Dining Out: Hampton Roads + COVID-19 Edition

Analise Gregory March 19, 2020

During this pandemic, it has been extremely tough on local businesses all across the country. The magic of a local restaurant is something truly special. So, I’m sharing a few of my new favorite spots in the Hampton Roads area that are currently offering curbside, to-go, online ordering, and delivery options. A few spots are even offering limited dining room seating as well. This is definitely a great way to resolve some of that cabin fever feeling you may be experiencing or if you need a break from cooking!

Check out some of my favorite dishes at these local spots below!

Commune

limited dine-in options and carry out orders

My first visit to Commune was for lunch in Norfolk, VA, and it was so delicious! I could not wait to try their brunch in the Virginia Beach location, which was much closer to home for me. As soon as you walk in you are greeted with smiles. During our visit their staff was very nice and offered great recommendations for us to order and try. We were not disappointed with any dishes we had, and any time the table is quiet during brunch it means the food is really that good.

The entrance to Commune - Virginia Beach

Crispy Fried Potatoes: Crispy fried potato, pickled mustard seeds, crumbled, farmer's cheese, roasted garlic aioli, shaved raw radish

Corneal Waffle: chicken thigh, scrambled eggs, chamomile butter, and hickory syrup

Organic Buckwheat Crepe Galette Complete: traditional french crepe with ham, melted cheddar, organic greens, and scrambled egg

Fried Chicken Sandwich: pasture-raised fried chicken thigh, organic greens, pickled mustard seeds and smoked pepper mayo on a toasted sourdough brioche bun

The Bee and The Biscuit

closed + carry out orders coming soon

The Bee and the Biscuit is a return favorite for me. I love that this place is just a few minutes away from my home, and it’s a spot my husband and I frequent quite a bit. This little gem is always packed, so be prepared to wait a little bit. The average wait time can be from 30-50 minutes, but don’t let that deter you from visiting this spot, there is bar outside! Their bartender is serving up all of the cocktails that are featured on the restaurants menu. Also, there are plenty of outdoor seating, games, and things to keep you busy while waiting for your table.

The cutest little setup at The Bee & The Biscuit

Everything is insanely delicious at this place! One of my favorite things this spot offers, is not on the menu, but if you order a bottle of champagne, you’re given a mason jar of a juice of your choice for just $20! For our group of four, it was a no brainer to select this option for our meal. My recommendation, order the blood orange - it is my absolute favorite.

El Wrapo: scrambled eggs, chorizo, cotija cheese, green onion, black beans, in a wrap, smothered with our savory sausage gravy. Served with country potatoes

Avocado Toast: grilled sunflower bread, mashed avocado, fresh herbs, drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, served with a baby arugula salad and lemon vinaigrette

The Porch on Long Creek

curbside pickup

This spot has been open for less than a year, but it is so extremely popular, and has some amazing food. Not only is the food fantastic, but the ambience is stunning. The staff is super kind, and made some wonderful recommendation during our visit. Also, the menu has such a wide variety of options from seafood to steak, you’ll have plenty to choose from!

Surf & Turf Special: grilled shrimp, steak, garlic parmesan potato wedges, creamy a jus sauce

Jumbo Lump Crab Cake: whole grain mustard sauce, jicama slaw, french fries

Heirloom

carry out

This wonderful spot is right in my neighborhood, and is in walking distance from my house - seriously, how lucky am I? Heirloom’s space is beautiful, and their food is great! I really enjoyed my experience at this local spot, and the staff was wonderful, from their in-house sommelier to the attentive waitress, we received the best service! I cannot wait to see how much of an impact this spot makes on our community, and they have only been open since December 2019!

