Tomorrow C-VILLE will publish its 2008 Best Of Awards for Charlottesville, so I’ve decided to publish our food winners list as well as analyze some of the winners from Daily Progress’s Reader’s Choice (which was published about 3 weeks ago) in one fell swoop. Last year we did our own superlatives which we think are much more accurate (although biased and not democratically chosen). As seems to be the case with any reader driven contest, the larger the place, the larger the voting power of their customer base/employees. Oh well.. that’s why you have snarkers like us. Feel free to critique!
Selected Daily Progress Reader’s Favorites Food & Restaurant Winners
Favorite Lunch Place/Favorite Casual Dining: Arby’s Forest Lake - What is this a joke?
Favorite Outdoor Dining Place: Timberwood Grill - This place almost almost lost to “Any place on the Downtown Mall” which was actually listed as a category.
Favorite Japanese/Sushi Bar: Sakura - Ok, fine with me.
Favorite Pizza: Christian’s - I consider Dr. Ho’s part of Charlottesville and the fact that it didn’t make this list makes me angry.
Favorite Steak Place: Aberdeen Barn - Eh, let’s go for Hamilton’s or Duner’s.
Favorite Mexican Restaurant: Guadalajara - An absolutely disgusting place. I have not once in my entire life enjoyed a meal from here. Why did Aqui Es Mexico and La Michoacana not even make this list.
Favorite Place to Get Dessert: Dairy Queen - Haha, no comment needed. Splendora’s didn’t even make the list.
Favorite Barbecue Place: Belmont BBQ - Not bad, but not as good as Blue Ridge Pig or Jinx.
Favorite Brunch Place: Boar’s Head Inn - I can understand this one, but my heart will always be with Blue Moon.
Favorite Hot Dog Place: Jak’ N Jill - Hamdinger’s didn’t even make the list!
Favorite Local Seafood Restaurant: Bonefish Grill - What does “local seafood” mean? That’s a scary topic, but I do like Bonefish as a seafood pic.
Favorite Coffee Place: Starbucks - Like totally not cool. Of all the local coffee joints, people chose Starbucks!? I thought this town was hip.
Favorite Burger: Five Guys - Riverside made the list and we know this is a big contest.
cVillain’s Superlatives/Best Ofs/Editor Favorites for 2008 Food Places
Best Breakfast/Brunch: Blue Moon Diner for its wonderful PHD inspired food, true diner feel and simple, good cooking.
Best Lunch: Petit Pois for a beautiful patio, amazing cuisine and doing a bistro right!
Best Dinner: Orzo for quality service, being under-appreciated, no wait times, unique food, excellent wine selection and parking.
Best Sandwich Place: Padow’s Ham and Deli.
Best Mexican: Aqui Es Mexico for serving real Mexican/Salvadorian food and making it taste good.
Best Pizza: Dr. Ho’s Humble Pie for being humble and making the best pizza pie on all of Charlottesville.
Best Gelato/Ice Cream: Tie between Maggie Moo’s and Splendora’s.
Best Dessert Place: C&O for its cheese plates, fearless french dessert inspirations, sensual surroundings and always wonderful service.
Best Coffee: Cafe Cubano with locally roasted, fair-trade beans, a passion for espresso and hands down the best tasting coffee in the Ville.
Best Barbecue: Jinx, despite run ins with the health code, is serious about BBQ.
Best Italian: No one deserves this award.
Best Japanese: Miyako. Sorry Ten, you got too expensive!
Best Restaurant for Big Parties: Zo Ca Lo can handle some serious volume and table sizes, even on a Friday night.
Best Love-Hate Relationship: Mas for amazing food and notoriously difficult service.
Best Mixed Drinks: Maya, because we worship Ted’s concoctions.
Best Place to Drink Beer: South Street Brewery for serving Blue Mountain beer without the drive. corrected by our readers.. they no longer serve Blue Mountain! Nonetheless, they do have a good selection of locally brewed beer and plenty of space.
Best Steak: Hamilton’s or Duner’s.
Best Bakery: Albemarle Baking, although not for the pastries.
Best Gourmet Food Store: Feast for the best cheese and meat selection in town.
Best Convenience Store: Beer Run! We debated the C-Store status.
Best Burger: Tie between Five Guys and Riverside.
We think we got all the needed categories, but if you want to see more let us know!
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Tagged as: 2008, awards, best of, Charlottesville, dining, Food, recommendations, superlatives, Winners
Went to Orzo for the first time on Saturday night .. and despite only knowing about half the words on the menu, I enjoyed it a lot.
Christian’s isn’t even the best pizza place on the mall. I generally only order plain cheese pizza, so I can understand people liking Christian’s for the toppings — but if you can’t cook an edible slice of plain cheese in the first place …
/feels like an arby’s night
how could I not comment on this one!? Thor’s list is pretty good. My reaction to the Daily Progress’s list is that is probably made for the general public, and not anyone caring about what good food really is. By “Arby’s Forest Lake” I assume they mean Arby’s roast beef franchise….seriously? Picking a standard crappy Mexican (what an American eats in Cancun on Spring Break) restaurant for best Mexican? They are obviously not even trying to do things outside the norm. But that list probably works for their readers which would probably turn away in shock and horror at the things we eat…*cough* steak tartare (yes I just brought that back).
I guess this is something cVillain can pride itself on…looking in dank dark corners and proving that good food and other things amazing in cville comes from the strangest most unassuming places.
