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Photo courtesy Cowhill
2 of 2
Photo courtesy Cowhill
Cowhill
Mechanicsville
Located at 9502 Chamberlayne Road, Cowhill is a classic all-American burger and shake joint, except here, the cool treats are made with gelato. At this super casual spot, diners order at the counter then find a seat. The burgers, which range from traditional to Reuben- and Southwest-inspired renditions, arrive plump with fluffy buns. Despite the burger being cooked closer to medium-well, the patty remained juicy served with thick slices of purple onions on top. There were no fewer than four slices of tomato, but hey, I was in Hanover, right? Gelato flavors such as tiramisu and blood orange are sourced from luxe purveyor Villa Dolce, served a la scoop or in a shake.
Queen Tea New Orleans Seafood
Little Saigon
Sure, you can get some solid shrimp or soft-shell crab po’boys here, but the real stars are the seafood boils, packed with corn and potatoes to pick up for an at-home feast. Located at 6404 Horsepen Road, Queen Tea offers Dungeness to king crabs and even lobster tails that can be steamed to a desired spice level. The restaurant’s Facebook page is the best way to keep abreast of its seasonal offerings such as crawfish or blue crab from Louisiana, and the fluorescent board over the register lists combination boils that can feed most families.
C&D’s Kuntry Kitchen
Chesterfield
We’ve all got that aunt, the one who loves to cook classic comfort dishes but imparts her own special twist with varying degrees of success — I think she’s gone gluten-free and cooks at 3511 Courthouse Road. The breads and buns used at this 100% gluten-free outpost hit the mark. However, the pasta used for the mac and cheese and their loaded potato skins — stuffed with chicken and topped with chunks of white onion — left us a little perplexed. The pulled pork, and house-smoked meats pushed us to overlook the little quirks and made us feel right at home.
