Happy Friday, Richmond! Before we dive headfirst into the weekend, let's recap the latest in new restaurants, upcoming events, collaborations and a statewide search for Virginia's best dish. (Will it be from RVA?)
- What we already know: Virginia is for food lovers. What we just learned: You should exercise your right to food-vote because you can now enter your favorite RVA dish into the Virginia is for Lovers Culinary Challenge. Nominate your favorite entree online and watch as the contenders get whittled down in brackets, like a more delicious and less sweaty March madness. (news release)
- Open now: In New Restaurant News, hibachi and sushi spot Hayashi Sushi and Grill just opened in the Far West End to sate all your fire lovin', shrimp poppin' desires. (Richmond Bizsense)
- Opening someday: The Fan/VCU neighborhood is getting yet another restaurant, this time in the form of deli fare. Four Brothers Bistro & Grill will draw on the cheesesteak-and-deli-sandwich heritage of both New York and Philadelphia. (Richmond Bizsense)
- Opening someday, part II: Restaurateur Jonathan Staples hopes that Black Hops Farm, his new hops farm in Loudoun County, will provide hops not only for his company (James River Distillery) but for other mid-Atlantic brewers and distillers, once the service facility is built. (Richmond Times Dispatch/Richmond.com)
- And if you're still feeling those holiday calorie blues, here's a fun spotlight on some of Richmond's best healthy dishes. (Richmond Navigator)
- Speaking of health, we launched a new series on Richmond's best gluten-free options and kicked it off with sammiches. Go forth. (Richmond magazine)
- And last, but certainly not least, get to know one of Richmond's most beloved restaurateurs, Kuba Kuba's Manny Mendez, with this great profile on his life in Cuba and coming to America. (Style Weekly)
And now for an event or two:
- Head on out to Hardywood this Saturday for a collaboration with Cigar City Brewing, and a celebration of two new milk stouts, The Milkman and The Milkmaid. There will be food. There will be live music. And oh yes, there will be beer. (Hardywood Park Craft Brewery)
- The fourth annual Elby Awards are this Sunday! We'll be celebrating the RVA dining community with a full-blown awards ceremony, red carpet reception, after party, and after-after party, and even more-full-blown hair and costumes for this Studio 54-themed evening. The ceremony is sold out, but you can join us for the after-after party at Can Can, which starts at 10 p.m. and features food and drink specials, plus sweet jams from Marty Key of Steady Sounds. Prepare with this li'l video on chef Paul Elbling, the Elbys' namesake. (Richmond magazine)
- And then trek back to Hardywood next Wednesday for BREWSANA, which is a great excuse to drink beer and do yoga, possibly at the same time. OK, maybe don't try that last part, but do grab a beer once the donation-based yoga class is done. (Hardywood Park Craft Brewery)
And now for a smattering of (inter)national links:
- Take a moment of media silence today because Modern Farmer, one of the highest-quality food publications around, is now completely without staff as of today. (The New York Times)
- We're all aware of the food truck trend but could food bikes be the next big thing? (NPR)
- A city in China is blaming bacon, yes, bacon, for its air pollution. (Foodbeast)
- And let's leave the week with a stellar ode to the diner. (Serious Eats)
'Til next time, you should be dancing (and eating).
