The Daily, Richmond, Virginia

The Daily opened this past July and is located in vibrant Carytown in Richmond, Virginia. One word comes to mind when I think of The Daily...hip. This restaurant is chic and is packed with a well-groomed crowd to match. Based on a friend's glowing recommendation, we decided to swing in The Daily on a Sunday and hoped to get a seat. Reservations are strongly encouraged. Fortunately we had our choice of inside or outside. The Daily's patio is comfortable even in the chilly weather as they have turbo heaters between the tables. The patio flows into the interior through two large glass garage-like doors with a feng shui orientation. There is a large bar where you can also grab a meal if seating is full or if you just prefer eating at the bar. Our server was very helpful and included 'groovy' in his description of a meal...he was professional but still had a personality.

On to the most important topic, the food. We started with the edamame which had a sweet soy reduction. This gave the appetizer a little twist...something easy to add at home as we eat edamame a few times each week. I tried a blueberry lemonade cocktail which was good but the bourbon threw me (I should have read closer, I assumed the liquor was vodka). I am just engineered for lighter-tasting spirits. All in all, The Daily has an interesting cocktail list as well as a nice beer and wine list. They even carry O'Connor's, one of our Norfolk brews.


I pondered and pondered over what to order. I was in the mood for a sandwich, and was playing mental ping pong between the vegetable Panini and the veggie burger and then the twist in that mix was the vegetable plate option you can build. I was sure The Daily would have a great veggie burger but those sides were screaming at me - so many choices. Upon asking the server, he also added the curried lentil bowl as one of his favorite vegetarian dishes. I was really in a quandary. After another few minutes of decision agony, I opted for the Panini, as the server said he would choose that over the veggie burger and that was my first inclination. Sweet potato fries were a must and I had to throw in a side of the Brussels sprouts - another suggestion from our server. My carnivorous half went with the beef stir fry and a side of whipped potatoes. Who says you cannot order potatoes when you have a rice dish...no one in this camp.


My only disappointment, we did not have time for dessert - unbelievable but true on this Sunday. The Daily's pumpkin bread pudding with salted caramel ice cream has haunted my dreams since our meal. I would really like to visit again before pumpkin season ends (and I do love this time of year for all of the pumpkin offerings!) I wonder if The Daily would ship this creation on dry ice to me...

The Daily is a must if you are in the Richmond area. If you are out, make a day of grabbing a meal there and enjoying the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (A Hollywood Costume exhibit starts soon!) and other fun activities the city has to offer.

The Daily
2934 W. Cary St, Richmond, VA 23221
(408) 714-1489
Hours: Mon - Sat 11:00am - 2:00pm, Sun 10:30am - 2:00am

Tortilla West, Norfolk, Virginia (oldie but goodie)

Tortilla West is well known as one of Ghent's treasures. Located in the back of West Ghent, T-West, as many fondly call it, is a southwestern spot with great food and a plethora of tequila. We are huge fans of T-West and dine there once every other week, at least. The cheese dip is our go-to appetizer and T-West's seasoned chips are my favorite chips around town. Tortilla West does not have a cocktail menu per se but they do have a ton of liquor choices. For the second time, the nice bartender made me a fruity concoction of mango vodka and pomegranate liquor combined with pineapple, orange and lime juices. This is a pretty delicious drink on a hot day. This particular night, along with the mandatory chips, I started with the gazpacho soup special. A smoky flavor and topped with avocado, T-West's version of this Spanish cold soup was well done. I would eagerly order this again.

Gazpacho

For my entree, I typically choose the Spinach and Goat Cheese Quesadilla or the Vegetable Quesadilla but I wanted something out of the norm. Let's be honest, how many vegetarian quesadillas can one eat? In my quest, I spied the Grilled 3 Cheese under the sandwich heading and decided to give it a whirl. Feta, mixed cheese (cheddar and Monterey Jack) and Manchego with bacon and tomato on ciabatta. The sandwich had me at Manchego (I love this cheese) and I substituted avocado for the bacon. Sandwiches come with a side and I opted for the zucchini and squash. The result? This sandwich is my new staple at T-West and the Manchego hoisted it into the exceptional category. The zucchini and squash side is always dependable and gave me a vegetable to balance out the cheese dip and my cheese sandwich. Cheese anyone?

