Food News: A slew of new restaurant openings, beer news, and a trip to the paw-paw patch

Four new restaurants opened this week, from Oregon Hill to Chester; Willow Lawn to Short Pump. Lots of beer news, too, including a top ten brewer eyeing the city for expansion. Plus, chef and author Kendra Bailey Morris takes a trip to the paw-paw patch before stopping into Southern Season for a cookbook signing.

August 7, 2014; 8:44 AM • by Trevor Dickerson

L’OPOSSUM, a new restaurant from former Dogwood Grille owner David Shannon, l’opened this week in Oregon Hill. The eclectic restaurant, which took over the Pescado’s China Street space, features everything from Pasta Free Primavera to Blue Crab Festooned Filet Mignon. Most dishes are priced in the mid-$20s.

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Home Team Grill owner Garland Taylor is taking a swing at something outside of the sports bar realm with his new concept, The Urban Tavern. The gastropub takes the place of the former Shackelford’s Restaurant in the Gleneagles shopping center, which closed in 2012 after an almost 20 year run. Taylor hired Tim Bereika, former chef at Mosaic Catering and Secco Wine Bar in Carytown, as executive chef. You can expect to find “approachable, elevated American cuisine” such as flank steak and rotisserie pork ribs on the menu at the Tavern, according to Richmond.com. The restaurant also has 0ver 20 taps dedicated to craft beer and an extensive cocktail program.

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Travinia Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar opened Monday at The Shops at Willow Lawn, rounding out what Richmond BizSense calls the shopping center’s “restaurant row.” The 7,000-square-foot restaurant, which serves up Italian-inspired dishes, joins nearby chains American Tap Room and Zoës Kitchen. Travinia will offer more than 50 wines by the glass, but don’t get too excited just yet, vino lovers–no alcohol can be served until August 17th due to unspecified paperwork issues relating to the establishment’s ABC permit.

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We round out a full week of restaurant openings with a Chester sports bar. What’s the name? I Don’t Know. No really, it’s I Don’t Know Sports Grille. Located at 1920 West Hundred Road. I Don’t Know features poker on Tuesdays, an open mic night on Wednesdays, and karaoke on Thursdays.

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Shifting to local beer news, San Diego-based Stone Brewing Company is looking to build a new East Coast base of operations, and Richmond is reportedly near the top of the list of cities the brewery is considering. City Council members called a special meeting Tuesday evening to consider special use permits for publicly owned land near Rocketts Landing to fast-track the project, should RVA be selected. The 10th largest craft brewery in the United States, Stone Brewing is prepared to invest more than $20 million in its East Coast facility, which the company says will reduce shipping and production costs.

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“Beer is the answer!” It’s the well-known mantra of An Bui, owner of Mekong, the recently acquired Commercial Taphouse, and the forthcoming Answer Brewpub. Mekong had its best year ever last year according to Bui, doing over $2 million in gross sales. Richmond BizSense’s Michael Thompson caught up with Bui to talk about the family business and his quest for the perfect beer.

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Drinking beer while watching a movie about beer making and drinking? That’s so meta–but admittedly awesome, too. A new documentary, From Grain to Growler will premiere this Saturday at Capital Ale House’s Downtown location at 623 East Main Street. The film follows the explosion of Central Virginia’s craft beer scene over the past decade and will include a panel discussion with local brewers from Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Legend Brewing Company, Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery, and several others. Tickets are available online for $10. Doors open at 8:00 PM; the film begins at 8:45.

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Local chef, blogger, and author Kendra Bailey Morris will be at the newly-opened Southern Season at Libbie Mill this Saturday from 2:00 – 4:00 PM signing copies of her cookbook, The Southern Slow Cooker: Big-Flavor, Low-Fuss Recipes for Comfort Food Classics. Grab your copy, then dust off the slow cooker and get ready to make some simple but delicious southern comfort food!

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Speaking of Morris, she’s also been spotted “way out yonder in the paw-paw patch,” as longtime Dominion Auto Group CEO Ted Linhart liked to quip in his TV commercials. No, not in Short Pump, but along Pony Pasture. Head out that way to forage for the United State’s largest, native, edible fruit.

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Finally, I’ll leave you with this: Richmond City Council districts as breakfast foods. Because…why not? It’s actually pretty cool, and makes me kind of hungry.

Photo: The Urban Tavern