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Roasted flounder with a salsa verde and warm potato-shrimp salad from the Alewife pop-up at The Jasper (Photo by Eileen Mellon)
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Roasted bone marrow, butter-poached snails, chimichurri and grilled bread at the Alewife pop-up at The Jasper (Photo by Eileen Mellon)
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Cobia cured in koji and shroom paste with fermented coffee, grilled leek flowers and grilled peanut oil from the Alewife pop-up at The Jasper (Photo by Eileen Mellon)
Stella’s to Scott’s
The Giavos family is spoiling us — Stella’s Grocery, a commercial kitchen and market, opened April 12 in Scott's Addition, featuring hot sandwiches and made-to-order salads, along with to-go meals and other market staples. The market's close proximity to the office is not good news for my wallet. (Richmond magazine)
Rollin’ Into Richmond
The hits just keep on coming in Scott's Addition — River City Roll, a “boutique” bowling alley with 20 lanes, opens on Tuesday, April 17, and offers an elevated experience with leather couches, craft cocktails and brick-oven pizzas. Take a sneak peek inside the new space. (Richmond magazine)
Meet the Alewife
Chef Lee Gregory of The Roosevelt and Southbound, along with chef Bobo Catoe, brought flavors from the forthcoming Alewife to The Jasper on April 8, for a Sunday Funday pop-up. Guests were lined up outside in anticipation for a sneak peek into Gregory’s new food venture when the doors opened at 5 p.m. “That was a crazy event early on, and we seemed to kind of sell everything evenly over the course of a couple hours,” says Gregory. “The raw fish and bone marrow were hits early on, though. I hope we are open by summer!” The roasted bone marrow with butter poached snails, chimichurri and grilled bread was devoured first, followed by the cobia cured in koji and shroom paste with fermented coffee, grilled leek flowers and grilled peanut oil. Check out some photos above.
The Veil to the Hill
South Richmond is getting some brewery love. A second location of The Veil Brewing Co. is set to open on Forest Hill Avenue at the currently vacant lot across from Café Zata and house a small-batch brewery and tasting room. The site is part of a larger planned development that will feature apartments, retail shops and restaurants. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
Serving the Community
Richmond magazine freelancer Genevelyn Steele introduces us to husband-and-wife duo Chef Hae Sung Lee and Jane Lee, owners of Ye Won, a Korean restaurant in South Side that is dishing out authentic cuisine.
Brunch With Bundy
Spring is approaching, and that means it's time for shad roe, an East Coast delicacy. Chef Walter Bundy of Shagbark, an avid hunter and fisherman, shares how to whip up the brunch of champions (Champagne included) using shad roe. (Richmond magazine)
New Video Series
Keep an eye out next week for the first in a series of videos by Richmond magazine freelancer Amber Key, this one chronicling her experience at the recent Spill the Tea: A Global Tasting event with Four Forks and Miss Priss Tea Co. Key will be covering food events and happenings throughout the city and sharing the details for viewers to pursue dining adventures of their own. Stay tuned!
Brew-versaries
Three Richmond breweries are celebrating anniversaries — cheers, folks! The Veil Brewing Co. celebrates two years with a weeklong celebration that includes new beer releases every day from April 17-22, along with the tapping of vintage kegs. Legend Brewing, the OG of breweries, traveling the craft-beer track before it was cool, celebrate 24 years on April 14. Triple Crossing Brewing rings in four years April 13-15. Adam Worcester, Triple Crossing co-founder, says they're excited to be a part of the beer growth in the city. “We've been able to realize our dreams of canning and packaging our beer and also starting a full-on mixed culture and sour program within the walls of our Fulton facility,” says Worcester. “The space we have now allows us to do so many different things that we continue to be excited for what the future holds.”
Openings
The Byrd House, the newest addition to the local rooftop bar scene, has its grand opening atop the Graduate Richmond hotel Thursday, April 12, to kick off the spring season. The space offers expansive views of the city that can be enjoyed poolside, booze slushies (yes, that’s correct) and Southern-inspired snacks. “We are thrilled to open Byrd House just in time for spring,” says Gillian Clark, general manager of Graduate Richmond. “As Richmond’s highest rooftop bar, Byrd House boasts the best views in Richmond.”
The Neighborhood Scoop, an ice cream mobile trailer in Church Hill that frequents the corner of 26th Street and Nine Mile Road, opens its doors Friday, April 13, for the spring season. They offer Gelati Celesti and traditional soft serve with toppings (including rainbow sprinkles!), along with homemade cookies they are more than happy to turn into ice cream sandwiches.
Lulabelle's Grand Reopening
Lulabelle’s Café, known for its homemade boxed lunches and sandwiches, opened the door of a new location at 2012 Staples Mill Road in the Crossroads Antique Mall at Crossroads Shopping Center on April 10. Owner Nicki Murphy cites traffic and lack of space as her reason for the relocation from her former Westhampton spot. “We’ve been looking for the past eight months, and we had outgrown the former space,” she says. “We have doubled the seating capacity and kitchen space, and it’s a really beautiful space we're moving into that offers more event opportunities.”
