Candela’s is one of those local places you have to know about to get to. It’s located in the Huguenot Village Shopping Center at the intersection of Huguenot and Robious. But it’s tucked away in a corner. And, just like the PTA night, they’re a great supporter of the local community.

Once inside, the atmosphere is nice, but casual. There are plenty of booths and tables, along with a big screen TV usually showing sports. I can imagine it fills up on game night. When we were there it was busy, but not crowded. Some classic arcade games help the kids, and some adults, pass the time while the food is being prepared.

The menu is pretty authentic Italian. Owner Rocco Demasi brings more of a New York flavor to the pizza and food. The New York style pizza is great and very similar to the type of pizza you can buy by the slice in New York City. Large slices that are foldable just like some think pizza should be. There are plenty of toppings to create your pie just as you like it. Not a traditional red sauce fan? Try the white sauce pizza with mozzarella and ricotta, and then add your choice of broccoli or spinach.

Not in the mood for pizza. Not to worry because that isn’t the only menu choice by any stretch. I was pleasantly pleased with the lasagna. The sauce was rich and had a good tomato flavor. But you can also choose from house specialties like Gnocchi Bolognese, Chicken Modena or Fettuccini Shrimp, Scallop, Crab Alfredo. Whatever you choose I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with your selection.

A generous soup and salad bar is available to accompany your meal, along with fresh garlic bread brought to your table. But don’t fill up on those before your entre gets there. I haven’t tried the cheesesteak, but other reviewers give it very high marks. The menu also comes with a good selection of burgers and subs.

We did notice that the prices had gone up since the last time we were there, but that’s to be expected over time. Still the servings were generous and we didn’t think it was overpriced at all.

Our server was very knowledgeable about the menu and offered some helpful suggestions. She was the one who helped me decide on the lasagna, and like I said, I wasn’t disappointed. She kept our drinks full and gave our table plenty of attention even though she was pretty busy.

Candela’s is a great place to go if you’re looking for good pizza and good Italian food. There aren’t a lot of non-chain Italian restaurants in Midlothian. So if you’re looking for an option that’s not CiCi’s or Olive Garden (those places are fine, but predictable), then Candela’s might be just the place for you to try.

Candela’s Restaurant is located at 2021 Huguenot Road, North Chesterfield. You can call in an order at 804-560-1678. But give dining-in a try. You’ll find it a pleasant experience in a great, casual, family atmosphere. Keep in mind that they’re closed on Monday.

Shockoe Bottom contains much of the land included in Colonel William Mayo’s 1737 plan of Richmond, making it one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods

Anchoring the Slip since 1999 has been Siné (pronounced “Shin-áy) Irish Pub and Restaurant.  Like many of the establishments in the Slip, Siné is houses in a renovated warehouse.  But rather than just refurbishing with American made products, the interior of Siné was actually designed and built in Ireland and then shipped across the Atlantic Ocean.

It doesn’t take St. Patrick’s Day to remind us that the pub was a central gathering place in Ireland.   And Siné is designed to be just that.  They throw one of the best St. Patrick’s Day parties in town.  There’s a large bar but with plenty of spacious dining area, and when weather permits there’s the patio out back.  The patio doesn’t give a great view of the Canal Walk, but still it’s a pleasant space when the weather is just right.

Truth be told, this is more of a restaurant than a pub.  But don’t let that stop you from giving it a try.  The all wood interior with brass fixtures makes feel warm and authentic.  There’s a good selection of beers and a good menu with lots of favorite choices.

The menu at Siné includes traditional Irish pub fare as well as American favorites.    Menu choices include a great beer batter fish ‘n chips, crab cakes, and more traditional Irish fare like Shepherd’s Pie and Corned Beef and Cabbage.  While you wouldn’t necessarily call it fine cuisine, the food is good pub food, is filling and is reasonably priced.   We’ve been there several times, not always for the beer, and we’ve never been disappointed with the menu choices.

