Dallas is a little far for a Central Virginian to travel for a dinner out, but if you did, you wouldn’t regret it if the restaurant was Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen. Each January, Nancy and I attend the Lighting Show at the Dallas Trade Mart and each year, we “Uber” our way out to Pappadeaux on Oak Lawn for what is always a wonderful dining experience. Pappadeaux is based in Louisiana, but has … [Read more...]

  There is a new restaurant in town, in Crozet actually, and according to my golf buddy, Kevin Mann, it is worth a visit. Normally, I don’t do restaurant reviews on secondhand information, but Kevin is most reliable. Only once has he tried to putt my ball on the green since it was closer to the hole. Other than that, he is pretty solid. Kevin said that he ended up in Crozet at dinner … [Read more...]

  If you enjoy authentic Mexican – not Americanized Mexican such as Taco Bell – stop by El Milagro in Ruckersville. It’s the real deal. Until recently, El Milagro (which means “miracle” in Spanish) was located in a drive-in  (a former Wendy’s location) located across from Blue Ridge Café on Rt. 29 North. However, the owner of the property decided to put it up for sale, so El Milagro … [Read more...]

  We had tried the Texas Roadhouse before. It was really loud and noisy, but I thought their food and prices were good. Nancy had a problem when our server didn’t clean off the table after we finished and we hadn’t been back. Last week, in the mood for a steak but not a fancy restaurant, my bride of 51 years said, “Let’s try that loud place again.” And so we did, and I will say right … [Read more...]

  Coming back from Urbanna and the Oyster Festival last Monday, we passed by Diggs Seafood in West Point and didn’t stop. Nancy and I had to get back to work and were pressed for time and it broke my heart. I have an unwritten rule: If I ever pass through West Point, I simply must stop and pick up some Deviled Crabs to see if they were as delectable as I remember and they always … [Read more...]

  A group of us went out to eat last Saturday and decided on the Timberwood Tap Room near Wegman’s in the Fifth Street Station Shopping Center. I has eaten at Timberwood Grill near Forest Lakes, but not across town. Scanning the menu, I decided on a sandwich rather than a heavy entrée. All the sandwiches at Timberwood Grill have been good, and the menus looked much the same. So I went … [Read more...]

  We were heading back to Cville after a round of golf at The Homestead when I convinced my Golfing Amigos to stop at Mrs. Rowe’s for dinner. It had been years since I last ate at what is has become an institution in Staunton and I wanted to see if it was as good as I remembered. It was. Mrs. Rowe’s is the epitome of a comfort food restaurant. That’s pretty much all they do. The … [Read more...]

  Somewhere in South Carolina on our return trip from Atlanta, Nancy and I decided to pull over, stretch our legs and have a bite of lunch. We saw an easy-access Arby’s and pulled in. We were interested in some of their new products. Normally, when you think of Arby’s, you think of their great roast beef sandwiches piled high on a sesame bun and smothered with their famous sauce. But the … [Read more...]

  Traveling from Charlottesville to Atlanta, we managed to find ourselves on I-85 Business, not the best route, but at least heading in the right direction. In Lexington, NC, we passed right beside Lexington Barbeque. We didn’t have time to stop, but I have enjoyed many platters of chopped Lexington BBQ in my time. Lexington is Hallowed Ground for those who love barbeque as God Intended – … [Read more...]

The official results of the Virginia BBQ Restaurant contest sponsored by Virginia Living Magazine should be available soon, but in the meantime, there’s a pretty good “Q” restaurant not too far from Charlottesville. It’s the Log Cabin BBQ restaurant located between Elkton and Harrisonburg on Rt. 33, near the entrance to Massanutten. The name Log Cabin is appropriate because it is a log … [Read more...]