Back Bay Brewing released their Lynnhaven River Oyster Stout made with delicious Pleasure House Oysters. The man himself, Chris Ludford, was there shucking his locally raised and farmed oysters to go along with the pints.
Hashi at Esoteric
Hashi's Ross Riddle jumped into Esoteric's kitchen next to the restaurant's own Ian Hock to serve a great brunch to lucky patrons. You always know when you're eating Hashi, whatever it's form.
See all the photos from the pop-up here.
Fire & Vine - Virginia Beach Restaurant Week 2016
It’s Virginia Beach Restaurant Week 2016! You have till Sunday to enjoy great specials at some of the area’s best eateries! We stopped by Fire & Vine for lunch, $12 gets you three course. I left happy :)
hrScene - Top Golf
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 Seaburg - Mixologist
I like to talk to the people I meet when I'm out and about. One of these people is Joshua Seaburg, who at the time was running the bar at Twist at Town Center Virginia Beach. Josh, I know you're off doing your thing but I wanted to make sure everyone knew what you're about. Here is a little Q&A I had with him earlier this year.
(GC): You said you spent time down in the Caribbean? Where and how you ended up there? What did you do?
I moved to St. Thomas in December of 2012. I have some family down there who own a pretty large fine jewelry store, who I met when I visited on a cruise in August of that year. They invited me to learn the jewelry industry, and at the time I was dissatisfied with what I had going on in my life, and figured it would be a good experience. I ended up bringing my then-girlfriend down shortly after I moved there, and we worked together for my family's business, got engaged in June of 2013 and moved back for her to continue her education, and me to pursue craft bartending in my hometown.
(GC): How many years in the business do you have?
I've been in the restaurant industry since I was 16, tending bar since 21. My first bartending gig was at an Oceanfront tequila bar, where I started to learn about spirits (Tequila, in this case), and really came to understand how much there was to know.
(GC): What do you do? Where you want to go with it?
I am responsible for the spirits and cocktails..., as well as all the design and training that surrounds that. In practical terms, I develop recipes, educate staff and guests on what we have to offer, and train and supervise the bar staff. My goal...is to develop a nationally competitive cocktail program, and bring this area into the sort of craft cocktail renaissance that's been happening worldwide.
(GC): Can you tell me about the Fernet-Branca coin again? That story about the drink and a little bit about your experience in Richmond with it?
Fernet Branca is this really complex, bracing amaro that rose to prominence on the west coast as an insider shot among bar industry folk. It's much more well-known now than it was before, but it retains status as a wildly popular drink with bartenders. They give out very small amounts of these military-inspired challenge coins to deserving Fernet enthusiasts. As far as I know, I'm the only person in the area who has one, although I wouldn't be surprised if some folks in Charlottesville and Richmond had some too, especially John Maher at The Rogue Gentlemen. He was gracious enough to share some of his Fernet Branca from the 1960s the first time my buddy Stephan Stockwell (Chow, Norfolk, VA) and I stopped in right around their opening day. I had been put in touch with John by the east coast director for Fernet's distribution company, because he'd noted both of us for our love for Fernet Branca. John's from California, and definitely has more Fernet street cred than me.
(GC): Is there anything else you want people to know about you and your work.
I guess the main point that I want to embellish is that, just because I and my staff take drinking and cocktails very seriously, we don't expect that from our guests. The word mixologist carries kind of a bad reputation, because it conjures the image of a guy who feels like he's doing you a favor by serving this drink, and what kind of idiot are you if you don't know what Cynar is? I try to be very much the opposite - the first priority is to serve the guest's needs, not my own ego. One of my favorite quotes is from a book called Beta Cocktails: Bars exist to serve customers, not cocktails. I'm big into the idea that everyone who's at my bar has a need, and it's my job as a bartender to meet it. Sometimes that need is just a beer and some hospitality, not a 20-minute diatribe on obscure French Liqueurs.
