Cville To Go

Last Call Dogs

2010-05-10T10:13:00.001-04:00

subject: Last Call Dogs
take-out vehicle: paper sleeve
cost: $3

Once a to-go blogger, always a to-go blogger, I suppose. I spotted the bright yellow Last Call Dogs truck at the Levon Helm concert on Saturday and, despite my new appreciation for local and organic foods, I just couldn't restrain myself. I mean, I can't deny myself all the joys of life just because I'm trying to eat and live a little healthier.

But, while I stand by a fledgling locavore's right to order a processed hot dog here and there, my actual decision about what to order still confuses me. So, for lack of a better reason, I'll blame this guy. See, he and I go way back, and prior to his visit several months ago, I scoped out some vegan-friendly fare downtown, lest he be forced to starve. I actually found some good stuff, and ever since I've been bizarrely fascinated with vegan food.

Until Saturday, that is. It turns out that—unlike some other mobile eateries—Last Call Dogs is not the place to indulge in one's bizarre gastronomic fascinations. I won't say it was the worst thing I ever ate, but that's only because I don't mind the taste of white bread, mustard, relish, and onions. Oh yes, there was a vegan dog in there somewhere, but it was only detectable through its mass. While that's great if you're hungry, it's kinda crappy if you actually like hot dogs.

In case you're as curious as I was, the friendly Last Call Doggers told me that the vegan dog I paid $3 for was a Smart Dog®. Had I ordered a regular, non-vegan Last Call Dog, I would've gotten a Nathan's® brand dog, which are really good. So, despite my best efforts, I guess I really did deny myself one of the joys of life.

Oh well.

Introducing Cville To Grow

2010-04-23T15:01:00.001-04:00

You may have noticed my post frequency has dropping a bit as of late. Well, I hate to say I'm losing my enthusiasm for take-out food, but...I think I'm losing my enthusiasm for take-out food. I still like blogging, however, so I'd like to introduce my new project: Cville To Grow.

If you're interested in following along on my journey through Charlottesville's local and organic food options, or if you'd like to learn new ways and reasons to integrate such foods into your diet, I'd appreciate your continued readership.

If you're a big fan of take-out food, though, take heart. I don't plan on abandoning this blog completely. I mean, it may not be as healthy, but everybody's got to get some take-out once in a while.

End Zone Pizza

2010-04-12T09:48:00.015-04:00

subject: End Zone Pizza
take-out vehicle: cardboard pizza box
cost: $13.51

Normally when I'm brainstorming ideas for a new post, I'm inspired by something. Usually it's the food itself, sometimes it's the method of delivery, and other times it's just something funny that happened while eating. This time, however, I'm having trouble.

I'll say right off the bat that I liked End Zone's pizza and would order it again without much arm-twisting. The outer crust was crisp yet chewy, the slices wide and foldable, the pepperoni sufficiently greasy. The sauce was a tad sweet, but it was balanced out by everything else. I really had no complaints. As I reached for my second slice, however, I remember commenting to my wife, "This kinda reminds me of that Cobb's place." A bite and a considered moment later: "And maybe Anna's too."

As I continued to think about it, End Zone's pie reminded me of lots of places, and not just those here in Cville: there's that restaurant in New Jersey where I got pizza when visiting my wife's aunt and uncle, the small pizzeria in Nags Head I frequent while vacationing...and, you know, that other place I went that one time. Perhaps now I know why my mental engine isn't humming. There's just not that much new stuff to say about a place to which, in spirit at least, we've all been many times before.

But as I said, End Zone Pizza makes good stuff—standard, maybe (unless you include "The Beast," End Zone's 28-inch pie and self-proclaimed biggest in the region), but good. Of course, I don't think End Zone is trying to be anything other than what it is: a simple, classic, if-it-ain't-broke-don't-fix-it neighborhood pizzeria.

And for certain, End Zone Pizza ain't broke.

Marco & Luca

2010-03-26T10:32:00.008-04:00

subject: Marco & Luca
take-out vehicle: styrofoam boxes
cost: $9

Until this past week, I considered fried Chinese dumplings to be more of a snack item, maybe part of a lunch at best. Sure they're tasty, but I've just never seen them as being dinner food. But there I was on a warm Sunday afternoon, coming up with dinner ideas for the week, trying to pair something with the Asian cucumber salad for which I had a hankering. I needed something savory, maybe a little salty, maybe a little greasy...and then it hit me: Seafood @ West Main sells bags of frozen pork dumplings!

"Ew, gross, no. Why don't you get Marco & Luca's?" replied my wife upon hearing my idea.

John's brain: 'Cause I get more in the frozen bag. Duh.
John's mouth: "I don't know."

"I love Marco & Luca's! Can you get those? Please please?"

John's brain: But they cost more and they're practically the same thing!
John's mouth: "Okay, fine."

Though afraid that they'd be soggy by the time my wife got home, I was pleasantly surprised when they emerged good as new (if not two shades better) after a few minutes in a 400 degree oven. I will certainly admit that they were better than I remember the frozen dumplings being. In fact, they were downright addicting. I was puzzled, though, as to why.

I must confess that I didn't savor them long enough to identify any other flavors than "good," but I suspect it has something to with the sauce. From what I could tell by watching at the restaurant, it's a 50/50 split of some kind of mild chili sauce and hoisin sauce. Whatever it is, it's yummy.

Together with my cucumber salad, it took an order and half of dumplings to satisfy my man-dinner-sized hunger, but I'm pleased to say they paired splendidly well. I may have just found a new dinner to work into my ever-growing rotation.

For those interested, here's my recipe for the cucumber salad:

John's Asian cucumber salad

1/3 cup rice vinegar

2 large tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup water

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon course ground black pepper
1-2 teaspoons sriracha sauce

1 large hothouse cucumber, peeled and sliced very thin

1/2 red onion, sliced very thin

1/4 red bell pepper, sliced very thin
1/2 carrot, peeled and sliced very thin

In a small pan, combine sugar and water; cook over medium heat, stirring, until liquid boils and sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Add the rice vinegar, srirachi, pepper, and salt. Place the sliced cucumbers, onions, pepper in a bowl, stir marinade and pour over; stir everything to blend. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 hours.

Blue Ridge Country Store

2010-03-12T12:21:00.013-05:00

subject: Blue Ridge Country Store
take-out vehicle: aluminum and plastic containers
cost: $7.33

Located on the east end of the Downtown Mall, the Blue Ridge Country Store has long been one of my go-to places for a healthy lunch. They have an excellent salad bar, daily-made wraps and sandwiches, and a wide selection of prepared sides and desserts in their wall of refrigerators. It wasn't until today, however, that I tried one of their warm lunches.

Of the dozen or so soups, chowders, and stews basking beneath the heat lamps, my eyes settled on a small stack of ready-to-go containers labeled "Roasted tilapia w/ mango chutney and basmati rice." Granted, it was a dreary, soup-eating kind of day, but the tilapia was in my hand before I could argue with myself. From the fridges then came the black bean and corn salad, and before I knew it, I was eating lunch.

The tilapia, though pleasing to my eye and visibly seasoned, failed to impress, and unfortunately the mango chutney did little to help. The fish itself was flaky though a tad over done, likely caused by its time spent under the heat lamp; together with chutney, however, I felt it more than tasted it. It just didn't have much flavor of its own.

The chutney was thick, warm, softly chunky, and mildly sweet. I picked up on echoes of whispers of spices underneath the fruit, but overall it was a fairly straightforward chutney.

The black bean salad, I was not totally surprised to discover, didn't really jibe with the (minimal) flavors of the main dish. In fact, had I not eaten them separately (I finished the fish before starting the salad), I doubt I would have tasted the tilapia at all. I guess my only compliant was that I didn't buy any tortilla chips, because it looked, felt, tasted nothing like a salad and exactly like a good black bean salsa. Lucky for me its plastic container is resealable.

It wasn't a bad lunch, but given the weather outside, perhaps it really was a soup-eating day after all.

L's Burrito and Juice Company (now closed)

2010-03-05T15:51:00.010-05:00

subject: L's Burrito and Juice Company
take-out vehicle: aluminum foil and a paper bag
cost: $8.50

6/8/10 update: L's has closed.

I'll be honest: I wasn't looking forward to reviewing L's. In fact, I'd been putting it off for months. See, I went there twice last year. I was so excited the first time. I remember ordering two pork tacos...then disappointment punched me like I was Charlie Murphy in Studio 54.* Everything about them was bland, from the meat to the hot sauce. I was just totally underwhelmed.

The second time I went hoping the first was just a fluke. Still wary of the pork, however, I ordered a beef taco and a chicken taco. To my continued disappointment, they ended up tasting just like the pork ones. So, I resigned myself to that fact that, whatever I chose, I just didn't like L's food.

Then, after months of gestating, it hit me. It was so simple—foolproof, even. If this didn't work, then nothing would. When it was finally time to order, L greeted me as I suspected he would: "Hey, friend. What would you like?"

Then shrewdly, brilliantly, I put my plan into motion. "Yeah, uhh...what would you get?"

"Me?" he said. "Well, the pork burritos are good."

Success! "I'll have one of those, please."

Once made and laden with all the optional toppings (except for sour cream...blech), I made it back to my desk. Extracting it from it's bag, I was immediately impressed by one thing: the burrito was so big, so stuffed with pork, pintos, rice, veggies, and guac, that the aluminum foil wrapping was too small to fit around it. At least I was getting my money's worth. But it was time to eat.

Sadly, while certainly better than the tacos of last year, L's pork burrito didn't quite do it for me. First though, my compliments. The beans were great. They were rich and well seasoned, and there were just enough to appreciate but not overpower. The chopped green chiles were a nice touch, too. They were mild, to be sure, but I liked them. In combination with the hot sauce, I had a pleasant lingering heat well after my meal.

Unfortunately, I found the pork to still be underwhelming. Perhaps it's great by itself (it was too difficult to extricate for a separate tasting), but with all the competing elements, its flavor got lost. I also had an issue with the fresh chopped white onions. It's a personal thing, but I'm not big fan of the bitter tang of raw white onions. The texture was good, but I think a red, yellow, or vidalia onion would have been better.

My biggest gripe, however, was due to the guacamole. I paid a dollar extra for it, and I got a good amount, but it was completely lumped into one end of the burrito. It made me very upset.

To combat my upsetedness, I knew of only one solution. I marched back to L's cart, fist clenched.

"Hey man, what's up?" he said.

I threw out my upturned fist and opened it, exposing the six quarters inside. "I'd like a cookie, please."

Little known to me before I ordered my burrito, L also offers homemade chocolate chip cookies which he bakes daily. It cost a bit more than I would have liked, but it was closer than Cappellino's, and needed my fix.

It certainly did the trick, but after finishing it, I couldn't help but feel like I'd just eaten 3 eggs and a stick of butter. Better than nothing, don't get me wrong, but it was heavy, and walking a few more blocks to Cappellino's would have been well worth it.

I've yet to taste L's limeade (which is supposed to be great), but I think I've now had enough of his food to make a fair judgment. Letting L choose my meal was an excellent idea, but the burrito just wasn't good enough for me to pass up all the other temptations the Downtown Mall has to offer.

* I know it's not the most sound analogy, but I love the video. It's NSFW, btw.

Wayside Takeout (Ol' Virginia Fried Chicken)

2010-02-19T22:36:00.005-05:00

subject: Wayside Takeout (Ol' Virginia Fried Chicken)
take-out vehicle: lots of styrofoam
cost: $15.64

When I was growing up, I had a friend who everyone knew was going to be a scientist. His dad was a scientist, his mom was a scientist, he played the cello; we just knew. That was fifteen years ago. Now, to absolutely no one's surprise, he's a scientist. Luckily for me, however, he's not one of those theortical electro-quantum-nuclear-chemical physicists who only hypothesize about things that don't matter to me. No, my friend Stephan studies important things, like why I can go nuts at Wayside and not worry about having a heart attack five minutes later.*

And it's a good thing, too. In addition to the goodness pictured to the right (which, in case you're curious, includes five pieces of chicken, two orders of hush puppies, and single-person portions of green beans, mac'n'cheese, and cole slaw), my wife and I also ordered baked beans and banana pudding. Wee!

I'll be honest, I'm not really sure how to critique Wayside. You either love it or you don't...and frankly I've never met anyone that doesn't. The chicken was crispy, greasy, succulent, meaty...basically everything that fried chicken should be. Both the green beans and the baked beans tasted mightily of pork—ham hock and smoky bacon, respectively. And the hush puppies? Magical.

