I love the Box.
I wanted to wait to review it until I’d had at least three dishes, and after the first trip, it didn’t take long to get to that point.
Before I start talking about it, and by talking I mean gushing, I want to say that this is a pre-review, not a review. They did a soft opening with zero promotion last Friday, and the staff has unanimously established that they’re still working out the kinks. That’s perfectly fair.
The Hook’s Dish announced the opening on Thursday, but C-VILLE’s Restaurantarama got first dibs on a review of the food yesterday. Enter the red-headed stepchild of Charlottesville news.
What’s working
Just about everything. Especially that panang curry. And the peanut sauce. And the Asian slaw. And the marg. And the red boxes. And, and, and.
In my past life, I ate a lot of cool, casual food. I can sit down for good, cheap Asian food in Charlottesville– if I park in a strip mall and sit in a dark, wood-paneled room. The downtown mall and Belmont are the cultural center of Charlottesville for me, and if businesses were as easy on the wallet as they are on the eyes, I’d be a fat and happy villain. There are certainly inexpensive meals to be had on the mall, but they tend to do one thing really well– pizza, soup, dumplings– or close after the lunch crowd returns to their cubicles. What the Box offers is good, cheap Asian-esque food in a cool setting. I love being greeted by Mr. Miyagi around the corner from Live Arts and leaving only $10 poorer. Bonus: free wifi. Double-bonus: smoking after 10.
Everything I’ve had is intensely flavorful, and I’ve yet to see a single bead of oil surface. Small boxes are $5.50, large are $7.50, and I can assure you that the small boxes pack a shocking volume of noodles. I ordered a large box to-go one afternoon and unloaded it at home. The noodles overflowed a salad plate immediately to the point where I transferred them to a dinner plate and they filled it and had height to them. (The sauce is poured on top, so be prepared to see a raw noodle and toss your own sauce.) I wish the curry hadn’t tasted so f-ing good, too, because I can’t remember the last time I’ve eaten so much so mindlessly, blowing past the point of “full” to “sweet JESUS what have I done?” And nothing quite says “fresh” like a trio of melon juice pitchers on the bar when you walk in.
Another winning point for the Box is the staff and management. They strike me as cool, nice guys. One’s got his hands in the wildly popular music venue Toad’s Place in Richmond. Another comes from Blue Light, a well loved member of the community who knows the city’s social scene better than Thor or I could ever hope to.
What’s not working, but it could be just me
Not a lot to say here. I’m kind of scraping the bottom of the barrel (err, box) on this one.
Congratulations, Box, you’ve done something special here.
[pic]
Related posts:
- Monsoon Restaurant Review: My Thoughts on BAD Thai
- HEED ME, FOR GREAT JUSTICE!! Korean House Restaurant Review
- Lime Leaf Thai Restaurant Review
“ginormendous. (I made that up! Let’s make it stick!)”….
…too easy!
Hmm, this is a little gushy. I agree that it’s a nice addition, though!
Man, that place sounds good. I’ve been there twice to drink and zero times to eat. I can’t wait to get myself in there for lunch or dinner. Maybe today is the big day.
How’s the lunch crowd, busy?
What’s the seating like? Are there many big tables?
Is it quick? Can take an hour lunch with a 10 minute walk both ways?
My gripe: I want to eat noodles out of noodle bowls, not boxes.
I’ve been twice, with mixed results. The first time I had the cellophane/peanut sauce/chicken/peanuts & chili’s combo, along with an order of the dumplings, and all was amazingly good.
(crap – doing some testing at work, gotta shut down the browser – pt2 of this post coming soon’ish)
anyway, the meal was excellent and the service attentive and friendly.
I went back the next night and ordered the dumplings (as good as the previous night) and the cellophane/curry/chicken/peanut and chili’s combo. Instead of chilli’s, I got scallions, and the noodles were cold. At first I thought that maybe they just did cold noodles with the curry, but my friend had ordered almost exactly the bowl I had from the previous night (veggies instead of chicken, otherwise the same) and her noodles were cold as well.
