While sitting with some friends last night on the patio at Rapture, drooling over a prosciutto and swiss stuffed chicken breast with a delectable risotto and incredible gravy (”crack gravy” we’ve dubbed it), I announced that it was a “top 10 meal in Charlottesville”.
That got me to pondering - what, exactly, are my 10 favorite meals in Charlottesville. In no particular order:
- Zocalo’s Black Bean and Corn Relleno. I can help but to wolf this food down. I’m a pig when a plate of this stuff is in front of me.
- X Lounge’s Macaroni and Cabot Cheddar with White Truffles. Sdot calls this “crackeroni and cheese” with good reason. This stuff is addictive
- Riverside’s cheeseburger. Slabs of grease on a bun - what’s not to like?
- Miyako’s Tanaka roll. The fermented eel sauce sounds “ewww” but I swear I could eat a bowl of it like soup.
- Blue Light’s spicy tuna roll. An appetizer, granted, but that just means I can order two, right?
- Bavarian Chef’s Cordon Bleu. I know, it’s not in Charlottesville (it’s 20 minutes north on 29 in Madison), but it’s worth the drive. Meat, stuffed with Meat, wrapped in Meat.
- Saigon Cafe’s chicken fried rice. Perfectly cooked, every time.
- South Street’s goat cheese pastry. Again, an appetizer, but this could be my favorite flavor in Charlottesville. Wonderfully roasted garlic cloves, red pepper and incredible goat cheese baked in a pastry and covered in balsamic vinegar.
- Baggby’s Pueblo chicken sub. It’s been too long since I’ve had this, but I used to eat it almost every day for lunch. Chicken, bacon, american and provolone cheese, marinated peppers grilled on a roll.
- Petit Pois’ hanger steak. What can I say - melt in your mouth beef.
Oh yeah, and Rapture’s chicken with crack gravy. So it’s really a top 11 list. Sue me. Ok Villains - hit me up with your favorites.
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Tagged as: Charlottesville, Restaurants, Restaurants/Bars, Reviews
I should try the goat cheese pastry at South Street. The only food I order from there are the appetizers because they’re outrageously good (and cheap too, geez). The nachos. Oh God, yes. Sometimes when I get off of work, I get a hankering for nachos. I am starting to get one now. That’s #1.
Other great meals in no specific order.
Nuke, Little John’s. I believe lilith had a review once.
BBQ platter from Spry’s. See my review from a few weeks ago for more details. I took my dad there on Saturday. We got our food in 15 minutes.
Brandied apples on french toast, Rapture (brunch).
Bruschetta, South Street. Might as well plug South Street again. Goes well with Absolution Ale. In fact, everything goes well with Absolution Ale. I should count that as a meal.
In no particular order:
#901 at Saigon Cafe (or rice noodles with amazing fried pork)
Revolutionary Soup Spicy Senegalese Peanut Tofu soup
Green Curry Tofu, Tofu Cakes or Pork Pad Thai at Monsoon
Grilled Cheese with Country Ham from Feast
Peanut Butter Cookies from Bread works
Beef Tacos at Continental Divide circa 2001, but more recently Thai Chicken Burrito will do just fine too, and an order of nachos with the special mango hot sauce on the side
french toast at West Main Brunch: deep fried sweet rolls battered with corn flakes…hmmm healthy
Tuna at Continental Divide…
Mas: everything
Rivanna from Bel Aire Market…
NY Strip at Zocolo
Well done list. Top of the list is the Blue Light app which is a favorite of my wife and mine.
The grilled shrimp with salt,pepper and olive oil at MAS is divine. Low key and simple, if still on the menu as we have not been there in some time due to service issues…..
Alas, my dinner tonight kills them all.
