Photo by Ben Haley
Anyone might guess that progressive Los Angeles would have loads of vegan restaurants. I mean, the city did embrace Meatless Mondays and ban pet stores from selling cats, dogs, and rabbits from animal breeders and puppy mills. And Norfolk, Virginia, where PETA is headquartered, naturally caters to vegans. Because you can get pretty much any kind of food you want any time of day in New York City, that one isn’t a huge stretch either.
But three of the top vegan-friendly cities in the U.S. might be surprise you: Richmond, Virginia; Salt Lake City; and Las Vegas. (more…)
Photo by F33
There are areas of town where restaurants always seem to congregate: the Fan, Downtown, Short Pump. You could head to any one of those spots, throw a stone, and find a great little restaurant to grab a bite (although I don’t recommend actual stone throwing in these crowded neighborhoods.) But if you’re willing to stray into uncharted waters (or, say to Midlothian or Church Hill) there are some hidden gems just waiting to amaze and delight your tastebuds. (more…)
Casa del Barco’s Mango Habanero Guacamole.
Photo by Emily O’Connor.
Here in the South, we don’t do trendy. Trendy is for New York hipsters and their ironic moustaches. In the South, mustaches are never ironic. They are purposeful. Gentlemanly, even. So when I’m naming the trendiest restaurants in Richmond, what I really mean is “Southern Trendy.” They aren’t filled with skinny folks wearing skullcaps or based on gimmicky food concepts. They are simply the (currently) popular spots in town that are getting a lot of good word of mouth. Some are brand new, some have been around a year or more, and some are old favorites that have risen to the top again. (more…)
Duck Hash, Eggs, and Tomatillo Salsa at The Black Sheep. Photo by Miles Dumville.
In Richmond, when you ask for a great breakfast recommendation, before the B in brunch has even escaped your lips, locals typically blurt out, “Millie’s!” But if you’ve ever driven by the tiny eatery on a Sunday morning (or *gasp* actually tried to eat there), you know that the long wait times can really put a damper on your brunch enthusiasm. Some Millie’s apologists will try to convince you that enjoying a mimosa on the curb is part of the experience, but not me. There are plenty of other great brunches to try in Richmond, if you’re willing to move out from under Millie’s shadow. (more…)
Photo by Joe Loong
This Wednesday, January 23, has been proclaimed Brunswick Stew Day in my home state of Virginia. A contingent of cooks from Brunswick County in southeastern Virginia will travel to the state capital and prepare 140 gallons of stew for the governor and General Assembly.
Brunswick stew is a slow-cooked, one-pot tomato-based stew, consisting of meats, usually chicken, or in more traditional preparations, rabbit or squirrel. Its ingredients also include many vegetables and legumes, such as lima beans, corn, tomatoes, and okra. Think of it almost as a hearty chicken chili. The stew is often made in huge batches in a cast-iron pot, and is said to be ready when it’s so thick that the paddle stands up in the middle. (more…)