Arby’s Forest Lake?
The worst experience of my life in any restaurant, fast food or whatever. Why??? Listen…
1. The drive through orders are made on a loudspeaker inside the restaurant for everyone to listen to.
2. Service??? Poor. The kids (employees) are usually talking about personal issues and not quite bothered with the customers need for speedy service.
3. Paper towels/napkins come in short supply. If you want to stay hygienic, make sure you bring your own.
4. Their burgers/sandwiches… whatever you call them look good anywhere, but when you get the actual meal, be prepared for a huge jaw drop. Really small portions that are sloppily put together.
As you can tell, I had a bad experience and just thought I may share this with others interested in what goes on around Charlottesville.
Thanks for letting me vent on your site.
Have to disagree about Cafe Cubano having the best coffee. You have to visit Shenandoah Joe’s, which is out on Preston near Martin Hardware. They roast IN-HOUSE, having organic and non-organic options, have REAL baristas (who, you know, actually go to school and conferences for it and have months of on-the-job training) and is the only place in Charlottesville to offer you a peek into the coffee world and offer REAL award winning coffees like the Cup of Excellence and other gourmet cuppings.
Try the “Traditional Cappuccino,” which is a free-poured Cap with a better ratio of espresso to milk.
So, in sum, Cubano is great as a place to swing in for a quick cup of coffee on the mall, but has nothing to do with an actual coffee house or a “Best Coffee” title.
If you consider the Daily Progress reader, ie. over 50, lives in Greene County…then it should be no surprise that 29N and chain restaurants are considered the best places to eat.
@ 3 I agree, they have great coffee but nothing beats the panopticon of people you get to look at at Mudhouse. I know this has nothing to do with coffee but it’s a reason for paying the extra dollar instead of just brewing your own.
Jinx’s: most overrated shit in town.
Also Guadalajara is awesome.Good service and good food. If nothing else then for their Margaritas. I do not agree with Thor on this one at all!
Byard - the chips are somewhat redeeming, but the food.. have you been to any of the places we talk about?
Ethan - You have to clarify.
@8 - I’m a big fan of going to the Guad when I want to give the pipes the old “spring cleaning”. I’ve had some pretty good meals there, but it’s a huuuge roll of the dice every time. I find Aqui es Mexico to be much more consistent and non-bloody stool inducing.
Also, am I the only one out here that loves Higher Grounds? No frills, no double caramel iced mocha half cafs, but straight, very good, local coffee and espresso. They’re my #1. I just wish they had a downtown or non-in-the-hospital location.
/and in swoops oy with a baby wipe comment
How about Best Donuts Shop? Spudnuts
They should always get a mention because of their superb donuts and excellent service. Besides their donuts, have you guys ever tried their Sandwiches.
/I’m hooked.
@10 bloody stool? Jeez. Somehow I don’t see how that makes a place a top spot…especially if its bloody consistent.
Yeah, jinx’s in not that good. Sorry, Thor.
It seems like very few dt mall places made the list. I guess the people voting are of a different demo-geo-graphic. Maybe this is a market the cvillain should try to cater to more by doing reviews of non-mall places as well.
not to get nit-picky or anything… but south street does not serve blue mountian beer
whoopsie for the typo
@5 i live in greene county and I can contest that no one here reads.
Love the Guad. Eaten there literally hundreds of times since the mid-90’s, never had a bad meal. The only bad elements I’ve had is that occasionally they don’t change their chip oil often enough and the chips can taste a bit off every now and then.
Also, they’ve recently started charging an extra buck for extra chips, which royally pissed me off - If I go there by myself, I’d get one basket of chips “free”, if four of us go we get one basket of chips “free”. Hardly equitable.
/not gonna swoop.
I’m not feeling Padow’s. Have never enjoyed their sandwiches.
I want to profess my love for Durty Nelly’s even though I won’t say it’s great - it’s just so damn old school
@17 I agree with everything you said about the Guad and haven’t tried Pantops yet
@17: I love going to Guad and chugging the 32 oz of shrimp cocktail broth in under 2 minutes. And then getting $10 from you.
@ 10 - you’re not alone. higher grounds, while not my absolute favorite cup of coffee in town, is pretty damn good.
@20 that is an interesting fetish
@22: It was a bet and @20 was sarcasm.
did I ever pay you nanigans?
Just went to La Michoana (or however it’s spelled) on High Street. Simple menu; Chicken, Beef, Tounge, BBQ, Loco (Beef, Chicken, Sausage) plus one other I can’t recall ($2 each). Burrito’s (Looked veg/bean from the menu)($6), Nacho’s ($3.50(?)), Nacho’s Supreme ($5ish?), plus one or two other items.
ZOMG! Tasty!! Had 3 tacos (they’re not big) - Chicken, Beef and a Loco - suprisingly (for me) the Chicken was by far the tastiest, but all were good. Fresh cilantro, tomatoes, queso blanco, sour creme, etc. all jammed onto little soft tortillas. Had a range of hot sauces (had the habanero - HAWT!), as well as a bowl of guac you can dip from and sliced peppers.
Open 7 days a week, 11-9 most days, think it was 11-11 on Saturdays tho.
If they had s spot on the mall, they’d have constant lines.
Simple menu; Chicken, Beef, Tounge, BBQ, Loco (Beef, Chicken, Sausage) plus one other I can’t recall ($2 each).
Those are Tacos, btw
/they were out of Tongue (and “Tounge”!)
