Plate & Goblet: New Beeristoric event, new restaurants
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Brewing in the Black Community
Beeristoric, an organization that has frequently been celebrated in the Citizen, has a first-of-its-kind event on the docket this month.
"Brewing in the Black Community: From African Origins to Craft's Future" will take place at the VMHC from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Aug. 25. A collaborative event with VHMC, the Black History Museum, and Capsoul Brewing, the event will feature a panel discussion – and of course, tastings.
In 2021, Beeristoric won an Award of Merit from Henrico's Historic Preservation Advisory Committee for its efforts to promote local history. Beeristoric has also conducted tours exploring beer history in the area, and led the effort to install the historical marker on Route 5 near the Rocketts Landing site of the former James River Steam Brewery.
For details and tickets for the Aug. 25 event, click here.
Comfy coffee spots
Like many of us during the Covid years, I lost touch with a few friends – but was fortunate to meet two of them for coffee in recent weeks. As a result, I have a couple of new favorite coffee shops: Brick Road Coffee Company on Shrader Road, and Hope Cafe at West Creek. (Hope Cafe is technically in Goochland County – but only a mile or so down Patterson Avenue from the Henrico line.)
Hope Café is a mission of Hope Church, a gathering place designed to foster connection and community. The Café is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is operated by volunteers and on a donation-only basis. There are few rules except to enjoy the space, and it is a beautiful, light-filled one. Bring your own coffee and snacks if you prefer, or serve yourself from the light menu of yogurt, pastries and beverages. I loved the sunny atrium and casual vibe, and look forward to my next trip there.
Brick Road Coffee also has a nice atmosphere, and is a much larger space than I imagined when I learned of its location in converted train cars. The cafe also has a patio, and is conveniently located across from the Henrico Public Safety Building.
The next coffee shop on my list to try is Caffespresso off Gaskins Road, which has gotten rave reviews from friends who live nearby. I was intrigued by the mini-history lesson on its website, recounting the invention of espresso by a man who often watched his wife do laundry in a pot with inverted funnel.
In other coffee news, a Scotts Addition roastery recently earned approval to relocate to the former Sgt. Pepper's Pizza building on Lakeside Avenue. The owners of Recluse Coffee Roastery are planning to roast coffee at the site one or two days a week, sell chilled coffee, host an online store and open on occasional weekends and weekdays.
Restaurant news
Taco Bamba, a taqueria chain based in the Washington, D.C. area, is moving into the Willow Lawn shopping center. The restaurant is expected to open early next year.
Charleys Cheesesteaks is now open in Innsbrook at 4101 Dominion Boulevard. The site in the Dominion Shoppes is the third Richmond-area location for the national Philly cheesesteak chain, and was previously occupied by Blaze Pizza.
Wood & Iron Gameday also has opened in Short Pump at 12288 West Broad Street – the restaurant's third Richmond-area location.
Meanwhile, Padow's Hams and Deli has closed its Innsbrook location; the owner has said, however, that he plans to reopen in a new location.
Taqueria tasting
A regular diner at La Cabaña Restaurante y Taqueria has been urging me to try it out, and I finally got there for lunch recently. I can see why the place has fans (and watched crowds of families, office staff and construction workers troop through as I enjoyed my meal.)
Tucked away off Glenside Drive (4086 Crockett Street), La Cabaña has a casual vibe, friendly service, an extensive menu (subs, chicken wings, and soups in addition to typical Mexican fare) and prices that are easy on the budget. My chicken quesadilla ($9.50) contained generous portions of meat, leaving me plenty of extra to take home.
I was also intrigued by the menu offering of a side of cactus, but only got a small taste of it (gratis, because they had just run out.) My server patiently described how they source the cactus from a local ethnic grocery, peel it, and sauté it. Tasted much like slices of green chiles to me, but hey. How often do you get a chance to sample cactus?
One online reviewer touted the taco salad and also highlighted a beverage bonus at La Cabaña: Mexican Cokes. They are served in the traditional small bottles with a cup of ice (no refills). The advantage of the Mexican version of Coke, I'm told, is that they are sweetened using cane sugar.
At these prices, I will be sure to return and sample more of the menu. (Where else, after all, can a girl try beef tongue torta, cactus taco, and spicy tripe soup?)