That said, it was still good, but I prefer my noodles hot. Again, this was during the first few days, so I’m prepared to cut some slack (and, again, it was still pretty good).
I would love to eat some noodles from a box, but I am too busy testing hamburger in a can.
I’ve been serving a ginger lemon drop at OXO since December. Copycats!
Anyhoo, the Box is GUD.
i had the panang curry/lo mein/beef skewer with mung beans and it was TASTY! just spicy enough to be flavorful and hot, with a Tiger and a cucumber lemonade to wash it down. Also, the Panko crusted onion rings with ginger-infused ketchup were magically delicious. they were still working out some kinks when i was there (last Thursday night) but they did a good job, all things considered.
oh, and Thor? noodle bowls. all i gotta say. maybe you just need to eat in?
ok, sorry Thor, after further thought, that last bit didn’t come out right. what i meant to say was that three of us ate there, boxes in plain sight, and we were all served in noodle bowls, so perhaps eating in is the way to get a bowl? is that only happening at dinner?
byo that looks so disgusting.. omg
wingnut, maybe it’s only at dinner do you get the bowl. anyone know?
I wonder if the peanut sauce is intentionally cold. Peanut noodle salads are more often than not served chilled… of course my peanut sauce was hot BUT I thought at the time that it could be cold.
I hope you guys are loving it. If you love local, eat local!
Forgot to mention it’s SO vegetarian friendly. The veggie-skewer is crazy-garlicky-delicious. I thought, “Good thing I’m not making out with anyone later… if I had to choose… veggie skewer. Note to self, remember that line for the review.” Oops. Huge bulbous mushrooms.
it’s true! so veggie friendly. the tofu is cooked perfectly. so tasty. it had a really nice crunchy outside and was seasoned beautifully. i always like tofu, but this was particularly good. i’ve only eaten there once, but i can’t wait to go back.
Had lunch there once (did i write this somewhere else already? stupid way too early onset dementia again) – panang with lo mein and shrimp with cilantro. Panang sauce was dead on, but I’ll probably go with celephane noodles next time as the lo mein + coconut milk combo was heavy. The shrimp were grilled rignt (not overcooked, not raw) – maybe could use a marinade for more flavor if this place were more expensiv, but for the price it was a-okay tasty good. And the onion rings, don’t get me started on how much I love that ketchup – oh how i loved it, and I usually don’t eat my onion rings with ketchup – god bless ginger.
Yup, I’m a fan. Now to see if I can repeat the good experience (or if all the good things I keep hearing about them results in crowds and if that diminishes the quality – I sure hope not but box-guys, be warned that you are about to be very busy).
I had dinner from there again last night. My first true love: the box with udon noodles, peanut sauce, and tofu. Best tofu I’ve had in town, hands-down. Keep it up, folks.
Also, as dijonbray and I discovered yesterday, while waiting for my take-out order: motherf*cking sake bombs! So. Effing. Good—and seemingly non-alcoholic, that is, until the booze hits your tummy and sends warm boozey goodness to your extremities.
</swoon>
Will someone please respond to my questions in #3?
F*ck yeah sake bombs! And holy shneyekies, that bartender was quite the bomb herself.
I’m addicted to this place.
I do, however, agree with lillith about the two skewers for the large, and charging fifty cents for cilantro a little unorthadox.
But whatever, it’s defiantely gonna be a once a week place for me.
@3 – no idea how busy lunch is – I went after 2 PM. As for seating, there aren’t big tables per say, but I imagine you could pull some small ones together. As for speed, I got my food in well under 10 minutes, but I wasn’t there during peak hours so I don’t know.
lunch today was kind of busy after 1:00 (20-22 people, including 4 or 5 waiting for takeout?), got there before 1:00 and it wasn’t very crowded at all. There aren’t any BIG tables, but there is room for 4 at the ones by the wall. the layout is pretty much the same as Atomic Burrito was, except maybe for those tables? anyone remember? the service is pretty quick when there’s not a lot going on, so if you arrive while it’s sparsely-populated, you should be fine for a relatively quick lunch.
