Valentine’s Day is less than a week away, and if you’re anything like me, you’ve failed to make your dinner reservations.  The well-known restaurants will most likely be booked solid by now, especially for the peak dinner hours.  Well, you’re in luck.  Here are a few suggestions of over looked restaurants in Fredericksburg to try.  (All have been tasted and approved!)

1.  Wegman’s- Yes, I’m suggesting eating at a grocery store.  Fredericksburg let out a cheer when Wegman’s opened it’s doors.  Many will be letting out another cheer this Valentine’s Day as they lay a pre-prepared meal on their dinner tables.  Leave the cooking up to Wegman’s and the ambiance up to you.  Wegman’s offers an assortment of culinary delights from main course and side dishes, to delectable desserts.  While you’re there, grab some flowers, a card, and/ or candy!  This is a one stop shop!  Wegman’s is located in Celebrate Virginia, across the street from Central Park.  2281 Carl D Silver Pkwy.

2.  Lee’s Retreat Brew Pub- Lee’s Retreat, the restaurant connected to Fredericksburg’s Blue and Gray Brewery, is reopening for Valentine’s Day!  They are offering a beer and wine pairing dinner menu.  Reservations are for 6:30pm on Valentine’s Day, only.  The dinner consists of  5 predetermined courses and experts’ selections of beer and wine.  The cost is $75 per person and gratuity is not included.  Lee’s Retreat Brew Pub is located in the Bowman Industrial Park off of Rt. 2.  3300 Dill Smith Drive. 

3.  Pueblo’s Tex Mex Grill- This is my new favorite restaurant!  Keep in mind, this is a very intimate dining space.  There are not many tables, so I highly recommend making a reservation to ensure seating.  Pueblo’s takes Tex Mex to a whole new level for the Fredericksburg area.  Food is made to order and the menu offers so much more than “order-by-number” dining.  The wait staff is very friendly, the food is delicious, and they offer a full bar.  Pueblo’s is located on Jefferson Davis Hwy across the street from Eagle Village Shopping Center.  1320 Jefferson Davis Hwy. 

4.  Poppy Hill Tuscan Kitchen-  Poppy Hill is a cozy environment offering farm fresh ingredients, homemade pasta, and fresh herbs.  Go as a couple or go with friends, you are sure to have a good time.  The restaurant is not handicap accessible, but is located in a historic building… it’s actually in the basement.  Poppy Hill is located at the corner of William Street and Charles Street.  1000 Charles Street. 

5.  The Kenmore Inn- This popular bed & breakfast offers a full service restaurant in the basement.  Overlooking a brick courtyard, this dining experience includes a seasonal, eclectic menu.  Be sure to visit the bar area to enjoy relaxing conversation and a beverage of choice.  Make it an overnight holiday with one of several packages offered by the bed & breakfast.  The Kenmore Inn is located near the heart of downtown Fredericksburg on Princess Anne Street.  1200 Princess Anne Street.

Sammy T's Frozen Yogurt

My first real job was as a yogurt girl at I Can’t Believe It’s Yogurt in Greensboro, NC.  I loved that job.  We got free samples, I could pull a 9 oz sample in a sample cup, the product was fat-free, and I always went home smelling like vanilla.  I’ve missed frozen yogurt terribly since moving from North Carolina.  Well, miss it no more!  There is a recent boom in Fredericksburg with frozen yogurt establishments.  It started with Salad Creations in Eagle Village offering Red Mango frozen yogurt.  Then, Crave opened in Central Park.  Now, Sammy T’s brings frozen yogurt downtown! 

Sammy T’s Frozen Yogurt is located in the former smoke-free section of the restaurant off of Hanover Street.  They rotate over 70 frozen yogurt flavors; offering 10 flavors at a time.  (There’s an additional 5 flavors if you swirl).  I took the family for frozen yogurt this past weekend.  We sampled chocolate, strawberry cheesecake swirl, caramel, cookies & cream, and peach mango.  My husband’s favorite was cookies & cream, my favorite was caramel, and Sprinks liked peach mango.  At 45 cents an oz you do need to be careful how much you put in your self-serve, one-size-fits-all cup.  Being an experienced yogurt puller, the three of us shared 12 oz.  We skipped the toppings this trip.

