The Blue Goat - 5710 Grove Ave. Richmond, VA, 23226

Like Enoteca Sogno, The Blue Goat is one of my new Richmond favs. We met friends for dinner there this past Saturday; what a treat!

We arrived right on time (working on that whole punctuality thing) and the hostess informed me that a party was still at the table assigned to our reservation. After only a minute of looking around, she apologized - completely unnecessarily - and sat us at a different booth. Our waiter didn't follow too far behind and did a good job of talking over the Saturday night buzz.

Since The Blue Goat is a tapas-style restaurant, we decided to divide and conquer the menu. All-in-all, we tried the:

• House made whipped honey sage butter with artisan bread- butter was DElicious
• Pommes frites with pork dust, sea salt and garlic aioli- lovely salty pre-dinner snack
• Forest mushroom ragout with mascarpone polenta- a little overpowering, not exactly the crowd favorite
• House made Ricotta with a warm white truffle honey and sea salt- great savory/sweet balance
• Braised pork cheeks over spaetzle- awesome! highly recommend, especially around oktoberfest
• Seared Diver scallops with a smoked vanilla bean sabayon- nicely cooked and seasoned
• Pork and venison bolognese over housemade potato gnocchi- wonderful, fluffy gnocchi
• Veal demi braised oxtail over butter whipped potatoes- table favorite by far... huge depth of flavor and perfect for a fall evening

I paired my dinner with a light, fresh strawberry/basil/vodka cocktail and crisp, clean 3 Brooms Sauvignon Blanc- both great choices.

To round out the evening we tried the Caramel & Lava Salt In House Gelato, the Chocolate Godiva Pate, and the Bourbon Barrel Stout Ice Cream Float (yes, a beer ice cream float). All were delicious in their own ways. The gelato had a great, deep caramel flavor that was really enhanced by the lava salt. The "pate" was like a lovely ball of fudge, but not overwhelmingly rich. And the beer float was like a spiked childhood favorite.

During the course of the night, plates came out quickly, but not on top of each other, and the staff was very attentive. We left pleasantly full after a great evening with great company. I can't wait to return to The Blue Goat for a fun night out or just a bite and a drink during the week!

Huynh's Restaurant- 5905 W. Broad Street Richmond, VA 23230

After a disappointing start at Mekong we crossed the street to Huynh's, hoping for a better experience. It was probably 8:45 or so on a Thursday, so we weren't surprised to be two of only a few others in the restaurant. The dining room was very clean, if not a little antiseptic-smelling. Our waiter came right over with water and took our drink order. We were already ahead of where we were across the street!

Our waiter took our dinner order with equal speed and we had our appetizer in no time. We tried the crystal shrimp dumplings. They weren't bad, but the rice paper wrapping had a little bit more of a rice cake taste than either of us were expecting. However, we certainly couldn't complain about temperature- they came out piping hot!

We both ordered pho soup- mine with shrimp, his with "everything." It all came out fresh and hot, just what you would expect from the famous vietnamese dish. I actually almost finished my bowl... a rare occurrence!

Overall, good food and service will make Huynh's a great standby for those Pho cravings that will undoubtedly get more frequent as the weather gets cooler.

Mekong - 6004 West Broad Street Henrico, VA 23230

Well, this will be one short review. Last Thursday night we decided to cast aside leftovers and grab a bite (or a slurp, since we were in the mood for Pho Soup) at Mekong. My husband and I had dinner there one of the first nights we moved to Richmond, but were far too tired to focus much on the meal. We were excited to go back and actually be able to concentrate on the food and have a relaxing dinner. We gave up one weekend night due to the crowd, but this was Thursday night... how bad could it be?