As for the beer selection you’ll find the standard American Irish Pub beers, including Bass, Guinness, Murphy’s Amber, Murphy’s Stout and more.  While Richmond may offer better options for craft beers, with some seventeen draft beer choices, you’ll have plenty to choose from and you won’t be disappointed.

Live entertainment is available on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.  If you choose to go then you’ll typically find yourself in a crowd of young professionals out for a night on the town.    But it’s also a popular lunch spot for the weekday crowd.  It’s convenient to the Capital as well as the Main Street business section of town.

The service at Siné is warm and friendly.  You’ll find better table service on the less crowded weeknights.  Still the bartenders and wait staff are there to make sure that your meal, and your beverages are enjoyable.

If you decide to give Siné a try, you won’t be disappointed.  That’s particularly true if you’re a fan of Irish brews and food.  Consider giving it a try on a week night or perhaps a weekday lunch so that you can experience the atmosphere and the food without the crush of a weekend crowd.

Siné Irish Pub and Restaurant is located at 1327 East Cary Street in Shockoe Slip. Restaurant hours are Sunday through Tuesday 11:30 a.m. until 12 midnight; Wednesday -Thursday from 11:30 a.m. until 1:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. until 2:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Inside the restaurant, located near Powhite Parkway and Midlothian Turnpike, the atmosphere seemed updated and the restaurant larger than we remembered.   Apparently the restaurant had a grand re-opening last fall, so maybe that’s when they made the improvements.  We didn’t get to sit next to the large fish tanks, but the some of the fish seem to have retired, or at least disappeared.  But we realized we’d never taken the younger son there.  Did I mention that he was twelve?

Since we got there pretty early on a Sunday, it looked as though the buffet had just been set up.  So the Japanese sushi bar was pretty impressive.  The same could be said for the cold seafood bar featuring shrimp, crawfish and oysters.  A chef will also cook up a special stir fry for you after you choose the ingredients.

Sunday also meant that we missed out on steak and crab legs, but there were plenty of choices.

As you might expect from an Asian buffet, there was a wide selection of entrees including General Tso’s Chicken, Sweet and Sour Chicken, Broccoli and Chicken…wait that sounds like a lot of chicken.  But there were beef and seafood choices as well.

While there were a few American choices, the majority of the food was Asian.  But I suppose the pizza and tacos rounded out the international part.

The salad bar was okay, but nothing special.  I don’t get too excited when the only choice is iceberg lettuce.  But at least there was salad.  The fruits were peaches and pineapples which obviously came from a can, but they were presented nicely along with the jello.

I sometimes wonder about the desserts on buffets such as this.  There was a selection of various flavor cakes, cookies and coconut macaroons.  And something that looked like it might have been an attempt at banana pudding.  It didn’t look bad.  It just didn’t look like banana pudding.

Back on the main buffet, the spring rolls and the Chinese donuts were both fresh and good.

Am I going to scream that I’ve found the best international buffet in Richmond?  No, not really.  But the food was decent and the price was right.  In fact the price was right enough for the Sunday buffet at $9.99, so we didn’t need to use the coupon.

Maybe we’ll go back and use the coupon in the evening and check out the steak and crab legs.

And, if you’re a fan of “A Christmas Story,” they’re open on Christmas Day.

One of the best options for great food on a budget in Richmond is pizza. This area is full of pizzerias which offer delicious and authentic Italian food at affordable price. Mary Angela’s Pizza and Subs is probably one of the most popular options, as is Giovanni’s Pizza. Whilst the restaurants themselves might not be particularly luxurious, you will be able to bag yourself a decent meal which certainly won’t cost you a fortune.

Sushi and Asian food is also a great option for those looking to dine out in this area, as many of these types of eateries have great offers on throughout the week. Popular venues such as Sticky Rice often offer half price sushi on certain times and dates, for example, and Akida usually has a good lunchtime deal which is sure to appeal to those on a budget. If you’re usually the sort of person who tend to stick to coffee houses where they can order a simple sub whilst using the Wifi to play online at http://www.cheekybingo.com/, then this can be the perfect excuse to branch out! If you’ve never tried Thai or Vietnamese food before, then use your time in Richmond to do so without spending a fortune.

