Words and Photos by Aleena Inthaly

On the corner of Laurel and Grace streets sits a small shabby building with a sign that reads “Sally Bell’s Kitchen.” To ongoing passersby, the building looks a bit out of date but on the inside there is a whole other story. Sally Bell’s Kitchen is an eatery that must be checked out because it is one of the best holes-in-the-wall Richmond places to find good quality food for lunch.

Sally Bell’s is not the typical place to find food for a lunch break. It is one of those places that a customer really has to be familiar with. On the outside, it looks mostly closed and isn’t expected to be in business but many don’t know that it’s actually a well-known Richmond place.

It is an odd mix of a bakery and café in a classic vintage style. In the inside, the interior of Sally Bell’s Kitchen resembles an old high school cafeteria with display cases for sweets and glass refrigeration cases for cold sandwiches, potato salad and macaroni . The idea of Sally Bell’s is to have a home cooked lunch wrapped in a box. With the old school display cases, customers can only ponder how delicious the treats will be once consumed.

When I entered Sally Bell’s, I felt completely lost and out of place. The other customers seemed to know the place inside and out. They knew exactly what they were getting. There were a few older women working behind the counter, arranging sandwiches and potato salad into cardboard boxes for people, as they ordered. I asked another customer for help and she guided me through the ordering process. The ladies who work at the kitchen expected their customers to know exactly what they want before they ordered. However, they patiently waited for me as I ordered a lunch box combo: the most popular menu option. Each combination comes with a sandwich, cheese wafer, macaroni or potato salad, and a cupcake for $8.25. I ordered their special Virginia ham sandwich, a cheese wafer, potato salad and a chocolate cupcake with chocolate frosting. At first, I thought the lunch box was a little small but once I ate it, I realized it was the perfect size to fit any hungry person’s stomach.

A few issues I had with Sally Bell’s is, I thought the Black Forest Ham was a little too strong for my taste and was very salty. The first couple of bites were delicious but after that, the sandwich became unappealing. Also, I felt the menu was very limited for a place to be considered a “bakery”. Other than the cupcakes there were only a few more options including assorted mini pies and cookies but that was it. Don’t get me wrong though, the cupcakes are divine. Although they are very simple flavors, they are incredibly unique and delicious. The pricing for each item and combo was also on the more expensive side.

Though it is considered a Richmond treasure for some dedicated customers that I met while in the bakery, I do not think it was superb. To me it was pretty average, just enough to fill me up and keep me satisfied but I was not blown away. I definitely recommend that everyone should go to Sally Bell’s at least once because it definitely is an experience. Sally Bell’s Kitchen is located next to BookHolders on West Grace St. behind the Honor’s College. They are open Monday-Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

It is the darkest of nights. Sirens shrieking from every corner. Cold winds biting at uncovered skin. Where, oh where can safe refuge be found? Perhaps the answer to that question lies with Super Fresh Carts’ gourmet homemade s’mores and candied nuts, one of the newer and more eccentric additions to the Richmond food cart fraternity.

Most nights Super Fresh Carts can be found at the intersection of Franklin and Laurel Streets, Super Fresh Carts have mapped out their business model as follows: whatever the other guys are doing, we’re going to do different. And so far, this has seemed to work for them. From operating at times when most other vendors would be planning their offerings for the next day to handing free samples to any passersby, all of the decisions made by partners Daniel Graff and Kris Brooks have worked out in their favor. Aside from a few early run-ins with the ever vigilant VCU Police, it has all been smooth sailing for the pair and their homemade offerings.

This isn’t simply a passing interest for Graff and Brooks (they also go by DK, Donkey Kong for those not in the know) however. They are in this for the long run, even going so far as planning and developing their next line of homemade goodies (grilled cheese and snow cones!) for the upcoming seasons. As Brooks explained, “this is what we want to do.” They have fully devoted themselves to the business and lifestyle of running a food cart in Richmond. “It isn’t easy, but we hustle,” says Graff. And you have to respect the hustle.

