Charlottesville Virginia (May 2011)

My spouse and I traveled to Charlottesville, Virginia for the Memorial Day weekend holiday in late May 2011. On Friday evening, we drove from Allentown to Charlottesville and checked into the Omni before having a very late dinner at Bang! restaurant. On Saturday, we toured nearby Monticello before eating lunch at Hamilton's at First and Main on the downtown (pedestrian only) mall. Afterward, we took a public bus to the University of Virginia campus, where we walked around on our own self-guided tour. For dinner, we walked to nearby L'Etoile restaurant. On Sunday, we visited Montpelier Plantation before driving to Front Royal and checking into the Hampton Inn. Our purpose in staying at Front Royal was to dine at the Inn at Little Washington, which was a bit of a letdown, although we loved our time in Charlottesville. On the way home, we stopped at Antietam Battlefield, where we participated in a (very hot!) car tour of the sights.

Hotels:

• Omni Charlottesville Link to my review
• Hampton Inn Front Royal Link to my review

Restaurants:

• Bang! Link to my review
• Hamilton's at First and Main Link to my review
• L'Etoile Link to my review
• Mudhouse Link to my review
• The Inn at Little Washington Link to my review

 Activities:

• University of Virginia Link to my review
• Monticello Link to my review
• Montpelier Link to my review

Front Royal: Hampton Inn Front Royal (May 2011)

My spouse and I stayed at the Hampton Inn Front Royal over the Memorial Day weekend in late May 2011. We booked a one-bedroom suite, which wasn't quite a suite (number 103). There are only two of this room configuration in the hotel. There was a separate bedroom and separate living room, but the spaces were open to each other; it wasn’t possible to close the door to the bedroom. The furnishings were typical Hampton Inn, but we felt that the bathroom was nicely modernized with a wooden furniture-type piece that housed the sink and held the towels. The bedroom area was sort of interior to the hotel (without a window, making it dark), with the living room area towards the exterior (with a window). My spouse left an item of clothing in the closet, but we never got a call that it was left behind, despite the fact that it was a tailored item unlikely to be usable to someone else. As with most Hampton Inns, the free breakfast buffet was included. Even as Diamond Hhonors members, we did not get our complimentary bottled water and snack items). The hotel has a pantry area where guests can purchase drinks, snacks, and toiletries (the price was reasonable for the one personal care item that we forgot). The hotel is located in the same parking lot as a McDonald’s and a health club; there is also a convenience store with Dunkin' Donuts and Subway areas inside (the Subway wasn't yet open in late May 2011). There isn’t much to do in Front Royal; we stayed there so that we could dine at the Inn at Little Washington (IALW), which was about 60 miles away (staying at the IALW in addition to dining there, would have absolutely blown our budget!). The Hampton Inn has plenty of parking and is well-located to major highways. This hotel was nothing to write home about, but nothing to complain about either; the suite only cost $10 more than the regular room, which was a bargain in my opinion. 

Front Royal: Inn at Little Washington (May 2011)

