Photo by Jay Paul
1. Elote Entero
$3.50 at E-Loteria
This Henrico snack parlor offers crazy apples, mozzarella sticks, loaded fries and acai bowls among its many grazing options. But the corn on the cob slathered with fresh farmer’s cheese and mayo, then dusted with chili powder and crushed Flamin' Hot Cheetos, is my standing order.
2. Lahambajeen With Cheese
$6.75 at Lebanese Bakery
The same deli that makes smoky, buttery baba ghanoush churns out made-to-order flatbreads from a brick oven. The house specialty, lahambajeen, is topped with Lebanese-spiced ground beef and melty cheese, folded in half and slid into a paper bag for eating on the go — think Middle Eastern pizza.
3. Coffee and Churro
$2.75 at Golden Chicken & Bread
Stella D’oro cookies and General Foods International Coffees were pantry staples in the ’80s, their commercials hinting at European escape. The combination of drip coffee and a firm, cookie-like churro at this eatery and pastry counter takes me back to dunking the not-too-sweet treats into coffee: sublime.
4. Chicken Salad Bento Box
$6.99 at Taste
A plain-Jane chicken salad with a pop of onion is not hard to make, but it is hard to master. Although it’s tempting to guild the allium with chunks of celery or apple, Taste resists the urge, instead putting the extras on the side in a bento box with homemade crackers, red apple slices and cheddar cheese.
5. Egg Masala Papad
$1.99 at Eggmania
Eggmania on Tuckernuck Drive bows to masala papad (or papadum), a ubiquitous Indian snack that is traditionally eggless. This version, however, presents a heat-blistered lentil cracker that is topped with a boiled egg, chopped tomato and onions, and then smothered in a coriander-masala gravy.