Carena’s Jamaican Grille (home to these oxtail tostadas) has revamped its South Side space; head below for details and more of the week’s Food News. (Photo by Eileen Mellon)
Pinoy Party
First-generation Filipino Americans Roxanne Atienza and Aubrey Rivera founded the Kasama Collective earlier this year after feeling disconnected from their heritage and wanting to boost Filipino representation in Richmond. On Saturday, Oct. 28, the collective and the Filipino American Association of Central Virginia are joining forces to host the free Filipino American History Month Celebration with over 40 vendors and food purveyors — dishing up delicacies from fluffy ensaymada pastries to comforting beef caldereta stew, grilled skewers of meat and bowls of sisig — at Main Line Brewery. (Richmond magazine)
Fright Bites
Spooky season is upon us, and I interrupt your regularly scheduled hand-in-the-candy-jar programming with some RVADine ghost stories and tales of woe. Delving into eerie restaurant encounters that span decades and buildings that seem to be jinxed, we open a portal into the dining industry paranormal. P.S.: A round of applause for the accompanying illustration by Rachel Maves that features a skeleton sous chef puffing on a cigarette. (Richmond magazine)
Mutual Merger
Two of the city’s dedicated hunger-fighting organizations — the Richmond chapter of Food Not Bombs and RVA Community Fridges — recently revived a shuttered grocery store space in North Side to serve as a home base for their philanthropic efforts. Dubbed Matchbox Mutual Aid, the partnership marks a merger of old and new movements. (Richmond magazine)
Day of the Dead
In terms of decor and drinks, the folks at Carytown watering hole The Jasper commit to the bit. Their annual Day of the Dead takeover, an ode to the traditions and tastes of Mexican culture, proves it: Just peep their marigold-dotted bar and mezcal-heavy menu. A favorite time of year for the cocktail crew, Bar Muertos continues through Nov. 4. A portion of proceeds from sales during the takeover will be donated to Immigrant Families Together.
ICYMI
The Chile Chill Out is back for its third year, with events on the horizon including a spicy soiree at Royal Pig, a pepper party at Village Garden farm with special appearance from Thai-inspired pop-up Nam Prik Pao and a five-course feast at Bar West. (Richmond magazine)
Pour a glass — preferably cab sav if you want to be on brand — and get to know The Roosevelt’s wine director, Troy Hancock. (Richmond magazine)
Celladora Wines’ Megan Lee Hopkins talks brunch beats, spooky-sweet pairings and fave food stops in our latest Spotlight. (Richmond magazine)
The Beet Box and Buttermilk and Honey have bid farewell to their stalls at Manchester’s Hatch Local food hall (although their other local outposts remain), while vegan-friendly fried chicken food truck 1115 Mobile Kitchen will kick off a residency next week.
While planning for 2024 may seem a little premature, tickets are already on sale for the Virginia Governor’s Cup, a tasting event on March 7 at Main Street Station featuring the who’s who of the Virginia wine world.
Open since 2007, Carena’s Jamaican Grille recently hit the refresh button. Partially in response to the construction around its South Side hub on Midlothian Turnpike, the restaurant is rocking a redesigned interior and offering happy hour Monday-Friday, along with a fresh cocktail menu featuring a zingy and delicious Dark and Stormy with homemade ginger syrup. Side note: At 3 p.m. on a recent Wednesday, a dead time for most restaurants, I watched as customer after customer pulled up to grab to-go orders.
Helmed by spouses Maria and Michael Oseguera, Maya has closed the doors of its 525 E. Grace St. restaurant, citing a desire to return to the West End. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
The latest edition of Richmond Restaurant Week is winding down, which means there’s only a few more nights to snag an uber-affordable meal that benefits Feed More.
Heritage is ready for soup season with the return of ramen. It’s only available on Thursdays from 5 to 6:30 p.m., so cozy up at the bar with a bowl of broth and get to slurpin’.
I’m a big fan of monthlong birthday celebrations, and Ethiopian cafe Buna Kurs agrees. Hitting its stride after a year in business, the Jackson Ward eatery will host a series of events in the coming weeks from a meet-the-artist dinner to an injera-making workshop led by owner Lily Faisal.
Robinson Street in the Fan will soon welcome two new taquerias, Juan More Taco and Nuevo Mexico Restaurante #2. (Richmond BizSense)
Upcoming Events
- Oktoberfest, Metzger Bar & Butchery (Through Oct. 29): Schnitzel sammies, brats and German brews
- Unhappy Hour, The Poe Museum (Oct. 26): Embrace the eerie and lurk in the courtyard with beverage in hand.
- Butter Boy Pop-up, Accoutre (Oct. 28): The sourdough pretzel squad is back with dips.
- Tenth Anniversary Celebration, En Su Boca (Oct. 28): Food specials and live music at the taqueria and cantina
- Hog on the Hill, Libby Hill Park (Oct. 28): Barbecue from Alamo BBQ, Inner City Blues and the Church Hill Boys, plus live music
- Halloween Moon Market, Stone Brewing Co. (Oct. 28): A holiday version of the eclectic market, with food and drink for shoppers to savor
- Sunday Bagel Pop-up, Celladora Wines (Oct. 29): Start the morning with hand-rolled bagels.
- No Stay Should Last Forever, Hotel Greene (Oct. 29-31): A ticketed mystery-solving soiree that includes dessert and a prize
- Halloween Chef’s Dinner, JewFro (Oct. 29): A five-course themed dinner that embraces the spooky season
- Mixology Monday, Point 5 (Oct. 30): The nonalcoholic bottle shop leads a workshop on the art of sans-booze sips.
- Puerto Rican Pop-up, Natalie’s (Oct. 30): Natalie’s chefs Alex and Adrian Vazquez introduce a menu of dishes inspired by their heritage.
- Harvest Festival, Shalom Farms (Nov. 1): Spend an evening at the nonprofit farm and enjoy a family-style meal and s’mores.
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