A Pleasant Surprise at Eppie's

Nothing is worse than being in the middle of exams when the weather is beautiful and all you want to do is enjoy all that Charlottesville has to offer. Thankfully, study breaks are always allowed and that's exactly what S and I did this afternoon. We hit the downtown mall in search of some really good lunch; we just weren't sure exactly where to find that...
Eppie's is a downtown classic that I'm embarrassed to say I had never experienced. After barely a minute glancing over their menu we were both convinced that the meal would be a perfect spring lunch. S got the curry chicken salad, which she described as a really great chicken salad with the added benefit of fresh salad greens. I got the Santa Monica salad which was a mix of fresh spinach, goat cheese, fresh corn off the cob, grape tomatoes, and dates served with their super light vinaigrette. Both were served with a perfect side portion of fresh pumpkin bread. I was more than willing to pay the $8 for this higher quality lunch. And we're definitely going back on a Monday for the Fiesta Bowl special.

The Buzz Around Town

So I am pleased to inform everyone that I have just heard some rumors about two new places coming to the corner...... disclaimer: this is not fact, nor has it been confirmed by anyone who is actually in charge of any of the new places. It's all by word of mouth.

Coming to where Sublime used to be on Elliewood: Marco and Luca's (read: the dumpling place from downtown). Hopefully they will be serving up their characteristic dumplings, sesame noodles, and pork hot buns. Who needs overpriced smoothies when you can have cheap dumplings?!

Coming to where ONeils used to be on the Corner: Trinity at the Corner, an upscale bar (?). Sorry, I don't have any details on this one. But I do know they are completely gutting the place, so don't expect it to look anything like the old ONeils.

DESSERTS is STRESSED spelled backward

Hey everyone!

So the big debate in Charlottesville is dessert, and if you are on UVA Grounds, then the hands down answer is always Arch's Frozen Yogurt on the Corner. Here, I am going to do a brief on some of the particular hot spots around Charlottesville. From here it is all up to you; luckily, the testing will be pretty tasty.

The UVA "Corner"

Arch's: It may be an icon, but I personally think it is overrated. It's frozen yogurt people, why in the world would you stand in a 20 minute line and pay $5 for a waffle cone? Granted, it is good, and the various Wow Cow flavors change which can make each day an adventure. But beyond the hype and the sorority girls, the individual looking for a spot to chat or a local hangout, stay away. Though, if you are on Grounds for the first time, Arch's is somewhere everyone on Grounds has been. You gotta go at least once.

The White Spot: This little hole in the wall is one of the oldest running businesses on the Corner and the actual only place that sells real ice cream (Hershey's to be exact). It may never really be packed, but it doesn't take away from the down home feel this small sweet spot has. You should go, not everyone does it, be different.

Rita's: The newbie to the Corner, Rita's opened last summer right around graduation. The first week was free which got everyone hooked (I went 12 times in 7 days). It serves Italian Ice, which is novel, and custard. Both are excellent. I go for the custard. The ice flavors change and are always good--Passion Fruit is the best--nothing breaks the heat like flavored ice...and the employees are so nice!

Alderman on UVA Grounds: It probably sounds weird to send people into a library for dessert, but whether you need to drown your exam sorrows in frozen yogurt or want to avoid some of the Corner crowds, it's a great option. Here, you get tart frozen yogurt, something totally different from anything else offered. With fresh fruit options and two sizable portions, this is a great way to spend an hour at Mr. Jefferson's University.

Downtown:

With so many restaurants and shops downtown it can seem overwhelming to pick just a place for dessert. I recommend looking at individual restaurant dessert menus to anyplace you choose to sit down and eat. There are a few A+ choices for just dessert alone.

Timberlake's: Granted, it looks a little sketch on the outside, and yes, it actually still is a drug store, but OMG have you had the milkshakes?! This little gem is a must eat when it comes to being a local in Charlottesville. The milkshakes are the bomb! And they are big enough to share (or eat by yourself...:)

The Nook: One word: cheap. This diner went under new management in the past couple of years and it really shows. With good home diner food, the expectations for dessert can be set a little high. But have no fear! It certainly does the job. No choice is wrong here.

Splendora's: Oh the Italians have done it again. Gelato is not frozen yogurt nor ice cream. It is totally in a league of its own. This bright yellow building brings a smile to everyone's face. The flavors change with the season. The best bet is to get some of your friends together and share the sampler-- keeps the decision making down for everyone.

