West coast treat: In-N-Out Burger

It feels like some time has passed since my last post. Unfortunately, I have been quite busy lately and haven’t had the time to blog, but this changes right now. I am currently enjoying clear blue skies and warm Southern California weather in Temecula (in stark contrast to the current snow storm in Virginia). If you are not familiar with Temecula, it is a wine region between San Diego and L.A. that features stellar wines. Something that has become a tradition for me on my rare west coast trips is to visit my favorite burger chain restaurant, In-N-Out Burger while wine tasting at one of the many AVAs (American Viticulture Areas) that California has to offer.

Why do I love In-N-Out Burger? The food is fresh. Not because I was told in an advertisement, but because I can literally taste the freshness in the food. The fries are cut from potatoes moments before they are fried, the burgers are juicy, delicious, and filling, and the milk shakes are fantastic. If you know the not so secret menu (google knows all), animal style fries are absolutely delicious.

Today, I opted for a double double burger with onions (A double double burger is two burger patties and two slices of cheese), animal style fries (fries smothered in cheese, grilled onions, and delicious sauce), and a diet coke… No milkshake today, although I strongly considered getting one.

If you ever find yourself on the west coast and you enjoy a good burger and French fries, then I strongly recommend you visit In-N-Out Burger.

In the mood for meatloaf? Head to the downtown mall and check out Bizou!

When I first moved to town, one of my co-workers gave me a list of his favorite restaurants. As I looked over the list, I asked him what dishes he liked most at each restaurant. One of the first restaurants on his list was Bizou and he told me that they had the best meatloaf he had ever had. My coworker was quite serious when he said this, leaving quite the impression, so I kept his recommendation in mind as I began to explore Charlottesville’s culinary scene. Fast forward four and half years and I can honestly say that I wholeheartedly agree with his recommendation and order the meatloaf every time I go to Bizou.

The restaurant itself has an interesting vibe, with a vintage dining room and a breezy patio area (perfect in the summer time). Much of the food is locally sourced and there is a comforting aspect to the food they serve, perfect for a cold winter night. In addition, they have a nice wine list and feature some of my favorite local vineyards.

The classic meatloaf is served with smashed potatoes, chipotle ketchup, some greens, and few small slices of bread. The presentation is amazing, with words sometimes written in ketchup. The meatloaf is flavorful and juicy, served wrapped in foil, and pairs quite nicely with the chipotle ketchup.

I highly recommend checking out Bizou and make sure you try the meatloaf!

Bizou can be found at 119 W. Main St., Charlottesville, VA 22902 on the downtown mall.

Craving Korean food, but don’t have a lot of time? Check out Zzaam! Fresh Korean Grill!

Sometimes, I find myself facing quite the dilemma. It’s a Friday night and I am quite hungry leaving work (metabolic consequence of embarking on a new workout program). At this point, not only am I looking for a delicious meal, but I also want it fast… This is not an easy thing to find on a Friday night in Charlottesville after the UVa students have come back to town. Unless… you take a quick trip across town to Zzaam!

My favorite way to describe Zzaam! Fresh Korean Grill is that it is a Korean Chipotle. It’s in that fast casual dining category of restaurants. Since it was a Friday night, like most places in Charlottesville, it was quite packed (although there was a higher percentage of UVa students as compared to the options on the downtown mall). But despite how busy it was, I was able to place my order within a minute or so of entering the restaurant.

The ordering process starts you on one end of the counter. What type of entree do you want? The options are a rice bowl, noodle bowl, platter, lettuce wraps, salad bowl, or a kim-chee burrito. I have had the rice bowl (with brown rice to make it healthier) and the noodle bowl. Both are quite filling and delicious. Next, its choose your protein with options such as: spicy chicken, spicy chicken, tofu, beef, chicken, or pork belly. In case you are wondering, of course I ordered the pork belly, although I have had the spicy chicken and pork before and they are also quite delicious. Next, would you like a fried egg? Of course I would! At this point, you can choose up to 5 toppings ranging from seaweed to kim-chee to chinese broccoli. After building your masterpiece, you get to top it off with a few bonus toppings (jalapenos, lime, etc.) and your choice of freshly made sauces that range from mild to spicy. Personally, I enjoy the two hot sauces: Z Kick and Angry Bull. The menu also has a few specials, a kids menu, and some appetizer options, such as crab pancakes and sliders, all of which are quite tasty as well. By this time, you have made your way to the other end of the counter, where you can order a beverage (they have several beer options) and pay for your food. All in all, the process only took a few minutes, which was exactly what I was looking for when I left work in search of dinner.

To summarize: I ordered a brown rice bowl with made to order pork belly, a fried egg, several delicious toppings, and Z kick sauce. And yes, it was as delicious as it looks.

Zzaam! Fresh Korean Grill is located at 1232 Emmet Street, Charlottesville, VA 22902.

Buy fresh, buy local… Thai food… Visit Thai Fresh!

