Read Drink & Be Merry

Sometimes, after a rough week, you just want to tie one on. That was me last Friday and I decided to destroy a few brain cells. Wandering about town found me faced with a familiar dilemma – who’s open in the middle of the afternoon. I work six days a week but am relieved by one of my assistants at two several times a week. My preference is to be home with the family as M finishes work and Finn gets out of school so my prime ‘party’ time is from 3-6. Can-Can is a good place, as is Buddy’s, but I do like to try new places. Friday my wanderings found me in the Bottom so I parked and went in search of liquid refreshment.

First stop was ‘The Cocktail Capital of the World’. Bit of a bust. Jack was there doing prep work and he kinda threw me out. Kidding. Guess they don’t open till 4ish so I was a bit early. I always found prep work somewhat meditative. Folding a couple of hundred napkins or cutting a box of limes before the hordes hit the door help you get into a calmer state so when someone requests a strawberry daiquiri (‘made with fresh strawberries but could you please remove the seeds’….) you don’t stab them with a cocktail fork. I left Jack to find his zen and moved on.

‘On’ found me wandering into Halligan’s, a tiny fireman themed bar on the other side of the Farmer’s Market. Decent drinks, reasonable prices, nothing fancy. Often these ‘themed’ bars are just affectations. Not so here. Seems it is quite the hangout for the cities firefighters. So girls (and any interested boys) who have a fireman fetish, this would be the place to go. It’s not really my kind of place but the people were so friendly that I enjoyed myself and would probably wander back in.

While I was there the kitchen staff was expirementing with some possible new additions to their menu (I didn’t look at the menu so can’t share what they have). Of note would be the fried twinkie. They brought it out and set it on the bar. Everyone looked at it, daring someone else to take the first bite. Turned out not that bad. I did prove that after 25+ years as a smoker and 4 years as a non-smoker your tastebuds do return. Just a faint hint of fish flavour. One cook said he had just put in clean oil that morning but then another said he had fried some fish at lunch. The result was that if they add the fried twinkie to the menu they are going to get a Fry Daddy to cook them seperately.

I also noticed something interesting while enjoying my beverage there. The Farmer’s Market, not offically open on Fridays, did have a number of vendors there. The customers? All seemed to be wearing white chef’s jackets. Now if it’s good enough for them….

After taste testing at Halligan’s I returned to Jack’s and got what I had been really craving – Tanqueray 10 martini, up with a twist. Good stuff. We chatted for a bit and were soon joined by M and Finn. After a bit we decided some food was in order, bade Jack farewell and walked accross to LuLu’s. We had been once last February and it was not bad – except for the stroganoff. Guess it was time to see if they were firing on all cylinders.

They were.

M had the Meatloaf and I had the Beef Loin. Her’s was good, mine was excellent. The hanger cut of meat had been grilled and seasoned perfectly and the price was very reasonable. Both came with mashed potato (good) and a mushroom demi. The demi was reduced perfectly and the amount used allowed you to taste the food rather than drown it out.

Finn had the Lobster & Crab Fritters. I still can’t detect any trace of seafood in these but Finn likes them so – what the hell.

All in all a good afternoon/evening…. except for waking up at 2 with a hangover.

NOTE – If anyone has any good suggestions for afternoon hangouts – do share!

Have you ever bit into a really hot piece of pizza? You know, the kind of hot where the molten cheese cauterizes a part of your mouth leaving you with a painful hyper-sensitive spot for days to come. Well, I subjected myself to this fun little type of injury on purpose.

Twenty-five years of smoking (I quit 4 years ago), fast living, the 80’s, and basic rather than intensive dental care on my part had taken their toll. Constantly bleeding gums and loose teeth were the result and my personal phobia of people with bad teeth combined to freak me out. My dentist decided I needed a different level of dental care and sent me off to a specialist.

The specialist subjected me to a fun little procedure called ’scaling’. Basically an intense cleaning below the gum line. Not a whole lot of fun and, frankly, a bit messy. After several of these cleanings my new dentist informed me that he wanted to preform an additional procedure on me. His new plan was to cut off my gums (!), clean the roots of my teeth and then sew the gums back on. Pardon? The description of this procedure scared the shit out of me and then, to add insult, I was told that my first rate insurance wouldn’t cover it completely leaving me owing over $1500.

My dentist seemed a bit shocked when I said ‘no’ to his procedure and that I thought there had to be a better, less invasive, way. After a bit of waffling he admitted that there was another way but it would take a lot of work on my part. So, for the last 18 months I have had cleanings every 3 months and have overhauled my daily dental care regime. Flossing (everyday) followed by Listerine and then brushing. Yep, that’s the ‘hard work’ I had to do to avoid what I considered to be a really unpleasant procedure.

Earlier this year my dentist was almost ready to declare the infection below my gum line gone. Almost. The years of smoking had caused my gums to recede in places leaving one of my teeth in danger. He recommended a new procedure to help save the tooth (this time a procedure that my insurance would cover at 100%). His plan was to harvest some tissue from the roof of my mouth and graft the tissue onto the gum line of the endangered tooth. I steeled myself for what he described as ‘the world’s worst pizza burn’ and sat down yesterday in the chair for the work to be done.

