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The Virginia Food and Beverage Expo came to town March 27 for its semiannual appearance at the Richmond Convention Center, and many of the Henrico-based businesses – Gunther’s Gourmet (salsa, dips, hot sauce and mixers), 3 Sisters (cheese straws), and Two and a Half Irishmen (baked goods) – that appeared at the 2022 Expo were back.
Among the newer exhibitors was another Henrico company, Rainbow Trout Kitchen. Established in 2010 and located on Quioccasin Road, the business produces classic granola and has a great origin story: it was founded by an eight-year-old!
Today, eight-year-old Peter is all grown up and off at college, but his mom and a friend have taken over the granola-making and continue to serve the long list of satisfied customers that Peter built up over the years. Check out the story (and the granola) at rainbowtroutgranola.com.
Along with granola from Rainbow Trout and a scone from Two and a Half, I sampled a few dozen other treats. Among the more interesting Expo novelties were mini-servings of spaghetti and meatballs (finger-food-size, made with special-needs populations in mind) and a tasty hoppy seltzer from a Richmond non-alcoholic brand founded by Ryan Coleman.
As Coleman told Style Weekly, when he adopted a sober lifestyle in 2021, he remembered the “aromatic effect” that home-grown hops had on beer. He added hops to his seltzer to give it more kick, and Hike Hopped Seltzer was born.
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Gearharts Fine Chocolates, which closed its location in Richmond’s west end last year, has a new dessert cafe in Short Pump.
According to BizSense, Richmond customers clamored for bakery items available at the original Charlottesville Gearharts (est. 2001), which evolved from shop to a cafe years ago. The new Gearharts near Trader Joe’s features a window view of pastry chefs at work, just like the C’ville location. (Chocolate items still will be made in Charlottesville.) In addition to cookies, cupcakes and more decadent treats, the cafe serves beverages, from hot tea to lattes, cappuccino, and – of course – hot chocolate.
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Farm & Oak in Innsbrook drew kudos from Style Weekly in a recent story about new restaurants in the region. Among the Farm & Oak highlights mentioned was the obe-ata-braised lamb shank. The spicy red pepper sauce from Nigeria complements the richness of the lamb, and the main course is rounded out with collard green jollof rice – blending African and Black American food traditions. Also praised was the Unsung Hero Mule, a variation of the cocktail known as a Moscow mule, but using Uncle Nearest whiskey.
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Feed More – due to open its new, expansive Henrico building this fall – held a gala event April 10 to honor its volunteers and kick off of its Nourish campaign. One of the tastiest samplings, according to many at the event, was a cocktail by Belle Isle. Composed of the brand’s Blood Orange Vodka, topped off with some cava, and sweetened with strawberry puree. Scrumptious! You can learn more about the new building and the Nourish campaign, which will support Feed More in its mission of addressing food insecurity throughout the region, here.
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Another worthy non-profit has a food-related fundraiser on the horizon, and there are still a few tickets left.
The April 25 Coaches’ Cook Off, which benefits Commonwealth Autism, pairs coaches from University of Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia State University, and St. Gertrude H.S. with top chefs from local restaurants. Not only will there be food, drink, prizes, and exciting culinary competition, but the cook-off judging will be done by an esteemed panel including experts with Henrico Citizen ties: myself and Eileen Mellon (a former Citizen intern who now writes about food for Richmond Magazine). Justin Lo of the Richmond Times-Dispatch rounds out our judging panel, and we are all psyched for an evening of tasting and fun. Ticket info can be found by clicking here.
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After enjoying a dinner at Mekong with some friends, I joined them for dessert at Plaza Azteca. While I’ve always liked Plaza Azteca, I never thought of it as a dessert destination – but I’ve changed my mind. We ordered and sampled one each of the three available desserts, and passed them around the table for sharing. All of them – fried ice cream, flan, and churros with ice cream – were beautifully served in tall fluted glasses, and all were excellent (though each of us picked a different favorite to finish off; mine was the fried ice cream).
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As a Venezuelan, Sabrina Moreno of Axios Richmond says she is always on the lookout for Venezuelan restaurants. In a recent edition, she highlighted Con Salsa on Mountain Road, which serves Venezuelan street food. (Con Salsa also has a food truck, which can be tracked online here). Moreno recommended the empanada with carne mechada (similar to shredded beef), tequeños (fried cheese sticks wrapped in dough), and cachapas (a sweet corn pancake stuffed with white Venezuelan soft cheese). Normally $16, the cachapas are $5 off on Tuesdays. Moreno also cited Short Pump’s Bocata Arepa Bar among her favorites.
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Hurley’s Tavern closed at the end of March, after more than a decade at its Innbrook location. The owners, however, have announced that The Fishin’ Pig, out of Farmville, will replace the sports bar and serve barbecue and seafood. The Hurley brothers who will team up to run the Fishin’ Pig are the same owners who opened Mulligan’s Sports Grille in Innsbrook in 1990.
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Yellow Umbrella Provisions is now open in Libbie Mill; offerings include a selection of “prepared foods, seafood, baked goods, sushi,” drinks, and more. The former owner of Yellow Umbrella Provisions plans to open Shoreline Seafood Market at 10614 Patterson Avenue at a future date.
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While I raved about LaCroix‘s limoncello-flavored sparkling water in the December P&G (and had lots of company), the flavor also had its detractors. Internet comments ranged from “absolutely disgusting” to “tastes like baby wipes.”
In the month just past, another entry emerged in what some have called the “culinary abomination” department. 7-Eleven announced a new product that teams up the chain’s Big Bite brand with Miracle Seltzer to produce – ready for this? – Hot Dog Sparkling Water.
“This better be an April Fools’ joke,” remarked one internet responder.
But my favorite reaction was the commenter who wrote that the new flavor was a dream come true.
“After all these decades of asking, ‘What do we do with the hot dog water?’ Yes!!!”
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