Shackelford’s Restaurant and Raw Bar
11500 Busy Street
Richmond, VA 23236
804-794-4900
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We arrived for Brunch at 12:50PM on Sunday 11/08/09. We were promptly seated in a large over sized spacious booth and really liked the seating. The layout of this new restaurant was very open and spacious as well. We saw a full bar complete with a couple flat panel TV’s and also another TV mounted in the dining area.
Our waitress was very friendly and attentive as she took our order and then came by numerous times just to make sure we had everything we needed to enjoy our meal. We certainly never had to wait for service. She was there on the spot every time.
Rhonda had pancakes, scrambled eggs, hash browns, and country ham. I had crab cakes benedict and asked them to add country ham for an extra kick. They did and man was it good. We really liked the thinly sliced, very well prepared ham. It was sliced really thin but not shaved. It had a great flavor. I also had a salad which included very fresh assorted greens and also roasted red peppers. I chose a sun-dried tomato vinaigrette which really pulled it together very nicely. And we can’t forget about the mini muffins they served us while we waited for the meal to be prepared. They were tasty and just the perfect appetizer.
Over all we really enjoyed this place. It was not to loud and just spacious enough so that we didn’t feel crowded. It was really clean and well maintained. The staff was very friendly and attentive to our needs. The manager personally checked on every table and the whole experience was very enjoyable.
We were invited to come back for one of their nightly specials such as 1/2 price shrimp on Mon. and Wed., 1/2 price burgers on Tue., and 1/2 price snow crablegs on Sun. Kids under 12 eat for 1/2 price also. And they have happy hour from 3PM to 7PM daily. The menu offers something for everyone and the food is really good.
Our meal was $34.49 and out of 5 stars we rate this restaurant 3.5. We will certainly go back and sit on the cool outside patio.
This location is easy to miss unless you happen to be riding by the side street and see it. The easiest way to get to this restaurant is to travel East on Midlothian toward the Ukrops. Turn right like you’re going to Ukrops and travel down the side street looking for Shackelford’s on your right.
Benny’s BBQ
2819 Hathaway Road
Richmond, VA 23225
804-320-7447 (PIGS) : ) We thought this was a neat touch. Talk about branding!
We arrived at Benny’s on a week night at 6:55 PM. This is a small restaurant located in the Stratford Hills Shopping Center on Forest Hill Avenue. We discovered a line of people waiting to be seated. The place was packed. There literally wasn’t much room to stand to wait for a table. There were a few emtpy chairs by the bar but it would have been a very tight squeeze. We could tell immediately from those waiting that many were repeat customers. We waited about 30 minutes to be seated.
The restaurant has a very laid back country casual decor and atmosphere. The staff was very friendly as if they know something you don’t when you go in for the first time. The BBQ sauce is more of a North Carolina vinegar base and isn’t my favorite but Rhonda enjoyed it. She had minced pork, slaw, greens, fries, and hush puppies. We both really enjoyed thew hush puppies! Hmmmm. I had chicken. I would have prefered a sweeter or even a smokey based sauce over the vinegar base. I also had BBQ beans which surpised me in as much as they actually had real BBQ in them versus just a BBQ sauce. Since I’m not a BBQ fan per say, I didn’t care for them. The bisuits were burnt pretty bad on the bottom which made them pretty much undesirable.
The meal over all wasn’t that bad. We would reccomend Benny’s to you if you enjoy Southern BBQ style food and are looking for a fairly priced restaurant on the Southside of the city. It was clean and the staff was reasonably attentive to our needs. Our meal was $27.89 and we rate Benny’s 3 out of 5 stars.
Qdoba Mexican Grill11500 Midlothian Turnpike
Richmond, VA 23235
We arrived at Qdoba on 6/14/09 at 1:35pm. The place was packed. In fact this is usually the case from several occasions in the past.
