Home is more than four walls and roof. Home is a door opening to you, your family, your pets, your lifestyle, your neighborhood, your community, your city. It’s all encompassing on so many levels.

Jo Ann L. Breaux 4/19/23 Jo Ann L. Breaux 4/19/23

Slimming Down RVA

Eating healthy in RVA was never so easy. We have everything from Vegan to Mediterranean cuisine readily available to help you get that Summer bod in check!

Yes, it’s true, we have some amazing restaurants here and the number is growing. We also have Operation Summer Bod Health Journey initiating amongst our denizens. So although, I really want to indulge in our A-Class bakeries and hear the crunch of Southern fried chicken, I’m on the hunt for some healthier options.

Kismet modern Kitchen

This newly installed amazingness is nothing short of tantalizing flavors and fresh plates. Portion control may be a little harder here.

Little Nickel

Little Nickel has the biggest and some of the best salads. They are crisp and light and you can add healthy protein options.

Cava | Mezeh | Roots Natural Kitchen

I’m lumping these three together because although, different flavors same concept. If you want delicious, quick, healthy bowls, i love these spots who have various locations in RVA.

North End Juice Company

I cannot say enough good things about this little gem. Organic and whole foods splendidly made.

Fresca on Addison

This sweet place has been in RVA for quite sometime and has always been a great dining option for those looking for a tasty vegetarian or vegan dish.

Fighting Fish

You can’t go wrong with eating Japanese food. You won’t be disappointed with the sushi and dishes at Fighting Fish.

Jannat Indian Cuisine

I don’t know about you, but I get real tired of salads when I’m trying to be lose weight or be healthier. Indian food is one of the healthiest cuisines and probably the tastiest!

Jo Ann L. Breaux 5/13/22 Jo Ann L. Breaux 5/13/22

Robble, Robble!

Celebrating #NationalBurgerMonth with my RVA mouthwatering picks!

When I was a kid, fast food was a divine treat. To get a Happy Meal from McDonald’s felt like your last class being Study Hall. But, in all honesty, my mom’s pan fried burgers were better than what Ronald had to offer. It was the first real meal she taught me how to make, and I, to be humbly honest, I make a pretty damn good burger…I think. The burger fits in that perfect foods list, the one that includes pizza, pasta, and tacos. Besides, who doesn’t have a nostalgic moment with a burger?

Now that I’m grown up, my burger palate has broadened, but not that much. I’m pretty simple when it comes to my ‘all beef patty, special sauce, lettuce, cheese’. For me, I want a burger that has quality protein, a good bread source, and varied cheese options. Sometimes I like a spinach, brie and bacon combo and other times I’ll go more traditional with cheddar, bacon and pickles. I like my lettuce shredded and I think mayo on a patty dulls it, not to mention I’m just not a fan of mayo on sandwiches. I do love a good dill or spicy relish, and I’m a fan of thinner burgers vs thicker ones.

Now that you know my burger dating profile, I’d like to share some of my favorite RVA burger joints to celebrate #NationalBurgerMonth. Bon appetit!

Beauvine

(Vegan/Vegetarian options available)

What I like about Beauvine is the quality of meat they use and their nostalgic resemblance to Dumont burger in Brooklyn (oh how I miss you!). They have tasty sauces like Béarnaise and Herbed Aioli and them duck fat fries are so good! Yes, they do have Vegetarian options and excellent service to boot. I love going in here getting a delicious burger, fries and the ROSTOV’S FRENCH ROAST COFFEE milkshake and spectating a soccer match on the telly.

Where's the Beef?

Indian Fields Tavern

I got an inside scoop on this one and decided to check it out. I love this place all around, but the burger is delicious with a capital D! Listen to some acoustics on the lawn and enjoy their Charles City burger with bacon jam and double cream brie…holy hell it’s good. One of my favorite burgers and places to spend the afternoon.

Don't have a Cow

Cobra Cabana

(Vegan/Vegetarian options available)

So it’s not a traditional burger persae, but a more abstract version. The Chopped Cheese does it for me. I had no idea of this NY originated sandwich which makes me shameful to my living there, but CC delivers this hearty, cheesy goodness on a perfectly grilled baguette. The hot dill relish is where it’s at! Add some fries and wash it down with a beer…heaven!

No Beef Here

The Roosevelt

I have loved this cheeseburger since Roosevelt opened up their doors in 2011. I don’t know if it’s the bacon jam or the crafted cocktails that enhance this double pattied delight, but it’s a solid choice that makes sitting at the bar in a pretty environment, an burgerific experience.