Super Fresh Carts can be found at the corner of Franklin and Laurel Streets just outside the entrance to Johnson Hall. They are usually open between 8 p.m. and 12 p.m.

File Under: Desperate Times Call for Desperate Toppings

Ladies and gentlemen, one of the worst kept secrets in the collegiate world is the toll that eating out can take on both your wallet and your stomach. In attempt to minimize collateral damage, we often sacrifice the quality of our nom-related exploits to save a few bones. However, one can only swipe so many Shafer pies before the struggle becomes wholeheartedly real, and the inevitable fiscal-irresponsibility monster in all of us takes over.

Pizza pirates, I understand that times are tough, but by no means should that be an excuse to subject your selves to mediocre pizza. Regardless of your favorite toppings or stance on the Papa John’s debate, never should you question your right to enjoy the highest caliber in America’s mealtime foodstuff of choice*. This month, despite a reasonable degree of objection, I crossed Extreme Pizza off my list in hopes that your search may too be narrowed forevermore.

Extreme Pizza corners the niche VCU market in two key ways: by being arguably the closest pizza distributor to the freshmen residence halls besides 7-11, and by staying open until 3 a.m. on the weekends.

Tucked away on the corner of Broad and Shafer, many a unknowing student may fall prey to their convenient offerings tactfully disguised by edgy branding and inviting typefaces. The interior? Clean, by even the most rudimentary standards. The service? Competent, just the same. However, I cannot stress this enough; don’t let these things fool you. Your money is better spent elsewhere.

My lunchtime hunger pangs could only be staved off for so long. Earnestly, I tried both the pepperoni (for consistent comparison purposes) and the pepperoni with green pepper. Neither slice won me over. First and foremost, by no stretch of imagination was there enough sauce. Each bite slid down my trachea a tad slower than the last. Fortunately, the cheese was perfectly average, but, unfortunately, the cheese was perfectly average. It was not enough to redeem the rest of the ‘za. The brittle crust was barely a tolerable way to round out the meal. I left the restaurant feeling much like I did after seeing Spider-Man 3 for the first time; in a rush, thoroughly unsatisfied, and in mourning for most of my self respect.

As I contend with most things I enjoy, one must suffer the bad to thoroughly enjoy the good. This was certainly the case here. Don’t fall victim to second-rate slices, no matter the flavor of the week political protest or unwarranted street opinion. Like I’ve said before, I write this column to spare you turmoil in this regard. In the grand scheme, Extreme Pizza falls flat, and nothing more should be said on the topic. You may now return to your regularly-scheduled ‘Is it Thanksgiving yet?’ programming, most definitely already in progress.

THE VERDICT:

Crustability: 1.5/4

Sauciness: 1/4

Cheeseification: 2/4

Dining Experience: Boring/4

Overall Deliciousness Index: 2/4

*This study is based on absolutely no concrete study or factual information whatsoever.

This Chik-fil-A is almost like the one you’re used to eating but has a smaller menu. It still has all the chicken sandwiches and waffle fries you could ever want, but ARAMARK made this fast food joint faster with less options for sure.

OPTIONS
Chicken sandwiches and chicken nuggets with their spicy options, waffle fries, lemonade and iced tea.

WHERE
VCU Student Commons

HOURS
Monday-Thursday: 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Friday: 7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Saturday: 11 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Sunday: closed

IF YOU HAVE A DINING PLAN
Dining Dollars during the week. Swipes on Saturday, where you get either a chicken sandwich or a pack of chicken nuggets with a side of waffle fries and a fountain drink.

BUSY HOURS
The thing you have to remember is that everyone loves Chik-fil-A, so you have to prepare yourself accordingly on Saturdays when you can use your swipes. Everybody wants it when they can get it for a swipe so the lines usually lead past the register in the front. I recommend not going in during “hard” lunch times, like 11 a.m. or 12 p.m., and instead trying to go in between to avoid the rush.