My spouse and I ate dinner at the Inn at Little Washington over the Memorial Day weekend in late May 2011. We had a good meal here, but it wasn't fantastic and certainly didn't “wow” us. (For background, meals that have “wowed” us in the past have been The French Laundry, Per Se, Le Bernardin, wd-50, and Momofuku Ko.) We were seated in the main dining room, which was attractive except for the red, fringed, bordello-like lights hanging above each table. We could see into a sunroom-type dining space, and we also observed a bar area near the restrooms (however, when we peeked into the bar area, we were made to feel like we were intruding, so I'm not sure whether it was for all dinner guests or just for the hotel guests). To our dismay and surprise, some diners were attired in shorts, sneakers, and polo shirts! Although I think requiring a jacket and tie is a bit much, the dress code is far too relaxed as it currently stands. We did not order the gastronaut’s menu, instead choosing the four-course prix-fixe menu. From what I saw online prior to my visit, it seemed to me that both menus were the same price - $165 on a Sunday evening, but when we were handed our menus, the prix-fixe was $185 and the gastronaut's menu was $225 (perhaps they raised the prices on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend?). Our biggest regret is that we didn't splurge on the more extensive eight-course menu - perhaps there would have been more opportunity for the restaurant to impress us. We received an amuse-bouche of four serving spoons (Asian-looking), each with a different concoction atop. These looked interesting, however, we had to "fight" over the ones that we wanted - both my spouse and I wanted the spoon topped with pork belly, and we each wanted the one topped with a miniature deviled egg. (Clearly, we weren't that interested in the other two, because I can't recall what they were.) It's difficult to discuss your food experience when the other person wants what you have! Our first courses were tasty: my spouse had oysters and I had the beet fantasia (probably the most impressive-looking dish of the evening). Our second courses were fine although not at all memorable; I can’t even recall what they were (the hallmark of a literally and figuratively forgettable course, in my opinion, but I think my spouse had foie gras and I had a scallop). The blunder of the evening came when our entrees were served; my spouse's lamb loin was placed in front of me, and my veal loin was placed in front of him. We began eating, and I wondered what was in the small bowl on my plate containing a light-colored substance flecked with herbs. Sampling it, I tasted mint and jelly, which are puzzling accompaniments for veal, but not for lamb! We were absolutely astounded that the wrong plates were delivered - made worse by the fact that nothing was announced as it was delivered - we’ve grown accustomed to the wait person saying, "Here is the veal for the lady and the lamb for the gentleman", usually accompanied by an extensive description of the preparations and ingredients composing the dish. (To be fair, we usually order a blind tasting menu, so it is absolutely necessary to explain what is being served, and describing the dishes is surely a bit easier when both parties are enjoying the same menu.) To make up for such a huge error, they offered us a cheese course after we had finished our desserts. (For dessert, my spouse chose an after-dinner drink and I chose the “seven deadly sins”, so the cheese was a good addition. We haven’t ever been offered a cordial or brandy in place of dessert, so that was something my spouse [not a real dessert-lover] appreciated about this restaurant.) The young gentleman who served our cheeses had real knowledge of what he was serving, as well as an entertaining personality, and Faira the cow is an amusing diversion. To sum up our experience, if you find yourself in Washington, Virginia, this is certainly a good restaurant choice, but I wouldn't go at all out of my way to eat there (and trust me, no matter where you are, it is out of the way for this sleepy little location!).

Charlottesville VA: Montpelier (May 2011)

My spouse and I visited Montpelier over the Memorial Day weekend in late May 2011. If you plan to see both Montpelier and Monticello, I would save Monticello for last because it’s the best. We would have enjoyed Montpelier more had we seen it before visiting Monticello; seeing it afterwards was a bit of a letdown. The house at Montpelier isn’t really furnished, so the house tour isn't too impressive. The Montpelier restoration foundation is just getting started, though, and I think that in another year or so, the house will be much more complete. (Most of the authentic furnishings are missing, and the foundation is working to reclaim them.) The grounds are expansive, and it was quite warm on the day we visited, so we did not explore them very much. I think that children would really enjoy this estate, because there is an archaeological site, cooking demonstrations, extensive gardens, freedman’s cabins, and a cemetery. As adults without children, it was a pleasant excursion but not a don’t-miss attraction.

Charlottesville: Mudhouse Coffeehouse (May 2011)

Coming Soon!

Charlottesville VA: Monticello (May 2011)

My spouse and visited Monticello over the Memorial Day weekend in late May 2011. Make an online reservation for your guided tour as far in advance as possible, particularly if you want to take the Behind-the-Scenes tour that includes the upstairs of the estate and the famous “dome room”. We waited until just a few days before our visit to purchase our tickets online (we were waiting for the weather forecast to choose the best day to visit), and the more comprehensive tour was sold out. We had to content ourselves with the indoor tour of the first floor only, which turned out to be adequate. There is a timed entry for each guided tour group, appearing to leave every 5 minutes from the top of the mountain estate. (When I booked online, it seemed that tours departed every 15 minutes (perhaps those tours leaving at the 5 and 10 minute mark were sold on-site only). Tour groups are a bit larger than I would have liked (12+ people), and some of the rooms were small enough so that when filled with our group, there wasn’t much breathing room. Be sure to arrive early so that you can catch the 15-minute short film about Jefferson, although most of this information is repeated in the guided tour. The café is decent if you need a snack before or after the tour, although it is located down the mountain where you buy your tickets and watch the film, so it’s not very convenient to use in the middle of several tours. Take the shuttle bus from the visitors center area to the top of the mountain and begin your tour (allow a few minutes in case you must wait for the shuttle); you can take the shuttle back down, or alternatively, you can walk down from the estate. The walk is easy, even for someone who is not very active, and on the walk you can view the family cemetery. Ideally, take the 9:45 house tour (which finishes at 10:45), then catch the 11:00 gardens tour (which finishes at 12:00), and finally, hustle to catch the 12:00 slave cabins tour (which finishes at 1:00), otherwise you could spend a lot of time waiting around from the time one tour ends until another begins, although there is a lot to divert your attention as you "waste" an hour or two. There are restrooms and a gift shop (which sells bottled water) at the top of the mountain, but there’s no formal place to sit down and have a sandwich or snack. There is no smoking on the grounds at all. We thoroughly enjoyed our half-day at Monticello.

