Reviews by TruffleSalt

Only my second visit to Orzo at dinner time, which I find amazing since it really is a wonderful restaurant. Somehow it never seems to come to mind when we are heading out... but last night was a Monday, and pickins are slim, and I'm glad it popped up on the radar. Well worth a visit and a return.

Start with the grilled Halloumi. Outstanding texture and just the right burn to it. But, the rest of the dinner had inconsistencies around the table. The salmon was excellent. Cooked evenly and correctly. The braised lamb was cooked well, but not nearly enough flavor to it for my palatte, and that is really hard to do to a lamb. I couldn't detect a single braising flavor.

Then there is the mac n' cheese. I think this is a personal preference issue. The flavors were spot on. The proscuitto did not over salt the dish. But I like a baked mac n' cheese. Not just a good pasta covered in a great cheese sauce, which this was. And I repeat, the flavor is great. Well worth getting... I just like a firmer mac n' cheese.

Wines are always a big part of my satisfaction with a restaurant, and Orzo excels... over the top... You want it, they got it. And here is the thing I love about Orzo's wine list, the by the glass menu. Grouped by robustness, even a non drinker can pick something out. I love that the desserts are paired if you want.

Prices are a great value proposition and even on a Monday, there were at least 40 diners, so they are doing something right. I love the ambiance of the Main Street Market.

Food is quite good. Some of the dishes are actually quite extraordinary (can you say sous vide...yum), but in general The Upstairs places a higher value on itself than I would. I think the selection of liquors is a good marketing piece and hard to match anywhere in town, but when it comes to the wine list, it is not well thought out. It is clear that whoever made the selections knows what names are recognizable and should sell well, but I'd rather have some selections that are off the beaten path. Not every great wine is
Is it a good restaurant? Absolutely. Is it worth breaking the bank? I can name a dozen local establishments I'd pick first. My rating is based on the balance, not just quality of food. And sorry, just because you offer a prime cut of beef for a VERY GOOD price, doesn't mean that everything else on the menu translates.

There are places in town that stand out as hip, and with time, they don't change, and they are shortly thereafter, forgotten....
L'etoile is the opposite. Never hip, always perfect. If you are looking for the finest food prepared using classical techniques and served in a crisp environment, this is the place.
The hole in the wall that never seems crowded, but is always full. I adore L'etoile because it embodies what other restaurants want to be, but miss because they follow trends. You will know you are not in New York, after all, you chose to live in Charlottesville for a reason. There is no pretending at L'etoile. No "tasting menus", no "cocoa caviar", no pieces of slate instead of porcelain on which to serve your food. They aren't trying to mask exactly what they are.
Fresh, fresh, fresh. A menu that reflects Virginia produce and proteins.
Few spots in town are as spot on.