Forgot to link my Topgolf - Virginia Beach post at hrScene. I've been five times already and love it! I don't play golf but you don't need to know how to play to have fun.
Check out the story on hrScene.
Joshua "Fitz" Fitzwater of Southern Grit
Southern Grit - Fitz is Running the Show
I've written about the Hampton Roads food zine Southern Grit when the first issue was about to be released early last year. I highlighted Chris Fellini whom I've known from the Norfolk scene. When I talked to him about the birth of Southern Grit he said it would never have happened if it weren't for Joshua Fitzwater, known as "Fitz." Since then I've talked to Fitz myself and seen him work the magazine out in the wild. He's passionate about the publication and is pretty much running the whole operation: managing contributors, photography, writing, advertising, etc...
When I first chatted with him it was about Slice & Torte (check them out, seriously) and how much he needed people to know about the great things happening over there. He is passionate about those things he cares about and he's willing to tell anyone who will lend him a little bit of their time. One of the ways he wants to spread the word about what he thinks is the "thing" in the Hampton Roads area is through Southern Grit.
Southern Grit's mission is to talk about the area's food scene without the rose colored glasses on. From the few issues I've read some of the articles were written with the gloves off. One of their more infamous articles was "cease and disist" on the use of Edison bulbs in restaurants that hit a nerve. I'll be honest and say I didn't know it was satire at first but the writer (Chris Fellini) later came out and claimed it to be so. This is an example of how the publication is putting its finger on the pulse of Hampton Roads food culture. Another stir-up concerns the LeGrand Burger, claimed to be one of the best in Norfolk (I think it is, I don't care if it looks like a Big Mac) - Southern Grit is hitting it from all angles, the likes, dislikes, even the weight of the burger patties (makes me think of Grandpa Fred from Sixteen Candles telling Long Duck Dong "you don't spell it son, you eat it!).
I sent him some questions, similar to what I did with Fellini last year, to let people get to know him a little better. if you're already familiar with Fitz you'll know he loves Nouvelle, if you read below you'll understand why. Another thing about him is that he runs 757E Zine, a local culture rag. Running magazines has him looking at numbers, readership sweet spots and how his work compares to material with a larger circulation - Veer, Whurk, etc...
Please read on and look out for the new issue of Southern Grit that hits the presses this Friday. You'll find it on the street February 1, 2016!
All images courtesy of Fitz and Southern Grit.
GC: What is your experience in the restaurant industry? Why write a magazine about it?
JF: Recently I did a stint as Nouvelle’s dish bitch and then ended up working front of the house as a waiter and a really, really bad bartender for a bit. The idea to launch Southern Grit materialized from the food section of 757E Magazine (which later became Fuss Magazine). 757E’s food section set me down a path of getting to know chefs.
As a person who identifies as an artist, I started to really see some of the better chefs in Hampton Roads as artists in their own right, so I really wanted to make a food magazine. At the time however - guessing about a year ago now - I was worried about doing most of the writing for Southern Grit as I did for 757E. Chris Fellini had just written an article for 757E that I felt stood above the rest and so I approached him about starting a food magazine. He threw the name Pantry and Southern Grit at me. I lobbied hard for Southern Grit and we went with that.
Fitz with owner/chef of Nouvelle, Rina Estero
GC: Your experience in the industry and recent life events seem to be key in your decision to start Southern Grit, what else influenced you?
JF: My background as a photographer (I took classes under Stephen M. Katz and Sam Hughes) plays a large roll. I initially went to college and ended up getting my first associate degree in Applied Arts - Studio Arts. I was in love with drawing and painting at the time. However, while pursing that, I had to take a photography class as an elective. Sam Hughes taught the class and while at the time he was probably the best wedding photographer in Hampton Roads he had a history with journalism photography. First under his creative influence, and then after taking a really pivotal photojournalism class under Stephen Katz (in my opinion the best photographer to work at the Virginia Pilot), I wound up getting involved in the student paper.
In under a year, I worked my way up to editor-in-chief and produced three editions of the student paper - until we got shut down for an article I co-wrote involving student funds. Looking back, this may have been the beginning of striving to be honest about what I write and shoot rather than being popular.
GC: What will Southern Grit try to provide to readers?