Sprinks Tested and Approved

We’ll definitely be going back.  The quality of the yogurt is very good.  It has a creamy texture instead of an icy texture that so many yogurts can get.  The toppings selection was elaborate, although they are missing granola.  There is indoor and outdoor seating.  the hours of operation are Sun-Thurs 11am-10pm and Fri-Sat 11am-11pm.  I dare say that Sammy T’s Frozen yogurt will be giving Carl’s Ice Cream a run for their money.    

Sammy T’s Frozen Yogurt

801 Caroline Street (use Hanover Street Entrance)

Sun-Thurs   11am-1opm

Fri – Sat       11am-11pm

This weekend will be a busy one in Fredericksburg.  The University of Mary Washington graduates on Saturday and Mother’s Day is on Sunday.  If you haven’t already done so, you need to make reservations for Mother’s Day brunch now!  Here are a few of my favorite places for brunch:

Jake and Mike’s - 806 William Street Fredericksburg, VA 22401  (540)-370-4590

This is, by far, my most favorite place for brunch and lunch.  Their prices are good and the food is delicious!  Their brunch menu offers a combination of breakfast and lunch options.  Portions are big.  This place is pretty small, so you will want to call early to get a seat at a good time.  Brunch is served from 10am-2pm every Sunday.  Jake and Mike’s offers both indoor and outdoor seating.   

Poppy Hill Tuscan Kitchen- 1000 Charles Street Fredericksburg, VA 22401  (540) 373- 2035

Mother’s Day brunch will be served at Poppy Hill from 10am-4pm.  They are featuring a “Pick Your Own Two Course Brunch Menu.”  This menu includes your choice of champagne, mimosa, or bellini.  The menu also includes a selection of breakfast and dinner foods.  Poppy Hill offers indoor and outdoor seating. 

The Otter House - 1005 Princess Anne Street Fredericksburg, VA  22401  (540) 656-2969

The Otter House is one of our newest restaurants downtown, but it is good and I hope it stays.  Brunch begins at 10am and features a selection of breakfast foods and lunch items.  Portions are generous and the waitstaff is charming.  Service is fast and you may have luck getting the brunch time you want since not many people know how good this place is yet.  The Otter House offers both indoor and outdoor dining. 

The Hospitality House - 2801 Plank Road Fredericksburg, VA 22401 (540) 736-1005

You know, the old Holiday Inn Select in Central Park.  The Hospitality House has kept many of the Holiday Inn’s traditions including the Mother’s Day Brunch Buffet.  Yes, it is hotel food.  However, the Hospitality House has stepped up their culinary dedication and the food has improved.  Since Claiborne’s no longer exists, this may be your best bet if you are looking for a buffet this weekend. 

Brock’s Riverside Grill- 503 Sophia Street Fredericksburg, VA 22401   (540) 370-1820

I have mixed feelings about Brock’s.  The food is usually pretty good, but sometimes the service leaves something to be desired.  The setting is quite lovely, with some seating available on balconies overlooking the Rappahannock River.  There is ample seating in this restaurant, so it may be a good choice if you are running out of options and still want to ensure a good meal.   

I hope this list helps!  And Happy Mother’s Day!

Happy Monday!  As many of you know, I am a big cupcake fan!  I just love cupcakes!  Fredericksburg City has a new attraction, Colonial Cupcakes.  Located on Caroline Street near the Executive Building, Colonial Cupcakes offers a variety of cake and icing flavors.  Of course you can find traditional flavors, but they also offer exotic flavors like Smores Cupcakes and Irish Cupcakes – Guinness cake and Irish Cream frosting.  My good friend, Drew Fristoe, and I decided to take a little trip down to taste some cupcakes.  Warning:  we each eat 6 cupcakes.  I do NOT recommend eating 6 cupcakes in one sitting.  Drew and I are professional cupcake eaters, we could handle the sugar rush… barely. 

Address:  611 Caroline Street Fredericksburg, VA 22401 

Hours of Operation:

Wednesday - Saturday   10am – 7pm

Sunday 12pm – 8pm

There are two sides to this coin, well, maybe three.  On one side we have the non-smokers who have been anxiously awaiting December 1, 2009 to finally roll around.  One the other side we have the smokers who are upset that they will no longer be able to enjoy a cigarette with their meal.  And on the third side we have the tobacco industry that is losing the public smoking battle in pro-tobacco states.  So, how is this law going to effect us? 