Grilled 3 Cheese with zucchini and squash

My boyfriend loves T-West's soft tacos and this day, tuna was the fish of choice. Cooked to his liking, the tacos combined with the mac n' cheese hit the spot. Typically, the mac n' cheese comes with jalapenos but we nix those.

Tuna Soft Tacos with beans and rice

Mac n' Cheese sans jalapenos

Last but certainly not least, dessert made it's way into my mind. T-West makes their desserts from scratch and I have always liked what I have ordered. Peanut butter pie and carrot cake were our picks for the night. The pie filling was perfectly gooey and almost had a custard consistency, making me want more. We wanted to take a second slice to go, but I nabbed the last one. Lucky me! The carrot cake was of the standard variety but good nonetheless.

Tortilla West is open Monday-Saturday 4pm-1:30am and Sundays 11am-1:30am when they also serve brunch. Laine and I still hope for the day T-West will reopen during lunch. We understand lunch everyday might not make sense for this restaurant, but how about one day per week, Fridays? We truly miss lunch there.

~Alex

Tortilla West
508 Orapax St, Norfolk, VA 23507
(757)440-3777

Mother's Day Brunch - Todd Jurich's Bistro

Mother's Day should probably be renamed "Mothers Refuse to Cook Day". Based upon the masses of families heading out to eat on Mother's Day each year, I think it is pretty safe to say that everyone else in the family refuses to cook on Mother's Day too. Back in the dark ages when I waited tables, I dreaded Mother's Day. It was the busiest day of the year AND the day you made the lowest percentage of tips. Nothing like taking mom out to eat and stiffing the server!

Now that I am a mom, I like to go out to eat too and Mother's Day for me means brunch. Even restaurants that aren't normally in the brunch game dip their toes in the water for Mother's Day. I have been going to the same places loyally now for about 8 years, and was ready for a change. It's no secret that Todd Jurich's Bistro is one of my favorite restaurants. The brunch menu looked good to me, so I booked a reservation through Open Table. I have started to use Open Table more and more. It is easy to use and has a Dining Rewards program through which you earn points which can eventually be redeemed for Open Table Dining checks. Not bad, considering it is a free service.


We arrived on time and were promptly seated in a booth located in front of the door. A great spot for people watching, and in close proximity to the salad / soup bar. I was very curious about the salad bar. The Bistro converts their bar by covering it with linens. Viola! No rocket science required. There were three soups offered: She Crab Chowder, Spring Gazpacho, Spicy Coconut Milk Lobster Bisque. The salad bar consisted of four prepared salads: Tomato and May peas, Spring mix greens, Chick Pea salad, Fresh Cucumber and Sweet onion. There was also a meat and cheese platter. I tried the Lobster Bisque (delicious with a little kick) and the Tomato and Cucumber salads. The vegetables were all fresh and nicely seasoned.


The menu was slightly different than the one posted online. There were a few ommissions. I was sad to see the Southern Bourbon Pecan Pie with brown sugar-cinnamon Ice Cream was no longer an option. For the children we ordered the pasta dish of May peas, morels, shaved aged pecorino Romano, fettuccini and Local Cage Free Farm Eggs. They really liked this. I ordered Eggs Benedict Norfolk: Homemade Black Pepper Biscuits, Surryano Ham, Local Cage Free Farm Eggs, Lump Crabmeat, Lemon Hollandaise. This was exquisite! The biscuits were special, and I loved the ham. The Mister ordered exactly what I anticipated, Chesapeake Bay Soft Shell Crabs: Crab-Bacon Slaw and Sweet Pickle Tartar Sauce. You never know what you will see when you order a soft shell. This one looked great. Lightly battered, served on top of the slaw and sauce. It received two thumbs up! The original menu listed Old Bay Gaufrette Potatoes, but this was changed to sliced ‘chip’ potato or croustilles (not waffled). As you can see from the pictures, the presentation on everything was lovely. We ordered dessert early as suggested to make sure it was reserved for us. All three girls went chocolate with the Dark Chocolate Pot de Crème. I added a shot of espresso to round it out. This was a rich decadence which none of us could quite finish.