Also, lunch was served in the same bowls as dinner, so they may not have had them when you were there, Thor, and maybe the boxes are just for takeout.
i have to agree with dijonbray, this place is high on the list for at least once-a-week lunch fare. I’ve been there twice and already have a list of things to try the next time(s).
if the noodles with peanut sauce come cold, they could be trying some hybrid thai/chinese version of dan dan mian (cold noodles, peanut sauce, thinly sliced cucumbers and crushed peanuts).
does anyone know if they will have a late night scene?
does anyone know if they will have live music?
thx
@18
she is so gorgeous
that’s the box i really want
(too far?)
with a pork skewer
ok i’ll stop
Sake bombs are dangerous! I think I’ll stick with my Irish Car Bombs.
I’m looking forward to checking this place out!
Are they using dishes or disposable stuff? That’s been a bit of a pet peeve for me lately e.g., I LOVE Just Curry, but I hate seeing all of those plastic containers in the garbage (and I think they’re a #5, so you can’t take them to McIntire).
There are some cool eco-type food containers out there these days. And actually, I saw those corn based drinking cups at Just Curry last time I was there, so that’s cool.
They should have carry out and call it “Box in a Box”
Yeah, they had the Eames Coleman Trio (with a guest DJ) in there last Thursday. Great stuff from those guys. It was a good scene, too. I wish I coulda stayed longer.
Great fast, healthy food for us veggies. Even one small box each was too much food for both me and the Bride. But incredibly tasty and the service was great. Chas hung out at our table for awhile and give us the play by play on the food. A wonderful addition to the downtown eating scene but you better go at off times as the crowd is out the door at meal times.
I quite like it but the only thing that bugs me is the price-to-product ratio. I’m fine with them skimping on the expensive ingredients and charging fifty cents for cilantro and all that, but noodles are pretty much the cheapest food known to man. Even if they’re using some expensive imported variety, seven bucks worth should be a lot of fuckin’ noodles!
Chas Webster owns the box. Chas Webster
Name required:
Noodles are full of carbs. Chas is doin you a fuckin’ favor!
By opening a shop that sells noodles?
everyting in moderation.
@29. eames coleman sextet tonight at rapture. free
Can’t remember which noodles I had at the Box, but they were good, and served in a nice stoneware bowl. Definitely worth going back for.
As far as reviews go, shouldn’t CVillian be tooting it’s own horn? I love The Dish, and have been a Restaurantarama fan since before the Great Hook Schism, but it seems to me that this blog got the scoop on this back on 2/23.
I made this cryptic post about it even earlier (admittedly no review, and probably incomprehensible). I thought I posted something about the food, but I can’t find that post.
I LOVE the cucumber lemonade. They had run out of and/or didn’t have any of the sushi on the menu so I know I will be going back to try their california rolls. Noodles were yummy too.
And the man-staff isn’t hard on the eyes either… imho.
And the man-staff isn’t hard
That’s some low-hanging fruit right there…
@37 the cryptic post link didn’t work! Can you give us the url?
Also, correction, it’s “sprig” of cilantro, not “spring.” But man, I would kill to play with a Slinky right now, while we’re talking about words that start with “s.” Yes, this is a slightly tipsy post.
I just tried the cucumber lemonade for the first time tonight, and I think it is my favorite Charlottesville discovery in as long as I can remember.
cucumber lemonade? very nice. mmm add some dry gin and we have a pool party this summer!
oh yeah with a mint spring… I mean sprig
or leaf or something…
montrachet anyone?
OK- you guys have me sold…… I am definitely having lunch there today as soon as they open !
We have well and truly launched the Box. Now, members of the Cult of Hassan — and enlightened foodies everywhere — face this savory but outside-the-Box question:
What’s with Aromas Café???
