I will still be tweeting and you can find me @themarinara. You can also find me blogging at the West of the Boulevard News and Baltimore Sports Report.

Ciao!

Now on to the menu…

Imagine the Greek festival, all year long. Seriously, can you think of anything better than that? (This writer can’t). From lamb kebabs to gyros, mousaka to spanakopita, everything Greek you crave is on the menu. Fresh and made to order whenever possible, you can taste the quality of the ingredients. In fact, a quick conversation with Basilis reveals just how uncompromising he is about using authentic, fresh, quality ingredients. For example, while others might opt to substitute cheaper ingredients like sour cream to save money when making tzatziki sauce, Basilis insists on using imported Greek yogurt. He knows, from experience, that you can’t make a great Greek meal with inferior ingredients.

You might think the prices would be sky high, given that last statement, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth! Lunch and dinner are easily accessible in the $5-10 range. For $20, two people can eat like royalty (read: weeknight date night!). I can only imagine the kind of foot traffic Basilis will have as the Spring weather rolls into Richmond and the crowds return to Carytown.

Make sure you don’t miss the dessert case when you visit. It’s easy to miss since it’s just past the register. I highly recommend grabbing a piece of the Akmak Kataifi. The name might hide it’s deliciousness, but trust me when I say that this house special isn’t like any other dessert you’ve eaten. Structurally, it’s a little like a Greek version of tiramisu. Taste wise, it’s a trio of Greek desserts (namely kataifi on the bottom, galaktobouriko in the middle, with sweet whipped cream and walnuts and honey on top).

And if lamb, gyros, and baklava aren’t your thing – just ask for suggestions! There’s plenty of fare here to satisfy a vegetarian palate or a gluten-free diet. When I visited, I had a cup of the fish stew (tons of veggies, pollock, and lemon) and a gyro.

I couldn’t recommend this restaurant more strongly. I hope you’ll consider stopping by for a meal to support our newest Carytown business. They are open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. everyday…which makes Basilis the perfect place to add into your brunch rotation regardless of whether you plan to eat in or carry out. Just look for the neon blue sign!

While you’re enjoying your next Greek treat there, noodle on this:
Basilis almost set up shop in the West End!

There are some notable omissions from this list- Coast, Bouchon, Lemaire. Honestly, I haven’t had the chance to dine at some of those places. I will eventually be moving the list to the sidebar, where I will keep it officially updated.

The Best in RVA These Top 3 restaurants I love. To me they are the BEST OF THE BEST. They are the places I want to go out for special occasions. They are the places where money is no object. I wanna go and experience heaven on a plate.

Acacia- I have only experienced Dale Reitzer’s cooking handful of times. Never have I been let down. This is my go to recommendation for a nice date night.

Mamma Zu- I always recommend this place with trepidation because it truly isn’t for everyone. It still is something wonderful. Ed has managed to keep the quality up for years now. There isn’t a night out when this place isn’t considered.

Sensi- Not sure why it took so long for me to check this place out. From the first time I went, I have been lusting after the steaks and chops. Sure it is an Italian joint, and you cannot go wrong with risotto with sweetbreads, but the meat is over the top good and large enough portions for sharing.

Other Top Dining Spots This next set of restaurants are awesome, but I just wouldn’t choose to have my last meals there.

Black Sheep- Huge fan of the brunch, yet it’s a shame to limit it.

Cafe Rustica- I love how one can indulge or eat smartly.

Can Can- Coolest bar in RVA. Low end food oftern trumps the high-end food here.

Edo’s Squid- It’s Mamma Zu without the charm.

Millie’s- Just missed the top list. Possibly the most iconic restaurant in Richmond.

Croakers Spot (need to verify that the new one is as good as the original)- Ohhhh wow. Seafood and comfort food heaven. This is the real deal.

La Grotta- This place is worth it just for the carpaccio.

Balliceaux- I’m a huge Russell Cook fan.

Texas De Brazil- I know it’s a chain, but this is where me and my buddies frequent.

The Best Value Restaurants The next set includes the affordable places that I find myself going to at least once a month.

City Diner- The food is fine. I go here strictly because they trea me like family.

Joe’s Inn- The Fan- I wonder if there is a better plate a spaghetti in town.

Pho So #1- The #10 and crispy spring rolls always feels right.

Mekong- This place is all about good food that accompanies great beer.

