Hand in Hand

Brit Burger with Rocket Salad.

On Saturday we wanted to relax on the patio at a neighborhood restaurant with our friends from the neighborhood. We decided to go to Hand in Hand, a Virginia Highlands staple with a great patio. The food was fine, although the fried mushrooms and fried fish were too greasy for my taste. The burger was good and the fries were decent as well. However, the service was definitely BAD.

Now because of the awesome patio and the location Hand in Hand probably isn't lacking for customers. They also have some great recurring daily specials such as the $1 fish taco and $1 PBR on Sundays. Upon arrival, we seated ourselves at an outdoor picnic table. Nobody came although we could see several waitresses in the vicinity. Finally after about 20 minutes one of us got up and went inside to find out if we could get menus. After that we ordered quickly and the food came out in a timely fashion. Still, it was impossible to find our waitress. We got malt vinegar and hot sauce on our own (we could see it on a stand near the door); we asked another waiter for a refill of iced tea and Coke. We asked twice for a side of blue cheese dressing that took at least 20 minutes to materialize. We ordered the fish & chips because our waitress told us it was $5 instead of the usual $12. When we got our check it was $12 and she said "Oops I forgot it is Saturday, that special is on Friday. Sorry." We made it clear we were not going to pay $12 for something she told us was $5 and she did take care of it although I thought it was terrible customer service for her to even suggest we would pay full price at that point.

In any event, this place is a great find for the patio but beware of the service. And you probably want to come when they are actually having one of their specials!

Fried Mushrooms.



Fish & Chips.

Fontaine's Oyster House = Seafood Heaven

Hot combo platter with mussels, clams, crab legs, shrimp & oysters.

Last weekend I was invited to a complimentary meal at Fontaine's Oyster House, a restaurant I've walked past many times but had never tried before. As I'm not really into the bar scene, I was pleased that they offer patio seating on the long, communal patio shared with several nearby restaurants. For those who do like a lively bar scene, this is definitely a great choice.

The scene at the VaHi corner.



Soup of the day - gazpacho.

We started with a cup of the gazpacho, which had good tomato flavor but could have used more spicing, in my opinion (cilantro, hot sauce etc.). Next we tried the spinach artichoke dip, which was tasty, cheesy and creamy - everything one expects from a good dip. The melba toast crackers served with the dip were a surprise. I love melba toast but I think toasted pita points or bread would work better with the dip.

Spinach artichoke dip with melba toast crackers.



Our tools.

The highlight of the meal was the hot sampler platter pictured above: a huge plate (really, we could barely fit it on our table with everything else!) with tasty oysters, clams, mussels (we chose the white sauce, which was very tasty and buttery), snow crab legs and steamed shrimp. I loved it all and it was fun cracking the shells ourselves with the provided tools. The hot dog basket we ordered to round out our selection also pleased the palate, with a huge, juicy beef dog, cut in half to make chewing easier. The slaw served with the dog was simple, yet tasty. I was glad it did not contain too much mayo. The crinkle cut fries, fresh out of the fryer, were also addictive.

Hot dog basket.



Nice oyster!



We ate the whole thing!

For dessert we tried the two options they offered: chocolate icebox pie and a coconut-topped cake with white chocolate ganache filling and lemony cake layers. The coconut cake was the biggest hit - I couldn't believe we ate the whole thing! I would definitely recommend Fontaine's to anyone looking for great seafood at a good price. The service was very attentive and I really enjoyed dining outdoors on the patio. They also have some good "happy hour" seafood specials (see website). I look forward to returning soon to try some additional menu items.

White chocolate lemon coconut cake and chocolate icebox pie.

Mexican Close to Home - Caramba Cafe

Out front on Highland Avenue.

Despite living less than two miles from this place and walking past it all the time, I had never been to Caramba Cafe until recently. The food was your basic Americanized Mexican fare, but the margaritas are tasty and you can't beat walking to dinner. This is a very family friendly spot and I love the patio seating. The poblano pepper stood out, as did the shrimp in the tacos.

Back patio.

Shrimp tacos with beans and guacamole salad.

Cheese-stuffed poblano pepper.

Bean burrito with rice and guacamole salad.