Champs: I love popping in here for some good ol' fashioned ice cream and fun. The employees are very kind and hospitable. The people inside are 9 times out of 10 regulars. The milkshakes are a little pricy, but dang tasty. Great place to get and go.

So head on out there for your own dessert and research... ENJOY!!!

12th Street Taphouse On Main

What can I say about the less-than-overt competition to Michael's Bistro on the corner?
The first time that R and I went to check it out it happened to be St. Patrick's Day. We had been passing 12th Street for weeks, itching to go in and check it out, so this seemed the perfect occasion to get a beer.
We walked in at around 10:30 just as the band was wrapping up. There was no hostess in sight so we walked up to the bar hoping to get a drink. It wasn't particularly busy considering it was basically one of the biggest beer nights of the year. But we were completely ignored. I couldn't get the bartender's attention and several waitresses walked right past me despite my attempts to flag them down. Needless to say, R and I were not impressed so we left and went (you guessed it) to Michael's Bistro.

After we had gotten over our hurt egos we decided to give Taphouse another try. We wanted to try out some of the much anticipated menu items. So M, R, and I went on a Saturday night for a very belated birthday celebration. Despite our hesitations the menu had so many good options, including several vegetarian friendly ones, that we all deliberated for several minutes before deciding. But now, just a few weeks later, I've already forgotten what we ordered. And that's exactly how I feel about Taphouse- It's forgetable. I would be okay if I never went back, but I do admit that I often hear people saying it's their favorite place to go for drinks...
I guess it's just not for us.

preview of coming attractions

Soon to be posted:
-12th St. Taphouse
-Mono Loco
-Horse and Hound
-Cafe 88

Belmont in review: Mas Tapas, Bel Rio, The Local and others

Belmont, once described to me as "the middle of nowhere," is anything but. The three of us have tried all the options: Mas Tapas, Bel Rio, The Local, Belmont BBQ, and La Taza (we regret that we never made it to Crush before it closed...). Here is a short review of all-

Mas Tapas- We love all the classics and can't say that we have branched out more adventurously. The artichoke and goat cheese spread has the perfect amount of chunky artichoke and is served with plenty of warm bread. I would be happy if that was the only thing they served at Mas....
but the last time we were there we finally caved and ordered the bacon wrapped dates. I think it's impossible to inform someone you ate at Mas without the immediate question "did you order the bacon wrapped dates!!?" After saying "no" one too many times, we finally ordered a small portion. Of course they were fabulous and worth the constant raving. As for drinks, the sangria is a great cheap option, and the mojitos are good as well. Many times we go just for drinks, but the warm bread with olive oil provides just enough sustenance. That bread is SOOO good............

Bel Rio- We first went to Bel Rio a couple months ago. We really enjoyed our entrees (the pecan-encrusted trout, the vegetarian enchilada, and a pasta dish) and the desserts. The waitstaff is really friendly. The bar scene on the weekends is a little bit of an older crowd...we prefer Mas for drinks.

The Local- while I have not had the food myself other than dessert (the brownie sundae is a fun treat to split), I have heard from the other Rachel that the food is not exceptional. There is a lack of vegetarian dishes, which surprised and disappointed us. Maybe come spring and summer when there are more local veggies to use? That's my hope. The bar is awkward to sit at; the stools aren't tall enough, although we heard they are getting new ones really soon....

La Taza- sitting outside on a warm spring morning sipping coffee and anticipating great breakfast food.....can't get any better. However, don't be in a rush, because La Taza always takes a while. I haven't actually been this calendar year, but I'm assuming nothing has gotten exceptionally better or worse there.

Belmont BBQ- great barbeque and sadly one of the only places in Cville that even offers it. The slop bucket........yum.

If you can't tell, we don't really think Belmont is the middle of nowhere................... and we are anxiously awaiting the arrival of Tavola, the newest addition to Belmont's restaurant scene.

