Three milks, two J's, and at least one lobster roll
We've got some great NEW options this week--cakes to eat, longreads to scroll through, and restaurants to anticipate.
MAKE WAY FOR CAKE
Every day is someone’s birthday, and if you think about it, it’s kind of rude not to celebrate. Thank god Whisk is debuting a new cake menu featuring masterpieces like the Candy Bar Cake--That’s a dark chocolate layer cake with peanut butter buttercream, chocolate ganache, dulce de leche caramel, and chopped salted peanuts. W U T.
See also: The Grasshopper Cake--a crisp, minty romp of a cake with a mint cookies ‘n’ cream buttercream that’s studded with Whisker cookie crumbs. Occasionally, these beauties will make by-the-slice appearances at Whisk, so keep your cake-loving eyes glued to Whisk's Instagram. OH AND THERE’S A SWEET CORN CAKE. So, in conclusion: #CAKEFORPRESIDENT.
DID SOMEONE SAY CAKE!?
TWO NORMAL-SIZED J’S
What if you could be a fly on the wall during a long and winding conversation between two of Richmond’s most fascinating inhabitants? RTD food critic and food stylist Elliott Shaffner was just such a fly when J Frank and Jay Barrows dined the night away at Lemaire.
YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!
Kids will sit more or less still for the length of a well-told story, and that’s exactly what Perk! in Bon Air is offering every Thursday at 3:00. Go answer some emails and/or soak in the comforting presence of a latte and a spanikopita handpie while your little one sits, transfixed, in a nearby, safe, adorable little funroom completely and totally not bothering you, for now at least.
PUPUSA ALERT
Obsessed with pupusas? ME TOO. Maybe we should start a club? And our first act of business as a club will be a trip to DC for the second annual PupusaFest this Sunday, June 26th. According to the article, they'll be flipping over 10,000 of the Salvadoran masa pancakes starting at 8:00 am. I hereby call this meeting of the Pupusa-Lover's Club to order!
IF YOU DO NOTHING ELSE…
Go get yourself a lobster roll and a bunch of bubbly beverages at Barrel Thief on Thursday, June 30th. These sparkling wines are anything but Champagne. Think cavas and cremants, perhaps a prosecco! But, don’t worry, you can still pour them all over your Galaxy S7 if you want. Bubbly tasting is $15/person, and Lobster Rolls go for a cool $20. Throw in a taste of Iberico ham for free dollars, and you've got quite a night on your hands.
SIP OF THE WEEK: TINY BUBBLES
Richmond Magazine's Stephanie Breijo shared a glimpse into some of the best non-alcoholic bubbles in Richmond last week from the unexpectedly sprucey bevs at Roaring Pines to the fresh, effervescent concoctions at Dutch & Co.and Stroops. I'm partial to Stroops' celery soda, which pairs beautifully with the roasted garlic beef dog, even if it does result in the gnarliest of burps.
BITE OF THE WEEK: NIGHTINGALE STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE ICE CREAM SANDWICH
Last week, I was singing the praises of Whisk’s macaron ice cream sandwich, and I stand by that fully. This week, we return to the classics, but the classics are better than we remember them, thanks to Nightingale Ice Cream Sandwiches, the brainchild of Hannah Pollack, Executive Chef at Greenleaf’s Pool Room.
The concept is simple: Take something we all love, and make it even more worthy of our adulation with smart flavor combos and good technique. The shortcake cookie that surrounds their freshly-churned strawberry ice cream stands up admirably to freezing but is mercifully biteable after a few seconds out of the freezer, while the strawberry ice cream itself is as creamy as it is dreamy. According to RVA Mag, Pollack has more flavors in mind for the summer, including chocolate-covered cherry and white peach.
INSTAGRAM OF THE WEEK: @SHAGBARKRVA