@24: No but you buy me Viogniers at SS so we’ll call it even.
nah, you’ve bought me beaucoup drinks - I still owe you.
/if you want, I can pay you in sexual favors
That is vomit-inducing.
what that be the favor of Shen not having to have sex with you?
You can tell that the demographic for Daily Progress responders was mostly Forest Lakes/Greene people.
Arby’s also won in the “Best place for families to hang out” category…. I’m guessing they just rally for awards
That is vomit-inducing.
Should I, or should I not work in a “gag reflex” joke?
no if you go in there right before the DP does its best of list, Arbey’s cashier’s have you fill off the surverys at the counter while you wait for your food and will ask you if you would put them down for the best deli. This is no bull !!!!
Favorite breakfast - Sam’s Kitchen
Favorite Indian - Milan’s lunch buffet (love going there a bit hungover too because they have like 5 servers dedicated to refilling waters only)
At the risk of sounding to UVA-ish, but Favorite Pizza - the supreme from College Inn
Favorite Fried Chicken - Wayside
Favorite Corner Bar - Biltmore
Favorite place to drink beer - can’t beat Tuesday’s at South Street
Best Asian Buffet - King China? or whatever the name of that place is behind Ragazzi’s in the Whole Foods Shopping Center
Favorite Dinner - Michael’s Bistro
Favorite Indian
Dude. Seriously. Have some respect. They’re Native Americans. Or First Nations, if you’re from Canada.
Favorite Indian: Grady Sizemore?
Favorite place to drink beer - can’t beat Tuesday’s at South Street
There is a *rumor* that Veronica is coming back.
(you haven’t experienced South Street if you haven’t been there when Dan and Veronica were behind the bar)
Best Asian Buffet - King China? or whatever the name of that place is behind Ragazzi’s in the Whole Foods Shopping Center
Oh please tell me that’s a joke?!? That is bar none the nastiest food in CVille.
Try Peking’s lunch buffet, around the corner from 5 Guys on 4th Street. Nummmy. (ignore the opinions of those who haven’t been there in the last few - it used to be as nasty as China King)
c-lyn is right. South Street does not serve Blue Mountain beers. The owner of Blue Mountain used to be the brewmaster at South Street and continued to make beer for them after he left. Then demand for Blue Mountain beers increased drastically, and he had to stop making beers for SS in order to keep his own beers flowing.
McGrady’s usually has a Blue Mountain beer on tap, as does Mellow Mushroom. You can find it bottled at many local joints - Maya, Continental Divide, Beer Run, etc.
I am a regular at Peking but I only eat one thing there, the general tso’s (I am such an american). Unfortunately, everyone else ALSO seems to eat only the general tso’s.
show up at 11:55 — good, plenty of chicken.
show up at 12:05 — lots of luck. prepare to wait 5-10 minutes for the next tray to be brought out.
the general tso’s is decent. there’s lots of *bad* chinese, but this is above par IMHO .. and since the number of bad general tso’s joints greatly dwarfs the number of average/passable ones, that should be taken as a compliment.
Thanks peeps… fixed the South Street mistake!
I feel like a few months back someone reviewed a small little asian restaurant that was back off of Preston, if I recall correctly. The reviewer raved about it, but I can’t seem to remember the name, nor can I find it in the archives. Anyone anyone?
China Box Dynasty King. Or something like that.
@ 41 - was it the saigon cafe (behind cville coffee near harris street)? it’s a tiny vietnamese place that does not make a single bad thing, run by one of the nicest families you’ll ever meet in town.
That’s the one, buster. Many thanks.
No it was the chinese restaurant next to Integral Yoga and it was reviewed by Vanillavy.
Café 88
ain’t no thang, tuffy.
/craving noodles now. argh!
http://cvillain.com/2008/03/18/it-is-not-chinese-it%e2%80%99s-vietnamese-duh/
It was Saigon that I was thinking about. But I hear Cafe 88 is prooty great too.
@ 36: she is indeed coming back to the ville…
I went to cafe 88 once.
Very nice people and very different than the ususal….but not good enough to go back.
@16….that’s hilarious.
/completely true
I hafta vote for Blue Ridge Pig for best BBQ, even though it’s a fur piece to drive. I’ve been know to make the trek just to satisfy a hankering for their potato salad. OMG, I dream about the shit.
the DP poll is the worst thing since the ballot stuffing for the villain mascot or the choice for the charity to receive the loot from the space party. Arby’s at Forest Lakes packs the votes every year and uses the results as their main marketing speil. Arby’s is better than quite a few fast food place, but “favorite lunch/ casual dining”? Give me a break!
i’m bored so i’ll make my own.
the magic rat’s Superlatives/Best Ofs/Editor Favorites for 2008 Food Places
Best Breakfast/Brunch: tough call. i usually just eat cereal. in a toss up between IHOP, Bodo’s, and Hardees…i’ll go with Bodo’s.
Best Lunch: sandwich at my desk. or the country store salad bar
Best Dinner: i guess what i’m getting at is that i don’t eat out all that much. i’ll give a shout out to Copa Cobana, which i ate at once a couple years ago and enjoyed.
Best Sandwich Place: this is a tough one. in the running should be Anderson’s Carriage, Wayside Deli, Zandi’s, and Little Johns. really i could also throw in Pacino’s, Beer Run, and Harris Teeter. i’m going to pick Anderson’s though.
