The Cafe at Maidens – A Powhatan Treasure

A few days back the sun was shining, the open road called out to me, and so did my appetite, so I talked my Dad into going out a little ways to Powhatan to have lunch at The Cafe At Maidens.  I’ll tell you one thing – it was totally worth the drive.

This little place, situated right on Maidens Road in Powhatan, used to be a gas station, but you won’t get that now.  You’ll get great service, fantastic sandwiches, and wonderful conversation, but that conversation won’t be about gas prices.  Owners Jason and Rosalyn are focused on creating sandwich masterpieces – and are not going to worry whether you’re self-service or full-service at the gas pump.

Like I said, though, it’s a full-service treat inside.  Jason, a former PE teacher, and Rosalyn, a current newspaper editor, opened the restaurant about 9 months ago (on the day I visited it was 9 months and 6 days, to be exact) and have enjoyed some good word-of-mouth exposure (which I guess they’re getting more of here) but are gearing up for a good and busy spring.

The drive there is beautiful.  Just head west on Patterson until you hit Maidens Rd, take a left, and keep on until you spot the Cafe on your right.  Once you get there, you’ll get a friendly greeting from Jason, Rosalyn, or Aunt Frannie, who allegedly lives in the back.  The interior of the building is adorable and full of some major quirk.

The Cafe at Maidens uses exclusively Thumann’s deli products- the same stuff that Chiocca’s uses.  This is because their meats and cheeses are yummy, sure, but also because Roland is their rep, and he rocks.  He even provided the pickle barrel, which houses some of the biggest dill pickles you ever saw.

Seriously, these things are good.  And big.  I’ll tell you about them in a sec, but first you need to know what kind of sandwiches you can get to accompany that ginormous pickle.  Here is a snapshot of the menu:

Just in case you missed it, I snapped a photo of my FAVORITE SANDWICH DESCRIPTION EVER:

Despite the temptation of a big pile of bologna (and I do love bologna), I decided to go with The Powhatanian, which is a club sandwich on multi-grain bread.  Dad went with The Rachel, which is a big pile of pastrami topped with cheese, cole slaw, and thousand island.  We split half and half (I had half of each sandwich, so did Dad) and I can’t tell you which one I liked better.  They were both beyond excellent.  Which one looks better to you?

and

Hard to decide, isn’t it? Not only was the food great, but we loved talking to Jason and Rosalyn, who are the cutest couple ever.  They met at VCU.  She was a lifeguard, and he had the keys to the pool.  He wouldn’t let her in to her job until she agreed to go out with him.  Obviously, Jason’s sense was right, because they’re fantastic.  Jason was a teacher (I think I mentioned that) but had this hankering to try something new.  I’m awfully glad he did, because this is a great little place with great, wonderful, tasty sandwiches.

Oh yeah.  Also, if you don’t feel like driving all the way to Powhatan, they will DELIVER.  That’s right.  You can get this yummy goodness delivered to the West End, downtown, Southside, wherever.  Just make sure you give them plenty of notice.  A big order really far away will likely need to be placed the day before.  Lucky for you they have a handy-dandy website that makes it really easy for you.

They comped me a pickle, which I considered having bronzed before I divided up and shared it with a family of twenty.  Seriously.  That thing was huge:

I would recommend this place to anyone who wants a great sandwich made by great people.  You could get the sandwiches delivered, but you’d miss out on the beautiful trip, and a chance to listen to some tunes, roll down the window, or spend some time having a chat with someone you love.  It’s the little things, Folks.  Seriously.

Check them out, and tell them I sent you.  I’m not saying that will get you anywhere, but it makes me look good. 

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Short Pump’s The Wine Loft – A Review By The Good Wine Guru

Local Tweep, Snark, and candidate for Mr. Awesomeness 2010, George R. Perry, everyone!  Remember, behind every man is an awesome woman, and Mr. Perry’s awesome woman April is pictured with him below.

In addition to being one of Richmond’s cutest couples, most dynamic twitterers, and social media sweethearts, the Perrys also enjoy a nice glass of wine every now and then.  George is actually the Good Wine Guru, so who better to review The Wine Loft than him?  Here begin the words of George…

Just inside the border of Short Pump, across from the Kohls and Best Buy on West Broad Street is a new shopping center – the West Broad Village Community in Short Pump.  Featuring numerous new restaurants, grocers, shopping, and living space, West Broad Village has quickly become home to some of the most popular new spots in Richmond.  One of these is the Wine Loft.

