I ordered my sweet tea and headed up to the buffet. I piled up some minced pork and then went through the remainder of the buffet. I was in shock. I could be wrong but it felt like it was an advertisement for Sysco foods. We had fajitas with looked to be pre-cooked fajita style chicken. There was the preformed country-fried steak with the the runny country gravy. The salad bar seemed average. The veggies looked straight out of the freezer or can. There was the mixed veggies, spinach (or turnip greens), baked beans, etc. Maybe it was too late in the afternoon, but they just didn't look that appealing. 

I tried a few things and most everything was average at best. The exception was the minced pork bbq. That was actually very good. I believe it was NC style. There was a not a lot of reddish color in the meat that I ate, but there was a nice subtle smoke flavor. I then slathered the stuff with the vinegar based sauce. It was that perfect mix of sweet, spice, and vinegar. I ended up dousing the vegetables in the sauce because it was that good. 

I'm not sure how often I will go out of my way to go to Brock's, but I will definitly not be opposed to stopping there again. I just will make sure to stick with stuff ordered directly from the menu as opposed to risking the buffet. In my humble opinion, they would do much better with a much smaller buffet with a few dishes that are done very well. I do realize that I am not their average customer, and they have seemed to have done well enough without me.  

Places I Like: Mamma Zu'

In honor of WhineMeDineMe's post title old school eats, I have decided to start a series on the restuarants I love to frequest in Richmond.

So Mamma Zu'. Most of you have already formed your opinion on the matter. Overhyped. Rude. Grungy. Wonderful. And in many ways, everything I have heard about the place is correct. It's all about what is important to you. 

I personally am a fan of great food and consistency. And those are two qualities found at Mamma Zu'. The great food is rarely argued. Whether its the white pizza (we call it "crack"), eggplant parm, penne all'Amatriciana, penne with gorgonzola, orrechietti, spaghetti carbonara, soft shell crabs, sweet breads, broccoletti, ossobuco, or white beans, it all rocks. I love it. I crave it. The only time people are disappointed when they eat the food is when then settle for plain old stuff- sausage and marinara sauce. It's not that it tastes bad, it is that everyone else has amazing food around them. And then when you finish the amazing meal, you are obligated to order the best Tiramisu in VA. So yes, I love the food and I generally eat way too much.

Now, the consistency is also present at Mamma Zu’. Some argue that they are consistently rude and provide consistently poor service. Rudeness… I can see that. The service isn’t bad. It’s hurried and rushed, but it’s what I would expect in a place that is that busy. The rudeness is usually focused on the maître d’. I often wonder if he is one of the more infamous people in Richmond. He is tough, he is stubborn, and he instills fear in the hearts of those who want to eat. The thing is that he actually seems like a nice guy, but he has to run a tight ship to keep the restaurant humming. So the key to Mamma Zu' is knowing the rules. 

1) All members of the party must be present. Don't bother even asking if they aren't. 

2) Get on the list. Wait your turn. Don't ask again. You are on the list. Don’t worry. Relax. Resist the urge. Don’t do it.  

3) Reservations are kind of helpful but then it gets all confusing with "family style." Take the large groups to Edo's.

4) Try to get to Mamma Zu' by 6 PM or just resign yourself to a long wait.

Once you come to grip with the rules, you will have a much better experience because you can spend your time appreciating the food rather than trying to fight the man. 

One important note- they only take Amex, local checks and cash. 

The Perfect Grilled Cheese?

I am running a survey out there based on the perfect grilled cheese. This all started because of recipe and article I found in December's Saveur magazine. The recipe was a simple grilled cheese made out of sourdough bread, unsalted butter, and comte cheese. I cooked that sucker up and it was amazing. Then I realized there has to better combinations that I am missing. So here are some of the results I found on day 1. I hope to get another onslaught of responses so that I may post a follow-up.

Tanya at Belmont Butchery

If I'm eating a grilled cheese... ham and gruyere on brioche/or some soft egg bread... a skim coat of mayo on the bread, mayo down on the griddle, when brown pull off griddle. Top browned side of bread with grain mustard, good sweet ham, gruyere, top with bread - again browned side to food. Finish on a griddle, with a skim coat of mayo on the outside of the sandwich - cook until browned and cheese is melty.