Charlottesville: L'etoile (May 2011)

My spouse and I ate dinner at L’Etoile over the Memorial Day weekend in late May 2011. It was a pleasant walk here from our hotel, the Omni (which is located on the pedestrian mall). There is indoor seating on the second story, and some limited seating on the first floor in the bar area. Additionally, there is outdoor seating on a porch that overlooks the railroad tracks. Because it was warm on the night that we dined, we chose to eat inside, and we were encouraged to sit in the bar/dining area because of a private party going on upstairs. The seating worked out fine for us; the atmosphere was quite relaxed. Service was not stellar - missing silverware, incorrect beverages delivered, odd mannerisms - but we still enjoyed our meal here. The food was delicious - particularly my shrimp and grits as a first course - and we would willingly return. 

Charlottesville: Omni Charlottesville (May 2011)

My spouse and I stayed at this hotel over the Memorial Day weekend in late May 2011. This hotel has a prime location on the downtown pedestrian mall. The hotel was a bit difficult to find by car, but perhaps relying solely on our GPS led us astray. It’s also difficult to see the hotel entrance from the street, as well as its name on the marquis over the door. An atrium filled with trees and a fountain is quite attractive; part of the restaurant/bar also enters into the lobby, making it a pleasant place to eat or drink. The hotel restaurant also has outdoor seating overlooking the mall. Outside the entrance to the restaurant, complimentary coffee is offered in the morning; complimentary water is offered in the lobby throughout the rest of the day. The hotel has a small coffee shop serving Starbucks products, but it is only open limited hours; the shop also sells items that you may have forgotten and a few souvenir items. Be sure to sign up for the Omni Select Guest program, which delivers a hot beverage and a cold beverage to every guest in your room at a self-selected time each morning, along with either a local or national newspaper. In the evenings, Select Guests receive a turndown, with some sort of small bar snack and bottled water. (We’ve enjoyed this Omni perk for years, and always wonder how long they can maintain this complimentary service for their guests.) Self-parking is free in a covered garage (alternatively, it costs $10 to valet park). We did not get a room upgrade despite having a coupon; the hotel was supposedly sold out because it was hosting a wedding that weekend. (The atrium area featured both an afternoon reception and an evening reception on the Saturday night that we were there, showing that we were not the only people who found the space attractive.) The hotel has a gym and an indoor/outdoor pool. Both parts of the pool are small, but it was nice to sit outside and get some sun and take a dip if the weather is cooperative. (There were about six lounge chairs, and one table with four chairs and an umbrella.) Our standard king-size room was very large and comfortable, but bathroom was quite small and dated; there is barely enough room for one person to stand, and you could not close the door without squeezing past the toilet. The free city shuttle throughout the town stops near the hotel, but it’s also possible to walk to many restaurants and shops on the pedestrian mall. I would definitely stay here again - the location can’t be beat!

Charlottesville: Hamiltons at First and Main (May 2011)

My spouse and I ate lunch at Hamiltons over the Memorial Day weekend in late May 2011. We ate outside on the pedestrian mall, which was fun for people watching. The restaurant has many tables outdoors, both just outside their door and in the center of the mall. There is also plenty of seating inside. The modern Southern food was good, but we were surprised at only having two appetizer choices - soup or salad. The menu featured many choices for entrees and desserts, however. Service was merely acceptable, but it was a busy Saturday, and we were seated outside in the center mall area, far from the kitchen. Although we had a decent meal, we would try another option the next time that we are in town. 