HR Growler Nov/Dec is Out
Grab a copy of the Nov/Dec HR Growler issue o the street now! Find them at your favorite Hampton Roads watering holes and speciality shops!
Back Bay Brewing - 15 Oct 2015
Stopped by Back Bay Brewing Co. to grab Jasper a pour after the Old Beach Farmers Market. Funny thing is he didn't drink it so I had to. We also met a kid who just turned 21, he was down from Hampden-Sydney College with his buddies. His parents were taking all the boys out on a local brewery tour. I thought that was a pretty nice idea. Oh, also got to chat briefly with Travis about his trip to Canada and California and Josh Malbon dropped in waiting or his order from Gringo's next door.
This year's Treasure Chest icon - "Hula Gal"
Green Flash Treasure Chest 2015
Green Flash Brewing's annual cancer benefit and awareness event called Treasure Chest is happening this Sunday (11 Oct 2015) in Virginia Beach! Throughout the week, in the Hampton Roads area, Green Flash will be throwing #raiseaglass2015 events to raffle off tickets to this great event and help advertise the cause.
(Check out photos from last year's Treasure Chest - Virginia Beach here.)
Green Flash's Phil Shannon and me (always with something strapped to my shoulder)
Treasure Chest was founded in 2011 by Green Flash Co-Founder and breast cancer survivor Lisa Hinkley. All the Treasure Chest related events raise money to support breast cancer charities. A beer and icon are released with the announcement of the event.
This year's Green Flash Treasure Chest beer is a naturally pink IPA with grapefruit and prickly pear juice and hibiscus flowers. I haven't had it yet, but plan on grabbing one this week! Last year's was great, barrel-aged Belgian style saison with plum. It was fermented in red wine barrels with house Brettanomyces, then conditioned with plums for six months. It was very good!
The Green Flash crew at The Birch, Norfolk, VA
Hampton Road's 2nd annual Treasure Chest event will be held at the same place it was last year - on the Green Flash Brewing property connected to where the new brewery will open in 2016. Like last year, they have invited other local breweries and shops to participate as a community to throw the big bash.
The new "Hula Gal" icon glass! Cute!
I was one of the photographers last year (you can see some of my photos in the video linked above) and can tell you it was a great time. Everyone was having fun (some a little more than others, you know who I'm talking) drinking some great beers and eating delicious food. The first time I ever had a sample of Home Republic food was at Treasure Chest 2014. That's saying something because I get out a lot! Another thing is that my wife, Shelby, will be volunteering at the event too. I can't wait to see her in action.
If you want a chance to win tickets, hit up one of the #raiseaglass2015 events in the area leading up the actual Treasure Chest October 11th. I've sorted them out for you below:
Mahalo!
- 10/6 - Tubby's Tavern from 5:00-8:00 PM (Virginia Beach)
- 10/7 - DoG Street Pub from 5:00-8:00 PM (Williamsburg)
- 10/8 - The Public House from 5:00-8:00 PM (Norfolk)
- 10/9 - Home Republic from 6:00-9:00 PM (Virginia Beach)
- 10/10 - Lynnhaven Pub from 6:00-10:00 PM (Virginia Beach)
Buy tickets to Treasure Chest on this page.
Photos included were from The Birch's Treasure Chest event last week.
Celebrity Chef Jet Tila to Host 2nd Annual Cooking Demonstration and Dinner at Westminster-Canterbury on Chesapeake Bay
Coming to town next week is something pretty spiffy – Los Angeles Chef Jet Tila will be in town on September 23rd to perform in a Celebrity Chef event that includes a cooking demonstration and benefit dinner for the Westminster-Canterbury Foundation. This of course will be in Virginia Beach at Westminster-Canterbury on Chesapeake Bay off Shore Drive.
