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Shagbark's communal table sits at the head of the dining room, a commanding nook (Photo by Stephanie Breijo)
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Cast-iron wild Alaskan king salmon with baby spinach, Urban Choice shiitake mushrooms, polenta and spring pea coulis (Photo by Stephanie Breijo)
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(Photo by Stephanie Breijo)
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The main dining room, which seats 60 (Photo by Stephanie Breijo)
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Grilled beef tenderloin with summer asparagus, Jim Kite's country ham, and caramelized onion and potato rösti with Morbier cheese (Photo by Stephanie Breijo)
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Shagbark's private dining rooms can be cordoned off individually, or combined to form one large space for events. (Photo by Stephanie Breijo)
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Chicken-fried Chesapeake Bay oysters with pea shoots and sprouts atop Byrd Mill grits and a dill pickle remoulade (Photo by Stephanie Breijo)
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One of Shagbark's private dining spaces, complete with flatscreen TV (Photo by Stephanie Breijo)
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Buttermilk pound cake with cherry compote and vanilla bean chantilly, drizzled with a black pepper and basil syrup (Photo by Stephanie Breijo)
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The Milk Punch, a balance of Bowman Brothers bourbon, brandy, George Bowman rum and a house-made hickory nut nocino, topped with freshly grated nutmeg (Photo by Stephanie Breijo)
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A view of Shagbark's bar, which seats 30 (Photo by Stephanie Breijo)
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Bourbon custard with grilled pineapple, cinnamon, and pecan cookies (Photo by Stephanie Breijo)
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Manakintowne Farms squash blossom with herbed goat cheese, roasted peppers, tomato coulis and basil oil (Photo by Stephanie Breijo)
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Blueberry and peach cobbler with streusel topping, a ginger and star anise syrup and vanilla ice cream (Photo by Stephanie Breijo)
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(Photo by Stephanie Breijo)
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Brandy peppercorn-crusted ahi tuna carpaccio with black-eyed peas, Victory Farms onions, roasted peppers, celery salad and truffle vinaigrette (Photo by Stephanie Breijo)
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(Photo by Stephanie Breijo)
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(Photo by Stephanie Breijo)
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(Photo by Stephanie Breijo)
[6/28 Update: Shagbark just announced via its social media that the restaurant will instead be opening tonight, Tuesday, June 28. Whoever said there's no such thing as a good surprise clearly hasn't visited Shagbark yet.]
It's finally here and it's beautiful: Shagbark, the Virginia-focused restaurant from Walter Bundy, former executive chef of Lemaire in the Jefferson Hotel, opens next Wednesday at 4901 Libbie Mill E. Blvd. offering locally sourced and Southern-inspired small plates and entrées. The 150-seat, 5,800-square-foot space can comfortably accommodate 60 in the main dining room — compartmentalized by stunning slabs of the trunk of a shagbark hickory tree, the restaurant's namesake — plus roughly 30 in the bar/lounge area, 20 on the patio and 40 between the two private dining rooms. It's a stunning scene with its shagbark communal table that's adorned by turkey and pheasant feathers from Bundy's own collection, and hanging chandeliers custom-made from whitetail deer antlers. Hand-blown glass light fixtures in a calming blue add pops of color throughout, and even the private dining rooms' plates are hand-crafted by a local potter. And that's just the ambiance.
Helmed by Bundy, whose decades-long dream of owning a restaurant finally comes to fruition next week, Shagbark celebrates the Commonwealth's bounty via menu peppered with names of local purveyors such as Urban Choice Mushrooms and Manakintowne Specialty Growers. Priced between $8 and $30, the dishes invoke classic Southern cuisine — grits, country ham, buttermilk dressing — with skilled technique that elevates dishes so simple as Vidalia onion bisque. (Do not overlook or underestimate this one; it is a dish worth ordering many times over, woefully unavailable by the bucket.)
Bundy and his team are well worth noting: chef de cuisine Aaron Cross, formerly of Rancho T as well as Lemaire; sous chef Brandon MacConnell, also formerly of Lemaire; wine director and general manager Rodney Rosser, also formerly of Lemaire; and beverage director and assistant general manager Derek Salerno, formerly of Comfort and more recently the consultant behind Peter Chang Scott's Addition's beverage program. They're bridging the gap between fine dining and a relaxed meal, especially given their bar and patio menu that's launching soon and offering a pared-down but upscale sampling of snacks, oysters and charcuterie.
Take a peek inside with our slideshow and stop by next week when Shagbark opens its doors; I do recommend making a reservation, which, handily, the restaurant is now accepting. Call 358-7424 to make it happen.
Shagbark is located at 4901 Libbie Mill E. Blvd., Suite 175, and opens Wednesday, June 29, at 5 p.m. for dinner daily, with brunch to follow eventually.