I guess the only real stumbling block for me was the cole slaw. It wasn't really bad, but it was just really ordinary. And kinda soupy. Okay I take it back...it was bad. It didn't really have any flavor other than diluted mayonnaise, and the ingredients were all but unrecognizable. Given everything else on my plate, though, I wasn't really that put out. For the record, I also picked up three completely unnecessary condiments that weren't particularly good (honey mustard, BBQ sauce, and hot sauce), but really, all these sides were merely hangers-on; it was the chicken that brought me to Wayside, and it's the chicken that'll keep me coming back.

* I'm sure this is a criminal over-simplification of the biological science involved, but whatever. It helps me not feel guilty. Yay for scientists!**

** Seriously, though: run some laps, people. Eating fatty fried fat is awesome, and maybe it won't solidify all your arteries, but have some sense. Fruit's good, too.

Feast!

2010-02-12T12:55:00.007-05:00

subject: Feast!
take-out vehicle: paper bag
cost: $7.63

In all honesty, the Main Street Market is one of my favorite places in Charlottesville. I have no idea how many times I've been there, whether it be for fish, flowers, picnic eats, or kitchen supplies, but I had no idea that Feast! was such a happening weekday lunch spot. It was kinda crazy. I was especially surprised by the fact that most of the customers were cute sorority-type girls. (Not that I'm into sorority girls necessarily, but you know, I can appreciate them. Anyway...)

Though tempted by the rows of pre-made and handsomely wrapped sandwiches, my patience paid off in the form of a panini-pressed grilled cheese with roasted tomatoes and roasted turkey. As a whole, it was rich and flavorful. As components, the bread was slightly oiled and crispy, and the cheese, turkey, and tomatoes were dense and satisfying. I wouldn't want it during the summer months, but it sure hit the spot today.

The white bean salad I chose as a side turned out to be an excellent counterpoint. It offered a light vinaigrette dressing, briny capers, crunchy carrots and celery, and of course plenty of white beans.

All in all, I really have no complaints, though if I were in a hurry I'd probably have to opt for the pre-made selections. My wait turned out to be kinda fun, however, since it gave me a chance to browse all the other goodies around the store. There were fancy wines, salts from every sea, sweet meyer lemons, a ridiculously cute blonde, all kinds of artisan cheeses...(sigh).

I love that place.

Stoney's Grocery

2010-01-28T13:23:00.013-05:00

subject: Stoney's Grocery
take-out vehicle: varied
cost: $6.51

Hiding in plain sight on Avon Street in the Belmont neighborhood, Stoney's Grocery may never be a popular Restaurant Week venue, but in how many "fancy" places in town can see a woman stare longingly at a window of food and say: "...Yeah, I'm gonna needa getta side a' wing dings, too."

It was her sweet back country drawl that really made it, though. Looking back, even though I hadn't yet ordered, I think it was then that I began to realize what Stoney's Grocery was all about—but I'll get back to that in a minute.

Stoney's, if you've never been, is primarily a small grocery store, but at lunch they have a regular crowd of take-out patrons who visit the small kitchen on the right side of the store. Since I had never ordered food there before, it took me a minute to figure out the system, but finally I found a menu and stood in the correct line.

When it was my turn to order, I chose the Stoney Burger with fries. Sure, there was a delicious-looking container of baked mac'n'cheese and piles of fried chicken, and yeah, there were five different crock pots with simmering soups, beans, and chilies, but I decided if this burger was good enough to named after the store, then it had to be something special.

Topped with a white cheese sauce (which the cook had me fetch from the microwave) and grilled onions (with optional lettuce), my burger turned out to be not quite so special. It was slightly overcooked, but I enjoyed it, though the thick cheese sauce was a bit too thick. Luckily I was at home when I ate it and the spicy brown mustard was only a refrigerator door away.

The fries, to my surprise, were actually pretty good. I'm usually not a fan of skinless, pre-cut, frozen fries from a bag, but with the seasoning salt they added, these were as good as they could have been: crisp yet tender inside, and just oily enough to retain the right amount of seasoning.

So what made me finally realize what Stoney's is all about? A few minutes after the woman left happily with her lunch and side of wing dings, I found myself standing almost exactly where she had been, staring into that glass window at all the food I didn't order. It all looked so good, but I knew I didn't need anything else. I mean, I had just ordered a huge burger with microwaved cheese sauce and french fries. It was brief inner struggle, though, and a few seconds later I heard myself say, "Uh, yeah, can I also get a side of rice pudding?"

It may not be a four-star lunch spot, but Stoney's is good for an entirely different reason: It's soul food, and it's not trying to pretend to be anything else. The closest thing you'll get to a salad is the lettuce and tomato on your burger, and closest thing you'll get to fruit is the homemade cherry pie. It's meat, cheese, potatoes, and deep fry dredging—and some days, that's exactly you need.

Speaking of which: Next time I'm there, I'm definitely trying the wing dings.

Anna's Pizza #5

2010-01-22T18:02:00.011-05:00

subject: Anna's Pizza #5
take-out vehicle: flimsy pizza box
cost: $17.17

As one of the few (perhaps only) pizza places in Charlottesville older than myself, I had been eager to finally try Anna's for some time. My only excuse for not having previously done so was inconvenience, but this past Friday I finally made up my mind to take the plunge. I called ahead on my way out of the office, picked up two bottles of chianti (it was Friday, after all), and made my way across town.

Anna's opened in 1976, and at the time it was probably a really cool place for locals and/or students hang out. Unfortunately (though I'd never been in there before and so I can't say for certain), it seemed as though nothing had changed in the 30-odd years since. The furniture, the lights, the lonely old jukebox in the corner—they all seemed ripped from the set of Happy Days. Likewise, the pizza itself seemed dated. It wasn't awful, don't get me wrong, and perhaps I didn't get to experience it at its zenith, but the pizza I picked up just seemed...tired.

I ordered a 16-inch traditional pizza with half pepperoni and green pepper (my favorite since childhood) and half broccoli (one of my wife's new favorite toppings). As I tried them separately, however, I found each pizza component to be somehow lacking. The pepperoni was thin and didn't have a great deal of spice, the cheese was stringy and had an odd melted-plastic-like quality, and the sauce was mediocre. The crust was probably my favorite part. It was golden brown yet foldable and chewy, very similar to other "Yankee-style" pizzas I've eaten before. I think my biggest disappointment, however, was the previously frozen broccoli. It was just unappetizing.

All that said, the whole turned out to be somehow greater than the sum of its parts. Yes, it was uninspired and I've certainly had much better, but in a way it was also comforting, like an old cozy blanket. My wife, who grew up on Anna's but who hadn't eaten from there in probably 15 years, said it tasted exactly like she remembered. "It's a taste," she said, "that you just can't forget." And despite my never having eaten it before, I understood what she meant.

I admit, I was hoping for a better pie, but combined with the two bottles of wine, a few good CDs, and three hours of overdue conversation, our meal turned out to be pretty darned fantastic.

Cinema Taco

2010-01-08T12:25:00.012-05:00

subject: Cinema Taco
take-out vehicle: paper bag
cost: $6

1.20.10 update: Alex George has decided on a name—Cinema Taco.

Despite its opening several weeks ago, the little restaurant inside The Jefferson downtown still has no official name. Kinda unusual, yes, but honestly I don't care what it's called, just so long as they keep serving me pork empanadas.

Made daily by Alex George, formerly of Just Curry, they may not be as filling as some other foods you can buy for $2.50, but I daresay none are as satisfying. The crust was rich, buttery, and flaky, and inside there was perfectly cooked, juicy pulled pork; little al dente cubes of potato; and a wee bit of chili. Seriously, I don't know a better way to spend $2.50.

Besides empanadas (of which they have several daily flavors), Cinema Taco also serves handmade soft tacos and burritos. Today I had a fish taco (which I think is a relatively new option) with grilled cod, chipotle salsa, guacamole, red onion, cilantro and lettuce. While not quite as flavorful as the empanada, the taco was very fresh. Cradled in two yellow corn tortillas, the ingredients came together well in each bite, but I could still taste each of them individually. I'm especially thankful that the cod wasn't fried. Not only did it blend with its neighboring ingredients (whereas fried fish would overpower), it tasted really healthy.

But healthy shmealthy. Pork and butter make me happy, so as long as those empanadas are available, I'll definitely be a regular.

Oh, one more thing: When ordering an empanada, don't be tempted by the complementary papaya habanero hot sauce. It's great with the tacos, but the empanadas are perfect by themselves.

(Here's a secret from Alex George: When he first started making the empanada dough, he used lard instead of butter. I didn't find out why he decided to switch to butter, but I've got a hunch: self-preservation. Lard is just too irresitable. I bet he was afraid of something like this.)

Top Take-Out Fan Favorite

2009-12-31T16:33:00.003-05:00

I've picked my three favorite take-out spots, but of all the places I've been, you've decided that your favorite is...

...a tie between Christian's Pizza and Beer Run. Personally, I was hoping we'd end up with a clear winner, but each of these places is deserving, so I guess it's not so bad.

Congratulations to all the 2009 winners, and stay tuned for more reviews in 2010.

Happy New Year's Eve, everyone.

Top Take-Out Winner #3

2009-12-23T10:01:00.005-05:00

And my final 2009 Top Take-Out Trophy goes to...

This was hands down some of my favorite take-out of the year. Fresh, authentic, and exceptionally flavorful, La Michoacana is the real-deal taquería we've all been waiting for, and I hope to see much more of them in 2010.

Don't forget to vote for your favorite take-out spot. Someone needs to break the tie between Christian's and Beer Run in the next 6 days so I can award the Fan Favorite Trophy.

Happy Holidays everyone!

Top Take-Out Winner #2

2009-12-17T09:29:00.002-05:00

And the second winner of a 2009 Top Take-Out Trophy is...

I didn't review the take-out from A Taste of China (Peter Chang's current project), so I can't compare it to Café 88's, but I can say that Ms. NLaC88 makes some wonderful food of her own and is more than deserving of an accolade or two. I don't go there as often as I should, but whenever I've want authentic Chinese take-out, Café 88 has never disappointed.

Come back next week for the third Top Take-Out Award! And don't forget to vote for your favorite take-out spot of the year!

Top Take-Out Winner #1

2009-12-11T09:09:00.005-05:00

And the first Top Take-Out Trophy of 2009 goes to...

Not bad for place that didn't exist four months ago. Since my initial review back in September, I've been a pretty regular customer of the Market, and I have yet to eat anything bad there. Kudos especially for their corn-on-the-cob...it's still the best I've ever had.

Come back next week to see who wins the second Top Take-Out Trophy, and don't forget to vote for the Top Take-Out Fan Favorite!

cville to go's 2009 Top Take-Out Awards

2009-12-09T15:20:00.006-05:00

Besides bringing colder weather, the holidays, and the end of the college football season, December is also the month of "Best Of" lists, so I thought I'd jump on the bandwagon and add my own.

Since I've only visited about 25 different places this year, I'll be awarding three Top Take-Out Trophies over the next few weeks to my favorite take-out spots so far, and then one more for Fan Favorite. The poll for Fan Favorite is just to the right, so please vote! The poll will close at midnight on December 30 (one minute after 11:59pm December 29).

Thanks to everyone for following this blog. I really do appreciate it. Stay tuned for the first Top Take-Out Trophy!

Cobb's New York Pizza & Grill...again

2009-11-30T15:38:00.003-05:00

subject: Cobb's New York Pizza & Grill
take-out vehicle: pizza box
cost: $2.73

So I made it back for a slice of pepperoni pizza. I have to say it wasn't quite worth the drive across town, but was certainly good enough to eat if I were in the neighborhood and needed a pizza fix. Though I try not to drink much of it if I can help it, I could also see this pizza pairing well with a light beer.

The crust of very droopy and the cheesy was stringy and dense. The pepperoni could've been a little more plentiful, but its flavor came through. As I'm used to the prices downtown, I thought the price I paid for the slice I received (1/6th of an 16" pie) was fair, but it turned out my pie was cut incorrectly and normally the pies are cut into eighths. Lucky me, I guess, but I'd be hesitant to pay $2.50 for such a slice in the future. If I eat pizza here again, I'm getting a whole and more reasonably-priced pie...and a pitcher.

Vita Nova

2009-11-20T12:57:00.014-05:00

subject: Vita Nova
take-out vehicle: pizza box
cost: $7.25

I've noticed that a lot of people are pretty polarized when it comes to liking either Christian's or Vita Nova. I'll admit that I've been no exception (I'm on team Christian's), so today I decided to make a good-faith effort to become one.

I haven't been to Vita Nova in a long time, so I was surprised by how similar the two places were, at least in person. Vita Nova's pizza menu, according to their website, is much more extensive. Notable pizzas offered only at Vita Nova included the Thai chicken pizza and several seafood pizzas (I did not see any of these during my visit, however).

