Charlottesville, VA, April 9 2009—
WHERE TO EAT? Two or three recommendations, one of which mentioned local farms. On, then, to Hamilton's in downtown Charlottesville. Wasn't hard to choose from the menu: Polyface Farms chicken breast on risotto. We began with a nice green salad, small field lettuces with a slightly sweet vinaigrette and a couple of pieces of (as far as I'm concerned) irrelevant apple on top, and a glass of Virgina wine: Wineworks Viognier, a little sulfury at first but quickly turning fragrant, perfectly expressive of the grape (though the terroir eluded me).
The chicken breast was a bit overcooked and dry: too bad. Fine flavor and grain; I'd like to taste it moister. The risotto, on the other hand, was really quite wonderful, just slightly underdone as I like it, not all'onda (though I like that too) but chestnutty in texture, with lots of flavor from peas, tomato concassée, and a hint of mint.
Aforesaid Viognier; Four Vines Zinfandel. Oh: and a glass of Wasmund single malt Virginia whiskey, dark amber, nuts and caramel, serious.
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