If you really want to keep costs down, then why not just head out for desert? Bev’s Homemade Ice Cream offers an amazing range of flavors and huge portions for a good price, whilst Sweet Frog is renowned for it’s delicious range of ice cream toppings to be found at their Toppings Bar. Both are well worth a visit, whatever your budget might be.

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Carytown has always had that eclectic feel. We were certainly not disappointed with the festive atmosphere at Nacho Mama’s. Because they’re located in an old house the restaurant is a mixture of old town Richmond and bright festive Mexican décor. It has a funky, playful side and is a great location for post meal window shopping a few days before Christmas.

Nacho Mama’s has been a staple on Cary Street since they opened over 15 years ago. Established at 3449 W. Cary Street in September of 1996, Nacho Mama’s has been the recipient of many awards including Best Margarita in Richmond, Best Patio and Best Carytown Restaurant.

Since we were there late afternoon, we didn’t have to wait for a table. But of course, like most locations in Carytown that changes later in the day and evening. We were escorted to a table in the upstairs room where we could dine in comfort and watch what was happening on Cary Street.

In a celebratory mood, the adults in the crowd took at look at the bar menu first. I went standard with a Dos Equis, but my wife and older son went straight to the margaritas. My wife opted for the Raspberry, and my college-aged son went with the VCU Margarita, which is a mango flavored frozen margarita with blueberry liquor that swirls up through the glass. My son thought it was good, but wasn’t a fond of the blueberry flavor. It did however inspire a young gentleman at the next table to order one in celebration of his 21st birthday. But don’t stop with those flavors. There are many more margaritas to choose from. Some patrons say that’s the best thing Nacho Mama’s has to offer. I may have to go back just to check that out.

Chips and salsa are standard fare at Mexican restaurants and Nacho Mama’s does not disappoint. While the salsa was not overly impressive the queso was an amazing blend of flavors. We ordered a second round of chips to go with ours. Our afternoon was pretty casual, but we were still in search of a meal. Still, I could see many a fine hour spent there with the chips and queso accompanied by a margarita of choice.

The menu at Nacho Mama’s is a blend of Tex Mex, Cuban, Caribbean, Californian and American. So there’s plenty to choose from. And that includes your standard burger for the not so adventurous among you.

The younger son went with an a al carte choice of three tacos, pork, chicken and beef. After filling up on chips and queso, he couldn’t eat them all but happily took one home for lunch the next day. My wife chose a combo and older son went with the enchiladas. He liked them, but was not a fan of the salsa verde.

I was well pleased with the Arroz con Pollo which is season chicken sliced and served over a bed of Spanish rice then topped with queso and pico de gallo.

Nacho Mama’s has lots of special events to draw you in, including Monday’s when beverages are $3 all day long.

I don’t know that I’d put Nacho Mama’s on the list of the best Tex Mex/Mexican food I’ve ever had. But the food was great and the atmosphere even better.

The downtown location carries 53 beers on tap. That’s not a misprint. There’s a huge selection of ales, pilsners, stouts, porters and more with selections from around the world. In addition all Capital Ale House locations carry two cask-conditioned “real” ales as well as over 250 bottled beers. If you’re a beer fan, you’ll always find something new to try.

If you’ve got a bucket list, trying all the beers at Capital Ale House might be a challenge to undertake. But I’d recommend you start soon. And keep in mind that Wednesday is “Virginia Beer Day” where you can support, and try the beers from, local breweries.

Our lunch was at the original location in Downtown Richmond. Capital Ale House sits in a 108-year-old building. Enjoy the bar in the front room. Larger groups like ours can dine in the back. Seasonally enjoy the Beer Garden. And a separate lower level gaming area has four dart boards and other games. It’s a great place to join your co-workers or friends after work. Right on Main Street, the downtown location is close to the Capital, the Carpenter Center, Tredegar and Brown’s Island.