We pulled into the parking lot a little after 8:00, only to find the same packed lot. We did find a parking space and walked in to give it a try. After looking around for a minute, the host sat us at a table in their front room. A few minutes later he came to give us place settings... and that was the last time we saw anyone at our table for a good 15 minutes. There was one clearly frazzled waiter who rushed in and out of the room, careful not to make eye contact with anyone but the particular table he was serving. As time ticked by, we tried to get his attention with a polite "excuse me." He paused and continued on his way out of the room. It was unclear if he heard us (and ignored us), so we waited a little longer. A woman bussing one of the tables next to us saw us looking around and got us glasses of water. By now we had been sitting at the table for at least 20 minutes. We told her how long we had been waiting and she went to talk with the waiter. We saw him rudely ignore her as well and that was our cue to leave. The waiter certainly was unfazed as he did see us get up and walk out.

It sure seemed like an overwhelming, and most likely understaffed, night. However, I know from restaurant and customer service experience of my own that there are better ways to treat your patrons and coworkers. I'm sure we will try Mekong again (as I know it is a Richmond favorite), but it probably won't be for a while.

Enoteca Sogno - 1223 Bellevue Avenue, Richmond, VA 23227

LOVE, LOVE, LOVED Enoteca Sogno in Bellevue. Aside from almost missing the place (yikes!) due to teeny, tiny, almost non-existant signage, this italian wine bar nailed it.

The restaurant itself is simple and cozy. Once seated, our water glasses were immediately filled and a gentleman I assumed to be the owner came to take our wine order. He gave us a wonderful background on the Barbaresco we selected while uncorking the bottle, poured our glasses, and set the bottle down behind us displaying the cork artfully in front of it. The red started the night off on a high note and we commented on the depth of the wine list in both choice and price.

Enoteca Sogno has a simple but enticing menu and our waiter added to it with a full list of specials for the night. Pasta is one of those foods that I could eat almost every day and fresh pasta is always such a treat. I selected the seared scallop, arugula, and reduced balsamic appetizer special, but couldn't decide between the pasta dishes. I asked our server which he liked best. His through descriptions of his top choices led me to the pesto. My husband (the more decisive one in the marriage) went for the fig, gorgonzola, and pancetta appetizer special and the sausage and rapini penne -side note: I now know that rapini is, in fact, broccoli raab-.

We received a pre-appetizer bread basket with extra-virgin olive oil and the appetizers themselves did not disappoint. My husbands figs were sweet and salty, while my scallops were cooked perfectly. The sear almost gave them a meaty taste that was really satisfying.

Dinner was equally as successful. I'm pretty sure it was the best pesto I've ever eaten. The sauce had almost a creamy texture on perfectly-cooked fresh tagliatelle. As for the sausage and rapini, I loved how the spiciness of the sausage and the broccoli raab permeated the tomato and marinara and ricotta sauce. It was such a satisfying dish (and my husband will tell you that the bread from the basket was the perfect vehicle for soaking up any remaining sauce).

Although we were pretty full, the meal was too good not to finish with a little dessert. Our waiter recited the three selections and we chose to split the tiramisu. Now, I typically find that tiramisu can be one of the most overdone italian desserts... and not in a good way. Too often it is soggy mess, doused with liquor and not the "pick-me-up" the name suggests. Enoteca Sogno's tiramisu was every bit a pick-me-up and one of the best I've had in a very long time. It was light and flavorful, without being overpowering. All of the ingredients were distinct and it was the perfect ending to our wonderful meal.

My only somewhat negative comment was that, even without a packed house, the dining room was a bit noisy. However, it was not overly distracting and nothing a little acoustic work couldn't fix.

We had a perfect date night and will be visiting Enoteca Sogno again. It might even end up being our go to when out-of-town guests come to visit Richmond!

Capital Ale House - 4024-A Cox Road, Glen Allen, VA 23060

Last night my husband and I ventured out for a casual Friday night dinner. After seeing the Mekong's packed parking lot and diners waiting on the sidewalk, we decided to keep driving down West Broad (I suppose that review will have to wait). A chill in the Richmond air, we Northeasterners were finally starting to feel a bit Autumnal so we pulled in to grab a beer and bar food at the Capital Ale House.

