I'm going to Ft. Lee Virginia in a week for a two week Army course. It will be my first time visiting in this region. I will be staying in Colonial Heights.
Is there a local food that you can recommend. For example, Minneapolis-Juicy Lucy, Colorado-Green Chilie, Hawaii-Plate lunch, Chicago-Deep dish pizza and Chicago dog, Nashville-meat and three. I think you get what I mean. I like hole in the wall places like you see on Dinners, Dives, and Drive-Inns. What actually is considered the "local" fare of this area?
Also, if you have tips on Civil War museums, please let me know.
Mike~
The Rappahannock River is the source of good local oysters, and they can be found at a restaurant called Rappahannock along with other 'local' favorites. Civil War history is everywhere in Richmond. The Tredegar Iron Works Museum was interesting, and Appomattox Court House is not far out of town...
What would you consider is the "local" food for the region?
I second the Rappahannock Oyster House. They have happy hour Mon - Thu 4- 6 PM. If soft shell Crab is in season, I would go for that as Richmond is close to the Chesapeake Bay. I'm not sure "grits" is really a Virginia thing, but a lot of places serve them with shrimp (and it is actually one of my favorite southern dishes).
There are actually a lot of adventurous but unassuming restaurants that use local ingredients even if they are not typically southern. Saison was an example of that type of place as was the taco place we went to.
As for sightseeing, do not miss the "Confederate White House" (which is attached to the Civil War Museum) and the Capitol. The latter was not exactly a Civil War site but was much more interesting than I thought it would be. It contains a lot of artwork and a life-sized statue of Robert E. Lee in the exact spot where he famously announced his intention to fight for the Confederacy.
Here is a link to the earlier thread. http://www.chowhound.com/post/eat-ric...
In truth, my best meal in Richmond was at L'Opossum...and it turned out to be a James Beard nominated restaurant.
by Jen Wheeler | Need a spring vegetable guide to what's in season? Consider this your spring produce cheat sheet—complete...
by Rachel Johnson | Whether the kids are still distance learning or returning to a classroom, with school back in session...
by Kelly Magyarics | You’ve sprung for a gorgeous piece of enameled cast iron cookware; protect your investment by cleaning...
by Debbie Wolfe | Home chefs love wood cutting boards because they are durable and reliable. Wood boards are attractive...