The telephone recording says that Aromas new location will open in February…..(wouldn’t it be fun to scoop the local rags again on this).
i think it’s already open…i seem to remember that it looked open the other day when i walked past, and it definitely smelled delicious.
another possible scoop? Enoteca has an ABC sign up, an application to serve mixed drinks – are they going the “full bar” route?
So, why doesn’t the Box have an online menu, or am I illiternet? <- coined right there.
@47 – maybe a pre- or soft opening? will you be walking past Aromas again soon, and maybe take a peek inside?
@48 – I walk past Enoteca at least daily — on my way to Market Street Wineshop!
@33, 35, Miami Piper
Heady screen name, brah!
Wait, is Aromas that joint that used to be in the UVA resarch park out past Durty Nelly’s? That place was bangin’. Where is the new location?
@51- i concur- if i knew how to make your little name red with a link, miami piper, i would!
53: To make up for my typo in 52, allow me to explain:
<a href=”URL Goes Here“>Text You Want to Make Linky Goes Here</a>
Stan@52 — the new Aromas location will be at Barracks Road. Parking = nasty, food = bliss.
@54: Ooh, the site parsed my quotation marks weirdly. If you’re trying to use that link formula, delete the quotation marks and replace them with non-curly “” ones.
Miami Piper
?did it work?
yea!
of course- it is in three parts, so i just picked 1 fo ya
Huzzah! My efforts were not entirely in vain! Except that you appear to have linked a Phish video.
well, i googled Miami Piper, and that is what i found, eh- early to wake too early and explore the internet…
but thanks for the teachin’ i appreciate it and promise to not link a phish video again. unless very appropriate.
60: no worries; I had no idea that was the origin of Miami Piper’s name and was happy to learn; I was just giving you a good-natured hard time.
unless very appropriate
It is never appropriate.
/flame on!
Gobbler:
i don’t think The Box even has a website, much less an online menu at this time. The menu is pretty simplistic, however, so venture down there with confidence. The main selections are basically ala carte choices of 1) noodle, 2) sauce, 3) skewer, 4) extras, much like Sticks, actually. They have a few pre-assembled options, mostly containing some sort of Asian crepe or pancake and some sushi.
@62 is that a challenge?
takin’ names, makin’ notes
/just you wait
Well….. true to the reports THE BOX is awesome…. I am sitting in their space right now on my wireless surfing away…. the cucumber lemonade is very different… will def. have to try some libations using it…. I had the cellophane noodles with the Panang curry, tofu, and avocado – very yummy. Staff was friendly and helpful.
Also- AROMA’s is open in the old Alltel space in Barrack’s Rd. I stopped in there Tuesday and the space was totally transformed. I did not have time to eat and today I had to choose between Aroma’s and The Box…. so… Aroma’s is next on my list !
Aromas………..yessssssssssssssssss…………..
:::hands rubbing together:::
BEAKING NEWS: HOH Eats at the Box!
Well, thanks to the buzz around here over the past few days, I crossed “eat at the Box” off my to-do list today.
All in all, I’m going to give them the thumbs up and more importantly, return again soon (let the wallet do the talking).
While it still feels like a familiar place, the Box has done a good job of giving the space a makeover. The Mr. Miyagi mural is a nice touch.
As for the food, it was pretty darn good. I tried the onion rings and yes, they are a “must try” and the ginger infused ketchup is definitely a new and excellent taste. I was just a tad disappointed with the Sushi, but only because the size to price ratio seemed a bit off. Regardless, it was still tasty and both the soy sauce and wasabi were excellent.
For a main course, I got a small bowl with the Soba noodles and the Panang Curry sauce with a garlic chicken skewer and it was excellent – very tasty and a nice degree of spiciness without being too hot (I like spicy, so it could be a bit much for non-spicy eaters).
It was a pretty solid portion for the price. In fact, both the onion rings and the small bowl seemed like a really good portion for the price, which in retrospect, might have been somewhat responsible for making the sushi portion seem a bit small for the price.