The hostess told us there would be a 15 minute wait. Being a Friday night, we had finally resigned to the fact that we would have a wait wherever we went. Why not go to the bar and grab a beer in the meantime? As the restaurant's name suggests, the Ale House's beer menu is extensive. Their wall of glass door coolers display the bottled selections with taps in the middle. I was tempted by the Dogfish Head (60 Minute IPA is one of my favorites) or one of the bitter or triple choices. Instead, I went seasonal and tried the Brooklyn Post Road Pumpkin Ale- side review: good but not particularly Pumpkin-y, in my opinion-. While placing our order, my little table buzzer went off. 15 minutes.. more like 5!

Our server greeted us and she was very pleasant. I ordered the half-rack of ribs and the hubby got a burger. While my entree came with a salad, he added one to his order. The greens were fresh and the dressings had a little twist, which was nice (blue cheese with dill and a smokey ranch). As for the main course, I was slightly disappointed with my ribs. I do prefer a well-sauced rib and they hit the mark there. However, the meat seemed kind of tough for ribs... they certainly didn't fall off the bone. I usually don't expect ribs to be a knife and fork meal (even being from Connecticut). The accompanying fries were fine, but I really did not care for the cole slaw. I have extremely fond memories of vinegar-based cole slaw from my childhood, but, while it was not mayonnaise-y, it had some very odd flavors. My husband's mushroom-gruyere burger was delicious. The beef was almost buttery, complemented by the toppings and bun.

Now, the restaurant could definitely benefit from a bit of a facelift. The wood dividing the restaurant is topped with dated glass blocks lined with electric blue lights that just scream 1980's fab. The decor seems somewhat thrown together- Oktoberfest pennant banners hanging from the ceiling, contemporary asymmetrical salad bowls. Just a little updating and a touch more lighting would go a long way.

All in all, Capital Ale House is a good place to grab a burger and a [craft] beer in the 'burbs. But, some improvements could definitely make it great.

Six Burner - 1627 W. Main St. Richmond, VA

Ahh, back in the saddle again. Time to dust off the typing fingers and get back to writing about what I love- food.

For my inaugural Richmond post, I visited Six Burner in the Fan. Parking turned out not to be the challenge I anticipated, so the evening started out smoothly. I was even early which is kind of a big deal- just ask someone who knows me. The hostess promptly greeted us, complemented me on my dress (how lovely of her), and seated us in a very clean, if not slightly tight, booth. Our party complete, we started out with cocktail orders. Six Burner has a very unique drink menu which convinced our group to stray from defaulting to wine right away. Each cocktail turned out to be refreshing, albeit somewhat surprising for my husband (whose Maker's Mark drink came in a very manly champagne flute).

Both the fried green tomato and fried oyster appetizers were delicious. The crust on each was well-seasoned and crunchy. Accompanying sauces added to, rather than overwhelmed, the dish.

The main course did not disappoint. The oyster mushroom bucatini had a wonderfully earthy and complex flavor. It wasn't the most lady-like to eat in the company of others, but I found myself not really caring after a few bites! The wine in the sauce (I think it was madeira) gave the dish a pleasant, unexpected taste and the cheese provided just the right salty note. Unfortunately, I did fall down on the job a bit and didn't taste what anyone else ordered. Apparently I was a little too wrapped up in my own selection- will do better next time.

Our server was knowledgable and very accommodating. When we were ready for wine, her Pinot Noir recommendation was spot on. She made sure my entree did not have too much cream and was just really approachable and good-natured in general.

I would certainly recommend Six Burner (can't wait to try their tasting menu one of these weeknights) and think I might really like it here in Richmond!

Commonwealth Cravings Has Moved!

Out with the old and in with the new... Commonwealth, that is.

Goodbye Massachusetts, hello Virginia!

What better way to get to know my new city than through food. Looking forward to getting back to the blog and tasting everything the Richmond area has to offer.