Java Java’s Cantaloupe Smoothie is a little less sweet than other fruit blends. It’s icy and creamy with a hint of honey and spice to it, with a beautiful pastel color that screams summer. It’s a perfectly refreshing and healthy afternoon treat.

In other smoothie news, my favorite coffee man at Java Hut (the cart in front of Chap’s) told me he makes delicious Mulberry Smoothies when they’re in season. So keep that in mind for next spring!

• Cinema Taco

• The tacos at the Farmer’s Market on Saturday morning

• Aqui es Mexico

• La Michoacana

In all fairness, I haven’t tried the Farmer’s Market samplings – I hear they’re the best – but among the others, my money goes to La Michoacana. They’ve been inconsistent over the years, and I don’t much enjoy their burritos or other offerings, but the tacos are tops.

Of the possible taco tortilla options – crunchy corn, soft corn, or soft flour – La Michoacana’s are soft corn, my least favorite, but they make theirs from scratch and the texture is just right. The other ingredients are (usually) fresh, and there are multiple salsas, including a “guacamole sauce,” on the counter for you to play with.

If you like a little sass in your shell, go for the tacos locos, which have both chicken and chorizo. Otherwise, the chicken is the safest bet. All tacos are $2 each, whether you go regular, super, or loco, so go crazy! Just don’t forget to squeeze the lime over everything before inserting into your mouth.

Email us, comment here, post your experiences to our Facebook page, tweet* them. (Okay, things are admittedly getting a little out of hand with the social media options.) We want to hear all about it!

Other places where people are commenting:

• CvilleYum.com – The official Restaurant Week website. Also, their Facebook page.

• The Hook – For now, it’s mostly people debating whether $26 is a good deal or not, but stay tuned.

* Thanks to Kari Rippetoe for suggesting we track our Restaurant Week tweets with the #cvilleyum hashtag. Click it to see what everyone is saying on Twitter, or keep an eye on our Twitter feed at left, which includes #cvilleyum tweets.

If David Lynch was scouting locations for his next movie in Charlottesville, the Bamboo House would inspire quite a flick. As anyone driving up to DC knows, there are rarely cars outside the beige, boxy exterior. On our most recent visit, however, there were close to 20 cars in the parking lot – yet it was empty inside. We stepped inside to have our noses bombarded by an unsettling citrus perfume aroma and our ears by muzak at its worst. Let’s just say we heard a very loud “Hopelessly Devoted to You” twice within the first half-hour (yes, an instrumental version of the Olivia Newton John sleepover song after Rizzo is mean to her). The bar holds a cheery large red tapestry of ducks with light fixtures reminiscent of a jail, and the floor-to-ceiling entertainment system could host a truly kick-ass karaoke party. The giant room was filled with mostly empty tables and you could spot a bedroom off the back wall. And then there’s the taxidermy. Apparently the husband owner-chef is a recreational taxidermist so the restaurant is sprinkled with stuffed foxes, ducks, deer and even an angry looking little squirrel. Many are lovingly arranged in outdoor nature scenes with fake plants that make for a truly charming and bizarre setting. We had heard good things about the Korean food, but should have suspected it would be hard to live up to the decor.

The Bamboo House actually serves Korean and Chinese food, but we had been advised to stick with the Korean dishes. When we asked the wife owner-server what their best dishes were, she recommended the classic Korean dishes Beef Bulgogi and Bibimbap. We also ordered the Kimchi Jun appetizer, a spicy pancake with kimchi and promised yet nonexistent lean pork. The pickled vegetable topping had an interesting flavor, but the pancake itself had a strange, bloated texture. And while it was supposed to be a starter for one, the two of us could have easily split the one appetizer and gone home full.

The main dishes were next and things did not improve. I prefer my Bibimbap – a mixture of rice, vegetables, chili paste, egg and sliced beef – as the variety served in a hot pan so the mixture continues to cook through and you’re left with deliciously crispy bites to scrape off the bottom. The Bamboo House dish came in a plastic bowl and the entire dish tasted bland and underdone. The Bulgogi – barbecued beef – smelled good but was an unsettling gray color. While I can sometimes ignore grayish meat, it’s harder to do so when you’re surrounded with dead stuffed animals. Some bites were okay but I wished there were some scallions, mushrooms or more garlic to distract from the slightly older tasting meat.

The server was very sweet and small touches continued to delight, such as the watermelon and two slices of wrapped Wrigley chewing gum that came out with our bill. We agreed the watermelon and Tsing-Taos were the best part of our meal. It’s worth a trip to enjoy this one-of-a kind location and support the lovely family that runs the place. But for any return visits, I’m sorry to say we’ll go for a beer and then hit the Korean House for dinner.

Jed says: “David Lynch meets David Cronenberg for an unappetizing meal before Bill Murray makes a surprise karaoke appearance.”