I used to watch food network and travel channel’s TV shows that chronicled the culinary adventures of chef’s like Anthony Bourdain and Andrew Zimmern as they explored different countries. I particularly enjoyed shows that highlight street food that was both delicious and affordable, with the most memorable episodes for me based out of Asia. Unfortunately, I have not had the chance to experience Asian street food first-hand. The closest thing I have experienced that might approximate this type of culinary adventure is my recent visit to a small local restaurant on the downtown mall, Thai Fresh.

Thai Fresh features delicious made from scratch Thai food at affordable prices. I wasn’t sure of the portion sizes because of the prices so I went a little crazy and ordered several dishes. At this point I was quite hungry, so I wanted to make sure I erred on the side of ordering a little too much. I spoke with the chef/owner and he happily began preparing my meal, customized to my request for a spiciness level of native Thai.

The restaurant is set up with a counter where you order your food with tables in front where you can seat yourself. The food is served in to-go containers that hold a surprising amount of food. I opted to take my bounty of food home to enjoy and savor!

Pad Thai: thin rice noodles, sauteed with chicken, comes with bean sprouts, egg, peanuts, and scallions… only $5.50

Green Curry: chicken with Thai green curry paste and coconut milk with green bell pepper… only $6

Thai Spring Rolls (fried): stuffed with shrimp and various vegetables… only $3

Tom Yum Kung: national soup of Thailand; spicy and sour, served with shrimp, lime juice, galangal, Kaffir leaves, lemon grass, and chili peppers… only $4

Suffice it to say that not only was all the food quite good, but it was also a great deal! I enjoyed a second dinner of delicious leftovers tonight! Additionally, for my spicy food loving friends, the native Thai spice level definitely hit the spot! Fantastic!

Thai Fresh can be found at 106 5th St SE, Charlottesville, VA across the street from the side entrance to Commonwealth Skybar.

Enter the flow of the universe with “Now & Zen”

Last night, I was on a mission to satisfy a sudden craving that I had for udon. Now, I know that there are several Japanese restaurants in town, but Now & Zen won Best of C-VILLE in 2014 and it’s hidden away a block off the downtown mall. Of course, this is definitely the type of place that I like to check out.

On my last visit, my friends and I had a little bit of a wait since it isn’t the biggest restaurant in town, but it was definitely worth it. This time around, I went a little later and was lucky enough to be seated immediately. In terms of the food available, as you might expect, Now & Zen has a great selection of sushi (small rolls, big rolls), sashimi, and other traditional Japanese cuisine.

Last time, I ordered the roll combination. It’s a special where you can order any 3 small rolls for only 16 dollars. I combined the sushi with the seaweed salad to create a wonderful meal!

On this visit, I started with the seaweed salad (what can I say? I am a creature of habit). It had the perfect texture and was quite delicious!

For my entree, I ordered the Nabeyaki udon, which is a phenomenal hot pot of fish stock, shrimp tempura, crab stick, beef meatballs, chicken, fish cake, vegetables, a hard boiled egg, and udon noodles. Fantastic, filling, and it only cost 13 dollars! They even served it with chili powder and oil so that I could add a little spiciness to the broth!

This was the perfect meal for a cold and damp evening. I look forward to going back and exploring the other menu offerings!

Now & Zen can be found at 202 Second Street NW, Charlottesville, VA 22902.

A trip down memory lane: Bluegrass Grill & Bakery

When I first moved to Charlottesville, I lived a few blocks off the downtown mall. I chose this location so that I could explore the downtown mall, meet new people, and check out local restaurants with ease. One of my favorite places to go was a breakfast place that was one block from my apartment. Back then, you could find me having breakfast both days every weekend at Bluegrass Grill & Bakery. The food is amazing and comforting, the staff is friendly, and the ambiance is cozy. I was privileged to get to know many of the staff, including the owner Chrissy Benninger. In short, this breakfast destination became my Cheers. Unfortunately, as life got busier and I began to expand my own cooking skills, I found myself frequenting Bluegrass less and less. Eventually, I moved to a house a little further from the downtown mall and I had found that a year or more had passed since I had visited the place where everyone knew my name.

This changed a few weeks ago, when I had the opportunity to go back to my old hang out. Chrissy’s reaction upon seeing me was something like “dude, where the hell have you been?” It’s nice to be remembered! Although I didn’t get to spend much time catching up with her as it was quite busy, the food was just as delicious as I remembered. Today I went back for brunch and I got to catch up with her kids who work there on weekends. They had a similar reaction: “we thought you moved away, where have you been?” It was great to catch up with them while enjoying a delicious meal: The Big Bad Wolf.

Eggs over easy, ham, spinach, bacon jam cream cheese, and chipotle hollandaise on an English muff, Benedict style, served with home fries. Absolutely delicious!

My all time favorite dish at Bluegrass that I ordered last time I went is The Duke. English muffin with dill Havarti and avocado hollandaise with turkey sausage and bacon, served with home fries.

I highly recommend Bluegrass Grill & Bakery. I know that there often is a line to get a table, if you are willing to sit at the counter (and quite frankly, it’s way more fun sitting at the counter), it’s first come, first serve!

