Popkin Tavern

11/15/13:

Stars: 4.3 out of 5.0

Pros: Big and Spacious, Great Beer Selection, Quality Appetizers

Cons: Small Late Night Menu

     It's a rare occurrence when SW, MC and I get a chance to hang out together. Mostly because SW lives in Blacksburg and traveling 3 hours to hang out for a night is a long trip. So when SW came into town for a soccer tournament, we jumped at the chance to go out together. We met at MC's house for some pregame wine and cheese before setting off into the rainy night.

     We ended up walking down the street to Popkin Tavern (Popkin Tavern). I will be the first to admit that I had a vision in my mind of Popkin Tavern. I expected it to be small and dingy with a long bar full of shabby old locals. To say I was wrong is a touch of an understatement. Popkin Tavern is a big spacious establishment. There is ample seating and a big inviting bar filled with a wonderful cross section of Richmond's people. I was instantly very pleased with our choice.

     We sat down at a table and were almost instantly greeted by our friendly waitress. She went over the vast amount of tap beers and left us to make a choice. The selection is large and diverse. It is neatly broken into sections that help isolate a beer that will fit your tastes. As it was cold and rainy, I went with a flavorful porter. And that took me about 5 minutes too long to choose. I like having a beer menu with a lot of options.

     After we got our first round of beers I began to peruse the food menu. The options all looked good. I was pretty much ready to go when the waitress popped my bubble. She told me that the late night menu was restricted to just the appetizers. NOOOO!! I was so looking forward to a pizza or maybe even a burger. This had to be a mistake! Why would they throw a wrench in my stomachs plans like this? Great great sadness fell upon me and some stars fell from my rating.

     That being said, I reassessed my menu choice quickly. A round of calamari for the table. It was wonderfully breaded and nicely cooked. The flavor was fresh. I also really liked the dipping sauce. The girls also seemed to like it. It didn't take long for the plate to end up clean. Next time I go, I look forward to trying the pork belly sliders.

     After our food and a few more rounds of drinks, we settled up and left. Popkin Tavern is certainly on my radar for a return trip. The beers, the food, the atmosphere and the friendly staff are all welcoming. I suggest you head there when you have all sorts of beer confusion. They have what ails you.

Going Outside of Richmond- Virginia Tech Football in Blacksburg, VA

10/26/13:

Stars: 4 out 5

Pros: Tailgating, Nice Stadium, Great Seats, Enthusiastic Crowd

Cons: Tech Lost

     When I first moved to Blacksburg back in 2007, I refused to be sucked into the "Hokie community". In Upstate NY, we don't celebrate college football like other sections of the country and I wasn't about to just change. I laugh at that thought process now. I was quickly sucked in, went to every game I could and even worked for the VT Police Department for about 2 years. I was a Hokie through and through. I still am even though Richmond is my home now (and possibly for a long happy time). So, when my old police buddy/roommate CW and his wife SW invited me to spend the weekend at their place and use their tickets to the VT vs Duke, I eagerly agreed.

     I always enjoy seeing my old roomies and am always grateful that they let me and the dog crash at their casa. It just so happened that this was a game one that a lot of old colleagues and friends were going to be attending. SB and her whole family would be there. Rackspace, my very former employer, was hosting a tailgate. And I got to see my former roommate AW. After I met up with AW and his buddy, we decided to go to the Rackspace tailgate as he was also a former employee. It is always nice to see former coworkers outside the office. Especially this group as they are always a lot of fun.

     For all those who have never been to a college football game, you are missing out. Tailgating is an art form that can really only be appreciated at a college football game. Sure, people tailgate all sorts of events, like weddings and the NFL draft, but a college football tailgate is truly the epitome of what tailgating is supposed to be. Its food, drinking and friends. And the tailgating food... that's where it's at. In this case, it was a catered event. I will never hate myself for that. And it was fantastic to see my old coworkers.  They are an amazing group of people. Smart too. They are certainly some of the best at what they do. I appreciated that they invited us to tailgate with them. I had a great time.

     AW, T and I all headed into Lane Stadium for the Tech entrance. It's one of the highlights of VT game, for all those have never been for a game. 66,000 people jumping up and down screaming & cheering while VT players coming running onto the field to Metallica's "Enter Sandman". It is quite a stunning thing to be a part of. If you ever happen to make it to a Tech game, make sure you make it to the team entrance.

