Moroccan hand pies were a hit during "Pie a la Mode" at last weekend's Fire, Flour & Fork. Read our recap to find out where they were from and hear about other favorite bites from the event. Warning: may induce hunger. (Photo by Eileen Mellon)
A Retro Renaissance
What do you get when you combine retro checkered floors, diner-style red glitter seats, a quaint strip of Old Towne Petersburg and ice cream? Sweet nostalgia. Boppers Malt Shop opened this summer and has been transporting diners to the 1950s via malts, shakes, homemade sodas and other treats. Writer Ben Wasserstein has the scoop, pun intended, on the old-school spot. (Richmond magazine)
Recap: Fire, Flour & Fork
The 2019 edition of Fire, Flour & Fork, the four-day festival of feasting that took over the city last weekend, is in the books. The annual celebration is a food lover’s dream, with a vast assortment of dinners, tours, demos and pop-ups featuring some of Richmond’s finest culinary leaders joining forces with visiting James Beard Award-winning authors, chefs and historians. If you missed out or simply want to relive the magical moments, we’ve got you covered. (Richmond magazine)
Let’s Rock
If the name alone doesn’t spark enough curiosity to visit the new North Side eatery Fuzzy Cactus, how about the Yelp review that dubbed it an “urban cowboy bar”? Writer Piet E. Jones says Fuzzy Cactus, which doubles as a music venue, offers the dive-y bar experience Richmonders have been longing for, and it dishes out a chicken biscuit that stands up to the likes of Saison Market’s. Insider tip: Every Tuesday FC hosts “Let’s Get Smashed,” an ode to the avocado featuring varying taco specials and frozen ’cado margaritas. (Richmond magazine)
The Art of Tart
Attention, fellow pickle lovers, fans of the brine and believers in the power of sour: Saturday, Nov. 9, the Artisan Pickle Club hosts the fourth annual Pickled & Fermented Festival at Center of the Universe Brewing in Ashland, celebrating anything and everything pickle-related. Luckily for those competing in the pickle juice drinking contest, I will be out of town on Saturday, because I’ve been drinking pickle juice for over two decades and always bring my A-game.
ICYMI
Smoke Pit Grill announced on Facebook that they will be closing on Nov. 30 after almost three years in business. The Henrico strip-mall spot from longtime competition-circuit pitmaster Gordon Taylor and his wife, Lori, dished out classics with fun twists — I’m looking at you, brisket panini.
As Hardywood’s Richmond-area roots grow deeper with the forthcoming restaurant inside the West Creek location, owners Patrick Murtaugh and Eric McKay have announced plans to close the brewery’s Charlottesville taproom. Opened in February 2017, the taproom will serve its last beer Dec. 22, and Hardywood’s 3.5-barrel pilot brewery will relocate to West Creek. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
Truckle Cheesemongers owner Maggie Bradshaw has brought her curated cheese selections, including the rare Black Betty, Virginia’s Twenty Paces and more, to Scott’s Addition. Her new cheese shop opened last week at Blue Bee Cider and offers cut-to-order cheese, grab-and-go snacks, and grilled cheese sammies.
In 2020 Manchester will welcome Rally, Richmond’s first pickleball court, restaurant and cafe, adding to the eat-ertainment culture the city has embraced. The food aspect of the operation will be headed by hospitality powerhouses Jason Alley and Michele Jones, owners of Comfort and co-owners of Bingo. (Richmond BizSense)
Winter is coming, literally and figuratively. Switch pop-up bar at 13 W. Broad St. is changing themes and flipping to a "Game of Thrones"-inspired concept complete with massive murals and 3D elements that will mimic several key locations in the show. (News release)
RVA Love
The citrus and mandarin orange hybrid yuzu has been slipping into cocktails across the country, and Punch magazine claims the Asian fruit is having a moment. Beth Dixon, bar manager at Richmond's Perch, got a shout-out from the magazine for her use of the acidic ingredient in a Ramos Gin Fizz variation.
Upcoming Events
- JBF's Jameeale Arzeno + Underground Kitchen, The Underground Kitchen (Nov. 8): A multicourse cultural collaboration dinner
- Friday Family Night: Gluten-Free Family Meal, Mise en Place (Nov. 8): Learn how to make gluten-free pizza and other dishes.
- Virginia Cider Celebration, Blue Bee Cider (Nov. 9): Fifteen Virginia cideries will be under one roof.
- Covenant Beer Fest, Triple Crossing Beer (Nov. 9): Visiting breweries sample their finest pours.
- Richmond Night Market, 17th Street Farmers Market (Nov. 9): Enjoy live music, bites and vendors under the stars at the monthly event.
- Pizza Bones Pop-up, The Jasper (Nov. 10): Chef Jeremy Dutra of Bingo Brewery makes a guest appearance serving gyro-style slices.
- Harvest Stew and Stout Festival, Dorey Park (Nov. 10): Try samples from stew masters from across the Commonwealth.
- The Wandering Biscuit and The Mayor Meats, Tabol Brewing (Nov. 10): The two pop-ups collaborate for Sunday-morning biscuits and brews.
- Healthy Eating to Fuel Your Life, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden (Nov. 12): Educators from VCU Health explore the impact of food on health.
- Essentials of Craft Beer, VCU Office of Continuing and Professional Education (Nov. 12): An introductory course diving into the world of beer
- Weinstein Author Series: Michael W. Twitty, Library of Virginia (Nov. 14): The James Beard Award-winning author discusses his memoir of Southern cuisine and food culture.
- TAP the Barrel: An Elijah Craig Night, Lemaire (Nov. 14): Special tapping of aged whiskey paired with bites and cocktails
- Fondue and Beer Pairing, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery (Nov. 14): Essex Street Cheese and Truckle Cheesemongers bring the cheese, Hardywood pours the suds.
- Richmond Greek Mini-Festival, Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church (Nov. 14-16): Experience Greek delights at the mini version of the annual summer fest.
In Other Food News …
- The Washington City Paper published an insightful piece earlier this week highlighting the lack of restaurant critics of color in D.C. and across the country, including perspectives on the disparities in the scene from award-winning author Michael Twitty as well as the founder of DMV Black Restaurant Week and an ad agency that connects people and brands to African food culture.
- Food is something we all need to survive, and it's also something that we can legally purchase and easily find. Time magazine explores food addiction and the similarities between compulsive eating habits and drug and alcohol use.