JF: An honest conversation about food and food related issues. Before Fellini and I launched Southern Grit, we had a huge conversation about writing honestly and not pandering. We didn’t want to be Veer or Wurk or Culture Snack. There simply is just too much of this, "Everything is great” mentality in those print publications.
I mean op-ed wise, Tom Robotham puts out some good work in Veer but by in large in all three of those publications when you read them it’s going to be a love fest from front to back. Don’t get me wrong though; there are tons of things in Hampton Roads to love. I was raised here. This is my home. Shit, earlier this year I turned down two design job offers out of state (plus some financial peace of mind) because this is where I want to live.
The problem is that when you scream from the rafters about how awesome something is just because it’s new, or because that particular restaurant, business, etc… is taking out an ad in your publication, you take away from those chefs or restaurants that are truly killing it.
GC: How far out of the area are you hoping the magazine will reach?
JF: We will endeavor to reach out of the area and more into the greater south as we grow. I eventually want to see Southern Grit be a retail magazine not a free one. That’s one of the reasons I decided not to go with newsprint, but rather a magazine quality glossy paper.
For the moment I want to continue to build our social media numbers and expand our print edition both by volume and by spots we distribute to. We very shortly are going to run an online campaign to take steps towards just that. With the growth we already have seen (particularly in regards to our social media numbers plus how fast our print magazines are gone once we put them out), I’m hoping this online campaign will be of interest to restaurants and business owners in Hampton Roads who wish to reach their demographics through an inventive and most importantly, pander free, publication. Our readers, of which I am so very grateful for write us and get what we are about. I think people are tired of reading advertising vehicles disguised as magazines.
In terms of food and art in the region, Hampton Roads is seriously expanding and developing a unique voice. I want Southern Grit to function in those circles. I like that Chefs message us, that industry workers message us. I believe they know we are doing this with passion and not to entice a full page ad.
Fitz photographing Press 626 Executive Chef David Hannah
GC: Are you doing the bulk of the editing and writing for the magazine?
JF: Due to Fellini's desire to Hunter S. Thompson it the fuck out of dodge, then come back, then turn around and set out to leave again, haha, yeah at this point I do.
Having worked at Nouvelle for a stint and mainly in light of getting to know many of the best Norfolk based chefs over the last year, I feel comfortable pulling a lot of the writing weight now. I do want to note, however, that after the first edition when Fellini left the state for a bit, Wade A. Hunter stepped forward and wrote a lot of really solid articles for Southern Grit, as well as aided with concepts and copy editing. I’m glad both of them still contribute articles to Southern Grit and that both of them are my friends. They both are really talented writers.
Also worth mentioning are the numerous other contributors that produced articles that break up the homogeneity. Honestly, the only thing I mind about writing so much of the content is that I can’t focus on that alone. In light of having to design, photograph, and now illustrate so much of the publication, I find myself spread thin sometimes. I’m not always the best multitasker either.
GC: How has the reception been when looking for supporters and advertisers?
JF: Selling advertising space sucks for someone who isn’t about sales. It takes a certain mindset and I am an artist, not a salesman. I am very grateful that O’Connor Brewing Co. and Streats both did a three-issue deal. We have also found support from other local businesses. Right now we are looking for an ad rep – so hit me up young and hungry sales person!
I seriously hope that in the future that this part of the business doesn’t rest with me. I’m hoping this new online campaign will be successful and take some of the worry out of it for me. In college I learned a lot of what I use for Southern Grit - how to paint with oils, sculpt, draw, use watercolors, shoot photos manually, write - but I’ll say that business, instead of philosophy, might have been a smarter minor!
In terms of support in a non-monetary way, it has been overwhelming. I’m very appreciative of the press you have given us, plus the press Joe Fitz at the Dominion Collective gave us. As well as all the advice and time Dave Hausman at Handsome Biscuit/ Toast/ Field Guide, Charles Burnell at Work Release, Jamie Sums at 80/20, and Jesse Scaccia at Alt Daily have all given to me. Rina Estero at Nouvelle Restaurant also took a real interest in Southern Grit and was very helpful in facilitating some of the recent social media growth. And again, it goes without saying that our readers seriously rule! It’s been awesome having people come up to me and talk about articles my contributors and I spent hours on end creating.