Though tempted by a slice of Thai chicken, I opted instead for a slice of grilled vegetable and a slice of pepperoni. The grilled vegetable slice was flavorful and piled high with chopped fresh spinach, grilled zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, bell peppers, carrots, and olive oil. Though hard to eat at times (the vegetables frequently slid off the crust, even with the cheese I requested), I enjoyed it very much. The grilled flavor didn't really come through at all, and the olive oil may have been a touch overused, but the flavor of each vegetable was fairly distinct and they blended well.

The pepperoni slice was also pretty good, but not my favorite. The crust was thicker than it needed to be and made the overall slice much more filling than I would have liked. Granted, they're big slices, but I felt like the heft of the crust distracted from the sauce, cheese, and pepperoni. The pepperoni was spicy, which I appreciated, but I wish it had been a little more cooked. Some may disagree, but I think pepperoni grease is one of pizza's great pleasures, and it was sorely lacking here.

Overall, I don't think I tasted anything that will pull me away from Christian's permanently, but I remain intrigued by their greater selection. I'll have to return to try the Thai chicken slice, and if I ever get the craving, the pasta as well.

Cazon Tropical

2009-11-16T15:49:00.014-05:00

subject: Cazon Tropical
take-out vehicle: styrofoam boxes
cost: $10.33

I've known about Cazon Tropical for a long time, but it had been almost impossible to remember to go there...until yesterday afternoon. Finally reminded, I was soon faced with another challenge: deciding what to get.

After staring at the menu for much longer than I should have, unable to choose one main dish, I decided to order three items from the appetizer list: the pupusas (one pork and cheese, one zucchini and cheese, and one bean and cheese), a pastelitos de carne, and the empanada de plantano.

(It's worth mentioning that it took an incredible amount of willpower to not eat this food on my way home from the restaurant. Its aroma was absolutely incredible. It's probably fortunate that all food doesn't smell that good...if it did, we'd have all died from obesity long, long ago.)

Through a happy stroke of luck, I ate the pupusas in order from least tasty to most. The bean pupusa, which I ate first, seemed to lack any bean flavor, and the combination of the mushy beans and cheese made the pupusa heavier than I would have preferred. The zucchini pupusa, while having no zucchini that I discern, seemed lighter and somehow fresher. Perhaps the zucchini was peeled and grated? If so, its color would have almost matched the cheese's and would explain why I didn't notice it. The last pupusa I ate was the pork pupusa, and it was very good. The pork provided a nice bit of texture against the cheese and the slight doughy-ness of the pupusa, and its meaty flavor came through well.

The pupusas were served with curtido and the house red sauce. The curtido was pretty mild but interesting, and though vastly dissimilar to the Mexican variety at La Michoacana, it definitely provided some much needed contrast to the grease of the pupusas. The red sauce didn't do a whole lot for me, however. It was pretty thin and consisted (I think) of tomatoes, a touch of vinegar, onion, salt, and some other spices, but overall its flavor was pretty weak. I appreciated it the most with the bean pupusa and the pastelitos de carne.

Unlike with the bean pupusa, where it simply added flavor, the red sauce was a nice complement to the pastelito, which was very meaty. Filled with beef and peppers and ever-so-slightly crisp on the outside, it resembled a cross between a beef taco and a donut. I was a fan.

Lastly, I came to the empanada. It was a lot softer than I expected, but it tasted better than I had hoped. Imagine a warm Twinkie made from a deep-fried plantain instead of chemically-tasting cake. The exterior coated with course sugar, and the center filled with a thick milk-based cream, I suspect it was the origin of the wonderful aroma that filled my car on the way home, and it tasted every bit as good.

So how come I kept forgetting about this place? Well, probably because it's buried in Woodbrook Shopping Center, has no illuminated sign, doesn't advertise itself very well (if at all), and no one I know has ever gone there. I'm sure I would have continued to forget if not for one of my favorite local food-finding sites, so I have to say thanks to it.

According to its rating there, Cazon Tropical is one of the top-rated places in Charlottesville. I don't think can agree with that just yet, but considering I only ordered appetizers, it certainly deserves another visit or two. The cazuela cazon looks like an adventure, and I am compelled to try the tacos. Either way, I'll be getting another order of the empanadas de plantanos. Dems sum reel good eatin'.

The Southern

2009-11-13T12:50:00.024-05:00

subject: The Southern
take-out vehicle: plastic boxes
cost: $5*

The café at The Southern hasn't even been open a week, so I know a critical review wouldn't be fair to give. I mean, they haven't even decorated the walls yet. But today I saw an open door and a person behind the bar, so my curiosity got the better of me.

The brunch/lunch menu was kinda different than what I was expecting. I still don't actually know what I was expecting, but I never thought I'd find black-eyed pea cakes, fried chicken biscuits, or open-faced meatloaf sandwiches there. Not that I'm complaining. Black-eyed peas, fried chicken biscuits, and meatloaf are a wonderful, often underappreciated Southern delights, so I was thrilled to see them get some love at The Southern. I was torn, though, between the meatloaf and the (not quite as) Southern Chicken Salad—oven-fried chicken, bacon, avocado, cucumber, tomato, sliced brie, chopped romaine, and creamy pesto dressing—so I asked the girl behind the bar for her favorite of the two.

I ended up with the salad, and my body no doubt appreciated it. My diet this past week has been rather lacking in fresh vegetables, and this salad provided a good amount. I won't lie, though; given the weather outside, the meatloaf sandwich (served warm with caramelized onions and a mushroom gravy) would have been nice. There's always next time, I guess.

As for my salad, the oven-fried chicken was chunky and tender but not quite as crispy as it could've been. The real texture came from the fresh veggies, and they balanced well with the saltiness of the bacon. The brie was also a nice touch. It was creamy and rich but sliced thinly enough to be manageable with just a fork.

I was confused by the dressing, however. The menu advertised a creamy pesto dressing, but the dressing I got was purple and tasted...not like pesto (buttermilk and blueberries, maybe?). It wasn't bad, and I suspect I was just given the wrong thing by accident, but it still made me kinda regret not getting the meatloaf.

If I could make one suggestion, it would be to serve the salad with a biscuit or some of the "ABC" bread that accompanies some of the appetizer dishes. The chips were fine, but some real bread would have been much more appreciated.

Chips aside, it was definitely a healthy lunch, and all together a pretty satisfying one. I look forward to watching The Southern grow and flesh itself out over the coming weeks, and I'm curious to see if the menu will continue to be refined as well. From what I saw, they're definitely putting a big effort into the café side of The Southern, so I hope it prospers.

If anyone is interested in going in the next few days, the kitchen is fully up and running from 11:00am to 3:00pm, and they do offer a full bar, wine, and a decent selection of bottled beers at all shows, including the entire line of commercially available Starr Hills. Soon a late night menu will be available, so I'm especially interested to experience that scene once (if?) it gets established. Maybe I'll have to don my cVillain reviewer hat and wander over there some evening.

A point of interest: the bar and tables in the café were hand-crafted specifically for The Southern by the 74-year-old father of one of the owners (and they're very handsome).

ps—If anyone has the meatloaf before I get back there, let me know how it is.

* My salad normally would have costed $8.50, but the bartendress thought I was super sexy**...and they didn't have enough lettuce to make a whole salad, so she discounted it for me.

** At least, I assume she did.

Cobb's New York Pizza & Grill

2009-11-10T11:35:00.019-05:00

subject: Cobb's New York Pizza & Grill
take-out vehicle: paper bag
cost: $8.67

It's been a long while since I've wandered up Hydraulic in search of food, and as I waited inside Cobb's for my New York steak and cheese sandwich and fries, I started to wonder why. Previously Mario's, and before that Vinny's (I think), Cobb's kinda reminded me of the pizza parlor on "Everybody Loves Raymond": a friendly, unpretentious, neighborhood place for pizza, burgers, and maybe a beer. Who doesn't like a place like that?

Well, considering its near-complete lack of customers, apparently everybody. Curious as to why, I started looking around. The menu was filled with comforting dishes with mass appeal (pizzas, calzones, burgers, hot sandwiches, etc.), and, from my limited view from the small lobby, the dining room seemed cozy enough. The staff I spoke with seemed nice and eager to please. The sliced pizzas in the front display case looked a couple of hours old, but wasn't necessarily indicative of everything else.

So what's the problem? Whatever it is, I don't think it's the New York steak and cheese.

Had I ordered my steak and cheese sandwich straight from the menu, it would have come with chopped steak, mozzerella, peppers and onions, lettuce, tomato, and mayo, but I didn't; I got everything but the mayo. I can't stand mayonnaise. Luckily for me, the sandwich was just fine without it. The steak was juicy enough to not require the extra moisture, and the cheese gave the sandwich just the right amount of fat to hold everything together.

My favorite part, however, may have been the bread. According to the guy I spoke with behind the counter (Cobb?), the bread comes in thrice weekly from a place called Carter's Bread Company, which is apparently local (though I've never heard of it before). Wherever it is, Carter's sandwich roll had a super soft white interior and an ever-so-flaky exterior that lent itself very well to its steak-cradling task, and it had a really nice, light, bready flavor to boot.

The fries, on the other hand, were disappointing. They obviously came from the freezer and were not that high in quality. More disappointing was the fact that they were underseasoned. Skimping on cheap frozen fries is one thing, but not ponying up the extra $.002 it would take to properly salt an order of said fries is totally another. I guess it's a good thing that the sandwiches normally come with chips instead (the fries were $1 extra).

I was also disappointed by the fact that I had to wait almost 30 minutes for my food after walking in and placing my order. Had the dining room been full, I would have understood, but the only other people I saw were the four or five staff and the grumpy-looking older guy who was in the same boat as me. I'll just have to remember to call in next time. (To be fair, I was given several apologies when I was finally given my order, so I assumed the delay was abnormal.)

All in all, I'm not going to say that Cobb's has the best food around, or the most efficient staff, but it was certainly good enough to warrant a few more patrons than I saw, and the problems weren't anything a few beers couldn't fix.

Now I just have to try the pizza.

Chaps Ice Cream

2009-11-04T15:37:00.010-05:00

subject: Chaps Ice Cream
take-out vehicle: paper bag
cost: $3

It turns out my tour of local donuts wasn't as done as I thought it was. After running into Tony, the owner of Chaps, at a Halloween party this past weekend, it occurred to me that a) he's been making his own donuts for quite some time now, and b) he didn't really dress up for the party, he just threw on his old black and white prison outfit.*

Anyway, for breakfast this morning I had three donuts: one chocolate, one banana, and one pumpkin. Each had the same cakey, moist, and slightly oily texture, but as can be seen in the picture, the pumpkin was by far the biggest. The exterior of the pumpkin donut also had the most bite to it; it may have been fried before the others or in another batch of slightly hotter oil.

Of the three, my favorite flavors were the pumpkin and chocolate. The pumpkin was sweet and seasonal, and the chocolate was rich and also sweet, but pleasingly less so than the pumpkin. I could see it going very well with a cup of coffee from The Java Hut, which sits right outside his door. (Come to think of it, that could be why he started making donuts in the first place.) The banana flavor, on the other hand, wasn't very apparent in the banana donut. It tasted more like a regular cake donut with just an itsy bitsy bit of something banana-esque.

While certainly good for those of us on the mall in the mornings, these donuts probably won't lure many who aren't in the vicinity, but then again, Tony isn't really in the donut business. Tony is an ice cream/diner man, and he's a darn good one. I'll have to go back soon for scoop or two, and maybe a cheeseburger beforehand.

* Of course I'm joking. I know Tony and it was just a costume...at least I'm pretty sure.

Café 88

2009-11-03T09:12:00.015-05:00

subject: Café 88
take-out vehicle: bento box
cost: $8.58

I love places like Café 88. Quiet, kinda off the beaten path, and really good. For those who haven't been, Café 88 is the newest restaurant of the former owner of Ming Dynasty. As many times as I've seen her, both at Ming and Café 88, I'm ashamed to say I don't know her name, but she's probably one of the nicest people in town. And now, freed from her standard Americanized-Chinese food shackles (and the pressures of a larger restaurant—Café 88 has only 24 seats), she's also one of the better Chinese food cooks in town.

By "standard Americanized-Chinese," I'm referring to all the types of dishes that most Americans think of when Chinese food is mentioned: Kung Pao this, Hunan that, and of course General Tso's whatever. There's none of that at Café 88. Instead, Ms. Nice Lady at Café 88 (NLaC88) prepares just two kinds of food: dim sum and bento.

I can't comment on the dim sum because I haven't yet tried any yet. Why not? Because the bento rocks.

Despite being a Japanese idea, Ms. NLaC88 fills her bento boxes with very traditional Chinese fare, most of which revolves around chicken, pork, or tofu. On this visit, I opted for the Amazing Chicken (yes, that's what it's actually called). While "amazing" might be a tad strong, the Amazing Chicken certainly didn't disappoint. Ms. NLaC88 described it to me as marinated, pan-seared dark meat chicken with a slightly spicy sauce (she compared it to the Wonderful Chicken, which was deep fried white meat chicken and not spicy at all).

