Dana Craig recently visited Alex’s Thai and spreads the words on this “cozy Shockoe addition”:

I appreciated Alex’s menu designating each dish’s spice level rather than encouraging a free-for-all of mild, medium and hot customization. With authentic Thai food, some dishes are meant to be spicy, and some are not. However, the menu notes they can adjust the spice level if specifically requested. [...] Alex’s is a great addition to the already expanding food choices in the Bottom. It might not be worth a lengthy trip from across town, but I know the neighborhood is happy.

Daniel Neman visits 19-year-old Millie’s for the RTD and writes about the food and the environment:

Part of the Millie’s charm is the vibe, the far-from-antiseptic rugged appeal of the place. Wooden floors, wooden booths, wooden walls (one of which is covered with money from other countries), a sign reading “Smokers will be pummeled with punishing blows all over their bodies” and a giant poster for the 1927 German Expressionist masterpiece “Metropolis.”

And don’t miss the most blissfully eclectic jukebox in town, featuring everything from the Meat Puppets and Jah Wobble to Art Blakey and Sophia Loren singing “Bing Bang Bong” from the movie “Houseboat.”

It’s impressive, that jukebox. Which is why it fits in so well with the food.

The Shockoe Chef Showdown will throwdown at the 17th Street Farmer’s Market Saturday, July 26 from 11AM-4PM. Delicious samples will $2.00 per serving to the public; free parking, free admission. Awards for the Chef Signature Dish Competition Baskets for the Fresh Market Basket Competition happen @1PM. Find out more. (PDF)

Here are 12 key words from in vino veritas’ take on a recent visit to Morton’s: 1) disappeared, 2) clownish, 3) superb, 4) flavourless, 5) forgot, 6) unevenly, 7) overdone, 8) delectable, 9) confused, 10) hacked, 11) disappointed, 12) prices.

Calling all Culinary Masters in Shockoe Valley from the Slip to the Bottom and beyond: So, you think you have what it takes to compete for title of Top Chef in Richmond’s River District? This event will pit the Savory-savvy Gurus from Shockoe Slip against the Flavor-chic Experts of Shockoe Bottom, with some local homegrown culinary talent thrown into the pot to spice things up a bit! [via]

Read more >

Looking for a good lunch? Daniel Neman at the RTD says try Zuppa, you’ll like it:

The Thai Chicken Noodle ($3 a cup, $5 a bowl) is a hearty blend redolent of lemongrass and, one assumes, fish sauce and maybe galangal, a Thai relative of ginger. It is the perfect accompaniment to any cool or cold day — that is, any day that isn’t in the summer, when they offer gazpacho.

Style Weekly’s restaurant roundup Short Order gives an update on Cafe Gutenberg. With new front-of-house manager Gershom Wynn (Karsen’s, Escabar and Metro) joining executive chef/general manager Jen Mindel and chef Garrett Berry, the restaurant continues to serve up simple fine dining that is “local, seasonable, lively and affordable”.

Read more >

Style Weekly’s weekly restaurant round-up Short Order has word that Travis Irby will be opening City Dogs, a hot dog venue, at 1316 East Cary Street on June 23.

i wish i could cook has a few really good words to say about Havana 59:

… we started with tuna carpaccio with edamame salsa. Wha-what? It was divine! A heaping pile of edamame, garlic, onions, etc. sat atop blood red, sliced-to-the-point-of-transparent tuna medallions, all pooled in a soy and garlic sauce. Heaven heaven heaven.

Style Weekly has the story on presidential wanna-be John McCain’s visit to Shockoe Espresso: $20 tip, lots of sugar, and he didn’t even drink his coffee. You can buy his coffee cup on eBay…

Style Weekly’s Short Order is reporting that David Napier’s The Old City Bar will only be open for “private events, parties and theme dinners”, with a summer Italian prix-fixe, five-course dinner in the works.

RVA food blogger Brandon, this time writing for Style Weekly, takes a look at Savor (and the daily grilled cheeses!) and says “what’s not to like?”

Style Weekly’s Short Order has the word that Blanc Bleu, “a major fine-dining project planned for Riverside on the James”, is not to be. Quoting a spokesman for CB5 Restaurant Group as saying that “economic factors and a lack of confidence in the Richmond market at this time” killed the project.

Richmond.com visits Halligan Bar & Grill and has great things to say:

The pulled pork was smoky and tender, lightly topped with a tangy vinegar and tomato sauce and served (as all baskets are) with crisp seasoned fries, homemade “dry” coleslaw and a crunchy homemade pickle halfway between the cucumber and dill mark. This sandwich rivals any of the best I’ve had from Memphis to Texas.

in vino veritas slams Europa for food, drinks, AND service (”mr. crappy server man”) over the holiday weekend in the crud that europa calls food.

… the pepper was stuffed with something akin to spam with paprika in it [...] it was described as chorizo, chicken and marscapone cheese - it really was spam baby food…

The RTD’s New restaurants boomin’ in Bottom takes note of all of the activity in Shockoe Bottom and gives props to LuLu’s, The Halligan Bar & Grill, Alex’s Thai Cuisine, the soon-to-open Sheba Restaurant & Lounge (this weekend?!?), Julep’s New Southern Cuisine, and GlobeHopper Coffee House & Lounge.

Word has it that Sheba, Shockoe Bottom’s new Ethiopian restaurant, will be opening sometime this weekend. Sheba is located at 9 North 17th Street at the Farmers Market.

In addition to being known for their food, the folks at LuLu’s can take the crown as the city’s most reviewed restaurant in the past 6 months or so. The most recent visit was by freelancer Ginger Warder for richmond.com who comes out swinging, saying of the food that “I would have been more satisfied at Cracker Barrel than with this bland bowl of noodles” and of the service that “I assume if you become a familiar face, that service might go up a notch”.

The RTD’s Dana Craig visits Halligan Bar & Grill and comes away raving:

Brined in vinegar and drizzled with Halligan’s signature tomato-meets-vinegar barbecue sauce, the Carolina pulled pork sandwich was excellent — tender meat flaunting smoke-kissed, crispy edges served on a toasted bun. Just as good were the hand-cut fries, hot from the fryer and packing plenty of seasoning. [...] The corn bread alone — super-moist and accented with rosemary and crushed red pepper — is worthy of top menu billing.

Read more >

The issue of parking in the Bottom is heating up: development at Cedar & Broad will remove one parking lot from the mix, Julep’s has their own valet service to beat the crunch at their corner of 18th, and there are still new restaurants and shops yet to open that will increase demand for the limited number of spaces.