GC: Will Southern Grit primarily cover food and restaurants?
JF: I think concerning the broader Virginia reach, Whurk employs a younger perspective, one that Veer is sadly lacking. This makes Whurk a tad more relevant to what is truly current and interesting to readers. However, Veer will most likely continue dominate as a free, broad culture review publication. Politically Veer does outshine other free publications available in Hampton Roads and despite many of us around here seeing the dinosaur mentality it often exudes, it's not going anywhere. For me, personally, I've enjoyed delving deeper into documenting and writing about the chefs and restaurants that are creating so much talk and energy around food in the area. I’m going to focus on thoroughly exploring that subject instead of throwing my resources at several different creative fields in Hampton Rooads. In terms of serious eaters in this area as well, I think it's becoming obvious that people are expecting more in terms of a meal out considering how diners are growingly engaged in the food they choose and support with their dollars. I hope that ultimately how deep Southern Grit gets into issues surrounding food, plus the quality of the visual along with the honest, straight-forward way the contributors and I write about the subject will continue to grow the brand that Southern Grit is developing into.
GC: Do you have a target audience?
JF: Charles Burnell told me once always answer that question with “Millennials” hahaha. I do think we have a younger readership like Wurk, but we’re more focused on our end. I think in terms of target audience, more than anything we are (I know some including myself feel this phrase is played out but) we are a foodies’ publication.
For example, we are about to talk candidly in a four-page article about the Legrand Burger, which is both loved and hated by many folks in the business. Danielle Jones of the food media blog Slice and Torte told me, "The LeGrand Burger is an enhancement of everything you want from a classic burger." On the other hand, Sous Chef Jon Scheidt of Nouvelle Restaurant refuses to even call it a burger, stating, "It's JUST a patty melt", whereas Chris Conway of Nomarama Burger Club is quick to tell anyone that will listen, "This, [the LeGrand Burger] is the best burger in the area and I say this with complete confidence”. However, Fellini at the mag most infamously said of the LeGrand Burger that "It's just a glorified Big Mac”. So we are in the process of sculpting an article that goes into the history of the burger as the public knows it asking a question: is LeGrand’s burger true-to-form to a classic burger? Hell, we even weigh the patties of the damn thing and compare its weight to the Big Mac to delve into how similar it may or may not truly be. By and large, even the best of publications like, say, Distinction, which retails for 10 bills is (in this case has), just basically wrote a good but standard bio/breakdown of Steve Marsh and his restaurant. We are always trying to go about things from unique angles. I think this edition the great burger debate piece with LeGrand and a very interesting challenge piece we did with Saint Germain’s Chef Dave Hledik kind of shows why we stand out when it comes to writing about food locally.
Honestly you never know what we will say because we are totally being straight up - even if it isn’t in line with popular attitudes around here. When I meet with contributing writers I always try to press them to write true to the experience they had if they are reviewing something. We really do need to get away from this broad pander mentality.
GC: What is Southern Grit?
JF: You know one of the reasons I lobbied for this name was it kind of is an attitude. It’s an attitude/ presence that I see when I watch Steve Marsh, or Dave Hledik, or Nic Hagen cook. It’s a no-nonsense, passionate, do-not-compromise-at-all way of creating for them, I believe. A good example was watching Rina Estero pick out veggies from Brothers farm… pairing them with proteins, and then having that in mind when pushing herself to constantly evolve her menu. I see this kind of from the beginning, hands-in-everything approach when I'm making the mag.
Chris, Wade, and I brainstorm a theme, we then look at what’s going on locally and try to identify what is interesting; what is striving to distinguish itself as inventive in food. Then I go shoot a photo story of a subject related to what we identified to see if we’re on the right path with our thinking. Then I interview the people involved, write it, match typography to the photography, possibly illustrate it, and then finally tweak everything into a final spread. It’s a labor of love - my hands and creative vision are in most all of it. I think this, in some ways, parallels the lives of the best chefs in the area and this is why I have so much respect for what they do. I honestly don’t look at a plate of food the same way anymore. The truly great ones are a form of art to me now.
