A little birdie sends this in:
Al Dente will be moving into the Ix building, the buildout should take a couple of months.
Our birdie sheds some light on an ongoing rumor that a high end steakhouse and bourbon joint is coming to the mall.
Do people actually go to the IX building to eat?
Popularity: 21% [?]
Tagged as: building, Food, ix, Restaurants, Rumors, steak
kinda sorta - la Taza has a coffe cart in Ix in the morning, with some delectable muffins (and I’m not just talking about the hotties who work the cart) and breakfast biscuits.
I’m sippin’ one of their ojo rojo’s as I type.
Other than that, Al Dente will be the first foray into Ix food-dom
I have eaten at the Ix and here’s what I had:
What? Popcorn, cotton candy, pixie sticks, and beer
Where? Wunderkammer (2006) and Shentai (2007).
What? Vodka, vodka, vodka.
Where? Artini (2006)
mmm yum
fine, fine - if we’re going to get picky about consuming at the Ix, I had a protein shake this morning, byotch!
I ate a twix at ix, but its kinda in the sticks.
Because nothing helps a failing business like moving to an obscure and underpopulated location that can only be described as sketchy during dinner service hours.
Maybe they want to make some bux on catering.
I’m picturing Al Dente in my mind, but I can’t actually place it on a map. Where and what the heck is it?
Currently directly above escafé.
You probably saw their menu more than their restaurant. It was propped up in front of Escafe on the Downtown Mall. Also, had good windows up there, on the 2nd floor. Very traditional Italian menu, which was a relief from precious menus nearby. Ate there once, eh. Maybe somebody else has a better informed review.
I would go with bland and overpriced as my overall assessment. I am still shocked they lasted this long.
I never went Lys. I had a very good friend in school who used to work there and she always said it was good. Maybe she lied.
I admit that I have very high standards for Italian, but to put it in perspective, I think this place and Vivace are on par, and I would never recommend Vivace (I wouldn’t kick and scream if someone really wanted to go there, but I certainly wouldn’t be excited either). The gnocchi was like heavy, chewy dumplings, not soft and fluffy pillows, and they put them in a cream sauce that was thickened with flour (which is fine for a bechmel but not a cream sauce, as an alfredo should be thickened with egg and cheese). I know, I’m a snot.
soft and fluffy pillows… I LIKE
Trivia: The owner of Al Dente used to be a waiter at Vivace.
@12 Lys: What do you think of Carmello’s? I may eat there before a JPJ event.
The hubby used to eat there a lot about 6 years ago and always said the pasta was good (especially the linguini with clam sauce) but that you should avoid the entrees. I’ve never been. We’ve been meaning to go, but we cook so much Italian at home that we haven’t made it over there yet. I’ll have to defer on this one…
@15 It looks bad!!! I know looks aren’t everything but really… As I said before, taste is taste is taste. If a restaurant has bad “location/building” taste or bad “decorating” taste, can you trust its “cooking” taste? Wjo knows? Maybe its the best food ever. But do you really want to go there?
The best Italian I’ve had in the state of Virginia so far is Mama Zu’s in Richmond, although the owner’s other restaurant Edo’s Squid is also excellent (they just don’t always have the sweetbreads as they tend to focus more heavily on seafood, but there is a ton of cross over in terms of menu items). The staff is rude, the space looks like it needed a paint job since before they moved in, and the wine selection is eh but the food is incredible and very reasonably priced. Definitely make reservation (and don’t be late, as they will give up your table and not think twice about about) and definitely get the sweetbreads and the scungilli over white beans. Even the side dish of pasta that comes with the entrees is incredible, let alone the gorgonzola sauce you can order. Mmmmm… so worth the drive. If they were in Charlottesville, I would eat there twice a week.
For a truly authentic Italian dining experience, I always visit Ragazzi’s or drive to Richmond to visit The Olive Garden™.
Don’t forget cici’s pizza. Best pie in town!
I’d go to the Ix for Al Dente. Still bitter I’ll be living without Artini though.
/need cheese with my whine
What happened to Artini?
Ran off with Rossi.
/still bitter I’ll never get to play artini.
Who or what is Rossi?
/not trying to nag! genuinely curious!
Martini & Rossi, makers of fine rotgut spirits.