_Laine

Food-5
Service-5
Beverage-5
Restrooms-5
Value-4
Ambiance-4

Todd Jurich's Bistro
150 W Main Street, Norfolk, VA 23510
(757)622-3210

Som Bao Cafe, Virginia Beach, Virginia

I was delighted to try Som Bao Cafe with a good friend.  It is definitely not somewhere on my usual travel route, but I see myself journeying there again for good Thai. She discovered Som Bao by way of Groupon and wanted to visit again so we headed out a couple weekends ago. We were greeted by a very friendly host and seated immediately.  The decor is sparse but fits with the crisp and clean theme of the restaurant. Everything is very, very tidy which made me feel at ease. Clean and clutter free is never bad. Our waitress was very helpful and knew the menu inside and out.

  

We started with the Cucumber Salad ($7.95) which had Japanese style thin noodles with cucumbers, pineapple, tomatoes, lime juice and chili peppers. It was great, but it does have a kick to it so prepare yourself.  Thai food is always 'clean' and healthy to me since a lot of the heavier ingredients, like cheese, are vacant from the dishes.  With the salad, we ordered the Som Bao Spring Rolls ($3.75), as they were out of the vegetarian version of their Egg Rolls. Those were also fresh and came with the familiar spicy peanut sauce, but Som Bao's was a tad spicier than the usual. I like spicy food and this had a kick to me.

For my entree, I typically order Pad Thai with tofu when I eat Thai but I saw the Lazy Loa Noodles ($9.95) which included pineapple, so I had to ask how that was. She said it was one of their signature dishes and the pineapple gave the dish a sweetness along with the spice from the sauce. When I asked if they would add tofu and peanuts, she said no problem and that I could mix and match anything on the menu. I can customize, music to my ears! My friend ordered the Chicken Ka-Boun ($9.95), Japanese style noodles in a broth infused with lemon grass, galanga, kaffir, coconut milk, and red curry. [I deleted the picture by accident, but it is a beautiful dish!] She and I both love coconut milk and this might be the largest bowl of soup I have seen. Most Thai restaurants certainly give you your money's worth and Som Boa did not disappoint. Finally, I ordered a White Chocolate Boba Tea. I have had Boba once before in Portland, Oregon and it reminds me of a milkshake, just lighter. The white chocolate intrigued me and it was as good as it sounds. The 'beads' take a bit of getting used to, but overall I like Boba. After all that, we were finally ready to leave, stuffed. I ordered the Chicken Paid Thai ($9.95) to go for my other half and he was very pleased with the dish. I like to think of him as a good judge because he is a Chicken Pad Thai connoisseur. In addition to the take-out, we departed with leftovers which meant no food debacle the next day, a plus. Prices were extremely reasonable and service was lighting fast. I look forward to venturing to Sam Boa again soon.