Fitz flanked by Ashanti and Mo of My Mama's Kitchen, Southern Grit release party
Southern Grit
“First, we want to open up an honest debate on regional food. The biggest problem I have with a lot of the existing food writing is it has such a bias. We love this area too, but we feel like glossing over things that could be improved only does a disservice to people.” - Chris Felliini
The food scene in the region has had a boom in the last several years – food trucks, pop-ups and a good start in the farm-to-fork movement in additional to traditional brick-and-mortars. As veteran of local kitchens, Chris Fellini felt that there is more to said about what's going on. He's going to do it through writing with a magazine he founded called Southern Grit.
Self proclaimed military brat and raised in Virginia Beach, Chris is using his 10 years experience in the food industry to translate Hampton Roads' food scene, and if Chris has his way, all the way up to the D.C. area.
Chris Fellini, Founder/Writer Southern Grit
He was inspired by his personal travels, favorite food critics, writers and other magazines like Lucky Peach. He wants it to be visually engaging and have honest opinions about restaurants, food and other traditional or non-traditional operations in the industry.
Chris' initial idea behind creating a magazine was inspired by Joshua Fitzwater who runs 757ezine. They got serious about it last year after Chris had a heart attack in his mid-20s and Joshua underwent a surgery related to his weight loss. These events put things in perspective for the two and after kicking off a plan in October they were picked up in January. Work began on putting together the first issue around the theme “The Women's Issue” - each issue will be themed. The first run of print will have a circulation of 1,000 copies and the magazine will come out bi-monthly.
I caught up with Chris recently and had a little Q&A about Southern Grit:
CF: First and foremost, this magazine wouldn't be in existence if Fitz hadn't taken a chance on my writing in the first place. With the finished product, a lot of the initial appeal is the look. All things layout, photography, and design related are Fitz. It's his attention to detail that is going to draw readers in; it's the writing inside that will keep them coming back.
GC: What is Southern Grit?
CF: Southern Grit is a free publication focused on food. Each issue is themed. Between the look of the magazine and the writing, we're striving to be a publication that anyone would gladly pay money for. With keeping it free, though, we invite anyone with an interest in food to join in the conversation.
GC: How did you come up with the name?
CF: Fitz and I tossed around a lot of names. We wanted something edgy to match our content ideas. I threw out "Pantry" and "Southern Grit" at about the same time. We kept coming back to "Southern Grit" and Fitz was really pushing for it. Since we were so stuck on it, we went with it. Southern because of where we're from, and Grit because of the honesty that makes the backbone of the magazine.
GC: What will Southern Grit try to provide to readers?
CF: Southern Grit really has two focuses. First, we want to open up an honest debate on regional food. The biggest problem I have with a lot of the existing food writing is it has such a bias. We love this area too, but we feel like glossing over things that could be improved only does a disservice to people. There's a thin line between being honest and being an asshole, and we stay on the side of honesty. At first, we may get push back because people in the area aren't always shown the truth by reviewers, but our stance is that the only way someone can grow is with constructive criticism. The other part of Southern Grit is stepping outside the box of traditional food writing. By pairing great food photography with illustrations and other art media, we're offering a visual edge more akin to an arts magazine. Our content, too, doesn't just stick to restaurant reviews and recipes. We want to creatively discuss all issues that fall into the web of food. Everyone eats, so there's a lot to talk about.
GC: Will Southern Grit primarily cover food and restaurants?
CF: Southern Grit is themed each issue. So, in the context of that, we certainly will be covering restaurants and food. We have a section called "First Impressions" that's dedicated to showcasing new restaurants. However, the beauty of themes is that the content almost creates itself. For our first issue, the Women In Whites edition, we featured several female restaurateurs. However, our second issue focuses on alcohol, so our features will be on different styles of bars. Since each theme is different, expect the content to vary appropriately.
GC: Do you have a target audience?
CF: Our target audience are millennials and foodies. We want people who work in the industry to appreciate the magazine. We want people who are passionate about food to pick up a copy. At the same time, we're not Bon Appétit and we don't want to be. We think food should be fun, not pretentious.
GC: How far out of the area you hoping the magazine will reach?
CF: We're going to grow this slowly, so we don't overextend. Right now, we're really focused on Norfolk because of the existing food culture. We're also going to be at some key spots in most of the other 7 cities. In a year or two, I'd really love to have our magazine in Roanoke, Richmond, and the outer DC area because in Virginia, that's where food cultures are thriving.