Charlottesville: Bang! (May 2011)

My spouse and I ate a late dinner at this restaurant over the Memorial Day weekend in late May 2011. I wish the Thai tapas theme of this restaurant was more widespread - if this restaurant were in my hometown, I would eat there once a week! Service was good, even though we arrived quite late, after 10:00 pm on a Friday night, but were never made to feel rushed (it seems that the bar area might stay open later). There is both indoor and outdoor seating at this restaurant; outdoors on the front porch or in the back courtyard. Our menu items came quickly and were delivered as they were finished by the kitchen, so the plates arrived in a staggered manner, which we appreciated. Portions were just right, with most items containing enough for 2 (or possibly 3) people to have one or two bites. I would make a definite point to eat at this restaurant again during my next visit to Charlottesville. 

New York City (May 2011)

My spouse and I spent a 1-night stay in New York City in mid-May 2011. We arrived in the city and immediately traveled to the East Village for lunch (our second time!) at Momofuku Ko. Afterwards, as we were leaving the restaurant, we ran into some friends, who asked us to have drinks at Bar Jamon (owned by Mario Batali and adjacent to his Casa Mono restaurant). Afterwards, we checked into our hotel in Midtown, the Intercontinental Times Square. We had planned to have dinner at Silhouette (run by Per Se alums), but we were so full from lunch that we cancelled our reservation. Then we got a call from home that there were some work problems, which really put a damper on our evening. We just walked around a bit and ate some take-out New York pizza. Not the weekend that we had planned, but our lunch at "Ko" and running into our friends was great!

Hotel:

• InterContinental Times Square Link to my review

Restaurants:

• Bar Jamon Link to my review
• Momofuku Ko Link to my review

New York City: Intercontinental Times-Square (May 2011)

My spouse and I enjoyed our mid-May 2011 stay at the relatively new InterContinental Times Square using a free night certificate from Priority Club. It has a great location near Port Authority, Times Square, and Hell's Kitchen. After standing in line for longer than necessary, we tried to check in early (before 11 am), but were told that the hotel had been “fully committed” the night before and that our room wasn’t available yet. We were asked to leave a cell phone number, promising a call when the room was ready (this call never came at any hour). When we returned to the hotel after a day of sightseeing, we again stood in line for longer than necessary to get our room keys, even though we had checked in and provided our identification and credit card and all other required information earlier that morning. For our efforts, however, we were upgraded to a sky view corner room (instead of the standard room that we had booked), which, while not larger than a standard room (both are 350 square feet), had windows on two sides with great views of the Hudson River and down 8th Avenue. The rooms are attractive with comfortable bedding, as are the bathrooms, with modern furnishings and lovely rainforest showers. The room size was fine for NYC, but it was slightly cramped (perhaps because of all the windows and the fact that the corner rooms aren’t true corners; the building is designed to have many more corners than the usual four) and did not include an arm chair/recliner, which would have been welcome for watching TV. As it was, one of us had to sit in the rolling desk chair and the other one of us sat on the bed. The rooms were equipped with bathrobes and slippers. We didn't see the fitness center, so we can’t comment on that amenity, although it sounds well-equipped and is open 24 hours. The hotel has a nice lobby area with sofa seating and a street-level restaurant and bar (Ca Va by Todd English). We didn’t use either the restaurant or the pantry-type market where you can grab a quick drink or bite to take along for breakfast or lunch. We would stay here again without hesitation; we loved the location and the newness of the hotel.

New York City: Bar Jamon (May 2011)

We had drinks with friends at the Bar Jamon wine bar/ham bar adjacent to Casa Mono in mid-May 2011. We arrived around 4:00 pm and were lucky to secure seats at one of the two long tables (which probably each seat about 8 guests, either sitting or standing). The crowd ebbs and flows at this establishment, making it quite crowded at times before emptying. (Our Manhattanite friends tell us that it’s impossible to find a space inside on weekend evenings and were surprised at how uncrowded it was when we were there on a Saturday afternoon.) This bar is quite tidy and compact, reminding me of something you would find in Spain. Wine is available by the glass, carafe, or bottle, and is poured with great flourish. The food, particularly the meats and cheeses, looked excellent, but we didn’t have time to eat, which was a pity because the hams and cheeses and other tapas looked terrific. We will return again!