Happy to see the food served in nice stoneware bowls and not disposable boxes (which are ok for takeout, but not ideal for dining in).
I have a feeling the place is only going to get better and better as they have time to work out the bugs inherent in a brand new restaurant.
I am SO excited that the review helped get some readers to the Box! I can’t take full credit, but it’s still a cool feeling. Box dudes, are you out there? High fives…
can “beaking news” be the name of our maSCOTT?
mc – how about the little Cvillain birdie mascot holding a sledge hammer hitting the word “news” with the word in a font that makes it look like it’s breaking up?
Maybe even animate it for full effect.
‘m just happy that they didn’t kick me out when I came in looking like a wet rat, pants legs completely soaked, in the middle of the rainstorm this week for a to-go box! I’d also been carrying a Cville Weekly under my chin and when I got home I had dark ink all over it. I was like, gosh, that was nice of them, I would make a lot of people want to walk right back out!
I think the Box rox.
I heard OXO was originally going to be called BOX. How ’bout that?
@40: The “cryptic” post I referred to was #51 on the Boheme thread:
http://cvillain.com/2008/02/22/boheme-definitely-no-puccini/#comment-24820
telling Parlie that the Box was open now.
Very happy to hear Aromas is open again. Been waiting with bated breath. Hassan is awesome, and his food is delicious. Was planning lunch on the Corner tomorrow, but need a change of plans now.
Here’s the phone number if you can’t find it in this thread cause it’s in the other friggin’ BOX thread:
970-BOXX
Fud surwed until 11pm.
GUD!
that cupcake was gud. where’d it go? I miss it…
Box is the poor man’s Ten
Ate there last night. Very yummy food. Very nice staff. Very crowded at 8:30.
Box is so kickass, I’m not lying. I’m really happy it came to the ‘Ville
Stopped in Box last night around same time as Silmo (8:30ish) and they were out of half the stuff on the menu, including everything I wanted?! and the nice glossy menus had been replaced by soiled paper ones.. I can see running out of one or two things late, but a bunch at 8:30? It took 20 minutes to sit down and seemed like it’d be at least 20 more to get food. Perhaps they need more help.
@79, I understand how frustrating that can be, and I had a fairly big snafu happen while I was eating there that I chose not to report. Until they have more time to track tables and revenue and popular food items and even the time of lunch and dinner rushes, this is bound to happen. It’s going to be impossible for them to predict this so early on. I’m sorry it happened, but it’s definitely a function of being new.
Who else remembers 45 minute waits at Chipotle?
Don’t be sorry, lilith. You had nothing to do with it, and I’m a big boy and only cried about it for a few minutes (left my two companions as I had somewhere to be and caught a couple ‘o slices at Christians instead). I’ve already written them a great review on this site, just tempering things a bit so people know what to expect if its crowded in there. I’m sure the crowds will subside a bit (if not, Box will have to find a bigger space) and management will sort things out. I was in a bit of a hurry last night, and knowing general wait times and likely food availability would have saved me half an hour.
Welcome to restaurants.
When a place first opens and they get a lot of hype, they are usually very busy and run out of stuff. Going during the rush on a Friday night is not the best idea. I love it when people criticize a restaurant/bar for being too busy or for having to wait awhile for food/drinks…umm, hello, that means the place must be good if so many people are there.
Did anybody see Chas there last night? I think his enthusiasm (and also that of Dave the drinkpusher) is an important part of the place being successful right out of the box. If they aren’t there, it could be more of a Pandora’s box.
I’d heard a lot of shit about Chas but when I was at the Box, he was nothing but warm, attentive, and friendly. I love when people open up a new place and are all excited about it and care about making a good impression on people. There are a lot of places around here where you won’t see the owner hanging around and nobody gives a shit about your experience.