~Alex


Food-5
Service-5
Beverage-5
Restrooms-5
Value-5
Ambiance-3

http://www.sombaocafe.com

2476 Nimmo Parkway, Suite 101
Virginia Beach, Virginia 23456
(757) 430-1066

Hokkaido Sushi Bar - Granby Street, Downtown Norfolk

Last time I dined at Sakura in Old Dominion University's Monarch Village, I noticed their chopstick wrappers advertised another restaurant's name, Hokkaido in downtown Norfolk. There is a current sushi battle in downtown right now with at least four open. Laine noticed Hokkaido's hard work on the nice, large outdoor patio. Today's nice weather drew us there to enjoy lunch. We ended up having it to ourselves, even better! The menu mimics Sakura's, so I was pretty certain I would be happy. The lunch special made me even more enthusiastic. The two rolls I typically order at Sakura turned into my lunch special for $7.75. Of course, Laine and I have to upgrade in some way, and like my best friend, I substituted the salad for the Miso soup for $1, not a bad up-charge. We started with the edamame, a healthy appetizer that will not ruin your meal. The salad was standard and I do love the accompanying ginger dressing. The Sweet Potato Roll is one of my favorite rolls. The potato is fried and slightly warm, which is unique for a vegetarian roll. My other mainstay is the Peanut Avocado Roll and I always add cream cheese to this for good measure. Hokkaido charged fifty cents to add cream cheese which is reasonable. Related, the iced tea was $1.75 and that is a great price compared to some restaurants who want to charge $3 or more for tea and soda. That always amazes us. My bill came to just over $12...for two rolls, a salad and tea. Quality food, fast service, nice atmosphere (inside and out) and good prices...Hokkaido will be seeing us again very soon.
~Alex

I watched Hokkaido on Granby evolve over the winter months. I witnessed a lot of work being done inside and out of the building. Instead of tearing down the dilapidated woodwork on the exterior, they invested in the historic character of the building and worked to repair and update it. The building is nicely renovated inside as well, updated from the former Brazilian meat on a stick restaurant. (I was never a fan.)

A warm day prompted us to venture down Granby for a patio seat to check out the food as well. I have heard great reviews from co-workers. As Alex mentions, Sushi restaurants are popping up on every corner. They are NOT all created equal. I consider myself a bit of a sushi snob and wanted to see for myself if Hokkaido measured up to the hype. It did. Here's why:
1. Very reasonable pricing
2. Good quality fish (I had tuna, salmon, yellowtail sashimi)
3. Interesting and creative Rolls
4. Great service. Friendly, timely, accurate.
5. Nice decor
6. No issues, no drama, no errors

_Laine

Food-4
Service-5
Beverage-4
Restrooms-5
Value-4
Ambiance-5

Lunch Special

Lunch Menu

Patio View

Nothing exceptional, just a regular sushi salad

Edamame

Sweet Potato Roll

Peanut Avocado Roll

Yellow Tail Sashimi...nicely sized portion

Wooden sculpture on Patio. Who will win? The Tiger or the Eagle?

Good Value. $7.75 for 3 pieces of sushi or sashimi and one roll (from list provided)

Another Lunch Special - Any 2 Rolls, $7.75

Hokkaido Sushi Bar
233 Granby Street
Norfolk, VA 23510
757.622.2318
http://www.lovehokkaido.com/

Pelon's Baja Grill - (Ghent), Norfolk, Virginia

Pelon's in Ghent is a relaxed, no frills spot for fresh Baja style Mexican food . I have been once before and last night had the pleasure of going again. I prefer it for outside dining or take-out. There are quite a few inside tables, but the patio is much more enjoyable.

Pelon's has counter service, whereby you order and pay at the register and you are handed your beverages. The Pelon's staff will bring the food to your table or pack up your take-out while you wait.  There are domestic and imported beers, wine and Margaritas. We have only had beers, but a Margarita is on the docket for our next visit. We will report back with a rating. Pacifico beer has been the choice thus far.

The Trio Dip and Chips is a must to start. A single serving and a size that serve 2-4 people are available. Trust me, get the 2-4 unless it really is only you. All homemade, the guacamole is available in chunky or smooth, the queso is mild and the salsa has a sweet side to it to balance out the spices. Anyone who likes Mexican will like the trio, even those who live in great fear of anything spicy. I am not one of these people, but I know a few of them quite well and try to remember a little heat can go a long way with their palettes.