Braised Lamb: turnip & rutabaga purée, charred brussels sprout leaves, pan jus

Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes: maple sweet potato, baby spinach

If you live in the Virginia Beach/Norfolk area, here are a few other of my favorite local spots, that are still offering curbside/to-go orders during this time:

Prosperity Kitchen & Pantry - carry out
Bay Local - carry out / online ordering + limited dining room seating
Cobalt Grille - carry out + curbside pickup
Codex - carry out
Pendulum Fine Meats & Market - curbside pickup + delivery
Hearth Wood Fired Cuisine & Craft Beer - carry out
The Butcher’s Son - carry out
Redwood Smoke Shack - dine outside + carry out / online ordering
The Atlantic - online ordering (25% off all carry our orders)
Fruitive - carry out
Tinto Wine & Cheese - delivery (6 bottle minimum) + limited seating + carry out

If you are not 100% comfortable with dining out quite yet, which is totally understandable during this time, then feel free to support your local restaurants by ordering gift cards to your favorite local spots to redeem at a later date! Also, many restaurants are selling their produce, meats, beer, wine, and speciality curated cocktail kits! There are so many ways to support local during this pandemic.

Stay safe everyone!

XO, Analise

Recipe: Parmesan Herb Homemade French Fries

Analise Gregory March 17, 2020

“French fries and vino are my vices.” - Meghan Markle

One of my indulgences are french fries! It’s always a treat when I make this yummy side dish, and let’s be real, fries are always better when shared with your favorite person.

Hand-cut french fries are always best, and it has been a goal of mine to cut out several of the prepackaged items we typically purchase from the grocery store. Making fresh fries is super easy, and now my preferred option to eat this delicious snack.

Check out how I make them below!

Homemade handcut french fries - seasoned with rosemary, thyme, sea salt, black pepper, and grated parmesan cheese

What You’ll Need:

1 bag of russet potatoes
sea salt
cracked black peppercorn
thyme
rosemary
grated parmesan cheese
canola oil (for frying) or olive oil (for oven baked)

Step 1: Begin to cut your russet potatoes at your desired thickness.

Pro Tip: The best way to ensure your fries are at an even consistency is by using a french fry potato cutter - they are inexpensive, and totally worth the investment.

Step 2: After all of the potatoes have been cut, place all of them into a large glass bowl filled with cold water, and place it in the fridge for a minimum of 8 hours.

Pro Tip: By placing your potatoes in cold water and letting them soak it prevents them from turning brown. Also, the most important reason, is that the cold water bath removes excess potato starch. This reduces the risk of the fries from sticking together when cooking and helps achieve super crispy french fries!

Step 3: Get your oil hot - 325 degrees to be exact, and begin adding your french into the cooking vessel. Also, another option is baking your fries. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees, prepare a baking sheet pan with parchment paper, and line up your french fries. Generously add olive oil, desired seasonings, and cook for 20-30 minutes or until they are golden brown.

Pro Tip: Do not overcrowd the vessel, as it will take the fries much longer to cook.

Step 4: Once your fries have a golden brown color to them, begin removing them from the fryer, and onto a stack of paper towels

Pro Tip: Immediately season them once they are out of the fryer - salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary.

Step 5: Plate your fries, and lightly dust them with grated parmesan cheese! Select your favorite dipping sauce (spicy garlic is a personal fave of mine) and enjoy!

All the delicious herbs on top of the crispy french fries

XO, Analise

Game Day Recipe: Beer Battered Chicken Nuggets

Analise Gregory January 28, 2020

“I love to make fried chicken.” - John Legend

Chicken nuggets are something that always takes me back to my childhood, and today I’m sharing a recipe that adults can totally love - beer battered chicken nuggets. Who doesn’t love chicken nuggets, and especially on game day? Having a variety of delicious handheld items are key while hosting a game day event. It’s always so much fun gathering with friends and family while rooting for your favorite team, but beer battered chicken nuggets make it so much better!

Today, I am sharing my recipe for these yummy appetizers!

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What You’ll Need:

1 pack of boneless skinless chicken breast (yields about 20 nuggets)
1 cup of flour
1 cup of beer
1 teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper
1 teaspoon of Lemon Pepper
1 teaspoon of Paprika
A pinch of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon of cracked black peppercorn
Cooking oil of your choice - Canola or Peanut

Step 1: Ensure your chicken breast is thawed out if it is frozen, rinse each piece, and begin to cut them into small nuggets. Pat them dry, and generously season your chicken with salt and pepper.

