Food news: Absinthe, fall menus, happy hours, and more

Wine dinners, absinthe opportunities, fall menus, and more in this week’s edition of Richmond’s food news.

October 10, 2013; 7:25 AM • by Ross Catrow

Commercial Taphouse, one of my most favorite spots for good beer, is celebrating their 20th anniversary this week! Twenty years is a long time and much longer than I have done anything in my entire life. They’ll be celebrating all week long with live music and beer specials. And, as per usual, they’re sure to have one of the most thoughtful beer selections in town!

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Who wants to get weird drunk off of absinthe!? Just kidding guys, always drink responsibly and never weirdly. But if you were interested in absinthe-based cocktails, you should probably checkout Heritage this Friday at 11:00 PM. Joe Pawelski, owner of Overland Distillery, will be on hand showcasing their Trinity Absinthe, which is made with the “Holy Trinity” of herbs: wormwood, anise, and fennel. Science claims that absinthe, due to only trace amounts of the compound thujone, is no weirder than any other distilled spirit. But when have you ever listened to Science?

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Looks like the old Boo’s Brown Bag spot has a new tenant: Chow House. The newest resident of this semi-cursed location will offer a “large-portion menu of Mexican and Asian food.” Wait, here’s a better quote:

I’m going big, I’m going greasy, I’m going what you want when you’ve maybe had a couple drinks,” she said.

That…kind of sounds perfect? Chow House hopes to open next week.

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Richmond.com brings us the news that Comfort–the downtown spot for meatloaf, greens, and mac & cheese–has launched a happy hour. Every Monday through Saturday you can get half off apps, $1 off drafts, and $5 glasses of wine. Happy hour starts at 5:00 PM and runs through 7:00 PM, at which point you should just stick around and order dinner. I recommend the vegetable plate.

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Well, I think it’s finally safe to say that fall has arrived. No more of this 90-degree weather deep into October BS. Bring on socks, sweaters, and hearty, warm foods that stick to my bones! You can find those hearty foods to pair with your fall socks and sweaters at Ipanema on their new seasonal menu. I’m excited about the chicken-fried tofu, but you have my leave to be excited about other things (like the mushroom bourgogne or the $30 bottles of wine specifically chosen to complement the new menu).

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This Saturday, Amuse will partner with Barboursville Vineyards to offer a five-course dinner. Each course is paired with one of Barboursville’s wines, and the menu looks insane (PDF). Sure the tickets are $95 ($85 for VMFA members), but you get to try the mythical Octagon!¹

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Postbellum, The Lair, and Tazza Kitchen all opened up in the last couple of days. You can check our list of restaurants that have opened in 2013 here.

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Photo by Madison Price

October 10, 2013 7:25 AM 0