Mom's Siam of Carytown

Whitney: I've recently been to this Carytown hot spot. I love the very large patio that is literally on the street. You're in the middle of the Carytown hustle and bustle, but because its towards the end of Carytown you can usually find more parking. We chose to sit on the patio under the sea of umbrellas. We started our experience with (of course) a bottle of Prosecco. The bottle was reasonably priced at 20.00 (and I just love to hear that bottle open). We started off with appetizers: fried tofu, tofu spring rolls, dumplings and a Siam Salad.

Actually, the tofu spring rolls are not on the menu since they typically are served with shrimp. But one of the great things about Mom's Siam is that everything on the menu is made to order, so you can have anything on the menu catered to your taste. I also substituted the plum sauce that usually accompanies the spring rolls for peanut sauce (YUM). These spring rolls are good for those who have tried the Vietnamese spring rolls but don't care for the texture. The rice paper that is used at Mom's Siam is much thinner and, therefore, less offensive to the palate.

The fried tofu itself could be a meal. You get these wonderfully large tofu bites served with the ever so wonderful peanut sauce.

The dumplings are amazing. The right amount of meat and not fried. Served together with the fried tofu that comes with the peanut sauce, the two really compliment one another with the salty and sweet.

The Siam house salad is really delightful. Very refreshing and light, perfect for a light lunch in the hot summer.

Once we finished our appetizers our entrees arrived.

I ordered off the 'Special' menu located in the very back of the menu behind the drinks. Spicy Tuna Sesame: this is a dish that can be shared, for sure. The perfectly cooked wedged tuna was surrounded by a Thai pasta salad, seaweed salad and water crest. Not only was this salad visually stimulating but my taste buds were working over time. The Thai pasta salad was kinda tangy and sweet, complete with an array of peppers and onions. The seaweed salad was surprisingly crunchy and sweet, alongside the water crest which was sauteed to perfection. 16.95

My party ordered the Basil Tofu (extra Spicy) and Tofu Pad Thai (extra Spicy). Again, neither one of those dishes are going to be found written out on the menu as extra spicy or even with Tofu (Pad Thai) but these two particular patrons of Mom's Siam ALWAYS order the same thing (even on the very night we are SUPPOSED to order something different) so it MUST good.

Everyone on the planet seems to love love love Pad Thai; I do not.

That goes without saying (I've been to Mom's Siam several times) and have a few things that I tend to order frequently (but really it depends on how much money I want to spend).

The Bean Sprout soup is also very lovely. I have occasionally been known to order the Garlic Tofu, or Tofu Cashew nut. And even some of the previously mentioned appetizers make great meals.

The staff is always nice (even for a busy place) and the music is never overpowering.

Overall, Mom's Siam is an interesting experience. You can spend less than $10.00 for a nice a meal or you can go all out with the 'Specials' and wine and expect to spend about $25.00 to $30.00 a person. If wine isn't your thing then make sure you check the beer list. In this case it's not the quality but the quantity. They carry very large beers.

It's really all about the experience that you are looking to create. So again, this restaurant is great because it truly allows you not only to special order (just about) anything the way you like it, but you can also custom tailor your experience.

Kate: I often accompany Whitney to Mom's Siam and am always extremely happy with the food and the experience. The patio is one of the best patios in town. It's spacious with a great view of Cary Street and the Byrd Theatre. The staff are always accommodating and usually quick, regardless of the number of the people there.

My favorites:

Garlic tofu: not on the menu as such; I'm pretty sure it's the vegetarian version of chicken tofu. I don't know what else to say about this dish other than that it's mouth-watering and very heavy on the garlic.

Plagong: it is on the menu as an appetizer. It's spicy shrimp on a bed of lettuce and cabage, onion, cilantro, and other spices. This one is so rich in taste. I feel like so much food out there is just warm, rather than tasty. This is all taste, and it's wonderful, if you like spicy food.

Spicy tofu bites: another appetizer. The consistency of tofu is what makes or breaks tofu for me. Mom's Siam has the consistency down. It's crispy and golden brown on the outside, and slightly soft on the inside. The peanut sauce that comes with it is flavorful and compliments the tofu perfectly. It's symphonic.

My mother had the pad thai while she was in town: loved it. Said it was some of the best pad thai she'd ever eaten, and she's somewhat of an expert. She often goes to Thai restaurants, but she never orders anything other than pad thai. It got two thumbs up from her.

The wine list is short but great. Malbecs are my favorite wines, and Mom's always has a great Malbec on the menu.

And, it just so happens, that Mom's has flair (see picture at top).

It's just a good restaurant with a lot of regulars. People return again and again, because Mom's is a place worth returning to again and again.

Mosaic Cafe

Whitney: Mosaic Cafe: Richmond, Va.: Tuesday: Date night (for me). I had a gift card to Mosaic Cafe and was never interested in using it. I just happened upon it and thought "sure why not".

To walk in to a "Cafe" and find Itailian blown glass chandeliers and wall art plates was a nice suprise. The paisley upholstered green booths added an element of home. When Tracy (the (AMAZING) server) came over and offered the specials I was hooked. Tuesday is half off a bottle of wine night. I ordered a Kris: Pinot Grigio and was a very happy lady. The party ordered Yuengling and Budweiser: all were happy and content with the light Rock music in the background.

Jalepeno corn bread was served. I have to say I could live off of this wonderful feature.

One member of our party ordered the Shrimp Scampi. It was lacking something in the taste but Tracy noticed this and offered freshly ground pepper. This changed the idea of something lacking to something amazing. The consumer finished it and was pleased! I don't recall the price (as it was not on the menu being a special and all) but she was pleased.

One member of our party ordered two entrees. The first being the Sesame encrusted tuna-(Medium well) "over a field of greens with sweet chili dipping sauce" for $14.95. The mango rice that the Tuna was paired with was a hit and he loved the Tuna.

He (same person) also ordered the Thai Shrimp. "Hot shrimp, oinions, garlic, carrots, scallions, zuchinni, spichach, shrimp+sweete chilie vinaigrette". The price: 10.95. Rating: "It's O.k.". (Except he finished it)! I have to say the shrimp were described to us by another waiter (not our fabulous TRACY) as very large. And no women really likes to ever utter "I've seen bigger". (Kate: Nice one, Whitney!) But alas, I uttered, and I have (at Mama Zu).

I had Basil Pine Nut Pesto- " light basil pesto cream sauce, garlic, sun dried tomatoes, red onions, parmesan cheese- $9.95". I added Salmon to the dish and thought (of course) my dish was the best. It was the perfect blend of basil and garlic. WONDERFUL!

Overall rating: Very Nice.

Pho in Richmond

Whitney: For those of us who love Pho and those of who haven't yet experienced this Vietnamese goodness, I think it's important for everyone to know that we have plenty of options. The best quality of soup will come from Pho so 1. (Let's keep in mind I am not critiquing atmosphere, or service, I am only commenting on food). Now there are other variant places that Pho can be ordered, but they all really do come in second to Pho so 1. But if Pho so 1 is packed you can order up a decent bowl at Vietnam 1.

If you're looking for more of a "restaurant" feel then you may like Mekong. The food is good and the beer list is amazing, but the service is...awful! ( I expect Richmond waitstaff to have the attitude, but Mekong is over the top (bitchy)). Also, Da-Lat in the West end is good if you're looking for a more formal dining experience.

Pho 79 makes the list (the casual list) and they sell T-shirts too. The shirts read, "It's Pho-king good". That aspect alone is worth going not to mention the fish tanks are always in a different spot. Closer to VCU you can Pho at Saigon and Far East. The only downfall is that both Saigon and Far East are closed on Sundays ;(. If there are any spots that I have left out please throw your Pho in RVA Loop's pot!

Jazz at Bogart's

Kate and Whitney: Late Evening: We walked to Bogart's and arrived around nine. Hoppin' Louisiana Jazz was in full swing. It was music that made us want to jump around and clap to the rhythm but didn't overpower our conversation. The jazz band plays every Thursday night, and they are well worth a trip to Bogart's. In addition to excellent music, the food was spectacular. We had an order of hummus (flavorful red pepper hummus with pita, cucumbers, tomatoes and carrots) and a plate of crab puffs, which disappeared before we could even try them. The service was pretty great, too. We never had to wait for a drink. We danced, though we were the only people dancing, and it didn't feel strange at all. It was a laid back, fun atmosphere with great food and incredible tunes. Overall rating: Fantastic! On its way to becoming a Thursday tradition.

Sunday at the Museum with Prosecco

Whitney: 12 noon: A lunch at Cafe Caturra . We had never eaten there together so we thought as perspective critics we'd give it a go (and Kate likes the patio).

Kate ordered the Tuna Sandwich on wheat with a Walnut Salad (it was huge, the salad was fresh and the vinaigrette was EXCELLENT (TANGY) not to mention it was one of the best Tuna Sandwiches Kate ever had (She remembers it fondly)). I ordered the Veggie Chillie (It was in fact a Vegetarian Chillie and it was all sorts of tasty). Collectively we ordered a bottle of Prosecco (Prosecco by nature is not a Champagne; its an Italian Sparkling Wine and it is delicious)! Overall rating: It has potential ;).

Kate: Next stop: The Valentine Museum (which is free on Sundays). We went to the museum to visit a friend who works there, but she had taken the day off. But we ventured on. We had a semi-private tour through the Wickham House with an extremely knowledgeable and obliging tour guide. He answered each and every inane question (some possibly inspired by the aforementioned Prosecco) we asked about the construction of the house, even down to the faux marble canvassed floor in the grand foyer. We got to tour the second floor, which, we were told (though, who knows, really?) was not always a part of the tour. Overall: excellent and FREE!


Whitney: Transition: The Search: We then decided to try the Valentine Cafe for a post tour cocktail to no avail (the Cafe is closed on Sundays). So...we journeyed on... I said, "Let's Penney Lane". Again shot down by inconvenience; it was closed. So Kate suggested that we venture upon The Jefferson but it too was closed. Kate said, " I do not take this as a sign". So on we went , we decided to try to go Cafe Rustica. We walked up to the door and got in the exterior door only to find the interior door locked. ;(. A gentleman at the bar witnessed our attempts and opened the door and told us to come back at 5 p.m. whereupon they would re-open after a Sunday break. I explained to him that we really just wanted to have a glass of Champagne (or two) and he acquiesced: we were served Champagne. I had never thought highly of the place, but now I have to say, for the sake of their few moments of peace and the few moments of Zen (brought on by Prosecco)I think better of the place now. I will go back and actually eat. Overall: Inviting.


Kate: Last Stop: Millie's Diner: So, after the refreshing half-bottles served at a closed and quiet Cafe Rustica, we headed to Millie's, where a friend of ours was working. The atmosphere at Millie's was a little more vibrant (maybe a result of being open) than our last stop. We sat at a booth and ordered a bottle of Prosecco and two appetizers: an artisanal cheese plate and a rainbow trout on a bed of tomatoes and Israeli cous-cous (absolutely incredible). The cheese plate had a pretty wide variety of cheeses and a small portion of membrillo (a really tasty fruit from South America that I haven't been able to find in over eight years, since I lived in Argentina). However, if it hadn't been for the bread basket, the cheese plate would have nothing more than cheese (albeit a lot of really good cheese) and a small sliver of membrillo. So, if you're hungry, get an entree. But they tasted great! Millie's atmosphere is always spectacular: low lighting and incredible food (always on point). Overall rating: pretty damn good.


The day: Overall Rating: Pretty Damn good. Mixing a little culinary adventure and wine with some local historical background is always a good way to spend a Sunday.