Thus far, we have tried the soft tacos and a couple of the burritos and have been extremely pleased. The Grass Hut burrito ($7.75) is my favorite thus far and with so many ingredients, you experience a slightly different taste with every bite. This vegan entree has sauteed red, green and yellow bell peppers, green onions, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, cheddar and jack cheese, shredded green cabbage, Baja rice, black beans, salsa fresca and guacamole. I have never had a burrito with so many elements. For someone who loves cheese, I did not even miss it in the Grass Hut. If you order the Trio, you always have some queso to add to your Grass Hut. The Hawaiian Pipeline, another vegan item, looks appealing and while it will be hard to forgo the Grass Hut, I will do so for the sake of diners everywhere. The Dude burrito, with marinated grilled steak, Baja rice, refried beans, cilantro, onions, guacamole and salsa fresca, was a hit for the carnivore. The burritos are a good size and with the Trio, I have had leftovers both times. Last but not least, let's talk about the soft tacos. The Carne Asada and Chicken were on our menu last night and were well received. Our only mishap was not seeing the special, two tacos with rice and beans for $7.25, but the other Wednesday deal is $2 tacos, so we still made out well. Apparently, our hunger was blinding and next time we will pay attention to the sign that was right in front of us. Pelon's has a different daily special and all are listed on their website if you, like us, often experience eyes wide shut.

For your next casual meal, try Pelon's. We could not have been happier with both of our visits. There is also a Virginia Beach location near the oceanfront. The Ghent location is open Monday-Saturday 9am-9pm and the oceanfront location is open Monday-Sunday 9am-9pm.

[As mentioned, we were famished last night and therefore, I forgot to take photos. Those will be added after the next visit.]

~Alex

Pelon's
http://www.pelonsbajagrill.com

738 W. 22nd St. Suite 15
Norfolk, VA 23517

Bella Monte, Virginia Beach, Virginia

Bella Monte, located on Laskin Road in Virginia Beach is a restaurant I certainly should have visited in the past and consider myself fortunate to have gone recently with a good friend. We snagged one of the last reservations on a Saturday evening, so I do suggest making one.

We walked in to an energetic restaurant filled to capacity and I was instantly excited. The restaurant's slightly busier decor makes you feel at home but not claustrophobic because it was designed with good taste. Tables are closer together and I do like this style. You can focus on your own party's conversation but appreciate the good chatter of your neighbors. Who does not enjoy some interesting information gathered unintentionally! In all seriousness, it is nice to see others laughing and having fun over a good meal.

It took more than a few minutes for the server to bring our drinks, but after that initial delay, she was very attentive. We started our meal with the focaccia appetizer. There is no better way to start a meal than with hearty bread dipped in a good olive oil and balsamic vinegar. For my entree, I was torn between the gnocchi and the tortellini and the latter won due to its accompanying sun-dried tomato pesto cream sauce. If you like rich cream sauce, which I certainly do, this entree is for you.  Nice additions, the sun-dried tomatoes and artichokes made it much more than your average cream sauce. My partner in crime ordered the penne alla vodka, minus the pancetta. She and I are both vegetarians and the server has no qualms in meeting her request.

Cheese tortellini, artichokes, fresh basil, sundried tomato pesto cream sauce

Penne alla Vodka

Our entrees arrived just as we finished our focaccia and we were both thrilled with our choices. The quantity was adequate and we polished off every last bite. I look forward to trying to gnocchi next time but it will be really difficult not to order the tortellini again. The trials and tribulations of eating at a nice restaurant. Last but certainly not least, dessert menus arrived. Apparently, our server is also a bread pudding fanatic, as I am, and when I said we were torn between a few of the choices, she revealed her loyalty to my favorite dessert and her love for Bella Monte's take on this popular dessert. That was an easy decision and we threw in the white chocolate cherry cheesecake for good measure. The bread pudding is made with Panettone and a rum sauce. As our server said, it was delicious but piping hot so watch your first couple bites. The cheesecake was rich and creamy and the cherries that sat atop the dish were perfect with the white chocolate. We managed to also finish these before finally resigning ourselves to asking for the check, but neither of us really wanted to leave.

