Veal sweetbreads from Brenner Pass in Scott's Addition, Chef Brittanny Anderson's second restaurant (Photo by Jay Paul)
Double fantasy
Will Brenner Pass be the major-label “pop” album from Chef Brittanny Anderson and her team? Writer Todd Kliman covers Anderson and the crew as they prepare to open their highly anticipated second restaurant, and find out what David Chang had to say about his No. 2.
The global experience
You’ve probably seen the glamorous pictures of Le Dîner en Blanc in glossy travel and food magazines with hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of people — all dressed in white — coming together, seemingly at random, to share a meal and a glass of wine. Well, DEB is coming to Richmond. Read more about it here and see if you can get one of the coveted tickets for this Aug. 5 event.
Your morning cuppa
They’ve been there for a while, roasting beans for their wholesale business, but Black Hand Coffee Co. has finally opened its new spot at 15 E. Brookland Park Blvd. to the public, dubbed Cafe Nostra. Besides offering a hot cup of coffee and free Wi-FI Tuesday through Saturday, the shop and its large parking lot might just be playing home to food trucks and other caffeinated events in the future.
A vacation for them, a vacation for you
Secco Wine Bar is closing its doors for a few days, July 1-6, for a much-needed vacation. After they return, they’ll be rolling out their first happy hour to give you a break from the never-ending din of electronics. Special drink and menu prices (Monday through Friday, from 5 to 7 p.m.) will be available on one condition: that you drop your phone in a box on the table and leave it there. A little nudge to get us all to be a little more present and notice the person dining across from us.
Dancing with the stars (or at least under them)
Wednesday nights in July at the Kabana Rooftop bar (700 E. Main St, top floor), you can enjoy drinks and free salsa lessons starting at 7:30 p.m. The weather won’t be the only thing that’s hot.
An apple revived from the brink
The Harrison apple was all the rage during the Colonial era. Too bland for eating, but something magical happened when it was pressed and fermented into cider. Rich with tannins, it made for a bolder cider than most. Prohibition killed the market for the Harrison, and it was thought extinct until a lone specimen was found. Blue Bee Cider’s Courtney Bailey grafted 100 apple trees and, at least for the moment, has the largest orchard of Harrisons in the world. Go try this newly released piece of history at their Scott’s Addition tasting room (1320 Summit Ave.)
News From Beyond
Fake food
In our global economy, food labeling is a real issue. With supply chains crossing continents, you can’t always be sure what you’re getting. First it was honey that might not be honey. Then testing uncovered that olive oil isn’t always pure — or even olive. Now we find out that our tomatoes might not be what we thought they were.
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times …
Eating out today is possibly more amazing than it has ever been. With this abundance have come high expectations from diners — both for quality and affordability. The question that’s on the horizon: Is all this sustainable? Between labor and food costs, the average restaurateur is having their margins squeezed into nonexistence. Our wealth of choices might be a bubble about to burst.
Black is the new black
In the trendiest of markets, what is hot is food that is the color black. Once thought unappetizing, the high contrast and unusual starkness of the color is perfect for the age of social media. The key to the hue might surprise you — activated charcoal. Tasteless, it’s suited for coloring the ice cream or pancakes it’s used in. But is it safe? In small quantities, yes. It might even be beneficial, having some detoxifying properties. Just be careful: Those detoxifying qualities might temporarily reduce the effectiveness of some medications such as birth control. So use caution, lest that stunning black macaron lead to an unexpected surprise nine months from now.