Perhaps due to the marinade, or perhaps the nature of dark meat chicken, the two pieces of Amazing Chicken I received were very tender. The sauce had only a hint of chili but good flavor nonetheless, but most of it soaked into the bottom of the sticky rice next to the chicken (though that gave me a good excuse to eat more of the rice, which also boasted a bright yellow slice of mildly-pickled daikon).

With the chicken came two vegetable sides: one serving of stir-fried bok choy, carrots, and mushrooms, and one serving of fried Asian eggplant (it had a thin, light purple skin, but even after a little research, I couldn't tell if it was a Chinese, Japanese, or Taiwanese varietal).

The stir-fry was simply prepared. The cabbage was by far the dominant flavor, but it was light, crunchy, and a pleasing contrast to its aubergine neighbor. The eggplant was soft and sweet except for the occasional bite of its crisp skin. It was sauced with a soy-based brown sauce and accented with chopped red bell peppers. I couldn't decide whether I liked it more than the chicken...but as I write, I'm leaning towards "it was better."

As I left with my dinner, I asked Ms. NLaC88 why she named her restaurant "Café 88." She explained that 8 was a lucky number in Chinese culture and wanted to be "double lucky," and smiling, she motioned to the menu behind her: just about everything was priced $x.88.

I guess it never hurts to have some luck, but with Chinese food like hers, I doubt she'll need it anytime soon.

El Pollo Loco

2009-10-27T09:15:00.011-04:00

subject: El Pollo Loco
take-out vehicle: lots of styrofoam
cost: $10.02

Josè: "So are you going?"
John: "Yeah, I'm going there right now."
Josè: "Awesome. What are you going to get?"
John: "Isn't the rotisserie chicken supposed to be really good?"
Josè: "That's what I hear, I mean it's in their name, right?"
John: "So you haven't had it?"
Josè: "Haha, no. Everything I go in there, I end up ordering something else."
John: "Then I'll definitely get the rotisserie chicken."
Josè: "Great. You'll have to let me know how it is."

Well, Josè...the tacos were pretty good.

I'll be honest, I didn't see a rotisserie. I did see some chicken quarters in the display behind the counter, but when I asked the guy who took my order what his favorite thing on the menu was, his answer was tacos.

So I listened to the guy who took my order.

Unlike my trip to La Michoacana earlier this month, here I ordered three different tacos: one carne asada, one pollo, and one al pastor. My three tacos also came with a serving of Mexican rice, pinto beans, and two salsas. Feeling gluttonous, I also ordered a serving of fried plantains.

I was puzzled when I first opened the styrofoam take-out box. There were my three tacos, but I also saw three balls of aluminum foil. However, after opening the first to find sections of lime, I knew the contents of the other two: chopped onion and cilantro, all the toppings of a traditional taco.

I don't know how exactly its meat was cooked, but of the three, I found the taco al pastor to be the best in terms of flavor and texture. The pork was juicy, tender, and mildly spicy, and the lime, cilantro, onion, and tomato salsa complimented it well.

The taco carne asada was my second favorite. The beef paired well with the salsa verde and had a nice meaty flavor of its own, and it too was fairly tender. The chicken in the taco pollo, on the other hand, was a little bland and over-cooked. I tasted it, but I tasted the salsa verde and the tortillas a whole lot more.

The tortillas themselves were good, though a bit thinner than I was expecting, and I suspect it was for that reason two tortillas were used for each taco. The extra tortillas turned out to be a good thing, though, since one of the two from each taco ripped during my meal.

I found the rice to be decent but unremarkable, though the beans were very good. The guy who took my order told me they were slow cooked with sausage, bacon, and onions, whereas the also-offered black beans were cooked with jalapenos. I didn't try the black beans, but I have a feeling a chose correctly. The pintos were savory and satisfying, and the bacon gave it a subtle smokey flavor.

The plantains were also very tasty. As far as I could tell, they weren't spiced or seasoned after being fried, but they were every bit as good, if not better, than the ones I ate at Just Curry.

La Michoacana is closer to my home and office, so I doubt that I'll travel across town just to get these tacos, but I'll certainly keep this place in mind when I'm looking for lunch on Emmet St. After all, there's still the matter of the rotisserie chicken (somebody's got to try it). And where else in town can you watch music videos like this?

Note: If you're thinking of stopping by in the next few days, you may want to wait a week or so: I was told that new management is taking over soon, and though the existing menu is being retained, expect to see new items from El Salvador and Central America, including pupusas. The guy who took my order seemed pretty excited about it.

Carpe Donut

2009-10-21T08:41:00.012-04:00

subject: Carpe Donut
take-out vehicle: paper bag
cost: $4

This was the last stop (I think) on my tour of local donuts, and it's tough to say whether or not I saved the best for last. On the one hand, Carpe Donuts is one of only two places I know of (the other being The Baker's Palette's mobile donut machine) where you can get donuts cooked to order. On the other hand, a Carpe Donut is not your typical donut.

Though coated in cinnamon and sugar and initially sweet, I found these donuts to be almost savory by the end of each bite. I tasted a few different flavors, most of which are commonly used with sugar, but that here stood out by themselves: cinnamon, cloves, maybe some nutmeg, and naturally some apple (they are apple cider donuts, after all). Come to think of it, they tasted very much like apple cider in cake form—which, I imagine, was the entire point.

My only other local experience with apple cider donuts came from Carter's Mountain Orchard, and from what I can recall of their product, Carpe Donut's donuts have a larger, softer interior, more cinnamon-sugar coating, and a greater depth of flavor. Granted, my memory may be hazy since it's been two years since I've had a fresh donut from Carter's Mountain (I'm looking at you, person-who-didn't-put-up-a-sign-telling-me-that-the-fresh-donuts-had-moved!), but I'm pretty sure I'm right.

Though I did not get any, Carpe Donut also offers hot apple cider and freshly brewed Greenberry's coffee. Matt, one of the owners, told me that Carpe Donut offers its own special blend: a 50/50 mix of Greenberry's Sumatra and Costa Rican. Naturally enough, he calls it the Carpe Donut blend.

While waiting for my donuts to cook (he was just finishing the dough when I arrived), Matt also told me about his hot chocolate: "There's so much cocoa in it...it's to hot chocolate like espresso is to coffee." I'll have to make a point to return for that.

So, were these the best of the local donuts? Honestly, I still don't know. There's still something wonderful about a light, sugary, cavity-threatening ring of dough, but I will say this: If you're looking for tasty donut, Carpe Donut won't disappoint.

Beer Run

2009-10-20T09:05:00.010-04:00

subject: Beer Run
take-out vehicle: *
cost: $15.10

* Okay, I admit it: I ate at Beer Run. Sue me. It was always my intent to get my food to go, but I saw a friend on Saturday while I was there watching the UVA game, and he was all, "Hey, so what are you up to?", and I was all, "I write a food blog!", and he was all, "No way! You should write about this place!", and I was all, "I'm coming back on Monday!," and he was all, "I'll be here then!", and I was all, "Awesome! Let's have dinner!"

So that's basically what happened. In my defense, I did ask the one of the owners if everything on the menu was available for take-out, and he said yes—except for the on-tap beer, unless it's in a growler.

My wife and I have been going to Beer Run pretty much since it opened in late 2007. Not only is it one of the better places for beer near us, but I think it's one of the better places for beer in the county. Sure, there are places with more taps, but I'll trade 58 kegs of Coors Light, Bud Light, Michelob Light, Miller Lite, and Whatever-The-Hell-Else Light that you're likely to find in those places for any of Beer Run's constantly rotating selection of craft beers, microbrews, and custom blends.** But enough on the beer.

Seated in my favorite spot at the bar, a Headless Horseman pint in hand (see **), I decided to order one of my favorite sandwiches: a Turkey Trot. Consisting of smoked turkey, havarti, cranberry-walnut tapenade, lettuce, and brown sugar and black pepper bacon, it's served on house-made bread. Though I'm quite fond of the bread, which is very much like a foccacia, I know some who aren't. I did learn that it's made fresh daily with whatever wheat beer is on tap—recently, more often than not, it's been Starr Hill's Love. I chose this sandwich specifically because I thought its flavors would play nicely with the spiced pumpkin, chocolate, and bourbon flavors of my beer, and I'm satisfied to say that I was so very right (except for the single leaf of lettuce which, contrasting color aside, was pretty much useless).

The potato salad that came with the sandwich was fine but rather ordinary. I think the addition of a little bacon, fresh herbs, and/or green onion would improve it quite a bit. I had the option of pasta salad or cole slaw instead; maybe next time I'll get one of those.

I got the pictured chips just because. I wasn't really hungry for them, but such is the nature of bars, I guess. It's tough to sit at one without snacking on something.

As I reread this, it does sound kinda like a puff piece, but I think that was pretty much inevitable. I can honestly say though that I've yet to have a bad meal there. Some of the dishes—which do change frequently—are more successful than others, but none that I've tried have been failures. I recall the Tennessee barbecue, in particular, being very good. Still, it's tough to be completely objective about a place you've visited so many times, and where—at least most of the time—somebody knows my name.

p.s.- We miss you, Marc.

** John's first tip of the day: Don't buy low-end garbage disposals. Had I bought a decent one last year when I replaced the one that came with my house, I wouldn't have had to get a new one this weekend. And, had I not blown $350 on one this weekend, I would now have a brand new growler full of The Headless Horseman—a custom Beer Run 50/50 blend of Southern Tier Pumking Imperial and Bluegrass Brewing's Jefferson's Reserve Bourbon-Barreled Stout.

John's second tip of the day: Go try The Headless Horseman. It's a combination of everything that's good about beer and everything that's good about autumn in a pint glass for $5.25. Seriously. And bring a second pair of pants.

Rise PizzaWorks

2009-10-11T22:18:00.009-04:00

subject: Rise PizzaWorks
take-out vehicle: pizza box
cost: $13.35

Though a lifelong fan of pizza, I was never really a fan of Casella's Pizza (Barrack's Road's former Italian/pizza eatery), so when I heard about Rise PizzaWorks coming earlier this year, I was pretty excited. Not only would Barrack's Road have another (hopefully fantastic) pizza place, but said pizza place would also have an element of novelty: custom pizza by the slice.

As it turned out, the whole "custom pizza by the slice" thing is kind of a misnomer. There are three sizes of "slice" that one can order: a quarter-pie (2 slices), a half-pie (4 slices), and a whole pie (8 slices). It was never made clear, but after seeing them, I would guess that whole pies are approximately 14 inches wide, and that the quarter- and half-pie crusts are cut therefrom.

Feeling adventurous, I decided to set aside my unabashed love for gluten and try a quarter-pie with a gluten-free crust. I topped it with pesto, chopped fresh tomato, fresh basil, prosciutto, and low-fat mozzarella. My wife chose the regular (i.e., gluten-included) wheat crust with tomato sauce, broccoli, carrots, red peppers, and regular-fat mozzarella.

As I expected, the gluten-free crust was thin, but it served its purpose well. It was reasonably chewy, and not once did it break, tear, rip, or otherwise compromise the structure of the slice. It was, however, lacking in cooked flavor (the underside of the crust sported a little too much extra flour for my taste), and, most unfortunately for me, smaller than the regular quarter-crust.

The toppings themselves were decent. Dominant on mine was the saltiness of the prosciutto, followed by the pesto, which I thought could've used a hint more garlic. The tomato provided a cool freshness to each bite (the short ride through the oven was apparently not long enough to heat them through), but their flavor was not overt, and the basil blended into the pesto. The cheese was mostly tasteless, but it too served its purpose by adhering the toppings together.

Save for the hard-to-mess-up fresh veggies, the gluten-included wheat crust slices reminded me very much of the pizza I got while eating at JMU's central dining hall earlier this year. While not a horrible comparison, I was expecting much better. The crust itself smacked of Boboli®* (pretty low on flavor, fairly airy, and in that middle ground between good and "whatever, i'm hungry"), and the amount of cheese was a bit much.

Speaking of a bit much, Rise's interior is pretty crazy. It's kinda like being inside a giant Hot Wheels® car. The walls are stainless steel, but the ceiling and front-facing wall are huge solid blocks of bright yellow and orange. If Rise has succeeded in one thing, it's making people forget about the über-traditional jewelry store that preceded it.

Besides pizza, Rise also makes custom salads, and their impressive selection of toppings can be applied to both. I probably won't make it a point to go back soon, but when I do, I'm going to find a way to use dried cranberries on a pizza. Ooh, what about a regular wheat crust with a ricotta-basil base with fresh spinach, pine nuts, dried cranberries, and bleu cheese crumbles? (If anyone tries that, let me know.)

