Ipanema Cafe, Richmond, VA
I'll cut to the chase: the Ipanema Cafe in Richmond, VA is great. Really that's all I need to say, but since you're still reading, I'll continue.
One of the reasons I like the I.C. so much is that nothing like it does, or could, exist in Boston. This isn't to rag on Beantown so much as it's to say that the Ipanema effortlessly reflects the cool of its home turf. There's a lot of talk these days about terrior, and not everything on the menu is locally grown, in fact I don't remember if any of it was, but the Ipanema has a sort of atmospheric connection to its soil, or asphalt.
And who doesn't love a menu like this?
It's unlikely that the food at the Ipanema will blow you away, but it will surprise and satisfy you, especially for the price. I had a hefty grilled tofu sandwich on their fantastic (homemade?) focaccia, slathered with black olive tapenade and served with sweet potatoes fries and a salad that you actually want to eat, all for about six bucks. It's enough to make a carnivore at least an omnivore.
The Ipanema is also incredibly vegetarian and vegan friendly with a few meat options for those who can't miss a fix. They have an ample beer and wine list, and local offerings do crop up here. Its only achilles heal is a weak tea selection, or rather a weak selection of tea, but what else is new?
Go there. You'll like it.