GC: Your experience in the industry and recent life events seem to be key in your decision to start Southern Grit, what else influenced you?
CF: I've always been passionate about food, in all it's forms. I've also admired Pete Wells and Frank Bruni (NY Times food critics), as well as the content the magazine Lucky Peach keeps turning out. I'm very into writing as well, so this was a way to combine my two passions. At the end of the day, though, a lot of respect goes out to Joshua Fitzwater. He runs 757 E Zine, and was hanging out at O'Connor Brewing Co. (one of my current jobs) when I approached him about writing about food in his magazine. He was more than impressed with my article, and had the foresight to want to take this further. Really, without Fitz coming up with the idea of a strictly food magazine, Southern Grit wouldn't exist.
GC: You've been working in restaurants for over 10 years, anything you remember that really gets you?
CF: The biggest thing working in kitchens has taught me is that multitasking is the key to survival. A quote that has always stayed with me comes from Harry DiSilvestro, one of the owners of Y'not Pizza, my second job at 17. He told me to never burn a bridge, because you don't know where that bridge could take you down the road.
GC: How has the reception been when looking for supporters and advertisers?
CF: When talking to prospective readers, everyone seems to be really interested in our focus on honesty. And like I said previously, everyone eats so everyone has an opinion on food. As far as finding people who want to advertise with us, once they see the amount of time Fitz has put into the layout and look of the magazine, they instantly recognize that no one else is making a free publication of this caliber.
GC: What will be the initial distribution?
CF: Our initial run is going to be 1000 issues bimonthly in Hampton Roads. As funding grows, we want to do this every month and then start doing larger print runs. Fitz really has the expertise in this, as he's been growing 757 E Zine for over a year now.
Southern Grit: The Cutting Edge of Food Writing & Photography is having its release party this Sunday, 22 March, at O'Connor Brewing Co. in Norfolk, VA, 1:00-4:00 PM.
Southern Grit: The Cutting Edge of Food Writing & Photography is having its release party this Sunday, 22 March, at O'Connor Brewing Co. in Norfolk, VA, 1:00-4:00 PM. Entertainment by The Wet Boys and food will be available from CXB BBQ, Bodacious Pizza and Wings by My Mama's Kitchen.
Additional information provided by Chris:
Chris Fellini. 26. Grew up in Virginia Beach, but I'm a military brat so I've been all over. I've traveled on my own – all over the country and have seen what other regions do with food. I've also worked in restaurants for 10 years so I bring that experience to the table.
Joshua Fitzwater. 30, Norfolk Virginia, photographer, print designer, musician, suicide survivor, weight loss 150 pounds in the last 2 years, owner of the 757E Magazine.
Barley's Angels Christmas Party at Beach Brewing Co. 2013
I was invited to attend Barley's Angels' 1st Annual Christmas party being held at the new Beach Brewing Company location. Rules were you had to bring a beer and a dish. At our house we have a habit of hording beer and wine. It's easy to do when you go to tastings every week and grab a bottle for "later." So I had a few good beers I could take with me and decided I'd take my bottle of Bitter Valentine from Williamsburg AleWerks. The food choice was easy enough, I went with my go-to potluck dish--Spicy Thai Basil Fried Rice. It usually is a crowd pleaser and I thought the beer would go well with it.
I cooked the fried rice before the event so I was running a little bit late. It's funny, because Shelby was looking at me sitting in front of my computer before I started cooking and asked what I needed for the rice. I told her I was going to run to the store and get what I need but I'll be on time. She said "I've been married long enough to you to know better." She was right of course.
Lesley Summers
I got everything packed up and headed to the brewery. When I pulled up I was able to see that pretty much everyone was there already so I slipped in. I saw Lesley Summers, Barley's Angels - Coastal Virginia Organizer. She grabbed the fried rice and I went to put the beer in the cooler. This was cool.
Beer! Glorious Beer!
The cooler was filled with plenty of beers I've never had before and I was excited at the thought of trying a bunch of them. The beers were going to be opened and we had little cups to get a swig of each. Great idea. There was plenty of food too. Lots of dips, my favorite being a lobster dip brought by Elizabeth Erschens - Owner, Homebrew USA, if I remember correctly. There were cheese balls too. I love cheese balls, I'd pick the whole thing up and put it on a cracker if I could.