Chas was there last night, yes. And I’m not criticizing anything other than perhaps preparedness, the food is great and I’ll be back when its slower, I’m just letting people know what they might reasonably expect at that time of day wait-wise and food availability wise. People have asked on here (maybe different threads?) about the ability to eat here on a lunch hour, etc.. I for one don’t mind waiting for good, cheap food when I have the time, I would have factored in a longer wait if I’d read a post like mine yesterday, and then I’d be telling you how good a bunch of things were that I’d never have ordered if they’d had my first choices.
I agree with #84
I know, Doofie. I was just sayin’, in general. Peeps on here be putting down Oxo, Blue Moon, Mas, etc because they’re busy.
oh, and “You’re up early, Stoner!”
look who’s talkin’. apology accepted
who’s apologizing?
and I was talking to myself.
Had another fine bowl of noodles at the box tonight. The penang curry sauce was even better than whichever one I had the last time. I’ve had nothing but good experiences there.
I like the box instinctively… appeals to me in size, atmosphere, customers, etc. In my opinion, what would make it the hands down best place on earth:
- chef/staff recommended combos. So many options (four noodles x sauces x choose your meat x add ons) and I’m not familiar with how many of them will mesh. so I hope they will soon have a few “favorites” and still keep the option to build your own box. otherwise I’m left doing weeks of mix and match, hoping to hit upon something amazing.
- a more attentive staff. I totally understand the busy busy Friday rush, but winding down saturday night service was still a bit lackadaisical.
But seriously, without these things, I still like it. Do they serve PBR? I don’t think so. Do that and even if you ignore the rest, I’ll be endlessly happy. cheap eats, cheap beer, classy spot = mc’s dream restaurant.
PBR on tap is always a luxury says my 18 year old self. I liked being part of the in crowd (and I’ve never been in..I’ve just seen it sideways for my entire life) when I mentioned a name because I never do that and therefore and for the span of my 45 minutes there …no crude joke was forbidden as the Germans like to say. I like that the co-owner reminds me of my buddy in Boston and has no problem bantering w/ the people. And the noodles are good. The Panang sauce is orgasmic but I think Oy would comment that I’m not doing it right. Another Saturday night and I ain’t got
nobody.
taliesin- you’re just a gigilo.
Minor threadjack – The cVillain time is off by one hour, just like me.
Now back to the topic, already in progess…
I too think the box rox as was earlier reported. Chas and Dave have a strong effect on the vibe. They have a lot to work out in getting the food prepared and served quickly. No doubt they will figure it out. Everything tastes good which is a good start. I was there last night (this morning) at Gong Time, then they tossed me out. Bummer for all the restaurants without power for 20 hours+
I am so good at slurping the noodles. You don’t even know.
Oh my. Something tells me this thread has moved on to canoodling.
In my defense, I did not write that (#98)
My internal stereo has turned to Marvin Gaye.
I talked to someone with a peanut allergy who went to the Box and asked what was safe to eat… the response? “NOTHING!”. I haven’t noticed any signage or notation on the menu to that effect, but they should put something up if they haven’t already.
@102 Honestly, I know many restaurant folks who would give the same response. It’s more a liability thing than the fact that everything has peanuts. If even one dish has peanuts in it (especially chopped, where you could potentially inadvertantly spread the powdered bits while chopping), there is a risk that other food may be contaminated. With other food alergies, you really need to digest the culpret, but some peanut alergies are so sensitive that you just need a stay spec to put someone in anaphalactic (sp?) shock. It’s just a really scary allergy and business owners are understandably unwilling to say for sure that anythign they serve is 10% peanut free if they have any peanuts/peanut products in the kitchen.
Could they still put up a sign? Sure.
by 10% i meant 100%… i can’t type for beans today.
Linus and Snoopy are gonna be pissed.
is the new aroma’s open for dinner? that would be fabulous.
The wife and I went to the Box for dinner on Friday. I ordered a large lo mein/peanut/chicken, she ordered a small cellophane/pan-asian pesto/chicken, and we ordered a pork box appetizer to split. First of all, the orders were wrong. We got a large cellophane/peanut and a small lo mein/pan asian pesto. The pan asian pesto was very unimpressive, and the the appetizer came after our noodle bowls. The cellophane/peanut was pretty good, but all in all it was a very disappointing experience. I don’t think we’ll be back to eat.
