Food News: Get your growlers to go, drink a beer with your breakfast, and say goodbye to Tiki Bob’s

This Week: There’s a new way to get your beer on the Boulevard–bring your growlers! Plus Church Hill will soon welcome a new dim sum restaurant (and apartment buildings). And Maldini’s opens its doors in a genuinely heart-warming show of Christmas spirit.

December 25, 2014; 9:13 AM • by Stephanie Ganz

Charlie Diradour has taken the “Fastest growler-fill-up concept to market” award this week, announcing the opening of Growlers to Go after just two short months of construction. The space, which will also include a drive-thru Starbucks, is on the former Kangaroo gas station parcel on Boulevard near En Su Boca (also owned by Diradour). Inspired by Irvine California’s Growler Station, business owner Carter Reed will offer 55 beers on tap, to be enjoyed in the comfort of your own home from your own shiny vessel, as well as 150 beers in their no-less-enjoyable bottle form. Trevor Dickerson has both the original story AND the follow-up with pictures!

And, thanks to Richmond Magazine, now you can have all the confidence you need to enjoy your beers AT BREAKFAST. Virginia Samsel has done the exhaustive morning-drinking research to determine which beer best compliments your brex. I’ll be sipping an altbier with my bagel and lox ASAP. It just makes sense!

A duo of industry pros plans to bring a dim sum restaurant with a full bar to Church Hill, and thanks to Virginia LISC, Bon Secours, and Capital One, they just got closer. Tarrant’s manager Liz Kincaid and Balliceaux drink-slinger Sean Rapoza will launch And Dim Sum from the to-be-developed three-story, 6,600-square-foot building at 718 N. 23rd Street, owned by Matt Jarreau.  (Richmondbizsense.com)

In “Infectious Christmas Spirit” news, Marcello Armetta, owner of Forest Hill’s Maldini’s Ristorante, is celebrating Christmas a little bit differently this year. He and his family and staff will open their doors to families in need on Christmas day from 1:00 – 6:00 PM for a buffet of Maldini’s favorites. (Richmond.com)

A sad farewell to the 16-year-old jello wrestling institution Tikki Bob’s. The nightclub, a neon, throbfest of synthetic fibers and bad ideas, will take its last jagerbomb at the end of February. You’ve got about two months to say your goodbyes over $3 drinks and $5 tacos. After that, owner Erick Brockdorff will use the building to house a new concept, possibly of the “food-focused” variety. (Richmond.com)

The 9-month-old fast-casual Dash (formerly Cous Cous and then The Well) closed this week, with a graceful parting statement from owner Josh Bufford. But don’t cry for the Buffords – Toast and Estilo are still doing great, and are well worth a visit. (Richmond.com)

Out in the great wide world, there were a few things you might want to know about, namely:

• Len Berk, Lox guy. (grubstreet.com)
• Sandwich meat monsters. (foodbeast.com)
• 2014’s best food writing got rounded up all over the internet, as we are all wont to do this time of year. Eater and Food52‘s lists will have you squinting into a laptop over a plate of leftover ham well into the new year.
• And, oh hey, did you make a gingerbread house for Christmas? That’s cute. (eater.com)

Photo by: Trevor Dickerson

December 25, 2014 9:13 AM · in East End Daily, Fan of the Fan, and more 0