Final score:
Pizza I could make at home for less money: 0
Novelty: 1

* Similar to Boboli, Rise's crusts are par-baked. When we ordered, sections of nearly done crust were taken out, topped, then run through a short pizza oven for about 3 minutes to finish.

Belmont Bar-B-Que

2009-10-05T20:13:00.013-04:00

subject: Belmont Bar-B-Que
take-out vehicle: wax paper, paper bag
cost: $8.47

Located in oft-changing "downtown" Belmont, Belmont Bar-B-Que is run by Oklahoma-native Wes Wright, who I finally got to meet on this visit. He was quite chatty, and in the few minutes we spent talking, I learned quite a bit. First, there is no weekly poker game of local barbecuers. Random, yes, but I just always assumed there was a little community amongst those who smoked meat in town. In reality though, according to Wes, it seems some of the hickory smoke wafting around town may be laced with a little animosity. This isn't a gossip column, so I'll leave it at that, but it was interesting to hear his perspective on things.

Second, the rib sandwich (pictured), had I ordered it in the midwest, would very likely have included actual rib bones. This came up after I asked Wes, baffled, "So, how exactly do you eat ribs on a sandwich?"

Wes explained that in Oklahoma, and in every other state where he learned to barbecue (he mentioned Texas and Kansas by name), many people ate around the edges of the sandwich, then would open the sandwich up and eat the ribs as one would expect, using the by-then-sauce-soaked bread as an accompaniment.

As a homage to his roots, and to suit our local eaters, Wes said his rib sandwich is offered bone-free, and he told me it was the best thing he makes. Of course, hearing that, I had no choice but to order one.

Having had the pulled pork and beef brisket, I'm glad I ordered the rib sandwich for no other reason than to complete my sampling of the different types of meat offered at Belmont Bar-B-Que. That said, and despite Wes' claim, this wasn't quite my favorite, but I think it's a matter of personal taste. The pulled pork, which is my favorite, was more tender and succulent than the de-boned ribs, though I will say that ribs were very good and did trump the pork in smokey flavor.

No doubt due to their greater surface-to-mass ratio, the ribs absorbed much more smoke and lost more moisture than the pork shoulders (which is traditionally where pulled pork comes from), and thus had a slightly drier, tougher texture. I guess the best analogy I can think of is the difference between roasted salmon (representing the pulled pork) and smoked salmon (representing the ribs). While both are good, I prefer the more succulent and tender options.

Of course, I say this because I like sauce. Smokey meat flavor is great, necessary even, but I love big hunks of juicy pulled meat that can soak up a nice thick sauce. Unfortunately, Belmont Bar-B-Que's sauces are horrible. I hate to be so blunt, but I just can't stand them. To me, they all taste like overly sweet ketchup with varying amounts of hot sauce added in. The flavor of the ribs was enough to carry the sandwich alone, but rather than eat it dry, I pulled out a sauce from Texas that my brother-in-law brought back for me recently.

Had I not been in a hurry, though, I would have cooked up a batch of my own Memphis-esque sauce. It does have some kecthup in it, but the resulting sauce is tangy, a little spicy, and just pleasantly sweet—wholly different than that stuff at Belmont Bar-B-Que. I've put the recipe below, so let me know what you think.

Besides the sandwich, the onion rings were quite good. They had a good crunch and a nice, comforting, greasy fried onion flavor, but unless someone can prove me wrong, I'll stick by my suspicion that they came from the freezer (or if someone can prove they are frozen, I'll take the name of the company that makes them...I wouldn't mind buying some for myself).

All in all, Belmont Bar-B-Que is a great place to get some 'cue, but remember to order it un-sauced. If you can't find a sauce you like, the pulled pork also makes for a great taco (try it with grilled tortillas, a spicy salsa verde, and some creamy queso blanco)—just follow wafts of Wes' smoker.

John's BBQ sauce
serves 6

1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1-2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
6 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
4 tablespoons Worchestershire sauce
2 teaspoons mustard (yellow is fine)
1-2 teaspoons ancho chili powder
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 tablespoon paprika (smoked paprika is best)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Mix all ingredients into a medium sauce pan. Simmer over low heat 30-40 minutes. Serve as-is or keep tightly covered in the fridge. Best with pork and chicken.

La Michoacana

2009-10-01T13:54:00.014-04:00

subject: La Michoacana
take-out vehicle: styrofoam box
cost: $6.80

I went to Tucson a few years ago to visit some friends, and while I was there, we all had dinner at a small, authentic taqueria. The tacos I got there, without a doubt, were the best I had ever tasted. Besides being hands-down fantastic, that meal really illustrated to me the shocking difference between Mexican food on the West cost and on the East coast. Why, I asked back then, couldn't we have any decent tacos in Charlottesville?

Well, they arrived about a year and half ago under the banner of La Michoacana. I can't say they make the best tacos in town (there are still a few I haven't tried), but I'd be willing to wager a cookie or two that they do. For those who haven't been, La Michoacana won't impress you with its decor or its ambiance, and it certainly won't draw you in with a fancy exterior (it shares a small building with Merry Maids on E. High Street). What it will do, however, is showcase how tacos are supposed to be made.

I'm not sure how many times I've been to La Michoacana, but I've been enough to watch them grow as a business. They recently doubled their seating capacity by rearranging the now-open kitchen, and the line is a little bit longer every time I go. This visit was remarkable because, for the first time, Caucasian people outnumbered the Mexican-American staff. Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled that they're doing well, but I used to get the feeling, when I would visit and be one of but two Caucasian people in there, that I was in on some little secret. Now, not so much. But at least they're not in danger of closing.

On this visit, I ordered three taco locos mexicanos: tacos made with a mixture of shredded chicken (pollo), shredded pork (carnitas), and crumbled chorizo (chorizo) topped with cilantro and fresh diced onion. As sides, I chose a pickled jalapeno, avocado sauce, the mild salsa, and the fresh onion, carrot, and habanero salsa cruda.*

The tacos, as always, were made with fresh corn tortillas, which I've grown to very much appreciate. I never really liked them when I was younger because they were more porous (thus increasingly mushy) and rarely stayed intact while I ate them. Like the tortillas I had in Tucson, however, these tortillas were soft and malleable, yet firm and cohesive. It also helped that the meat, through which the chorizo's flavor carried entirely, was not overly greasy. Even the sauces I added did little to harm the tortillas.

Unfortunately, I did notice that there were a few chunks of potato in my meat. Not many, but definitely a few per taco. While not a unforgivable sin in these economic times, I was not at all happy to see such obvious filler. I'd never noticed them before, so perhaps they were only visiting and had firm plans to go back to where they came from. My fingers remain crossed.

The salsa and avocado sauce (called such because it seemed to be only pureed avocado with lime juice and water, not true guacamole) were very good. There were two salsas from which to choose: the milder tomato-based salsa and a spicier salsa verde. The salsa I chose was fairly mild but had an appreciable taste of dried, smoked chiles (if I had to guess, I'd say ancho and/or pasilla). The avocado sauce, on its own, was largely tasteless save for a hint of lime, yet on the taco it brought all the flavors of the meat, onion, cilantro, and salsa together quite nicely.

The curtido was another thing altogether. I remember the first time I tried it thinking it was only onions and carrots in vinegar. Silly me, I failed to notice the huge chunks of orange habanero hiding amongst the carrots. I remember being very glad that I'd gotten the large bottle of water with my order.

Now that I knew better than to dump it on willy-nilly, the curtido added a very pleasant amount of freshness and heat to the taco, which otherwise would have been defined by the spices of the meat and the salsa. (In the spirit of full disclosure, I will admit that I shied away from eating the almost fully intact habanero I had inadvertently picked up.)

I could have ordered the tacos with more familiar toppings, including lettuce, tomato, and sour cream, but, as I learned in Tucson, the main ingredient(s) of a taco shouldn't be covered up by unnecessary stuff, especially stuff that only dilutes the flavor of everything around it (I'm looking at you, lettuce and sour cream). To me, the taco should simply be about celebrating, and enriching, the flavor(s) of the main ingredient(s).

I'm glad to know that La Michoacana shares my view, but even more than that, I'm glad I don't have to buy a plane ticket to get real taco.

* Traditionally, Mexican salsas are supposed to be cooked, thin, and sauce-like. Salsa crudas, on the other hand, are more similar to "Americanized" salsas: fresh, thick, chunky, and great on a chip. In my opinion, this particular salsa cruda could also be classified as a salad due to the large size of its ingredients.

Market Street Market

2009-09-28T19:32:00.007-04:00

subject: Market Street Market
take-out vehicle: plastic boxes
cost: $8.39

Like many of my fellow downtown-most-of-the-timers, I've been anxiously awaiting the opening of the Market Street Market for some time now. Actually, to be completely honest, I've sort of been stalking the place. Not in a super creepy way (I hope), but definitely often enough to closely follow its progress. It took a couple of weeks longer than I wanted it to, but finally, as of Saturday, the mall had a proper market.

I knew I was getting dinner there later that evening, but I was so excited that I went in for a preview during my lunch break on Monday, and I have to say, it made a very good first impression. Yes, the fresh fruits and veggies were nice, the layout was good, and the selection was impressive, but there was one thing that really made my day: the six-pack of Festie in the cooler.

I love that stuff. Local or not, it's my favorite seasonal brew. As soon as I saw it, I knew my dinner was going to be that much better. Fate, however, apparently owed me a punch to the gut—by the time I returned, the six-pack was gone.

Despite that blow,* I remained steadfast. I was there, after all, for the food, and so I chose three things: a mint lamb kabob with curry yogurt sauce, tabouli salad, and grilled Mexican corn with parmigiano-reggiano.

You know something's good when you take your first bite, chew once, stop, then say out loud, "Whoa." You know that same item is really good when the only person you have to tell is your cat, but you can't help but do it anyway.

That's what happened when I bit into the corn. My cat didn't really seem to care, but had my wife been there and not at a meeting, she would have flipped out. She loves corn on the cob, and this was some of the best I've ever had. I have no idea what it was coated in, but it was thick and buttery and sweet, and it made me think I was eating creamed corn the cob. The smoky grilled flavor came through in each bite, and the cheese added just a hint of richness and salt. If this corn were a cookie, it'd be a double-stuf oreo...and that's a strong statement coming from me.

The tabouli salad was also very good. The predominant flavor was lemon, but it was mellowed nicely by the other ingredients, especially the mint and cracked wheat. I could have eaten much more than I bought (I always buy too little when I purchase things by weight).

The lamb, though satisfying, was my least favorite item of the three. Being impatient, I ate it cold (actually, I ate everything cold), so perhaps this would have been better warm. Still, the meat was tender, though I would have preferred it slightly less cooked. The sauce could have been curry-er, but possessed enough flavor to accent the lamb. These nitpicks, however, were relatively minor, and I did enjoy the dish.

Needless to say, I reaffirmed my membership in the "Clean Plate Club," save for the mangled cob, and food aside, I was pretty pleased with myself. I just can't imagine that I'd get this same quality food in a sit-down restaurant for less than $9, and if there's one thing I love about eating, it's finding really good food for really pretty cheap.

Based on this dinner, the Market Street Market was definitely worth the wait.

* Up yours, Fate. I went to Beer Run and got my Festie there, plus some yummy pumpkin ales. So ha! I win!

Calvino Cafe

2009-09-25T12:09:00.007-04:00

subject: Calvino Cafe
take-out vehicle: paper bag
cost: $7.09

Located in one of my favorites places in all of Charlottesville, and owned by its neighbor Orzo, my hopes for Calvino Cafe were pretty high. In all the times I've passed it by, I'd never peeked inside before; in fact, I really knew of it nothing besides what was printed on their exterior sign: "Espresso. Smoothies. Good food."

What I found inside reminded me greatly of Greenberry's, except much cozier. A giant black menu hung from the ceiling above the open kitchen. Coffee machines and related paraphernalia filled the right side of the entrance; nice wooden tables and a standing drink cooler were to the left.

After perusing past the more vegetable-y items on the menu, my eyes found what the damp, rainy afternoon demanded: the Moroccan-spiced braised pork, Tuscan bean spread, roasted plum tomato, and goat cheese flatbread wrap. Just reading the words made me a little warmer inside.

Though generally tasty, the wrap itself was not without its flaws. Firstly, it was a tad smaller than I had hoped, but had I ordered a smoothie, I'm sure it would have been plenty. Secondly, the pork, while very tender, did not taste as described. Common Moroccan spices include cumin, ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, coriander, and cloves, plus a few others, but I trouble tasting anything but the meat. It was good, and I'd probably get it again, but the cook could stand to be a bit more liberal with his spices.

