The Briar Patch near Sweet Briar
June 16, 2009 by Jen
Filed under Unique Dining
By Alex Mebane, Young Professionals of Central Virginia Young, Single & Angry divx
If you happen to find yourself in Sweet Briar’s neck of the woods, a great spot to grab a bite to eat is The Briar Patch Restaurant in Amherst. The Briar Patch opens at 11am for lunch and stays open through dinner.
Whether it is SBC faculty with their family, locals, or friends just hanging out, there is always a full dining room. It has a cozy, family style atmosphere, and you will notice that most of the diners know everyone that comes through the door. If they haven’t met you, chances are you may find them smiling and saying hello to you or even formally introducing themselves.
My favorite appetizer from “The Patch” is their hush puppies with melting butter and honey. They are seriously some of the best hush puppies I have ever had and even though they can be split with a few people, I prefer to get my own order because they are THAT good.
This decidedly Southern restaurant truly embraces its roots and serves traditional, authentic southern dishes. Prices are fair, portions are big, and the staff is very accommodating. I have gone in groups of 15 to 20 for a birthday dinner, as well as with one or two friends. The staff is friendly, very attentive, and though they don’t take reservations for small parties, the wait is never long.
If you are headed North on 29 to Charlottesville or are just looking for a new restaurant to try, The Briar Patch is a must.
www.bunnypatch.biz Blind Fury movie download
883 S Main St
Amherst, VA 24521
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(434) 946-2249
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Milan's Indian Cuisine
May 5, 2009 by Jen
Filed under Unique Dining
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By Eddie Sitzler, The Sitzler Insurance Company
I moved to the Lynchburg area about 7 years ago and have constantly talked up its finer points – such as access to great outdoor activities… but tried my best to ignore the lack of great culinary experiences.
It doesn’t help that I grew up in Louisville, KY – which is renowned for its availability of dining diversity! After years of avoiding the subject of “where’s a good place to eat?” when family and friends visit, I now have found a few places to brag about!
The first truly ‘must-do’ experience is Milan Indian Cuisine located at 2124 Wards Rd near Burlington Coat Factory. The exterior of the building is nothing to write about, but the atmosphere inside is perfect for an Indian restaurant. At lunch time they have a buffet which is great for first timers to sample the exotic dishes and they also serve a full menu. The service is very good, but don’t expect too much explanation of the menu; they will help pick dishes to meet your taste but if you are green about Indian food, just wing it and try something! They do offer combination dinners which are great.
On our last visit we were joined with another couple and ordered family style. This is a great way to experience a few different dishes as their menu is quite substantial and intimidating if you don’t know much about Indian food. They have a full bar but I have never made it past the wine and beer menu. There are a couple of Indian red wines that tastes great and are available by the glass, I’ve never even heard of Indian wines, but am now a fan. The beers from India are also quite good. I suggest the King Fisher or Taj Mahal.
We started with Samosas, a very common Indian appetizer. One order has two samosas and was enough for the four of us.
For dinner we had Lamb Tikka Masala which could be ordered as chicken, beef, or vegetable. Slip movie download Our vegetarian dish was Palak Paneer: my personal favorite dish of sautéed spinach with cubed ‘cheese’ which reminds me of tofu; quite simple but oh so good. We then had chicken vindaloo which was wonderful. We ordered a bread basket which is an assortment of their flat breads; the garlic naan is tough to beat. Everything is served with wonderfully spiced basmati rice; I don’t typically like rice but this stuff is great!
Their dishes are served from mild to Indian hot to meet everyone’s palate. I love my food spicy but my wife can’t handle the hot stuff. The medium is usually a great compromise for us. The hot and Indian hot are nothing to fear if you can handle a bit of heat; the flavors still come through loud and clear.
To really excite your taste buds, give Milan’s a try. Be adventurous if you are new to Indian food or order your favorites; this is a great spot!
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Brunch. At none other than… the new Isabella's Trattoria
April 22, 2009 by Andrea
Filed under Unique Dining
After months of waiting, Isabella’s has finally opened up in their new space in the Boonsboro Shopping center. What many people may not know is that they are now open for Brunch – Yes, Brunch my friends a sorely missing meal time in Lynchburg and all I can say is YEAH!!
I visited Isabella’s this Sunday (4/19) with three of my friends. The first thing that struck me was the homage to the old Isabella’s in the Vestibule – the walls were yellow and the painting of Isabella hung on the wall. However, this is the ONLY remembrance of the past. The new restaurant is chic, metro, funky, and very sleek. It is decorated in muted grays with minimal decor. There is a great lounge section with funky Zebra stools in the bar area. There is a back room with a fireplace that can be curtained off for private parties. And the best part is that they kept the old Meriwether’s bar which keeps the place feeling like home to those of us who miss it.
Okay – on to the really good stuff. Besides having excellent service, we were treated to some culinary delights that will keep this self-proclaimed culinary snob coming back for more.
Our first course was a little decadent for a Sunday afternoon, but we wanted to celebrate and decided to start with cocktails. Anyone who has been to Isabella’s before knows that they offer amazing Bellinis and this was the perfect way to start our brunch.
Of the four of us who ate, three ordered the Italian Eggs Benedict served on Rosemary Focaccia, with Pancetta, spinach, and a basil hollandaise. I LOVE eggs Benedict and this one ties for my most favorite EVER. The bread was nice and crusty, the pancetta added the perfect balance of salt, the eggs were cooked to perfection, and the hollandaise was light with a subtle hint of basil. We all cleaned our plates!
One guest got the Buttermilk Blueberry Pancakes and I can happily report that these are not your Mother’s pancakes. They were huge, fluffy, loaded with blueberries and yummy!
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As a compliment to our meal, we all got the Italian skillet hash browns which were tasty cubed potatoes with Italian herbs. We also ordered the Asiago cheese grits soufflé which was scrumptious and loaded with cheese. If you order this, don’t expect runny grits in a bowl, this really is a soufflé and has a much firmer texture…I recommend sharing an order because it is very rich and filling.
The bartender suggested that we end our meal with the Mixed Berry Bread pudding with Cinnamon Crème Anglaise and who were we to argue! When the pudding arrived we each took a spoonful and simultaneously gasped in delight…it was heaven in a bowl – warm, fruity, sweet, and the crème anglaise was fantastic!
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Overall our experience was wonderful – great service, great food, HUGE portions, and a beautiful atmosphere; we all left content, happy, and planning our next visit.
Thank you Cheri and Andrew for bringing brunch back to Lynchburg!
Reviews of Isabella’s Italian Trattoria:
Find Unique and Little Known Dining Spots …
April 2, 2009 by Jen
Filed under Featured, Unique Dining
Lynchburg is under constant criticism for its lack of variety in dining. People come from California and Texas and all over and comment on our lack of ethnic foods… well, slowly but surely, that is changing.
Benjamin’s has “great cows and crabs” … and live music sometimes, too. Jui Lin’s sushi and sandwiches between Church and Main St. downtown is serving ‘Bubble Tea’ – a unique blend of soft tapioca balls and cold, sweetened tea; something only served in cultured, metro areas! And the Hot and Cold cafe next door to Jui Lin’s serves Gyros! And don’t forget about the new Peruvian restaurant off of 5th Street… Machu Picchu.
Stick around to find out about more unique dining spots…