The Le Cordon Bleu trained Chef Tila has been in working in the industry for over 20 years and is famous for Thai and Chinese cooking (especially his Drunken Noodles.) Being part Thai and Cantonese he grew up with the two distinct cooking styles and spent a lot of time in his family’s well-known, Los Angeles based restaurant Royal Thai. After committing himself to his work he’s been involved in countless projects around the country and has appeared on several television shows such Cutthroat Kitchen and Chopped. He was a contender on Iron Chef going head-to-head with Chef Morimoto – Tila didn’t win but he only lost by two points! He also appeared on Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations, giving Bourdain a tour of Thai Town in L.A.
As a testament to the quality and care put into telling the story of his heritage through food, he was named Culinary Ambassador of Thai Cuisine by the Royal Thai Consul-General in Los Angeles. Fun facts – he has set three world records for the world’s largest stir fry (4,010 lbs.), the world’s largest seafood stew (6,656 lbs.), and the largest California roll (422 ft.).
The dinner even at Westminster-Canterbury will be made up of a cooking demonstration by Chef Tila then a 3-course meal consisting of the following:
- Thai Coconut Chicken Soup
- Satay Lamb Chops with Peanut Sauce
- Roasted Salmon with Mango Slaw and Ancient Grains
- Dessert Course: Poached Asian Pear over Almond Cake with Franzipan cookie, toasted almonds, Japanese pinwheel
General admission tickets ($100) include the demonstration and dinner, while the VIP tickets ($150) allow you to attend an early Cocktail Reception an hour before the dinner. Sponser Tables ($1,750) can be purchased too, the table will get you 8 VIP Cocktail Reception RSVPs. In addition to early entrance, VIP guests will get to meet Chef Tila during the Cocktail Reception and will receive the following: personalized autographed photo, apron and Cutthroat Kitchen wooden cutting board.
It should be a great time and I’m really looking forward to trying that food. Hope to see you there!
To purchase your tickets and reserve a seat, visit www.wcbay.com/chef or contact Ashley Allman at (757) 496-1106 or Ashley.Allman@wcbay.com.
Peter Chang Express Opens Tonight!
Gen Lee and Peter Chang
Peter Chang Express - Virginia Beach
Earlier this year Shelby and I got an invite to have dinner with Peter Chang and his partner Gen Lee. It was amazing! We were there with one other couple, Sean and Robin Brickell, in addition to Peter's wife Lisa. Course after course was brought out and cooked by a chef Peter trained. Everything we had excited all the senses - it tasted great, it looked wonderful and Gen or Peter would give us the skinny on what we were eating.
Peter Chang's wife Lisa brings out sweets to celebrate Shelby's birthday!
In addition to talking about food and business Gen told about his early days in the country working the kitchens of Las Vegas in the 80s. Him and his wife have a house there still and let us know he knows all the secrets to getting around town. He showed us photos of his grandchild and even talked about the big names he met - his favorite being Michael Jackson. He described Jackson as a very kind and generous man. When Peter and his wife found out Shelby's birthday was about a week out, Lisa came out with sweet, sticky buns stuffed with black bean. Very cool!
Of course the big topic of the evening was the new restaurant they were opening in town. They wanted to lets us try some of the new menu items they were putting together for a spot in the Virginia Beach Town Center called Peter Chang Express. Well...new for Hampton Roads at least, the next closest one is in Richmond.
The new shop at Virginia Beach Town Center
Peter Chang Express isn't going to be in the middle of the fairly new Town Center but off the boulevard between Kellam Rd and Horace Ave. You can actually see the new Peter Chang Express from my mother's barbershop (Town Center Barber Shop) at 304 Horace Ave! So if you need a haircut after lunch head over and see Mom.
If you aren't familar with Peter Chang, this sums it up: He has been called the best when it comes to Sichuan cooking in America. He has even cooked for the president of China at one point in his career.
We've been to Peter Chang Bistro in Virginia Beach and the food is phenomenal! It's unlike the Chinese-American food you're used to getting from the similarly named restaurants who seem to be serving from the same menu. His food is spicy, fresh, and presented uniquely. Whole fish dressed and sliced, majestically carried to the table with the respect it deserves. Bamboo fish in a bamboo net is pretty neat too. The scallion bubble bread is brought to the table hot and it looks like a balloon of chewy goodness - pull it apart and eat it hot!
