Fun Playing With Food in Richmond, Virginia

The Christmas-New Year's break brought us once again to Virginia Beach, VA with a house-full of friends. Our route took us first to the northern Richmond suburb of Glen Allen, then Richmond proper for breakfast, then on to Virginia Beach.

We managed to get ourselves to the Richmond metropolitan area in time for a late dinner. Didn't matter what time it was, Mill on MacArthur was jammed! Luckily, there was one deuce open; larger parties were waiting up to 30 minutes for a table! Though the bar looked both fun and funky, with craft beer and tempting wine selections, so not a bad place to wait.  

Bob's: the mill burger.

Single-source grass fed VA black Angus ground beef char-grilled & topped with sautéed mushrooms, crisp bacon, melted cheddar, lettuce & tomato on a toasted Kaiser roll, with house made fries (the diner also has other side choices, at up charges of $1 or $2 each). We were both very happy with the house-made fries, which were in the $1 up charge category.

Nancy's: oyster po boy.

Hand-breaded & fried VA farmed Rappahannock River Oysters with VA country ham, lettuce, tomato on a warm baguette finished with a Cajun remoulade, with house made fries. The combination of briny oysters with salty ham made the sandwich a little too salty for my palate. But fresh seafood always makes me happy and this sandwich did!

Vegetable of the Day

Side order of fresh green beans sauteed with garlic, to share. Yummy.

After getting a good night's sleep and checking out of our hotel in Glen Allen, we first headed for a "must try" recommendation: Early Bird Biscuit. Once we found it, we unfortunately discovered that it was take-out only. With rain and gloom all around us, and having already checked out of the hotel, we reluctantly decided to go someplace else, since we didn't feel like eating in the car.

This turned out to be a great decision, because it led us to Saison Market on Adams street near downtown Richmond. Saison sells beer, wines, and coffee and tea beverages, to eat in or to go, and offers an eclectic "made from scratch" menu from 9am to midnight (not be confused with the affiliated Saison restaurant on the corner of Adams and Marshall, which serves dinner and drinks after 5pm). We started out with hot coffee for Bob and a beautiful fresh-brewed ice tea for me. Though everything is "counter service" the staff brought our plates to our table and were friendly and welcoming. 

Bob's: C A R N I T A S   S O P E S    C O N    H U E V O S

Bob's plate consisted of house-made Masa Cakes topped with Carnitas, Salsa Verde, and Sunny Side Up Eggs. My taste was a little spicy, but definitely enjoyable. The eggs on both plates were simply gorgeous. 

Mine: “ F A N C Y ”   C H I C K E N    B I S C U I T

I can count on one hand how many times a year I order chicken in a restaurant. But the description of this dish just hooked me: Nashville-style Fried Chicken Breast, House made Sausage Gravy, Sunny Side Up Egg, Biscuit. The flavors reeled me in.

 Here's another angle on the Chicken Biscuit; you can actually see the chicken in this one.

The chicken was also to the spicier side (though more of a Frank's Hot Sauce than the Mexican flavors on Bob's plate), but I'd have licked the plate any way! Tender yet crispy fried chicken, runny egg yolk, beautiful sausage gravy all over a light and flaky biscuit. 

As I rose from the table, I found myself staring at the sherry display. Looking right back at me, begging to be taken from the shelf, was a bottle of my favorite sherry, Pedro Ximénez. Yes, I answered the call.

Rested and fortified after our long drive from Cleveland, happy to to have played with such delicious food in Richmond, we headed off to Virginia Beach!

More Fun Playing With Food at Grove Hill

It is unusual for me to post a second piece on a restaurant so soon after the first, but we had so much fun playing at Grove Hill in Chagrin Falls the other night that I have to share! Tim Bando's raw gem of a restaurant, which was less than two weeks old at our first visit, continues to refine itself into a jewel, and our experience reflected that. Their website is now fully functional, and walking into the restaurant, with a reservation this time, I noticed that the roses had disappeared from the front window bar seating area. Whereas the first time a few items were unevenly seasoned, all of the flavors Thursday night were spot on. And the best part is that Chef Bando spent a lot of years on Long Island's East End, and he knows fish and seafood, as demonstrated by some of our selections on both visits. 