This establishment is semi buffet style. You walk up to the large wall mounted menu and tell the server your selection(s). The server then prepares your meal in front of you as you walk down the ingredient line. The ingredients are very fresh and appealing. There are many menu choices and combinations. And I’ve always found the staff to be very accommodating when asked to give extra portions and to customize our selections.
We each had a taco salad which consists of a large crisp bowl shaped shell, greens and many optional ingredient choices. Personally I love the chicken, rice, pinto beans, peppers, lime citrus sauce, sour cream, and mango tomato mix! I had chicken in mine while Rhonda chose steak. I especially like the way they prepare their chicken. It’s cooked the way I like it. It also has a very southwestern flavor. It’s really good. It makes me want to go there today for lunch! And I think I will!
You’ll have to check out the video below to see why Rhonda and I are split on this restaurant. I absolutely love it and recommend it very highly. She on the other hand isn’t a big fan.
The service is always great. The place is always clean and very busy. The food is great. The prices are very reasonable. We usually eat there for around$15. They offer a free frequent diner card which saves you money the more you go. I also appreciate the fact that it’s located in front of Chesterfield Town Center which makes it really convenient when running errands etc.
Our bill was $16.85 and we rate Qdoba 3 out of 5 stars. And if it were up to me the rating would have been higher!
Copper Grill Lobster & Steak House
11800 West Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23233
804-364-9408
We arrived at Copper Grill on 6/12/09 at 5:45pm. We were promptly greeted by the hostess and kindly asked to wait for a couple minutes to be seated. While waiting we admired the very large lobsters in the tank which sits just inside the entrance.
Upon being seated we were given a menu and warmly greeted by the wait staff. At Copper Grill you often have more then one person taking care of your needs. It’s a nice touch. Service was excellent and it’s been consistent every time we’ve been there. We started with the Jumbo Shrimp appetizer. It was verrrrrrry good. The shrimp are HUGE and the cocktail sauce ties it together in a remarkable way. We really love it!
Entrees included steamed lobster and fillet respectively. Ala Carte sides included creamed corn, fries, and asparagus. The lobster is really good at this establishment. The actually have a HUGE lobster option large enough to feed an entire family for around $300. Imagine that! The fillet was quite tasty. The sides were good but not as good as they usually are. Perhaps they’re breaking in a new chef or something.
This is a great romantic spot to take someone for a nice meal in a cozy spot. It’s quiet. The lights are slightly dimmed. And the booths offer semi privacy. It is a bit pricey. Our bill was $175.82. Out of 5 stars we rate Copper Grill & Steak House 3.5. It’s also on our favorites list.
Bottega Bistro
11400-123 West Huguenot Road
Midlothian, VA 23113
804-379-9899
At 12:43pm on 4/26/09 we entered Bottega’s for brunch. We were warmly greeted and promptly seated. Our waiter Chad was very attentive and explained the brunch layout and gladly answered questions.
We opted for the brunch bar which consisted of eggs, bacon, potatoes, biscuits, gravy, French toast, fruit, soups, pasta, sausage, and many desert options. The layout was simple yet well presented. Everything looked fresh and was well maintained.
We started with the Tomato Asiago soup which was absolutely delicious. Next we had Bruschetta which was very fresh and had a delightful taste. For our main meal we had eggs, bacon, sausage bacon gravy, biscuits, French toast, potatoes, and pasta. Everything was great. The eggs were especially good with their light and fluffy texture. They weren’t watery or greasy. They were prepared perfectly.
We finished with a variety of the bite sized deserts. They were awesome. The key lime offering was superb. We especially liked the bite sized portions which allowed us to sample many without loading up our plate.
The restaurant was clean. The atmosphere was friendly, quiet, and inviting. It was semi casual and nice.The tea was great and service was perfect. We never had to wait for anything. We were made to feel as if we were appreciated and valued as customers. Many other local restaurant owners would do well to visit and take some cues. Our bill was $38.84 and we rate Bottega’s Bistro 4 out of 5 stars.