In addition to the Downtown location there are locations in Innsbrook, Midlothian and Fredericksburg. A new location will open soon in Harrisonburg.

While the beer selections are awesome, beer doesn’t fit into most office luncheons so let’s talk a little about the menu. If you want a fine dining experience, then perhaps Capital Ale House shouldn’t be your choice. But for casual, pub type dining, the food is great. Remember, this is a bar, an Ale House, not a restaurant. So expect a more traditional bar type menu.

Most folks around our table opted for a burger or sandwich and there are many choices. The Ale House Burger is standard fare. All burgers at the Capital Ale House are Certified Angus Beef and are cooked to order. Most burgers come with Belgian style frites served with flavored mayonnaise.

I opted for the soup of the day and a salad. The soup was white bean and ham. I asked for a cup but was told they only had “small” bowls. Truth be told, the bowl was far from small and most days I would’ve been happy to skip the salad. But I’m glad I didn’t. I chose the Apple and Bleu Salad, which is mixed greens, bleu cheese and spiced walnuts dressed with balsamic vinaigrette. It was an excellent choice.

If you do opt to go there for dinner there’s a good selection of steak and poultry as well as seafood and pasta. But, like I said, keep in mind this is a bar and their specialty is beer. That’s not to say you won’t enjoy the food selections. If you’re out for a good time with friends, and a few brews, you’ll be pleased with your choices. If you want a fine culinary experience, then perhaps after the brews, you head down to Shockoe Bottom for a different dining selection.

Capital Ale House doesn’t have a traditional happy hour. But each day of the week there are specific specials. In addition to Wednesday being Virginia Beer Day, you can enjoy Burger Night on Monday where select burgers are available for $2.00 with the purchase of a beverage. Tuesday is “Steal the Glass Night” beginning at 4:00 p.m. While supplies last you can order a beer from the featured brewery and take home the special glassware.

For a casual good food, good brews type of experience, Capital Ale House is a great choice.

The Bomba: Mango, Passion Fruit and Raspbery Sorbet in the shape of a ball, dipped in White chocolate.

While the location of Little Venice is unassuming, inside you’ll find a most delightful dining experience. Little Venice is located in a strip mall off of Ridgefield Parkway in the West End of Richmond.

Brothers Alberto and Peppino Mastromano, who hail from the Isle of Capri, own Little Venice. They’ve owned several restaurants in Richmond over the years. Their success continues in the present location. You’re likely to be greeted by one of the brothers as you enter the restaurant.

We arrived with our party of eight. Since it was a Saturday evening reservations were necessary. We were promptly seated at a comfy table in the back of the restaurant. The friendly atmosphere was enhanced by the cheerful greetings from every staff, or family, member we encountered on our way back.

The menu itself was a bit overwhelming. But that was before our waiter came to give us the list of specials. They all sounded delightful, but it became problematic that there were so many to choose from. Still, the waiter was more than happy to repeat the selections.

There’s an extensive wine list, but most of our party was underage, so we took a pass. I look forward to going back and enjoy the waiter’s recommendations for pairing with the meal.

We also passed on appetizers since the entrees come with salad. I had the house salad, but several chose the Caesar which is offered with or without anchovies.

With eight in our group, we have a variety of entre choices. I had one of the evening specials, the flounder almandine. The flounder was excellent, although the almonds were a bit overpowering for the fish. The creamy mashed potatoes and crisp green beans were an excellent complement to the meal. One of the younger members of our group wanted Chicken Marsala, which was not on the menu. But the waiter very graciously said, I think I can get that for you, and he did.

The young college gentleman in our group that ordered the filet was delighted with his choice because I’m pretty sure he’d not been eating like that in the school cafeteria. His description was that it was perfectly seasoned and cooked.