Butter, Roasted Garlic, House Made Bean Dip

On our first visit, the roasted garlic was a little under-cooked; this version was soft and spreadable. The seasoning on the bean dip was completely balanced, and the butter creamy.

Our friend dove into the raw bar and had oysters for his appetizer. I didn't photograph them because I didn't eat them, but he assured me that they were superb; here's a link to his photo of his oysters. Our friend was impressed with the selection available, the product he ate, and the sauces that accompanied them. 

SMOKED SAUSAGE, pickled vegetables, grain mustard, crusty bread

Bob's appetizer was big enough to be an entree! Two large, crispy on the outside pieces of smoked sausage were accompanied by crunchy vegetables that lent acidic lightness to the rich meat. Chef Bando stopped by to chat with us, and said that this kielbasa-like sausage is made for him by Blue Ribbon Meats, a quality Cleveland purveyor that also makes the Bratwurst served at Michael Symon's B Spot restaurants. 

VEAL SWEETBREADS MILANESE, marinated heirloom tomatoes

The best sweatbreads ever! The meat melted in the mouth, the breading adding a nice crunch. Again, a light acidic accompaniment, the tomato salad, helped to cut and compliment the creamy richness of the sweatbreads and the aïoli topped it off perfectly. 

GROVE HILL BURGER, lettuce, tomato, half-sour pickle, cheese, fries

Bob chose the burger. It was cooked to medium as he specified, and the cheddar was nicely melted. This was a perfectly serviceable burger and well suited to the fussy eater in your party, if you  have one (you know, the one who said "eww" when you explained what sweatbreads are). 

SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE AMERICANO, parmesan, basil

Our friend made this dish his entree. My bite was a delicious combination of meat, tomato and pasta. Not sure why it's called "Americano," but that will give me an excuse to order it on a future visit. 

LINGUINI, jumbo lump crab, garlic, calabrian chile, lemon oil, parsley

I hit the jackpot with this choice. The lump crab tasted of sweet freshness from the sea, with no off flavors or smells as is often the case with Cleveland seafood. The chile was applied with care so it did not overwhelm the delicate crabmeat, and the prominence of lemon oil again showed off Chef Bando's skill with mating acid to rich ingredients to get the best of both. 

Even with leftovers to box up, we were all too full for dessert, which is a shame because they sounded delicious! Grove Hill has an in-house pastry chef making them, so next time, we will save room.

Chef Bando said the menu would be changing very soon (he says he has a short attention span), and even better, that Grove Hill would begin serving brunch on Saturday and Sunday August 23; they have a local farm set up to supply quality eggs for that. We look forward to playing with brunch at Grove Hill after the Farmers' Markets for the rest of summer and into fall!

Grove Hill is quickly becoming a favorite. Pristine ingredients and clever preparations combined with great service equals fun playing with food at Grove Hill.

Fun Playing with Chowder+

Well, I'm a day late, but hopefully not a dollar short. Bloggers Kathy Carano and Tom Noe have already posted about the fabulous dinner we enjoyed at Chef Louis Prpich's Cuyahoga Falls restaurant Chowder House Cafe. Chef Prpich hosted our table full of bloggers last Tuesday for a nine-course tasting of some very impressive, fun-to-play-with food.

I hadn't realized the significance of the restaurant's name when Tom set up this dinner. I adore fresh fish and seafood of every type, but I generally despair at tasting any truly fabulous specimens here in Northeast Ohio and never walk into any restuarant with that expection. Until last Tuesday.

Chef Prpich has over 20 years in the restaurant business and opened the modestly sized Chowder House as a way to pursue his life long passion for cooking while maintaining a family life. I learned Tuesday that he knows food - he knows freshness, he knows what tastes good, he knows how to coax great flavors and textures out of a kitchen limited in space and equipment, and he and his staff seem to have great fun delivering it. My kinda place.