Gobbler,
Sorry it was a bad experience. They are still working out a lot of the kinks, but they are working hard. I’ve never had an issue with my food order being incorrect there, so I can’t speak to that, but give them a few weeks and then check back in.
If everybody “never went back” to all the places that they said they’ll never go back to, ultimately we would all be in our little hutches eating ramen. Its my new favorite meme.
/never go back, never forget. why do restaurants hate our freedoms?
I love tofu meme on buttered toast
I love tofu meme on buttered toast
Oh hells yeah! With some Aunt Jememe syrup! Its so good I may never go back.
Had lunch at The Box, I loved it!
Being unfamiliar with the menu, I asked the fella working the front to pick noodles for me.
He did with the nicest attitude and I can report my lunch was perfect. The onion rings most delicious,
what a great idea to ginger up the ketchup. But for me, the noodles are where it is at!
Laid back atmosphere, friendly folks, fast, inexpensive and so very tasty. I will be back, a lot!
Thanks for the heads up!
everyone WAS really nice. did like the onion rings. i don’t know if i like the drinks or not though. they’re really weird!
Had no drinks, but it has been a very long time since I have had a “weird” drink. Suggest one, I’ll give it a go.
But since I was eating lunch, I only drank water. In the US, I never drink while there is daylight, but I can pretend I am
in Europe and try a weird drink, this sounds most interesting. All my husband and I did was eat and then go shopping for our kids Easter baskets (they are teenagers, which makes the basket thing more fun) but I’ll bet
we could drink a drink and then shop for Easter baskets with much more energy. Tell me more about the drink
you had, I plan on trying one of those. I am not playing with you, this sounds fun as hell! We don’t get out much,
only in the day!
The giant painting of Mr. Miyagi is totally sweet.
Had lunch there on Saturday, and it was excellent. The guy working was cool as hell. Definitely will be going back when I’m in town.
Tell me more about the drink you had
“SAKE BOMB!11!!!!!ON3!!!!!”
It was like that, but better.
Had another meal at the Box tonight, and another great time. Tried a different noodle (no jokes, please) and am now hooked on my new favorite, the lo mein teriyaki w/beef. also got a few sides (tried a dumpling and it tasted undercooked, but the owner whisked it away and brought me new ones!) and the onion rings continue to live up to the high praise they’ve received thus far.
I just don’t get it! How is everyone happy about the box? It’s noodles with sauce. I’ve been there three times now. Yeah, I know, they have cute little red boxes. I can’t imagine the noodles costing more than the little red boxes. I just feel ripped off, I mean, I can choose noodles, sauce, tofu, meat or veggies, but they want more money for chopped nuts on the peanut sauce? The tofu is battered with something like funnelcake mix. I mean, throw in the tofu AND the veggies (I shouldn’t even have to ask, much less pay for chopped nuts). For the prices the avocado should be a complimentary option. I’ll give them two out of three times eating there was decently palatable food. I won’t complain about the third time knowing sometimes things get screwed up. I’m more than a little surprised Charlottesville Villains accept over priced fluff and call themselves connoisseurs of food.
Where are the reasonably priced meals that actually have nutrition.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3138033615742958580&q=dead+milkmen&total=255&start=30&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=6
P.S. Does the box have shows like Atomic did?
They had music in there last night. Just walked by, didn’t go in, but sounded gud to me.
Oh, and they appear to have dropped the price of add-ons (thai basil, cilantro, chopped peanuts, scallions, etc.) from $.50 to $.15.
If the Box isn’t a good deal, tell us bleep, where’s a better one?
cause if you’re saying its not but can’t name a better bargain, you’re an idiot
Ever had the vegetable soup at the C&O? It’s about the same price & extremely hearty & comes with a big wand of good bread & a full ramekin of butter. It’s a freaking meal! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramekin
If you eat enough cheap fud around downtown, it all costs the same. The difference is in table service ($10) vs. counter service ($8). I’m talking about a decent meal, except for the non-leafy meals at Rev Soup, which are dainty.
