sometimes the most seemingly simple things...aren't. (Noah Sandoval's spring roll at Fire, Flour & Fork)

THAT'S A WRAP

The Jackdaw has been one of the most prolific pop-up outfits in RVA this past year, clocking in at a total of nine pop-ups since January. They'll be hosting their final dinner of 2017 on Monday, November 13th at Citizen. Ang Sarap will be a 5-course Filipino feast featuring a starter of White Stone Oysters, plus Lamb Sinigang (border springs lamb ribs, tamarind-miso broth, bok choy, potato), and Lechon Liempo (roasted pork belly, lemongrass, crab fat rice, soft egg, mang tomas). Tickets are just under $70/person on Eventbrite, and include tax and gratuity.

LE MEC DE LA ROGUE D'À CÔTÉ

Want to go to a dinner party hosted by Chef Johnny Maher of The Rogue Gentlemen? I can't help you with that; you probably have to be his actual friend. But! You can do something very similar at "Le Mec," where, starting Sunday, November 19th, Maher will return to the kitchen at RG to flex his classical French technique in a thoroughly modern way. Make reservations by emailing lemec.rva@gmail.com.

DESSERT FIRST

Pastry chef Ben Lee will skip right to the good stuff at a dessert-only pop-up this Saturday, November 11th at Sub Rosa Bakery. Lee will prepare three courses, using seasonal ingredients, with optional wine pairings. Eventbrite leads me to believe this one is already sold out, so keep your peepers peeled for future Sub Ro pop-ups!

THE SWEETEST THING

Speaking of sweets, Mahogany Sweets grand opening is Saturday, November 11th at 4:00 pm. There will be a ribbon cutting ceremony and plenty of delicious treats.

THE (BEER) CITY THAT STOUT BUILT

Richmond, VA is officially a beer destination, with local breweries bagging national and international awards and praise seemingly every week. And we all owe a hat tip to the beer that, in many ways, put Richmond on the craft beer map: Hardywood Brewery's Gingerbread Stout. Yes, Richmond has made some great beers before and after GBS, but none have quite hit the mark the same way--the timing, for this beer, released first in 2011, is everything.

It's not just that the coveted Christmas stout draws long lines of adoring fans or sells out in Springsteen-tickets-esque time--It's the way Hardywood's most popular brew brings together the community, using Casselmonte Farm's ginger and Cy Bearer's local honey to create something that's specifically and uniquely Richmond. Food & Wine took notice and tapped into How a Christmas Beer Built a Brewery: The Story of Hardywood's Gingerbread Stout.

PREPARE YE, PREPARE YE

The holidays are creepin' up on us, and if you haven't gotten your restaurant ready for the season, don't worry, there's still time. (but, like, hurry.) We shared five tips for holiday readiness with our friends at PFG because, let's face it, this onslaught is coming whether you're prepared for it or not!

THEY LIKE US, THEY REALLY LIKE US

Wine Enthusiast shares where to drink when in the River City, and Tasting Table dubs Proper's the best pies in Virginia on a list of the best pies and pie shops in each state!

SIP OF THE WEEK: VIRGINIA CIDER

Friday, November 10th is the beginning of Cider Week VA, so grab a bottle of fermented apple juice and say cheers. You've got a ton of great options for cider enjoyment this week. Here are our top three picks:

And then, there's the grandaddy of them all: The 5th Annual Richmond Cider Celebration, this Saturday from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm in Shockoe Bottom, featuring 10 VA cideries, plus food from The Savory Grain, tasting and pairing events, and, yes, apple cider donuts.

BITE OF THE WEEK: FFF FLASHBACKS

Fire, Flour & Fork came and went. It's hard for me to comprehend the fact that it was a week ago today when I sat down to a stunning meal at Shagbark at the hands of chefs Walter Bundy, Chris Hastings & Jeremiah Bacon; but time keeps on ticking and here we are. The four-day foodie gauntlet drew in crowds of about 2000 guests for culinary tours, expert presentations, dine-arounds, lunches, brunches and dinners galore. Here are my top five bites of the weekend (in order of appearance):

Walter Bundy's Roasted Virginia Clams with surry sausage, baby spinach, grayson fondue, peppadew peppers and parmesan. It is dangerous to start a meal this way because all you want is MORE CLAMS, but what can I say, Bundy lives on the edge.
Joe Sparatta & Cory Bahr's Fluke Tartare with yuzu kosho, herb dashi, Tomten Farm's turnip & radish and roe. In a dinner that highlighted sustainable seafood, this was a very smart way to feature fluke, a fish that doesn't often get its due.
Kristen Kish's Orange Sherbet float with goat's milk soda and fennel + Brittanny Anderson's donut with persimmon and hazelnut. It's a tie between these two final courses of the Top of the Hill Technique dinner at Metzger Bar & Butchery. Both desserts were playful and personal and worthy of unashamed plate licking.
Yeshi Demisse's injera casserole. Injera, the Ethiopian flatbread, acted as a kind of lasagna noodle, housing layers of yellow lentils, red lentils and stewed collards, with a berbere-spiced farmers cheese on the side. I've never thought to bring Ethiopian flavors to my Thanksgiving table before, but this is the year and the dish to change that.
Noah Sandoval's Carabineros Spring Roll with shio kombu, enoki and mint. The first course of the Oriole + Longoven dinner was bright and fresh, a keen insight into how Oriole has managed to retain its two Michelin stars for yet another year, and an excellent way to start an epic 5-hour gastronomic experience.

'GRAM OF THE WEEK: @PERCH_RVA

Mike Ledesma's new restaurant, in the former Joy Garden space in Scott's Addition, will be called Perch. In a press release, Ledesma says, "I want it to be a space where guests know they can ‘perch’ and stay a while and not feel rushed through their meal." The location is projected to open in February, 2018, if all goes according to plan.

The Slice: Sweets, Cider & Gingerbread Stout