To begin, we were offered a choice of one of three soups served daily at the restaurant. 

Lobster Bisque

Bob, who as my lighting director was permitted to join us, opted for this silken soup, featuring lobster, cream and sherry. I tasted it and almost regretted my soup choice, for a moment. But only for a moment.

Chowder

Chef’s Prpich's signature New England style clam chowder, as his menu says,  "contains lots of tender clams and no potatoes." But more than that, it has a perfect balance of flavors and textures and a fresh black pepper kick that had both me and Chubby Cook blogger Scott Groth wiping our bowls with the bread you can see a bit of at the right of the photo.

Crudo

Dayboat Scallops, Ahi Tuna, and, amazingly, Lake Walleye were sliced paper thin, seasoned with salt and pepper, sprinkled with olive oil and Meyer lemon juice, and served with a warm arugula salad with garlic and olive oil. This is the kind of fish I expect to get in Florida, not in Cuyahoga Falls. And not only was the product pristine - Chef Prpich's preparation sang with light, clean flavors that perfectly complemented the delicate meat. One taste and I was completely in Chef Prpich's power.


Portobello Strudel

Yes, there had to be mushrooms. These were poached in Cabernet and garlic, then wrapped in a locally sourced phyllo dough (Athens Foods), which made for an incredibly tender eating experience. Provolone cheese was added before the pastry was baked and the strudel was served with a rich demi-glace. I did love this dish enough to, ahem, work through the mushrooms; I confess to enjoying this dish way more than a mushroom-hater should.




Baked Oysters

Chincoteaque Oysters topped with spinach, bacon, manchego cheese and sherry cream were baked to creamy deliciousness. The oysters retained their briny character, but were enhanced by the rich toppings into a lip-smacking dish. Had five more courses not been on the menu, I would have cleaned the shells (as Bob did).  I was amazed that such fabulous fish and seafood could be obtained in Cleveland, and very impressed with Chef Prpich for both obtaining great products, and his imaginative and tasty preparations. 


Crabcakes

This was the only course that did not sing in perfect harmony for me. I seldom choose crab cakes because I can usually tell packaged crab from fresh, and none of the packaged products taste good to me (processing and chemicals - it's either that or freezing and sometimes chemicals, and neither is kind to fresh crab meat). I have never been able to give a stellar review to any crabcake I've had in this part of the world, and Chef Prpich confirmed that his crab is a packaged product (albeit a good one from a quality supplier). Packaged crab notwithstanding - if you like crabcakes and if you've ever liked a crabcake you've had in Northeast Ohio - you will love this one. Chef Prpich uses no fillers or extenders of any kind - his crabcake is 100% crab meat (plus coating of course). The small kitchen has no deep fryer, so the crab cakes are sauteed to crispy perfection and served with a lovely roasted corn (frozen in-house from summer's best, including Szalay's) with Adam's Reserve white cheddar and tangy jalapeno vinaigrette. 

Wild Caught Black Tip Shark

Spicy-rubbed fish with a Caribbean flair met a julienned medley of bok choy, scallions and red pepper, and was finished with ponzu fish sauce. Had I not been nearly full by now, I would have happily devoured every morsel on this plate. Chef Prpich explained that his fish and seafood are all sourced with reference to the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch website to determine which fish and seafood products meet high sustainability standards. Cooked to a perfect medium - neither the shark nor the preparation were anything  I am used to seeing around here, and kudos to Chef Prpich for bringing it to our table. Similar dishes, varying depending on ingredient availability, are always on the menu at the Chowder House, usually as specials. The flavors were simply delicious, and worthy of an excursion outside of your comfort zone.

Cassoulet

Not one, not two, but three types of house made sausage formed the foundation of this dish: chicken, spicy Italian (pork) and a second pork sausage containing whatever seasoning met the Chef's fancy at stuffing time. Instead of using duck meat in the dish, Chef learned through trial and error that chicken is more comfortable to local diners. But Chef Prpich works the traditional duck into the dish in a non-traditional way - can you say duck fat? Lots of tasty duck fat, used to confit the meats and added again towards the end of the assembly process. Oh, and the dish contains some cannelloni beans, vegetables and a crunchy panko bread crumb topping. But you come for the sausage and stay for the duck fat. Nontraditional, yes - fabulous eats, even more yes.

