Richmond Food News: Week of Oct. 23-27

Halloween is upon us, and there’s lots of boo-zy things to do around RVA. So dust off those costumes, and don’t forget to update your Uber profile — better to let someone else do the driving this weekend.

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The New Games in Town

Scott’s Addition continues its boom with the opening of The Circuit last week. Jumping on the self-serve trend, similar to nearby Richmond Wine Station, The Circuit has beer and cider taps that you operate yourself and a food kiosk where you can order sandwiches. Classic pinball and video games like Galaga fill the space, alongside skeeball and shuffleboard tables. Sadly, the first skeeball league is full, but future leagues are on the horizon. Of course, they won’t be the only game in Scott’s Addition for long: Pasture/Comfort/Flora partners Michele Jones, Jason Alley and Jay Bayer are working hard to get Bingo open in the spring of 2018.

Johnny Giavos (Sidewalk Cafe, Kitchen 64) along with Manny Mendez (Kuba Kuba) and Chris DiLauro (Bacchus) teamed up several years ago to open Galley in Stratford Hills, and now they've added Galley Go-To next door, a cafe/market/coffee shop serving soups, sandwiches and rustic pizza. The new spot is open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

Back north of the river, now that Idle Hands Bread Company's Strawberry Street shop is running smoothly, they're reopening the Jackson Ward location — "idle" since the new location opened — today, Oct. 27.

Scrub That Tub

Mention Strawberry Street Cafe, and the first thing that comes to mind is the bathtub salad bar. As word trickled out that the 41-year-old eatery would be undergoing a makeover, the question on everyone’s lips was, “Will the tub stay?” It has indeed, and is perhaps even more prominent in the newly brightened space. Next up are plans to freshen up the menu to match the hipper feel. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Dance the Night Away

Halloween might not be until Tuesday, but this Saturday, Oct. 28, is when RVA is going all out for the holiday. At Quirk Hotel's annual Halloween bash, this year themed The Grand Richmond Hotel, Richmonders lucky enough to have snagged tickets to this sold-out event will channel their inner Wes Anderson. Small plates created for specifically for the night from Maple & Pine chefs David Dunlap and Kyle Cox will vie with special drinks, music and, of course, a costume contest. Wes Anderson-inspired costumes strongly encouraged but not required.

Up the street, climb the stairs to the top of the Hofheimer Building in Scott’s Addition for their Halloween Masquerade. Live music, deejays, a spooky video installation and even a little burlesque. Tickets are going fast for this one; grab a couple now before they sell out.

Dance the Day Away

If you survived Saturday, you may realize that you’ve left your kids with a bit too much energy — energy that needs to be burned off quickly. Take the little tykes over to the parking lot between Charm School ice cream and Ledbury Sunday morning. There, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Little Nomad will be hosting a kids’ dance party with spooky music, games, a trick-or-treating excursion over to Quirk and Comfort, plus food trucks and coffee from Lift to help with Mommy and Daddy’s hangovers from the night before.

Pop-up Settles Down

Pop-ups allow chefs to experiment with new concepts and menus in one-off or limited-run events to push boundaries and see what works. Some are hugely successful and stick around long after their original run, like The Paulie at Comfort. Now another pop-up has been held over: Chef Mike Ledesma at Belle & James has taken one destination from his Passport series of one-night international pop-ups, Cuba, and held it over for the chilly RVA winter months. Look for the hand pies and other tasty Cuban treats on Fridays and Saturdays only.

Poke-ing Around

Richmond magazine’s Todd Kliman ventured onto Second Street and into what is becoming a very interesting little stretch of tiny restaurants with big taste. Fighting Fish caught his eye, and he shared his experience. He didn’t say if he tried the sushi donut there. I have, and it’s wonderful.

Quick Bites

News From Beyond

That’s Not How It’s Done

Office potlucks are a minefield. Some co-workers overachieve; others bring a bag of chips. But before you judge that sad bag of chips that was probably purchased at a convenience store on the way in to work, stop to think — do you really want that person cooking? Case in point: some very sad mac and cheese that is not the comfort food you want.

No Hand Stabbing Required

The avocado craze has swept the world. Earlier this year, the term “avocado hand” — stabbing your hand while trying to remove the stone — entered our collective lexicon. Now the demand for all things guac has produced a new job, avocado taster. Because no one’s got time for bad avocado toast.