Bluegrass Grill & Bakery can be found at 313 2nd Street Southeast #105, Charlottesville, VA 22902.

What better way to start the new year than with Neopoilitan pizza!

Earlier this week, I was fortunate enough to check out one of the newest restaurants in town, Lampo Neopolitan Pizza.

I was quite excited to visit Lampo because this is authentic, real deal Neopolitan pizza. This new Belmont hot spot is cozy and small. I arrived at 6pm on a Monday and was fortunate enough to find a seat at the bar. Otherwise the place was packed with multiple people waiting. The atmosphere is warm and inviting and all the food is prepared in full view of the bar, which adds a nice touch to the experience.

Now on to the food… I couldn’t decide what I wanted, so I ordered a sandwich and a pizza. The muffalatta sandwich was absolutely phenomenal. Prosciutto, salami, mortadella, giardinera, and provolone on a flat bread made in the oven for each order! I highly recommend it.

The Margherita D.O.C. pizza is a true classic. San marzano, mozzarella di bufala, basil, sea salt, olive oil. Fantastic. The D.O.C. designation stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata and indicates ingredients and cooking techniques that are most authentic.

Lampo can be found at 205 Monticello Road, Charlottesville,VA 22902.

Look for the candle in the alley

One of my favorite places for delicious cocktails and French small plates is a discreetly located speakeasy style bar called The Alley Light. My favorite dining and bar experiences tend to be hole in the walls and hidden gems, either in plain sight or tucked away down a dark alley way. In this case, it happens to be the latter… Marked by a candle sitting on top of a wine barrel, you won’t find any signage to mark this lounge’s location.

My cocktail of preference? Sometimes nothing beats a carefully crafted sazerac or sidecar by two of my favorite bartenders in town. Other times, when I am feeling more adventurous, dealer’s choice exposes me to creative new cocktails and time honored classics that I have yet to experience. And of course, The Alley Light features an excellent wine list that has been carefully selected by the owner, Will Richey.

Besides the fantastic atmosphere, cocktails, and wine, the food is also equally unique and inspired. On this particular evening, I shared the seafood board with some amazing people. And it was absolutely delicious! Tuna tartare, mussels, pickled vegetables, smoked salmon, to name a few of the delicious items that are part of this seafood charcuterie.

The Alley Light can be found at 108 2ND ST. SW,  CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA 22902.

How spicy do you like it? 2 Fer Tuesdays at Wild Wing Cafe!

Before I describe one of my favorite Tuesday food experiences, both from a culinary perspective and as a fantastic deal, let me provide a little background.

This past summer was defined by my friends and I systematically poisoning ourselves by growing and eating exponentially hotter peppers. We started with “mild” jalapenos, padrones, and dragon cayennes; escalated to heirloom lemon peppers and habaneros; jumped to Bhut Jolokia peppers (Ghost peppers); and then finished off with Trinidad moruga scorpion peppers. If you are unfamiliar with the Scoville unit for peppers, a jalapeno is about 3,000 to 8,000 units, a habanero is ~300,000, a bhut jolokia is ~1,000,000, and the Trinidad moruga scorpion pepper is ~2,000,000. We didn’t try the hottest pepper in the world, the Carolina Reaper, clocking in at 2.2 million units, but we built up our spice tolerance significantly and enjoyed the excellent flavors (ghost pepper chili or curry anyone?). At one point, I even ate an ornamental pepper just to prove that I could (in case you were wondering, it tasted terrible and burned like crazy).

When football season resumed in September, my love for buffalo wings was rekindled. Combine this with the fact that we were eating ridiculous levels of hot peppers, it seemed rather logical for us to see how far we could go by taking on the hottest wing sauces around.

After several months of exploration, I can safely say that my favorite restaurant for buffalo wings is Wild Wing Cafe. On any given Tuesday, sometime between 5pm and 10pm, you can probably find me at Wild Wing’s ordering the 2 Fer Tuesday deal: buy 8 wings, get 8 free. On a good day, I can even catch the end of happy hour (4-7pm) with great beer and food specials.

My go to combination for wings: “the slayer” (a 2 star hot garlic sauce) and “braveheart” (the hottest sauce they offer at 6 stars). I really do enjoy the pepper flavor and all the sauces are made from scratch!

My favorite happy hour starter: Bavarian pretzels with beer cheese dipping sauce… freshly baked, soft, buttery, and delicious!

Wild Wing Cafe is located at the Historic Amtrak Station, 820 W. Main Street, Charlottesville, VA.

What’s for lunch this weekend?

One of my favorite hidden gems for lunch on the weekend… gourmet sandwiches at a gas station: the Market at Bellair. Conveniently, they also have a Mudhouse location in the Market for your caffeine fix.

My favorite sandwich: the Ednam on 7 grain french bread (maple turkey, havarti, avocado, bacon, lettuce, tomato, herb mayo)

The Market at Bellair is located at 2401 Ivy Rd, Charlottesville, VA.