Rounding out our entre choices were the Vitello al Marsala, veal loin sautéed with Marsala wine and mushrooms, the Pollo Alla Romana which is a boneless, skinless chicken breast sautéed with artichoke hearts, fresh tomato and mozzarella, finished in a white wine sauce. And the resident seafood lovers in our group chose the special of crab and pasta served in a white sauce. There were no complaints from anyone. We were too busy eating.

After bread, salad and our entrees, we weren’t really thinking about dessert until we heard the choices.

Our hosts had been there many times before, and had been the ones to select the restaurant. So, while after the salad and entre we were feeling rather satisfied, when time came for dessert there were some definite must haves.

Highly recommended was the Bomba. The Bomba is a Mango, Passion Fruit and Raspberry Sorbet in the shape of a ball, dipped in white chocolate. When served it’s sliced like fruit into four equal sections. Also delightful is the Tartufo which is Vanilla and chocolate ice cream rolled in hazelnut and chocolate truffle.

If you’re looking for what goes for typical Americanized Italian food, then perhaps Little Venice isn’t your choice. If you just want pasta and red sauce, go to that place that gives you the endless salad and bread sticks.

Little Venice is a dining experience, not just a meal. And it’s a delightful one.

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The restaurant is attached to Bass Pro Shops which is an outdoor enthusiast’s dream, even without the restaurant. Inside the rustic décor and comfy large farm tables great you and make you feel at home. But that pales in comparison to the 12,000 gallon salt water tank that forms the wall between the bar and restaurant. The tank is full of huge colorful tropical fish. Guidebooks on your table tell you about the varieties of fish in the tank.

Islamorada Fish Company is a chain, but not along the lines of a Red Lobster chain. Still on the menu you will find shrimp, crab cakes, walleye, salmon and more. Then there are wild game offerings of venison, buffalo and alligator. The less adventurous can go for a steak, chicken or a great burger.

When your server greets you and before they take your order, they bring to your table a fresh loaf of fine sugar glazed bread. It’s a treat that goes down a little too easy. We always find ourselves asking for at least one more order of the bread.

If you want to be adventurous but don’t want to commit to a full meal of adventure, you can try the Island Sampler which includes Calamari, Alligator, Cheese Quesadilla, and Chicken Wings. We don’t get that every time, but it was great for an 11-year-old’s birthday and a table full of friends.

Our last trip there did not disappoint. We’d spent the afternoon with one last round on our King’s Dominion season’s passes. We were tired and hungry when we got to the restaurant. It was a Saturday night, so we had about a forty-five minute wait for our table of three. But even if you’re not into hunting and camping, there’s no shortage of fascinating window shopping in the store.

For our meal, my son, the adventurous 11-year-old chose grilled tilapia. It came with fresh sautéed vegetables and wild rice. He loved it all. From the grilled menu he could also have chosen salmon, mahi mahi, farm raised catfish, scallops, tuna or shrimp.

My wife and I went a little more basic. She was delighted with fish and chips which includes Islamorada’s own thick-cut chips that they make on site. I went for the Tournament Series Bacon Cheeseburger which is a premium half-pound beef burger with bacon and American cheese. We were not disappointed.

If you eat out on a regular basis, the prices at Islamorada are reasonable. We opted to skip the alcohol and desserts this time, so we got out of there for under $50 and that included the tip.

Islamorada Fish Company is convenient to get to, but for most Richmonders, it’s not exactly close by. Still if you’re in the area, or if you need to shop for a new boat, hunting rifle, or those camouflage flannel sheets you’ve been dreaming of, it’s a great place for a great meal.

We’ll be back soon.

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Asian Galaxy offers Chinese, Japanese and Thai cuisine, so there are lots of choices. And of course you’ll find sushi, teriyaki, tempura along with friendly service and cocktails. But I wonder if that wide a range of cuisine is too ambitious. I’ll explain in a minute.

We went on a Sunday afternoon. Actually it was late Sunday morning because we showed up before they were actually open. Monday through Saturday they open at 11:00 a.m. On Sunday, they open at 11:30. But we were happy to wait an extra ten minutes.

