Plate and Goblet: Meaty options, shaken sodas, marshmallow slabs and cider

Even in booming Short Pump, there are restaurants that struggle and even fail – such as Kona Grill (irreverently known as 'Cougar Grill' in its heyday, before closing in 2019) and Bar Louie, which closed in 2020.

But high-end steak houses have now popped up in both those long-vacant sites, and – judging from their popularity – might just be here to stay.

At Fogo de Chão the Brazilian steakhouse and churrascaria in the former Kona Grill space, be prepared for a lavish (if pricey) meal.

Before even getting to the main course of hand-carved, grilled meats, you'll be tempted to fill up at the Market Table, which is teeming with exotic seasonal fruits. I was able to snap a photo of my plate from the Market Table – but never had time to get a shot of any of the meats. The meat service is interactive, requiring the diner to pull off a portion using tongs and transfer it to the plate. (But if I had gotten a picture, it would've been of the melt-in-your-mouth waygu beef, my hands-down favorite.)

As part of its introduction to the Richmond community, Fogo donated a portion of its first week of sales to Feed More – a check amounting to more than $27,000.

At Perry's Steakhouse, I had a different experience, and one that was a better fit for my pocketbook. In fact, I went to Perry's two Fridays in a row (Fridays are the only day lunch is served – but it's served until 5 p.m.) so I could sample more of the menu and drink items that intrigued me.

On my first trip, I went for the Pork Chop Friday Lunch. Even though I arrived at 3:30, in what I thought would be a lull, there were few open seats at the huge bar. I enjoyed my pork chop (thick and juicy, but not the most flavorful I've ever had), but realized later that I'd never gotten the promised bread. And by then the servers and bartenders were in full slammed mode, so I was reluctant to ask.

On my left, a group of a half dozen or so diners were victims of the "all-day lunch rush;" they waited for close to an hour for a table in the dining room, then eventually gave up and ate at the bar.

On my right was a couple from the Lynchburg area, who had come to town to visit grandchildren. They ordered a Bacon Slab Burger, and when I first glimpsed the bacon, it was so thick I mistook it for kielbasa. When told it tasted outstanding, I knew what I would order on my next visit.

When I returned the following Friday, I brought a friend – but still enjoyed meeting others at the bar. The woman to my left had driven from Newport News just to dine at Perry's, and told me she'd been planning the Richmond trip ever since she heard Perry's was open. As a NASA employee, she told me, she'd gotten hooked on Perry's while on trips to the space center in Texas. After dinner (the pork chop special), she was going to shop at Short Pump Town Center before returning home.

Both my friend and the NASA worker gave high marks to their wine choice, the Perry's Reserve Pinot Noir. My friend was less enthusiastic, however, about her dessert. I thought her Rocky Road Bread Pudding was excellent, but neither of us was crazy about the huge slab of homemade marshmallow topping that accompanied it. (If you are a marshmallow lover, on the other hand, this dessert is for you!)

I ordered my Bacon Slab Burger and, to go with it, one of Perry's signature shaken sodas. When I asked the bartender for help me choose between the raspberry and mango sodas, she warned me that both were sweet, and recommended the pineapple – billed as a non-alcoholic mojito. "Hmmm, not a fan of pineapple," I told her – so she made me one with strawberry. It was excellent, and has become my new favorite NA cocktail.

I would also order the bacon burger again, although one slab was mostly inedible gristle. (I'll let it slide – this time.) And I still want to go back and try the senior menu, which provides a three-course menu for the 65-plus set for $39. It's available every day before 6 p.m. (dine-in only).

But on my next trip, I suspect I'll be going for the Hog-Hattan. Described as a "Manhattan with WhistlePig Piggyback 6-year-old rye and Vya vermouth, rimmed with brown sugar and Perry's Signature Homemade Barbecue Sauce," it's topped with a skewer of Perry's Famous Pork Chop Bites and Luxardo cherries.

Sure, it's a gimmick. And yes, it costs $24. But it's not that bad a price when you consider it combines an appetizer and a quality cocktail.

Besides – I can never resist a catchy name.

* * *

If you still find Short Pump lacking when it comes to high-end steakhouses, never fear: another one is coming soon. Fleming's Steakhouse has announced it will locate in West Village, a new development taking shape at West Broad Street and North Gayton Road. Whether that new location will be an addition to the current Fleming's site in Stony Point Fashion Park, or will mean a relocation from Stony Point to Short Pump, has yet to be determined. Fleming’s is owned by the same parent company that owns Carrabba’s Italian Grill, which recently closed its Short Pump location.

* * *

In other Short Pump restaurant news, Hamid Noori, a frequent Plate and Goblet subject (June 2022 and March 2023) and celebrity chef renowned for feeding refugees, will soon add a Short Pump outpost to his Carytown restaurant and The Mantu Market in Merchants Walk. The Mantu Express, described as a fast-casual eatery, will set up shop at the site of a former pizza place next to Regal theater and adjacent to Short Pump Town Center.

* * *

Western Henrico's Baker's Crust – one of the original Short Pump Town Center tenants – is now the sole Baker's Crust restaurant in the Richmond area. The Carytown Baker's Crust recently closed its doors after 26 years.

* * *

Elsewhere in the county, coffee roaster and Columbian bakery Cafe & Sabor recently added a second location to its original Hull Street site. The Henrico restaurant is now open on West Broad Street at Hungary Spring Road.

* * *

Blue Bee Cider recently relocated its tasting room to 4811 Bethlehem Road near Libbie Mill Midtown. Previously located in Scott’s Addition, the cidery is now housed in a former industrial building, equipped with 12 taps, a deck, and ample parking. Due to the lack of an on-site kitchen, food options are limited to snack items and pre-packaged items. But in April, according to the website, the cidery will begin hosting food trucks every Saturday. Outside food is encouraged as well. The website also notes that Blue Bee is dog-friendly inside and out.

* * *

A Richmond Magazine tour of local cafes and coffee spots awarded high marks to two Henrico hangouts: Brick Road Coffee Company on Shrader Road (mentioned in the Aug. 2023 Plate and Goblet) and Surrounding Counties Coffee on Three Chopt Road.

RichMag likened the vibe inside Brick Road's converted train cars to "hanging at Mom’s house," with sofas, bookshelves and a fireplace lending a living-room feel. At Surrounding Counties, the ambience was deemed "eccentric" – with its thrift store decor, tchotchkes, local pottery, and a record player spinning tunes.

* * *

RichMag also paid a visit to Rare Old Times, celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.

* * *

And if you haven't heard by now, longtime neighborhood restaurant Nick's Roman Terrace will close at the end of March. A popular hangout since 1975, the Westland Shopping Center restaurant fell victim to rising rents and other pressures – but the owner has hinted that a reincarnation is possible if the right alternate location is found.