QUALITY
It will always satisfy you. Reliably serving Chik-fil-A chicken all year round for those who need to have that fix.

RECOMMENDED OPTIONS
Get the Chik-fil-A sauce. Everything tastes better with it, trust me.

TIPS
It’s not the healthiest, but it’s name-brand quality on campus. It’s a good change of pace from what you have all the time, and swipes happen all day Saturday so you can and should make a trip if possible. The signature sauce is also a plus.

Stuff My Mom Sent Me ft. Ramen– Hash Browns and Gravy from Mesh Media on Vimeo.

Sean comes home and finds a care package from his Mommikins. Using those ingredients and a little pluck (a pack of Ramen), he comes up with a surprisingly delicious Ramen Hash Browns and Gravy.

Here’s the Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 packet of Ramen
½ large onion
½ green bell pepper
¼ cup of vegetable Oil
¼ cup of Flour
Butter
Seasoning

Optional:
Vegetable/ Beef Stock

Hash browns:

Start by breaking the brick of Ramen into eighths

Soak the ramen in cold water for about 15 minutes or until noodles are soft and easy to pull apart. Drain ramen and remove any excess moisture with a paper towel.

In a large pan melt butter over medium heat. Add Ramen and spread to cover the pan. Season with pepper, salt and paprika and let sit for 5 or so minutes– until a crust has formed on the underside of Ramen.

When crust has formed, flip over and crust other side. (or you can fold inward to crisp entire hash brown)

Once it’s crisped to your liking, you’re done.

Gravy:

Take the ramen flavor packet and add it to a cup of water. Mix thoroughly. If you don’t want to use the flavor packet and water for your gravy, use vegetable/ beef stock.

Chop onion and green pepper and sauté in a large saucepan with a teaspoon of vegetable oil until onion is soft and translucent.

Add In the rest of the oil and also add the flour and stir constantly until the mixture becomes a light brown color. (You’re making a roux; if you don’t cook it too long then all you’ll taste is flour.)

Once your roux has reached the right color, add in the flavor-packet water (or vegetable/ beef stock) gradually and stir until a paste forms.

Add more water (or vegetable/ beef stock) if necessary to thin gravy and season to taste– I used cilantro, rice wine vinegar, and pepper.

Bring to boil and reduce heat, let it simmer and thicken.

BAM, gravy!

In the spirit of Halloween, this Battle of the Burgers pits two restaurants better known for their aesthetic than their food against each other. At one end of town, Galaxy Diner is a 1950s space-aged eatery in the heart of Carytown that is better known for being a hip place to grab a drink than having a great burger. On the other side of the fan, just inside VCU’s Monroe Park Campus, is Strange Matter. Not a diner, but also not a bar, Strange Matter does have a budget burger night on Tuesdays and gets most of its traffic during band shows and other events on the weekends.

Both aren’t rightly famous for their burgers, but feature them prominently on their menus. With that in mind, the battle begins.

Fries:

Galaxy’s fries are an unseasoned, overcooked waste of space. There is nothing wrong with freezer fries– I love Ore Ida– but the most a professional kitchen can do is sprinkle salt on them before they cool off and are no longer seasonable. Galaxy’s saving grace is that they offer two different sides and a delicious fried pickle with every burger.

Strange Matter only faired slightly better. The fries were seasoned, but very underdone. They went for an ambitious ultra-thick French cut to a russet potato; it is that same cut that lead to the undercooking of the fries.

Burgers:

There are two different ideas about how to season a burger: simple with salt and pepper or with complexity, trying to infuse the beef with as much flavor as possible.

Galaxy is in the simple seasoning camp, with the Bleu Moon Burger as its representative. The patty is solid with a good amount of seasoning to it, but nothing from there is spectacular. Crisp bacon adds some texture to the sandwich, but everything else is lost in an abundance of lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise. The burger is named by its bleu cheese but with the simple, watery flavors of the LTM, it comes off as biting and out of place. The attempt to add more flavors, like caramelized onion, is futile here as well, making the entire experience lack luster.

