Food Around Richmond, Virginia

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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The North Pole
1558 River Road West
Crozier, VA 23039
804-784-4222

We arrived at 5:00 pm on 8/1/09. We were immediately greeted by a very warm and friendly hostess and promptly seated. Our waitress appeared within a minute or so and cheerfully took our drink order. It seemed like only a moment or so had passed before our drinks were on the table. The menu selection was a bit on the small side. However, the choices would suit just about everyone. Beef, chicken, fish, seafood etc.

We started with the Jumbo Shrimp appetizer. Again, it seemed like no time had passed before it was on the table. We were very pleased with the fast service. We loved this appetizer. The shrimp were large and they were very fresh. They were extremely tasty when combined with the homemade cocktail sauce. It sure packed a bite that was very tasty if you enjoy spicy stuff!

Next our salads arrived, They were pretty basic as this establishment doesn’t offer tomatoes on their salads. We thought it was weird in today’s times but we rolled with it. The salads were simply greens, carrots, and red onion. The thing that really jumped out at us about the salads were the homemade dressings. We had blue cheese and Parmesan peppercorn. Both were absolutely fantastic, and then some! They had a sharp bold flavor you just have to taste to really appreciate.

They didn’t have bottled water so I settled for cranberry juice. They served it in a very small glass. So I had to have several to accompany my meal. I would have liked a larger glass. In fairness I didn’t request one. However, if I had (since they charge for each small glass) I’m sure it would have evened out to be the same in the end.

Our entree selections were Surf N Turf (Lobster & Fillet) with baked potato. And Lobster with baked potato and onion rings. While I prefer steamed lobster for its texture, I have to admit the broiled lobster was quite tasty. It was cooked just right and wasn’t chewy or tough. Rhonda really liked the fillet and ate it without any sauce which is rare. It was a clear sign of how tasty she found her steak. The baked potatoes were large and lots of extra butter and sour cream was given. We especially liked the onion rings as well.

The North Pole is a very small, cozy, romantic spot tucked away in a rural section of Crozier, VA. It’s worth the ride to get to it. The atmosphere is friendly and inviting. It’s decorated well and the restaurant looks and smells fresh and clean. The staff was very accommodating and made us feel very welcomed and appreciated. We certainly will add this restaurant to our favorites list.

Our bill was $138.60 which was obviously a bit pricey. The food was really good. We enjoyed this establishment and rate it 3.75 out of 5 stars. We highly recommend it for special occasions.

Millie’s Diner
2603 E. Main Street
Richmond, VA 23223
804-643-5512

We arrived at Millie’s Diner on April 5th, 2009 at 1:33pm.  We noticed several people sitting and standing around outside the place waiting to be seated. It was a really hot afternoon and there was very limited shade. The staff was taking drink orders to help ease the heat a bit. We were greeted by the owner who was keeping up with the seating order via a small post it note pad!

Approximately 30 to 40 minutes later we were seated. Our drink orders were taken and we were directed to look at the menu written on a small chalkboard beside the bar. We were there for brunch so we opted for the Huevos Rancheros dish. It was 2 fried eggs over tortillas with black beans, tomato Ranchero sauce, melted white cheddar, salsa and sour cream. There were several brunch choices each diverse and interesting.

As we waited for our meal to be prepared we noticed the two cooks working from a small grill located just inside the entrance. They were entertaining themselves by yelling and ringing a bell quite frequently. They would simply yell the name of the waitress when the order was up. We quickly realized they did this to ensure she heard them whether she was in another room, outside, or it truly seemedlike up the street too!There was loud music playing as if to compete with the crowd or was it the other way around? We weren’t sure! Both were loud. It was very difficult for us to sustain a conversation despite the fact we were sitting across from each other in a booth!

When our meal arrived and we took the first bite, we sort of looked at each other with a look of approval and surprise. The food was really good. The dish we had was quite tasty. They didn’t have my bottled water or sweet tea. However, the fountain drinks were good and uncommonly the syrpage levels were right on. Usually this isn’t the case in many places we go. We really loved the taste of our meal despite the constant noise distractions and the inability to have a conversation as we ate.

This place does have good food. It also has lots of noise. They have another dinning room which is located off the main entrance. Perhaps we would have enjoyed it more if we had been able to sit in there. The crowd thinned out and the noise level went down toward the end of our meal. We agreed we would have had a much more enjoyable experience if we had just walked in at that time to have avoided the noise.

We also noticed a dinner menu which included lots of things we were surprised to see from the initial impression of the place. It just didn’t seem like they would offer the kind of entrees listed for dinner such as Thai Spicy Shrimp, Iron Seared Tuna, Pan Seared Gulf Snapper, Roast Duck etc. We can see ourselves giving Millie’s another try at night which will hopefully be less noisy and avail a more enjoyable overall meal.

The atmosphere is very loud and energetic. It’s not the sort of place you want to go to if you’re looking for a quite meal with meaningful conversation. Perhaps it is quieter late afternoon or early evening. The food is good but the noise really brings the level of enjoyment way down. Our bill was $30.97 and we rate it 3.75 out of five stars. If the food had been just average, this place would have received a much lower rating.

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