The New Bistro

The Cville Corner tradition Michael's Bistro has been through quite a tornado over drama over the last year at the least. Although r and I have claimed it as our favorite corner bar for a late night beer, certain less-than-flattering reviews have prevented us from stopping in for dinner. But last night the beautiful spring weather had us itching for a patio dinner. Martha's was reserved for a rehearsal dinner (which I embarrassingly interrupted in my attempt to investigate) and the Virginian was packed, so we decided to wait 30 minutes for an illustrious balcony seat at Michael's Bistro. R and I both had a glass of wine and I quickly realized why we always drink beer at Michael's- they are not a wine place. The 2006 Tempranillo that I had was fine, but when our food finally came almost 45 minutes later it wasn't worthy of a $6 refill. The Bistro has changed a bit in recent months, but it still has a very tap house vibe, which unfortunately is not always vegetarian friendly. There was, in fact, only one vegetarian option on the menu, which I ordered- the Portobella Mushroom "Napolean" a stack of thin-sliced fried potatoes with a portobella top, steamed spinach, roasted tomatoes and a ball of goat cheese with the perfect finish of a vinaigrette glaze. R got the salmon dish with asparagus and vanilla-something rice (you can ask her for clarification...). Oh and M got pork tenderloin with brocollini and a tomato-basil salsa (which she barely touched, but thankfully R came to the rescue) .
The service at Bistro hasn't improved much, but the Cville consensus seems to be "who cares?" The food is always good. Friday and Saturday jazz nights are great and it IS the classiest place to drink on the corner. Period.

Monsoon in Review

So the inspiration for this blog was the pure and real enjoyment that we, r2m, get from Cville: restaurants, coffee shops, grocery stores, and even the history of Vinegar and Star Hill (see "m" for this one).
And in keeping with our goal I want to put out our first Charlottesville review of Monsoon Thai on 113 W. Market St. off of the downtown mall.
R, m, and I decided to spring for a Tuesday night dinner. I had heard about Monsoon from a friend who claimed it was her favorite thai place in Charlottesville. With the more visible Thai favorites like Lemongrass and Thai 99, I was interested in seeing what this Charlottesville gem was all about.
Monsoon is on the corner of Market and 2nd street and it is housed in an old townhouse with a front porch and all. Not surprisingly the restaurant was empty when we walked in at 730 but we were invited to seat ourselves by the warmest, most inviting Asian woman. After looking over the menu and admiring the muted red lighting we were all convinced that it would be a night to remember.
Considering that Monsoon specializes in curry (there are 7-8 varieties) and none of us really like curry, I was slightly worried what there would be to order. Have no fear... the list of 6 dinner entrees induced decision-making anxiety in all of us. In addition to the Thai Classic Pad Thai (spelled Pahd at Monsoon?) there was also a lemongrass and basil dish, whole earth noodles, and fried tofu cakes. M got the pad thai with chicken, r got the whole earth noddles, and i got the tofu cakes (all 10.95 each). 20 minutes later after we had enjoyed a deliciously fresh salad and some spring rolls, our dishes had arrived. For the next 5 minutes silence ensued as we indulged. I was overwhelmed by the mix of flavors between the tofu cakes, the peanut sauce, and the steamed vegetables. As a vegetarian it's always hard to find dishes that are fulfilling and creative and Monsoon's Tofu Cakes hit the spot. Oh, and it all washed down quite smoothly with some unfiltered traditional sake.
I would definitely go back to Monsoon, especially to eat on their street-side patio in warmer weather. The food was delicious and the service excellent. The inside of the restaurant might be in need of a new coat of paint and some better lighting, but there is also something endearing about the house-style, local decor of Monsoon.

Wow, our first blog......and it really took us this long to get one going?! and we call ourselves progressive..........

Anyway, welcome! This blog has pretty much one intention: to allow us, R2M, to keep track of all our Charlottesville adventures, most of which revolve around food. We are not experts, although we like to act like it; rather, we are just three UVa students who have decided that Cville has a lot to offer, and we intend on taking full advantage of that during our time here.

Like I mentioned, we are R2M; Mary and the Rachels; Rachel, Rachel, and Mary... there are many permutations and we respond to all. We have tried to pinpoint when it happened that we became a difinitive threesome instead of three individuals, but we fail everytime. Somewhere along the line we discovered that we all really enjoy eating and getting out in Cville. We cringe when we hear from our peers that Belmont is in "the middle of nowhere," and self-righteously snub Starbucks for the much, much cooler Para and Calvino.

But lest I get ahead of myself, let me conclude this first entry. No wonder everyone blogs.....it's so easy to start and never stop............

-rachel