Ben at Belmont Butchery

Grilled cheese shouldn't be gussied-up. It's american and it's simple. In fact, it should be a rule that you can't add any more than two toppings to it, anything beyond that is bullshit. SO, with that in mind...

• white or wheat (personal preference white)
  
• unsalted butter
  
• 2 slices kraft american cheese
  
• If I'm "Going Big" I'll add one slice of tomato and chopped jalapeno. If I'm drunk I'll sub the jalapeno for Texas Pete
  

Julia at River City Cellars

Mine is not so much the traditional, I prefer to call it the heart attack snack--it was my celebration for when I FINALLY got my cholesterol checked and found out it was absurdly low. I love genetics!

• Take a cakey bread like challah and slice off a 1.5-2" chunk. slit the side open enough to stuff with salty ham or prosciutto. grate a meltable alpine cheese or combo (aged gruyere+appenzeller, or just comte) and stuff that in, too. 
  
• heat a griddle or cast iron pan. add butter.
  
• in a shallow bowl beat an egg, a pinch each of salt and white pepper and a bit of milk (or if you're really thumbing your nose at the gods, half and half) and coat the stuffed sammy like french toast. not so much it starts to fall apart but enough to soak in a bit.
  
• fry that 6,000 calorie delight until golden on both sides and melted inside.
  
• open a yummy white (Loire chenin or better yet, brut Champagne).
  
• cancel all plans for the rest of the evening because in 22 minutes you will have face-planted into a carb coma.
  

Sarah at River City Cellars

Crusty bread, butter, Meadowcreek Farms- Grayson, pickles

I wish I could cook

For me, thick, spongy bread, lots of butter, basic Cheddar-esque singles, tomato and sometimes ham when I'm feeling kinky.

In vino veritas

sourdough bread brushed with REAL unsalted butter grilled with swiss and tomatoes. and smushed. for some reason, i have to smash it with a spatula

RVA Foodie

Butter, bread and cheese.

• The bread should be thin sandwich style (white/wheat/whichever).
  
• The butter should be unsalted (Karen says to put it on both sides of each piece of bread! but I think that might be overkill).
  
• The cheese should include "american processed cheese food" and maybe one other variety from the fridge (but not too fancy).
  
• The sandwich should be pan fried until golden, then flipped and pressed flat with a saucer so that there's a little circle in the middle of the bread. Both sides need to be crunchy and butter-logged.
  

variations:

• sauteed thinly sliced onions and fresh homegrown tomatoes
  
• sauteed apples and thinly sliced onions, and brie tween white bread
  
• nabulsi cheese. it stands alone
  
• fresh mozzarella, steamed greens lightly sauteed in garlic and butter or olive oil
  

Josh from Ch'ville

From the pan: butter, sweet potato bread, sharp honey mustard, fresh chopped basil, s & p, cheese blend (last time was chevre, sharp cheddar, havarti dill, smoked Gouda)

Carol from Cap1

Cooked in a frying pan, 2 pieces super thick white toast with butter, cream cheese and thickest velveeta slice ever with pepper sprinkled on top

Zuppa

Fresh basil pesto, tomato, mozzarella, dill havarti and prosciutto ham

Café Caturra

Sharp cheddar, provolone and vine ripe tomatoes grilled on panini bread

Planet Wings Update!

Planet Wings recently was put under new ownership. As part of their new ownership, they are implementing some new changes.

1) they have started serving beer.
2) they are adding a drive-thru
3) they will be adding traditional fried chicken and hand-breaded chicken strips
4) they will be reopening the other location on Belt. blvd.

As you may already know, I am a chicken wing nut and I have found that Planet Wings is by far and away the best place for Buffalo wings in the Richmond metro area.

The Top Eight Places I Come Back For

Greetings, Marinarees.