     Lane Stadium is a beautifully designed arena for college football. There isn't really a bad seat in the whole place. The boxes (which I've been lucky enough to watch games from on several occasions) are amazing. The field is well maintained and always looks nice. The new scoreboard is big and crisp. Certainly an upgrade from the old one. I'm sure there are college football stadiums that are newer, fresher and better. But for a land-grant university set in the mountains of south-west Virginia, Lane Stadium is a treasure. I wouldn't trade one visit there, be it for a football game, concert, graduation, workout session or personal photo shoot, for any of those bigger, fancier places. When you've been there on a crisp clean fresh fall day, you will see exactly what I mean.

     By a sheer stroke of luck, all of our seats were together. We all made our way down the stands to our seats. Our seats were about 10 or so rows away from the field. We sat behind one of the end zones so we had a fairly good view of the action. I am very appreciative to CW and SW for hooking me up.

      The game was fairly decent. Both teams played well, but Tech could have played better. We couldn't seem to put the ball in the end zone, which was indicative of Tech this year. We relied heavily on a QB who is a better TE and a MISERABLE excuse for a kicker who shanked more field goals then he should have ever had the chance to kick. And for that, I demote Tech one whole star with a sad & heavy heart.

     I give the crowd one thing though, they seem pretty enthusiastic. I know people have gotten down on Tech's fans the past year or so. But we show up at each game, we cheer throughout the games and win or lose, we are back each week. This game was no exception. We showed up and we yelled our faces off. Just like everyone around us. Plus, AW kept up a hilarious running commentary the whole game.  It was truly a great time.

     If you haven't already experienced a college football game or you are a die-hard fan, a VT football game at Lane Stadium is a must do. But do the whole thing, tailgate included. It is one of the best ways to spend a fall afternoon. Hopefully, Tech will pull it together this year a reward your devotion with a win.

Kobe Japanese Steaks and Sushi

10/24/13:

Stars: 4.9 out of 5.0

Pros: Plenty of Space, Friendly Staff, Excellent Chefs, Tasty Food

Cons:

     For BN's birthday, CE & AE wanted to grab dinner at Kobe in down town. A little bit of that hibachi to celebrate. Granted, I was very late to this celebration, but I wasn't going to miss it for anything. I got there and the four of us sat down to enjoy a nice meal.

     Kobe (Kobe Steaks and Sushi) is a relatively big space. The first floor has regular tables and the bar. There is a lot of room and it has a nice open feel to it. Downstairs is where all of the hibachi tables are located. I want to say they have about a half-dozen of them. Given that they each seat about 10 people, there is plenty of space for big parties. It wasn't smokey either, which means they have a good ventilation system. Lighting was very inviting as well. I am a big fan of how Kobe is set-up.

     Every staff member we talked to was friendly and helpful. The host was polite and understanding in my tardiness. The hibachi chef was pleasant and engaging as he cooked for us. The bartenders were quick with drinks. And no one seemed to rush us even though we were probably some of their last customers for the night. That, to me, is the biggest part. I know that feeling you get when a late party sits down and all you want to do is clean so you can leave. I never sensed that from the staff so kudos to them on their professionalism.

     We ordered a various amount of hibachi dishes among the 4 of us. Our chef double checked our orders and asked how the steaks should be cooked. With that he went to work. I have always been impressed with the art of hibachi cooking. The knife skills and showmanship required are truly fascinating. Our chef did not disappoint in his skills. He did an impressive job while engaging in conversation with us. And his use of fire did not fail to impress me at any point.

     Our food was excellent. All of it was cooked perfectly and there was a lot of it. I'm a huge fan of rice so I was glad to see Kobe is not shy in it's offering. All of the vegetables were wonderfully cooked and had a fresh taste to them. My chicken was wonderfully seasoned and had a nice caramel color to the outside of it. All of the steaks were cooked exactly as requested, which seems to be a difficult thing for some restaurants to accomplish. And the shrimp they made were perfect. I also enjoyed the various dipping sauces they provided with each meal. I am a big fan of the ginger sauce as it provides just the right flavor burst to accent the seasoning on the food. BN and AE ended up taking some leftovers home, which I can't fault them for as the portions are generous. An all around well done dinner.

     Kobe has really got it all going for them it seems. They have a wonderful building, excellent staff, great cooks and satisfying meals. I would not hesitate to visit them again in the future when I have a craving for dinner and a show. If that's what you are looking for give them a shot.

