Going way back in Charlottesville history, there was a restaurant called The Gaslight at 625 West Main Street, founded by John Tuck in 1961. For years, it was among Charlottesville’s finest. John Tuck – everybody just called him Tuck – was always on hand. An eccentric sort of fellow who wore a beret, Tuck greeted each of his guests and went from table to table to make sure everything was just … [Read more...]

One thing I so much enjoyed when growing up and hunting quail with Daddy was lunchtime. After walking who knows how many miles across the hills of West Virginia that morning, we always took a break at lunchtime, found an old country store and loaded up on almost everything that was bad for you. Like Vienna Sausages. Each hunter would open a tin, manage to squeeze that first one out and then … [Read more...]

For the last several years when Nancy and I feel the need to get out of town for a few days, we’ve headed to the Deltaville area. We enjoy it because, first, it’s close. We can be in a waterfront cottage within 2 ½ hours of Charlottesville – door to door. There is also good fishing from our own dock and we especially like going out to eat for fresh seafood. There are several really good … [Read more...]

When you have a truly special occasion, there is no finer place to celebrate than Charlottesville’s Ivy Inn. For a recent anniversary, Nancy and I never even considered another restaurant. We made reservations at The Ivy Inn. I won’t list all the delectable things we ate because at the Ivy Inn, it doesn’t really matter what you order. Everything you put in your mouth will be … [Read more...]

There have been many advertising campaigns using a similar slogan to, “When only the best will do.” As a matter of fact, Benson & Hedges, a cigarette manufacturer back in the Sixties, used that exact slogan to boast that their cigs were far superior to all others. Chick-fil-A should do the same to promote their Chicken Sandwiches. Last week, Nancy said she wasn’t particularly hungry at … [Read more...]

Those words are what you’ll hear when you reach the front of the line at The Varsity, Atlanta’s premiere hot dog eatery. I dearly love hot dogs and when we get to Atlanta to see my son and his family, a trip to the Varsity is in order. The Varsity is a restaurant chain in Atlanta, Georgia and the main branch of the chain was billed  as the … [Read more...]

A few weeks ago, I wrote that Grouper was one of the best tasting fish that swims, and recently I wrote about Bonefish Grill, extoling their Fish & Chips. Last week I had Grouper at Bonefish, and it was one of the finest meals I can recall. It was on their menu, served with a fat Crabcake and smothered in a tangy sauce that pulled it all together. Their Crabcakes are always good and paired … [Read more...]

After a week of stuffing ourselves with turkey, mashed potatoes, pies and cakes, Nancy and I decided to go out for dinner on Thanksgiving Sunday. I was in the mood for some Fish & Chips and that meant a trip to Bonefish. Fish & Chips is a specialty of the house at Bonefish Grill. Fish and chips, of course, is a dish consisting of battered and fried fish, served … [Read more...]

If you ever see Grouper on the menu at a seafood restaurant. Order it. There is no better eating fish that swims. One of the best meals I’ve had in my life came about 25 years ago and I remember it like it was yesterday. A group of us went out to eat at The Sandpiper Restaurant– at the time near Gwynn’s Island. The owners were always at the restaurant – the husband at the Front and the wife in … [Read more...]

Nancy said she wanted to go out to eat at a Mexican restaurant and she had just given me a new stovetop, so what could I say? We chose one of Charlottesville’s most consistently good Mexican restaurants – Guadalajara. Known fondly as The Guad, we have been eating here for years. The prices are more than fair, the service is good, and they always serve more-than-you-can-eat helpings. Nancy … [Read more...]