By Steve Cook :
Baby, Its’ Warm Inside (the Igloo)
Lola’s Farmhouse Bistro in Goochland (1840 Manakin Road) is being transformed into a “magical seasonal wonderland,” says Marianne Trak Hess, owner of this popular restaurant with her husband Eric. Lola’s will also be featuring a special “Black Friday” brunch on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday following Thanksgiving.
Here’s the big news. The igloos are back! These unique enclosed plastic pods allow you to dine on the lovely patio regardless of how low the temperatures go. And speaking of the season, Lola’s will be featuring some holiday-themed drink specials.
Making It Shacky
I was having breakfast in one of my very favorite restaurants, SB’s Lakeside Love Shack (6935 Lakeside Ave.) when a good friend from Goochland and her family stroll in the door. It dawned on me that this little hidden gem has become a destination hotspot especially for breakfast. SB is Sarabeth Hagen, who opened the Love Shack in 2017.
She explains, “We take your basic breakfast items and make them shacky.” My personal favorite dish is their Glitter on the Mattress, a take on biscuits and gravy but theirs features sausage and bacon gravy blanketing a mattress of Texas toast with edible glitter on top. SB says that one of the customer favorites is the “Bang Bang On the Door” Benny – two poached eggs and Virginia ham on a grilled croissant topped with a smokey tomato hollandaise. Fans of the B52s may recognize that the restaurant’s name and many menu items are a nod to that rock group’s hit song Love Shack from their 1989 Cosmic Thing album.
The food is just a part of what makes this place so cool. SB says you can feel the vibe. “When you come here, you fill your soul while you fill your tummy.”
More Than Margaritas
If you’re looking for space for your end-of-year party, Lalo Macias tells me that there’s still some availability in his two private rooms at Two Compadres Taqueria Bar & Grill (13830 Village Place Drive) Speaking of the season, the restaurant has added some new seasonal specialties to the bar menu, such as their cinnamon apple mule, featuring Tito’s Vodka, homemade apple cider, ginger beer, and topped with a smoky cinnamon stick. There’s also the “Amber Kiss, “a combination of Tito’s Vodka, muddled raspberry, cranberry juice, Cointreau, sour mix, and agave nectar. And, yes, if you want a Margarita, Lalo has one of the best around.
Belly Up to the Buffet
Heading west into Powhatan, let me tell you about a great upcoming event at County Seat Restaurant (3883 Old Buckingham Road). As you know, the restaurant offers delicious all-you-can-eat buffets on the weekend. But the big daddy of buffets will be served on Thanksgiving Day from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. It features such favorites as a turkey carving station, crab cakes, honey-baked ham, thin-sliced eye of round, and much, much more. Owner Tracy Ciphers advises making reservations now.
Of course, their other big draw is the live music. Check their website (TheCountySeat.com) for the full schedule.
Getting An A+ From A Bee
I discovered the newly opened Honey Bee Bakery (17 W. Hundred Road) in Chester. This fabulous bake shop is owned and operated by Jasmine Bartley. She and her husband met while both were stationed at Fort Lee. While he continues on active duty, Jasmine is devoting her time to running the bakery while home-schooling their five-year-old son.
What makes the Honey Bee so popular? Jasmine explains, “As my momma says, ‘It’s quality you can taste.’ We’ve had all positive reviews. I put my heart and soul into everything I bake.
My personal favorite is the maple bacon biscuit, served with a maple drizzle,” she adds. That’s served on Sundays only. The Honey Bee also offers custom cakes for virtually any occasion.
To discover more tasty treats, visit their Facebook page. There’s plenty to love at the Honey Bee, including some delicious flavored coffees, which were recently added to the menu.
Family Meal Time
Have a hankering for good old-fashioned, homemade soul and comfort food? It may be worth heading to Ashland and the Around the Table restaurant (155 Junction Dr.). “You come in as a guest, you leave as a member of the family. We’re all family sitting around the table,” says Ammie Mines-Derricott. With the help of co-owner and cousin, Kelly Q. Jackson, Ammie, who had been a pastry chef at Randolph Macon College for 20 years, has realized her dream of owning her own restaurant.
Here in the center of the universe is a center for delicious homemade soul and comfort food. Think fried chicken, smothered pork chops, cat fish, even pigs feet (on Sundays). Around the Table is sure to please your taste buds.
This year the restaurant is opening on Thanksgiving day and will be offering a full buffet from 11 a.m. ‘til 4 p.m. If you want a chance to sample a variety of their scrumptious delights, all made from scratch, this would be the perfect opportunity.
Thai Boat’s A-Coming
Thai Boat Restaurant, in the fan at 2301 W. Main, recently opened and is serving the most authentic Thai food in town. That, according to co-owner Joe Kiatsurranon. Joe should know. He and his family operate some of the city’s most popular Thai/Asian restaurants including Mom’s Siam, YaYa’s Cookbook, and My Noodle and Bar. “We are serving the most authentic Thai food in town. Items you can’t find anywhere else,” he says. Joe was inspired by the restaurants he enjoyed during a visit to his native Thailand and the island city of Phuket. BTW, the “Boat” in the name pays homage to Joe’s good friend, bar manager Narongchai Rungpibulsopit, whose nickname is “Boat.”