I'm a longtime friend of Mr. Marinara, and during his time in Greece he's asked me to stop by and check in on the loyal readers and make sure you are getting your foodie updates. Although I am a shadowy comparison of The Mr. Marinara, I'm always glad to lend a hand.

As a guy who lived in Richmond for over seven years, then moved away, but who comes back to the River City at least a few times a year, Mr M asked me to share some of my favorite "when you come back to the city" places. What follows is my list. My hope is that even though I now live in Boston ... a foodie's heaven, there are some places that you just can't find comparisons to outside of Richmond ... so don't go "grass is greener" on me, there's some Richmond landmark's you just can't replicate.

Best Brunch: Millie's Diner -- Yes ... yes ... it can be a long wait. Go with good friends that you enjoy talking to and it's always worth it. My two favorites have to be the Devil's and Castro's Mess, but there's always good specials that tempt me too.

Best Greasy Spoon: McLean's Diner --It's mostly regulars and it's not a place you go for ambience in any way shape or form, but the breakfast is good. The first time I was there with Mr. Marinara, he asked them for fatback and they told him that he didn't want it ... priceless.

Best Italian: Mama Zu's -- Mama Zu's has what I think is the best Italian in the city. You have to respect the owner / chef for not getting distracted with the trappings of restauranteuring, and for sticking to the basics. I've never eaten anything there that I didn't like ... but I admit I've not gone for the sweetbreads yet. That said, bonus points for going to a restaurant where you get to see uncomfortable yuppies standing in the middle of a restaurant waiting to be seated.

Best Let's Grab A Beer Spot: Capital Ale House -- I looooove good and varied beers, and this is an amazing place with a great array of beers from all over the world. Their late night menu is one of my favorites in the city.

Best Dive Bar: Sidewalk Cafe -- Nothing special, I know but dark, cheap and good food, Sidewalk is one of my favorite places in Richmond to go get a beer and have some laughs with friends.

Best Chicken Sammy: Chick-Fil-A -- Us yankee idiots have not caught onto the goodness that is Chick-Fil-A or even sweet tea for that matter. You don't know what you got til it's gone, and when I moved away I find this is one of those places I find myself sneaking a meal at when I'm back in RIC.

Best Barbecue: Buz & Ned's -- Although I never went to the place until I saw it on Bobby Flay's Throwdown, going back to Richmond is just an excuse for me to get some of those amazing ribs. I'm a fan of pork sandwiches and other than Pierce's in Williamsburg, this is one of my absolute favorites.

Best Dinner at a Friend's: Mr. Marinara's House -- It never disappoints, even when he's not trying to make a big fuss. Last time I was at his table was a semi-fuss and I was not disappointed. A primi of simple red lentils and fresh sausage from Belmont Butchery then grilled Wagyu hanger streak and asparagus followed with some Bev's ice cream ... yum.

Holy Sheep Batman, That Is One Amazing Cheese!

“It is like the smell of a rotting peach on a tree in the backyard”

I think anytime I hear quotes like that I am in trouble, but fortunately that was Julia talking and I was eating a glorious, semi-soft cheese from Portugal called Amanteigado Sera. This was one of the six different cheeses I tried as part of a cheese class called “Holy Sheep”.

The class is part of a series of fromage classes put on by River City Cellars (RCC) located in Carytown. The class was held next door to the wine and cheese shop in the old Urban Artifacts storefront (this will be soon be a wine bar that will be run by Julia, the owner of RCC). There were about 25 students crammed in there and the information was presented by Julia and the Cheese Goddess Sara.

This is my second class with them, and I was anxious to get into this one specifically because I have fallen in love with sheep’s milk cheese. One of the biggest reason is that sheep’s milk cheese has a higher fat content than either goat or cow’s milk cheese. This is because sheep produce limited amounts of milk, but it is full of fat and vitamins and wonderful stuff. On top of that, most sheep’s milk cheese is pressed condensing all together.