Forthcoming Spots
Restaurant group Historical Restaurant Concepts, the folks behind Postbellum and Station 2, are staying busy. The group opened Root Stock Provisions at 1810 E. Main St. last month and have plans to open Oak & Apple next door at 1814 E. Main St. No word on a menu, but they hinted they will have a smoker, meaning barbecue may be in the works. (Richmond BizSense)
For all the gluten-free folks out there, contain your excitement, a biscuit and waffle shop catered to you is set to open within the month. 521 Biscuits & Waffles, located at 521 E. Main St., will feature only gluten-free items. They will open for breakfast and lunch Monday through Saturday. Stay tuned for the official opening date and menu. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
Scott’s Addition is almost literally awash with breweries, cideries and a meadery, and soon a distillery will be thrown in the mix. Virago Spirits, a family-owned and -operated 11,000-square-foot space at 1727 Rhoadmiller St., is set to open later this year with plans to focus on rum, gin, brandy and herbal liqueurs. (News release)
The Abby Moore Cafe, an Ellwood Thompson's creation at the Institute of Contemporary Art at VCU, which opens to the public April 21 (Photo by Susan Winiecki)
Positive Vibe Coaches' Cook-off
The rivalry between VCU and UR basketball is already well-established on the court, but the competition shifts to the kitchen for the sixth Annual Coaches' Cook-Off at the Science Museum of Virginia on Thursday, April 19. UR Head Coach Chris Mooney and Spoonbread Bistro’s Michael Hall face off against VCU’s Mike Rhoades and Richmond Restaurant Group's Michelle Williams for the title of culinary master. All proceeds benefit the Positive Vibe Foundation, a nonprofit that trains and employs adults with disabilities.
RVA Love
Sophia Kim, bartender at Jackson Ward's Saison, has advanced to the finals of The Manhattan Experience, presented by Woodford Reserve in partnership with Liquor.com and the United States Bartenders Guild. Kim will battle it out against five finalists on April 23 at the Nomad Hotel in New York City for the title of Master of the Manhattan and an all-expense-paid trip to London. Says Kim, “Richmond may be a smaller city, but we have so much talent here. I am truly honored and excited to represent Richmond!”
Speaking of Saison, the restaurant recently got the nod for Best Burger in Virginia from TimeOut. Their eponymous Saison burger is topped with classic American cheese, some good ’ole house-made ranch dressing, ramps, crunchy pickles and Bibb lettuce (plus optional-but-c'mon-not-really-optional bacon).
Chef/owner Brittanny Anderson of Brenner Pass and Metzger Bar & Butchery continues her culinary journey onto the national stage with an appearance on "Iron Chef America," airing May 16 at 9 p.m. on the Food Network, where she will go head to head against Iron Chef Alex Guarnaschelli.
Upcoming Events
- 24th Anniversary, Legend Brewing Co. (April 14): Celebrate Legend’s near quarter-century journey as Virginia’s oldest continuously operating brewery with a brew on the patio overlooking the James, live bands and food trucks.
- Red Beans Road Show, The Roosevelt (April 15): A taste of New Orleans brought to life by chefs Lee Gregory and Joe Sparatta; expect red beans and rice, golden cornbread, and some surprise fixin’s.
- Cinnamon Roll Sundaes, Charm School (April 15): Sundaes on Sunday. Treat ‘yo self to a C&C’s Cinnamon Roll topped with a scoop of ice cream, salted caramel and a cherry on top.
- Dinner With Claire, Magnolia Greene Grille (April 15): "Chopped Junior" champion and Midlothian resident Claire Hollingsworth gets creative for a restaurant and menu takeover.
- Sunday Poetry Brunch, Blue Bee Cider (April 15): Bring your best snaps and celebrate National Poetry Month with brunch by Café Zata, cider from Blue Bee, music from Monument City Jazz Trio and spoken-word poetry from local scribes.
- Taste of Richmond, Omni Richmond Hotel (April 18): Check out cooking demos, speak to local chefs, and sample some of the finest food and beverage the city has to offer.
- Kudzu Pop-up, Branch & Vine (April 16): The monthly pop-up installment begins at 5:30 p.m. featuring Korean steamed buns, triple-broth shoyu ramen and chashu pork-smothered tots. Yes, smothered tots.
- Broken Tulip Pop-up, Garden Grove Brewing (April 16): Five-course dinner and beer pairing benefiting WVCE public radio
- Second Anniversary Celebration, The Veil Brewing Co. (April 17-22): A week of celebrations: cans, merch, food and music
- Partake | Gin & Infusions, Maple & Pine (April 19): Seminar and tasting of the multifaceted spirit
- Mushroom Mania, Champion Brewing (April 20): Learn about the creative and culinary uses of fungi and enjoy some treats from Rudy's Exotic Mushrooms and Produce, and greens from Meadow Acre Gardens.
- Cobra Burger Pop-up, The Veil (April 20): The elusive Cobra Burger — Virginia-raised beef, Martin’s potato rolls and the classic Kraft American cheese — makes its return.
In Other Food News …
- Yelp. People love it. People hate it. Empowering diners to share their opinions serves as the basis of the platform. Check out this interview with an “elite” Yelper for a look into how Yelp affects restaurants. (TheVerge)
- Turns out the members of Generation Z (those born in the mid-'90s to mid-2000s) are huge consumers, and a large percent of that spending is linked to food. (The Food Institute)