Justin MacDonald of Beach Brewing Company (foreground) giving us a tour of the new brewery.
After scoping out the area I saw Justin MacDonald, brewer/owner of Beach Brewing Company. He wanted to show me around the new brewery, so we headed to the back where the equipment was. The place was huge; the new construction and large stainless steel brewing equipment made it a very impressive sight. We were joined by some other enthusiasts and brewer types while Justin explained how he was getting everything in place and will most likely brewing by Christmas of this year. He said output will quadruple when all is said and done.
After the tour we headed back inside to mingle and I bumped into a few familar faces. Here's one:
Robin Felt, beer maven
I snapped of photos and the women did a gift exchange. Looked like everyone was enjoying themselves and drinking some good beer. I was able to salvage about a small bowl of leftover fried rice that I took home with me.
Barley's Angels - Coastal Virginia with Justin MacDonald
Thanks again to Lesley of Barley's Angels and Justin MacDonald of Beach Brewing Company for letting me hang out.
See the rest of the photos here.
Mike Rowland
Lynnhaven Pub, Virginia Beach, VA
I was recently asked to meet with someone to talk over some exciting opportunities coming along in the near future. We were going over places to grab a drink and Jarod (the guy I was meeting) suggested Lynnhaven Pub in Virginia Beach. Great idea!
Rob McGraw. Owner, Lynnhaven Pub
Lynnhaven Pub has been around since the 60s or 70s and is tucked away off the old West Great Neck Rd. It would be easy to pass by the place and not notice it tacked on the end of a non-descript building, but inside you’ll find one of the better selections of beer in the city. Owner, Rob McGraw, has established the pub as a go-to destination for local beer lovers. He keeps a eclectic rotation of beer on tap and has much more in bottles in the case next to the bar. Old timers who haven’t been to the bar in the past several years might not recognize the selection and they’re going to miss their $1 domestic drafts. Rob has created an outdoor area where patrons can hang-out year round. There is also a bar, grill, and a smoker.
Speaking of food, in addition to great beer, they offer creative and delicious food. When we decided to go to Lynnhaven Pub, I messaged Rob that we’d be stopping by for a drink. He said he was looking forward to it and had a couple things he wanted me to try. Cool, I figured he had some new beers he wanted to share. I showed up at the pub and saw Jarod sitting in the back working on his laptop. I walked the length of the wooden bar, passing occupied stools; I saw that a few Victory brews were on tap and Founder’s Breakfast Stout.
After I settled in Rob came out and said he made some beer can chicken using Stillwater Classique beer he wanted me to try. He also had oak barreled smoked brisket coming out. He actually brings the barrels down from Blue Mountain Barrel House brewery nestled between Charlottesville and Lynchburg, Virginia. These are barrels that were previously used to age whiskey and bourbon, then used by Blue Mountain Brewery. The smoke produced by these barrels is recognizable and adds a rich flavor to the food cooked in it.
Rob McGraw and Mike
Mike Rowland, who I watched earlier, cooking in a small oven behind the bar, master-minded the following dishes he brought out: Beer Can Chicken Lettuce Wraps, Burnt Ends Tacos with Bacon, Smoked Beef Brisket Sandwiches with bacon and huge Chicken Salad Sandwiches. I wasn’t expecting this! I had enough to share with Jarod and we dug in.
Beer Can Chicken wrapped in Belgian Endive
I tried the Lettuce Wraps first, sweet and simple, the smoked chicken was tucked into Belgian endive and I shoved the whole thing in my mouth. You could taste that the beer had permeated through the chicken and there was a nice smoke flavor on top of that. It all blended well and I knocked out another one quickly. Mike said he wanted to showcase the chicken in the wraps so there wasn’t a sauce or anything on top of the chicken. Perfect.