Meta Burger at Mel’s
Lunch Combo #3 at Aqui es Mexico
Linguine Tossed with Lobster, Shrimp, Green Olives and Tomato in Paprika Basil Cream Sauce at Copacabana
Cheese fries at Orbitz
Cheese balls at Riverside
i must be both on a tighter budget and less of a foodie than the average cvillain, but heres mine:
(again, in no particular order)
- beef pie with saffron rice and mashed potatoes @ The Shebeen
- pork BBQ special w/ fries (fridays only) @ Tubby’s
- potato soup w/ philly cheese steak @ Revolutionary Soup
- chicken mussaman curry- level 3 hotness @ Monsoon
- 3 buttermilk pancakes, bacon, & homefries @ Blue Moon Diner
- samosas w/ mango chutney @ The Shebeen
- “the bob” burger- BBQ sauce, onions, bacon, and cheddar @ McGrady’s
- italian sausage sandwich and roasted potatoes @ Fellini’s #9
- lamb curry @ Just Curry
- ham and cheese on a whole grain crepe w/ onions and mushrooms @ The Flat
-Pulled Pork and Onion Rings at Belmont BBQ
-Eggs & Bacon at Blue Moon Diner
-Little Bacon Cheeseburger at Five Guys
-Stuffed breadsticks and Puaka Tunu pizza at The Brick Oven
Yeah, there’s only four. I’m broke and don’t go places.
calamari at Ten
santa fe enchildada at continental d
steak frites at zinc
Saturday mexican special at Feast
sizzling shrimp appetizer at Orzo
Cowboy ribeye downtown grille
pesto omelette bluegrass grille
riverside cheeburger
ham and brie Bashir’s
Tuna tostada at Continental Divide.
I wish I could remember the name of the dish I had at Bang! the other night–Chicken dumplings I think. Delicious.
Just to let you all know, something very exciting will be up soon about Charlottesville restaurants. I’ll keep you guys posted.
saigon cafe = Sheking beef or Tofu Country style — hands down their best dishes, in my opinion(and I’ve been going there since elementary school).
feast = best sandwiches in town. geenwood in crozet has got ‘em beat, but the commute isn’t worth it if you’re not in the area. roast beef with boursin?!!? shit son…
uncle charlies = best chicken wing you’ll have in your life.
Wayside = real deal fried chicken. dowse that shit with some texas pete!
blue moon = buscuits and gravy, no doubt! the french toast, pancakes, the burger with the cream cheese, and the turkey rueben also rock my world, but this is coming from a fuckhead who eats there three times a week(my roomie cooks there).
mas = everything
continental divide = king of shit mountain(In a good way)
little johns = the wild turkey, of course
michael’s bistro = their lunchtime chicken sandwich is premium
Christian’s pizza sucks dick.
continental divide = king of shit mountain(In a good way)
The operative phrase is “king shit of fuck mountain.” Don’t make me come over there.
Ok, maybe its not a meal… but
Foods of all nations: Roma sandwich, not grilled
The Market: Montpelier
Bang: Anything on the menu
Lots of repeats with above choices (the drunken NY strip at Zocalo is the single best thing I’ve eaten in a Cville restaurant for the past several years). Mas and Continental Divide, haven’t had anything I haven’t liked yet.
Pizza is 90% about the bread/crust and Christian’s is the best in Cville more often than not.
Santa Fe chicken and cheese wrap with green (medium) salsa at Zazu is my go to cheap comfort food. The BBQ and Thai wraps are pretty friggin tasty too.
Mas and the Divide are indeed awesome. I suppose the bacon wrapped dates at Mas would probably be in my “Top 20″ meals, as would Michael’s Bistro’s Bison Burger and the Turkey Bacon Pannini at Brix.
The only pizza in my top 20 wouldn’t be either Christian’s or Vita Nova’s (though I love them both), but South Street’s cheese pizza. Yummilicious. That and their Hefeweissen is a wonderful meal (and, actually, the meal I had just last night).
-gary (munching on a La Taza sausage biscuit fo breakfast! mmmmm)
Some of my favorites…
Five Guys - Burger (duh)
Hamilton’s - Smoked Pork
Seafood @ West Main - Fish Tacos or Crab Cake Sandwich
Duner’s - Filet
Aqui Es Mexico - Yucca
Jinx’s - BBQ Sammich
Ten - Toro sashimi (fatty tuna)
Orzo - Caesar Salad with chicken
A few of my faves include:
Mostly anything at Mas, but especially the hangar steak with roasted tomato sauce
The Yellow Curry Tofu (spicy level “hot”) at Thai 99.