Monkfish Wrapped in Prosciutto Simmered in House Grown Stewed Tomatoes

The stewed tomatoes are an appetizer staple at Chowder House for as many months of the year as possible. Summer garden tomatoes canned by Chef Prpich (or served fresh in season) are slow stewed with garlic and butter and finished with a drizzle of fresh cream. It tasted like summer. On a plate. In the middle of January. Honestly, I was so full by this dish that I couldn't eat much - but oh for a bite of those tomatoes. And the monkfish with prosciutto offered lovely flavors with not a hint of any off note.

Vanilla Creme Brulee

Vanilla scented Creme Brulee with a side of cocoa whipped cream and a cayenne and chocolate tuille managed to revive our ravaged appetites - though unlike Kathy, I could not finish mine. But I made a dent!

A light and satisfying end to a rich dinner, with a sweet crunchy top and eggy pudding below, punctuated by the unusual tuille. 

Chowder House is open Monday thru Friday for lunch and dinner and Saturday for dinner only. On Sunday, brunch is served from 10 am - 2 pm. No credit cards are accepted, but checks are welcome, as is cash. Reservations are recommended (call (330) 794-7102). A beer license will be in place any day, with a wine license to follow very shortly.

Our table of 6 bloggers (and lighting director) had great fun exploring Chef Prpich's fish and seafood laden cuisine. I look forward to returning for more fun playing with fresh, local and sustainably sourced cuisine prepared with flair. Thank you Chef Prpich for treating us.

New Food to Play With at Wonton Gourmet, Cleveland, OH

When I first started dating my husband Bob in 1991, I told him that the only way I'd consider moving from New Jersey to Cleveland was if Cleveland had a good brewpub and a Chinatown. The fact that I moved to Cleveland four years later is a testament to both Great Lakes Brewing Company and Cleveland Asiatown. I have posted numerous times about Cleveland Asiantown's best Chinese restaurant, Wonton Gourmet, which provides authentic food, mostly Cantonese.

My primary complaint about the state of Asian food in Cleveland has been the lack of authentic Sichuan (or Szechuan) cuisine. Well, based on what I saw and tasted while recently celebrating a good friend's birthday at Wonton, that situation is being remedied.

Thomas, the proprietor and head chef at Wonton, is adding a selection of Sichuan dishes to the menu! I foolishly neglected to photograph the listings on the wall, so I can only show you the one Sichuan dish we enjoyed at the birthday lunch - but since Thomas asked me if he could keep the extra copy of the Asian Bistro menu I had with me (from my last post on Chicago eats), I think we can expect the Wonton Gourmet selection to expand!

And so - we enjoyed another Chinese feast at Wonton Gourmet! First - mostly the usual suspects for appetizers, but a couple of twists:


Cold Jellyfish with Pickled Vegetables and Seasame Seeds

I've never been a huge fan of gooey jellyfish - I've always preferred this delicacy served hot and crispy. But this time - I realized the secret to enjoying this dish - getting some of the pickled vegetables in your mouth together with the jellyfish strands. You know what? It's darn tasty that way! Even Janbo, who was very shy about letting jellyfish past her lips - enjoyed her taste.


Steamed Rice Rolls With Shrimp


Chive Potstickers


Turnip Cake


Steamed Rice Rolls with Green Onion and Cilantro

I much prefer these rolls to their stuffed cousins.

These nibbles were followed by a soup course:


Fish Maw and Seafood Soup with Conpoy (Dried Scallop)

Delicious, as always. The maw adds texture more than flavor, and the conpoy gives a huge hit of the sea!