1.  The following places are exempt from the law:  private clubs, hot dog stands, catering services, pushcart services, outdoor areas of restaurants that are not enclosed in any way except roofing, restaurants located on the premises of tobacco producers, and any portion of a restaurant that is structurally separated from the non-smokers with its own ventilation system and there is at least one public entrance into the non-smoking area. 

2.  The new law does effect bars and lounges since food must be served in order to receive an on-premise ABC license. 

3.  Smoking is prohibited in restrooms.  Yes, just like in an airplane. 

For a comprehensive list of FAQ visit Restaurants and Smoking in Virginia FAQs. 

Violators of the smoking ban face a $25.00 fine as do the restaurant owners.

In May a few of my readers talked about a new Mexican restaurant near Southpoint in my Cinco De Mayo post.  I am a tried and true El Charro fan.  My husband and I have been going there since we moved to Fredericksburg in 2003.  However, we are always up for a new restaurant experience and decided to visit Mexico Restaurant because so many of you told us to.  I’m going to go ahead and let you know, we’ll be sticking with El Charro.  Now, I’m not saying that Mexico was bad.  Actually the food was very comparable to El Charro.  The ambiance may be a little better at Mexico.  But there are three things that El Charro has that Mexico does not. 

First, you can’t order by number at Mexico.  I know!  This is ludicrous!  My husband and I stared at the menu for a good 15 minutes searching for a #5 and a #21.  No matter what Mexican restaurants we have eaten at before, we’ve always been able to order our favorites, #5 and #21.  Mexico does have a pretty extensive menu, but it becomes rather confusing.  We need an easy menu to read, and a #5 and #21.  Second, the prices at Mexico are higher than at El Charro.  Maybe this is because you can’t order by number.  A #5 at El Charro, 2 enchiladas, beans, and rice, costs $6.95.  A comparable meal at Mexico cost $9.95.  Yes, it’s only $3, but $3 per entrée can add up.  Also, unlimited chips and salsa are free at El Charro.  After your first basket at Mexico, it is a $1 per refill.  Again, it doesn’t seem like a lot of extra money, but ordering one extra basket along with the increase cost in the entrées, we are now spending $7 more.  Third, El Charro has better service than Mexico.  (At least the night we went).  Our server went missing for long periods of time.  We never got drink refills.  And, we had to ask the manager for our check.  We’ve never had this problem at El Charro.  Although the food came out faster at Mexico, I can’t say that was very comforting.  I hate to think of pre-prepared Mexican food sitting under heat lamps waiting hours to be ordered. 

My husband and I will definitely appreciate El Charro more the next time we go.  I’m not saying Mexico was bad.  Mexico just didn’t meet my expectations or live up to the hype.  El Charro wins the battle of the Mexican restaurants.

My husband and I go on walks around the city at least twice a week.  It is good exercise and it allows us to keep up with what’s happening downtown.  We always walk down Caroline Street and always walk past Basil’s Italian Market and Pizzeria.  The aroma that waifs from the restaurant is enchanting and the outdoor/ sidewalk seating is so inviting.  Inevitably my husband will say, “We need to check that place out.”  Last week Mr. Stelmok came home and proclaimed, “We’re going on a walk and we’re eating at Basil’s.”  I am pleased to announce I have a new addition to my Top 5 favorite places to eat in Fredericksburg!  Congratulations Basil’s!  You’ve made the list!

I ordered the chicken parmigiana and my husband ordered the wild mushroom ravioli.  The portions were adequate; but let’s face it, most restaurants serve you entirely too much food.  The prices were reasonable, especially for the quality of the food.  My husband could not stop raving about his wild mushroom ravioli, which I thought there were too few, but he insisted there were just enough.  My chicken was a little dry, but the sauce was fresh and the noodles were perfectly al dente!  The breading on the chicken was nbot too heavy, not too light and was not fried on until the chicken was praying for forgiveness.  The herbs and spices the chef uses are fresh and appropriately used.  Our entrees came with fresh bread.  Actual fresh bread.  We walked away from our meal full, but not too full, and satisfied.  Both of us commented that we felt like we had just eaten a healthy Italian meal.  Nothing tasted processed or frozen. 

I definitely recommend Basil’s to anyone strolling along Caroline Street and will go so far as to recommend you make a special trip into Fredericksburg City to taste the Basil’s goodness for yourself!

(Disclaimer:  I was in no way enticed to right this blog post and did not receive compensation of any kind for endorsing this restaurant)