American -> Croaker’s Spot -> Richmond, VA

Came here for lunch with my brother.

	Egglestons Fried Fish Boat – The fish was fried very well. The fish was topped with green peppers and onions in a sweet tomato based sauce. The sauce went really well with the fish. The fish seemed to have been homemade as there were bits of bone in the fillets. The corn muffin was amazing. It was nice soft, not too grainy and had bits of corn in it. The potatoes were soft but nothing extra ordinary. The cabbage was really soft and savory and surprisingly it didn’t have that strong bitter cabbage taste.
	Sauteed Fish with Mushrooms – The fish was soft and buttery. It went well with the mushroom and onion mix. The rice was so so. A little overdone and poofy from an over abundant  water intake. Overall not too bad, a good change of pace from the fried gluttony.
	Fried Seafood Platter (Our famous fish adorned with our blend of peppers and onions in our signature secret sauce, four butterflied shrimp and twin crabcake medallions accompanied by our cheddar ranch grits, cabbage, and a block of cornbread.) – The fried seafood platter had the fish boat with shrimp, and crabcakes added. The crabcakes were a bit over done. They also had a lot of breading in them. I liked how they had a spicy kick to them though. The shrimp were nice and crisp. They weren’t overly large but at the same time not tiny either. The cheddar ranch grits were different. They had a smoother feel to them then other grits we’ve had and the cheese just added a bit of flavor without overpowering it.

Decor: A throwback. We were seated in what looks like the expansion area. Old pictures or up on the wall, while the dilapidated bricks and peeling paint add a bit of charm and retro feel to the place. Across the street is a view of an decaying and torn down abandoned hotel. The waitress was nice despite the insane wait. She was very good with refilling our drinks as well.

Overall Assessment: ($, 5/10) – Man I don’t know what happened, but it took them close to 45 minutes to get our food ready. I wonder if it was because we came at 11 and they weren’t ready yet. The odd thing was that the table next to us came close to 40 minutes later than us and they were served their food almost 2 minutes after us. Whatever the case, we never got an explanation or apology for the delay. we can understand unforseen disasters happen in the kitchen, just let your customers know about it or apologize for it.  The food is very reasonably price and was delicious. The portions are enormous. I think we had enough leftovers to feed us again for another meal. If it had arrived in a meaningful time period, I think we would have given the place a 7. However the long and dreary wait drags the rating down to a 5.

Website: http://www.croakersspot.com/
Location: 119 E Leigh S, 23219
Reservation: N/A
Takeout: 804.421.0560
Hours: Mon – Wed; 1100 – 2100, Thurs – Fri; 1100 – 2200, Sat; 1200 – 2200, Sun; 1300 – 1900

 

Cuban -> Kuba Kuba -> Richmond, VA

Was down in Richmond for business. We went out to dinner with an old classmate that I hadn’t seen in a long while.

	Paella de Fideos – The seafood on the dish was very fresh. The clams and mussels were all cooked pretty well. The shrimp was crisp. Wife was really miffed as the entree just seemed like it was boxed penne pasta in broth with veggies and seafood. It didn’t seem like the noodles were really simmered in the sauce. In her own words. ” I can make this at home, what’s so special about it.”
	Roast Pork Shank – I will be the first to say that the portion was huge. The pork however was a bit on the dry side. The onions that came with it were very tender and sweet. The mashed potatoes were ok. It was disappointing given how good the pork roast I had last time was.

Previous Review:
/2007/09/13/cuban-kuba-kuba-richmond-va/

 

American -> Village Cafe -> Richmond, VA

Was in Richmond for a meeting. Decided to have lunch with my brother.

	Raspberry Almond Roca Shake – I liked his shake better. The raspberry and the almond go really well together to give a sweet and tart shake.
	Irish Creme, Creme de Menthe Shake – I could taste the Irish creme, the mint was a little harder to discern.
	Potato Skins (Scooped out potatoes, seasoned, fried and filled with cheddar cheese and bacon pieces, served with sour cream) – I didn’t believe my brother when he said these were basically potatoes cut up with cheese slather on top. Sure enough these were huge baked potatoes with a very generous amount of cheese on them. They were grilled pretty well. The cheese combination could have used some work on my flavoring but overall not too bad.
	Italian Sausage Sub (grilled green peppers and onion, sausage rope, homemade Marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese) – One of the better Italian sausage subs that I’ve had. Since the sausage they use is too small, they cut up some slices to fill the space up., The sweet onions and peppers mixed with the marinara added a bit of soothing sweetness to the spicy sausage. Very nice Onion Rings – As one could tell these were fairly sized. I ate one and I could feel my arteries tighten on me. These were dripping with oil.
	Lasagna – Not too bad, a generous side. The lasagana was feel with meat sauce and pasta. The lasagna pasta layers were cooked a little softer than al dente. There was a good amount of cheese covering the dish and enough ricotta spread throughout the lasagna. Garlic Bread – The bread was soaking in butter. Crunchy with a mild garlic taste.
	Salad – The lasagna came with a salad. The salad dressing was honey mustard but it was the dijon honey type, and there wasn’t much sweetness to it either. teh lettuce, onion, tomatoes and cucumber all seemed to be crisp and fresh.