The Rainbow chicken at Szechuan Restuarant
Oh, and lest someone think I have chosen one side or the other in the 5 Guys versus Riverside debate, my Top 10 burger spot is actually interchangable between the two. Riverside gets a *very* slight edge on greasy goodness, but 5 Guys gets the edge on toppings (love those ’shrooms). 5 Guys wins big for their fries, but Magic Rat’s cheeseballs are an excellent alternative side.
Living a stone’s throw from the 5 Guys on the mall means that’s usually where I’ll go when I crave me some burger.
-gary
- cheese plate from zocalo. quince paste and manchego . . .
- cucumber sauce and basmati rice from sticks
- hot pots from thai 99
- fried oysters from cassis
- california club from jimmy john’s (!)
- egg & cheese biscuits for brunch from bluegrass
- peanut noodles (and cucumber!) from marco & luca
- red hot & blues from divide. how has no one mentioned these? runner-up - nachos from la cocina del sol.
- farmington from belair
last but not least - cambonators at ludwig’s.
ooh yeah, the oysters at Cassis are excellent. I’ve only been to Jimmy John’s once, but was less than impressed - seemed a step up from Subway, but not much more.
-gary
In no particular order…
- PEI mussles in white wine and shallot broth at l’etoile (not always on the menu)
- Lisa quesadilla at Rev Soup (especially in the winter, as they make a butternut squash salsa to go with it)
- Lobster tempura at Ten (with the calamari a close No. 2)
- Pad Thai at Thai Siam (okay, it’s a far drive but as I get take out, it counts)
- Cold fois gras at Fleurie
- Fried oysters at Casis
- Saag Paneer at Himilayian Fusion (although saag paneer anywhere pretty much makes this list - I’m an addict)
- Virginia Blue Point oysters on the half shell at Blue Light (champagne required)
- Egg salad sandwich on wheat at Timberlakes
- Sasauge breakfast croissant from Soup to Nuts at the Farmers Market (usually they are next to Water Penny Farm)
I accept all criticism for almost entirely listing apps, but I really haven’t had an entree wow me in a long time.
Damn Lys! You make me feel like a complete idiot for forgetting Thai Siam. That place is *amazing*.
And anyone who’s gonna critizice you for focusing on apps is going to have to go through me first. As often as not, I’ll order a couple of apps instead of an entree.
-gary
At least a list of the top ten things that I crave most often in this town, while certainly not top ten best meals…but answering a craving is a lot like finding the end all be all, at least for a moment and that’s not bad…
-tuna tostada at Continental Divide (my hands down fave in town)
-shrimp and grits at Maya
-trout with almonds at Zinc
-toss up between the 90’s club as a wrap and the ham, brie and honey mustard wrap at Rev Soup
-noodles with spicy beef at bang!
-any of this chicken slices at Christians before he started sucking recently
-polenta ‘fries’ at Zo.ca.lo.
-late night bbq at C&O (and their duck and…)
-stewed tomatoes at Mas
-everything bagel with munster, smoked turkey lettuce, tomato, avocado and bacon after a night that was waaaaaay too long.
You’ve started an epidemic! A really delicious one! Here I go…
10. The Virginian- tied for pork sandwich, cobb salad, burger, grilled cheese, reuben, etc.
9. Gyro and fries at Basil.
8. Mushroom omelet (sage-portobello) at Bluegrass.
7. Calamari at Ten.
6. Duner’s.
5. Three cheese panini with truffle oil at Enoteca.
4. Chicken satay at South Street.
3. Monkfish with cremini mushrooms at Cassis.
2. Tie: Grilled ancho rubbed pork tenderloin at Zocalo, seared duck breast at Zocalo.
1. OXO.
alright, so, from the pescoterian point of view
MAS– smoked tomatoes, seared tuna, three cheese empanada
continetal divide– red hot and blues
durty nelly’s- veggie sub
aromas– anyhting
bashir’s– falafel w/ mint sauce
feast– white bean salad
asian express(ya heard?)– tofu anything. they do bean curd right
mellow mushroom– tempeh sub, hold the tomatoes, add jerk sauce and grilled pineapple
c&0– cheese plate, caesar salad (i have only eaten there late night)
and
pizza bella– tortalinni portabella w/out the prosciutto
mmm, fooooood………
just had a chili-cheese dog from Hamdinger’s (sp?) cart on the mall. Very nice - a good, beefy dog, with a chili heavy on the ground beef, grated cheddar on a potato roll. $3.