Burnt Ends Tacos
Next I tried the Burnt Ends Tacos, if you all didn’t know it, I love BBQ. I really love Burnt Ends. Rob was telling me he would usually eat these when they made brisket in the pub but Mike told him they should sell them instead and Rob reluctantly agreed to part with them. I know this would be a hard decision for me too. Good on you Rob! The tacos were delicious and had a thick strip of bacon in there for good measure. The burnt ends were flaky with great smoke flavor. I swear I could even make out the alcohol from the oak barrels he uses. The arugula was a nice added touch. You can’t beat it.
Smoked Beef Brisket Sandwich
I moved onto the Smoked Beef Brisket Sandwich, moist and the brisket fell apart in my mouth. The brisket was thickly stacked between two pieces of toasted, dressed bread and the platter had a healthy serving of cracked pepper potato chips (which were hard to not to eat.) I ate about half of my sandwich and moved on to the Chicken Salad.
Beer Can Chicken Salad Sandwich
The Chicken Salad was piled high with some lettuce resting on top. The chicken salad was great, with grapes, almonds, paprika and bright red onion in the mix. The chicken was fresh and shredded perfectly. It was hard not to eat the whole thing but I was so full and had a beer I needed to finish up. I boxed up the rest and brought it home for lunch the next day.
I’m going to Lynnhaven Pub again to write more about the beer and how Rob runs the place, but I really wanted to let everyone know about the food. Like I said earlier I thought he was going to have me try some brews but I got a few plates of great food instead. Get by Lynnhaven Pub and grab a couple of good beers and make sure you get something to eat. You’ll not be disappointed!
Eric Wickham and Jarod Goenner
Click HERE to see the rest of the photos at Lynnhaven Pub.
Yelp Electric Summer Party
Yelp! Hampton Roads recently had their Electric Summer member appreciation party at the Marriott Norfolk. From Xerxes, Yelp HR’s rep:
Restaurant Sponsors:
- Cilantro Bangladeshi Bistro (http://www.yelp.com/biz/…)
- Seasons Restaurant and Tavern (http://www.yelp.com/biz/…)
- Lemongrass Grille (http://www.yelp.com/biz/…)
- Mannino’s Italian Bistro (http://www.yelp.com/biz/…)
- Hot Tuna Bar & Grill (http://www.yelp.com/biz/…)
- Shorebreak Pizza and Taphouse (http://www.yelp.com/biz/…)
- Sweetwater Cuisine (http://www.yelp.com/biz/…)
- All The Fixins (http://www.yelp.com/biz/…)
Dessert/Drink Sponsors:
- The Royal Chocolate (http://www.yelp.com/biz/…)
- Yum Yum’s Heavenly Bakery (http://www.yelp.com/biz/…)
- Kombuchick (http://www.yelp.com/biz/…)
Entertainment Sponsors:
- Colonial DJs (http://www.yelp.com/biz/…)
- Stage Right Lighting (http://www.yelp.com/biz/…)
- Big Top Entertainment (lounge area) (http://www.yelp.com/biz/…)
- Boardwalk Photo Booth Company (http://www.yelp.com/biz/…)
Thank you once again to Jason Hillian of All You Photo for capturing last night’s event.
Milo's 1st Birthday
Recently we were invited to our friends’ son’s 1st Birthday Party. Ken’s family is Filipino and that means tons of food! It was all so good that I told Ken if they don’t quit feeding me like this I’ll never leave. He said welcome to the family.
Dishcrawl Portsmouth April 2013 write-up:
http://www.altdaily.com/features/food/6213-crawling-the-streets-of-portsmouth
Dishcrawl Write-up on AltDaily
Dishcrawl Portsmouth
Dishcrawl Hampton Roads conducted it’s first Portsmouth Dishcrawl. I was fortunate enough to be invite and I’m glad I was. We visited Brutti’s, Still Worldly Eclectic Tapas, Gosport Taven, and Krush - A Sourtern Bistro. I’ve never been to any of the four shamefully, so this was a great opportunity to get sample of what they have to offer.
Dishcrawl works this way: Buy a ticket, meet at the rallying point—in this case Portsmouth, then you walk to four restaurants chosen by your Dishcrawl ambassador. Each restaurant will have small plates for the diners in the group allow them to sample what the house has to offer. HR’s rep is Chynee Cousins, super sweet and she seemed to really enjoy guiding us around Olde Towne Portsmouth. An unexpected bonus was the light drizzle we walked through. People tended to huddle together under umbrellas and the streets took a somewhat ethereal quality about them.
