The Horse & Hound “gastropub” opened in earnest on Thursday and had a patio full of diners last night. Having gushed about Maya for weeks on this site, I felt it was my duty to visit its neighbor and spread the accolades. General information about this new “mid-town” spot and its owners can be found in Cville Weekly and The Hook. You may also be interested in Iron’s discussion of the new restaurant activity in the area now called Midtown.
The decor
On the patio, the fence now has brass tips and the wall that separates the patio from Maya’s has water fountains on it. Huge umbrellas shade all but two of the tables. Inside, the walls are a simple beige and a few horse-related details can be found (a bridle and boots by the coat hooks, for example). This is not a kitschy, Applebee’s like set up. I don’t remember what the bar surface was when the building was the Blue Bird, but it’s a pretty brass material covered by a clear top. The bathrooms are white with antique brass fittings. They went for the English pub theme, but didn’t go over the top.
The food
In a word: good. We started with zucchini and corn fritters ($8) which came with a tangy mayo-based sauce. The fried outside was a good balance for the all-veggie insides. It was just the right size for an appetizer.
The fish and chips ($10) are what you’d expect of good fish and chips. The Haystack ($8) was a stack of grilled portabella mushrooms, zucchini, red peppers, fresh sprouts, and goat cheese on a bun. It was tasty and the veggies were grilled just right. I’m not a big fan of plain goat cheese (drunken goat cheese is another story), but it was a good sauce of sorts. The short, shoestring fries are good, but I didn’t have any problem pushing them away (something I have trouble with at a few places in town).
We were too full for dessert and I resolved to skip the appetizer next time to try some.
The Drinks
After a Starr Hill Brewery staffer told me Horse and Hound had no domestics on tap, I was curious about the drink menu. There are many good imports on tap, so I doubt anyone will miss Budweiser (which is sold in bottles like other domestics) there. The wine list wasn’t huge, but it seemed adequate and included descriptions. Our mixed drinks were as expected and when I went inside, I realized that I recognized the bartender (Anthony is his name), but I can’t remember where he worked before. He has definitely been around for a while, so I’m hoping we’ll see some specialty drinks work their way onto the drink menu at some point.
All in all, we enjoyed our dinner at Horse and Hound and will be going back. I had my doubts about going to a restaurant on its second night in business, but those doubts were completely unfounded.
I wonder if anyone can say they are visiting Midtown more often due so many good establishments being in the area. I love the mall, but I’m finding myself on West Main Street more and more these days.
Related posts:
- Horse and Hound Round Two
- The coming (tectonic?) shift to Midtown
- Midtown vs West Main Street Naming Rights
“Midtown”? Nonono, we already have a perfectly good name for that. We’ve been using it for the past 150 years. “West Main Street.”
Interesting review – you can’t help but be intrigued by the beautiful patios of Maya and H&H along West Main Street/Midtown/Whatever. I’ve never been to either but have become excited to try both soon.
I ought to check this place out. Since it’s a sort of British-inspired pub atmosphere, I’m hoping I might be able to get some Beamish on tap. I’ll certainly check it out this week since it’s maybe a ten minute walk from where I live.
Midtown sounds so much cooler. Plus, what happens when those places expand beyond West Main?
We ate at H&H on Friday. The service was friendly but slow, and while many of my companions had what looked like tasty (and inexpensive!) sandwiches, my pecan crusted Mahi Mahi was not good in the least.
I’ll give it another shot, though.
I second Thor. I like “midtown.” Upstart, this review is awesome. Thanks!
you recognized Anthony from Orbit, Blue Moon Diner, Atomic…wherever. He is a great bartender, and a real nice guy.
I went to H&H and was as unimpressed with it as I was with Maya. Seriously whats wrong with you people? The food at Maya is boring, and Ted’s shtick is, too. The vibe is great and the decor amazing, but otherwise: meh.
H&H has better food than Maya, but could take a few tips on how to create a comfortable interior that draws folks in.
I think Zinc is the best addition to Midtown. Affordable, delicious, kind servers and bartenders. Hopefully Maya and H&H can turn things around….
Please stop calling West Main Street Midtown. While I am happy to see so many new faces in Cville, and with them great new restaurants, Midtown is a simply ridiculous name for an area that is only a few blocks long. Look around folks, it has been West Main Street for a long time and always will be. Does the opening of three or four new restaurants (and potentially good restaurants) truly warrant a name change here? I don’t think so.
I think West Main/Midtown should be called the Taint district.
Ate at H&H for a second time on June 27. It was ok and service was again super slow. But given the laundry list of truly very good restaurants in Charlottesville–including the nearby and better Zinc and Maya–I dont really see any reason to make visit number three.
I ate here the other day and I thought the food was great. I had the Haystack and my friend had the mussels. I am not a big beer drinker but loved the Leffe. My friend was thrilled to find his favorite Pauliner on tap. Also, the patio is dog-friendly. The staff even brought our dog his own bowl of water. This is my new favorite place.