1 of 9
Bateau aims to combine history with a culinary experience.
2 of 9
The husband-and-wife team behind Bateau, Harry Watkins and Arvat McClaine
3 of 9
Some members of the Bateau staff outside of the restaurant following a day of training
4 of 9
The view from Bateau of the Canal Walk
5 of 9
Chef Shontay Oliver (left) and Shelby Johnson (right) standing inside Bateau approaching its opening
6 of 9
Co-owner Harry Watkins wrote the introductions to the menus, which will feature different stories of the bateaumen who used to frequent the Richmond waterways. The Bateau logo was created by Scout Design.
7 of 9
The back wall will showcase an abundant wine selection, specifically highlighting African-American vintners. Bateau plans to offer wine flights.
8 of 9
The bar area inside Bateau, which will feature an extensive collection of wine and an espresso machine. The space was designed by Helen Reed and was built by Summit Construction and Environmental Services.
9 of 9
The front window of Bateau will present bar-style seating and a view of the canal.
Bateau, the forthcoming restaurant set to open for dinner service on Saturday, May 25, at 301 Virginia St., focuses on sharing the story of the nearby canal and bringing history closer to the community through a coffee and wine experience.
Husband-and-wife proprietors Harry Watkins and Arvat McClaine want to highlight the role that the river and bateaumen played in shaping our city, and they view their forthcoming restaurant as a way to tell those stories in an exciting way.
"People don't always think about the history," says Watkins. "This is our chance to embrace that and focus on the bateaumen and the role they played in the making of America.”
During the 18th and 19th centuries bateaus — from the French word for boat — traveled along the James transporting tobacco, Virginia's top cash crop at the time, and other goods to the Colonies, building the regional economy.
At the forefront of Bateau — located inside the Vistas on the James high-rise community — are coffee and wine, both beverages with depth and history. The wines, a hand-picked selection of varietals, specifically highlight African-American vintners, including the LVE collection from recording artist John Legend and Brown Estate Wines, in addition to South African vineyard owners who work to build schools, homes and sustainable businesses in their communities with proceeds from the sales of their wine. According to Watkins, Bateau will serve the largest selection of wines from African-American vintners in the the state.
The staff, a mix of veteran service industry employees and those newer to fine dining, all share one attribute: excitement at being a part of a project focused on history.
“I’m very happy to be at Bateau and part of this historical experience,” says Chef Shontay Oliver, a Long Island native previously of the Graduate Richmond and The Jefferson Hotel who leads the all-woman culinary team.
Oliver is joined by Shelby Johnson, who spent the past 14 years cooking for University of Richmond dining services.
Both women were trained by Chef Erica Ashmeade, a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Institute in Pittsburgh, who consults with restaurants for menu and culinary development.
“I’m really excited about putting my footprint here and getting everybody down to the canal,” Johnson shares. She's also excited about the size of Bateau.
“It’s the first time I’m doing something small and intimate like this that is an inviting setting,” she says, noting that she looks forward to interacting and getting to form relationships with diners.
The menu is concise, focused on seasonal ingredients and dishes that pair well with wine. Diners can expect oven-roasted hazelnuts, as well as charcuterie and smoked salmon boards, along with light appetizers like roasted Brussels sprouts and saffron mussels.
There will be a soup of the day; an endive salad topped with grilled peaches, candied pecans and a honey vinaigrette; and house and Caesar salads — all with the option to add chicken, grilled salmon or grilled shrimp skewers.
Entrees include roasted salmon; penne pasta; grilled lamb chops with fingerling potatoes; and grilled chicken with sauteed San Marzano tomatoes, dry red wine, basil and fresh mozzarella.
“The Bateau" is the restaurant's signature dessert, featuring vanilla bean ice cream accompanied by wine-infused fruit, which will be also served with the cheesecake. Other desserts include wine-poached pears and a chocolate fondant with espresso filling.
As for coffee, Bateau is using local roaster Blanchard's Coffee Roasting Co. and importing organic coffee from Rwanda, Uganda, Ethiopia and Eritrea.
The menus are more than simply a list of what Bateau offers, they present an opportunity for diners to embark on an intentional, historical journey. Each one will provide the context behind the importance of the bateaumen and offer a small snapshot of the role they played in the making of Richmond, and of America.
“Each one of the menus will feature bateaumen, along with a different story — there are nine different stories shared,” says Watkins. “It’s about that connection.”
Bateau will be open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