Bamboo Fish
Scallion Bubble Bread
The difference between Peter Chang's bigger restaurant in town and Peter Chang Express is that Express will be serving small plates at half the price of the regular entree. Service will be fast to accommodate those working in Town Center or for those who wanted a quick bite to eat. Shelby and I have been watching this store, trying to figure out when it was going to open. It was originally supposed to open about May or June but had a few delays. Now is the time though!
Shelby, Robin, Sean and Gen
Peter Chang Express will have a grand opening on August 28th with a soft opening a couple days before that open 8 September. We're excited, it's a lot closer to us and our jobs so I can see picking up lunch there now. I wonder if it will affect Judy's down the street?
View the photos of our visit and see some of what will be offered at Peter Chang Express and check out this cool tofu soup below!
Wasserhund Brewing Company Soft Opening
Wasserhund Brewing Company! What does that mean exactly? I spent a few years in Germany while I was in the army and the first thing I think of is Pudelhund or Poodle in English - but the dog in the logo is a German Shepherd (Alsatian as my Scottish mother-in-law likes to say.) The first question I had for the brewery was, "What's the meaning of Wasserhund?"
I was able to talk to Craig Lubinski and he said their dogs loved the water. The idea behind Wasserhund Brewing is summed up in the company statement:
Wasserhund Brewing Company, meaning "water dog" in German, was born from a love of the beach, dogs, and German beer. We aspire to bring the German beer culture to Virginia Beach in the best way... by brewing the highest quality ales, lagers, and meads and providing the environment to enjoy them with family, friends, and strangers.
We also match our beer with artisan pizza made to order in our brick oven. Or you can order Richmond made sausages on pretzel rolls and add some sourkraut for a real German experience.
Call it whatever you want... we call it German style brewing with a Beach kick. Really, it's great beer and great times.
Prost!
When you visit Wasserhund, Craig will be manning the stone-brick oven the brewery owns slinging pizza. That's right, in-house pizza at Wasserhund in addition to local brews. The former owner of the space left the oven and the brewery is going to make use of it.
Fresh pizza and local beer, on-site, this is going to be good!
Kevin Erskine of Coelacanth Brewing chats with Craig Lubinski and checks out the new Virginia Beach Brewery.
I didn't get a chance to talk to Aaron and Christine Holley (owners) but hope to do so at the brewery's soft opening. I did get to meet Aaron's father who is a retired Naval Chaplain. Craig, Aaron's father and myself talked a little bit, throwing out old war stories since the three of us are veterans. That's what usually happens when you get former service people together. The new place looks great and has some nice people associated with it. Keep an eye out for good things to come.
Wasserhund Brewing officially opens August 6, but if you want a sneak peek they're having an soft opening tomorrow, 1 August. Stop by.
Me, Kelci, Coleman, and Amberly
Kelci from Terrapin pouring at Mix It Up
Had to swing by to see Kelci, Terrapin Beer Co.'s rep in the area. She drove down from Richmond (it took 4 hours because of traffic!) to do a huge tasting of about 12 of their beers at Mix It Up!
July-August HR Growler is out now!
Find a copy of the latest HR Growler, I have photos from breweries and events from around the Hampton Roads area. No food articles or recipes this time around, but my Grilled Cheese Bistro story should be in the next one!
So much food!
Tupelo Honey Cafe - Virginia Beach, VA
Tupelo Honey Cafe has opened in Virginia Beach Town Center. What is Tupelo Honey Cafe? I'll be honest and say I've never heard of it before I received an email from someone representing them in the area. She asked if I would be interested in learning more about the Cafe and attend a soft opening and then a media session later that week. Of course I said “Yes!” because who doesn't like a free meal and I love soft openings; there is always a level of energy and excitement in the air at these things. Tupelo Honey Cafe officially opens 13 July 2015, today!