Step 2: Combine your flour and beer, and ensure it is a nice creamy texture - similar to pancake batter! Once the batter is nice and smooth, combine all seasonings: lemon pepper, paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper and stir to ensure they are distributed evenly throughout.

Pro Tip: If your batter is a little too thick, add a little bit more beer to the batter to ensure it isn’t too clumpy.

Step 3: Get your oil nice and hot! While you are waiting, begin to dip each chicken into the batter, and begin placing them into the pot. It will take about 6-8 minutes for the nuggets to get nice and brown - keep your eye on them while they fry to ensure they do not burn.

Pro Tip: Do not overcrowd the vessel, as the chicken will not cook evenly, and the beer battered chicken tenders will stick together.

Step 4: As the nuggets are reaching their golden brown color, remove them from the oil, and place them on a wire rack so they can drain any excess oil.

Step 5: Serve with your favorite dipping sauce and enjoy!

XO, Analise

Dining Out: The French Connection

Analise Gregory January 14, 2020

“In France, we love food and we enjoy food; food is pleasure.” - Mireille Guiliano

During our European vacation, food was something that was very important for us to experience during our stay. We definitely wanted to eat at some amazing places. Before our trip we reviewed several places to dine in Paris, which made our restaurant experiences so fantastic.

Our waiters and waitresses were all so kind, and made it their duty to help us through any questions with the menu. Also, many restaurants had English versions of their menu - which was super helpful! Everything we ordered always came out hot and fresh.

Below, I’m sharing where, and what we enjoyed at each place our group visited in Paris, France!

O'Chateau

Remember our amazing Champagne tour? Well, our tour guide was from O’Chateau! This spot is rated as one of the best wine bars in Paris, and they have a equally wonderful restaurant. After, our all day tour to Champagne, my best friend Alisha, recommended we dine at O’Chateau upon our return. Per the usual, my bestie made an excellent choice, and our meal was really amazing! The menu is quite small - but they have great options, and the Croque Monsieur entree was my absolute favorite during our stay in France.

Mastino

This quaint little restaurant is in the Montmartre neighborhood, and down the street from where we stayed in Paris. I loved the vibe of this restaurant, and how you can watch the chef make pizzas from scratch. Also, if you are travelling with kids - this place was a super popular spot for families. Their wine list was really good, and there were amazing options - especially their house selection.

Pro Tip: Ask about the house wine selection, many restaurants have smaller local producers that have greats wines!

Angelina

The legendary Angelina Paris was such a treat to visit and dine in. Our four person group did have to wait 30-45 minutes in line to get in, but it was totally worth it. This spot is very very popular - it is well known for its desserts and warm beverages, such as teas, hot chocolate, and coffee, but their extensive food menu was so so good! Every dish was yummy from G’s burger, my salad, our friend’s chicken risotto, and breakfast croissant - the wait was worth it for sure.

Pro Tip: Visit during off peak times, traditional meal time slots are when the restaurants are crowded the most! Also, the larger your group - the longer the wait.

Smoked salmon caesar salad with avocado, grapefruit, ripe vine tomatoes, crositni, with garlic and herb spread

Burger with tomato, cheese and pickled red onions

A cup of the iconic Angelina hot chocolate to go - L 'African

Laudrée

This spot was always packed with guests wanting to try their delicious macarons! We loved their pastries, and their exterior and decor was beautiful. You’ll be able to find this boutique pastry shop in many locations throughout Paris - even the Louvre!

Pro Tip: This popular chain has amazing desserts, but make it your duty and visit some of the local bakeries around Paris to give them a try!

The entrance to Laudrée inside the Louvre

La Maison de l'Aubrac

This little spot stole my heart, and was probably one of my favorite meals in Paris. Their pan seared scallop entree was so delicious, and the caviar on top was the perfect addition to the dish. l'Aubrac specializes in dry aged steaks, and was one of the few spots that practiced the technique with their beef. The restaurant was nice and quaint. Also, our server was so kind in helping us make the perfect wine pairing with our meal as well.

