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This dish with seared sea scallops, house-cured pork belly, sweet-potato muñeta and pomegranate salsa is an example of Pescados China Street’s innovative entrées. Beth Furgurson photo
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Made in Asia’s Holly Roll features shrimp tempura and spicy tuna rolled in seaweed and rice, served with jumbo shrimp, avocado and tobiko (fish eggs). Adam Ewing photo
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Espresso-marinated hanger steak with smashed parsnips and a cocoa reduction is among the treats at The Empress. Caroline Simmons photo
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Virginia Ham Cubano at Urban Farmhouse is made with pork loin and country ham and grilled with dill pickles, Swiss cheese and mustard inside a Toscano roll from the Flour Garden Bakery. Caroline Simmons photo
Attempting a "soft opening" of a restaurant — a few days to work out kinks before crowds descend — can be next to impossible in the Twitter era. As word spreads about a new restaurant, buzz builds and an army of online critics weighs in from the day the door opens. The enterprise becomes even more daunting when you factor in the difficulties of developing a menu that will stand out from competitors and dealing with staffing and timing issues. That's why our reviewers wait at least two months before evaluating a new restaurant. Though we look forward to trying some of the restaurants that opened later in 2010, the places featured on these pages have been around at least since September. Our food writers consider them to be the best of the year's crop. Some still need to do a little fine tuning, but our writers believe these restaurants have what it takes to keep people coming back long after the initial excitement wears off.
DINNER
Amour Wine Bistro
3129 W. Cary St., 353-4020
The French have a reputation for fine food and superb wines. A dinner at Amour will show you why. The owner, Paul Heitz, is Alsatian, but he has traveled extensively. He loves fresh, seasonal ingredients, as well as matching the right wine to highlight executive chef Blair Bowles' elegant dishes and showcase the regions of France. On our visit, it was Beaujolais. The environment is one of understated elegance, with simple white tablecloths and soft music. Here, you can have duck rillettes while listening to Charles Aznavour. A seating at one of the tables will bring you a lively prix fixe menu of three courses, each paired with wine, allowing you to taste the harmony. If you prefer to do your own pairing, sit at the bar to mix and match crab cakes, wonderful cheeses and charcuterie or larger plates. And if you're lucky, Heitz will have time to chat with you. —Hollister Lindley
Lehja
11800 W. Broad St., Suite 910, 364-1111
Indian cuisine isn't hard to find around Richmond anymore. The trick is finding a place that makes killer curries and meat dishes and has an inviting atmosphere. Lehja, at Short Pump Town Center, hits home with both. The vibe is big-city stylish, with chic booths and tables, and a bar that glows with vibrant blue lights. My favorite dishes include the chicken tikka masala, which douses pieces of moist, tandoori meat with a tasty sauce; each bite is filled with authentic spices. To drink, try Lehja's refreshing mango concoctions, such as the mango lassi, a light smoothie beverage served in a square glass, or the bartender's "mangotini," a mandarin, mango and peach combo. The wait staff is quick to provide explanations of dishes or recommendations. And the portions are a perfect size, served over Jasmine rice on modern, white dishes. —Bethany Emerson
Balkan Restaurant
8905 Patterson Ave., 754-2255
A great addition to the ethnic quilt of greater Richmond dining is Balkan Restaurant, on Patterson Avenue just west of Parham Road. While the owners are Bosnian, they intend for the food to represent the entire Balkan region. A dish of sour stuffed cabbage makes a great meal for lunch, and the mixed- grill platter at dinner is perfect for the carnivore in the family. I also recommend the vegetarian appetizer plate, as well as an amazing Hungarian goulash and a tasty shish-kebab platter with Russian-style marinated beef or chicken. The food is gently spiced and often grilled, rather than fried. The flavors are intriguing, yet not overly exotic. The house-made Lapinja bread is wonderful, and the prices are quite reasonable, with dinner entrées priced from $11 to $18. The casual setting is welcoming, as is the staff. Balkan is open seven days a week, and soccer fans will be glad to know that there's often a game on TV. —HL
Made in Asia
7302 Hancock Village Drive, 739-8160
