The Hook got invited to the space above Escafe.  What did they find?  They confirmed our rumor from January about it being a high end steak and whiskey joint.  It’s going to be called “The Upstairs.”

What a stupid name... anyway, I’m pretty psyched about a real steakhouse in the area, even if they can’t think of something more creative.

My suggestions for names:

• Steak & Bitches (ok, not really)
• Silver Steak House
• Prime
• S&W (Steak & Whiskey)
• Jefferson’s Steak House

Highlights from The Hook article:

[Mark Brown’s] also putting in a brand new kitchen, complete with a top-of-the-line char-broiler he says is a real “kicker,” and some kind of fancy machine that cooks delicacies like fois gras. “You can hard boil an egg so the center is like jelly,” he says.

Brown says he imagines an upscale but casual bar scene, serving up high-end cognacs, scotches, and tequilas (and wine, of course), and a restaurant serving up prime USDA steaks and seafood straight from the briny deep.

[Read more at The Hook]

Popularity: 27% [?]

So the C&O crowd made for standing-room-only with a live band and an older crowd, while the young ‘uns at South Street mustered a few pints with many an empty bar seat? What the eff? I’ve heard tell of South Street’s Tuesday draw. What gives?

Generational war? (Fight! Stop spending our Social Security! We need beer money!)

Post-St. Patrick’s Day lull? (Perhaps, but blaming the Irish is like sooooo 1850.)

Slow night in the ‘ville by my account—minus the C&O; I’ve been hearing good things about the live music there. Keep it up! (And no knock on South Street; I blame lily-livered cVillains.)

Popularity: 22% [?]

I was ordered, through the grapevine, to make a visit to Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers on 29N (not to be confused with the world’s first self-righting walking cane).  Going north, it’s about one block past the KFC.  The KFC should be really, really freaked out.

I am a skeptic of any place that can cook your food within several minutes. As an admitted food snob, I thought a few times about visiting Raising Cane’s.

I mean gosh, we have all the fixings for a disaster:

1. Cane’s is where Krispy Kreme Doughnuts used to have its store

2. The restaurant was full of the Id of Jared

3. Only Chicken Fingers?! That sounds stupid. Aren’t chicken fingers, like, for kids?

4. Typical fast foodish fears.

Guess what, Cane’s proved me all wrong.

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Popularity: 28% [?]

Our insightful little birdie has also has spilled the beans on some other sweet juice. Bottle service in Charlottesville? The birdie explains:

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Popularity: 28% [?]

One birdie has been particularly insightful into local gossip. There are so many things in there, I decided to split the gossip into three or four separate posts. Anyway, here are some insightful questions and observations about Charlottesville restaurants. From DJs to employee, this is part one. Thanks birdie!

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Popularity: 23% [?]

That’s pretty much it. I’m holding my thoughts until I visit a few times.

Popularity: 35% [?]

I had the misfortune of dining at Bohème this past weekend. I know…the location and menu seem inspiring, but it just wasn’t my lucky evening. Our table might have had a clue when we began ordering drinks. Besides a bottle of delicious Spanish red, we asked for sparkling water. I would expect Evian or Pelegrino, but they surprised me with VOSS. For some reason I was under the impression VOSS was some yuppy water from California that drunk celebrities spray on their friends when the Cristal runs dry. Did you know its from Norway? Our waiter did, and we all stared at each other in disbelief…WTF are we doing drinking Norwegian water in cville?

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Popularity: 37% [?]

A little birdie sends this in:

Al Dente will be moving into the Ix building, the buildout should take a couple of months.

Our birdie sheds some light on an ongoing rumor that a high end steakhouse and bourbon joint is coming to the mall.

Do people actually go to the IX building to eat?

Popularity: 21% [?]

Boheme is open for lunch Monday through Saturday, 11:30 to 2:30, dinner Tuesday through Saturday 5:30 until 10:30, brunch Sunday 11 to 4.

Starting after Valentine’s Day, you can stop in for small plates between 2:30 and 5:30 in the afternoon and from 10:30 at night until 1am.

And this, I absolutely love: they’re thinking about doing a Sunday Tea Dance with a DJ in the evenings, and afternoon tea service in the courtyard come spring.

Merci beaucoup to the (tres mignon) petit oiseau for this.

www.bohemerestaurant.com

[Credit: corexion]

Popularity: 25% [?]

[pic]

Ladies and Gentlemen, step right up for your week in review.

We got villains dissing on wine bars, gunshots at the Outback and some Grecian food. Don’t forget to stop around back to sample our smelly PR move, celebrity wannabies, and your favorite musical acts. When you leave, grab the gift bag– it’s full of tats, lawsuits, and monkey sex. Enjoy!

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Popularity: 45% [?]