Rating: Erin: [rating=2] Jed: [rating=2]

Pros: Fabulously eccentric interior complete with taxidermy touches, family-owned with welcoming service.

Cons: Korean dishes were mediocre.

Price: Korean dishes $8-15, Chinese dishes $6-9.

Parking: Parking lot.

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• Cvillian: Bamboo House?
• Yelp reviews of Bamboo House
• Urban Spoon reviews of Bamboo House

The Seasonal Cook‘s evening classes generally follow the same format: You and seven other people sit around the chef’s table, close enough that you can practically feel the heat from the burners, and watch as he or she prepares dishes according to the theme for that evening. There is no imposed structure. Ask questions along the way, chat about restaurants and farms, follow the recipe exactly or not, have some wine. The personality of the chef dictates how it goes.

This latest class, featuring Chef Mark Gresge of l’etoile and a theme of “New Spins on Lost Tradtions of a Backyard Cocktail Party,” was like a scene from The Absent-Minded Professor crossed with an episode of The French Chef with Julia Child. Chef Gresge’s disarming affability, rustic sensibilities, playful innovation, and technical mastery combined to create a most relaxed but entertaining and educational evening.

He made and we greedily ate cream cheese balls rolled in toasted cumin, red pepper flakes, fresh cilantro, and cracked pepper; a greek yogurt-based roasted garlic onion dip, served with baked potato chips; the freshest and tastiest beef tartare imaginable, with mustard, onions, capers, Tabasco, Worcestershire, and a quail egg on top; and vibrant Polyface eggs deviled two ways: truffled and lobster-stuffed.

We’re happy to spread the recipe love if you think you need any of these, and I assure you that you do. It may be hard to find the truffles or grind the beef, but everything else is reasonably easy to prepare, and delicious!

It took me awhile to venture beyond Rev Soup’s forte – quite obviously, its soups – to try its non-liquid offerings. Which means I wasted valuable time in finding one of the most delicious sandwiches in town.

There’s a lot to love about Rev Soup.  The fact that they offer sustainably raised local food (their latest project is a recently purchased Rev Soup Farm).  The eclectic, delicious wine selection that tempts you in the order line, especially because all bottles are under $10.  And come on, Rev Soup could stay in business just serving the Spicy Senegalese Tofu Peanut Soup.  There’s much to love, but I find it hard to stray from the Adam’s Apple Sandwich.

This sandwich superstar has a perfect salty-sweet, yin and yang balance.  On the salty side, there’s a generous serving of sliced turkey, glorious bacon, creamy chevre, and garlic aioli that has a bite. On the sweet side, there’s lusciously slathered apple butter and crisp Granny Smith apple slices. Bitter arugula adds a healthy touch of green amidst the meat and bridges the many strong flavors. Both hands are needed on the toasted sunflower wheat bread slices to corral all of this into a lucky waiting mouth. An A plus for Adam’s Apple!

In the 90′s, things were relatively peaceful. Some people said Anna’s was the best around, but the rest of us thought that the quaint little place just west of town was far superior. As Crozet pizza’s popularity grew, and more pizza chefs jockeyed for the top slot, backlash against the old favorite started to surface. Now, and especially since Dr. Ho’s and Sal’s moved into the area, battle lines have been drawn deeper then ever.

As we confirmed during our most recent visit, the Crozet pizza fight can only be more about its semi-mythical status than about the quality of the food itself. While it’s not mind-blowing every time, it’s truly delicious about 75% of the time, good 20% of time, and merely average 5% of the time. When it’s great, it’s because of the lightly charred crust, the flavorful toppings – I especially like the cherry peppers – and the charming, barn-like, wood-stoved, photo-crusted, plastic-cupped, thoroughly unpretentious atmosphere.

We like it less than Dr. Ho’s these days, but also think it’s better than many are giving it credit for. For these people it seems to have swung as far out of fashion as it had swung into fashion, so maybe it will find its rational place somewhere in the middle in coming years. If you’re one of the die-hard Crozet Pizza fans, or if you’re just looking for solid pizza in a fun atmosphere, go now. There are rumors that it’s closing or moving soon.

* To be fair, it’s equally likely that such vitriolic conversations will be about Christian’s vs. Vita Nova (vs. Fabio’s), Riverside vs. Boylan Heights/Five Guys, or C&O vs. itself.

Erin says: “I love the pizza almost as much as I love the cozy little interior.”

Rating: Erin: [rating=4] Jed: [rating=4]

Pros: Fun atmosphere, (usually) great pizza with flavorful, seasonal toppings.

Cons: Small, salads only average.

Price: Large 16″ pizza $13.50 + $2-$3 per topping.

Parking: Usually a spot in the lot right in front of Crozet Pizza.

