by amvandenhurk | Travel
I was reading the Washington Post online Friday night when the special section on the Washington Redskins training camp caught my eye. It mentioned the training camp was in Richmond, VA and after visiting the Redskin’s website, I found out the training camp was open to the public on Saturday afternoon. Now we like football in this house. We’re Redskins fans, too. Couldn’t pass this up.
Of course, we need to eat when visiting the Redskins training camp and honestly hot dogs wasn’t going to do it. For me anyway. Richmond has a rich food scene going on so it was hard to pick a place to eat. Using my favorite food apps, Foodspotting and OpenTable, we picked a place, Xtra’s Cafe based on the reviews, menu, location near the training camp, mid-range dinner prices, and kids menu. I booked using OpenTable which makes reserving a table so easy.
After enjoying the Redskins training camp, we headed over to the Carytown neighborhood of Richmond. It is a pretty hip and trendy section. It had two cupcake shops and two yogurt places so that says it all. And I’m sure the PBL was served like water. Anyhow I regress.
After watching some football, I was ready to eat a manly meal. Ok so I’ve got to say this here, but why is meat associated with men? I mean I’m very much a woman and I enjoy a good piece of meat. And so do my female friends. Again, I regress.
We climbed the stairs to Xtra’s Cafe hot, thirsty, and hungry. We walked into a place with very chic decor, but yet it still was very comfortable. They had a nice balcony which would be good in cooler temps; we chose to stay in the air conditioning. The staff was very attentive and helpful.
I ordered the petite filet which was finished with a Stella Artois cheese fondue served with a fennel potato au gratin and sautéed broccolini. It was delicious. The filet was cooked perfectly and melted in your mouth. The sides complimented the filet well. I thought the price of $24 was fair for the quality.
I skipped a starter so I could have dessert. And I was not disappointed with my choice to go for dessert. I had the almond tiramisu. Amazing. So light. So flavorful. Balanced perfectly with the main course.
After dinner we strolled through Carytown. We’ll be back.
And “Hail Yeah!”
by amvandenhurk | Life
Chain restaurants. We all go to them. Sometimes not willingly, but often there aren’t other dining options. Chain restaurants serve a purpose by providing a consistent menu that is familiar to most. While chains strive to be “authentic,” they are often far from.
It seems that “authentic” places are vanishing from the American food landscape. This saddens me greatly. I freely admit I frequent chains a lot more than I would like to, but I do actually seek out local places first. I like to think of it as an adventure in dining, and I like to visit places long established in their locations… Pieces of Americana.
Wherever we move, my goal is find these local treasures. Most aren’t fancy dining and that’s OK. Often they’d be called greasy spoons, but there is something special about them. I’ve found many on my food adventures. I’ve got some new favorites. Back in Lexington, KY, there was the
Parkette Drive In, founded in 1951. It is still going strong. Everything is still original from the neon sign, to the call-boxes, and the the fried chicken in a box. Here in eastern North Carolina, I’ve stumbled upon
Parker’s Barbecue (est. 1970), where you are served heaping plates of chopped BBQ with homemade hushpuppies by young guys dressed in all white with paper hats, and
Dick’s Hotdog Stand, which has been serving hot dogs with all the trimmings since 1921, and the walls are covered with photos of famous people paying tribute to the food to show for it. Both are in Wilson, NC.
What do all these places have in common? Tradition and memories. They are community gathering places. Real neon signs. Worn booths and stools that aren’t exactly comfortable, but yet somehow comfort you. Photos on the wall sharing the collective past. Waitresses who call you “hon” and mean it. You go there to connect with people. And to hear the news, or basically hear the gossip. Everyone knows everyone, and even if you are a stranger you soon become a friend should you be sitting at the counter. While I’ve eaten in posh restaurants and have had a pleasant, memorable dining experience, what I remember the most about eating out are the Friday nights spent with my Dad at
Max’s Hot Dogs on the broadwalk at the Jersey Shore, or with my parents eating pizza and dancing at Briody’s in Rumson, NJ.
Many of the places I’ve mentioned are becoming endangered of becoming memories. In fact, Briody’s is gone after seventy years.
Now where does
Foodspotting come in? It is a a restaurant review app/social network of people who like food and sharing their food photos. Foodspotting for foodies by foodies. The goal is to create a new kind guide of food guide that highlights not only restaurants, but their best dishes. Most places featured on Foodspotting are small and local. It gives people the opportunity to share their favorite places and the food they love. Even though I have Urban Spoon on my iPhone, I find myself going to Foodspotting first and checking out what other foodies have uploaded and said about places. And I love adding
my own.
So the next time you are out and find a special place to eat like Dick’s Hotdog Stand or a place that makes regional specialty foods like the
Clam Box in Ispwich, MA, share it on Foodspotting so others can enjoy it too. In fact you’ll be preserving an important piece of vanishing Americana. So what are your favorite, unique eateries?
PS – Often these restaurants have unique period architecture so you’ll be hitting two birds with one stone.
This post was originally posted on Ann-Sense on February 13, 2011.
Hello! I'm Ann Marie and I wear the well-worn apron. Join me as explore plant-based eating while I live on an island off the U.S. state of Rhode Island.