Walking into Made in Asia is like being teleported from a Woodlake strip mall to an urban wonderland. The metallic tones and contrasting lighting clue you in that this is not a typical noodle house. Instead, Made in Asia offers a fresh, modern take on Asian classics. You will see some familiar dishes on the menu, such as chicken satay, "Bang Bang" shrimp, and masamun curry. But here, you're treated to high-quality ingredients: white chicken breast, extra-large shrimp and fresh calamari. Even so, entrées are priced at an affordable $15 or less. Made in Asia also boasts a full sushi bar with a number of creative maki rolls. If you want a cocktail, stop by the bar to enjoy one of their martini specialties. With such diverse options, it would be easy to dismiss this restaurant as having spread itself too thin. However, Made in Asia excels in all aspects and provides a destination for city dwellers and suburbanites alike. —Matt Sadler
Secco Wine Bar
2933 W. Cary St., 353-0670
In the last couple of years, wine bars in and around Richmond have become a dime a dozen. In a sea of small plates, artisanal cheeses and obscure wines by the glass, how does one stand out? Well, one could emulate Julia Battaglini, owner of Secco Wine Bar, and actually train your front-of-house staff. When you ask any of the staff at Secco about a wine, they can describe it or, even better, recommend one. Ask about the Covadonga cheese or the acorn-fed jamón Ibérico (Spanish ham), and you will get a detailed answer instead of a confused look with a vague promise to ask the chef. Small plates such as pan-seared scallops in a white truffle-balsamic emulsion or duck confit with roasted Brussels sprouts will engage even the most jaded gourmand. As with any wine bar, however, wine is key; I like the Alsatian Pinot Blanc. Where else can you find a list this good, with the majority of glasses between $5 and 8? —Piet E. Jones
Amuse
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, 200 N. Boulevard, 340-1580
The expanded Virginia Museum of Fine Arts boasts a brand new restaurant — aptly named Amuse — that is a stunning addition on the third level overlooking the Cochrane Atrium. Featuring Virginia-inspired fare, Amuse makes for one of the most sophisticated lunch options in town (lacquered quail, anyone?). Although the menu changes seasonally, I'm happy to see that the crab cakes I enjoyed appear to be a mainstay. Afternoon tapas are served from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., and the bar area is an ideal spot for a glass of wine or a specialty cocktail. Floor-to-ceiling glass walls, a west-facing view over the sculpture garden and comfy retro lounge chairs make this space über-hip. The dinner menu is somewhat limited, but it always seems to offer some sort of standout dish. When I went, it was Prince Edward Island mussels with Surry sausage in a flavorful broth, served with buttery toasted bread. —Karen Cauthen Miller
Xtra's Café
3322-B W. Cary St., 355-0446
Assessing a restaurant is no easy task, especially if it's only been open since September. Such is the case with Xtra's Café, which opened in a newly built space above the Bangles & Beads shop in Carytown. The menu is unpretentious: French dips and burgers, red or white clam pasta and even some interesting build-your-own pizza combinations. Try the White Knight, a white pizza loaded with fresh basil. Fairly inexpensive, with nearly all menu items less than $20, Xtra's has generated a bit of buzz and is fast becoming the new place to grab a quick bite and a couple of drinks — especially during happy hour, which features multiple drink specials until 7:30 p.m. New restaurants often have service issues, and Xtra's is no exception. But with good, reasonably priced food and generous drinks, it's a place to watch in 2011 as it works out the kinks and finds its groove. —PEJ
Pescados China Street
626 China St., 644-3474
This hip spot in Oregon Hill offers Richmond foodies fresh fish, Caribbean and Latin flavors, a fun wine list, killer mojitos and a fine beer selection. And with lunch as well as dinner hours, there are plenty of opportunities to taste Pescados' innovative food. The restaurant does offer non-seafood options that are equally well crafted. But if you love seafood, this is your place. A favorite dish of mine is the Paella Deconstruction, which is grand to look at and to eat — the few degrees of separation of key flavors enhance the taste. There are always chef's specials, and experience has taught me to go there first. The service is pleasant and friendly without being clingy. The space is casual; prices are fair and the location is easy to find. A sister to the Pescados in Midlothian, Pescados China Street is owned by founding chef Todd Manley and contractor Bob Windsor. —HL
The Empress
2043 W. Broad St., 592-4000
We all have that friend. You know, the one who makes amazing soups, entrées or sandwiches that you can't get in most restaurants. They either take too long to make or there are too many steps that leave room for catastrophic error. What if that friend opened a restaurant? Chef Carly Herring and her partner, Melissa Barlow, have done just that with The Empress. You'll be treated to catfish that is house-smoked, hanger steak marinated in espresso or even lasagna made with … buffalo. The food is unique and its preparation is not rushed. The service is equally relaxed, with the result being less like restaurant dining than eating at a friend's home. And like a good friend, The Empress can handle food restrictions, preparing many items vegan or gluten-free upon request. Nor will eating here empty your pocket — all the entrées are $15 or less. —PEJ