Physically the grafting didn’t really hurt at all (unless you count being subjected to a radio station that insisted on playing too much Daughtry and Nickelback…) thanks to a lot of pain killing injections. Even those didn’t hurt thanks to a numbing swab done prior to the needles. Mentally the worst part was being aware of someone cutting a piece of you off. That took way too long although I’m sure it was done much quicker than I perceived it. An hour and a half later, slightly puffy and feeling abused, it was all over.

The rest of the day is a little fuzzy. The joys of Vicodin (ohh, look – tracers!) supplemented by massive amounts of Advil left me phasing in and out of awareness. Reading was out of the question but TV has been interesting as the shows have all blurred together (why were the Project Runway contestants cutting dogs hair?…). Having never taken Vicodin before I can understand it’s popularity. The dreaded ‘pizza burn’ has yet to materialize, not even a dull ache. Hopefully that will continue today as I wean myself off all the pharma.

The worst part? Other than being able to feel the stitches in my mouths is the food. Funny how much you crave bread or something crunchy when all you can have is soup, pudding, and mashed potato. Today I’m hoping to send M over to deLux or LuLu’s to get me a nice bowl of mac-n-cheese. I feel the need for something a bit more substantial.

Lessons for the day? I won’t preach about the dangers of smoking. I still miss it and probably wouldn’t have quit if Finn hadn’t some along. The receding gum thing caught me off guard. Hopefully that’s the my only take away from tobacco. Floss! Might’ve been able to avoid all this if I had. Question your doctor! I’m hesitant to say my dentist recommended the first procedure for monetary reasons. More than likely he was just looking for a quick fix thinking I wouldn’t be willing to make the effort. The sad part of that is the ‘quick fix’ is a big part of our culture here and I am not sure that is a good way to deal with our health issues.

Well, time for me to return to my fog and take another Vicodin… Pretty colours…

My mother was in town for the weekend, so, like any other good Richmonder, we took her to Millie’s. Year after year, list after list, you see this place at or near the top – mentioned as much for the food as the lines to get in. It had been nearly ten years since I had been and, at least back then, if it was Sunday brunch I was either hung over or still buzzed. Not the best way to judge food. Perfect time for a fresh look.

We arrived in the area just as they were opening at 9 and started looking for a parking spot. All these high rent lofts built in the old tobacco warehouses didn’t feel the need to provide adequate parking and as they have filled up so to have the streets around them. Fifteen minutes later we found a spot several blocks away. The window for immediate seating had closed at Millie’s and we had to wait for a table. The bright side to this is they have waiting down to a science at Millie’s and we quickly had drinks in hand.

I took this time to peruse the surroundings. A couple of interesting signs caught my attention. On the brunch menu on the wall it stated – No Substitutions. I am a constant offender of making changes to dishes but am also cognizant of the busyness of the restaurant. If it’s too busy I refrain. A small change may sound simple to you but while many chefs strive to be artiste’s, when they are one ’sauce on the side’ away from disaster they are more like machines. Small changes can completely destroy their concentration and flow. Don’t do it. If your allergic, don’t order it – it’s just as likely to be put on and then brushed off the plate by the equally hurried server.

Another sign of note was to inform that incomplete parties will not be seated. More places need to do this as well as enforcing it. You may see the restaurant as half empty and can’t understand why they want you to wait at the bar. The staff sees the restaurant as half full and know how many tables are coming in. A large party that trickles in will order one or two drinks at a time. What could have taken the server one order and one trip to the bar has now just consumed an exponentially huge amount of time. Will you remember this when it comes time to tip or will you only remember that you had to wait a long time for your drinks because the waiter had to take care of his other tables before they felt forgotten? Even an incomplete smaller party can disrupt the flow. When everyone finally arrives you may be ready to start but the server has just been seated a new table and, while he may have been standing around for the last ten minutes, now has to decide who gets priority on his time – the table that’s been sitting for half and hour waiting for a late arrival or the people who were on time? At this point don’t forget to listen for the chef to start screaming why the waiters are all ordering at once rather than spacing things out… Off my soapbox, time to be seated.

Into a booth with drinks in hand. Coffee refilled and the drinking water is cold (I know this because Finn dumped his in my lap). In a flash orders are taken and a short time later the food is on the table – Millie’s would never be able to cope with their volume if they weren’t fast and efficient. What can I say about the food? A little more creative than your usual brunch spot, but not by much. Eggs Benedict on a bagel with grav lox instead of the ubiquitous Smithfield Ham, eggs scrambled with lobster and mushrooms, and finally the Devil’s Mess (eggs with spicy sausage, veg and curry topped with cheese and avocado). All good combinations expertly done. My only concerns would be that it was all a tad over spiced and that the puff pastry on my lobster and eggs was cold – also the tug of war between the staff on the volume of the stereo was really annoying.

