There has been a longstanding rumor that Charlottesville, with it’s plethora of dining establishments, actually may have more places to eat than Washington D.C., and possibly even New York City per capita. We’ve quoted this on occasion publicly, and overhead quite a few friends and acquaintances asserting it as legitimate fact. So how does it stack up? Any truth to this rumor? »Read More
With many in the bar scene grumbling over the smoking ban going into effect December 1st, and the inevitably approaching winter temps (although 70* today does provide some hope), we have to wonder if such a die-hard group of drinkers will shift to accommodate establishments which cater to the new requirements for indoor inhaling. As the new Virginia code rather clearly states:
Any portion of a restaurant that is constructed in such a manner that the area where smoking may be permitted is (i) structurally separated from the portion of the restaurant in which smoking is prohibited and to which ingress and egress is through a door and (ii) separately vented to prevent the recirculation of air from such area to the area of the restaurant where smoking is prohibited. At least one public entrance to the restaurant shall be into an area of the restaurant where smoking is prohibited.
We have been compiling a list of establishments which meet these criteria; however the ‘public entrance’ requirement knocks a few out of the running. Additionally, from having traveled to quite a few locations with indoor smoking bans, there are always proprietors willing to accept the risk of a $25 fine (businesses = per person smoking? / individuals = per cigarette you’ve been observed to smoke?). The code doesn’t clearly lay out the enforcement structure of these fines, although I’d imagine with 23 states having preceded us, there should have been ample code to plagiarize.
So, for those of us who continue to enjoy a little masochism with our mimosas, what locations are you betting will benefit from the new laws? [Photo Credits]
A birdie lets us know that Brixx Pizza, the wood-fired pizza chain, could be making a home in Charlottesville in the Barracks Road shopping center. Be afraid Christian’s & Mellow!
[pic from ncbrian]
From a birdie…
from biltmore grill manager facebook status
Sorry for the repeat post, but Biltmore Grill is closed for good. New Owner, may re open in July as the Biltmore Grill. Call with questions.
I am an excellent tipper. Seriously. I haven’t dipped below the 20% standard since high school. And as a former waitress/bar hag myself, I understand the importance of the almighty tip. I also understand just how easy it has become to create and print accurate tabs and receipts, what with all the new-fangled technology (back in my day, it was a calculator, pen, and pad). All the waiter really has to do to close out a tab (or tabs if they do it all at the end of the shift) is enter the tip amount indicated on the patron’s receipt, and the credit card machine/cash register thingy/computer adds it to the total bill. Waiter cashes out. Done and done.
But, as with any technology, these fancy-pants credit card machines/cash registers/computers only work as well as the idiot human punching their keyboards. When you put in the wrong tip, it charges me the wrong amount. Get it?
In the past month, servers have added more tip than I indicated on three separate occasions (at three different restaurants). I keep painstaking records of every penny I spend, so when I discovered the mistakes in my account, I went back to the restaurants and checked the original receipt (and I was right).
Am I having a string of bad luck, or is there tip-padding conspiracy among servers in this town? Ten cents here, fifty cents there…it adds up!
From a birdie…
In mid-March Paul is selling crush to some guy named Michael who’s going to close it for like a month & make it into a “rustic italian” restaurant & wine bar. He wants it to be all cozy like NYC places with narrow storefronts. He’s keeping the retail but getting rid of the Friday tastings, because he doesn’t think there would be room.
Governor Timothy M. Kaine and key leaders in the General Assembly today announced a landmark agreement to pass a statewide smoking ban in Virginia’s bars and restaurants. The legislation will ban smoking in nearly all restaurants across the Commonwealth, allowing narrow exceptions for private clubs and restaurants with a designated smoking room that is physically separated and independently ventilated from non-smoking dining areas.
“The dangers of second-hand smoke are undeniable – that’s why I made a restaurant smoking ban one of my legislative priorities. This legislation will make Virginia’s restaurants safer for both patrons and employees,” Governor Kaine said. “I’m proud to have been able to work with leaders in both parties of the General Assembly to find common ground on this reasonable and necessary public health measure.”
Today’s announcement comes after Governor Kaine worked closely with legislative leaders to craft an agreement acceptable to both parties and both houses.
Virginia House Speaker William Howell also noted the agreement as a step forward for Virginians: “I am pleased to join in announcing a reasonable compromise on an issue important to Virginians,” said Speaker Howell. “The compromise strikes a fair balance between the rights of smokers who choose to enjoy a legal product and the rights of other individuals who want to enjoy a smoke-free environment when eating at a restaurant. This legislation is all about finding opportunities for cooperation and compromise where possible. And, where state leaders can find and share such common ground, we should.”
Second-hand smoke is responsible for an estimated 1,700 deaths per year, according to the Virginia Department of Health. In addition, the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids estimates the Commonwealth spends $113 million a year on health care expenditures related to exposure to second-hand smoke.
To improve the health of Virginia’s employees and minimize health risks in the work place, Governor Kaine signed Executive Order 41 banning smoking in all state buildings and vehicles in October 2006.
The agreement makes Virginia part of a growing list of states around the country that are passing legislation curbing smoking in restaurants. Twenty-three other states and Puerto Rico have already passed bans on smoking indoors at bars and restaurants. Maryland and the District of Columbia passed similar restrictions on smoking in restaurants in 2007 and 2006, respectively.
Video announcement after the break…
We have the unofficial menu for Belmont’s newest restaurant, Bel Rio. Unofficially, soups, salads and small plates are $5 to $10; big plates are $15 to $20. The menu is not finalized, but it should give you a good idea of what’s in store. Word is the restaurant already has all the licenses and is waiting for the blessing from the health department. Expect it to open in about a week. Menu is after the break…
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Remember when we asked about how much you tip in non-service restaurants and cafes? A lot of you weighed in on the issue. Our poll indicated that about 70% of you don’t tip in these situations. We had an interesting discussion about the obligation of the customer in situations like this to which Dan from Eppie’s added:
I can’t speak for other quick service/counter service joints, but here’s what’s going on at Eppie’s. We started out without a tip line on the cc receipt. We added it after we’d been open several months b/c a lot of folks were asking how they could leave tips on their credit cards. However, by no means should YOU feel obliged to tip just b/c there’s a line on the receipt. It’s not on there to pressure folks into tipping. Nor does the staff take umbrage if you scratch through the tip line or put a zero in there. Does the staff enjoy getting the tips? Of course. It’s a nice bonus at the end of a busy shift. But we certainly don’t expect everyone to tip.
To my enjoyment, I found a fantastic New York Times article by Paul Wachter, relevantly titled “Why Tip?” In the article, you learn some very interesting things behind the relatively recent phenomenon of tipping.
Here are the interesting facts (i.e. things like laws against tipping), straight up, for you to share with your non-cVillain friends:
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?