Sprout Market & Café
1 N. Morris St., 592-5771
The hipsters may be nursing beers and updating their Facebook pages at Sprout, but this low-key restaurant offers a solid — and surprising — dinner menu that's also deftly executed. Ingredients are from local farmers, and the freshness shows. Service can be slow and the wait staff is less than knowledgeable, but those things can be fixed. They've got the food right and that's what counts. Exceptional choices: The Brunswick stew (pictured left) is a Southern riff on cassoulet, with white beans and tender, wine-soaked chicken and rabbit; the Sprout cheese hush puppies combine delicate crunchiness with a creamy inside; the braised pork is deeply flavorful, and the garlic turnip purée will make you rethink your position on root vegetables. One caveat: The menu changes with the availability of ingredients, so check Sprout's website before getting fixated on a particular dish. —Brandon Fox
LUNCH
Cellar Door
1600 Monument Ave., 716-0346
Lunch at this basement eatery brought a string of pleasant surprises, from the children's menu (perfectly crispy rockfish tenders served with a mild paprika remoulade were a hit with the whole family) to the music (the playlist included Belgian singer/songwriter Jacques Brel). Then there was the tender, marinated Peruvian chicken (the house specialty) on my salad, the just-out-of-the-fryer sweet-potato fries and the coffee (from Rostov's) served with a small pitcher of cream. The South American-meets-Mediterranean menu at this Stuart Circle spot contains imaginative sandwiches filled with chorizo, smoked turkey, proscuitto or portobello mushrooms; there are also plenty of vegetarian options (a friend raved about her vegan soup — a not-too-heavy, quinoa-and-vegetable-laced broth topped with house-made croutons) and tapas for lingering with a glass of Argentinine wine. —Tina Eshleman
Positive Vibe Express
800 E. Broad St., 692-3808
Who knew a midday respite at the Library of Virginia could be delicious, enlightening and serve a social mission? For a quick and tasty lunch, try a buffalo meatloaf sandwich with tomato and red onion, or a smoked turkey wrap with pesto aïoli, sliced apples and Brie at the Positive Vibe Express, the new satellite location of Max's Positive Vibe Café, which helps train people with cognitive and physical handicaps for careers in the food-service industry. —KCM
Urban Farmhouse Market & Café
1217 E. Cary St., 325-3988
Let's face it; it's nearly impossible for a restaurant to be green. The unavoidable waste, packaging and transportation of food needed to maintain a menu year-round leaves a huge carbon footprint. So what's a socially conscious restaurateur to do? Ask Kathleen Richardson, owner of Urban Farmhouse Market & Café. Biodegradable packaging for to-go orders and a seasonal menu that makes the most of locally produced food make the Urban Farmhouse's carbon track smaller. Still, serving excellent sandwiches all day (starting with bacon-and-egg panini for breakfast) while creating some of Richmond's most original and refreshing soups — I recommend the Irish Yellow Broth — would make it a place to visit, regardless of its efforts to be green. —PEJ
Nine North Fourth
9 North Fourth St., 644-8669
Funky location aside, the lunch menu at Nine North Fourth has a lot to offer, and it's all under $10. If you can't decide between the burger with white cheddar, pepper bacon and red onion marmalade or the turkey, sliced Brie and cranberry mayo on whole-wheat toast, check the giant blackboard for the flat-iron steak sandwich of the day. When I had one, it was marinated and quickly grilled to medium rare, sliced and topped with micro greens and a garlicky mayo. It made lunch a little something special. Portion sizes aren't the largest, but the sides are good and the service is excellent. —BF
Ettamae's Café
522 N. Second St., 888-8058
Ettamae's Cafe in Jackson Ward is a special spot that begs for long and leisurely lunches. The upstairs dining room, bathed in pink and adorned with portraits from the 1940s, is reminiscent of a less rushed era. While the friendly staff makes you feel at home, it is the food that most heightens the experience. Ettamae's boasts a simple menu of sandwiches and salads: a respectable Reuben, a hearty meatloaf sandwich and whole-roasted chicken salad, along with sides such as macaroni and cheese, cucumber salad, and potato salad. The café keeps things interesting with daily specials, which include anything from barbecued spareribs to meatloaf Benedict. A relaxing lunch here is completed by indulging in a rich chocolate chess pie or a crumbly cobbler. —MS