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• The Hook: Food Finder – Crozet Pizza
• Yelp: Crozet Pizza – Crozet, VA
• TripAdvisor: Crozet Pizza
• Fodors: Crozet Pizza Review and Comments

Chaps isn’t about espresso chile sorbet or ginger passionfruit gelato or mini mochi toppings or anything else fancy. It’s about ice cream, pure and simple. The ice cream is handmade, the flavors are classic, and the setting looks like the Peach Pit grew up and went through some rough times. Chaps is where I go when I want a straightforward cone for cheap, and my far and away favorite choice is German Chocolate.

Chaps German Chocolate perfectly mimics the flavor of the classic caramel-filled, coconut-pecan frosted cake (which does not actually originate from Germany). The chocolate ice cream base is rich and velvety.  Caramel rivers overflow on all sides and there’s an abundance of fresh, deliciously chewy coconut pieces, but it’s surprisingly not as sweet as you would think thanks to the subtle bitter hint of chocolate. It tastes like the ice cream you had as a kid, and on days like today it’s like a delicious portable air conditioning system.

Our first meal was mixed. The duck with sweet potato hash was spectacular, but everything else was thoroughly mediocre. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen Erin reject pasta. At home, she’ll eat day-old spaghetti from a box with tomato sauce from a jar and then lick the plate. (Is it okay to tell people this, boo?) The service was nice, and the duck showed promise, but we were not eager to return.

As the months wore on and Camino settled in, however, we found ourselves being pulled back, curious to see how it had come along. We went recently with our friends Kelly and Brian, and I’m here to tell you: The magic is back! The highlight had to have been the homemade pappardelle with duck sugo, a rich bowl of delicate meat and rustic, fresh pasta.  The white pizza – too often a filler dish without much flavor, or too garlicky – was also excellent. Thin, crispy on the outside and chewy inside, with just the right notes of bitter arugula, earthy truffle, and spicy garlic.

The question is: Can it survive? Despite the excellent service and food, the space is small enough, and maybe just odd enough, that it could be hard to get enough people into the restaurant and coming back. We find the unusual layout – a row of booths on one side of the bar and a few cramped tables on the other – charming and cozy, but it is limiting and, when busy, loud. In warmer months, the outdoor seating in back is better, if a little disconnected.

An industry insider friend told us that it’s very difficult to run a restaurant in that space, and predicts Camino will go the way of Il Cane Pazzo. We hope he’s wrong.

Erin says: “Promising but inconsistent so far.”

Rating: Erin: [rating=3] Jed: [rating=4]

Pros: Anything with duck, white pizza, nice service.

Cons: Limited seating, can be noisy.

Price: Entrées $15-$21

Parking: The usual downtown street or garage parking.

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• Facebook: Camino’s Group Page
• Yelp: Camino – Charlottesville, VA
• Cvillain: Camino & The Road to Charlottesville
• The Hook: Camino
• Charlottesville-Dining: Camino Reviews

Cinema Taco has a fool proof concept: cheap Mexican and South American classics served up as lunch for downtown workers and late night food for hungry Jefferson concertgoers. The setting is whimsical with a film-themed decor, right down to the chips in the glass popcorn case and old projector on display. The setting, concept, draft beer, and low prices are perfect – the food, however, is not.

The streamlined menu offers burritos and tacos (fish, chicken, pork, steak, veggie), nachos, and empanadas, all of which need to step up their game. We obviously went straight for the empanadas on our first visit and sampled every option available. While the flavors sounded incredible – the fillings included  black bean hummus, queso fresco, roasted veggies, braised pork, and braised beef – we were disappointed. The secret to great empanadas is a firm crust that contrasts perfectly with spiced oozing fillings. Cinema Taco’s crust was limp and slightly greasy tasting, and the fillings were unspectacular. The roasted veggie empanada was okay, but the pork and beef empanadas tasted like meat pies from a 1960s British cafeteria.

We tried the other menu options on our next lunch visit and didn’t find much more to love. The tacos were overly dry and needed a jolt of flavor, yet the featured papaya habanero hot sauce offered little flavor and just slightly more heat. The burrito was a carb bomb with an overly chewy tortilla and mountains of rice. While I was a fan of the freshly made limeade and the chips, and I bet that everything would taste better with a beer as a midnight dance break, overall I’d love to see a food overhaul so Cinema Taco can live up to the promise of empanada euphoria.

Jed says: “Boo!”

Rating: Erin: [rating=2] Jed: [rating=2.5]

Pros: Great location, low prices, late night food, quirky movie decor.

Cons: Burritos and tacos in need of more flavor, disappointing empanadas.

Price: Empanadas and Tacos $3, Burritos $5-6, Nachos $4.50-6.

Parking: None except for the usual downtown options.

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• The Hook: New Mexican in the Jeff
• C-ville: Jefferson Theater Restaurant Opens
• Yelp Reviews of Cinema Taco