I remember their old TV ads:
(Set to a Madison Avenue take on “hip” music for the jingle):
Martini & Rossi;
on the rocks;
Say, “yeah!”
I know, I’m a snot.
Feel the power of the Dark Side
(another obscure reference)
Okay, I got the death star reference - I just missed the rats.
/dated too many boys who could quote every line of those movies to ever need to see them again
I keed cuz I love!
@22 Building Dept/ Fire Dept.supposedly not allowing any more events like Artini at IX ……not up to building/fire codes……..time will tell
I know, dear oy. I am still racking my brain to figure out what random creature was refered to as a rat, as I totally though mc was talking about being a redneck and playing a game of small mammal vs. shot gun. My bad.
I always thought that old warehouse would be a great place for the much needed big grocery store near downtown.
overpriced, unimpressive food, and a few of the desserts had actually gone bad. when you throw in a pretty awful server on top of all of that it is hard to ever recommend the place. perhaps a new location will help them out. and maybe a new menu, new pricing, new servers, etc.
@18 Mama Zu’s is SOOOO GOOD!
If Al Dente goes over to Ix, it’ll be in the newer part of the building down the hill, not the cool condemned part where Artini and Shentai occured. Sorry dudes.
correct - it’s gonna be in the large space at the end, next to the bike shop
er, so a little birdie told me…
Yes. C-ville needs a mama zu’s
I’d love it if we had an Edo’s Squid. Been there so many times (just about every time I go to Richmond) that I have their number on speed dial. Mmmmm.. best calamari.
LOVE Edo’s Squid! I crave the arugula salad w/ crispy duck confit leg, gorgonzola and golden raisins. May have to make a trip down there tomorrow now that you all have me thinking about it…
As far as the Ix goes, it seems like a random and doomed location for any retail/restaurant to me. The developers are constantly courting retail tenants, promising success. I’ve heard they wanted Trader Joes, then Integral Yoga.. Think it’d be better for live/work lofts or such. Downtown locals have a hard time finding the place much less the common man.
Ix: Why is there no real entrance from downtown, from 2nd St SW by the new ACAC Fortress Keep? I walked over there the other day and it was like, through the gates, by the warehouse dock, around Shentai/Artini hulk, down the gravel hill, into the courtyard. Fine inside, nicely fit out, by the way. Afterwards, it was like, up the gravel hill with a flashlight, gates are closed, climb over, man these gates are tall!
i always thought, as i stood inside the skeleton of the old ix building during artini and other parties, “what if this place were on fire, or collapsing?”
turns out, it’s almost always on the verge of both. but it is an excellent place to score a toothless, cracky blowjob! al dente!
parlie, your thoughts are too deep for me to comprehend
@42 - re: toothless, cracky blowjob. You are absolutely right.
Went to Al Dente for brunch yesterday and was very impressed. It’s this gorgeous little oasis next to the big empty hulk of the back of the IX, with flowers, and plants, and rugs. Italian food but it has a sort of Moroccan ambiance? We ordered drinks- Bloody Mary for the BF($8) and Prosecco with Watermelon Purée ($7) for me. Yum! It was so refreshing and had a huge sliver of watermelon as a garnish. They also have Bellinis and Prosecco with Melon Purée. Boo-yah!
The BF ordered Butternut squash Crèpes withSage and Saffron Cream Sauce ($12?) and I got the Crab-stuffed Artichoke with Potato, Chives, and Lemon Sabayon ($13). The Crèpes came out and were rolled as skinny as a finger and cut into small portions and topped with sunflower seeds and squash blossoms. My artichoke came halfed, topped with purple pansies, and stuffed with the crab/potato/chive mixture next to a small Caesar salad complete with boiled egg pieces and fresh diced tomatoes and a slice of warm crusty bread which I used to sop up every last drop of sabayon and saffron cream sauce form our plates.
I don’t know if this is “typical Italian” or the best Italian or town but it is one of the nicest brunches I’ve been to in awhile. The waiter was very polite and the setting very tranquil. The food was very nicely presented. Also, the menu was pretty much all vegetarian–except for the Prosciutto with Melon. Bonus.
They also had:
Ricotta drizzled with honey and Crostini
Croissant with Fig Paste and Smoked Gouda
Vegetable Frittatta
Mint Crèpes filled with berries
It was sooo good. When we left, we felt satiated but not stuffed. I will be back.