Tupelo Honey Cafe, Virginia Beach, VA
I did a little research and saw that Tupelo Honey started out in Asheville, NC and has expanded into 11 locations in operation. There are two more spots opening soon in Atlanta, GA and Franklin, TN. Tupelo Honey Cafe prepares its menu using classic Southern and/or Southern influenced style. So of course you're thinking okra, grits, fried chicken, greens, etc... They do have those on the menu, but there is a lot more.
First what is Tupelo Honey? Tupelo Honey comes from the White Tupelo is harvested in Florida and Georgia. It's said to be the purist honey you can buy and to harvest it takes a lot of work, read more about it in this great article at Garden & Gun.
The Virginia Beach Town Center location is pretty sweet. It's on the corner of Main St. and Constitution Dr. Lots of windows and a covered, outdoor seating area. The inside of the restaurant is spacious with walls dotted with local and regionally significant art. There is even a WW II era navy uniform on display.
The bar is large and currently has 20 taps setup. They will eventually be serving kegged cocktails and have an exclusive Virginia mead they'll help get shipped to the restaurant. During the soft opening there was a good selection of local brews on tap in the craft beer line-up; while waited for our seats I grabbed a Tupelo Honey Rye Ale made for Tupelo Honey Cafe by RJ Rockers Brewing Co. Not a bad beer, I enjoyed it. Shelby wanted to try a fancy drink and ordered the “Violet Beauregarde” Champange Cocktail. She loved it. I was able to get a little sip of it too and it was pretty tasty.
Setting up the bar
“Violet Beauregarde” Champange Cocktail
Tupelo Honey Rye Ale
After we were seated our server, Tiffany, she went over the limited menu for the soft opening. We had a choice of one appetizer to share, individual entrees and then a shared dessert. From the “Southern Small Plates” section we had a few choices, wrestling with the decision between the Jumbo Lump Crab Cake and the Pecan-Crusted Goat Cheese. We settled on the crab cake. For entrees (with two sides) Shelby chose the broiled Jumbo Shrimp, there was a fried option too, Sauteed Greens and Goat Cheese Grits. I ordered Beef & Bacon Meatloaf with Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Mac-n-Cheese. We sipped our drinks waiting for our food to be brought out.
While we waited I looked around – there were plenty of servers and floor supervisors making sure things were running smoothly. We were at a window table which I requested, I need light for the photos. I didn't like that we sat directly beneath an air vent, I was being blasted by cold air and this proved troublesome for our hot food too.
Tiffany brought out a couple of hot biscuits with a blueberry preserve and some Tupelo honey! Mixing the preserve and honey on the biscuit the way to go. The honey wasn't too sweet and was floral, it was a perfect paired with the blueberry. The biscuit had a lightly crunchy exterior and a moist, light consistency on the inside. We were enjoying our biscuits still when the crab cake came out. The crab cake was good, but living in Virginia Beach where seafood is king, we've had a lot of crab cakes. I would say it's definitely worth a try. Flavor was good and there was a good amount of lump crab inside a breaded coat.
Crab Cake
NC Country Ham Wontons
Our “supper plates” as they called them, were decent portions the shrimp were cooked nicely and the cherry pepper buerre blanc sauce was good. Shelby's goat cheese grits were very tasty and I would like to have them again next time we visit. The greens were sauteed perfect and served in a broth – lots of flavor! My meatloaf was covered in a chunky rosemary shallot gravy, it complimented the meatloaf that was flecked with bits of bacon throughout. Shelby and I both loved the Mac-n-Cheese. Some people might think you can mess that stuff up, but you can. Their Mac-n-Cheese had browned bits on the corners and you could taste the cheese consistently with every bite. Serious stuff. My shaved Brussels Sprout salad was good too. It was a cold, raw salad and would be perfect out of the cooler and put out on the picnic table.