Does it deserve the hype? Everyone goes, there’s always a wait, it must be good, right? Both Karsen’s and Bacchus are equally, if not more, creative. Can-Can is nearly as busy yet manages (usually) a higher service level. Even off-spring LuLu’s looks a bit more creative and may be a more relaxing choice (haven’t been yet for brunch so am really just guessing). I think it’s the inertia of the crowd that puts Millie’s at the top year after year. Sure the spice levels will cut through that fuzz left over on your tongue from last nights drinks but it can also cover up any errors on ingredients or preparation. Let’s see how much of that $4 gas we can waste looking for parking. The servers are friendly and efficient but overworked and coffees and drinks don’t get refilled. Are you waiting for brunch or waiting to be seen?

Bottom line is I think Millie’s is good but not worth the wait or the aggravation of getting a table. I think going once a decade with out of town guests is about the right frequency.

NOTE~
We had actually planned on going to Cirrus originally. Strangely they don’t open till 11, is it just me or is that a little late to start? I checked their brunch menu that morning and nearly fell asleep reading it. Their dinner menu is very intriguing but the brunch menu could have been copied from Brunches-R-Us…..

From the ashes of Chettie’s Cow & Clam, Richmond’s brunch leader, Millie’s, has spun off to create LuLu’s. At least that’s what M thinks. Her memories of a misspent youth as a fixture at Chettie’s are hazy at best…

Arriving on a blustery and rainy Tuesday evening we were surprised to see how busy it was. The decor was nice. A little industrial, open kitchen, nicely lit. Especially enjoyed the Socialist Worker’s Paradise style artwork. Warmed the cockles of my lefty heart. We sat in a booth along the wall. Bit of a mistake. Not a lot of space between the chair and table. The thin piece of wood between me and the next table rattled and vibrated with every movement of myself or the people next to us. Finn assumed the knocking was an invitation for him to knock back. I think we owe someone an apology. There was also a speaker mounted right over the table. The music alternated between very loud Elton John and reggae and barely audible jazz. It was like an iPod on random for both the music and the volume. An unneeded distraction.

We started with beverages. Stella for M, Yalumba Shiraz for myself. The wine came in a rocks tumbler that is the trend but also seems a bit overused by new eateries. The temperature of the glass indicated that it had recently gone through the dishwasher. Warm glasses are ok for cognac, not for wine.

For apps M and I tried the Lobster & Crab Fritter with Mango Salsa and ordered the Shrimp & Grits special for little Finn.

The Shrimp & Grits were very nice (this coming from me, a non-fan of grits). Finn thought it a bit too spicy so I ate most of it. The shrimp were nice and firm, not overcooked albeit a tad oily. The grits were almost done like a version of a potato pancake. The reduced moisture firmed them up and they soaked up the spices of the dish. Very nice.

M and Finn liked the Lobster & Crab Fritter. Me, not so much. A better description would have been a hush puppy with essence of lobster & crab. The shellfish were completely lost in the amount of filler used. Crispy outside but too gummy inside. The mango salsa was sweet to the point of preserves.

Entrees were next. I had………

****LOCAL CELEBRITY ALERT***** Disbarred Commonwealth Attorney and new Delegate Joe Morrisey stuck his head in the door looked around and walked out. Remind me to tell you what he says about Richmond when he’s had a couple of drinks….

……ordered the High-Falootin Mac & Cheese W/ Grilled Asparagus & Shrimp. Presentation – 8.5 Functionality – 1….. The dish was very pretty in a high sided bowl was penne pasta in a white cream sauce covered with chives and shredded cheeses. Topped with grilled shrimp and asparagus the bright pink and green over the white mac and cheese made for a great visual. Now, not forgetting the high sides of the bowl, try to cut the crisp asparagus of remove the tail of the firm shrimp on top of the pasta and melted cheeses. Disaster lurked at every bite. Oh, the taste? Very nice. The Mac & Cheese was rich and heavy but perfect for such a nasty day. The asparagus was cooked to perfection. The shrimp were outstanding. Firm and spiced just enough to really let the flavour of the shrimp shine.

M ordered the Beef Stroganoff with Red Wine Cream. Red wine and cream scares me sometimes. It’s either a separation event waiting to happen or it can get very easily unbalanced. It was served over penne pasta and, like mine, was in a high sided bowl. Unlike mine, everything was cut into bite size pieces so the dish was much easier to work with. The meat was fine but the sauce, while balanced, was way too soupy. You shouldn’t need a spoon for stroganoff. The dish was also thrown off by too few mushrooms and too many onions.

Service was minimal (except for constant water refills by random staff). My first impression was that one server had called out or that they had understaffed. As the dining room emptied and the staff stood around talking the service level didn’t improve. Don’t get me wrong. The service wasn’t bad, it was just enough to get by.

For a relatively new restaurant they are showing the experience of having a good pedigree and I think they will do well. A few tweaks could make it better but identifying those takes time. It was interesting to see that while LuLu’s was busy there were a number of restaurants that we walked by were completely empty both before and after dinner. I guess it’s too easy to forget all those great places own in the bottom.

As we left I think we noted the person Delegate Joe was looking for. Silver Mercedes with Delegate plates. Possibly inebriated driver repeatedly trying to parallel park but only accomplishing removing the finish of his hub caps of his very expensive car on the cobblestone curbs of the Bottom….