Not a “Top 10 meal”, but excellent
mmm street food. There is something so base and primal about street vendors….simple food….only the necessities….maybe a childhood memory…anthony bourdain is always championing street vendors….i just wish oy’s message was at 2:07am.
I am also a big fan of the cheese pizza at South Street.
[…] October 3 - downtown, oy […]
lets revisit this shall we?
Top Ten eh?
1 - MAS (broccolini, shrimp, carne asada, the tuna, kobe salad, VEAL CHEEKS YUM!, everything)
2 - TEN (kobe meatbals, ishiyake steak, everything)
3 - OXO (sweetbreads, foie gras, halibut, everything)
4 - Domino’s (large pepperoni, mushroom, extra cheese pizza, hot wings with bleu cheese, and a 2 liter of pop)
5 - Bang! (chickpea springrolls and TJ)
6 - Basil (gnocchi and ANY of their salads… also the Parma is nice)
7 - Little Johns (turkey and cheddar on wheat with mustard and sprouts, potato salad, fruit salad, doritos, some delicious dessert and a Pelegrino… yum)
8 - Mel’s (food long chili cheese dog and collards with lemon meringue pie)
9 - West Main (monte cristo sandwich and calamari with wasabe mayo)
10 - The Nook (buffalo chicken tenders and a “Cafe Sandwich” with a pop)
oh yeah and PONDEROSA ROCKS! (shout out to Sunshine)
Since Eduardo brought this back up. I have to say my list starts and ends with the Beef Bourginone (sp?) and Spetzle (sp?) at Petit Pois. Unbelievable. And, after 18 years of eating in this town, I never expect to be impressed. Thank you Brian, et als.
Brian makes the best Eggplant parmesan too! Thanks for the free lunch the other day hot stuff.
i got a love for lemongrass; this list is for all you hardworking, goodlooking hospital employees out there
i feel like a princess without spending like a princess when i eat the following (listed in no particular order)
mas: bacon wrapped dates, spicy nuts, paired with a bottle of bodega de aljibes
miyako: liz roll (special eel roll request), beef tataki, 6 nigiri 2 roll custom combos
rev soup: adam’s apple sandwich (on the corner only) & soup to palette, nice beer selection
lemongrass: pineapple fried rice, thai iced tea. my search for good thai is over
c&o: latenight menu items namely artichoke pate & bbq; fresh squeezed greyhounds, yum!
And think about this not one of you have mention the steak tar tar???????????
I went to The Clifton Inn on Sunday and had the following three course meal:
Heirloom Tomato Salad
Three kinds of mushroom over risotto
Poached Lobster over some kind of pancake thingy.
The service was fantastic, everything was outstanding. Our bill for four was $333.00. It was my parents 40th wedding anniversary and now that Oxo is gone I think this is the best restaurant in the area for fancy shit. One guy walked through the place on his cell phone on his way outside to smoke. What a douche… And another douche was on his cell phone twice during our meal but he talked quietly and looked like he had terrible ass warts or something and he did not look like he was enjoying his lady friends company. The place boasts that the staff speaks 12 different languages.
Our bill for four was $333.00.
You got ripped off.
Nope. Last time I went we spent $200 for two.
we spent $200 for two.
Then you got ripped off even more.
sometimes i like to sprinkle a little bit of diamond dust on my cornflakes, just because that shit is just so ballin’ dawg.
Lulu must be a Dollar Menunaire.
How could I get ripped off? The bill was right.
@40: I like a dollar menu every now and then, but I just don’t think there’s a meal worth a hundred dollars a piece. Money can be spent so much more wisely.
@41: The bill may have been correct, but it wasn’t right.
/that guy
People have different priorities. I spend all my money on food and booze.