So, We Meat Again

Kreggers at Hand

(Vegan/Vegetarian options available)

I am pleasantly surprised by Kreggers. Their burger is always consistently good and I love the variety of options they have. They keep it simple, but still with some twists. A burger special on Tuesday for $8 is choice and even if the vibe there doesn’t do it for me, the staff is always super nice.

Burger Me this

Patrick Henry Pub & Grille

(Vegan/Vegetarian options available)

PH makes a solid burger in a cool environment (check out the gem of the patio upstairs). You want burger with that bourbon? No problem. I like they have a variety of sauces to choose from and it’s just a solid bite you can have when you need something to absorb the alcohol and the darkness the basement pub provides.

Flip It, Flip it Good

Carytown Burgers and Fries

(Vegan/Vegetarian options available)

It’s always been my favorite. When I want something that is going to fill me up and leave me slumped and sleeping on the couch, it’s CBF with a side of Tater Tots. Solidly consistent and you can also get a side of milkshake with that!

Royale with Cheese Please

Shake Shack

(Vegan/Vegetarian options available)

Milkshakes, Crinkle Fries, and a hangover cure for the masses, Shake Shack is Grade A yum . I know it’s not here yet, but after five years of standing in line in Bryant Park in New York salivating over my lunch breaks, I am quite certain this will be my fast food burger spot. We all have those, you know when you just need something to help you take your afternoon nap and you don’t want to stand in line for brunch. It will be like seeing a long lost lover after being separated for years. Shake Shack burgers are addictive and an unforgettable morsel.

These are just some of my favorites in RVA. I’m sure there are plenty that I have yet to discover! Feel free to comment on your favorite spots!

Jo Ann L. Breaux 7/16/21 Jo Ann L. Breaux 7/16/21

Celebrating National Culinary Arts Month

Celebrating the culinary genius of RVA Chefs!

Photos from Instagram (click on photos to follow)

Once upon a time I watched a boy walk into Ukrops to get a job where he ended up in the bakery. I watched that very same boy eventually move to New York to become an Executive Pastry Chef opening up Jean-Georges Vongerichten restaurants across the world to working with Chef Daniel Boulud amongst other culinary notables. I also once sat on the phone with Ducati loving, celebrity pastry chef, Johnny Iuzzini while he was waiting to get Lasik eye surgery. Oh how I miss you NY. Anyway, I’ve known many a chef in my lifetime and despite the “rockstar” status of it all, I find the culinary arts to be one of the most intimate and passionate expressions out there.

I think my first real culinary discovery was Jimmy Sneed’s The Frog and the Redneck. His duck was magnifique! From there, my tastebuds kept maturing and I became a bit more adventurous with my palate. We were also blessed by a growing RVA restaurant scene. I remember on my 24th birthday, my dear friend Justin Cropper (Don’t Look Back South and Union Market) made me a red snapper dish at Lemaire that I still crave to this day and I remember my first meals at Mamma Zu, Helen’s, Comfort and Magpie. Memorable cuisine lasts forever, and chefs like the Longoven trio—Patrick and Megan Phelan and Andrew Manning, along with the likes of Brittanny Anderson (Brenner Pass), Caleb Shriver (RIP Dutch & Co), Lee Gregory (Alewife) and David Shannon (L'Opossum) have elevated our little city town to put RVA on the food heaven map.

Chefs have always fascinated me. It’s a spectator sport—watching them sit to come up with specials, calm and collected to then yelling across a kitchen while timing every meal to perfection, it’s pretty intense. There is also something about the way a chef’s mind works—how they create and craft. How they decide what is too little and what will never be enough, or how they masterfully cultivate a menu that will touch upon all the senses. It doesn’t have to be pretentious food either, I’ve had some of the best meals prepared in food trucks and as simple as chicken and rice (gotta love Portland’s food scene). I, however, can barely creatively make a sandwich, let alone an entire menu. The intimacy of food is something cherished. When you eat something that is equivalent to what love feels like, it’s magical. Covid took a big bite out of some of our establishments, but these resilient and talented chefs will find their way back into our hearts and mouths.

If you haven’t experienced these culinary artists and their dining rooms, I urge you to do so — like now. Thank you for making RVA the delicious, savory and beautifully presented food oasis it is. Can we eat now?

I think we can all agree, we are ready to be served up by RVA’s finest. I want to thank the talented chefs below, I know how busy they have been and I appreciate their time. Very excited to hear Heritage has reopened!

FIVE X FIVE

1. One word to describe your cooking?
2. Who is YOUR favorite chef in town?
3. What is your favorite dish to make?
4. What is your favorite herb or spice?
5. What's the one thing you make consistently at home that brings you joy?