Pro Tip: Ask the server the recommended wine pairing with your dish - you’ll be surprised and happy with their selection.

Dry aged steak entree, with roasted garlic, and housemade sauce

Pan seared scallops, lime, caviar, in a bath of creamy beurre blanc sauce

Boulangerie

This neighborhood bakery was so cute, and they were pumping out fresh pastries and bread all day long. Their freshly baked croissants were the best and I may or may not have had a few during our stay in Montmartre.

Pro Tip: Smaller bakeries typically only take credit cards when you purchase a minimum of anywhere between 5-10 euros. It was really essential for us to have some euros on us when visiting the local shops/bakeries.

The cutest little pastry shop near our hotel

Pink Mamma

Upon my arrival to Paris, Pink Mamma came highly recommended. Our group lucked up and got a table right away at the peak dinner time slot. The hostess was super kind, and seated us almost immediately. Needless to say this restaurant is super popular - a multi-level, three story restaurant, and every seat was filled in the dining and bar areas.

The vibe was eclectic and unique, our server was the sweetest. This restaurant was incredibly packed, we did have to wait quite a bit for service. Through a few hiccups with entree issues, our server worked through getting a member in our group a new dish pretty quickly. Aside, from the entree issue, the real star was the dessert - everyone loved their gelato!

Pro Tip: Book reservations to popular restaurants ahead of time, otherwise be prepared to wait or get turned away at the door.

The cutest napkins at each place setting

Cinco Jotas

The Galleries Lafayette is legendary, and the Home & Gourmet shop is so cool. There is an entire floor dedicated to the most diverse market. You’ll find pastries, desserts, ham, spices, pizza - you name it, they have it. My best friend and I dined at Cinco Jotas, a spot that specializes in carving ham, and also serves up seafood. I went with their calamari - it was so delicious, and the house made tartar sauce was so good.

The coolest restaurant setup at Galeries Lafayette

Calamari Rings + House Made Tartar Sauce

Ristorante al Caratello

Our first night in Paris, our hotel highly recommended this restaurant, and made reservations for us. Ristorante al Caratello was a quick walk from our hotel, and was so convenient. This spot is literally so small, and they crammed in as many tables as they possibly could in their establishment. Caratello was bursting at the seams with diners, and as soon as we got our food we saw why - it was amazing. Our server was so sweet, and walked us through their menu. Also, they provided great wine recommendations to pair with our dinner. It was really nice being an authentic French restaurant, and was the perfect place to start our week long Paris trip.

Pro Tip: Ask your hotel ambassador what the best local restaurants are in your neighborhood!

Rouge Bis

Rouge Bis was literally the coolest bar in our neighborhood - and it is right across the street from the iconic Moulin Rouge.. Our group made multiple visits to this bar during our stay. Also, our bartender and the entire staff were nothing short of amazing. The bar selection was great, and they had everything from champagne to beer. Also, the music was so good, and the bartender even played songs/artists that we loved and wanted to hear. This place was so much fun, and their staff truly made us feel right at home - major props to the manager/bartender who made our nights so much fun.

Peppermint shots on the house from our bartender

I hope you enjoyed my recap of all the places we dined and drank during our stay in Paris!

XO, Analise

Uncorked: Champagne, France

Analise Gregory January 7, 2020

"Champagne is the only wine that leaves a woman beautiful after drinking it." - Madame de Pompadour

During the holiday season, G and I decided to go to Paris with my best friend Alisha, and her husband James. While planning our vacation, we all decided that visiting Champagne for a day would be an amazing opportunity! Who would’ve thought that during our week long stay in France, that going to Champagne would end up being our favorite activity, and highlight of the entire trip?!

We had the best 12 hours in Champagne - the countryside was absolutely stunning, and so relaxing. Also, the drive out to Champagne was not far at all from Paris, it was about 1 hour and 30 minutes via car. Alisha and I booked our tour through O’Chateau - the service, and our tour guide, Charlotte were nothing short of fabulous. To start our day, we met at the wine bar where we were served coffee and fresh croissants. Then our tour guide shuttled our small intimate group of 8, and drove us to Champagne for the day.