Hibachi Ichiban- The perfect $8 Japanese stir fry.

Chicken Fiesta- Stick with the chicken and hope they have the special sauce.

Kuba Kuba- I love Manny’s cooking, but too often I settle for the Kubanaso sandwich.

Arianna’s- Similar to City Diner, this place is our family dinner spot.

It is difficult to argue against Comfort. It’s a good concept. The prices are reasonable. The food seems to be good.
I will always have a certain respect for Comfort. They were pioneers in bringing the Richmond dining scene back to Broad Street. They brought it back and they did it with style.

For those of you who are new to Comfort, the restaurant plays on the traditional Meat and Three concept. You pick your meat and 3 sides to go along with it. While traditional Meat and Three places are basic comfort foods, Comfort takes those same basic meals and tries to kick it up a notch.

Comfort has two price levels. The higher price is for the given entrée and3 sides. The lower price is for only two sides. Appetizers run under $10. Most entrées fluctuate between $15 and $25. They have a strong bourbon selection. They have some subtly good sweet tea.

Shrimp and Grits Appetizer

Some food is better than others at Comfort. I loved the meatloaf. I’ve loved different steaks. I think the key is to have the waitress describe all the preparations because the menu is very vague. The sides are killer and almost enough reason to go to the restaurant itself. They have mac’n’cheese, cheese grits, braised greens, creamed spinach, and many more (including the richest corn bread stuffing that I have ever eaten.

Veggie Plate

I think the major flaw with this place is that it lends itself to being comfortable as a opposed to explosive. It’s perfect for certain scenarios. That being said I don’t find myself choosing to go there because I don’t have that overwhelming draw. If I do end up making the trip, I am comfortable knowing that I will have a good experience at Comfort.

Here was the problem; it was an event for employees of the Commonwealth of Virginia. So I contacted the agency sponsoring the event and asked if I could cover the event for my blog. They were gracious and granted my request.

The event was held this morning at the Richmond Convention Center. I know there were 1,500 people signed up to attend. I am not sure what the actual attendance was but there a lot of people there.

The morning was kicked off by Secretary Lisa Hicks-Thomas and Governor Bob McDonnell. Governor McDonnell asked everyone in attendance to join in an initiative to lose 10 lbs over the next 13 weeks.
But the real fun didn’t happen until Bob Harper hit the stage. And it was everything that I expected. He spoke to us about how weight loss is a lifestyle change. He talked about how there is no finish line in healthy eating. He talked about the emotional blockage that comes into play when trying to lose weight. Calories consumed and calories burned are important, but they are only pieces in the pie. It was also a treat to hear him talk about former and current contestants and they’re battles and struggles.

I lied. The real fun was having the Q&A. The first question was “Can I give you a hug?” Whether it was advice about diet and routine or questions about the show, Bob understood his audience and he was gracious with each person.

I wanna say kudos to the team that helped may this event possible. I only wish more people outside of the Commonwealth Employees had the opportunity to be part of it. And while it may be hard to ever quantify the effect of having Bob come and speak, it’s great to see organizations investing in the well-being of its employees.

I’ve been asked several times- “What do you think?”

My only response- “It was fine”

For the money that was spent on that meal, I feel like I should have been more excited. But in reality Shula’s is just another chain restaurant that invaded the Richmond area that happens to serve Prime Steak. I think that puts 5 total in the greater Richmond area.

- Shula’s
- Ruth’s Chris
- Morton’s
- Fleming’s
- Copper Grill

Then you can add the 2 local joints that serve (but I cannot confirm) USDA Prime or equal
- Hondos
- Buckheads

To me, USDA Prime is USDA Prime. I think it is safe to say that most of these places know what to prepare USDA Prime. I also think it is safe to say that the majority of you cannot tell the difference in the quality of steak from one USDA Prime place to another.

So what are the variables that you can judge between the different places. Well, you can have your USDA Prime beef grilled, roasted, seared, and broiled. You can add Bearnaise or horseradish or butter on top of your steak. You can serve it with creamed spinach, lyonnaise potatoes, asparagus, or the other of handful of typical side dishes. All these places have high-end wine lists and a strong selection of whiskeys. In the end, you are going to send roughly the same amount of money.

So what sets these places apart? The location, the atmosphere, the service, and the perfect combination of style and sides. It’s almost boring now when you think about it.