A cross between a casual lounge and an upscale wine bar, the Wine Loft offers atmosphere mixed with great food and drink.  The food offerings aren’t your typical faire, being tailored more towards groups of diners with their tapas style of delivery.  However, any conversation about the Wine Loft must begin, obviously, with their wine selection.

As a regular wine drinker, I am always looking for places that offer a wide selection of wine at a wide range of prices.  Sure, there are nights that I’m willing to spend $50 or more on a bottle of wine, but there are just as many nights that I want to drink a couple of $7 glasses.  The Wine Loft caters to both of my moods.

With wine available both by the glass and bottle, there is something for every palate and pocketbook – red or white, sweet or dry, Old World or New World – and the staff is knowledgeable and willing to help you find something to fit your tastes if you’re not familiar with their offerings.

As for their food selection, they’ve done an excellent job of putting together a menu that allows you to pick what will best compliment your wine, or pick your wine to compliment what you’re eating.  While I’ve yet to have anything that I didn’t enjoy, the Baked Brie en Croute for two (and really more than that) is a must-have any time you go there.

Vanilla infused and topped with spiced pecans and a balsamic reduction and served with sliced baguette – which you’ll need more of and they’re happy to provide – the baked brie is a can’t miss no matter what you’re drinking.  For those looking for something more robust, the oven roasted lamb lollipops, shrimp and blue cheese in puff pastry, and shrimp and lump crab four cheese empanadas are all nothing short of amazing.

The food and drink aside, the Wine Loft itself has set itself up as a great place to spend an evening either for an intimate dinner date or for a casual gathering of friends or co-workers.  Low couches, chairs, and tables abound on both levels (that’s right, it has an upstairs), and a center communal table – raised and lighted – is a great gathering place for groups or couples.

No matter the occasion or the size of the dining party, the Wine Loft is the perfect place to spend an evening and one you’ll want to return to time and again.

The Wine Loft
4035 Whittail Way
Glen Allen, VA  23060
804-368-1768

(located between Kona Grill and Mimi’s Café)

Post sponsored by MaverickLabel.com – providing custom wine labels.

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Becky’s – A Richmond Institution

About a hundred years ago (OK, more like 10 years ago) I worked at the corner of 1st and Cary Streets.  Across the street (on the north side of the street) was a breakfast and lunch place called Becky’s.  I had a fabulous metabolism back then, so I ate breakfast there almost every day.

Becky’s has been around forever – long before I worked across the street from it.  It has seen many different owners, operations, and managers, but the name has been the same, and the fare is consistently delicious diner food.

I wish I could tell you who the original Becky was, and what year the place opened the first time, but there is surprising little information out there on the internet.  I suppose I could go talk to Julia, who has worked at the tiny diner for 42 years.  She’s still there, and she remembered me when I walked through the door this past Friday for a nostalgic Becky’s breakfast.

The interior has changed quite a bit since the last time I was there, and they now serve cocktails, if you want to get a nice bloody mary or mimosa with your brunch.  I heard that they tried opening in the evenings for a while, but during these winter months not enough people make it to that part of town.

I ordered a cheese omelet with hasbrowns, a side of bacon, and toast.  My dad got a western omelet, hashbrowns, and rye toast.  Everything was tasty.  So tasty, in fact, that I neglected to take a picture of our food right away, and by the time I thought of it there was nothing left to photograph.  I detected bits of bacon in the homefries (a nice touch) and my omelet was cooked perfectly and was delightfully cheesy.  Dad’s omelet was likewise cooked perfectly, and his rye toast was buttered and golden crispy.  We both had tea, and Alfred kept the refills coming.

Becky’s is once again under new management, and Laura (a recent transplant from Connecticut who thinks our winters are downright balmy, thank you) is working hard to figure out the best business model and plan for Becky’s.  There might be some evening hours in the future, and look out for a website in the near future.  For myself, I believe I will have to go back to try the salmon cakes, because I bet they are awesome.

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