Anyway we tried 6 different cheeses. They were from different regions. We had a blue, a brie, two semi-firm, one semi-soft, and a fresh cheese. Of the six cheeses, I really liked four of them. They are listed below with the basic information and the location on the cheese plate

Manouri- pasteurized, fresh, Greece, 12 o’clock
Casa Madaio Cinerino- pasteurized, semi-firm, Italy, 4 o’clock
Amanteigado Sera- raw milk, semi-soft, Portugal, 8 o’clock
Bleu de Basque- thermalized, blue, France, 10 o’clock

In the end it was hard to pick a favorite. I ended up buying 3 of those 4 varieties. Overall, it was a great way to spend 2 hours: eating cheese, drinking sparkling stuff, and learning about all the cool stuff that surrounds cheese.

Sad News for Pasta Lovers

As reported at RichmondBizSense.com, it looks as though one of my favorite establishments, Cavanna Pasta, will be closing their storefront. The article states that they will try to move to a warehouse location in order to keep providing their goods to farmers markets, restaurants and other retailers.

Gionni and Martha have been great to do business with over the past couple years. If you get a chance, call the store before they close up and put in for a special order of crab ravioli. It is spectacular.

I wish them the best of luck!

Disappointment at Papa Ningo

I remember getting in trouble as a child and the parents making some dumb comment as they were about to deliver the painful punishment, "This hurts me more than it hurts you." I never believed them. Yet as I write this post, it is hard for me to write a negative report from one of my favorite places in town. So in a sense, I guess I get it.

Yesterday I went with some buddies over to Papa Ningo for lunch. They have a pretty decent buffet for $6.99 and it includes a chicken curry, stewed chicken, pepper steak, pasta, rice, beans, and some other stuff like spare ribs or fried fish. Sometimes there will be a plate of plantains.

I would have to say that my favorite dish on there is the curry. So when we hit the buffet right at noon, we were a bit disappointed to see that the curry was almost done. We each took a small amount thinking that they would refill the supply. Alas it was not meant to be. We watched as all the meat dishes were systematically finished off by 12:30 pm. Then we watched how each tray remained empty with no obvious attempts to fill them back. The chef in the kitchen seemed to be doing nothing about it. The girl in the front wasn't doing anything about it. Finally, we just paid and left.

I am going to give them the benefit of the doubt and say that it was an unexpectedly busy day, but really any place in the buffet business should be prepared for restocking it. Nonetheless, I will give them another try but I will say that for the first time I was really disappointed there.

Love Them Peruvian Chicks

I have always liked a good rotisserie chicken. Yes, I liked Boston Market. The problem is that when Boston Market went out business in RVA, there was nothing to fill its place. I hate dry, old chickens that have sat around for hours. That description fits the bill for Ukrops, Fresh Market, European Market and others. So when I had the chance to be in Northern Virginia, I would make my way to any number of the Peruvian style chicken places up there including Crisp and Juicy and El Pollo Rico. Pollo Ala Brasa is the term they use at the restaurants and it is characterized by well seasoned chicken, cooked on a rotating spit over a charcoal fire, and served with very tasty dipping sauces.

About 18 months ago, I saw one of these Peruvian Chicken joints in RVA. The place is called Chicken Fiesta and is located on Midlothian Turnpike between Chippenham Pkwy and the Powhite Pkwy. Since that time I would consider myself a frequent visitor.

Let me preface this by saying that I am no way an expert on Peruvian style chicken, and I will even go as far to say that this isn't the best that I have eaten. I will say that I am grateful that it exists here, and they do a good job at it.

For atmosphere, it's nothing exciting. It is counter service with about 10 tables inside. The staff and the clientele are mostly Hispanic. I think a good sign for any ethnic restaurant is that the clientele represents the origins of the food being made there. I think one of the standouts though, is the manager, Harold. From the first time I have been there, he has engaged in conversation and remembered me every other time I have returned.

