Followers of this blog know that the author can sometimes fixate on foodie finds in coastal settings because his love for sand and surf is almost as strong as his quest for new dining experiences and sharing of epicurian information. That is why you might be suprised and pleased that this post focuses on food and travels in other parts of our beautiful country. In fact, I submit to you that dynamic dinning experiences can be found in the birthplace of America. So walk with me through Colonial America and a few good places to eat along the way.

First stop is Historic Yorktown.

The Yorktown Pub is everything you think of when you think of a pub…..loud, crowded, small, and not exactly as clean as we would like it to be. The food was a cut above pub fare! The quaint sense of “nothing fancy here” doesn’t translate into the bold fresh flavors that the menu offers. This reviewer reccomends the soft shell crab sandwich, the oyster poboy, and the creamy clam chowder with clams harvested directly from the waters outside the front door of the pub!

After dinner a stroll through the preserved battlefields complete with cannons and bunkers leads you down a path that our forefathers made for us.

Just down Colonial Parkway drop into Williamsburg. Here you come to understand why the Rockefellers supported efforts to share America’s finest folk art with us. American Folk Art has been and continues to be a quirkly expression of burgeoning talent that begs to be appreciated. The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum is the perfect forum.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stroll over to The Cheese Shop on Merchant’s Square for a required respite that will energize you to complete the colonial triangle in Jamestown.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had no room for a meal in Jamestown. Instead we visited the original site of the area’s most famous glassblowers. Seeing this age old art form carefully carried on in the 21st century in the same fashion as it was done in the 18th century was quite educational.

From here we travel north west to our nation’s first Capitol, Richmond. Where else would anyone go in Richmond? We stopped at the Jefferson Hotel. Built in 1895 and opened on Halloween of that year, the 5 diamond hotels has all of the creature comforts that one needs. The history of the building and it’s occupants weaves a rich fabric through this town. After traveling from the Colonial Triangle we were happy to dine in the hotel’s bar. Lumere presented a dining experience that went way beyond small town hotel restaurant fare.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After a relaxing night in the luxurious suites……………………..

we head out to explore what culinary suprises we can find. Oh boy did we ever find a goodie! When in Richmond you must try The Black Sheep. A quirky little neighboorhood dive offers an off-beat experience, that until now, you could dream up in your imagination.

We move from the nation’s first Capitol to the nation’s current Capitol.

First stop, we check into Kimpton Hotel’s Palomar in Dupont Circle.

On the other end of the luxury spectrum from The Jefferson in Richmond, The Palomar’s sleek hip vibe made these mid-lifers feel young again.

After settling in at the bar of the in-house restaurant Urbano for a drink, we head to 14th street for dining experiences created by alums from Bravo’s Top Chef. For lunch we ambled into Chef Spike Mendelsohn’s Good Stuff Eatery.

 

 

 

Dinner was provided by Chef Richard Sandoval at Masa 14. With over 30 resataurants, Sandoval offers a fusion of Spanish and Asian. And it works! Small plates allow you to enjoy bites of many different things.

This has to be one of the best fusion dining experiences we’ve ever had!

On day 2 in DC we decided upon another sandwich mecca- Sundavich! The young owners of Sundavich also have a food truck that can be enjoyed in Georgetown and places outside of its’ home near the Convention Center. Their sandwich board couldn’t be more innovative or any more fresh! Sandwiches from around the world are featured here. We tried the Seoul with bulgogi beef, kimchi, asian slaw, greens, garlic mayo…..

We also tried the Capri which was a vegetarian offering featuring hummus, cucumber, brined vegetables, walnuts, fresh herbs. Everything provided the WOW we were seeking! WOW! WOW! WOW!

So that I don’t disappoint or suprise anyone, we did end our colonial tour on Virginia Beach at Coast 31 for steamed fresh seafood that rivals anything we can get on the Gulf Coast.

Plan a trip to the northeast. Drink in the history, the culture, and dining experiences. Then head on back to the beach.