Great Smokeless Expectations

After three years of living and frequently dining out in Richmond, Virginia, I felt the need to begin a blog about my dining experiences. Of course there are many other sites where foodies can visit to read potentially encouraging or discouraging reviews of places they haven’t yet tried here in the River, or Rich City; however none yet that truly tell it like it is in horrifically delicious, or comfortingly putrid detail. As those adjectives may not quite seem to have matched; neither have my dining experiences in congruence with their respectful reviews. So, I decided to go out on my own to provide unbiased and detailed write-ups to assist my readers with finding somewheres they might like to go for eats and drinks in Richmond.

Having nearly a decade of restaurant experience in various genres; from lowly dishwasher, to burgeoning pie thrower, burger flipper, fearsome bouncer, talkative bartender, and eventually manager, I have obtained a great deal of insight into the world of the restaurant industry. From the pretentious upscale bistro to the bashful neighborhood dive bar, nowhere is overlooked in my effort to bring you my reviews.

As you read, please keep in mind that everyone can have a bad day—even the pros. Though I may mention speed of service, courtesy, and various other personality traits of servers and management, as well as restaurant décor and layout, the bottom line is the food. Your service can be terrible, the management indifferent, the tables and chairs made out of plastic, and dusty deer heads may hang from the wall, but the food may be positively tear-provoking. In the Rich City, this is all possible. I hope my words will be of service to you and the industry. Thanks for reading.

Before I get to my first review, I need to make mention of the following:

Yesterday, December 1, 2009, marked a historical change for Richmond's restaurateurs and their patrons, as the statewide no smoking law went into effect. The very basic stipulations of the ban require all existing restaurants and new constructions to provide a separate cordoned off room complete with its own ventilation system for those wishing to smoke, lest the entire establishment restrict smoking altogether. The proposed fine for the business, and even its patron violators, was set at a whopping $25/per. Time will tell if this law will be taken seriously in the land of tobacco where Phil Morris still resides as king. Banning smoking entirely would have been too growns up, so baby steps for now. At least non-smokers in Virginia can enjoy the fact that some legislation supports their desire to be smoke free.