Luckily, the roasted tomatoes and goat cheese provided an abundance of flavor. The plum tomatoes, of which I got three, were slow-roasted whole, and as I bit into each, the juices they had retained mixed with the goat cheese and created a rich and truly excellent accompaniment. Even without the tomatoes, the salt, tang, and creaminess of the cheese made me forget, momentarily, that the spices were lacking in the meat.

The bread was warm, soft, and fresh, which I appreciated, since one of the worst sandwich sins—of which I've been victim several times—is a stiff and/or stale flatbread wrap. (How people with any sense can serve stale flatbread wraps is beyond me. Personally, I think it should be illegal.) Unfortunately, I couldn't find any evidence of there being a Tuscan bean spread, but I admit, I didn't exactly break out my pipe and magnifying glass in my attempt to look.

Tuscan bean salad or no, the wrap was a tasty one. Next time though, I would definitely get a smoothie. As this article was written, I ate eight Keebler fudge stripe cookies. Something tells me that blended fruit, honey, and yogurt would've been the better way to go.

cville to go is now on Facebook

2009-09-22T10:17:00.007-04:00

Check me out on Facebook! Leave comments, post your own photos, start and participate in discussions, and share your favorite posts with your friends!

It's fun for the whole family!

Update: Wow, this Facebook things seems to be working. Thanks to everyone for becoming a "fan." And please, your comments and stories are welcome!

Carter's Mountain Orchard

2009-09-22T09:07:00.010-04:00

subject: Carter's Mountain Orchard
take-out vehicle: plastic box
cost: $4.79

What a roller-coaster of a day. Well, that's not really accurate. Roller-coasters go up and down; my day, at least my day with donuts, just went down. Way, way, way way way down from the heights of awesome to the depths of disappointment.

If only I had known. If only someone had told me, "Hey John, they moved the fresh donuts to the other barn." But no. No one told me. So I stood in line, naïvely confident that the pre-made, plastic-boxed apple cider donuts would be just as good as the fresh ones to which I was accustomed. Ha! What a young fool i was.

But, what doesn't kill me makes me stronger, I suppose. And in this case, it also taught me a valuable lesson: look around before you go the same spot you've gone to for years to get the wonderfully fresh donuts that you're used to getting from the same spot every year. You never know, some idiot might have moved the fresh donuts and forgotten to put up a sign pointing to the fresh donut's new location.

But I'm not bitter. No, for my $4.79, I got six decent, room-temperature, previously-made apple cider donuts and one warm, sweet, satisfying nugget of wisdom. I guess, in many respects, that's a bargain. The next time I go, however, I hope it'll be the other way around.

The Baker's Palette...again

2009-09-22T08:47:00.005-04:00

subject: The Baker's Palette
take-out vehicle: paper bag
cost: $2.00

It's a popular fixture at the weekly city market, but why "The Palette's" little donut machine isn't front and center in their bakery is beyond me. That thing is magical, and I even heard a rumor it runs on fairy dust.

From under its square, city market tent, the donut machine creates but one kind of donut: awesome donuts. These awesome donuts are then sold as either glazed or cinnamon-sugared. My preference was the glazed. It was cakey, super moist, and then even more moist from the healthy drizzle of white glaze that soaked into it. The non-glazed surface, by contrast, was just crisp enough to keep the whole thing together.

It's a pity the city market is in its final weeks. Hopefully the donut machine will keep on cranking through the winter inside the bakery proper. If not, something drastic may have to happen.

Come on! Who's with me? Vive la donut machine!

The Balkan Bakery Cafe

2009-09-18T12:27:00.024-04:00

subject: The Balkan Bakery Cafe
take-out vehicle: styrofoam box, paper bag
cost: $10.08

Despite what you make think of my interest in take-out food, I'm no slouch in the kitchen. I cook dinner for my wife almost everyday when I get home from work, and I very much enjoy doing so. It's relaxing. It's fun. And now that our deck has been built, I look forward to hosting and cooking for others even more. Simply put, the act and the art of preparing food are two of my favorite things.

That being said, there are some things that I will probably never want to make for myself, and phyllo dough is one of them. Having worked with the freezer variety just days ago, I cannot imagine the patience it must take to create something so fragile. As awesome as I'm sure it would taste, I just don't have the desire to do it.

So, as you might imagine, I was most impressed when The Balkan Bakery Cafe lady told me she makes theirs from scratch. In fact, that statement alone gave me all the information I needed to decide on my order.

After a brief menu item show-and-tell (she was obviously very proud of her work, but I think she picked up on the fact that I was mentally drooling over the idea of fresh phyllo because she quickly brought out examples of her made-that-morning stuffed-phyllo pies), I chose the meat pie, which she told me was her favorite. It was not a small item, yet as she boxed it up, I stared at the trays of desserts scattered around me and winced as they twisted my willpower's arm. Defeated again (damn you, willpower!), I ordered two powdered sugar-covered, cakey-looking desserts which she described as honey, walnut, and cinnamon cookies.

Let me tell you, that meat pie (which consisted of ground beef, potato, onion, and plenty of black pepper rolled in phyllo, which was then shaped into an oblong coil) was scrumfattylicious. The phyllo wasn't as thin as the stuff I bought at the grocery store, and I'm glad it wasn't. To its advantage, it was thick enough, and had enough butter in it, to create and absorb a silky, creamy, beefy, but barely-there sauce inside the pie. Besides tasting great, it kept the inner dough soft and a little chewy, which contrasted very nicely with the flakier outer dough. Mm-mm-mm.

The potatoes and the onions also added quite a bit to the moist interior, as they were both shredded and incorporated into the meatballs. The liberal use of black pepper pretty much covered up their taste, but being a pepper fan, I didn't mind a bit. If I had one suggestion, though, it would be to add a hint of a strong, whole-grain mustard. I think that would've cut the richness a little better than the pepper.

After finishing the pie, I questioned (again) whether or not I should have a cookie for dessert, but their aroma (again) overpowered my good sense. I'll be honest, I smelled them for a good minute or two before even wanting to take to bite. The scent was a divine blend of toasted walnuts, cinnamon, honey, and baked goodiness. Then I took a bite, and literally, it disintegrated in my mouth. It felt like I had a mouthful of chunky dust. The taste was just fine—pleasantly sweet, nutty, cinnamony—but the texture was...unpleasant. Still, I might buy one again, if only for smelling.

As for the meat pie, I'll certainly buy another one, just as soon as I've recovered from the marathon it'll take to rid my body of this one.

update: I brought home the second cookie and gave it to my wife, who quite liked it. She favorably compared it to traditional Greek cookies. Apparently I just don't like Balkan ones.

update 2: I was also reminded by my wife that she was born of a Greek mother, and is therefore, by default, an authority on Greek cookies. So when she said they were good, I guess she knew what she was talking about.

Ming Dynasty

2009-09-14T10:19:00.019-04:00

subject: Ming Dynasty
take-out vehicle: "Chinese" boxes
cost: $18.42

I have to admit that I haven't been to many Chinese restaurants, and I've been to far fewer with the intent to get take-out. In fact, I've only gotten Chinese take-out from one place: Ming Dynasty. Why only Ming Dynasty? Well, because my wife wouldn't hear of going anywhere else. "Ming" has been a longtime favorite of hers, and over the almost ten years of our courtship and marriage (that's crazy!), it's become a favorite of mine as well.

Despite changing owners a few years ago, the food at Ming Dynasty has remained pretty much the same, thanks in large part to the fact that the original owner's recipes were sold with the restaurant. A couple of items on the menu, however, seemed to suffer from the regime change, including my wife's former "go-to" dish, the vegetarian sesame chicken. We've ordered it several times since the original owner left, but we still can't put our finger on what's different. It's just...not as good.

Two dishes that have remained basically the same, however, are the hunan chicken (pictured) and the kung pao chicken. Though the carrots were missing from my hunan chicken, the dish was as I've always had it—which was unfortunate, because I ordered mine extra spicy. Still, I enjoyed it.

My favorite part, by far, was the broccoli. I have no idea how they prepared it, but the florets were very soft and had soaked up all kinds of flavor from the sauce, yet the stalks were crunchy and fresh. The chicken was not over-cooked, and the sauce, while not my now-preferred extra spicy, was rich and peppery enough to satisfy me.

My wife's kung pao (which was a little more spicy than usual...hmmm), was, in my opinion, not as good, but then again I'm not a fan of nuts in my entrees, be they peanuts, cashews, water chestnuts, or otherwise. Sans the nuts, I thought the kung pao was largely texture-less, except for the slight chew I got from the chicken. I wasn't a fan, but my wife loved it.

The spring rolls we ordered were warm, slightly greasy, and full of cabbage. There may have been a shred of carrot in there, perhaps two. Of course I would have preferred a proper spring roll (fresh julienned vegetables, chopped herbs, a sprinkle of rice vinegar, a dash of sugar, maybe some seafood, all steamed in rice paper and served with a spicy dipping sauce), but despite its having been fried and filled almost entirely with cabbage, it was actually pretty good. Even so, my fingers remain crossed in the hope that, by the next time I order one, they'll have changed the recipe to something a little bit more lively.

I have no doubt that I'll eat again at Ming Dynasty. I'm sure it's not the best Chinese food around, but it's tasty, it's familiar, and it's comforting, and sometimes that's all take-out food should be.

What Up Dog

2009-09-10T13:28:00.012-04:00

subject: What Up Dog
take-out vehicle: paper plates
cost: $4.25

Newly relocated to the intersection of 3rd and East Main on the Downtown Mall, What Up Dog is a recent addition to the downtown food cart scene. Run by Tom Jakubowski, What Up Dog—as it's name suggests—specializes in all things hot dog. In fact, according to his interview with The Hook, Tom graduated from Hot Dog University, so it's a good bet he knows his hot dogs.

Today, however, I was not interested in a hot dog. I wanted barbecue. Luckily for me, What Up Dog had both.

Advertised by a small "Tennessee BBQ" sign on the side of the cart, the barbecue (like the hot dogs) came packaged in a fresh, Chandler's-made bun; but the meat (unlike the hot dogs) was not from Boar's Head. It came, Tom explained to me, from an actual barbecue producer in Tennessee.

Not knowing what expect beforehand, I have to say I thought the barbecue was pretty good. The sauce wasn't quite as tangy as I prefer, but it was flavorful. If I had to guess, I'd say it contained ketchup, ground black pepper, brown sugar, Texas Pete, cider vinegar, and maybe a touch of yellow mustard. I could be way off, but I picked up on those flavors. (Of course, I also mistook a piece of peanut butter pie for key lime pie back in college—pleasurefromthethorns got a good laugh from that one, as I recall—so the sauce could've been grape jelly for all I know).

The pulled pork was tender, chunky, and well cooked, but the real star of the sandwich—at least for me—was the bun. I may not like all of Chandler's sweeter items, but they can bake some frickin' bread. The exterior was flaky and slighty crunchy, and the inside was soft and airy, like a little edible pillow. Well-developed gluten truly is a wonderful thing.

Along with the 'cue, I got a side of slaw and two pickle slices, as well as some Pringles. The slaw was fine, and pickles came from a jar, and the chips were...Pringlesy. They were worth the 75 cents I paid, but not much more.

When I return eventually, it'll be tough to decide whether to try a hot dog with several of his 25 offered toppings, or stick with something I know I like.

The Baker's Palette

2009-09-10T09:13:00.010-04:00

subject: The Baker's Palette
take-out vehicle: brown paper bag
cost: $2.25

I kinda feel bad for The Baker's Palette. Even before construction began on "The Gleason" downtown, it had a less-than-noticeable location on the far western edge of Garrett Street. Now, unless you know it's there, it's all but hidden.

Fortunately for them, they make "pop tarts," and, from I could see and smell, some rather enjoyable breakfast sandwiches. "Pop tarts," for those unaware, are the vastly superior, real butter-having hybrid of Pop-Tarts® and Toaster Strudels®—and this is coming from someone who ate his weight in Pop-Tarts in college and who still buys frozen Toaster Strudels.

Walking into the bakery, I had no idea what I wanted for breakfast (in all honesty, I was pretty disappointed that Carpe Donut, who just yesterday was in the Wachovia parking lot on Market Street, wasn't there today, as it was my first choice), but my attention was immediately captured by the plate of cinnamon buns in the display case. This came as no surprise as I, like probably everyone else, love cinnamon buns...but I was hesitant to order one. At first (and second) glance, they looked a little light on cinnamon and a little heavy on bun. On the other hand, I had yet to eat a bad cinnamon bun.

Then I saw the "pop tarts" plate. My head went back and forth. It was way too early for such a major decision. Luckily for me, the might-as-well-have-been-telepathic bakerista (that's a word, right?) was there to help me out.

"My favorite is the 'pop tart'," she said as she leaned on the opposite side of the case.

"Done!" Yay for having my breakfast decisions made by strangers!

