Now we’re into our fifth installment of GOOD EATS RVA, and its filled to the brim with restaurant news, new menus at local eateries, chef series and more. If you’re still among the few who missed RVA Magazine’s launch of GOOD EATS RVA, head over here to read up on it.
Just as before, we’ve got a huge helping this go around, so make some more room on your plate and pull up a chair and get ready for some GOOD EATS.
Rappahannock Restaurant reopens
After a fire back forced Rappahannock Restaurant to close in March, the popular seafood and oyster bar on East Grace Street is now ready to reopen with a new menu, and specials this Thursday, April 20.
This Thursday and Friday they will open at 5 pm, and on Thursday the restaurant will offer half-priced oysters all night to celebrate the reopening. The restaurant will also soon be adding some new dinner entrees to their menu so be on the lookout for that!
The sister restaurant next door, Rapp Session, also had to close, but opened up a few weeks ago. The owners have added a grab-and-go lunch service and new breakfast menu with seafood and non-seafood options for each.
Richmond Restaurant Week
This Monday kicks off the spring event for the bi-annual Richmond Restaurant Week. More than blank restaurants are participating this year with three-course price fixed menus for $29.17 per person. The restaurants will donate $4.17 from each meal to FeedMore, the umbrella organization for the Central Virginia Food Bank and Meals on Wheels. Participating Restaurants: 2Monkeys, Acacia, Amour Wine Bistro, Amuse at the VMFA, baccus, Boka Grill, Casa Del Barco, Chez Foushee, Deco Ristorante, East Coast Provisions, Helen’s, Julep’s New Southern Cuisine, Kitchen On Cary, La Grotta, Laura Lee’s, Lehja, Lemaire, Lulu’s, Max’s On Broad, Metzger Bar and Butchery, Millie’s, Mosaic, Patina Restaurant and Bar, Pearl Raw Bar, Rowland Fine Dining, Saison, Sam Miller’s, Southbound, Stuzzi, Lunch.Supper, Tarrant’s Cafe, Tarrant’s West, The Boathouse at ROckett’s Landing, The Daily Kitchen & Bar, The Grill at Patterson and Libbie, The Hardshell Downtown, The Hardshell Shoppes at Bellgrade, The Hill Cafe, The Roosevelt, and Vagabond. Richmond Restaurant Week kicks off Monday, April 24th and runs through Sunday, April 30th. Check the link above for details on each restaurant’s special menu. To date, RRW has raised over $591,679.59, this translates to millions of meals to neighbors in need.
Supper rolls out new Cocktail menu
“The Apothecary”
“Caught In the Rain”
Scott’s Addition restaurant Supper has rolled out 8 new cocktails just in time for spring and they all look delicious! Check out details below:
The Bohemian Botanist, which features The Botanist Gin, Hibiscus, Green Tea, Lime, Green Chartreuse Rinse, The Shogun’s Soldier (Bulleit Bourbon, Grand Marnier, Chambord, Fernet Branca, Pomegranate, Boomtown Bitters) The Finest Floret (Hendricks Gin, Elderflower, Lemon, Lavender, Vanilla), Walkin’ Boots (Bowman Brothers Bourbon, Cointreau, Ancho Reyes, Chamomile, Cardamom, Green Tea, Lemon, Woodford Bitters), “I am NOT a regular” (Del Maquey Crema Mezcal, Cardamaro, Cointreau, Black Walnut & Tiki Bitters);
Smoke Signal (Del Maquey Vida Mezcal, Cointreau, Lime, Mango, Habanero, Hellfire Bitters); Caught in the Rain (Havana Club Anejo Rum, Cruzan, Coconut, Coconut Cream, Pineapple Foam**, Toasted Coconut, and The Apothecary (Belle Isle Grapefruit Moonshine, Fernet Branca, Dubonnet, Lime, Honey, Ginger, Lambrusco Float); “Caught in the Rain” (the white one with umbrella) and “The Apothecary” (tall colorful one, and using Belle Isle Moon Shine!)
Tuesday Date Night at Nota Bene
Tuesday is Date Night at Nota Bene Restaurant & Bar so grab your sweetie and head down to the Italian spot at 2110 E. Main St. for a shared salad, an entree each, a shared dessert and a bottle of wine for $50.
The restaurant will also host their monthly Pizza Club on Sunday, April 30 featuring Tom Sullivan of Ardent Craft Ales. Details here.
Vagabond rolls out new cocktail menu
Vagabond has just put several new cocktails that are just perfect for Spring weather and patio drinking. They have over 10 new cocktails using Belle Isle Ruby Red Moonshine, Belle Isle Honey Habanero Moonshine, different shrubs and of course citrus elements. Some standouts are the “Strawberry Fizz” with Tito’s Vodka, strawberry shrub, lemon, lime & Yuzu hot sauce; “Fireside Chat” with Woodford Reserve, pipe tobacco syrup, aromatic bitters, red wine and flamed orange zest; and “Velvet Pearl” which uses James River Distillery’s Oster Vit, house falernum, lime, Yellow Chartreuse, & sea salt.
Ipanema Cafe teases new “Flowers” menu
Ipanema Cafe has just revealed a teaser to their new “FLOWERS” menu for spring. Pictured: Vegetable Spring Rolls, with rice noodles, edible flowers, and seasoned soy sauce.
RTD’s Taste of Richmond event Thursday
The Richmond Times Dispatch will host Taste of Richmond, a culinary event featuring a series of live cooking demonstrations and dozens of signature samples from the area’s top restaurants this Thursday from 6 to 9 pm. Plus, with your ticket purchase, enjoy wine and beer by some of your favorites from around the state. General admission: Discounted presale general admission tickets are $40. General admission ticket prices will increase to $50 on April 20. The event will benefit FeedMore. Omni Hotel. Check link for details on restaurants and live cooking demos.
Metro Diner opens location in Libbie Place Shopping Center
Comfort food chain Metro Diner, which was featured on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives’, opened April 15 at 5265 W. Broad St. at Libbie Place Shopping Center. This will be second Virginia location for the diner, which opened a Short Pump location in December. Metro Diner also has locations in Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Nevada, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania.
Brunch Market’s Block Party comes to Scott’s Addition with The Big Pig Project this weekend
In the last Good Eats we told you guys about the monthly Brunch Market going on in Lunch.Supper’s event space, Urban Roost. Well, for this weekend the Brunch Market is getting together with the people behind Lunch.Supper and The Big Pig Project for the “Brunch Market Block Party”.
The Block Party, which Lunch/Supper held a few years ago, is a BBQ festival with live music, shopping and vendors and a bunch of cement pigs. Yes, you read that right.
“They have about 30 to 40 cement garden pigs, and have local businesses and artists purchase them and paint it, decorate it and design it,” said Brittanny DeRaffele said, Brunch Market organizer in a recent interview with RVA Mag.
At the Block Party they auction off the painted pigs with proceeds going to Richmond Ronald McDonald House Charities. Brunch Market will be part of the big day this year.
The block party, which will take place between Summit Avenue and Marshall Street, will be on Saturday, April 22 from 12 to 6 pm. Follow The Brunch Market on Instagram @thebrunchmarket to find out vendor updates.
Food Porn: Check out this delicious dish from Hutch Bar & Eatery
Head over to RVA Magazine’s instagram @rvamag to check out more photos of local good eats.
To submit news, ideas, press releases, menus, or other restaurant news, please email Amy David at amy@rvamag.com. For advertising or sponsorship opportunities, please email John Reinhold at john@rvamag.com.
Top image credit: Rappahannock Restaurant
