Before I even get to the point of reviewing a restaurant or bar, I’m paying attention to who’s going where. Specifically, I want to go where the industry goes. Who better than chefs and servers to know who’s doing their craft the best?
Escafe
Spotted: OXO, Mas, Bang, and Boheme employees.
The appeal: Casual, anything-goes atmosphere and the guarantee of running into friends. I’ve never walked in and not seen people I know there, even eating dinner solo on a weekday night, not counting staff.
Mono Loco
Spotted: Beer Run and Mas employees.
The appeal: Great bartenders, great drinks, great music.
Ten
Spotted: The chef/heartthrob behind Petit Pois, Fleurie, and Il Cane Pazzo.
The appeal: To me, it is the most cutting-edge food being done in this city.
Mas
Spotted: Maya employees and a Zinc co-owner.
The appeal: After it swells with diners from when it opens until 10 or 11, Mas is something of a refuge– intensely sumptuous dishes served at tables that, in spite of their openness to the bar, feel very intimate. In the industry, midday is sun-down and bed time is sun-up. It can be lonely, feeling like you’re missing out, and it’s hell for a personal life. But Mas is a life of its own. I mean this as a genuine compliment: no one’s going to f* with you at Mas. If you’re there, you’re there.
Popularity: 19% [?]
Tagged as: Charlottesville, eat, employees, hole, owners, Restaurant, watering
As in industry girl myself, I definitely agree with Mas. We all go there. After a hard shift with no staff meal, we’re starving, and who better to serve us than my favorite hot sous chef in town? The food’s amazing, and nothing beats sitting at the bar with a pitcher of sangria. But you forgot about C & O…. we all go there too. Also for the food available late night, but more so for the good vibes, friendly bartender, and warm down-home feeling of it all. Plus, on Tuesdays there’s some really good live music.
Interesting idea, lililth. But isn’t there some selection bias going on here? I mean, you could walk by the employees of Taco Bell quaffing wine at the Downtown Grille, and you’d never know. Just sayin’….
The people who staff the cafe at Sam’s Club hang at Amigo’s on 29. Interesting lot, them.
/has nothing really to contribute
Good point, Stanley! These are places where I’ve seen frequent occurrences. They’re also where I occur frequently
Add to it!
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/has absolutely nothing to contribute (me not yo)
I know a lot of the chefs/cooks who work on West Main St tend to grab burgers at Mel’s before their shift starts, but I don’t think that’s what Lilith is talking about.
Add to it!
Gladly! Employees of Bistro and the Satellite Ballroom…drink at the Bistro and the Satellite Ballroom. Fact.
Ooh, another: the Rapture crowd used to always grab food and margaritas at Guad before their shifts. Not sure if that’s still a tradition.
I had what must have been half the kitchen staff of X lounge, post shift boogying at the cafe a couple wednesdays back. They were nice.
Random gripe, but I’m never pleased in the food and drink (Aside from the margaritas. They’re just fine) at Mono Loco.
Anyone? Anyone?
@10 I agree.
mas above most restaurants…all of corin’s restaurant employees get discounts at his restaurants and mas always has far more discounts applied than his other restaurants.
continental divide gets a lot of industry folk as well.
what about Bizang? Bang girls are hot!
Bang girls like Jenna Bush? Wait, that sounds wrong.
Bang girls are teh hotness, true dat.
Do you folks really call it the “industry”… like some kind of waitperson mafia?
Trippy.
Spotted: The chef/heartthrob behind Petit Pois, Fleurie, and Il Cane Pazzo…
Laugh!
yeah b’yo, it’s the service industry dude.
Hi C!
Are you posting as Silmoline or do I have a secret life I don’t know about?
So do you guys have cool nicknames and a hierarchy?
obviously… DONNA!
silm, I think silmoline is gobbler, y’know how much he loves us!
oh yeah… lets not forget about X Lounge! Francois is AMAZING.
Goebbelers???
gooblers
Why is it red, eduardo?
i see many in the industry regularly at:
bodos
bluegrass grill
continental divide
zinc
dressed up at:
clifton
pomme in gordonsville
i wonder if anybody in the industry has come up with a more self-righteous way to say “the industry”.
probably yes. industrious little bastards.
(homespace bar), escafe, home, c&o, zo.ca.lo, maya, miller’s on sundays(or home), rapture on mondays(justin[mmw] bar-tends)…not so much wanna hang out/be seen/ on fridays due to the ‘yuks…sunday lunch at bodo’s or*heaven not working and blue grass grill*-not just the thrill of not working. i hear maya is also good food .(haven’t been to yet but hope to go to boheme)…or home.
just 2 cents from a bird who works tail off in the industry, but doesn’t think the term is a compliment. cheers!
whoops! spelled my own name wrong.
(:()
someone else is awake!!!!
I am most certainly not silmoline. You would think you would know the creator of your own love child. Due to your neglect I feel obligated to raise and nourish the poor bastard child. You can have weekend visiting rights.
thor, i was awake at 4:45, just not keyboarded.
/my waking penis is bigger than yours
oh man.
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