Best Mexican: Aqui Es Mexico. this one should be unanimous
Best Pizza: haven’t been to Dr. Ho’s so i can’t comment. i’ll go with Vita Nova, with Italian VIlla also making a good one. Christians is not good. i’d prefer CiCi’s.
Best Barbecue: Hog Heaven is pretty good, but i haven’t eaten a lot of bbq around here.
Best Italian: i had a good meal at Mama Mia once
Best Place to Drink Beer: Biltmore, 8pm on $2 bring your own mug night, circa 2003. those were the nights. you get there 3 hours before everyone else, sit on the porch drinking $2 liters of Sierra Nevada or something else decent, and by the time all the people you hate show up it doesn’t matter because you are too drunk to care. currently? i’m still trying to figure that out. so far i can’t beat my or someone else’s porch.
Best Steak: Fabio’s cheesesteak. that count?
Best Burger: i can make a burger better than any restaurant in town (seriously, who can’t?). riverside is good but overrated. it’s nothing special. same with five guys. but if i’m eating a burger out, i’m getting the Meta Burger at Mel’s. damn good.
Oh yeah, good call about little johns’s! total brain fart on my part…
Best Sandwich - def goes to Little John’s (drunk or sober!)
Oh yeah, good call about
little johns’sHarris Teeter! total brain fart on my part…Best Sandwich - def goes to
Little John’sHarris Teeter (drunk or sober!) Though I recommend public transportation and a good lawyer if you’re heading there drunk.Your comment was broken, but I fixed it for you.
#1, Have you ever had a little john’s sandwich? they’re amazing, hands down…I don’t know one person that thinks different. #2, I don’t buy groceries, so the only reason I go to Harris Teeter is for wine and the free samples. #3 Do you really get sandwiches at Harris Teeter? And if so, why? They can’t be that good…or good at all.
#1: Yes! They’re okay in a pinch, but not my bag. But then, I’m a vegetarian and find their veg options sort of meh.
#2: I don’t know how you manage to avoid buying groceries, but I would love to be in that position. Good on you, there.
#3: I really do get sandwiches from the deli counter and recommend them highly. They’re using freshly cut deli stuff, fresh produce from their more-than-ample produce section, and the fresh bread they purvey. It’s no-brainer awesome. I’m planning on a review, actually.
OMG, Cici’s totally sucks - have ya no pride at all? It’s like the Golden Co-ral of pizza - no question that the best pizza I’ve tried is Sal’s on the downtown maul… Try it, people - it’s great - and made by real-for-god-italians…
I, for one, have tried my best to instruct my progeny that if a whole bunch of overweight people are hanging out at a “restaurant”, and that’s the best I can offer, that it’s probably not the best place to eat!
/just sayin
@58, well, in my food opinioin, your food opinion doesn’t matter b/c I can’t relate to you in any way b/c I am pretty far from a vegetarian, so I don’t think I would like anything you do…and I think that goes for a lot of people.
Also, what does “freshly cut deli stuff” mean in vegetarian context?
@61 ok, good question, but whoever’s food opinion, at least in this blog, does matter. However, I’m wondering what freshly cut deli stuff might mean… in a vegetarian context…
harris teeter made to order subs are awesome. they have 2 daily specials every day for $2.49 and they are pretty damn big. and good. nothing too fancy, but quality stuff.
I have had a vegetarian sub, so I’m pretty sure what a veg sub is, but, other than Subway, how does a vegetarian order at a traditional deli???
However, I’m wondering what freshly cut deli stuff might mean… in a vegetarian context…
So you take cow’s or goat’s milk, see, and make this stuff called “cheese”, and it’s rare—extremely rare, actually—but fucking awesome.
Snark aside, the cheese is good, and the meat is, apparently, pretty great, too, since, you know, there’s a deli sitting right there. I should have been more specific, I admit.
how does a vegetarian order at a traditional deli???
Funny you should ask. I was just at Coppola’s in Richmond during the Watermelon Festival. I said, “I would like a Cheese Colombo to go,” whereupon some nice people proceeded to put cheese on a grill and hit it up with peppers and awesomeness (I suspect unicorn blood, given the level of awesomeness), and then a bit later I was eating sandwich comprised of deliciousness. And then I found five dollars.
^ “a”
Gah, and now I feel I’m coming off as pedantic and overly snarky.
It’s just that the “how on earth do vegetarians EXIST?!?!” line comes off as way silly. My grandma can cook for me just fine, and I, too, would happily prepare her the meat-based dish of her choosing.
YMMV, indeed.
ok, stanley, i admit, bacon notwithstanding, that I could very happily be a vegetarian… Snarky comments aside, I’m just asking, not how vegetarians exist, but how a vegetarian goes to a “deli” and can be happy with what they have available for them to order. Jeez, I’m not making a character assasination, here, just wondering…
@69: Yeah, no offense taken. The basic answer is “cheese”.
ok, but don’t some vegetarians eschew dairy based products??
Not sayin’ I don’t love cheese, in all its variations…
somebody here say something about toe cheese…
oh, puhleez
You people are all out drinkin - I wish I was
ok, but don’t some vegetarians eschew dairy based products??
Technically, they self-identify as “vegans” and are not to be trusted, namely because they don’t think cheese is fucking wizard-cocksucker awesome.
as a carnivore, i am not at all excited by little john’s. & i reiterate: jinx’s sucks.
@60 unless the overweight people look really happy.
cheese is fucking wizard-cocksucker awesome.
I just wanted to repeat that.
