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Buskey Cider owners Elle and Will Correll recently introduced the food concept Urban Myth.
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Mike Lindsey and Kimberly Love-Lindsey of Lindsey Food Group, partners with Buskey in Urban Myth Street Food
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Urban Myth offers a 100% gluten-free menu.
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Buskey Cider is located at 2910 W. Leigh St.
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Buskey plans to renovate and revamp its outdoor area in the coming months.
When Will Correll first laid eyes on the once abandoned 6,000-square-foot building in Scott’s Addition that now houses Buskey Cider, he saw potential. The Virginia Tech graduate and history buff envisioned a bustling cidery, a lively and charming outdoor space, and an alley culture where patrons could weave their way through the narrow passageways in an urban adventure. He also envisioned a food truck. Years later, he’s not far from realizing the dream.
During its seventh anniversary weekend in late April, Buskey Cider debuted Urban Myth Street Food, a permanent, 100% gluten-free food truck stationed directly behind the cidery, with partners and restaurateurs Mike Lindsey and Kimberly Love-Lindsey.
“This has always been kind of a piece of the vision, but the timing wasn’t right and the neighborhood wasn’t ready, we weren’t ready, and we didn’t have the right partner,” Will says.
However, an anniversary present in the form of a food truck seemed like ideal timing, as did connecting with a chef known for his versatility and for mastering delightfully crispy, gluten-free fried chicken.
“We’ve been friends with Mike and Kim for years, so it’s really exciting to work together,” says Buskey co-owner Elle Correll of working with Lindsey Food Group, which owns local ventures including Buttermilk and Honey, Lillie Pearl, and Jubilee, to name a few. “Each of the four of us bring our own unique skills to the food truck, and we’re excited about this strong team we’re building.”
While food trucks have become an integral part of local beverage culture, the Corrells hope that Urban Myth’s permanent status will allow them to eliminate many of the common hiccups associated with hosting the traveling businesses, from selling out too quickly to finding a power source.
“We have a fully enclosed kitchen, so we don’t need a commissary off-site; we can keep food on the trailer,” Will explains. “We can use power from the building, we can use water from the building, so a lot of things that are difficult for a food truck we’re able to have pretty casually.”
“We love food trucks, … but it’s hard to schedule and is extra logistics, so it’s kind of nice to bring it in-house,” Elle adds, noting that many food trucks don’t want to come out on certain days of the week because business is too slow.
Using a QR code system, guests can order from Urban Myth through their phones and then pick up their food at the truck when it’s ready. Will says the goal is to avoid people waiting in line, in addition to the chef having to simultaneously cook, greet and ring up food for customers.
“My least favorite thing when hanging out with people is to grab food and end up missing the convo for 30 minutes because I’m waiting on food,” he says.
The hand-painted food truck will offer a lineup of Southern and Asian-inspired bites, sandwiches, bowls and sides that are naturally gluten-free. The crew is embracing the idea that dietary restrictions don’t have to make meals boring, working with a tight list of ingredients that they can diversify with ease. A number of cider drinkers already reach for the fermented apple beverage because of its gluten-free nature, and Will says that a small but very loyal portion of Buskey’s customers skip the carbs.
“When I go out with gluten-free friends and it’s like, their salad is not gluten-free, the meat is not gluten-free — these things are gluten-free, it’s that the preparations aren’t,” Will says. “When it’s forced, it’s not fun, but it can be done.”
Starters include fried chicken and fried mushroom bites, each with fries, and fried chicken sandwiches range from Southern Smoky to Spicy Hot, Asian Crunch and the plain-Jane, sauce- and spice-free The Picky. Two Asian rice bowl options include short rib, accented with pickled onions; sticky Asian sauce; sauteed mushrooms, onions and peppers; scallions; and sesame seeds, and fried chicken, accompanied by kimchi slaw, sticky Asian sauce, fried mushrooms, scallions and sesame seeds. Rounding out the current menu are sides of fries and Brussels sprouts.
This Sunday, the team will serve brunch for Mother’s Day from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. On the menu: a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich; fried chicken bites and waffles; a breakfast bowl with sauteed veggies; a short rib, fried egg and kimchi fried rice combo; and a Belgian waffle.
As for the Urban Myth moniker, one day while brainstorming potential names, the Corrells say, they phoned a friend, Richmond magazine writer, local historian and cider fan Harry Kollatz Jr.
“We sat down and drank with Harry, and we were spitballing ideas … and we were like, ‘What are super Richmond things?’” Will says. “We were saying, maybe it’s about the railroad tracks, maybe it’s about the alleys, but it’s all very urban and kind of a myth.”
Urban Myth Street Food is open Wednesday and Thursday from 3 to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from noon to 10 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 7 p.m.
