Richmond Inside Out

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A Food-Filled Weekend in RVA

Events | 06.08.10 | by Matt Harrington

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: We love our outdoor festivals in Richmond - especially those that feature food. Two of our best food festivals were held this past weekend, and the sweltering heat couldn’t keep me away from either.

The Richmond Greek Festival, held at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral on Malvern Ave, is always a popular event. This year was no different, with a large crowd in attendance on Saturday afternoon when I was there. The lines for the food were ridiculously long, but once food was in hand – and in mouth – the wait seemed worthwhile. I couldn’t tell you exactly what I ate, though. I don’t think I can remember the names… something about spinach and feta in dough. And then there was something with fried eggplant. I was too busy chowing down to memorize the Greek spellings and pronunciations. One thing is clear – I don’t eat enough Greek food. It’s delicious.

The mother of all Richmond Food Festivals took place on Sunday. Broad Appétit brings together over 50 local chefs and regional farmers to offer mini-cuisines and fresh produce, meats, cheeses and breads. Once a year, the city shuts down a few downtown blocks of Broad St so Richmonders can sample the flavors of their city. Again, it was doggedly hot, but the crowd didn’t seem to mind. Most restaurants were offering samples at around $3 per plate. I wish I could’ve tasted them all, but I had to pick and choose wisely, because I forgot to hit the ATM and only had $14 in cash on me. No worries, though. Many of the chefs seemed to have run out of food by the time I got there anyway. The wife and I shared a Strawberry Lemonade, spoke to the nice lady from Urban Farmhouse, sampled some Jamaican Jerk Wings from Carena’s Jamaican Grille and then took down a couple of cupcakes. I wanted to try the offering from Sensi, but the line was a bit too long and I was developing a nasty farmer’s tan.

In all, both festivals were huge successes. Richmond loves supporting its culture and culinary scene in the form of throwing a big outdoor party. If you can’t get enough food and culture, the St. Joseph’s Italian Festival in Bon Air is June 12^th & 13^th, and the highly anticipated World Beer Festival is Saturday, June 12^th on Brown’s Island.