Panettone Bread Pudding w/Rum Sauce

White Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake

I also ordered a take-out while we dined for a hungry boyfriend at home and he was thrilled with the chicken Parmesan. The only small blemish of the night was the side of meatballs I had ordered for him to go with the entree. I asked for a side of the Italian sausage and a side of the large meatballs in the prepared food case I spied in the back of the restaurant. I was explicit in describing them, even quoting the price. When I got home, there were much, much smaller meatballs in the box, so there was some mix-up between my order and the take-out box. Immediately upon discovering this mishap, I phoned the restaurant and the staff said to come by the following week and pick up the 'real' meatballs. We do not live close and while one of us will try to make it by the restaurant to obtain the bigger and better meatballs, I had hoped for some easier remedy. Something is better than nothing though, and as we know there are restaurants out there that would have simply done that...nothing.

There is a cute market attached to the restaurant. They have wonderful provisions for the cook, food lover or anyone who appreciates a nice gift for their home. I will definitely use them in the future for host/hostess gifts and will be able to find something unique, a little change from the typical bottle of wine. Bella Monte is also open for lunch, another meal there in my future.
Food-
Service-4
Beverage-4
Restrooms-5
Value-4
Ambiance-5


Bella Monte Gourmet Market and Italian Marketplace
http://www.bellamontevb.com/
1201 Laskin Rd #100 Virginia Beach, VA 23451
(757) 425-6290

Todd Jurich's Bistro

Another Friday, another great lunch with Alex and guest. Continuing our quest for a great meal, we headed to one of my personal favorites, Todd Jurich's Bistro. They did not disappoint! We had three wonderful entrees (pictured below): Cobb Salad, Calamari with sweet walnuts, apples, Bleu Cheese dressing and a special for the day Deviled Egg Sandwich. Service was professional and watchful. Overall, a fantastic dining experience!

Vintage Kitchen - Downtown Norfolk

After a number of big disappointments in downtown dining, I was ready for something different. It has been 2-3 years since we last visited Vintage Kitchen. We were under-impressed on our last visit. It wasn't bad, it just didn't wow us. We booked a reservation through Open Table for lunch today, requesting a window seat. We were promptly greeted and led to a sunny window table with a sweeping view of the Elizabeth River. It was so nice to feel the warmth of the sun after all the cold, clouds and rain from recent weeks.

They have a great lunch menu.The one online is a bit outdated, as the current one has more choices. For starters we decided to share the Black And White Mac’ and Cheese With Truffle, Nutmeg, And Marshall Farms Cheddar $9. There was no need to take a vote on this one. Hands down best Mac and Cheese ever. Truffle can be a powerful flavor and is frequently overdone, ruining many a great dish. Not so here. This was rich and creamy decadence.  We would go there again and just get that. My main dish was Grilled Portobello and Gruyere with pesto on Focaccia $8.95. It came with a dill pickle slice and a bag of Route 11 chips. Delicious!

I (Alex here) ordered the soup du jour, a Roasted Red Pepper and Smoked Gouda combination. It was the biggest bowl of soup I have ever seen but managed to polish it off. Creamy but not too heavy and the amount of Gouda was just right, not overpowering. For once in this day and age, bread was served at the table. Two heated rolls rolled in a dash of salt and oil, a really nice touch.

As if that wasn't enough food, we decided to top it all off with dessert. A bittersweet chocolate mousse topped with sea salt caramel and peanut brittle $7.95. It was served in the cutest cup with heart handles. This too was delicious. The bittersweet of the chocolate overpowered the caramel and peanut brittle a little but, but it was still amazing. We had a similar dessert recently at California Pizza Kitchen, that blended caramel, sea salt and chocolate. It's a good combination. Service throughout was top notch. The decor is a clean contemporary. A calm, quiet atmosphere that lends itself well to conversation. It is quiet, but not the kind of quiet where you feel like your neighbors are hearing your every word. It is the kind of quiet where you can relax a little and not have to shout over music or racket from the kitchen.

We rolled out of Vintage Kitchen well fed and happy.

_Laine & Alex

Food-5
Service-5
Beverage-3
Restrooms-4
Value-4
Ambiance-4

Vintage Kitchen (Inside Dominion Tower)
999 Waterside Dr, Norfolk, VA 23510

Black And White Mac’ And Cheese