RTD and Style Weekly dines at Southbound

Fine dining or a family affair, your pick.

March 6, 2015; 8:56 AM • by Richard Hayes

Update #1 — March 6, 2015; 8:40 AM

Southbound reminds me of “Super Friends.” Separately, Gregory and Sparatta can be considered Richmond’s culinary Superman and Batman. Together though, the sum is a little bit less than its parts. Will you need to make the trek from the city to Stony Point Shopping Center to experience something new, better, different? Probably not.

But is that their intent? Probably not.

I find it odd that both this review and the previous review feel the need to point out “treking” to Southside. I’ve spent more time looking for a parking spot in the Fan than it takes me to drive from Southbound to the Fan. The same people that will wait an hour for a beer at Hardywood are somehow thrown off by crossing a river because it’s so inconvenient. Southside and Southbound in particular is not a major trek from anywhere in Richmond and people need to quite treating it like a journey worthy of Homer.

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Original — February 19, 2015

Southbound opened up late in 2014 to accolades and those words of praise have continued to pile up. Chefs Lee Gregory of The Roosevelt and Joe Sparatta of Heritage are producing a fine dine experience with an atmosphere that is surprisingly kid-friendly.

This RTD review takes a look at all that Southbound has to offer.

The list of entrées dazzled us with choices ranging from the homemade pastas (think orecchiette with collard green pesto and rigatoni bolognese) to hearty meat dishes of coffee-braised short ribs ($22) and a pork loin with hash and salsa verde ($21). There is even a menu for children — chicken breast with grits ($9) and mac ’n cheese ($7) to name a few.

I’ve been to Southbound once so far and enjoyed everything related to the service, atmosphere, and food. Hopefully I’ll get back soon.