Oysters with Black Bean Sauce


Golden Tofu Coins with Seafood, Fish and Vegetables

Our server passed our table while delivering a plate similar to this to the table next to us; he said that we had to try this dish today. As always, he was right! I don't know how they get silken tofu to be so firm and crunchy on the outide, while it remains pudding-like on the inside.


Sichuan Spicy Fish

Several folks in our group had already tried this dish on a recent visit, but I hadn't been to Wonton since they started serving the Sichuan dishes.



Exquisitely fresh filet was married with both chiles and Sichuan Peppercorn for a blazing, mouth-numbing experience. I can't wait to try the other Sichuan dishes listed on the wall!


Sauteed Snowpea Leaf with Garlic


Ningko With Shredded Pork

These toothy house-made rice noodle ovals make me swoon with delight every time I eat them!



The contrast of toothy noodle and crisp vegetable is irresistible!


Mai La Ong Choy

This item was also one of the "new" dishes. The Ong Choy was stir fried with a light yet assertive sauce, and lots of ginger - though it looks a lot like the garlic pea leaf dish we'd had earlier - the taste was completely different.

We completed our meal with a birthday cake one of our friends bought at the bakery at the West Side Market. It was a marvelous repast - and I hope a harbinger of spicy fun to come!

Yet More Fun Playing With Food at Wonton Gourmet

A friend emailed me last week that his aunt, who lives in Columbus Ohio, would be visiting him this weekend, and that he'd been itching to get her to Wonton Gourmet (3211 Payne Avenue, 216-875-7000, no website)(each of the last 8 words has a link to a different FPWF WG post). Did we want to join them? Why, yes!

Thomas, the proprietor, and his wife Shirley, were glad to see us. As the four of us settled in, he asked if we wanted to try a cup of strong Hong Kong style tea. We said of course!



Hong Kong indeed - this beverage tasted like a direct connection to Hong Kong's past as a British colony - it was almost like English Breakfast Tea. The addition of condensed milk was the initial give-away, since many Chinese are lactose intolerant and would never reach for milk on their own. The bold taste was different from most Chinese teas I've tasted, and Thomas's recommendation to add sugar was very well taken (and you never add sugar to Chinese tea). A lovely way to begin our dining experience!

We began with our "must have" starters - Chive Potstickers and Turnip Cake.





Dumpling heaven!





Crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside. Yum.

This next dish is one I've wanted to try for a while. The Chinese characters literally translate to Jin yin (gold-silver) dan (egg) xian cai ( Chinese spinach):



Thomas translates this dish as Eggs Two Ways and Chinese Spinach in Soup.



The "two ways" are salty eggs and 1000 year old eggs.



A visually striking dish - this dish packed a flavor wallop.



I found it a little too infused with a sulfurous smell and taste for my palate, however. I am very glad that I got to try it, though.


Salt Crusted Mixed Seafood





Calamari & Scallops & Rice - oh my!


Ong Choi Sauteed With Garlic

A perfectly prepared version of this Cantonese classic.


Hong Kong Style Fried Chicken

Eat your heart out, Colonel Sanders - this is how fried chicken should taste. Crispy skin, plump flesh, and juicy when you bite it.

As wonderful as all of the preceding goodness was - the best thing we ate today was the last thing we were served - Oysters "Hong Kong Style" with Spicy Black Bean Sauce!



The oysters were cooked (Chinese rarely eat anything raw). These were the biggest oyster shells I'd ever seen - all the better to hold more of that fabulous sauce!







The Black Bean sauce combined with the oyster liquor to make a dish greater than the sum of its parts.


Oyster Meat & Sauce Over Rice

Heavenly! And the sauce was so tasty - first I started dipping chicken pieces into the pool of sauce in the oyster shell - then I emptied the oyster shell's contents right onto my last bits of rice. It was magically delicious!

Wonton Gourmet remains my number one Asian restaurant in Cleveland. I am pleased to report that progress continues on the posting of photos with menu items and English descriptions - so it is even easier to explore Hong Kong culinary horizons if you choose. We had so much fun playing with our food today - my friend's aunt says she'll be back to do it again!