(From left) Richard Stone and Greg Gilliam at L'Opossum
Richard Stone & Greg Gilliam
L’Opossum and The Inn at Little Washington
Richmond magazine: You all eat out every day. What was the first restaurant you visited as a couple?
Greg Gilliam: The first real restaurant we went to was Acacia. Neither of us ate out much before we met. Besides Acacia, we frequented Millie’s for brunch. Then came The Inn at Little Washington. We’ve stayed there many times.
RM: Oh, my! What’s your favorite time of year to visit the Inn?
Gilliam: Christmas.
RM: Describe Christmas at the Inn.
Richard Stone: As [Chef-owner] Patrick O’Connell says, “It’s like going to visit your grandmother, but your grandmother took a little hit of acid.” You’re swept away. I’m at a loss for words to describe it. There are seven Christmas trees.
RM: Most evenings, y’all can be found at L’Opossum. What’s your ritual?
Stone: We sit at the bar.
Gilliam: We rarely have three courses or dessert. I like to start with a cocktail, but I don’t want it with my meal.
Stone: We enjoy our drinks and wait to order. At other places, that can throw the service off. For me, [L’Opossum Bartender] Will Seidensticker offers the best service in town. He has an incredible memory. It’s fascinating to hear him remember another customer’s order from over a year ago.
RM: What do you order?
Gilliam: Blackout Manhattan, oysters Rockefeller and filet mignon.
Stone: Lobster mac and cheese, [aka] “The Swank Bank.”
RM: What has being a regular taught you?
Stone: Though our careers are very different, we both have retail experience, which has clued us in to customer dynamics. Late and demanding guests stick out to us. We wait outside like everyone else, but we try not to be demanding once we’re inside.
Charlotte Jensen
Home Team Grill West End
RM: Why did you start frequenting Home Team Grill?
Charlotte Jensen: It was a mile away. I work from home and take a lunch. I saw the same people over and over, with whom I had nothing in common. When you develop friendships [outside of work], there’s no judging. If I’ve had a rough day, I can swing by for a quick drink and blow it off.
RM: What is your go-to drink?
Jensen: Miller Lite or a screwdriver at brunch.
RM: You’ve since moved farther away. What keeps you coming back?
Jensen: When I walk in, “the corner,” a group of 15 to 20 regulars, shout, “Hey, C.J.!” When I reach my seat, my drink, or the server, is already there. Stress goes away because they know my preferences. Home Team treats people like family. One of the bartenders turned 30, and it was a massive party in there for her. I have never experienced a hospitality organization so centered on the value of their employees. The vibe [at Home Team] reflects that.
RM: Do you have a standing lunch order?
Jensen: It varies, but one great thing about HTG is they’ll tweak things. I don’t make up my own item, but I prefer sliced tomatoes versus grape tomatoes on the grilled chicken salad, which they’ll do.
(From left) Jody and Tom Rathgeb at C’est le Vin
Jody Rathgeb
C’est le Vin
RM: How long have you and your husband, Tom, frequented C’est le Vin?
Jody Rathgeb: We moved to Shockoe Bottom in 2008. I walk a lot, saw it coming and thought, "This neighborhood needs a wine shop!" This was before they served food other than cheese and crackers. Now there is tapas and larger plates.
RM: What’s your favorite thing about the bistro?
Rathgeb: The vibrancy of its art gallery, the warmth of owner Genet Semere and the calm, adult atmosphere. I love being able to go where I want and eat what I want. I was the Richmond Times-Dispatch’s restaurant reviewer until 2003. After all those years of eating anonymously, it’s a switch to be known.
RM: Your menu picks?
Rathgeb: Stuffed mushrooms and garlic shrimp, and it being a wine shop, we always have wine. Genet put us on albarino last summer. She doesn’t try to sell us something expensive but knows our taste.