/going back into the lurker box now
i am seriously considering going vegan, except for pizza. and steak once in a while.
what about bacon???
shen - you’re my go-to-girl - whadda ya think?
what about bacon???
I’m a rare bird among vegetarians, in that my non-consumption of meat is entirely taste-based, so I can honestly say that bacon smells awful, let alone the taste. I will, however, prepare it for any and all bacon eaters, which apparently is just about everyone else. I think my bacon policy is eminently fair, actually:
“Sure. Have some. Enjoy it, even. But it smells awful, I think. Did I do it right?”
@80 the only bacon i’ve had in years is around the chicken livers at boheme. & i was drunk. (it’s not very healthy, i hear.)
OMG, bacon smells and tastes awesome, WTF???
Right up there with onions and garlic - is anyone with me?
Right up there with onions and garlic - is anyone with me?
Right. Those things smell great to me. Come cook them in my kitchen tomorrow.
I’m always surprised by the need of some meat lovers to profess their creed, not that vegetarians can’t be annoying when they’re being pushy, which I most emphatically never am.
Dudes: market forces; almost everyone already agrees with you about bacon. Stop trying to up the demand for your desired commodity. In the meantime, I will be over here enjoying other stuff I like.
Hey backup planet have you ever met Belmont yo? I think you would get along famously.
Love Thor’s list for it’s corrections of yuppie error, but odd not to see ITALIAN VILLA on it—in addition to the clustered and sincere Higher-Power-talking post-meeting AA folks constantly assembled head-to-head there and rubbing each others’ shoulders, they have greatly exotic waitresses that would do any truckstop or 216 Fashion Show proud.
I was there one night late and Nick, the crazy (favortable term here) greek owner chased some UVA Football meathead out of the place with a MACHETE he kept behind the cash register—a lovely memory. It’s also one of those bottomless cup places, where you can sit alone in a booth, smoke and drink ‘authentic yuban coffee’ for days on end. I’m always pleased to see Goths there as well, who evidently go big for the Alaskan Snow Waffles. Does it still have a jukebox and 1979 pacman game? If it were a coffeehouse it’d be an ideal coffeehouse.
I might have to say that in my view the best coffee in town is SAIGON CAFE on MacIntyre—ever had this stuff? You have to ask about a half-dozen times for it, not on the menu—Vietnamese coffee. Comes with this elaborate future-past stainless steel device set atop a clear toothglass, and the stuff drips through it onto a bed of, i think, sweetened condesed milk. It comes with a cup of ice but no instruction-manual. I’ve tried it three or four times using different methods—pouring over ice, letting drip into ice, mixing and then pouring, drinking as-is then dumping the ice down my boxer-shorts, etc.—still not sure how to do it right, but MY GOD the stuff will set you a-dreaming.
Of burgers—i heard that Alec/Alex, the young theater-and Cville Surf-Club (anyone on this site a member?) kid and a partner were starting a putatively ‘real’ burger place somewhere downtown—one that would be diner-like and open ungodly late to cover the post-bar crowds, and one that would have conventional fries and fries-with-gravy, and fewer oddments as served by the revamped and swankified (but always TERRIFIC) Blue Moon. Anyone have the scoop on this?
And where’s MIYAKO? I hang at Daihachi.
AN aside–there is no question in my mind that this is the best website in Cville– i was on vacation yesterday and came into the damn office just to read a few posts.
Thanks otter!
Miyako’s in York Place on the downtown mall - that little indoor mall-ette where Cafe Cubano is - all the way in the back, right on Water Street basically.
It rawks!
I’d be interested to know what about Jinx’ food sucks in the opinion of those who have written that their opinion is that it sucks.
(Since this is the internet and all, and no one can tell what my tone is: this is neither snarky nor argumentative; its an actual honest question.)
Your lack of snark and argument will cost you dearly.
/where’s everybody been?
to #92 i think colfer asked me to stay the heck off Cvillian, if i recollect aright? I slipped—thought i was AIM-ing that comment to Paris Hilton, sorry.
to #91
i like Jinx a lot, the fellow and the snax. But must admit that one pays dearly in conversational patience while paying little for the excellent food. Not sure about WonderBread as the BBQ-delivery method-of-choice.
I still prefer Julie’s Dixie Pig way the hell out in Nellysford, with their oddball but deeeelicious pine-nut potato-salad; the daughter of owner is PhD-Princeton/JD-Yale, and still occas slings pork. Dunno where they GET all the other highly enlightened and no doubt cultured, heavy-fronted nubiles behind the counter, but it can be heart-stopping to walk in there and stammer out an order.
Is anyone else excited about the new Si Tapas coming to town where Starr Hill used to be??
@94 Si
@92 yes, it will and has and does. And yet, at least when I’ve had coffee, I find it increasingly difficult to maintain a solid level of snarkiness. I try to make sure I snark a little every day so I don’t forget how.
@93 I agree about paying dearly in conversational patience. Though he does have a fairly comprehensive knowledge of old-ish movies and I find those to be enjoyable topics. The Wonderbread is questionable (Breadworks white sandwich bread, for instance, would seem a nice step up) though I do like the pork enough to use anything that gets a good amount of it to my mouth at the same time. Haven’t had the chance to try Julie’s Dixie Pig, but apparently I need to get it on my to-eat list. Thanks for the input!
@96, also agree about conversational patience. Jinx is hilarious though…just go to get a PhD in BBQology…he will tell you all there is to know about the ‘cue.