The menu is made up grilled and roasted meats, sandwiches, and several side dishes. While I have ventured into the other cuisines, I think the chicken is where it is at. It is served in four pieces (a whole bird) and each piece has a nice golden brown color. The skin is perfectly flavored and crispy, The meat has a nice pink smoke color on the outer edges, and is juicy and wonderful. I like the dark meat better than the white, but that is because I think fat always tastes better. And speaking of fat, I like their mayonnaise based sauces. They serve a yellow, pink and a green. The green actually is a hot sauce with no mayo in it. But the yellow and the pink are perfect for dipping the chicken (the boring breast pieces). If you ask nicely, Harold may give you a sample of the special sauce he is currently working on. IT IS PHENOMENAL.

As for the sides, I think they have a well fried Yucca. The plantains served with crema are also nice. If you are feeling adventurous, they have an amazing drink made out rice milk and cinnamon.

This is a simple joint with solid food. It is reasonably priced, and it helps me when I start jonesing for some GOOD rotisserie chicken.

Olive Oil Heaven at La Grotta

So I have this dirty little secret that I am publicly declaring here and now- I am on a low carb diet. I know the goods and the bads. I had to say this because it explains my food decisions over the recent weeks, but I don't want any lectures.

So I met a buddy at La Grotta today. I was totally craving the beef carpaccio. So I got there and forgot that they had this killer dipping sauce for their bread. This sauce is olive oil and I think pureed artichokes and/or olives. I asked once but can't remember for the life of me. So I held myself in check and ordered a mixed salad without the dressing. I totally doused my salad in the glorious olive oil concoction. Then the raw beef came with its heavenly amounts of olive oil, capers and Parmesan cheese. Perfection. And I kept to my diet. The only downside was that it wasn't cheap, but when has that stopped me in the past.

Time to make sure that La Grotta is on the regular lunch rotation.

No, I am not Hungover. I am just not 100%

While I have blogged for several years now. I have always felt like I was on the outside looking in when it came to the blogging community. I had my personal blog with the readership of 15 people and that was about it. My buddies at the Celtics Blog and the Jets Blog were building their empires. Other friends at Listening to the Sustain and Cinerant faded away. Of course, RoyaleRant always remained, but no one could compare to his greatness.

Last night, for a brief period of time, I felt like I was part of community. Graciously, Bookstore Piet invited me to a grill party/potluck that was comprised of other Richmond food bloggers. This is the kind of event that makes me a bit skiddish. I love to cook for other people. I love to cook for people who love food. I get nervous cooking for people who know food. So once I figured out what I was going to throw out there to serve, I began to enjoy the process.

For the evenings festivities, I decided to stay close to my roots. I prepared little meatball burgers, topped with basil and fresh mozzarella. I also brought a side dish of sauteed Swiss Chard with garlic, pine nuts, cheese and bread crumbs. Simple and hard to screw up.

The other food there was simply delightful. Bookstore Piet served up a simple Prime Rib with Au Jus and some Grava Lox. Sketchy made his legendary Dragonscale Fish and grown up Oreos. Both people provided me with way too much hard liquor. All this, made for a very pleasant evening.

So after I was good and mellow, I sat down to enjoy the rest of the evening. RVA foodie showed up and I was taught to ways of blogging in Richmond, VA. I learned about the RVA aggregate. I learned which bloggers were cool. I learned about some restaurateurs who do not appreciate the bloggers. It was a great crash course of what I can come to expect if I choose to continue to expand my blog readership. But the best part of the night was that I felt like I was part of something. I was the new guy, but that didn't matter because I could drink Akvavit with the rest of them. I think I am going to continue on this blogging journey for a while. Worse case scenario, is that I meet a few friends along the way and eat some good food.

Penzey's

I've had mixed feelings since Penzey's came to town a few months back. On the positive side, it is 5 blocks away and it's nice not having pay $6 for a spice when you only need $3 worth of it. On the negative side, the hours are a bit restrictive, the staff know the spices but don't seem to be creative cooks, and my secret mail order place is now exposed to everyone.

So really, the negatives aren't all that bad, and having them local has been great because it's a lot easier to be impulsive when the item is in hand and does not have to be shipped. So all this to say, I have been intrigued by their English Prime Rib Rub for years now. Unfortunately, I let Chris at Belmont Butchery convince me that beef only needs salt and pepper. Needless to say. I had to listen to Chris and it took me two years to actually buy the rub. And while salt and pepper are the perfect combo for grilled beef, the stuff is equally as perfect.