The word “diner” sometimes invokes the thought of average, homey food; an idea easily applied to this burger.

Strange Matter is a different story. Their comparable burger is the Bobby’s Dream Burger: melted bleu cheese, mushrooms, and tempura-fried onions adorning a cooked-to-order patty on a toasted pretzel roll. I ordered mine medium-rare and couldn’t have been happier. Bobby’s Dream lies in the saturated flavor camp of burgers, placing juices and spices into the patty that only enhance the flavor of the meat. Crunch of fried onions and slight tang of blue cheese: both elements come together to form a rich burger experience.

But Bobby’s Dream doesn’t stop there; it is a very filling burger as well. The pretzel roll has the consistency and flavor of a pretzel and will remind you of that with each bite. The mushrooms act more as a filler, providing more substance to the burger– though its debatable whether they are needed or not. After eating Bobby’s Dream, you’ll feel like the $12 it costs is worth it.

Verdict:

To be blunt, Strange Matter has the better burger. It’s a little bit grungy and gets loud on the weekends, but there is something to be said about a low-key restaurant that takes the time to make sure its food is seasoned properly and gets the most flavors from its ingredients.

Extras:

Galaxy Dinner has one of the best milkshakes in Carytown and don’t leave Strange Matter without tasting their Vegan Mango Donuts Holes– they are a spiced, cakey ball of sugar-powdered delight.

Subway is now the main sub locations on the meal plan. Good selection and good quality  for Subway. Keep in mind it’s not the full Subway menu, but you can pretty much request whatever you would like. If you see it, you can order it, and you can tell them exactly how you like it too, just like a real Subway!

They put a lot of time into your sandwiches, which is a bit double edged sword. While you know you’re getting good food exactly how you order it, so will everyone else, so the lines are going to take a while.

OPTIONS
Just like the real Subway, you can order what you want and the way you want it. There are recommended options, like Spicy Italian etc, but for the most part, you’re in control. You can get your sub with a bag of chips or a cookie as well as a fountain drink of your choice.

WHERE
VCU Student Commons!

HOURS
Monday-Friday: 7:30 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Saturday: closed
Sunday: 5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

FOR THOSE WITH A DINING PLAN
Dining Dollars during the week, with swipes only being useable on Sundays at 5 p.m. I know, it’s a bummer.

BUSY TIMES
Subway is busy during the lunch and dinner rushes, but they really mean nothing in comparison to how busy they are at 5 p.m. on Sundays. People line up in front of their gates before the place even opens just in hopes of getting a spot in line, because this place is a bit notorious for putting more time into their sandwiches. Definitely a good thing, but be aware that this is a bit of an ordeal.

QUALITY
It always tastes good, and they make it right in front of you. If you ever want something done in a specific way, all you have to do is ask.

RECOMMENDED OPTIONS
The Spicy Italian and Italian BMT. The Meatball Sub is good too, but mostly the Spicy Italian and Italian BMT.

TIPS
If the line’s too long for you, I’d just go somewhere else. But just know that this is probably the most bang for your buck you’re going to get on campus.

Words and Photos by contributing writer  Amber Shiflett

Richmond has its handful of barbeque joints, but none are quite like the Halligan Bar & Grill. Located in downtown Shockoe Bottom across from the 17th Street Farmers Market, Halligan initially appeared to be just another hidden Richmond dive, which is not a bad thing if you ask me. When you enter a restaurant in this city, you  never really know what to expect and Halligan in downtown holds true to that theory.

As I walked in, my senses were shocked: Rob Zombie’s “Living Dead  Girl” was booming from the speakers and the smoky smell of the grill filled my nose, though the best part was the fully functional fire truck built in the wall equipped with sirens and built-in beer taps. I knew this was going to be an interesting meal.

