It’s the Final Four countdown! No, not basketball – this is more important than that. It’s the Virginia Final Four Barbeque Restaurant contest sponsored by Virginia Living Magazine. Andy Reams sent me a note recently advising that contest had come down to four restaurants – McCoy’s BBQ in Fredericksburg; Scoot’s BBQ in Gloucester; Triple Crown BBQ in Luray; and King’s BBQ in … [Read more...]

  I was really craving a fat Italian Sausage sandwich loaded with spicy sausage, hot peppers, mushrooms and onions. Afterall, I haven’t had a severe case of heartburn in more than a month, but I made the mistake of asking Nancy what she wanted if we went out. “Mexican”, she said. “Guadalajara”, she said, but I’m not so sure that it was the Margaritas she was more interested in than the … [Read more...]

It was Sunday night and we didn’t want to cook. So, what would it be? Pizza, Subway, Arby’s, McDonalds, The Colonel? Nancy suggested we order out for Chinese. That sounded good, so I called Chop-Stix, a small Chinese restaurant close to our house. But they had just started closing on Sundays! I couldn’t believe it. I thought that would be a busy night, but apparently not. Our old go-to … [Read more...]

  When Cook Out first opened in Charlottesville about five years ago, the lines at the To Go windows were longer than those at John Paul Jones Arena for a Rolling Stones Concert. The lines have since subsided but Cook Out remains one of the most popular fast food options in Virginia. Our close friends and in-laws, Charlotte and Dick Forester from Richmond, are big time fans of Cook Out. … [Read more...]

Summertime and ice cream. A perfect combination. On a hot night after dinner, there’s nothing like putting out a couple scoops from a Breyer’s carton of Rocky Road Ice Cream in a bowl, but for an extra special treat, it’s hard to beat a trip to an ice cream parlor - a place like Kirt’s Homemade Ice Cream. These folks do it right and they’ve been doing it right for some 20 years. This out of the … [Read more...]

I don’t like to go to Downtown Charlottesville. I’m always afraid that if I stand still, someone will think I’m a statue and throw a tarp on me. I also don’t like the fact that there are approximately 15,000 cars trying to squeeze in one of the 50 available parking places, meaning it costs you ten bucks to park in the garage. But. I enjoy seeing performances from the Charlottesville … [Read more...]

Cville Buzz’s ace reporter, Sherman Shifflett, has uncovered another eating establishment worthy of our attention – the Brew House in Blackstone. Here is Sherman’s account of the experience.   “Ava Pippin and I don't travel much on holidays because there is too much traffic. We may take a short drive on the holiday itself, because traffic is light. Last July 4, 2018. we meandered around … [Read more...]

Sunday night is often pizza night for the Brewers. Odds are that we have either had company, been to someone’s house, eaten out or all of the above in a given weekend and neither Nancy nor yours truly are particularly interested in cooking. Last Sunday evening,  I happened to think about the Brick Oven. It had been a while since I’ve eaten there and I have had some terrific pizzas over the years … [Read more...]

  There are scads of great restaurants in Nags Head. If they weren’t great, they wouldn’t survive because of all the competition. As of last weekend, though, Miller’s Waterfront Restaurant is our choice as the best of the best. When they say waterfront, it’s waterfront. Any closer and your feet would get wet. Nancy wanted to see the sunset over the Roanoke Sound on her birthday evening. … [Read more...]

  Lord Hardwicke’s once made the best Reuben Sandwich in town, but that old brick and mortar restaurant got leveled and I am still in mourning. Hardwicke’s was a great restaurant with a large menu and terrific service – and they did make the best Reuben in Charlottesville. However, I have discovered a close rival, maybe the equal of a Lord Hardwicke’s Reuben. Timberwood Grill at Forest … [Read more...]