Hey @93 otterdung I remember I did say something funny to you, oh yeah here:
http://cvillain.com/2008/07/09/greenberrys-is-expanding/
But I didn’t see the latter parts of the thread. Welcome back to the shoe!
@91 i didn’t go into detail because i already have here, every time the opportunity arises. no idea where so instead of linking, i’ll reiterate:
-wonderbread
-microwaved entire plateful of food including wonderbread because beans were cold
-teensey tiny portions
-freezing cold in that little shack
-watching tv whilst eating is uncouth.
Could someone open an Italian rest. worth a shit in CVille please?
@100: I think Carmello’s got some positive reviews around here somewhere. Ah, yes, here we are (in the comments). I have since eaten there and wholeheartedly endorse it.
S - Fellini’s was wonderful, back in the day
@101 i reiterate my disagreement.
@102 very odd menu now; was it always so?
no, back in the day, we changed the menu every season to reflect the seasonally available foods - i can’t vouch for the currrent fellinis ownership
i’m too tired…all i can remember of what i had to say is that: OP, the best lunch i’ve had out (since i don’t usually) was indeed at petit pois. company included most definitely-a sordid run of lunch dates via myspace.
and aqui es mexico should be the mexican choice(i have not yet gotten around to la michoachana(?))
and the only italian that could be considered would be the crazy dog, i mean il canne pazzo(again, i don’t know if that is the correct spelling). when they have the eggplant parmesan, it is almost as good as my own, and since i can just sit and order it while being waited upon, i vote yes.
as for “japanese” /pardon me, i used to eat near the pacific and all food asian is, well, “different” here…
miyako. ten didn’t merely get pricey, it just got a little on the why is all the regular menu/$5-$8 sushi unavailable but the $12-$15 option special is available, and then settling for a $9 slice of fish that ended up in a napkin due to it being unchewable. mmm.
and every time someone mentions dr. ho’s i wish i woulda had the meager cash to have gone back in teh day when i had so many nights free i could have gone. maybe someday soon.
@79, orchid- wait you diet plans until you return to winters in virginia- out there in california, the produce is practically screaming unknowingly to you about it’s goodness. here it mostly gets trucked and looks tired after ripening on the way. i suggest you may want to hold on to the occasional steak or definitely some cheese and honey (local honey=like a vaccine for allergins). but if you want to go the route, learn the local food and go with it. you probably aren’t going to be able to eat out all the time and find it as nutritiously or deliciously. even very local oriented food restaurants can’t yet boldly feed the public for profit yet with all local, vegan food. or even vegetarian. it’s the location thing.
i don’t really drink coffee, but i give cafe cubano i big thumbs up for fair trade and reasonable prices, and complete lack of pretense.
we need a good ice cream place. perhaps my informants were worng, but i head chaps puts some of the “usual suspects” as preservatives into their ice cream.?
so i guess i’ll go back to ben n’ jerry’s.
thai? i’ll go with ‘99 north or fontaine…
it would be great if “the joint” actually comes up wiwth a #$(&* kick butt serious veggie burger. i can get down with the toppings, but it would be really great if they brought a worthy veggie burger to carry it.
//oh, wait- they wouldn’t be called that if they read anything written here, i forgot.
boogie burgers, anyone?
///woke up 20 hours ago on lake ontario…
xoxoxo. stop talking about food if you want me to shut up.
to # 98
Colfer—thank you—wanted to be sure it’s OK—as before, i’ll drop out if my snarkiness or whatever seems inappropriate.
to #102
i ratify that Felini’s menu was magnificent back-in-the-day. There was a Chicken Marsala that still has me reeling, but it took every penny from my sofa and the cushions in my car to pay for it… and nobody there, including myself, was ever sober enough to thoroughly enjoy it… tragic, that.
to #105
as elsewhere, i can’t think of any coffeeplace MORE pretentious than Cubano in ANY of its various incarnations, but of course perhaps you said that tongue-in-cheek. Stainless steel and nuevo-yorkais and all the ‘best-people’. There’s a line in a song by Tullycraft: “There’re more poseurs in The Musement (band) than there are people at the show…”. I think we don’t use names here except where someone outed 20s lawyer-guy by name, but i could list fifteen regulars of Cubano and identify each aspect of dripping phoniness and faux-newyork avant-garderie. I suupose Cubano-as-new got stuck with the regulars, and got stuck with the fittings of the place… perhaps it’s unpretentious IN SPITE of that. I’ll go drop six bones for a latte there later and re-assess the place-in-itself.
INCIDENTALLY–
the Best Of Cville was really rude as hell and patronizing about Cvillain.
This was wholly unfair and really petty—especially given that Cvillain is NOW what the Cville Review/Cville Weekly WAS THEN, back when it was worth reading—when it actually had any local charcater and flavor, actually spoke of local color and people and things and wasn’t trying to be the g*dd*m Village Voice (except without the village, and with a plagiaristic simpering schmaltzy, simply moronic, self-congratulatory ‘challenge-your-mores’, and half-witted voice).
Anyone willing to start a post with a vigorous commentary of the paper and what it seems to be now, and directly relating to its slanderous mistreatment of this magnificent website and its commentators. also—was it really necessary for it to talk trash about poor THOR, who in starting this with I assume others, has done greater service in shorter time than that paper altogether in RE-generating a sense of public community in this town which has become so much scattered recently, so lost of community and lost of real society-of-peers and fellow-travelers?
