Back in the ’90s, Richmond didn’t have quite the wealth of amazing dining options that we do today. Sure, there were some standouts, restaurants we remember fondly but, for a variety of reasons, are now long gone. Places like The Frog and the Redneck down in Shockoe, Indochine in Carytown, and Davis & Main on, well, Davis and Main. There was even a place that would inspire people to get in their cars and drive out to the countryside, Indian Fields Tavern.
It was an odd place, a rambling house with screened-in porches, smack dab in the middle of Charles City County. But the food was amazing. Crispy duck. Rack of lamb. Sure, those dishes are pretty commonplace these days, maybe even a little dated, but they were hot choices at the time. Remember garlic smashed potatoes? A pretty iconic dish of the ’90s. Indian Fields did them well.
Sadly, time and changing tastes took their toll. The last time I went to Indian Fields it was a shadow of its former self, with dingy surroundings and an uninspired menu. They closed in 2007. Soon after Chef Michael Macknight (now at Kitchen on Cary) and his wife reopened the restaurant as Charles City Tavern and had a pretty good run until closing in late 2014/early 2015.
Now it’s time for Indian Fields Tavern’s rebirth. Current owner Peter Weller has been sprucing up the old farmhouse with a new kitchen, freshly painted rooms and some really gorgeous reclaimed-wood tables to complement the historic feel of the space. Weller, a former fishing boat owner in Alaska, has brought Alex Collins from Portland, Oregon, to be executive chef.
They aim to bring together fresh, wild-caught seafood and high-quality, local ingredients — it won’t quite be the fine Southern dining of past incarnations of the restaurant, rather a mix of sandwiches and burgers along with some really inventive entrees.
“I want to push people out of their comfort zone a bit,” says Collins.
The menu will change frequently, depending on the season and availability, but some of the early dishes include cold-smoked chicken, brined and roasted till crispy, and wild Alaskan Sockeye salmon served with a farro risotto.
Look for the new Indian Fields Tavern to open on Wednesday, Sept. 20, for both lunch and dinner as well as brunch on the weekends. Plans are for a brewery to open up in 2018, and, since they are located conveniently along the Virginia Capital Trail, they also plan to be extremely bike-friendly to those who might want to work off their meal afterward.