Let’s start at the bottom, price-wise.
1. Cans of soup at CVS or Lucky-7. OK, those are cheaper than $8, but you’re going to need some edible bread, and it’s over $2 for the personal size at Mkt. St. Wine Shop. Cans of soup: not so gud.
2. Marco & Lucas. Sure, it’s $1.50 or whatever, but if you order enough for a meal, it’s about $6. While it’s hot: almost gud.
3. Five Guys. Unlimited goober peas. For limited use only in a moderate diet, $4. Gud.
4. Cafe Cuabano a.k.a Tony’s. This place may be the best value in town, but it’s still $7.25 for the Nisqually. The fud is very+ gud, the attitude unlike other places in Cville, ya know. I like the no-nonsense. Very+ gud.
5. Vita Nova (or Christians). Say, you get two slices, one good, one bad. Note the specialty slices have the better cheese on them. About $7. Vita: Gud to very gud.
6. Rev Soup. I guess you call it $7. Get something very leafy if you want it to be a full meal for purposes of this list. Very+ gud.
7. Bodos. What is up to about $7+ for a meal? Even the deli-egg has gone up a bit, and is not in itself a meal. Gud.
8. Just Curry. I think it was $8.50 for the biggie. Worth the trip, very gud.
9. The Box. Well, you gotta tip, so it’s $9+ for the big box. Lotta noods. Marco & Luca gone to cooking school. Good ppl. Very gud.
10. The Nook, 11. Henrys, 12. Rapture. You gotta tip, so it goes, in order, $8, $9, $10. Gud.
12. All-you-can eat breakfast buffet at the Omni $15-$17 if you leave a tip. Not as gross as it sounds, but really all-you-eat? Eesh. Very gud.
(Not included, no recent info: Timberlakes, Eppies, Tea Bazaar, BR Country Store.)
Compare all that to the winner:
* C&O soup + C&O bread + jar of butter. With tip, $8. Excellgud.
Change Cubano to very good. My ratings system changed 1/2-way thru.
Also, we have bread for under 2 bucks at the wine shop, just sayin.
i like yer bread girl!
Went to the Box last night for some takeout and was surprised to see the owner run out after a table of 3 men that were leaving. I thought maybe they didn’t pay or something scandalous but actually he had heard they didn’t like something they ate and he wanted feedback on it. I thought that was pretty cool.
But then I got home and my Veggie dumplings, usually filled with sauteed mushrooms, contained a yucky green purée not unlike baby food or cat poo. (I smelled it to make sure it wasn’t the latter.) What gives? It was soooooo gross.
I’ve been hearing some not so good things about that place lately. Which REEEAAALLLLY pisses me off since I was preparing myself to have children with atomic burrito one day. Just give it back already!
@126 Those veggie dumplings sound suspiciously like the frozen veggie dumplings I’ve seen for sale at South Street Seafood and elsewhere. Not that they are those, but they do sound similar. Did they otherwise look handmade from outside, Shen? I mean, they were handmade when they had the mushrooms, I presume.
No, they were definitely homemade.They looked just like the old ones but for the unpleasant new interior. I was so disappointed. It was really gross green poo-like paste. Uck.
Its hard to get a good poo dumpling on the east coast. You should consider yourself fortunate.
SOB, I think I just had a seizure.
Grand or petite mal?
/leisure seizures seize her, see?
Grand, but I had my glow sticks so it was ok.
/forgot my towel
Your seizures are happy,
and your tears are like wine.
I dont mean to sound sappy
but you’ll end up just fine.
Uggh, yet another restaurant/venue review with no address. When will you learn?
I heard there’s going to be a soft opening of The Box tonight…can anyone confirm?
@136: http://letmegooglethatforyou.com/?q=the+box+noodles
@137 according to shen’s link, the box is now open!