Chef Mike Ledesma of Perch

1. Polarized
2. Chef Paul Ebling who brought French food to RVA
3. Whole fish out of 900 degree wood burning oven (crispy skin)
4. Aleppo pepper smoky sweet
5. Spam, eggs and rice

LET'S EAT

Chef Sunny Baweja of Lehja

1. Comforting
2. Tough one. There’s so many— Lee Greggory, Brittany Anderson, Caleb, Dale, Jason Alley, Patrick, David, Dale Reitzer and the list goes on
3. Chaat
4. Spice - Dried Pomegranate Seeds / Poeder and Kasoori Methi and Herb - Curry leaf & Cilantro
5. Whatever my two boys want me to cook. Anything from Pancakes to Chocolate Cake

LET'S EAT!

Chef Joe Sparatta of Southbound and Heritage

1. Seasonal (market driven)
2. My Partner at Southbound Lee Gregory (owner of Alewife)
3. Okonomiyaki (as of late)
4. Thyme
5. Red Sauce

LET'S EAT!

CHEF LAINE MYERS of ORO

1. One word to describe my food is “balanced.” I’m always striving for the perfect balance. With every flavor, every ingredient, every dish as a whole.
2. It’s too hard to name one favorite RVA chef, so I’ll recognize a few here. Carson Bledsoe, Chef de Cuisine at Metzger is doing great work with her team. She cooks seasonally and creatively, and I always look forward to eating her food. Another great duo (whom I waited too long to have my first dining experience), is David and Sariann from The Broken Tulip. Such a memorable meal, with a great cozy atmosphere. I found myself saying “that was a nice touch” all throughout the night from the spiced vegetable chips that were on the table as we arrived to the honey comb presentation with the cheese course toward the end of the meal. I will think of that night fondly for a long time. Lastly, I want to give acknowledgement to my favorite pastry chef in town, Olivia Wilson, who by the way is just as strong on the savory end of things. She has a strong background in terms of her training, and ran a successful pastry program at both Metzger and Brenner Pass + Chairlift. I often think of her as the pinnacle of skill in the kitchen. Very very excited to see what she does next!
3. My favorite dish to make would be something that uses minimal ingredients and allows the main component’s flavor to shine. I’d probably have to say sungold tomato spaghettini, prepared a la minute in the pan by sweating sliced garlic and sun golds together until the garlic is translucent and the sungolds have split and allowed their juices to form a sauce. Finish with some buttery olive oil and an aged parmesan reggiano, and you’ve got one of the best meals of Summer. This will actually be one of my menu items for this weekend’s Oro pop up menu!
4. My favorite herb/spice is always evolving, but right now I can definitively say whole green coriander, or Mexican oregano.
5. The one thing I make consistently at home that brings me joy is a tomato sandwich. Honestly really anything that’s heavy on the tomatoes while they’re in season whether that’s a salad with a punchy vinaigrette, or baked into something like a frittata. Another consistent year round favorite is a charcuterie board. I love all of the condiments that we tend to go overboard on in my house. Pickles, honey, ferments, mustard, fruit, baguette, olives. They’re a conglomerate of my favorite things.

LET'S EAT!

Chef Skip Frazzano of Chez Max

1) Unpretentious
2) Evan Campbell
3) St the restaurant Dover Sole
4) Salt
5) A large Sandwich. So many options.

LET'S EAT!

Jo Ann L. Breaux 4/7/21 Jo Ann L. Breaux 4/7/21

It's Picnic Time!

Celebrate National Picnic Day with these spread worthy spots!

On the 23rd of this month, we will celebrate National Picnic Day! The pandemic has got more and more of us eating al fresco and we are fortunate to have so many beautiful places to lay out our spreads. With the weather reaching optimal temperatures, finding choice spots are in demand as well as finding restaurants specializing in perfect outdoor eats. Whether romantic, luxe, or family fun, RVA knows how to provide a basket worthy backdrop. I’ve collected a few to help you out on your adventure!

Choice Picnic Spots

We have many parks littered about RVA, but I find these to be the most pleasant for your picnicking fun.

Maymont: Never disappoints with its vast areas for laying about amongst the trees and animals.
Forest Hill Park: It’s rolling hills and the James make a perfectly serene site.
The Church Hill Lookout: intimate and view worthy, you may want to find the perfect time to bring your honey
Libby Hill Park: City and River views worth taking in blanket-side
Three Lakes Park: Walk around the lakes, visit the Nature center and grub out with the kids
Crump Park and Meadow Farm: Nice spots at the pond or enjoy the historical working farm grounds
Hollywood Cemetery: Eating with the dead isn’t so morbid, enjoy gorgeous views of the James at peace
University of Richmond: The campus is perfect for picnic by the pond and even a nice stroll afterwards