From there, we were on our way to spend the day in the city, visiting a total of three Champagne houses. Each Champagne house was unique, and had its own special quality. I cannot wait to share our day in the city with you all.

Taittinger

Taittanger is a legendary Champagne house, and is widely popular. The estate is stunning, and has so much history. At the beginning of the tour, the staff plays a short video explaining the history and brand of Taittanger which was really nice to review. Afterwards, the guide gives a tour of the Champagne cellar and cave which is absolutely breathtaking. The decorative doors, immense bottles of champagne, and the endless amounts of riddling racks make this cave so neat.

Our guide at Taittanger ushered a group of about 30+ individuals. The group in the cellar was very large, which really took away from the intimacy of the tour. It would have been nice to have a smaller group to really take our time in the cellar.

Once the tour was completed, we were taken to the tasting room on the main level. A standard ticket only includes one glass of their iconic Brut Reserve Champagne. If you would like to try additional champagnes, guests are required to purchase each sampling ticket separately. This was a huge bummer as other Champagne houses offer more than just one sample in their tastings.

In all, our visit to Taittanger was unique mainly in the lavish estate, fantastic cellar, and beautifully decorated tasting room.

Entering through the gates of Taittinger

The gorgeous line up of champagne in the wine tasting room.

Riddling racks for the champagne bottles

Our tour guide giving an amazing review of the champagne’s history at Taittinger

Champagne Vincent Brochet

Dare I say that Vincent Brochet was my absolute favorite house? This visit made my day! Our 8 person group were the only visitors during our stop, which really made the tour special and private. The current winemaker, Gaspard, Vincent’s son, gave us a personal tour in the cellar. We were able to get a sneak peek in his labelling process for his brand new champagne. Also, we were able to hear his family’s story on how they started their house. It was such a cool experience getting to see the authenticity and inside peek on how they produce and create their delicious champagnes.

Having this private experience, and being able to relax on the property was such a nice opportunity. Also, our tour guide, Charlotte, from O’Chateau has a wonderful relationship with the smaller champagne houses, specifically the Brochet family. She was able to give us a lot of historical knowledge and provide us some amazing information on the estate and champagnes.

Gaspard Brochet holding his new champagne, which we were able to try!

Perfectly sabred champagne bottle by our tour guide Charlotte

Our lunch setup for the day at Champagne Vincent Brochet

G and I enjoying the views and lunch at Champagne Vincent Brochet

During our stay on the estate, we were served a three course meal curated and prepared by Brochet’s private chef. The meal was absolutely delicious, and each dish was paired with a different glass of champagne. I was blown away with the food and champagne pairing for out meal - everything was perfect. Our food was spectacular, and easily one of the best meals I had during our stay in France - in short, our chef was amazing, and he perfectly capped off our stay at the estate.

Mushroom, ham, and sun-dried tomato quiche

Cast iron potatoes, wild mushrooms, and duck

Champagne style tiramisu with infused Ratafia

G and I with the winemaker Gaspard Brochet

G and I with the private chef at Champagne Vincent Brochet

Champagne Salmon

Like the Brochet house, Salmon is a small estate as well, and again our group was given a private tour. The original winemaker Michel greeted us, and gave us access to his cellar. We were able to tour at our leisure with our O’Chateau guide, Charlotte. Once we finished our tour, Michel and his grandson, Alexandre, the current winemaker greeted us in their tasting room.

We were given an overview of their history, legacy, and their beautify champagnes. They provided three champagnes for tasting, and all were absolutely delicious - the 100% Meunier Brut Reserve was a personal favorite of mine.

Salmon was our last stop, but it ended our day in Champagne beautifully. It was so nice to start out with a larger Champagne house, and to wrap it up with two smaller houses to cap off the tour.

The original wine marker Michel, his grandson Alexandre - the current wine maker, and our tour guide from O’Chateau Charlotte

The lineup of champagnes tasted during our stay at Salmon

Visiting Champagne was such a cool experience, and I would definitely go back in a heartbeat. I’m truly looking forward to visiting more wine countries in France in the future!

XO, Analise