Richmond Food Truck's: A List

     I take a break today from my regular posts to bring you somethimg I have been working on for a bit now. I have searched high and low across the Facebooks, the Tweeters and the internets for a list of Richmonds food trucks. A list that would allow a mere blogger like me to know what food trucks I haven't visited yet. Alas, I could not find such a list. Sure, found plenty of partial lists, but nothing that had it all. So, I set out to right this wrong.

     Please keep in mind that I am not an omnipotent being. Surprising to everyone (including myself) I do get things wrong. So, if I list a cart that doesn't exist or I forgot one, noted.  Just comment me and lets move on. Cool? Bueno. On we go.

Food Truck:		Type of Food:		Twitter:		Website:
Mre. Yoders Doughnuts		Doughnuts		~ @YodersDoughnuts
Alchemy Coffee		Coffee		~ @AlchemyRVA		alchemycoffeerva.com
Crossroads Coffee Truck		Coffee				crossroadsrva.com
Grate Pizza		Fusion Pizza		~ @GratePizza		gratepizza.bokatruck.com
Pizza Tonight		Wood Fired Pizza		~ @Pizzatonightrva		pizzatonight.com
Beagles BBQ		BBQ		~ @BeaglesBBQ		beaglesbbq.com
Estes BarB'Que		BBQ		~ @EstesBarBQue		estesbarbque.com
The Dog Wagon		Hot Dogs		~ @thedogwagon		thedogwagon.com
Flynn's Foods		Burgers				flynnsfoods.com
Slideways Mobile Bistro		Burgers/Sliders		~ @SlidewaysBistro
Station 2		Gourmet Burgers		~ @station2rva		station2richmond.com
Boka Truck		Fusion Tacos		~ @BokaTruck		bokatruck.com
Chupacabra Truck		Tex Mex		~ @ChupacabraTruck
Cielito Lindo		Tacos & Mexican		~ @CielitoLindoRVA
Habaneros		Authentic Tacos				habanerorichmond.com
Nate's Taco Truck		Tacos		~ @natestacotruck
Curbside Creations		Sandwiches & Po'boys		~ @curbsidefood		rvafoodtruck.com
Magna Carta		Gourmet Sandwiches		~ @MagnaCartaRVA
Mobile Munchies		Sandwiches & Po'boys
Olio Cart		Gourmet Sandwiches		~ @oliocart
Popping Mealies		Sandwiches		~ @PoppingMealies
Street Deli		Paninis & Sandwiches		~ @StreetDeliRVA		streetdelirva.com
Super Fresh		Grilled Cheese		~ @SuperFreshCatrs		superfreshcarts.com
The Grey Hill Café		Sandwiches		~ @TheGreyHillCafe
Christopher's Runaway Gourmay		Salads & Pasta				christophersrunawaygourmay.com
Dressed & Pressed		Salads & Panini's		~ @dressedandpressed		dressedandpressed.com
Goatocado		Vegitarian Bowls		~ @Goatocado		goatocado.com
Rooster Cart		Vegan		~ @RoosterCart
RVA Vegan		Vegan Tacos & Cupcakes		~ @veganrva		rvavegan.info
Thai Cabin		Thai		~ @thaicabin
The Meatball Company		Gourmet Meatballs		~ @rvameatballco		meatball-company.com
Happy Empanada		Empanada's				happyempanada.com
BoDillaz		Quesadilla's		~ @MoBoDillaz		bodillaz.com
Kenn-Tico		Cuban		~ @KennTico		kennticorva.com
Mosaic		Modern Classics		~ @MOSAICfoodcart		mosaicedibles.com
Sustenance		Fresh Local Food		~ @SustenanceRVA		sustenancerva.com
Tarrant's Café		Southern Classics				tarrantscaferva.com
Monique's Crepes		Crepes		~ @MoniquesCrepes		moniquescepes.com
Paris Creperie		Crepes		~ @pariscreperie1
Gelati Celesti		Homeade Ice Cream		~ @GelatiCelesti		gelatiicecream.com
King of Pops		Gourmet Popsicles		~ @KingOfPopsRVA		kingofpops.net
Mister Softee Rva		Ice Cream		~ @MisterSofteeRVA
Soul Ice		Fresh Ice Cones		~ @SoulIceBaby		soul-ice.com
Bombay Express		Indian
Chef Kelly's Taqueria		Mexican
Christie's New York		Sandwiches
Hot Dog Man in the Can		Hot Dogs
Mike's
Pop's Food Stop
Simon's a la Cart		Wraps
Stop by the Toastie's		Panini's
Toastie's Panini Grill		Panini's

     So, there we have it folks... the best list I could come up with. A few notes to keep in mind:

1) I think I'm missing some

2) I'm not sure all these websites are 100% accurate

3) There was no information to be found on the last 9. I'm not even sure they still exist.