Decor: Diners layout. There is an actual bar with high twist circular seats. According to my brother they have a non smoking section, but the service is just so awful there that it is more worthwhile to sit in the smoking section. Our waitress seemed to be college age and that a bare minimal attitude.

Overall Assessment: ($, 7/10) – The food was very affordable. The portions are generously sized. It has a college local hangout vibe going for it. The food would be better than one finds in a diner. If you are looking for some good old fashioned artery clogging, this would be for you.

Website: http://villagecafeonline.com/
Location: 1001 W Grace St, 23220
Reservation: N/A
Takeout: 804.353.8204
Hours: Daily; 0830 – 0200,

 

American -> Omni Richmond Hotel -> Richmond, VA

Yeah another meeting in a hotel.

• Starbucks Coffee -Tasted really watery and not so great.
• Lemon Pound Cake – Nice hint of lemon flavor, wasn’t too overpowering.
• Chocolate Marble Cake – A bit too chocolaty for my tastes.
• Ice Tea – This was really nice ice tea, tasted really brewed, not the instant kind. Also the tea they used had a nice fragrance to it.
• Salad with Raspberry Dressing – The raspberry dressing tasted more and had the consistency like a dessert topping. way too sweet and not enough tart flavor.
• Assorted Meats – Make your own sandwich, I had turkey as well as ham. The meats tasted like they had been refrigerated too long. The wet and easily torn apart feel.
• Dill Chicken Salad – This had all chunks of chicken as well as dill mixed it. The consistency was pretty uniform. The mayo in it was the right amount as well. The second best dish here.
• Red Bliss Potato Salad – Too much mayo, also there wasn’t too much flavoring, just a bland mayo taste.
• Assorted Vegetable Salad (squash, red onions, peppers) – Too much Italian dressing, the veggies were crisp though. A bit too much onion in the salad (and I like onions too).
• Seafood Bisque – The best dish of the luncheon. Corn chowder with bits of red pepper and shrimp. The sweet corn taste went went with the crisp shrimp pieces.
• Lemon Meringue Cake – Way too tart. Overpowering lemon flavor.

Decor: The rooms were a bit dim. The conference room was small and didn’t have adequate seating Also the dining room tables were too cramp. I think they try to fit ten to a small round table. Staff was friendly and helpful though.

Overall Assessment: ($$$, 1/10) – Another blah experience on the hotel front. Too expensive for not enough bang. Only saving graces were the side dishes of soup, chicken salad, and drinks. I guess that could be considered a meal. But not for the expense that it would incur.

Website: http://www.omnihotels.com/FindAHotel/Richmond.aspx
Location: 100 S 12th St, 23219
Reservation: 804.344.7000
Takeout: N/A
Hours: N/A

 

American -> Comfort -> Richmond, VA

Had to hike to Richmond again for work. Had lunch with brother.

• Catfish – For some odd reason I thought this was grilled or steamed. It was fried. The exterior was crispy and they did something with the batter that made it more crunchy than most. Also the fish was cooked pretty well, not too much and moist. The tartar accompaniment was more thousand island dressing than tartar.
• Pulled Pork – It was flavorful though we received some pieces that were burnt. Also I think they take the marinated pork and cover it with more BBQ sauce, that was totally unnecessary. Would have been fine by itself. But with the additional sauce, it was too flavorful.
• Home Cut Fries -Good fries. I loved how the skin is left on and the potatoes are flavored well without leaving messy residue on hands.
• Squash Casserole – This was really good. It looked really cheesy and heavy yet it was light and the squash just melts in your melt.
• Mac and Cheese – Clumpy cheese and not very velvet, not a big fan.
• Mashed Potatoes – Ok potatoes, no lumps. Also no gravy.
• Sweetened Ice Tea – I figured I can’t go to a Southern restaurant and not try the sweet tea. Really disappointing. Tasted like teabag tea with sugar added.

Decor: Really run down, but that’s what adds to the charm. Old fashioned bar and no frills wood tables and chairs. The ceiling molding was nice. Waiter was helpful though the place gets packed at noon. Getting refills on drinks was a chore.

Overall Assessment: ($, 4/10) Ok food, but for some odd reason I expected better. Being from the South doesn’t help I guess. More used to more flavorful artery clogging food. Even if it was healthy, it still just lacked identity, other than the squash casserole. The food could have been from any restaurant really.

Website: http://www.comfortrestaurant.com/
Location: 200 W Broad St, 23320
Reservation: 804.780.0004
Takeout: Yes
Hours: Mon – Fri; 1130 – 1430, Mon – Thurs; 1730 – 2230, Fri – Sat; 1730 – 2300