The Hard Shell
1411 E. Cary Street
Richmond, VA 23219
804-643-2333
We arrived at The Hard Shell restaurant on a Saturday at approximately 5:00 PM. We were immediately greeted by a friendly host and seated promptly. We were quite pleased visually with the cozy, warm and inviting space.
We started with a basket of bread which was served with a very tasty butter. Soon our salads were delivered. We really enjoyed them. They consisted of a very fresh and lively collection of mixed greens etc. What made them really awesome was the superb Wasabi Ginger dressing. It was so good I had to ask for another portion!
Rhonda had the barbecue ribs, mashed potatoes and asparagus. They said “everything tasted great!” I had the lobster, potatoes with skin, and we also added a side of fries. And we were really glad once we tasted them. They were seasoned very well and came with a very tasty dipping sauce which had a bit of a kick to it as well. I liked the lobster but really prefer to dip my lobster in drawn butter so I can control the amount etc. This lobster was infused with butter during the cooking process. It was a bit over powering for me. It was good but not the best I’ve had in Richmond. Over all we really enjoyed our meal. We topped it off with a chocolate brownie with strawberry sauce and ice cream. It was really good!
This is a very cozy spot. It’s perfect for romantic dinners and even entertaining special friends or relatives etc. Our bill was $97.62 and out we rate this restaurant 4 out of 5 stars. We also put this one on our favorites list for sure. Give it a try 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.
Da Lat
9125 West Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23294
804-762-9330
We arrived at Da Lat at 1:50pm on 2/20/09. We were promptly greeted by a pleasant host who gave us choice of seating. We were surprised at the layout and overall decoration of the restaurant. Initially we were a bit skeptical since this establishment is located in a strip mall setting. However, once inside we found it to be very nicely decorated with a pleasing layout that flowed very well. It’s large but not cramped. The bar rests along the back wall and is flanked by a large screen TV. They offer a large selection of drinks. The jovial atmosphere of several people enjoying their meal was welcoming.
The waiter was prompt and very attentive to answer menu questions. We ordered coke and cranberry juice. Both came in a large glass which was refreshing. It took a while for us to actually order an entree. This is because Da Lat offers a menu of more than 126 items! I was especially appreciative of the menu layout complete with a contents section to allow quick selection of chicken, seafood, steak, tofu etc. Lunch specials are even separated on the menu to make it easier to order. We started with crab meat and asparagus soup as well as vegetable soup. Both were good. Next we had the vegetable spring rolls. They were good without the greasiness often associated with spring rolls. They were served with a nice brown sauce which was tasty. We also tried the sweet chili sauce already on the table and found it to be good but very hot! We didn’t have the larger spring rolls but they must have been really good since we watched a girl eat ten of them as a meal! They were good sized rolls too.
Our entrees included Ga Dong Khanh (spicy crispy chicken in a light spicy sauce) and Bo Xao Dau Ve (sliced beef sauteed with vegetables in a light garlic sauce) which were both very tasty. The fried rice was quite tasty. You could taste the ingredients as opposed to most fried rice which tends to be sort of bland and filler tasting. The presentation was clean and colorful. Large portions too. We commented it would be perfect for a group of several people to come and share each dish to discover new tastes etc. We also noticed they have some tables for seating several in a group, complete with a turn-able center piece to make food sharing and tasting easy and fun. The setting is perfect for a fun, quiet meal with family, friends, and business associates. The food is authentic Vietnamese cuisine.
The restaurant and restrooms were very clean. You could tell the staff takes a lot of pride in presentation of not just the food but the whole dining experience. Our meal was $35.20 but did include two appetizers. Our overall rating of Da Lat is 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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