Earlier this year during a three week span in late March through early April, 306,000 Virginians applied for unemployment benefits. Fast forward to today, and those numbers only continue to expand. The job losses, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, came in large amounts from local restaurants hit hard as they were deemed “non-essential” by Governor Ralph Northam and ordered to shut down, before later reopening as infection numbers slowed. As Virginia’s dine-in restaurants continue to change to pickup and delivery models, limited seating spacing inside, or expanding their outside seating options to try and stay in business, some of the workers let go returned in time and some never returned. With that in mind, we can think of no better time for a delicious Cheap Eats section both for people wishing to support Virginia’s restaurants and the former industry workers now on tight budgets.
-SG Staff and Contributors
Intro/ Write Up by Josh Gregory
As the effects of Covid-19, or as we’ve taken to calling it in my corner of the living room, “the rona,” are ravaging Hampton Roads’ economy, restaurants have been forced into what I’m terming “the big pivot of 2020.” Suddenly faced with the diminished foot traffic, operators have pushed into a model of take-out and delivery, and a healthy dose of social distancing. With unemployment numbers high, I thought it best to provide you with wallet friendly options to not only save you a trip to the grocery store, but to make it easier for you to inject some much needed cash back into local businesses in The 757.
“The Burger” $10 LeGrand Kitchen
I know, I know, the Southern Grit guys are going on about this burger, AGAIN. For all the detractors out there who immediately rolled their eyes, I have this to say, “so what, it’s my list.” While my editor, Fitz, has extolled the wonders of this burger elsewhere, for me the draw has always been the shallot mayo and the jalapeño, two complementary flavors that cut through the fat of the beef and heavy nature of the cheese, creating an indelible food memory. Every time I think of the LeGrand burger I know exactly what it’s going to taste like, and with all the stress of the endless unknowns thus far in 2020, I’m happy to place a premium on familiarity and quality. For more on LeGrand Kitchen, visit legrandkitchen.com
“World Famous Chicken Salad” $9.99 Sage Kitchen
I’ve never been a particularly big fan of cold salads, and typically speaking I steer away from them. They’re a catch-all for people who don’t like to eat out, but find themselves in the situation of being forced to interact with the general public. I also rarely eat in garden centers (Sage kitchen has two locations, Newport News and Virginia Beach, each located within Anderson’s). My, admittedly, self-conjured stereotype was shattered when I was introduced to the chicken salad sandwich at Sage. The balance between bright pops of flavor from the cranberry and the just soft enough croissant set a new bar for all the chicken salad impostors out there. For more on Sage Kitchen, visit lovesagekitchen.com
“Fried Pickle Chips” $7 80/20 Burger Bar
I’m sure the same people who rolled their eyes about the LeGrand burger earlier will be equally outraged at the inclusion of 80/20 Burger Bar. We’ve been known to champion their finger food in the past. That being said, most everything snackable at 80/20 could be eligible for inclusion on this list. Ask anyone who knows owner Jamie Summs and crew, and they’ll confirm the food that comes out of their kitchen has always been top notch. For a simple carb fix with a mash-up of acid and salt, look no further than the fried pickles. For more on 80/20 Burger Bar, visit 8020burgerbar.com
“Spicy Chorizo Taco” $4.50 Electric Circus
Electric Circus takes their tacos seriously. For all the love people give their favorite Tuesday spots, few, if any, rave about house-made tortillas. CIA grad, Chef Michael Pollard, sources ingredients with a fervor for an experience that’s simply delicious. For more on Electric Circus, visit precariousbeer.com
“Cookie Monster” $12 Lolly’s Creamery
When the stress of social distancing finally pushes past the brink of exhaustion, the only thing that’s left to soothe you is a quart of ice cream. Reach for Lolly’s high end mash-up of chocolate chip cookie dough and neon blue vanilla ice cream while sitting alone in the dark watching Tiger King flicker on the four walls of your living room, that’s now also your office, gym, and maybe even bedroom. For more on Lolly’s Creamery, visit lollys.online
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Dry Bridge Farm is a small family operation located in Ashland, VA. The farm is named for the old farmhouse ‘Dry Bridge’ named for the ‘dry bridge’ that crossed the nearby railroad cut. The farm is owned and operated by the Boulden Family, Paul & Kim, with help from their daughters Lucy and Mena. For more on Dry Bridge Farm‘s Heritage Breed Hogs, contact them at paulboulden@hotmail.com or 804.501.8515
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Intro/ Write Up by Fitz
Two years ago, give or take a couple weeks, we (my girlfriend Deb and I) moved to Richmond from Hampton Roads, Virginia. In the years previous to calling RVA home, we ate out in Richmond every time we visited, and we visited often. It wasn’t until planting roots in the Manchester area, however, that we truly delved into the best of Richmond’s food scene. Never known to shy away from a meal as delicious as it is reasonably priced, the following list, particularly with Covid-19 upon us seems fitting. We did our best to keep this list affordable without sacrificing taste and while we would never claim to know the food scene in RVA like someone who has lived here all their life, we can 100% strongly stand behind no one walking away disappointed should they be moved to try any of the following dishes. RVA truly is a great food city. Here is to all the independent restaurants fighting to stay open amidst this awful pandemic. Support them whenever you can. Right now they need us the most.
“Manchu Wings w/ Mumbo Sauce” $5.99 Manchu
On North Avenue, some of the best fried chicken wings in Richmond reside. Marvin Nguyen, owner of Manchu, brought his Vietnamese families Cajun fried chicken recipe from New Orleans to Richmond. They pack a spicy kick and paired with mumbo sauce, a sauce popularized in Washington D.C., this cheap eat is quite the addiction. For more on Manchu, visit facebook.com/Manchufoodtruck
“Guisos Stews (Large)” $9.99 Abuelita’s
Home-style, large portions, and recommended by Robey Martin (Eat It Virginia) who has a good epicurean track record, you can’t go wrong with Abuelita’s. Recently I had their large guisos stews (steak and cactus and chicken and chorizo) and along with needing to unbutton my pants, I could not have been more satisfied. For more on Abuelita’s, visit abuelitasrva.com
“Cold Cut” $9.99 Mr. Submarine
A classic, plain and simple. Upon moving to Richmond a couple of years ago, I was introduced to Mr. Submarine and have been a fan since. Established in 1976, long before I came across them, Mr Submarine’s subs have been a staple in RVA for some time now. For me it’s always the finely shredded lettuce and how the oil and vinegar seeps into the nooks of the bread that keeps me coming back. At a mere 9.99, their cold cut is nothing short of divine. For more on Mr. Submarine, visit mr-submarine.com
“Salami and Cheese” $4.94 Sub Rosa Bakery
There are several pastries from Sub Rosa that could have easily made this list – the lamb and beef borek, the ham and cheese croissant, the pain au chocolat all come to mind. There is a reason after all that the Dogus’ siblings, owners of Sub Rosa, are four time James Beard Award semi-finalists. If I was pressed however, more often than not I find myself gravitating to their flaky and savory salami and cheese croissant. You can’t beat this cheap eat for breakfast. For more on Sub Rosa Bakery, visit subrosabakery.com
“Pad See Ew” $11.50 My Noodle & Bar
Coming in at $11.50, My Noodle & Bar’s pad see ew is the most expensive offering on this RVA Cheap Eats list. That said, for my money, this is also the best pad see ew in Richmond, and rather filling mind you. My Noodle & Bar is as much about the atmosphere as the food during regular times, but with the pandemic upon us, this dish, available for pickup and delivery speaks to serious work being done in the kitchen, ambiance or not. For more on My Noodle & Bar, visit facebook.com/MyNoodleandBar
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