Seriously PETA?  They send out this letter to Ben and Jerry’s:

Storchen restaurant is set to unveil a menu that includes soups, stews, and sauces made with at least 75 percent breast milk procured from human donors who are paid in exchange for their milk. If Ben and Jerry’s replaced the cow’s milk in its ice cream with breast milk, your customers-and cows-would reap the benefits.

Apparently, PETA sends this giant letter to Ben and Jerry’s asking them to use breast milk instead of cow milk!??!  I can’t believe this is real and I couldn’t find a copy of the letter on the internet, but who knows.

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We love these rumors!  Thank you birdie:

word among ex-michael’s bistro employees is that the other owner, not michael, is opening a new place with an interesting partner.  good location too

Guesses?  Space above Boheme/in Boheme,  The Upstairs or old Milano space.

[Read “Holed Up in Michael’s Bistro“]

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From a birdie…

Do you guys know anything about High Tide Burrito opening in Forest Lakes (next to Food Lion)? Some internet sleuthing has netted me little info:

- Someone claiming to be “a friend of the owners” went to NC to take pictures of the beach to sell at the restaurant.

- Owner’s name is James Yancey?

- Acquired a liquor license on Sept. 13th

- Supposedly opening in September

- hightideburrito.com was anonymously bought in July, but is currently parked by GoDaddy

If you guys know anything, I’d love to hear it. I am psyched about a burrito place on the north side of town, and this looks like it has promise.

[pic from stu spivack]

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You know you are a little crazy about food when you trap your friend into driving over an hour from Charlottesville to Richmond to eat dinner at a place called “Si Tapas.”  My companion goes “but Thor, why do we have to go to Richmond, can’t we just eat at Mas!?”  I told this one (who grew up hunting wild animals and knows how to wrestle bears, but barely knows how to use the internet) that it’s something I’ve been meaning to do and we can’t question my intentions.  I digress.

In case you didn’t know, Si Tapas will open in the old Star Hill space in Mid-Town within two weeks.  It’s an exciting competitor for Mas, which is loved and hated by Charlottesville for its food and service, respectively (despite the employee praise that happens on this site, it’s a common issue).  What better way to preview it for Charlottesville than to visit the Richmond location?

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We have two small bits of restaurant news for you.

First off, Aqui Es Mexico has relocated right next door.  Having replaced the payday loans business which used to be in the same shopping center, the restaurant grew about three fold.  The menu and food stay the same, but be prepared for a much nicer dining experience and an even smaller chance you will have to wait for a table.  Uber ambiance points!

Secondly, a birdie told me that the Escafe dance floor has all the whizz bangs, gizmos and bloopies you could ever want.  I did not get a chance to do a closer inspection, but from the description, it was “totally discified,” complete with bright lights, strobes and the works.  Unfortunately, it’s still separated from the bar area.  Question:  will the average dancer cross the threshold, attracted by the bright lights and thumping base, or is it too much of an abyss?  

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When I go to a standard, sit-down-and-a-server-comes-to-your-table restaurant, I normally tip well over 15% (and on the total amount of the bill).  I know servers think that 15% tips are pretty bad and chances are upon your return you will receive above average service.

The 15%+ tip represents a cornerstone in the waitstaff industry.  Restaurants have a pretty good deal with waitstaff in that, you and me, decide their salaries.  Now I know restaurants are super competitive and no one makes any money on them, but the sad part is that if I get really horrible service, I feel guilty about leaving less than 15%.

The real feelings of guilt hit when I get coffee, takeout or something like Eppie’s.   These places share the same ordering process where you go up to a register, order your food and you pick it up either down the line or from the same person you order it from.  Then, they give you the receipt and there is that inevitable TIP/GRATUITY line on the receipt.

What do you do!? I’m stuck in a restaurant mindset most of the time, but sometimes I think, well, the people here didn’t really do anything and why should I pay them for doing their jobs and not really providing me any service.

It’s confusing, and I call upon you, cVillains to help me solve this dilemma.

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When I read the UVa article about the summer class named “The Sociology of Food and Eating,” I was sure that I missed one of the coolest college classes. I never got the chance to study food like these college kids.  Tara’s approach to food was exciting not only because it was a college class, but also because, as she explained, “taste and preferences are socially shaped.  They are not as individual as people think.”

In case you’ve been living under a rock, that’s what cVillain food reviews are about: individual opinion, but critiqued by the masses.  We recognize that our writers’ tastes are far from perfect, but Tara sheds some light on another level of food.  She studies how preferences and traditions shape our interaction with food.  If you see Tara out, make sure you buy her a drink and then ask her to analyze your drinking (kidding!).

It’s a pretty interesting interview where we get into some gender issues, her favorite meals, and of course, address the “culture of food.”

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Nicola’s Veggies is this tiny door in the wall veggie restaurant located on 110 2nd St. NW (the north side of 2nd street on the Downtown Mall).  When I say “door in the wall”, I literally mean it.  Nicola’s interior space must not occupy more than 35 square feet.  You order through a screen window next to the door, and someone inside, most likely a nice woman named Kimberly will scramble away making your lunch a hopefully green experience.  And she really does scramble, but it must be ridiculously hard working in that tiny space, so if it takes 5 min to build you a great salad, please don’t give her any crap.

Their size does not detract from the food quality.It is owned by the same owners as Marco and Luca.  I have had the exquisite pleasure of ordering lunch from them since they opened, and every time its delicious.  Now I have to warn you, if you don’t like vegetables, like really hate them, then you might not like this.  Nicola’s offers you a veggie overload.

WTF is Raw Food?

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Need a little spice in your life? Try Himalayan Fusion. I love spicy food. The hotter the better…that is until I tried Indian Spicy at Himalayan Fusion. I’m feelin’ hot, hot, hot. I am also no longer in search of something spicy.

The service here is great. The wait staff is helpful and they know their stuff. The wait staff is even kind enough to warn you against ordering Indian spicy. Ekkk. They will gladly help with an indecisive significant other, correct a mispronounced dish, or clarify a confusing description. They can get a little busy, which slows things up. I recommend trying to eat there after 7:00 p.m. when things slow down a bit.

I was impressed with not only the service, but the venue itself. The place offers indoor and outdoor seating. It is also clean, inside and out. Overall: friendly staff, clean bathroom, outdoor seating, clean dishes, and enjoyable mood music.

Now for the dish details. The menu is pretty extensive and is a mix of Indian, Nepalese, Tibetan, with a dash of Chinese. I have yet to find anywhere that has a menu quite like Himalayan Fusion in Cville. Curries, Salads, and Naan grace the menu.

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A birdie sent this in:

Hello folks,

I figured that the foodies & such that frequent the blog would enjoy this– I saw it recently on buzzfeed. It’s the “Omnivore’s Hundred,” a hundred foods that “every good omnivore should have tried at least once in their life.”

How many have you had?  You can find the list after the jump:
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