Beef & Bacon Meatloaf
Jumbo Shrimp cherry pepper buerre blanc sauce
After chatting with Tiffany about the food I mentioned that I was taking photos for the blog she had another server named Matt come to the table. He happened to be in town to help get the Virginia Beach store off to a running start. Matt was a wealth of information about Tupelo Honey Cafe, the people, food and future plans for the site. As he was explaining how things worked around there a sous chef named Caleb came to the table with a restaurant favorite NC Country Ham Wontons. The light, crispy wrappers held a delicious, creamy mixture of ham and cheese. They might have been my favorite bite of the night!
Honeysuckle & Lavender Flip
We finished our drinks and ordered another round. I got a Young Veterans Brewing Co. Jet Noise and Shelby tried another cocktail, the tart Honeysuckle & Lavender Flip. She loved this drink too and said they're perfect Summertime drinks.
After trying the wontons we got to meet the Chef du Cuisine, Chris McLeod. I spied him earlier running the line and getting the plates out in order. They brought out more food for us to try, this time some tacos! One plate had a spice encrusted chicken and other had crumbled meatloaf, similar to what I had in my entree. Thin slices of jalapeno, some cilantro and slaw topped the meat and fresh squeezed lime on top finished them off. There were good too, but I would have liked a thinner tortilla. The apple salsa on the chicken tacos was very nice and different.
While trying to work our way through the mountain of food we were accumulating, they brought out more! I'll give a quick run down:
Shrimp and Grits – A lot of flavor, loved how the grits were creamy and had goat cheese in them. There was a roasted red pepper sauce in the center of the bowl that was surrounded by some plump shrimp. We let a friend try some and he said he's had better, but I do think they're worth a try. Eat it hot!
Shrimp and Grits
Pan-Seared Scallops with Brown Butter French Green Beans and Spring Green Pea Risotto
Pan-Seared Scallops with Brown Butter French Green Beans and Spring Green Pea Risotto – The scallops were cooked nicely with great texture. My favorite part of this dish was the risotto. Creamy and seasoned perfectly.
Herbed Lamb Meatballs in Tomato Curry with Feta
Herbed Lamb Meatballs in Tomato Curry with Feta – Shelby loved this one. She loves lamb and meatballs, so this was the best of both worlds. Great sauce, very good over all.
You could probably guess that we didn't eat all of this. Luckily we bumped into some friends who were there and we were able to share a good bit of our food with them. Sharing was highly encouraged by Matt early on. We did want to try dessert and ordered a slice of Brown Butter Pecan Pie with Dark Chocolate Sauce and the Heavenly Banana Pudding.
The pecan pie was warm and gooey, the chocolate sauce was delicious, it was put together really well and I'd like to try it again when I wasn't so full. The banana pudding was good too, but the thought of eating another bite seemed like an impossible task. We boxed up what was left over and headed home.
After getting in the house I almost passed out on the couch from a food coma.
Tupelo Honey Cafe opens 13 July, 2015. Virginia Beach Town Center on the corner of Main St. and Constitution Dr.
Check it out, it's a nice little addition to our area and the food is good! We definitely plan on visiting again and trying out more of the menu. Here's the little blurb they sent me originally:
Originally opened in 2000 in downtown Asheville, Tupelo Honey Cafe has grown to become a beloved Southern staple serving fresh, made-from-scratch dishes. The Virginia Beach location of Tupelo Honey Cafe is located at 4501 Main St. in Town Center. Upon opening this July, lunch and dinner will be available Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to midnight and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Brunch will also be served from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Known for its incredible Southerncuisine and locally inspired décor, ten Tupelo Honey Cafe locations are currently open in the Southeast with three future openings planned for Virginia Beach, Virginia; Franklin, Tennessee and Atlanta, Georgia. Two nationally distributed Tupelo Honey Cafe cookbooks are available for purchase on the website and in stores. For more information, reservations and menus, visit tupelohoneycafe.com.
See all the photos from our visit HERE.