After eating the "pop tart," I sat for a minute, reflecting. I thought back on all the chemical-laden Pop-Tarts I'd eaten at JMU. I remembered all the maddeningly-tear-resistant Toaster Strudel icing packets at which I'd screamed unrepeatable profanities. Never again, I decided. Never again.

When next I want a goo-filled breakfast pastry that could conceivably come out of a toaster, I shall get only this.

The crust of the "pop tart" made me think of a cross between a shortbread cookie and puff pastry. I could taste the butter and the sugar, just like shortbread, but the texture was simultaneously dense and flaky. A broken-off corner made for quite a tasty morsel.

According to the bakerista, the filling was made from a mix of cream cheese and seedless raspberry jelly. I could barely taste the cream cheese, but the flavor of the raspberries came through nicely and balanced well with the richness of the crust. A drizzle of confectioner's sugar glaze decorated the top.

It wasn't quite a Carpe donut, but The Baker's Palette "pop tart" was by no means a disappointing start to the day.

Doctor Ho's Humble Pie

2009-09-06T22:49:00.019-04:00

subject: Doctor Ho's Humble Pie
take-out vehicle: pizza box
cost: $21.75

I hate mediocre food. I mean, at least awful food provides a certain amount of inspiration, but food that's just okay gives me as much motivation to write as I have hope for this UVA football season (and that would be very little, for those of you who weren't aware that UVA, instead of practicing actual plays, apparently spent the summer inventing new ways to turn the football over to the other team). but I digress...

I have to say that I was really excited on my trip down 29 South. For years, I'd heard that Dr. Ho's was the gold at the end of Charlottesville's pizza rainbow. In fact, I was so confident in its goodness that I made up new names for the restaurant, on the off-chance they asked me to rename it.* My top two were "Dr. Ho-ly Crap This is Frickin' Good!" and "Dr. Ho-ld Me Because This Pizza is So Good That I Just Messed My Pants and My Knees Are Weak." I was kinda partial to the second one.

The place itself was pretty cool. Located in the big white crossroads store in North Garden, Dr. Ho's was not at all what I imagined. Based on their website, iI was expecting a larger space with a stage in one corner and booths all around; instead, I entered a very well-worn, very intimate space. Every wall, and even the ceiling, was decorated with seemingly random bits from thirty years worth of college dorm rooms. Among them: an old, framed, and slightly crooked picture of Bob Marley; a rubber chicken; a hanging wooden fish; and a racing-esque sticker on the Coke dispenser that read "chronic thc - super kind." To say that it had character would be an understatement.

I arrived earlier than I had planned, so after about fifteen minutes of looking around and politely turning down offered drinks, the very nice waitress (who seemed to know everyone else there except for me) finally handed me my pie and wished me a good day. Even more excited than before, I strapped myself back in my car, cranked up my iPod, and shot back up 29.

Okay, first of all, pizza and cheddar do not mix. They just don't. I'm cool with lots of different cheeses (ricotta, feta, chevre, parmesan, pecorino, even the occasional gouda), but I draw the line at cheddar. It's just not right.

Of course, someone could say, "Well, wait a minute, John. Half your pizza was 'fajitaza' and had chicken, peppers, onions, and salsa on it. How does cheddar not go with that? And it's not like salsa is supposed to be on a real pizza either."

To which I might reply, "Well, someone, you might have a valid point there, but you can shut right up. Number one: cheddar is for sandwiches. Number two: the 'fajitaza' was a lot better in concept than in execution so I won't be getting that again. And number three: UVA embarrassed themselves this weekend so I'm a tad bit irritable at the moment."

Someone would then probably feel bad and say, "Hey, sorry man. I didn't mean to cause trouble."

And I would likely respond by saying, "I apologize, someone. I was rude. Ooh, I know! Let's go to Mellow Mushroom and I'll buy you some pizza without any salsa or cheddar on it."

Tex-Mex influences aside, the "fajitaza" was pretty disappointing. The crust was soggy from the salsa, and, on its own, the chicken was rather bland. Unfortunately, the dominant flavor—and texture—was the cheddar. There was just too much.

The other half of my pizza was called "humble pie": green peppers, onions, mushrooms, italian sausage, pepperoni, mozzarella, and more cheddar. Finally! Real pizza!

It didn't make me think of new names for the restaurant, but this half of the pizza certainly redeemed the other...except for the cheddar. Still, I could taste the spices in the crumbled sausage, the earthiness of the mushrooms, the grease of the pepperoni slices. There was still too much cheese, but I could stand it here; its taste was manageable.

The crust, in all honesty, wasn't that special to me. It was certainly better than many other crusts I've tasted, but for this style pizza (hand-tossed, droopy slices), the edges could've been a little airier and a tad more chewy. To each his own, though.

After some reflection, If I were to eat Dr. Ho's pizza again (and I'm not saying I would), I would do two things: 1) specifically ask—nay demand—that they hold the cheddar, and 2) go there and eat it at the restaurant. Personally, I don't think it's worth the drive, but if the cheddar disappeared, and the ambiance was there, I might be able to more fully appreciate Dr. Ho's humble pies.

* In case you're curious, I was not asked to rename the restaurant. It's probably for the best.

field trip: Harrisonburg

2009-08-29T19:45:00.013-04:00

subjects: The Smokin' Pig & Klines
take-out vehicle: box and cup, respectively
cost: $5.21

My wife and I graduated from James Madison University way way back in 2002, and this past weekend we trekked back over the mountains to visit an old friend and wallow in a bit of nostalgia.

First stop: Bridgeforth Stadium—home of the JMU football team—where we met our friend (of ten years now...that's crazy) and watched the latter half of a football scrimmage. Yay football!

Second stop: D-Hall (or whatever it is they're calling it these days). I will say that it was fun to wander around and fill my plate with pizza and tater tots like I did 10 years ago, but then I sat down and looked around. I felt frickin' old. Now I know that I'm not that old—I'm still on the good side of 30—but seeing the hundreds of kids around me, I couldn't help but feel like I didn't quite belong there anymore. C'est la vie, I suppose.

Third stop: The Smokin' Pig. I am ashamed to admit it, but I never went to The Smokin' Pig until earlier this year. I'm even more ashamed to admit that I still haven't had their barbecue, but I can tell you this: their fried pickles are fantastic. Coated in a thick, salty, crunchy, dill-speckled batter, these pickle spears made me feel warm and happy inside. Why I didn't try these sooner, I'll never know, but they are truly wonderful things. Whenever I get around to trying it, their barbecue has quite the standard to meet.

Fourth stop: Kline's. Attached to The Smokin' Pig is the original Kline's Dairy Bar, probably the only place in Harrisonburg at which students and locals willingly commingle. Their frozen custard (not ice cream, there's a difference) is so good, I remember waiting at the back of a the long line, at night, in late November, shivering and being excited about it.

On this visit, I had something I'd never tried before: a banana/cake batter milkshake. My one criticism of the milkshake—which was good, don't get me wrong—was that, by the end, the cake batter flavor far outweighed the banana, and I like banana. Other than that, it was exactly what I remembered: smooth, creamy, fresh, and with just the right amount of sugar.

All in all, it was a good day in Harrisonburg. I still prefer living in Charlottesville, but there's a charm in the valley that isn't easily replicated. And, it turns out, the mix of fried pickles and nostalgia is a pretty powerful thing.

Maybe I'll be back to visit sooner rather than later.

Ariana's Grill Kabob House

2009-08-26T09:10:00.022-04:00

subject: Ariana's Grill Kabob House
take-out vehicle: too many to name
cost: $25.68 (for 2)

I've passed this restaurant several times in the past few weeks, and each time I've said to my wife, "We should check that place out soon. You know how restaurant turnover is in this town."

"Mm-hmm," was always her reply, and soon, at her prompting, we were talking about something else entirely.

My memory is not the best, but when it comes to food, it's all but photographic. So, when thinking of a place to feature in this week's review, Ariana's instantly came to mind. I emailed my wife about my desire to eat there, and her reply made it clear what "mm-hmm" had meant: "I'm not sure why you are so excited about this place. It looks pretty gross to me."

"Because it's new and different!" i said. "It'll be fun!"

She didn't email back, but I could hear her next "mm-hmm" from across town.

(For those unfamiliar, Ariana's Grill Kabob House is a small, relatively new restaurant on West Main Street across from the Hampton Inn. Self-described as the only restaurant in the university area to serve authentic Afghan foods, I was eager to try it, as my experiences with Afghan food had been pretty limited. I knew I liked kabobs, but other than that, I really didn't know what to expect.)

A notoriously finicky ethnic food eater, my wife sat down to dinner with the same sense of gusto as would a toddler after being told that dinner was made only of peas. I, of course, couldn't wait.

first course

For twenty-five bucks, we got a good deal of food (and good deal of packaging). Along with the complimentary (though rather generic) salads, I ordered one appetizer for us to split, bolanee kadoo, which was described as "fried turnovers filled with pumpkin, seasoned with herbs and spices, and served with yogurt sauce." In fact, it was one turnover. Large, triangular, and thin, the kadoo sort of resembled a large paper football. The pumpkin filling was meager but tasty; the dominant tastes were pumpkin, onions, coriander, and fried dough. We forgot to try the kadoo with the yogurt sauce, which, for my wife anyway, turned out to be for the best.

second course

My wife, as it turned out, wasn't a fan of the yogurt sauce. Said through her distorted, "oh god, it's awful!" face, her less-than-lady-like comments made me laugh, but they also got me a bit curious. Nothing can taste that bad, I said to myself. It's just yogurt, right?

I had no problem with it. Certainly, it wasn't the best thing I'd ever tasted (mildly sour greek yogurt with some unidentifiable spice and maybe some mint), but when slathered on the shoe leather-esque bread we were given, it really wasn't bad.

For our main courses, I ordered the "Combo #1": one skewer of chicken kabob, one of kofta kabob, a side of cooked spinach, and rice. She ordered the chicken kabob only, which came with rice and a cooked chick pea salad.

Overall, mine was pretty good. the brightly-colored* chicken was a tad overcooked (which I'll gladly attribute to the take-out process) and a tad underseasoned (it needed a little salt), but good. The kofta—essentially long sausages made from ground sirloin, onion, and spices—were much better, however. There was a greater flavor to the meat, and the texture was good in a "hey, this ain't jimmy dean" kinda way. The spinach, too, was good, though the Popeye in me wanted a little more. I didn't eat much of the rice, not because it was bad, but because it's just filler, and dessert was yet to come.

Surprisingly, my wife had little to say about her kabob and chick pea salad (which she compared to baked beans). In fact, she almost seemed to like them. of course, again, dessert was yet to come.

third course

After finishing our kabobs and clearing the table, I went to the refrigerator and came back with a small, clear plastic tub and set it on the table between us.

My wife peered at it, suspicious. "What is it?"

"It's called firnee," I said excitedly. "It's pudding."

Judging by her face, she was apparently having flashbacks. "It's gonna taste like the yogurt!"

"No it's not," I chuckled. "See, look," I said as I opened the tub and took a spoonful.

It was actually very good. Unlike most American puddings, this wasn't overtly sweet or flavorful. It was cool and refreshing, and the aftertaste—cardamom and rose water—spread and intensified with each bite. I smiled to reassure her. "Seriously, it's good. Try some."

She approached the pudding slowly with her spoon, then stopped. "Wait," she said, "What's that?"

"What's what?"

"That green stuff."

"Oh," I said, looking again at the pudding. Then I remembered the menu's description. "That's just ground pistachios." I took another bite, this time with the green stuff. It added no flavor I could detect. "It's good."

I'm not sure if she trusted me at that point or not (it occurred to me that perhaps I was Lucy to her Afghan food-eating Charlie Brown), but she took a bite, and for an instant, all was well. Then "the face" came back.

"Ugh! It's like eating perfume!"

Though our feelings about the dinner were mixed, I can say that, at least for me, it was indeed new and different and fun, though (unfortunately for Ariana's) most of my fun came from watching—and listening to—my wife.

Thank you baby for trying something new. I love you.

*I have little doubt that the chicken kabob was colored with powdered tumeric, which, I just read, has a fascinating range of applications, including sunscreens, ant deterrents, and radiator stop-leak sealant mixtures. Who knew?

Cappellino's Crazy Cakes

2009-08-21T13:58:00.009-04:00

subject: Cappellino's Crazy Cakes
take-out vehicle: wax paper bags
cost: $3.15

If I had to guess, I would say that, in response to the question "What does the letter 'c' stand for?", the proprietors of Cappellino's Crazy Cakes would probably respond with "cupcakes." That is, after all, for what they're largely known. They would, however, be wrong.

The letter "c," for those who didn't learn in their childhood, is for "cookie," and they are for what Cappellino's Crazy Cakes should be known. Why? Because they're damn frickin' tasty.