Taella’s Bistro
13561 Midlothian Turnpike
Midlothian, VA 23113
804-378-4680
On March 21, 2009 we entered Taella’s Bistro at 9:00pm. We were immediately greeted with a warm friendly smile, seated, and given a menu. Our drink order was taken and drinks were on our table in what seemed like less than a minute. Our waitress was really on point. Service with a smile and attentiveness go a very long way with us. We do appreciate great service!
We opened up with very nicely presented salads which were a mix of field greens, tomatoes, carrots, cucumber, onion etc. The homemade dressing just took our palates to another level of excitement. The dressing is so goooooood! Our entrees included a Smoked Barbecue Turkey sandwich which consists of pulled turkey marinated in the chefs secret recipe BBQ sauce with homemade slaw on a bun with a side of fries and asparagus. I can’t even begin to tell you how awesome this thing is. It’s truly a thing of culinary beauty. It tastes better than any sandwich I have ever had anywhere to date. And then some! It was really awesome. We also had the Peach Chipotle BBG Pork Chop served with mash potatoes and asparagus. To say this dish is tasty simply doesn’t do it appropriate justice. It’s that good!
The atmosphere of Taella’s Bistro is warm, cozy, friendly, and intimate. It’s the perfect place for a quiet lunch or romantic dinner. Because the chef has many culinary influences, the menu is diverse with lots of items you may not expect from a small restaurant located in a shopping center. This is one of those tucked away special places to eat you will remember. The slogan says it best… “Great food from our family to yours.”
Our bill was $39.05 and well worth it. We very highly recommend this restaurant and enthusiastically rate it 4.25 out of 5 stars. We’ve eaten here several times and have never been disappointed. The food is consistent and so is the service. This is one to tell your family and friends about. They will thank you.
Strawberry Street Cafe
421 Strawberry Street
Richmond, VA 23220
804-353-6860
We arrived at the cafe on 3/21/09 at 3:00pm. We were warmly greeted and seated. A short time later our waitress took our drink, appetizer, and entree order.
We ordered the Sun-Dried Tomato Bisque soup. It was good but a bit on the strong side. We also had the salad bar which was presented very well and contained a great variety of fresh fruits, pasta, soup, and other items. The salad bar is what many say put Strawberry Street Cafe on the map as far as national notoriety goes. They were featured on the TV show Jeopardy due to their bathtub salad bar.
Our entrees included the Crab Quiche and the Panino Al Pollo chicken sandwich which was marinated in Italian dressing, grilled, topped with provolone cheese, with lettuce, tomatoes, and dressed with pesto mayonnaise between slices of sun dried tomato focaccia bread. The sandwich was really tasty. The quiche was really really strong.
The atmosphere was busy with light jovial conversation. There was a good crowd which is usually the case any time we’ve been there in the past. It’s important to note out of fairness that on all of the other occasions the food and service have been great. Today however our waitress wasn’t very attentive. She seemed more interested in a couple tables with more people than us, despite the fact that we were seated first. One of the tines of my form was bent and despite my asking her for a replacement I never received one. We had to wait for beverage refills and for ketchup etc. She had a very cavalier attitude.
We do recommend this restaurant despite today’s bad service. Everyone has an off day now and again and we believe it just happened to be there’s this day. This is one of Richmond’s hot spots in terms of great food and usually great service. They have a wonderful menu and of course the salad bar is great too. They also offer several specials through the week and weekend brunch which is always packed. The salad bar is turned in to a breakfast brunch bar during brunch and they offer all sorts of really tasty items for everyone. If you’ve never been to Strawberry Street Cafe you should go.
Our meal was $36.60 and we rate it 2.5 out of 5 stars.
The Boathouse at Sunday Park
4602 Millridge Parkway
Midlothian, VA 23112
804-744-2545
We arrived at the Boathouse restaurant on 3/15/09 at 1:35pm. We were greeted by a friendly host who escorted us upstairs to a great table overlooking the lake. There was a small mini bar and a wall mounted flat screen TV just above it. We were then greeted by our waiter who delivered menus and took our drink order.