The next Dishcrawl will be in Portsmouth again on 4 June. Don’t miss it, tickets are limited.
I-Heart-Food Contest
ATTENTION!!! I-Heart-Food’s first give-away! A ticket for the 30 April Dishcrawl in downtown Portsmouth, VA!
Chynne from Dishcrawl Hampton Roads will take a group of hungry trekkers on a tour of four selected restaurants in a highlighted area of the city. The ticket includes food and gratuity (drinks not included). The meals will be prepared especially for the tour.
Meet new people, eat some good food—you can’t beat it! AltDaily.com posted a run-down of their Norfolk Dishcrawl if you want an idea of what’s in store:http://www.altdaily.com/features/food/ghent-dishcrawl.html
To qualify for the ticket you must do the following:
1. “Like” I-Heart-Food on Facebook
2. “Like” Dishcrawl Hampton Roads on Facebook
3. Post on I-Heart-Food’s wall your favorite local nosh.
That’s it! Tell your friends, family—whoever to join-in. I’ll pick a winner 16 April after verifying they meet the requirements and post the person’s name on the wall. Read more about Dishcrawl at http://www.dishcrawl.com/norfolk/.
I’ll also mention that you must be able to attend the Dishcrawl (traslate: live in the area.) I know that’s probably obvious, but I wanted to toss that out there anyway :)
Good luck! Start posting!
Leila’s Mediterranean Groceries and Deli
Having lunch at Leila’s Mediterranean Groceries and Deli, Virginia Beach, VA. From top to bottom: Baba Ghanoush, Lamb Gyros, Lamb Shawarma, assorted olives, and more.
A hidden gem in the city. The store is on the corner of a tiny shopping strip in a part of town that could use a little attention. We found it a few years ago by accident; we were driving down the boulevard and it caught my eye.
Inside there are spices, oils, cheeses, and other odds and ends from the Mediterranean. One of my favorite things to get in the store is the Kalamata olives they have in self-service bins. There is a good assortment and they’re priced well. My wife and I also tell people this is the place to go if you need hard to find spices from the region. I remember I had a hard time finding sumac but I found it at Leila’s. They buy in bulk so they allowed me to take as much as I needed and charged me by weight. That was great, otherwise I would have had to buy a pound of the stuff and I’m not sumac that much.
There are hookahs, dairy, and grains available. We buy cous cous from here if we’re near and I know we need it. Very good price and it’s nice to purchase at a small shop. If you’re in the area stop by and check it out. Here’s a link to it on the map.
WINESday at Whole Foods VB - 6 March 2013
Wednesdays at our local Whole Foods (Virginia Beach) they have a wine tasting with pairings. Tonight it was Italian wines.
WHRO's 4th Annual Strolling Supper →
Premier food event in Norfolk. The best way to try a little bit of everything :)
Shelby was making aloo palak and found a face in the jalapeño!
Aloo Palak
Greek Salad with homemade dressing.
When you mix everything together for the salad—cucumber, pepperoncini, olives especially—you could go without the dressing. The combination is fragrant and fresh. Olive oil and garlic never hurt anything though; toss in fresh basil, Greek oregano, and lemon juice, it can only get better.
Happy Easter!
Roasted Lamb Shoulder with Vegetables.
I was going to get all fancy with the lamb shoulder and then I heard someone down the hall firmly suggest I just get it in the oven already. I took a knife and made sure the roast was really dead, filled the fresh incisions with garlic and rosemary. I put it in a roasting pan with some vegetables, vegetable stock, and red wine. Seasoned to taste. Came out pretty good, cooked it medium so all the guests could enjoy it. I used a rue to throw together a gravy from the pan for the roasted potatoes I had sitting in the oven the whole time. Photo courtesy of my son, thanks Chayce.
Pan Seared Scallops with a champagne reduction and pasta.
I-heart-food!
I-heart-food! Actually, I love food. I-heart-food was the closest domain name I could register this late in the game that was related to my goals here. Makes you wish you could go back and squat a bunch of good names, right?
This is about food—cooking it, eating it, reading about it…probably some random blurbs here and there too; stuff not related to food will definitely be on here.
Cheers!
George