Belle Vie European Bistro
1244 Alverser Plaza
Midlothian, VA 23113
804-379-3338
We arrived at Belle Vie on a Friday at about 7:00 PM. We were greeted warmly by two staff members upon entry. We were seated moments later.
We had been inside this building in the past when it was the Bookbinders restaurant. We thought the new look was well executed given the previous buildings cosmetic limitations. They did a good job giving the place a European flare with simple fabric, lighting, and miscellaneous decor.
We opened with Tomato Basil soup. It was good but definently different then we are accustomed to around the city. For me it was really thin. It tasted like it was diluted heavily with water. As a result I felt as if the taste was diluted as well. Rhonda enjoyed it.
I ordered the Orange Glazed Duck with potatoes au gratin and veggies. I chose the duck because there was not a chicken entree on the menu. Rhonda suggested I be a bit adventurous so I went for it! I liked the orange glaze more so than the duck. To be fair I’m not really a duck fan. I did have several bites and despite not really caring for the dish, I have to say that had a been more of a duck person, I think I would have really enjoyed it. Our waiter said it was one of their most popular dishes. The potatoes were VERY hot but also very bland for my tastes. I asked for sour cream but was told they didn’t have any. The veggies were mixed and had more onion than anything else. They were also cut in thin strips making it hard to get a bite without all the over powering onion. The salad however was extremely tasty. The mixture of greens and the special house dressing was an excellent combination. I really enjoyed it.
Rhonda had the Pork Tenderlin with Belgian mustard sauce. She said it was nicely balanced and seasoned well. It was light but very tasty. We shared the veggies and potatoes. Rhonda enjoyed the potatoes but agreed with me on the veggies. We both enjoyed the bread as well.
We enjoyed this restaurant and will return in the future. We recommend it. The menu is diverse. They offer unique entrees and multiple deserts. A full bar and ample seating inside as well as a patio outside make this an interesting place worth a look. Our meal was $72.22 and we rate ir 3.75 out of 5 stars. When you go be sure to come back to this blog and let us know how you liked it!
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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.
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse
11500 West Hugenot Road
Midlothian, VA 23113
804-378-0600
We arrived at 7:57pm on 5/4/09. We were greeted by a friendly hostess and told there would be a 30 minute wait. We sat in the front waiting area and were comfortable. This restaurant is located in an old plantation style house with period themed decor. It’s actually quite nice inside. We were seated in 20 minutes despite seeing many prom night kids. They were really busy but seemed to handle the crowd well. This is the mark of a well tuned staff.
We were seated at our table and greeted immediately by Samantha who seemed a bit nervous. However, after we told her the people were just people and not to let them get to her, she relaxed and the nervousness faded away. Brian was out waiter. He was extremely knowledgeable about the menu and very accommodating. Samantha delivered our drinks promptly and Brian made sure our order was delivered to the kitchen for preparation.
As we waited for dinner we were surprised that despite the large number of people in attendance, the over all volume was such to allow comfortable unforced conversation. We noticed acoustical tiles in the ceiling. This was an especially welcomed touch. We hate trying to eat a meal where we are un able to have a nice conversation over. It just takes away from the whole event.
After looking over a very diverse menu, we ordered steamed Lobster and Filet as our main courses. Each was accompanied by chosen potatoes, asparagus, and salads. Everything was really good. The lobster was not steamed. It appeared to be broiled. It was very good. It was not as good as Flemming’s but it was very good indeed. Also the asparagus was a bit over cooked. It was not even close to being as tasty as Taella’s Bistro. The Chocolate Explosion desert is the same as what is served at Flemings and it’s every bit as tasty. We also had a chocolate moose in a glass over top of a brownie / Oreo cookie mixture. It was also quite tasty. The French press coffee offering was great as was the bottled water selection.
The atmosphere of this place is definitely upscale and more on the formal side than casual. The soft music and lighting mix well to set the stage for a nice romantic evening. Our meal was $126.95. A bit steep for one meal we realize. And honestly we’ve eaten better meals for a lot less around Richmond. However, the food was really good and the service was great. The place was clean and everyone treated us well. This isn’t the sort of place you may want to go to often but for those celebratory times and related special occasions, it’s a nice choice. We rate it 4 out of 5 stars.
Texas de Brazil
1420 N. Parham Road
Richmond, VA 23229
804-750-2003
We arrived at 7:40pm for a 7:45pm reservation. Reservations are highly recommended for this establishment. We were greeted immediately by very friendly., professional hosts. A large crowd was on hand and the mood was upscale elegant, however friendly and polite. It was refreshing to see a large group of people without loudness. We were seated timely at 7:45pm. We weren’t thrilled with table #214 because it was located right in front of a cabinet holding silverware. Throughout our meal the staff were constantly going to it. We found it quite disruptive. The best seating is along the wall and away from a heavily traveled path. We also found seating to be a bit cramped in some areas with tables placed very close together. My chair was kicked by servers three times.
Our server Jessica was very nice and attentive to our needs. She immediately took our drink order and within literally a couple minutes served them. We helped ourselves to the 50 item salad bar. The bar is a masterpiece of color and style. The rich colors and food combinations offer something for everyone. Everything is very fresh and prepared with great attention to detail. We especially liked the asparagus with strawberry sauce. The spicy crab sushi rolls, the hearts of palm, and the black beans and rice also stood out. And the au gratin potatoes were awesome. We love lobster however didn’t care for the lobster bisque. It had a very strong fish taste that didn’t appear to be just lobster flavor. The dinner rolls were a great touch and the pasta salad as well. Mashed potatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella also stuck out among our favorites.
After a great salad and things from the bar, we turned up our server badges green side up to alert servers of our desire to begin tasting the meats. Texas de Brazil is well known for this serving style. They have a great reputation and didn’t disappoint at all. They have 16 varieties of meat including Brazilian sausage, filet mignon, flank steak, chicken wrapped in bacon, lamb, garlic sirloin, barbecue pork ribs, lamb chops, chicken parmesan… and by this time we were too stuffed to taste any more! Filet with garlic topped my wife’s favorite list while chicken wrapped in bacon was mine. It had a very good smokey flamed taste. It was wonderful. As for our meal, we enjoyed everything (with the exception of the lobster bisque) and highly recommend it. We manged to save a little room for desert. Jessica presented our options and we chose the chocolate mousse and pecan pie ala mode. Both were fantastic. The vanilla bean ice cream is some of the very best I’ve had.
The restaurant and restrooms were clean. The staff was very friendly. The atmosphere is elegant dinning and the mood is friendly and inviting. Our bill was $126.24. We very enthusiastically rate this Texas de Brazil 4.75 stars.
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