The Halligan Bar & Grill is definitely a carnivore-friendly zone with no vegan options on this menu. There were difficult decisions to be made, especially for a barbeque lover like myself. After reading over the four pages of delicious eats, I had finally decided.

I started off with the High Rise Rings, beer battered onion rings  served with their homemade spicy dipping sauce. When they arrived, the portion was more than generous. The rings were lightly battered and clearly not just something out of the freezer. Sadly the rings didn’t have as much flavor as I would’ve thought but the dipping sauce really kicked things up and made this appetizer. I couldn’t wait eat my main course: a Halligan specialty known as The Chief.

As I waited for The Chief sandwich, I couldn’t help but admire the atmosphere. Above the bar there were lights made from fire helmets and the walls were lined with patches and photos of local firefighters.

When my sandwich arrived it was definitely larger than I had expected, but I should have known The Chief was going to live  up to its name. The Chief consists of thin sliced London Broil covered in caramelized onions, cheddar, lettuce, tomato, horseradish mayo and a touch of the coveted Halligan sauce. This sandwich had top choice meat with a moist, smoky flavor. It was superb but messy and I was covered in sauces by the end  of the meal.

I got the garlic, cheddar and bacon mashed potatoes as a side. Though I wish I had just stuck with fries because these potatoes were dry and didn’t live up to The Chief’s standards.

My advice is to let yourself get dirty because otherwise you’re going to be the wimp eating your sandwich with a fork and knife. Let’s face it that’s not a good look. Ladies, this is definitely not a first date kind of restaurant.

Although Halligan Bar & Grill may be a few miles from campus the amazing food, unique atmosphere and downtown location make the trip worth it and there is also another location in Short Pump. Overall, I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a unique experience and a good meaty meal.

There aren’t too many tricks to the trade here. It’s Pizza Hut, condensed. Great if you want to just pick something up really quickly since everything is ready-made for you. Plus it is kind of hard to pass up with the smell of pizza hitting your nostrils as you walk through the Commons. As long as you aren’t expecting anything gourmet, you should be satisfied with your choice here.

OPTIONS
Pan pizzas, buffalo wings, breadsticks and breakfast biscuits in the morning. Fountain drinks and fruit with every meal-swipe option.

WHERE
VCU Student Commons

HOURS
Monday-Friday: 7:30 a.m. – 11:30 p.m.
Saturday: closed
Sunday: 5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

IF YOU HAVE A DINING PLAN
The swipe menu is a bit complex. It serves breakfast, but be aware that you must spend Dining Dollars between its two swipe times.

Meal-swipe times:

7:30am – 10:30am
Biscuits with your choice of egg and cheese; bacon, egg and cheese; or sausage, egg and cheese with an order of hash browns, a fruit, and a drink.

2pm – Close
Personal Pan Pizza: Pepperoni, Cheese, Veggie with a fruit and a drink.
Six wings with a fruit and a drink.

BUSY TIMES
Lunch and dinner rushes

QUALITY
While pizza at Market 810 To-Go specializes in pizzas you can share with varying quality, you can reliably count on Pizza Hut to give you something delicious. Plus, the wings aren’t too bad, either.

RECOMMENDED OPTION
Pepperoni is always a classic choice, but grab the Hawaiian Luau if you’re feeling saucy. If you’re a fan of cheese pizza, try sprinkling some parmesan on that. I guarantee you’ll enjoy it.

If you have early classes and want something quick to bite on your way to Temple or Harris, I recommend stopping by here since your food is already ready to go. Just grab it, swipe it, and be on your way!

TIPS
If you’re a Pizza Hut fan, check out their breakfast menu. Also, keep in mind that during the week Pizza Hut is open late compared to the other eateries in the Commons.

Don’t be afraid to double swipe or use dining dollars with your meal in order to get a cheaper pizza and wings combo.