The rub hand-mixed from: salt, ground celery, sugar, Tellicherry black pepper, onion, garlic and arrowroot. I have only used it twice and both times it was on some beautiful hanger steaks. Both times I could feel the celery powder drawing me back for more. I think it really complimented the stronger flavor of the hangers.

So yes.... I am trite and a hypocrite because really I'll buy 85% of my spices at Penzey's from now on.

A Legend but not Legendary

I visited the Robin Inn last night with little Marinara. I must say that I have very fond memories of this place, but Mrs. Marinara was never a fan, so I could never go with her.

So I love the ambiance. It is a row house with drop ceilings and plenty of neon lights. While most people say that the renovation should have come years ago, I think it is cute.

I sit down and order a $4 pizza for the little man. When the waitress returns, I order the Pasta a la Manual Loupassi. This is a baked spaghetti with pepperoni, sausage, meatballs, mushrooms and whatever. I also upgrade my salad to the small Greek salad.

Little man's pizza was pretty much a prefab thin crust (think Domino's thin crust) with sauce, cheese, and pepperoni. He loves pizza any way you slice it. I think, well, it was $4. My pasta salad arrived and it has all the staples of a Greek Salad- feta, lettuce, onions, kalamata olives, pepperocini, and optional anchovies. It was OK, the Greek dressing was not up to par with some of the other Greek dressings I have had recently. It lacked the sweetness that i have come to expect over the years. Then the baked spaghetti arrived. And it was all that it was advertised. it had everything on it. the problem was that the sauce was.... ehhhhh. So basically, my food was just average.

As you, may or may not know, I love Joe's Inn. I think it is the standard for Diners in the Richmond area. And really, the Robin Inn doesn't seem to compete in the same ballpark. Will I go back? probably but at least with realistic expectations.

Sunday Night Star-lite

So I have never been a huge fan of Star-lite as a drinking venue mostly because I don't like large crowds. I tend to more often find myself hanging out in the Commercial Tap House or Chiocca's. Anyway, last night I went to Commercial tap House and it was especially smoky and there was live music. It was not going to meet my needs for having good conversation.

I took a chance and walked the block to Star-lite. It seemed to fit the bill perfectly. Mind you it was about 78 degrees last night so it was a perfect night to sit on an open-aired porch. So we settled in and were happy to find out there were $6 pitchers and half-price appetizers.

Granted the beer was Miller Lite, but hey it was dirt cheap. What was a treat was the Crab-artichoke dip that we ordered. In typical fashion it was very rich and creamy. There were generous portions of crab and none of the ingredients seemed to overwhelm the spread. It had an especially nice kick to it. I couldn't tell if was a generous helping of cayenne pepper or jalapenos. Nevertheless, it was a nice compliment to my water....err..... beer.

I wouldn't mind making it a regular stop on future Sundays!

Working Lunch at Gutenberg

I love it when restaurants and cafes have wireless Internet. It's a great benefit and I often choose these places because of access to the world wide web. That being said, I get pissy when the wireless is down or not working properly. If I make a decision to go somewhere because of something and that something is not there, then it just sucks.

So the other day, my buddy and I had a working lunch over at Cafe Gutenberg. It's a great place. It's quiet, it's comfortable, good coffee, good wine, good beer and good menu. But, we made the decision to go there based on the wireless because we needed to reference some web pages during our discussion. As you can guess, the wireless was down and we were automatically frustrated. And in typical coffee shop fashion, there was no one there to fix the thing.

Thankfully we had food and it rocked. I had the Bella Panini with jumbo lump crab, tomato, mozzarella, sun dried tomato aioli on grilled artisan sourdough. It was almost the perfect sandwich. It was served with well seasoned hashed potatoes (they would have been only slightly better with a bit of a crust). Nevertheless, it settled my blood sugar and my frustration.

So I had a great meal and bad working lunch..... I'll come back but maybe with an air card this time.