After we received our drinks we placed our order for Brunch. We had a tough time deciding on what to order due to a great selection on both the brunch and regular menu. The brunch menu includes Omelette’s, French Toast, Strata, Waffles, Eggs Benedict, Pizza, and Sausage Gravy & Biscuits. The regular menu is diverse. Appetizers include Lobster Bisque, Oysters, Chicken & Avocado Egg Rolls, Ahi Tuna and more! The Hot & Cold section includes Maki Sushi Rolls, Salmon, a Seafood Tower plus other items. Tree salads are also available. The menu is mostly seafood with items such as Oysters, Mussels, Shrimp, Tilapia, Crab Cake, Tuna, Lobster, Scallops, Flounder, Mahi Mahi, and Swordfish. Selections also include 11 Pizza choices, Roasted Vegetables, Mashed Potatoes, Calzones, Italian Sausage, Creamed Spinach, Parmigiano Asparagus, and more. Steaks include Sirloin, Fillet, and Strip. And they also offer Grilled Chicken Asiago. Four great sounding deserts round out the menu.
We had a salad for openers. The salad was fresh and looked great. It was tasty. Next we had the Maki Rolls which were awesome. They are sushi rolls with rice, nori, cucumber, scallion, red pepper, ginger, and wasabi with a sweet soy dipping sauce. We opted for the Crunchy Shrimp rolls which also included avocado, macadamia, cilantro, and jalapeno! These were so goooooood! Our entrees included Crab & Asparagus Benedict which consists of buttermilk biscuits topped with poached eggs layered with Hollandaise sauce and fresh crab meat and potatoes on the side. This was a really good dish. The interesting twist of the biscuit versus the traditional English muffin commonly found in a dish of this type worked very well. I have to say the Hollandaise sauce did taste like a quick sauce mix. It was good but not as good as the Hollandaise sauce from Magnolia’s Wine Bar & Bistro. Our other entree was Sausage Gravy & Biscuits which was served with two scrambled eggs and a side of potatoes.
The atmosphere of this place is really great. The first thing you notice when approaching is the great lake views. In nice weather you can sit out on the patio and enjoy the water, the sun, and the great view. It’s really a neat way to dine. Inside is packed with lots of cozy spots to sit as well. We sat upstairs which had a great view of the lake. We enjoyed out meal to a live singer walking around with a guitar downstairs entertaining the crowd. There were plenty of people on hand but despite the numbers the overall loudness was minimal. They do have a full bar downstairs as well. The place was very clean and well maintained. The staff was very attentive and friendly.
This is one of those pleasant Richmond discoveries to take a first date. Married couples will love the cozy romantic lure. Our impression was this is a place we would love to take our out of town family and friends. This one is certainly going on our favorites list. And we think it will be on yours soon as well. Our bill was $46.34. We rate it four out of five stars.
Pizza Fusion
11331 West Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23060
804-381-4027
We arrived at Pizza Fusion on 3/14/09 at 7:10pm. We were greeted by a friendly host as we entered the restaurant. We were promptly seated, given menus, and placed our drink orders. Our waitress was very attentive and knowledgeable about the menu.
Drinks were served and our order was placed. The theme of this establishment is Green. The menu reflects all-natural, organic, gluten free selections with hormone-free meats. Their menu states “We use more than 75% organic ingredients in our menu”. The tables are made from reclaimed wood sources. Counter tops are made from recycled glass. Food is delivered in hybrid and fuel-efficient vehicles. They use biodegradable utensils and packages for takeout. And you can get a discount when returning with your pizza box for recycling. As you look around it’s easy to see this is not your typical business model.