And why would they compare CVILLAIN to CVILLE-MEWS… they exist for COM-PLETELY different purposes…and in any case, the examples they gave belied a complete ignorance of CVILLAIN…. which had several posting on the subjects they claim were ’serious’ on CVILLENEWS (the shooting, etc.) and not covered on Cvillain.
sorry i’m so cranky today, dear friends. i was just looking at your pics of the Escafe gathering and wishing i had been there, kicking myself for having been at home shaving the lint off sweaters when i could have been swilling cocktails and slapping Belmont Yo and Thor on the back, guffawing and wishing i could date gal-posters here-on.
Any way there could be a weekly gathering of Cvillains, say upstairs at Millers and closed to general public on a regular and weekly night when they’d otherwise have it closed up there? Just so it’d be possible to always have a place to go and find ‘everyone know[s] your name? I’ve heard this suggested by one of the ogres/betes-noirs mentioned on this site, but his ineffectuality has not prevented the ‘fruiting’ of the idea. it’d be fun to know you could always find SOMEONE you know in SOMEPLACE you know at a specific time. Naturally precautions taken to make it not elitist or meat-marketish.
you may note for the record that i think for the moment that this site is the best thing going in this town.
Yeah, C-ville weekly sucks. They did try to insult us as much as possible in a few sentences. Oh well. I think the weekly meeting would be fun. Then those of you that I’ve bullied or attacked can come up and I’ll take you in my arms, push your face against my tiny bosoms and stroke your little heads, and sing you a lullaby.
I would love to have a regular meeting place for cVillains. Something casual and after work hours.. I don’t know if behind closed doors is a good idea for our site though… we are all about open doors.
But, Otter, I didn’t take it as patronizing. It was just kinda blah.
I appreciate the kind words and I hope we can continue to be kickass in the future.
Any way there could be a weekly gathering of Cvillains
Well, I know where I am every wednesday *cough* and there used to be at least a handful of villains there from time to time. Lately though, not so much, as I think the CDC (or whatever they are called now… “WASPs with Whiskey” i think) has just too much allure for my pitiful disco to compete with.
Tuesdays is a good time at SS, but its rather random.
Thursdays used to be fun at Boheme with Eduardo, but that died in the crib.
I think that any establishment that tapped into the collective alcoholism of the greater villain community would profit greatly, with very little headache. But hey, what do I know?
say upstairs at Millers
This will be the second time today I’ve said this (once was to co-workers suggesting locations for a company wake) - “I’d rather be sober than go to Miller’s”
The upstairs isn’t that bad.
We could do the Upstairs…
@ 113 Because we all have $24 to spend on a shot? Dunno who you are Thor, but I get the feeling you are in a economically advantaged position, what with dining out all the time and all.
Some of us are scraping, just so you know…
In soviet russia, economics disadvantage you…
I save my cash for meals and booze it on the cheap. Does the upstairs not have normal cheapo beer/booze?
In soviet russia, economics disadvantage you…
Psst, Thor. I don’t think these jokes work when they’re factually true statements.
@113: VETO! miller’s shots/drinks have gotten smaller &/or more expensive upstairs since the overhaul.
AND the upstairs is a legitimate reason to wear sunglasses at night! why is it so excessively illuminated up there?
In Soviet Russia, factually true statements joke you.
@ 115 I don’t believe you, but thats ok.
Upstairs has beer on the cheap and thats it (correct me if Im wrong). But beyond that I think that we may be disruptive to the elegant atmosphere they are going for up there, but who knows.
What we need is the tavern equivalent of Mos Eisley…
Are we talking about upstairs at Millers or the Upstairs? So confused.
also if you go upstairs in an elevator have you really gone upstairs?
@118 ‘attaboy.
definitely scraping bottom here (not my own).
the notion of upstairs at millers was that it would be closed—it’s no skin off miller’s arse so they’d prob go for it as added revenue. we’d either have a waitron if miller’s offered, or just lug drinks up there ourselves–and because it’d be when they weren’t using it, it wouldn’t matter really if someone had a coke or a cuervo-royalito, no pressure to buy.
miller’s is certainly insufferable in spite of an illustrious past, but the upstairs is cozy with winter icumen-in.
and if upstairs it’d have that sortof vibe where someone could actually sit and write or something, and much of that hell-is-other-people stuff would go away if it were sortof CVILLAIN-only—like a sillyass speakeasy password, or a token you’d show at the door, or something.
it would only be ‘exclusive’ in the sense that you’d have to take two seconds to JOIN Cvillain—that’s all i was getting at. And, w/o the maddening-crowds of non-members, it would lend a certain focus to things…. and undoubtedly inspire posts and projects hors-website.
as to #108… it’s been an awfully long summer…. could i apply for the position you describe?
OH HELL– confusion is my fault—i forgot they had that bloody poolhall WAY upstairs–i didn’t mean the poolhall, they’d never give us that. i just meant UP-THE-STAIRS from the main-bar itself–where so often they have the “Upstairs Closed” sign.
lights could be dimmed, as the staff has been.
@123: You have to let me attack and bully you first.
i guess if the main bar is the rez-de-chaussee (variously spelled—even can be spelt correctly), then i’m talking about the premiere etage (see above).
# 125
Have at it, My Dear.
Is this too off-colour an exchange for what we do here?
i’m already treading on thin ice with Colfer.
@123 but then you do get to rest your head on her tiny bosom.. so you got that going for you.
