Eat like Guy: The pile of glory you see before you is challah French toast stuffed with bananas, cream cheese and Frangelico. It's a Metro Diner dish Guy Fieri loved on "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," and now you can try it at one of the chain's new Richmond locations. (Photo by Stephanie Breijo)
New restaurants, great events, Alton Brown's return to Richmond, a Guy Fieri diner favorite and some avocado-related injuries: Everything you need this week, you'll get it. (Well, hopefully you won't sustain any of those avocado stabbings yourself.) OK, here we go:
- Richmond's getting just a little taste of Flavortown, thanks to Metro Diner. The Florida-based national chain received a visit from the one and only Guy Fieri and appeared on his show "Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives" in 2010, which caught the eye of investors. Before you knew it, the homestyle-cooking-inspired brand was growing, and in December, it launched its first Metro Diner in Virginia, at 11525 W. Broad St. in Short Pump. A few weeks ago the brand opened another RVA spot, this time at 5625 W. Broad St. in the Libbie Place Shopping Center, the second of what could be as many as 20 Virginia locations. Slinging shrimp and grits, chicken and waffles, burgers, omelets, pot roast, pastrami on rye — you get the picture — these diners open at 7 a.m. daily and also offer a dish called the "Yo Hallah on the Square," a tower of stuffed challah French toast, which the great Guy just so happens to love.
- In Coming Soon news, a Fan favorite is back in the hands of its original family ownership. Athens Tavern, one of the city's first authentic Greek restaurants, opened in 1981 by way of the Giavos family, power players in the Richmond dining scene. The restaurant changed hands in 2002, and closed in 2014. Now, the original owners' daughter, Josephine Flemotomos — née Giavos — is reopening the restaurant alongside her husband to honor her parents. Though the space at 401 N. Robinson St. has seen some updates, a number of touches remain the same, from the restaurant's original oil paintings to the menu focused on classic, homestyle Greek cuisine. Like Flemotomos, I, too, am keeping my fingers crossed for an opening by the end of the month. Read more about the return of the Tavern, right over here. (Richmond magazine)
- Next month, Sugar Shack's opening its 10th Virginia location, situated at 5512 Mechanicsville Turnpike in Mechanicsville. But wait, there's more: The company plans on a new concept, Luther Burger, to launch in its Chesterfield location next month as well, serving up beef, turkey and veggie burgers on buns made from doughnut dough. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
- Further out, Alamo BBQ's getting a meatier sibling, if you can believe it. Building off of Alamo's own smoky goodness, owner Chris Davis hopes to open Frontier in September, slinging hearty fare including lamb, burgers, rotisserie chicken, steak and duck, as well as seafood. Look for it at 412 N. 25th St. this fall. (Richmond BizSense)
- Take a Bow: In Oregon Hill, L'Opossum's own James Beard Award semifinalist David Shannon is stepping down, but it's not forever. Instead of giving all his lovin' to the restaurant, the culinary ray of light will express himself through a new cookbook where he'll take us all deeper and deeper into some of L'Opossum's most cherished recipes. It's also cause for celebration: Open your heart to James Garland, formerly L'Opossum's sous chef, who's the new high-flying head of the kitchen. (Style Weekly)
- Meanwhile, the most popular brunch in every state — at least according to mason-jar mecca Pinterest — tells us that Virginia's most-searched brunch food is ... wait for it ... smoothie bowls. True, we've seen an increase of these here in Richmond, where you can now find them at North End Juice Co., The Pit & The Peel, and more, but I'm pinning this one on NoVA. (Food & Wine)
- Congratulations to Belmont Butchery's Tanya Cauthen, who'll be featured on "Chopped" Tuesday, May 23! To celebrate, the butcher is throwing a viewing party from 9 to 11:30 p.m. at Branch & Vine in the Fan, where drinks and snacks will be available for purchase. (Belmont Butchery)
- Speeeeeaking of the Food Network, kitchen mad scientist, author, TV host and showman extraordinaire Alton Brown returns to Richmond, this time with his new live show, “Alton Brown Live: Eat Your Science.” Sure, the show doesn't hit the Carpenter Theatre until Nov. 9, but tickets are now on sale and the show's been selling out like crazy in other cities, so I recommend you jump on it today. GET YOUR TICKETS HERE! Then, while you wait to get your mind culinarily and scientifically blown, revisit our interview with the man himself.
- And next Friday, May 19, Edible Education breezes through Richmond to help children gain skills and confidence in the kitchen. Founder Ann Butler and Chef Quincy Jackson, former White House Oval Office Chef, will stop by St. Andrew's School at 227 S. Cherry St. from 8 to 11:30 a.m., whipping up Jamie Oliver recipes and teaching kids how to make them at home. (News release)
Hey! It's Friday, which means it's high time to start plannin' that weekend of yours. Hop to it:
- Tomorrow, Saturday, actually hop to it at the Virginia Hops & Barley Festival, where you'll find more than 30 craft beers, live music, food vendors and more at the Westchester Commons Shopping Center from 1 to 7 p.m. (Virginia Hops & Barley Festival)
- Forget a present for your mom? FEAR NOT. Hardywood's hosting a Mom's Day Market on Sunday, for all you procrastinators. (Or, conversely, bring your mom and peruse/enjoy the market and some beer together!) Lots of local vendors, live music, food from Bikini Panini, plus live screenprinting from Studio Two Three. Noon to 5:30 p.m. (Hardywood Park Craft Brewery)
- Then on Monday night, head to Firehouse Theater for a special Slow Food RVA-presented screening of "Just Eat It," a documentary focused on our country's food-waste problem. Get your $10 tickets here, then stop by at 7 p.m. (Slow Food RVA)
And now for a few (inter)national links:
- Here is a piece I greatly enjoyed last month and forgot to pass on to all of you, but really meant to. Sorry, guys. (It's the thought that counts, right? Sort of? Let's go with that.) The story is chef Sean Brock's ode to Waffle House, including a tour through the menu. Learn how it both helped inform and free him from the conceptions of what cooking should be. ("Parts Unknown")
- "Avocado Hand": the real-life medically acknowledged result of accidentally slicing or stabbing your hand while opening up an avocado. Avocado toast has gone too far. (Grub Street)
Till next time, I will not stab myself in the hand while eating avocado, because the embarrassment would be far too high for my ego to recover.
