How are those holidays treating you, RVA? Whatever your answer, we hope it's tasty. If it isn't, we hope this week's news and a few upcoming events can help.
- First up, Perly's Delicatessen & Restaurant is opening a neighborhood market next door to the beloved Grace Street spot. Owners Johnny Giavos and Kevin Roberts, with developer Scott Coleman, just signed a three-year lease on the space and plan to sell Perly's prepared foods, meat, bread, coffee and more at the complementary market. (Richmond BizSense)
- Sadly, Dash Kitchen & Carry, owned by restaurateurs Josh and Jessica Bufford, will close today, Dec. 19, at the end of service. The Buffords are training and placing Dash staff in their remaining restaurants, Toast and Estilo. The husband-and-wife team is also aiding staff in finding new jobs more central to the city, for those unable to commute to the West End. The Dash assets and lease, which are offered at $85,000, are currently under consideration by multiple parties. The Buffords have already received "a couple of early stage offers now." (via news release)
- RVA got some national food love from Saveur with its travel guide to dining in Richmond. The list included many of the city's most cherished spots — Lemaire, Sub Rosa, Lamplighter Roasting Co. and Peter Chang China Café, to name a few. (Saveur)
- Still hungry? The D.C.-area Rising Stars Awards honored multiple Richmond chefs on Tuesday night; it was a far cry from the D.C. awards four years ago, when only one RVA representative was inducted into the winners circle. We spoke to that man, chef Jason Alley, and got his recipe for ham steak sliders, which he served at the honorees dinner on Monday night. We also spoke to chef Joe Sparatta, one of this year's new winners, and got his recipe for flounder with smoked potato purée. (Richmond magazine)
- If you're looking for new recipes to spice up your Hanukkah, we've got you covered. Rabbi Andrew Goodman shares his unique take on traditional fare with beet-and-zucchini sweet potato latkes, chive sour cream and more. (Richmond magazine)
- Let's close out the week's news with this great piece on Richmond's best menu designs, complete with photos. (RVAnews)
And now, SOME EVENTS:
- Bring out yer li'l ones today, Dec. 19, for an evening of gingerbread construction at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Hand over $20 per adult/child pair and receive all the icing, gingerbread and candy your hearts and architectural fancies could desire. (VMFA)
- And on Sunday, leave those li'l ones at home and head to Metzger Bar & Butchery for their holiday cocktail party; $25 gets you unlimited snacks plus soul tunes for dancin'. (Metzger Bar & Butchery)
And now for a smattering of (inter)national food links:
- Are vegan butcher shops a new trend? The Butcher's Son, which opens in Northern California in January, will be just one of a handful of boutique shops around the world selling vegan sausage, deli meats and cheese. (Modern Farmer)
- Considering Obama's recent attempt to normalize commerce with Cuba, read up on the embargo with this fascinating firsthand account of how trade restrictions affect Cuban food consumption and the republic's dearth of clean meat. (Munchies)
- Perhaps cooking chicken soup, as opposed to consuming chicken soup, is what's really best for you. Psychologists and clinics have begun prescribing cooking classes designed to help those suffering from depression and anxiety. (The Wall Street Journal)
- Are you alone this holiday season? Are you feeling a tad cantankerous? Rejoice, Scrooges, because one restaurant in Japan is banning happy couples from dining together on Christmas Eve, "refusing entry to all couples on December 24, no exceptions." (FoodBeast)
- Starbucks is attempting a premium rebrand, launching the first of many tasting rooms promising "the Willy Wonka of coffee." The new spaces will include roasters and educational tours, allow visitors to learn about how the company sources and roasts its beans and "micro-lot coffees you can't find anywhere in the world." (New York Daily News)
- And let's end this week on a fun note with a guide to regional burger styles across the country. (Thrillist)