The menu offers a wide selection. Seven salad and starters selections are offered including Chicken Bruschetta, Pan Roasted Steak Salad, Pear & Gorgonzola, Flatbread and more! Sandwiches include Portobello Grill, Free Range Roasted Chicken and more. The bulk of the menu focus is pizza. You can choose from original organic or multigrain crust and create your own. You have lots of toppings tp pick from such as Crimini mushrooms, soy cheese, sundried tomatoes, roasted Italian eggplant, roasted zucchini, free range chicken, steak, and many more! They also offer traditional cheese pizza and other speciality selections which include Spinach and Artichoke, Bill’s Steak Pizza, and the Big Kahuna. Fresh homemade brownies and homemade chocolate chip cookies round out the menu. All of their beverages are all-natural and organic. So you won’t find Coke or Sprite here. You can choose from Boylan’s bottled sodas, Honest Tea, Vitamin Water and Fiji Water. They also serve free filtered water. And they have organic beer and wine.
Our salads were fresh and tasted great. One drawback was that my fork was dirty. Things happen but this is the sort of thing you never want to happen to you! The dressings were very tasty. Since the pizza is made fresh they indicate on the menu at least 15 minutes to prepare. They must have taken extra special care in making ours because it took a little over 30 minutes to get them! They looked great. Mine had a really strong taste and I couldn’t quite figure it out. That was until I bit in to a piece of roasted garlic. I didn’t order roasted garlic. Obviously it changed the intended flavor. Our pizzas were soggy also.
The atmosphere is upbeat. The crowd was mixed and there is a small bar area if you want something light or just a drink. Overall we liked the concept and diverse organic menu. With a bit of fine tuning and perhaps tighter management, this place could have something really great and unique to offer Richmonders. Our bill was $43.05 and we rate it 2 out of 5 stars.
Magnolia’s Wine Bar & Bistro
7201 Three Chopt Road
Richmond, VA 23226
804-673-WINE
We arrived at Magnolia’s Wine Bar & Bistro on 3/8/09 at 12:50pm. We were warmly greeted by a very friendly host as we entered the wine selection room which doubles as the main entrance to the bar and restaurant. Upon entering we were drawn to the relaxed layout. It offered clean lines with a touch of casual elegance. We were promptly seated, given menus, and placed our drink orders. Our waiter was very attentive and an all around nice guy who answered our questions and offered great recommendations.
Drinks were served really fast and it seemed like no time before complimentary blueberry muffins were on the table. They were good and an especially nice touch to get our meal started. We ordered a salad which came with a wonderful presentation in a very timely manner as well. It was very fresh and contained homemade dressing and an edible orchid flower. The dressing was simply marvelous. It was really really good!
The menu is limited. Soups include Crab & Red Pepper Bisque and Truffled Butternut Squash. Salads include Cobb, Classic Casear, and Manolia’s Garden. Main entrees include Belgian Waffle, Monte Cristo (ham, turkey, and Swiss cheese with a Pomegranate Aioli sandwiched between French Toast) Grilled Duck Breast, Fruits de la Mer in Foil (Seasonal fish stuffed with peppers, onions, garlic, squash, and zucchini grilled in foil and seasoned with fresh herbs and butter) Dr. B’s Burger and a couple more selections.
We had the Aged Center Cut Beef Tenderloin with mashed potatoes, sugar snap green beans, and a light brown sauce. It was very tasty and refreshing. We also had the Chesapeake Benedict consisting of two pouched eggs atop a couple of crab cakes with hollandaise sauce. This was a very familiar dish which stood out among many forms of it eaten elsewhere. This one was prepared perfectly. The crab cakes were fresh as was the sauce. This was a very well prepared dish offering incredible taste and satisfaction. This is a great choice.
The atmosphere is cozy, quiet, and a perfect brunch spot on Sunday. We especially liked the open area extending on to the outdoor patio with patio seating. It’s right off the bar / eating area and extends brings a nice breeze in to the room. The place is very clean and well kept. The staff is very friendly and seem very genuine. They offer a full bar and a very large wine selection. Although the menu is small, they do the few items offered extremely well. Our bill was $55.94 and we rate it 3.5 out of five stars.
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