Moore Street Cafe (Photo by Jay Paul)
1. Breakfast Club
$10 at Moore Street Cafe
Just like the hair, guitars and trucks in the Lone Star State, this sandwich is supersized. Texas toast girdles two eggs, bacon, sausage and ham, that's layered with lettuce and tomato, then spackled with extra-thick mayo. Definitely add an Orange Nehi Moore-mosa, served by the pitcher.
2. Chocolate-chip Pancakes
$8.50 at Shorty’s Diner
This Williamsburg institution opened its Richmond location last February, and now I have a new reason to visit the West End. Two platter-sized buttermilk pancakes come loaded with melty chocolate chips and dripping with butter. Runner up: homemade colossal cinnamon buns.
3. Beef or Chicken Livers
$9.50 at Rise & Shine Diner
This cozy corner in Ashland oozes community. You’ll dine cheek to jowl with Hanover fire/EMS personnel, and the cheery dining room can be rented at night for private gatherings. Try the succulent livers and grilled onions, and their seasonal strawberry crunch cake.
4. Manakin Burger
$13.75 at Satterwhite's Restaurant
Owned by Fred Snyder since 1998, this little white shack has served Goochland since the ’30s. Do yourself a favor and sample the cheeseburgers, notably the Angus Manakin burger, which you can eat with a knife and fork. P.S.: They still serve salt herring.
5. Fried Seafood
Market price at Brick House Diner
This family-owned Greek diner open for dinner does Midlothian right with Ya Ya’s Grecian cookies and an over-the-top New York cheesecake. But it’s the Friday-night fish fry with catfish and fixin's on their breezy patio that I relish. Besides catfish, find fried or broiled shrimp, scallops, rockfish, flounder, and clams.