Once inside we were happy about the wait, the dining space is warm and inviting. It’s almost enough to make you forget that you’re dining at the intersection of Forest Hill and the Powhite.

With our adventurous middle school son, there’s always a challenge of talking him down from the most expensive sushi on the menu. An extensive menu like the one at Asian Galaxy makes it even more of an event. Eventually we settling on splitting a simple California roll ($4.25). The son may be adventurous, but Mom and Dad really aren’t.

The sushi was delightful and tasty. But the most amazing part was the beautiful presentation.

For our entrees we also played it somewhat save since it was our first experience here. The son ordered the General Tso’s Chicken ($7.95) and had no trouble cleaning his plate. My wife went over to the Japanese menu and had the Teriyaki Chicken ($12.95). She was equally pleased.

I opted to try something a little different and ordered the Pineapple Chicken ($10.95). Unfortunately, this is the part where there might just be too many choices on the menu. My hearing isn’t the best and apparently it’s not any better than the waitresses English. I thought it rude to point, so when she repeated my order I nodded politely.

I should have pointed. When the order came, she brought me the Pad Thai chicken. It was an honest mistake. Some days I would have just said that’s okay, but I had my taste buds set for the pineapple. So the waitress graciously took the Pad Thai back and about fifteen minutes later brought me the original order.

All in all we were delighted with our experience and plan to try it again soon. Maybe next time, we’ll be a little more daring in our menu choices.

Asian Galaxy offers their full menu online. You can browse and work up an appetite, or you can order take out. Check them out today.

Asian Galaxy
7048 Forest Hill Ave
Richmond, VA 23225

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The eleven-year-old who is fine tuned to remember these details said, “Oh yeah, Mom and I ate at the one in Lynchburg.” So, we gave it a try and found out that this Dickey’s location, the first in the Richmond area, had been opened precisely two and a half days.

Dickey’s Barbeque Pit is a chain based in Texas where they opened their first restaurant in 1941. Dickey’s says “The original location is still open for business and Dickey’s Barbecue is still owned and operated by the Dickey Family.”

Inside the atmosphere was casual and friendly, and to be honest, arranged a lot like the former Moe’s. But the décor was what you’d expect from a good Texas barbecue restaurant that’s reasonably priced. And that’s what Dickey’s is.

Once inside you choose your meat entre from a selection of pulled pork, beef brisket which is sliced or chopped, marinated chicken, ribs and even Polish sausage. And you get to choose the size of your portion from the quarter plate, the full meat plate, two meats or ribs. All plates come with the choice of two sides, pickles, onions, a roll and barbecue sauce.

Complement your choice with a variety of sides ranging from waffle fries, to fried okra or a baked potato casserole. You won’t be disappointed.

Having married into a North Carolina family, I understand the distinctions of barbecue style so I can tell you that you won’t be disappointed at Dickey’s. If you’re more inclined to prefer your barbecue on a sandwich with slaw, you can do that as well.

More of casual, family style place to eat; Dickey’s offers plenty of beverage choices. But if you’re looking for a brew to help wash down that pulled pork, you won’t find it at Dickey’s.

But you can become a member of the Big Yellow Cup Club and purchase your large drink in a refillable, reusable and totally recyclable plastic cup. The Big Yellow Cups are made out of #5 recyclable plastic, so even if you don’t decide to keep yours, it can be recycled for another day.

We’re not exactly sure though what the benefits are for joining the Big Yellow Cup Club. The signup page at the website isn’t quite clear on that. You get benefits and deals. We just can’t yet tell what they are.

For the sweet tooth, finish your meal off with a piece of pecan pie, or one of Dickey’s other dessert selections that vary by location. If that doesn’t appeal to you or if you just don’t want to spend the extra bucks, every Dickey’s location offers free soft serve ice cream to all their guests. What better way to top off a nice meal of barbecue and sides than with a totally free refreshing vanilla cone?

While we’re not excited about having to drive across town now if we want to be welcomed to Moe’s, Dickey’s is a great addition to the neighborhood.

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