So why do we continue to keep adding these places? Why are Richmonders continuing to keep these places in business when we have so many creative local restaurants out there? Are there any creative Prime steakhouses out there? Is it possible to have a steakhouse that features local, grass fed steaks?

Help me here…..

I dig Grandpa Eddies BBQ. Mind you, I won’t put it on my top 25 list nor advertise it as the best bbq, but given it’s location, it’s a great option. Located in the chain infested waters of the Short Pump area, the place survives and puts out a great product and perhaps a great value.

Let me first start by saying, the old location was so much better. The newer location makes more sense. It just has no atmosphere. It’s too clean and polished on the outside and bleh on the inside.

What they do have is plenty of beer and plenty of tasty food. I have been there several times, but I can only remember ordering the same 3 dishes: 1) IBCA State Championship Chicken 2) Smoked Chicken Wings 3) Verlander Burger.

Their State Championship Chicken is fabulous. The problem is that is one of the most expensive menu items at $16. I’m not saying it isn’t worth it, it’s just that I usually only frequent the place at lunch and I am not a fan of the $20 lunch.

The smoked wings are arguably the tastiest wings in the down. The meat is tender, flavorful and colorful. They are a nice change of pace from the tradional Buffalo style wing.

The Verlander Burger is ridiculous. Named after MLB All-Star, Justin Verlander, this puppy is 8 oz of ground beef, 4 oz of smoked brisket, 2 slices of cheddar and BBQ Sauce. i ordered this thing medium rare and it came out perfectly pink. The brisket had a beautiful smoke ring and great flavor. It was supple and juicy and a must eat in Richmond.

Mow comes the question of value. This place is not a bargain by any means. I am usually spending $12 for lunch. The food is very good and I have no complaints. So I will say that the value at Gradnpa Eddie’s is more realized at dinner.

The term “smokehouse” is quite appropriate. Somehow they have managed to make the place a smoking facility by blocking of 6 tables as non-smoking and making the other 50 table tops smoking.

The food is mediocre at best, but no one really goes there for the food. They go there to watch sports and drink a crapload of alcohol. I believe in the right to smoke, and the Libertarian me has some issues with the smoking ban. That doesn’t keep me from enjoying the results of the ban and setting certain expectations. So when those expectations aren’t met, expect me to be angry.

Anyway, the place was slammed. I am convinced that every smoker in Richmond found there way out there. And such, I will make sure not to return.

*It also doesn’t help that there was open drug dealing in the rest room and angry customers wielding axes.

I had heard rumors of their seafood chili being amazing; alas, they didn’t have any. So it was going to be one of their fish boats. I figured I would delve into the Buffalo Style Fish Boat, and man did I hit a home run. It was 2 or 3 huge fillets of “Lake Trout” breaded and fried perfectly and drenched in hot sauce. The “Lake Trout” was light and flakey. The breading provided nice texture and crunch without overwhelming flavor and the sauce blended well into it.

My buddy tried the Eggleston’s Fish Boat with peppers, onions and some “secret sauce” and it looked as good or better then my own dish.

Both dishes came with some buttery, wonderful smashed (definitely no mashed) potatoes. They reminded be more of roasted potatoes squashed together. I didn’t need more but I could have eaten more.
There was so much food on each plate, which we struggled to finish. The cravings I had for their cheddar, ranch grits dissipated with each bite of true satisfaction.

Best part was that each entrée was under $10. While that is super savings at lunch, it is a steal at dinner.
I want/need to remember this place more often. It’s that good, it’s just hard to keep on the radar.

*Their sweet tea is over the top sweet. I had to thin it out with unsweetened tea, but some people like it that way.

1) Mamma Zu- They don’t advertise it. It takes forever to cook. It’s light, spicy and perfect.
2) Tarrantino’s- I am a huge fan of the char on the crust and the peppery sauce.
3) Mary Angela’s- This has been the standard. I adore the 18 inch pie. It’s perfect 30 minutes out of the oven.
4) Arianna’s- This is my neighborhood shop. The eggplant parm pie is ridiculous.
5) Cappriccio’s- Frank makes traveling to the West End worthwhile.

****8 1/2 has essentially the same pie as Mamma Zu except that it only comes in the small size. That doesn’t fly for me. I like large slices that I can cup.

Feel free to argue with me or supply me with your Top 5.