The Jungle Bird cocktail (Photo courtesy Mix)
Mix
Henrico
Virginia’s antiquated liquor laws preclude us from having what most would consider a bar, but recently, with a wink from the ABC, proprietors have found ways to skirt the restrictions. The latest entrant is Mix at 1308 Gaskins Road, connected to Hutch Bar & Eatery in order to satisfy the legally required food-to-beverage ratio. A long, thin space with a ’70s glam-rock vibe, it serves cocktails poured with a heavy hand — like the punched-up and smoky bourbon-based French 95 and the flaming, tropical-inspired Jungle Bird — plus a few nibbles.
Pulled pork sandwich and cheesy potatoes (Photo by Jay Paul)
The Salty Pig Smokehouse Co.
Mechanicsville
Considering how often I see pulled pork sandwiches, it’s hard to get truly excited about them. They're typically rather bland and in desperate need of a dousing of vinegar. The Salty Pig, at 9502 Chamberlayne Road, caught me off guard. Smoked slowly with applewood and red oak, the pork sings, and it only got better with a splash of vinegar. Don’t eat meat? Try the cheesy potatoes. It’s easy to see why this place is packed with happy diners.
Palak paneer pizza (Photo courtesy Chicago's Pizza With a Twist)
Chicago’s Pizza With a Twist
Innsbrook
Indian-inspired pizza — if you think of the crust as naan, it all kind of makes sense. Does the palak paneer pizza at the chain's 3641 Cox Road outpost taste like traditional palak paneer? No. But the layers of mozzarella and paneer cheese with fragrantly seasoned spinach do taste decidedly Indian — and delicious. Plus, for a little extra heat, you can request the addition of finely chopped chilis. It's the perfect match for an ice-cold beer.