Needed a Burger
Last weekend Shelby mentioned grilling burgers for dinner but we ended up making this instead. It was super tasty but for the next few days I just wanted a burger!
Yesterday I came home later than usual and Shelby was in Norfolk, I figured I'd grab a bite to eat somewhere and get my burger fix. It had been a while since I visited Home Republic at the Oceanfront and they have one of my favorite burgers in the area called the Galaxy Burger.
The Galaxy Burger has thick applewood smoked bacon, grilled onions, hop infused cheddar cream and Galaxy Sauce. All of these things makes a great burger - check out the photo, I had it in a to-go box and it still looked great!
Jeremy
Keith
When I got to the restaurant I said my hellos and chatted with Keith and Jeremy in the kitchen briefly. I ordered a Juice "Sea" Fruit IPA that Home Republic brews in the shop and sat down for a bit. It's Shark Week and one of the televisions had some knucklehead swimming around on a shark-silhouetted board mounted with cameras baiting the sharks. Real smart...
I asked for my burger to be put in a to-go box because I planned on giving Shelby half of it (mmm...maybe a little less) but I ate about three-quarters of it and all the fries.
Sorry Shel!
I finished my beer and headed out feeling satisfied and full. Grab a Galaxy if you're in town, it's a good one.
Home Republic's Juice "Sea" Fruit IPA
A little kick-off for the Independence Day weekend - Avery's Maharaja!
Dinner at Lynnhaven Pub
Our friends Cappy and Lauren wanted to meet-up at The Pub for dinner and a drink. Obviously I do not need a whole lot of convincing to grab a drink at Lynnhaven Pub and Shelby was up for it. Done deal.
Friday nights host "Charlotte Hour" out back where Charlotte, longtime Pub regular, pours some of her favorites till 8:00 PM. Decent line-up too, I always enjoy a pour of the latest "Enjoy By" when I can get it.
Lauren, Shelby and Cappy
Charlotte Hour
Charlotte took a photo of our group
After the tasting we headed inside for bite. Lauren said she wanted to try the ribs The Pub has been smoking this year, we crossed our fingers hoping there were some left. They used to only make them on a Thursday and only about 8-10 racks, I don't know if this is true still but they usually sell out.
She was in luck, there were some left, they had some left so she ordered up a rack and Cappy had the brisket tacos. Shelby and I had beef brisket sandwiches, it's hard not to eat that stuff whenever we go (so good, you gotta try it.)
Lauren, "You guys can have some." Um, not unless I want to lose a finger!
Beef Brisket
Brisket Tacos
We had a round of drinks after we finished eating then gave Cappy and Lauren a ride home, it started to rain and they rode their bikes to meet us earlier. Luckily my car (Honda Element) is like a Transformer and I folded the seats up and we crammed their two bikes, Cappy and myself in the back.
We did all this and got home in time to watch and movie. Very nice night.
Old Beach Farmers Market - 4 July 2015
We spent our Independence Day chilling out at home but not after hitting the Old Beach Farmers Market at the Oceanfront. Blue crabs are in season so I was hoping I'd score some and, as you can see, I did! A dozen #1 jimmies and a few females. I grabbed some Hashi was while I was there and headed over to Back Bay Brewing to try the new TideWater Melon Wheat they were tapping. Very refreshing.
John O'Rielly, Back Bay brewer
Old Beach Farmers Market - 2 May 2015
Love making it out to the Old Beach Farmers Market in Virginia Beach, VA. It's only till noon and since I like sleeping in on Saturday it kinda cramps my style but it's worth it. Shady Goat Farm is there too...and they have baby goats! I've been creeping around the market for a while now and I've seen a several generations of goats come and go. Love them!
Hashi Food Truck has become a staple too. If you're in the area you need to try it! Seriously.
Blue Seafood and Spirits
The new issue of HR Growler will be out next month! If you missed my article from the last one, here it is: Blue Seafood and Spirits. Loved the food there and Chef Charles Thain is a great guy. I've included all the photos I took that night below:
