Virgina is for luvas and a suprise birthday boose cruise

For Brandon's birthday this year, he decided he wanted it to be a surprise. He's horrible at making decisions, as am I at times. So, knowing he loves testing out new craft beers, I decided a trip to Richmond Va, to tour local breweries would be perfect - there aren't many there but enough we could squeeze in a weekend. After several weeks of research and biting my lip (I'm horrible at keeping secrets), I made hotel reservations at the downtown Marriott, conveniently connected to the civic center. I will say, the hotel was nice, but parking was headache! Not to mention the cost of parking via the front door service was $20 for the day or you park yourself for $8 on the weekends, and anytime you leave and return would be an additional $8. Sheesh it was a major headache.

Sooo, the one thing any local Richmonite will tell ya, for good beer, and good food, you have to go to Mekong Restaurant. As the website, and everything inside the restaurant for that matter, aptly puts it, it "is for beer lovers."And I mean, honestly, they've received a hellova lot of awards. Say that ten times, fast, after drinking ten beers. I digress.

Mekong was located in the MOST random strip mall / Latino grocery store / where the hell are we ... for sure Google maps wasn't playing a dirty little trick on me? Even worst, could there be some form of cat in my pho? There I go digressing again!  

 

Inside Mekong - the bar was packed, and included small children with headphones.

The Mekong Menu

I know I've not really sold the joint to ya, but really the food was amaze-balls! I love Thai food, especially Pho ... so that's exactly what I got - Pho Dac Biet. The odd looking meat on top reminded me of spam (hey there's the cat) so I just couldn't do it, but everything else in this bowl of wonderfulness was de-friggin'-licious! 

Pho Dac Biet

 The beer selection was wonderful of course, and that's really all the hubs cared about ... I particularity loved the glasses. The Hardywood Burbon GBS was equally amazing and amazing and well, amazing! You have to try it on draft if you ever have the chance. Yum!

Of course no Asian restaurant is complete without the ol' fortune cookie. Add "in bed" to the end of this fortune and you've got a good time ...

"Don't panic! Every artist was first an amateur ... in bed."

After dinner we (actually the hubs) scoured the map for a local bottle shop ... Once Upon a Vine. This place was located in Stratford Hills, the quaintest of neighborhoods. I mean, I would move to Richmond, Va. if this entire town looked like this little area. Reality is, downtown Richmond, in some parts, was sketch McGee!

Even better, when we pulled up to the shop, they were projecting The Goonies movie in the parking lot.


I found a dear friend a well named bottle of cham-pag-nay. All in all this bottle shop had a wonderful selection and the nicest staff. We went back three times over the course of the weekend. Obviously the hubs loved the joint.

Saturday, after breakfast at the Galaxy Dinner, the hubs wanted to do the brewery tours, as many as we had time for in the day.
 

Peanut butter Banana French Toast

After breakfast, via the best taxi driver I've EVER had, we headed over to Legend brewery for the brew tour, beer and lunch. The beers were so so, the food was awesome, and the harry man who lead the tour was funny as hell.

I'm not kidding, the wiener, cheese and pretzel were on point!

After Legend Brewery, we called up our taxi driver and headed on ova to Hardywood Brewery. I'm in love with their logo! An added plus, these beers were pretty darn good! We grabbed a spot on the front patio, drank some beers and chatted with random strangers cause that's how we roll!

The Hub's Saturday night birthday dinner was uber fancy! Reservations were made for Bistro Bobette. This was my kind of place. White linen table cloths, long stemmed wine glasses, yada yada made for one pristine table setting ... that the hubs couldn't care less about. If you're ever in the area, please go eat here, get the truffle mac and cheese and fall in love! I can't say enough good things about how wonderful the food was. What made the night even more interesting, we'd drank all day, hence the reason for the crappy, yet limited photos ...  

I ordered the brick chicken with truffle mac and cheese was by far the best. Brandon didn't much care for his steak and pomme frites. All and all I thought it was very good. I would go back. 

For a little humor, I'm pretty sure this is a clear indication that should've been cut off ...

All and all it was a pretty successful birthday weekend surprise. The hubs and I had a good time ...

Next up I'll share our Richmond Va. doughnut experience.

xoxo