Food news: name changes, summer fruits, and a new restaurant

This week in food news: the summer fruits, one restaurant changes its name, and one opens its doors on Friday.

August 22, 2013; 6:55 AM • by Ross Catrow

Sorry dudes, but if any of you got a Water Grill tattoo, I’ve got some bad news. The Carytown-based Water Grill is now Water Coastal Kitchen. Same staff, same menu, same…well everything, honestly. Just a different name. Richmond.com has a few details about the legal shenanigans that forced the name change.

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Do you love tomatoes? Do you? DO YOU? Hey, I certainly do, although this summer has left my tomato lust vastly unfulfilled. That’s OK, because a trillion of RVA’s top chefs (Lee Gregory, The Roosevelt; Owen Lane, The Magpie; Randall Doetzer, Julep’s; Tim Bereika, Mosiac Catering; Mike Braunce & Aaron Hoskins; Secco) are putting together an amazing five course tomato-based dinner at Secco. Seriously, go check out the menu.

The “RVA All-Star Chef Tomato Dinner” takes place on Tuesday, August 27th and costs $90 per ticket–which covers food, fine wines paired with each course, tax, and tip.

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If you don’t love tomatoes, perhaps you love Hatch chiles? The only thing I know about Hatch chiles is that people go bananas over them this time of year. I hear tell of folks making the pilgrimage out to the south western part of the country and bringing back bushels of the things to roast at their leisure. But if your love for hot peppers isn’t enough to get you on a plane to New Mexico, maybe it’s enough to get you in a car out to the Short Pump Kroger this Friday and Saturday? They’ll be roasting chiles from 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM.

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This Friday, Social52 opens up in the old Avalon spot. The menu is new, the space has been renovated, and lo! there are six beer taps. In addition to the six draft beers, Social52 plans to have over 70 beers in stock. The menu will focus on “eclectic new-American fare.” More details about the menu and motivation behind the new spot over on Fan of the Fan.

Social52 is located at 2619 W. Main Street.

Photo courtesy of Social52