@127: STFU. You speak French like a dirty little whore. Lick my boots bitch.
# 129
excellent start. i don’t speak french. go on…
i’d offer to help, but… how small ARE they… is there a direct correlation between size and how much abuse i’d have to take?
thoughts for another day… in addition to my poor franco-lingua grasp, i also sneak out of work early… now….
gnight all.
No one’s on thin ice with me. Just don’t understand what your complaint is with these people you are forced to endure seeing in life. You are wearing pants or other lower garment, right? Or is it just the fur of a riverine mammal? -~~~~
um - are we talkin about pant - sies or upstairs - whatever that means - wtf?
#132–bless you and thank you. Well and properly and condignly furry and covered. I’d never make fun of anyone who was a way by default or circumstance, only those who ape a style or something by choice—by doing so consistently and in public, they express that choice and invite comment—i’m obliging them by offering critique. Nobody blames any physical or mental or emotional faults, but one tends to feel at least somewhat entitled to constructively criticize, for example, obvious personal ’stylizing’ or affectation or adopted personae — dressing like a teenager when you’re fifty, wearing a gorilla-suit to a wedding, getting dumplings dressed as a super-model, the idiot 20s lawyer-guy and his pretentious look-me bowties. I guess the list a few posts ago about the Ten Weirdoes on the Mall was half-and-half—some were criticisms and mockeries of choice, some of endemic flaws and should have been hors-combat (i throw the franglais in for Shenanigans’ benefit). I have to say, a one-time admission—that i LOVE the affected people i try to politely mock—I LOVE that we have phony sophisticates and poseurs and so on around town—i admire them for daring, i admire them for inviting criticism or mockery, i love them for adding some COLOR to this place—for standing out against the businesspersons and fratboys and stroller-pushers. I love hat we still have them—but the best way i think to appreciate them is to call attention to them for their courage in standing-out! I would never have them CHANGE.
#133
I just hated to see nobody taking Shenanigans up on what was an extremely gracious offer, and one not to be scorned or missed. Such offers may someday be scarce (from Casablanca: “Such a fool you are, Rick, to be throwing away beautiful women like that—They may someday be scarce…”)
general:
am i being boorish?–i’ve fallen in love with this website, and am perhaps talking too much.
am i being boorish?
Cut loose, mr. dung. Lord knows the usuals aren’t holding up their end of the bargain today.
i’ve fallen in love with this website
I’d watch out if I were you. This website drinks, and when its drunk, it can get nasty.
Lord knows the usuals aren’t holding up their end of the bargain today.
Bargain? I give and give and give, and what do I get in return?
@136, people to go out and drink with so you don’t have to drink a bottle of red wine alone in your house listening to music until 2am? Idk, I find it to be a pro
A trip to Ohio?
Sometimes I just want this site to entertain me instead of being the repository for my ascii tourette’s. Usually on days like that, everyone is out, you know, living their rich full filling lives and shit. Bastards.
Oh, sorry… best of bastards.
/OT
@137: I did both of those last week. The latter was very pleasant, but I prefer the former on most nights.
@138: The only thing Ohio has going for it is cornfields as far as the eye can see. Oh and shitty cellphone reception.
The only thing Ohio has going for it is
cornfields as far as the eye can see. Oh and shitty cellphone receptionthis roadway./fixed that for you, echo; because I care.
Thanks Stan because I was and will be right outside of Toledo for the next few weeks/months. New mission: find and steal Fangboner Road sign.
You guys, don’t go off topic, it pisses off the lurkers.
Screw the lurkers.
/It’s not a personal attack if I attack them all at once.
Shen just trying to be a Thor wanna be.
No, this is trying to be a Thor wannabe…
I’m Thor y’all! I drive a chariot! I love BJs!
I love shenanigans!
Got it right that time.
ok I am probably going to get into trouble for posting this…. but get real people…
to all of you that say Ten is too expensive have you actually ever been there?
it is NOT expensive at all…. especially for the products offered.
many people can dine at Ten…. happily… for like 20 bucks a person.
yeah they offer some higher end things…. but really?
you can spend as little as you want or as much as you want and either way leave with the baddest ass Jap food available not just here but in this region.
The menu is written and priced so EVERYBODY can experience it.
I don’t understand where this wise tail came about that Ten is so expensive and pretentious.
Yes, it is a beautiful space…. the food is flawless… authentic… modern Japanese.
there is something on the menu for everyone… and the best part is it is truly all just GOOD.
before you hate come in and try it. way cheaper than traditional dining.
yes there are some top of the line items on the menu not available in the region that do cost more but that is a small percentage of the full picture.
have a roll or two, some tempura, a couple sticks, and the sea bass. between two people you are getting out of there for under sixty bucks (drinks excluded)…. try that at your favorite French restaurant.
aww man I am in trouble for this but for real people don’t believe everything you here.
check it out!
@148 People hate on it because it’s one of CC’s places. The food is great, the space is lovely, and Bert is a good contender for Cville’s best waiter.
i think it would be interesting if “best waiter/ess” and bartender etc. were voted on by those who work with them.
i think it might be a very different story.
You can say that again.
151 is undoubtedly the comment of the day.
@151 will you be my new zen master?
I can’t stop reading it.Seriously.
oh some.dude, that’s what happens when you blaugh on your eye.fone.
Tuffy… you just don’t get it do you? It’s got so much depth. Its succinct clarity shows a purity of thought way beyond your perception. There is a genius in our midst.