4) If you have a cart to add or info that needs to be changed you can either comment here, tweet me (@GoingOutInRVA), Facebook me (Facebook Page) or email me (goingoutinrichmond@gmail.com)

     I hope this list helps you realize that sure, you may have hit 10 trucks this summer, but there are a TON more out there to explore. Get to it Richmond. 

Central Virginia Celtic Festival

10/19/13:

Stars: 4.6 out of 5.0

Pros: Plenty of space, Attractive Beer Choice, Excellent Exhibits, Quality Food, Music

Cons: Parking Entrance Confusion

     When I heard there was going to be a Celtic festival in Richmond my inner Irishman hauled himself drunkenly up onto his wobbly potato fed legs, stamped out of the peat house of my soul and began to jig. I love a good festival. Especially one that celebrates my roots. SB was going with some friends and they invited me to join them. We agreed to meet there and, after a long night at work, I drove to RIR to meet the group.

     The Central Virginia Celtic Festival (Celtic Festival) was held at the Richmond International Raceway Complex. This allowed for a big parking area and plenty of room for the event. They were able to spread the food, music and events out enough so you didn't feel cramped. I was a big fan of the layout. It was just perfectly conducive to this festival.

     What I didn't like was trying to figure out how in the HELL to get into the parking area. Maybe this was something that just I suffered with, but it was a damn struggle. I pulled into 2 entrances that were wrong before even seeing a sign indicating where to consider going. An extra sign or 5 wouldn't hurt to direct us simple folk who have never been to RIR. Just saying...

     I bought my ticket and met up with the group. We all stood around chatting for a bit before I determined I would like to have a beer. Now, being a Celtic festival, I expected certain beers. I was not disappointed. On tap, for a mere $5 a cup, was Guinness, Harp, New Castle, Smithwicks and Angry Orchard cider. If these don't speak to Celtic ideas of drink, I don't know what would. Except the Irish coffee tent or the scotch tasting area. I grabbed a New Castle and decided it was time to wander the tents.

     PG and I broke off from the group to wander around a bit. We wandered among the tents eyeing the wares & knick-knacks. Eventually we made our way to the athletics area where we were able to witness a competition that involved throwing a giant log after carrying it a long way. What this event was or what the rules are, we never quite determined. But I think that is the unimportant part. It was interesting to watch and, as I predicted, the skinny chick did better then the big girls. She carried the crap outta that log. As we walked around I also found out some information on my family's name and where in Ireland we hail from.

     After returning to the group we realized it was time for a snack. I was torn between a classic (scotch eggs) and the unknown (haggis). In the end the evil I know was way more appealing then the one I didn't. scotch eggs won out. Basically, for those who don't know, a scotch egg is not a booze soaked chicken baby in a hard shell. It is a hard-boiled egg wrapped in sausage and deep fried. Healthy may not be the first word I would use to describe it, but exquisite is up there. It came served on a bed of french fries. I promptly devoured every amazing bite. We topped this meal off with some fresh made, still warm Mrs. Yoder's Doughtnuts (Mrs. Yoder's Facebook). I won't get into that amazingness in detail here, but know that your mouth will hate you for waiting so long to try them if you haven't yet.

     As we ate we were fortunate enough to listen to some excellent music. The stage was set-up so it could be heard from most areas of the festival without being over-powering. The band that was on while we ate was very good. They got the crowd involved and played some great covers of bands such as Drop-Kick Murphys. There was a huge group of people in front of the stage that were just jamming out. If it hadn't been for the rain, I would have been willing to stand and listen to them longer.

     The Central Virginia Celtic Festival was a well organized and well laid out event. I had a great time, had a good beer, ate some great food, watched some logs get chucked and even learned a thing or two. I will certainly attend next year. Maybe I'll even see if I can find a kilt. Boxers are optional with a kilt, right?