New York City: Momofuku Ko (May 2011)

Our mid-May 2011 meal at Momofuku Ko was one of the most amazing meals that my spouse and I have ever eaten! (Previously, the only David Chang restaurant at which we had eaten was Ma Pêche in mid-January 2011). Although we’re embarrassed to say, Ko wasn’t our first choice for dining, but when the choice wasn’t available (despite trying to reserve 30 days in advance), we became more creative in our endeavor. Knowing that David Chang has his own reservation system, we signed up for an account, and learned a little more about Ssäm, Noodle Bar, and Ko. While Ssäm and Noodle Bar sounded great, we were intrigued by their large-party offerings of the fried chicken dinner and the bo ssäm dinner. Being a party of only 2, these amazing meals wouldn’t work for us, so we decided to try for Ko, and added “make a reservation” to our to do list for 2 weeks prior to the date we wanted to dine (we wanted to eat lunch, where the reservations are available 2 weeks in advance, as opposed to dinner, for which reservations become available only 1 week in advance). We had no trouble securing a reservation for both the date and time that we wanted, which was a spring Saturday at 12:00 pm. The only option is the multi-course tasting menu for $175 per person, which doesn’t include beverages, tax, or gratuity. There isn’t even a menu provided to the guests, so you never actually read what you will be eating or the ingredients composing the dishes. Although we thoroughly enjoy blind tasting menus, we would have liked to have a written menu to take away with us. But since we didn’t receive a menu, we’ve tried to make a list of the dishes that we ate at the end of this review. Only 12 people dine at this restaurant at any lunch or dinner, seated at a upscale luncheonette counter surrounding the chefs and the grill. We read reviews about people complaining about the wooden (movable) barstools, and that they become uncomfortable after sitting for 3 hours, but we didn’t really notice because we were so enthralled with the food preparation. We’ve eaten wonderfully prepared and presented meals before, but we’ve never had them created and plated before our eyes. The chefs were engaging and entertaining, but we would have to agree with other reviews that we’ve read that the host and hostess, who also serve as the bartenders/drink deliverers, are a bit surly. The most memorable part of the meal for us was because we were the first arrivals. As we sat at the end of the 12-person counter, the chef in front of us began to prepare the live soft-shell crabs for their later incorporation into hand rolls. He cheekily said to us that he always waits until a few customers are present so that they can appreciate the freshness of the ingredients. We each received a small onigiri to take home, which was a bit odd because it didn’t travel very well. The restaurant has an outstanding menu, and we will definitely return when our schedules allow. We still talk about this meal often, and our visit was over 3 months ago.

1. Oyster served on a bed of crushed ice
2. Fried artichoke on parsley root puree with olive and lime served on a spoon
3. Braised fennel served on a spoon
4. Potato souffle tube filled with cauliflower and caviar served on a slate piece
5. Vegetable tasting: chinese onion, asparagus
6. Crudo of four types with:
7. Fish topped with crispy fish scales,
   Fish topped with beets and freeze-dried soy sauce
   Branzini
   Clam with topped with poppy seeds
8. Charcuterie: rabbit terrine, smoked duck slice with mustard, pig face with crispy pig ears
9. Multiple mushroom salad: lobster, black trumpet, white cauliflower and chanterelle mushrooms with pickled red onion, served with mushroom consommé with basil oil
10. Puffed Hillcrest Farms chicken egg, Benton's bacon dashi, kombu
11. Bento box including:
    Soft-shell crab hand roll (the crabs were still living when we arrived)
    Smoked bacon fat sticky rice
    Mustard greens with black sesame paste and white sesame seeds
12. Cold dashi broth, sugar snap peas, Santa Barbara uni
13. Ricotta-filled dumplings served in fried chicken broth and topped with grilled ramps and crispy fried chicken skin
14. Kimchi gelée  soup with spring vegetables
15. Fish with crispy skin, warm potato salad
16. Spring chicken with leg and thigh sausage, green chick peas, asparagus
17. Shaved torchon of Hudson Valley foie gras, Riesling wine gelée, lychee, pine nut brittle (SIGNATURE DISH)
18. Goat cheese topped with 4-layer gelée of milk, honey, tea, pomegranate
19. Spring pea ice cream
20. Miso ice cream in sugar cone with sticky-rice mochi topped with burned rice krispies