Today, I had three cookies: a peach cobbler cookie, a snickerdoodle, and a chocolate chip cookie.

I got the peach cobbler cookie because I had never before heard of such a thing. Made with dried peaches, walnuts and cinnamon, it was kinda like a chunky oatmeal cookie, except with dried peaches instead of oatmeal. And, at about .75 inches high and 3 inches across, It wasn't insubstantial either. It was dense, chewy, sweet but not overly so, and almost tasted like a bad peach cobbler. This is not an insult. It was a good cookie; the peach flavor stood out especially. It just didn't taste like peach cobbler, which is fine, because it wasn't.

The snickerdoodle was one of the best I've ever had. Like a cinnamon-sugary cloud of wonderfulness. It was light, airy, chewy...it was, in every way, what a no-chocolate-having cookie should be.

Which brings me to the chocolate chip cookie. Holy crap. That's all i can say. Just go, right now, and eat one. Or four. It's worth it.

No seriously, right now.

Just Curry (now closed)

2009-08-21T12:40:00.019-04:00

subject: Just Curry
take-out vehicle: plastic bowls
cost: $7.50

10/01/09 update: Just Curry has closed.

I've had mixed experiences with Just Curry. The first time I went, perhaps two years ago, I ordered a decidedly mediocre butter chicken curry. But, since I appreciated the venue and concept, I tried it again several months later with my wife. On that visit, feeling whimsical, I ordered the goat curry. Though the meat and curry were good, I was disturbed to find some tiny (and some not-so-tiny) bones throughout the dish. I resolved then to leave Just Curry's curries alone.

Until today. Stuck downtown, I had no idea what I wanted even as I walked out the door to get it. I zig-zagged aimlessly from Main Street to Market to Water, finally ending up at the Pavilion and Just Curry's lone remaining outpost in the Transit Center. And so, not wanting to search any longer, I said to myself, "Self! Screw it, I'm hungry."

Alex George, the chef and owner, was working alone behind the small steel counter. After exchanging pleasantries, I scanned the menu to the left, then asked, "Is the vegetable curry vegan-friendly?"

(editor's note: yes, I'm still scoping out vegan food for my soon-to-be-visiting friend, and yes, I am that awesome of a person.)

"That depends," Alex said, fluffing some rice absent-mindedly. "How vegan are you?"

"What? I'm not vegan. Hell no. Meat meat yum yum."

Alex nodded. "Then you'll be fine."

Whew! "But," I continued, "What if i was? Could i eat it?"

"There is," said Alex after a quick thought, "a smidgen of butter. Less than a tablespoon per serving. Actually, I make 20-quart batches of this stuff, and each batch has about 4 ounces of butter, so whatever that is."

"Awesome," I said. "I won't tell the vegans if you don't. Oh, and I'll try it, with a side of plantains please."

The vegetable curry, served over basmati rice and accompanied by a fried plantain and a "pepper sauce," was flavorful and moderately spicy. The vegetables (which included carrots, peas, garbanzo beans, and onion) and squares of tofu were lacking a little in texture, but were otherwise well integrated into the dish. The plantains (fried in vegetable oil and dusted with cinnamon), while similar in texture, were a very nice counter-taste. They were also good just by themselves.

I regret not asking how the pepper sauce was made, because it was excellent (so good, in fact, that the half I didn't use on my food I drank straight up). Equally fruity and hot, on its own it wasn't enough to make me need a drink, but it did make my lips tingle—and that's exactly what hot sauce should do. Granted, my capsaicin tolerance (and desire) is higher than average, but still: it was a definite addition to the dish.

Make no bones about it, this was pretty good food. (Ha! Get it? I said "no bones about it" because there were...nevermind.)

Well, I guess one good visit out of three isn't that bad.

Hamdingers

2009-08-14T12:41:00.014-04:00

subject: Hamdingers
take-out vehicle: aluminum foil
cost: $7

Located near Wachovia Bank on the downtown mall, Hamdingers is one of the better run food carts I've seen in Charlottesville. Run by Patrick Critzer, Hamdingers mobile food cart provides much more than usual mobile cart fare. He has a beef hotdog on the menu, but from the 6-deep line in which I waited for lunch, I saw only one person order it. The rest of the orders were spread amongst the remaining menu—grilled tofu (of which I saw multiple orders), roasted chicken, grilled sausage, roasted vegetables, rice, and bacon dates. Only the salmon cake sandwich remained unordered.

Almost everyone in front of me was a regular, and Patrick seemed to start in the middle of a past conversation with each of them. I was impressed by that.

Despite my bad luck at Nicola's Veggies (see post below), I was still determined to discover some vegan-friendly options, so I ordered the roasted vegetable sandwich with avocado and srirachi sauce. He offered cheddar as an option, and though tempted, I declined in favor of something better on the side: the bacon-wrapped dates.

I noticed that Patrick wore no gloves when he assembled orders, yet he never once touched the food. With a sheet of foil on his left hand and tongs in his right, he was surprisingly nimble; my sandwich took about 10 seconds to create. Another second or two to wrap and crimp the foil, and I was on my way.

My vegan friend keeps telling me that he eats great food and has been nothing but satisfied with his diet. Usually just talking to him about it makes me want to gnaw on a block of cheese, but I have to admit: this sandwich was good. I couldn't swear up and down it was technically vegan—and I was too enthalled by patrick's speed-blurred tongs to ask—but considering he serves tofu and seems to make an effort to provide healthy vegetarian food, I'll take it on faith that, sans the offered cheddar, I ate a vegan sandwich.

The vegetables were great. Though advertised as grilled, these clearly-roasted vegetables had just the right amount of crunch and flavor, yet remained easy to bite inside of the bun. The avocado and srirachi, which don't come standard but are free if you want them, added some great complimentary flavors. In all, the sandwich included: roasted red bell peppers, yellow squash, mushrooms, asparagus, eggplant, zucchini, the avocado sauce, and the srirachi. A definite thumbs up.

The bacon-wrapped dates, while placating my inner carnivore, weren't quite as good as I had hoped. Of course, I'm forced to compare them with the bacon-wrapped dates from Mas, which, if you haven't yet had, I pity you. These dates were good, don't get me wrong—salty, sweet, and satisfyingly bacony—but they pale in comparison. Still, it's a cool thing to get from a food cart.

All-in-all, i very much enjoyed my mostly-vegan lunch. I won't be turning in my meat-eaters badge anytime soon, but I'm glad to know that, indeed, vegans can eat some tasty food.

Speaking of tasty food, here's another treat from Hamdingers:

Hamdingers' coconut potato curry with ginger spinach
(courtesy of c-ville weekly)

1 Tbs. olive oil (or your favorite fat, says patrick)
1/2 cup minced mix of ginger, garlic, jalapeño
1 cup chopped onion
meat of choice (optional)
1/2 cup mix of fresh ground cardamom, coriander and mustard seeds
3 lbs. potatoes, diced
1 lb. spinach
2 cans coconut milk
3 cups stock (meat or vegetable)
green peas or cooked lentils (optional)
salt and pepper

Saute ginger, garlic and jalapeño in a little of your favorite fat, remove and reserve. Then saute the onion, and if you want to add meat, do it now. Cook until lightly browned; add cardamom, coriander and mustard seeds. Let it get sticky, then add potatoes and spinach. Put the earlier mixture back into the pan. Stir in coconut milk and stock and cook until potatoes are tender, add salt and pepper to taste and some green peas or lentils if you like.

Spudnuts

2009-08-14T08:42:00.011-04:00

subject: Spudnuts Donut shop
take-out vehicle: paper bag
price: $3.14

(editor's note: 8:23am—mmm, ate 3.5 donuts)

I'm sure there's a restaurant in Charlottesville that's been around longer than spudnuts, but I couldn't tell you what it is, and I bet you $5 I don't like it as much. Spudnuts has been around since Richard Wingfield (who sadly passed away in 2005) opened it in 1969, and I've been eating his tatery confections for as long as I can remember.

When I was growing up, on some lucky Saturday mornings, my dad—always unannounced—would go out and pick-up a dozen-count box of glazed spudnuts. Those were the best saturday mornings ever (well, until those bastards as Fox cancelled my favorite Spider-Man cartoon. A-holes!).

(editor's note: 8:48am—whee! sugar!)

Anyway, I grew up in a household of four, which was nice because it was easy to divvy up a dozen of anything. Three per person. Easy. Done. So we would all gather for breakfast, I would take my three donuts all at once and inhale them, because that's how healthy growing boys (and men, it turns out) consume donuts. Then, my blood sugar nice and high, I would jitter my way to the TV to watch cartoons.

Inevitably, I would end up back in the kitchen later in the morning. Why it took me so long to recognize this pattern of events, I don't know, but it turned out that while my routine was to eat donuts whole then run to the television, the rest of my family actually sat at the table and talked to each other—and in so doing, forgot to eat their third donuts! So everytime I would start looking...

(editor's note: 9:14am—holy crap. no more whee. need caffeine.)

...for a snack , i would come upon three, whole, untouched spudnuts. Those fools! How could anyone not eat their entire allotment of spudnuts!? Was something wrong? Was this some kind of trick? Devious plot or no, I got three more spudnuts, and I was very happy.

Today, thanks to a slightly more tame sense of exuberance, I got only four donuts: one glazed, one glazed then coconut-sprinkled, one glazed then chocolate-iced, and one blueberry.

Of the three varieties of glazed, my favorite, by far, was the plain glazed. The coconut itself seemed a little on the dry side to me, and the chocolate icing tasted less like actual chocolate and more like a not-so-good mix of powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and water. Call me a purist, but if I'm getting chocolate on my donut, I want the real thing, or at least a close facsimile. I did not finish this donut.

The blueberry donut was the runt of the litter. Smaller and denser, the blueberry is one of spudnut's cake donuts. It was actually quite light compared to other cake donuts I've had in the past, and remarkably moist. The blueberry taste wasn't overpowering, definitely more donut than blueberry, but it tasted...right.

I've long argued with myself over which is better: the plain glazed or the blueberry, the apple or the orange. One is light and airy, the other less so and not so much. But both are reasons to get up early in the morning, and both are worth the near-obligatory mid-morning nap. It's an argument that I hope to keep having for some time to come.

Thank you Richard Wingfield.

(editor's note: 9:35am—found a reese's peanut butter cup. that should help, right?)

Nicola's Veggies

2009-08-13T08:55:00.012-04:00

Well, I went to Nicola's Veggies looking for some vegan food (only for a friend, I swear), but...it's closed? I knocked on the door, but no one answered. Does anyone know anything about this?

Christian's

2009-08-09T21:15:00.043-04:00

subject: Christian's Pizza
take-out vehicle: 12"x12" box
cost: $6

Having not worked farther than 3 blocks away from there since 2002, I've had my fair share of Christian's pizza. In fact, Christian has been feeding me since he first opened under the "Sylvia's" banner back in '95 (I think). In all, it's probably best not to guess how much I've had, but I think it's safe to say that my share has been a wee more than just fair. Though his pizza (SPOILER ALERT!) continues to be good, I have to say that I miss the man himself.

For years, there was a certain excitement to ordering from Christian. The long single-file line usually obscured the oft-changing selection of pies, and over the surrounding chit-chat there was the very regular, and often quite loud, call for "Next!" (I wouldn't be the first to liken him to Seinfeld's soup nazi). Customers had but seconds to decide before being singled out and subjected to the stressed-out stares those around them. It was fun.

Unfortunately, I haven't seen christian shout "Next!" in quite some time. Though the faces are friendly and familiar, the experience just isn't the same.

Anyway, on this visit, I opted for two slices: one pepperoni and one with spinach, feta, tomato, and mushrooms.

The pepperoni slice was great. It was greasy, cheesy, droopy, foldable, and the pepperoni had a wonderful, spiced flavor. (Sigh) If only there were more. Still, the grease distributed the pepperoni's flavor across the slice well, and the tastes of the ingredients (crust, sauce, cheese, meat) were perfectly balanced.

Ihe other slice, while still good, was definitely the lesser of the two. With no grease to speak of, the texture came mostly from the crunch of the crust and the creaminess of the melted feta. The tomatoes added a slight bit of much-needed acidity, but the mushrooms, I was sad to realize, seemed to have come from a can. They were wet, off-puttingly smooth and shiny, and just incongruous with the other fresh ingredients beside them. And the spinach, though colorful, seemed perfunctory. Decent food, to be sure, but with wasted potential. Were it up to me, I would ditch the mushrooms all together, add a haphazard drizzle of aged balsamic, and perhaps some roasted carrot slices.

Will I go back? Of course, though I'll be hesitant to order the spinach/feta slice. It's just not worth it when compared to other, much tastier options.

I guess that's it for my inaugural post...next!