Andy Howell has a reputation in Richmond dining.
Sure, he garnered some notoriety for the footnotes on his Avenue 805 menu; "screaming babies will be sold for scientific experiment" and "18 percent gratuity may be added to any check" were two of my personal favorites. But these notes were just, um, gentle reminders to Richmonders that manners should not be checked at the door when dining out.
But Howell's reputation has nothing to do with dining etiquette per se; it's all about turning pockets of Richmond into dining destinations known for high-quality food and a great dining experience.
He did it in 1991 when he opened Zeus Gallery Café in what was then the practically restaurant-free Museum District. Then he headed down to Petersburg for a bit before opening Avenue 805 in the Fan, just off the corner of Broad Street and Davis Avenue.
Howell sold each restaurant off as he went. Last year he left Avenue 805 to open Café Rustica in a part of downtown better known for vacant storefronts than dining.
Café Rustica opened in November for breakfast and lunch and started serving dinner last month. And, as with Howell's other restaurant ventures, it was only a matter of time before Richmond foodies and diners followed.
Howell describes Rustica's menu as European comfort food. And with lunch and dinner entrees like breaded pork cutlets, braised beef, mussels, bread pudding and the griddled Mediterranean shortstack (shrimp, scallop and crab meat cakes) it's clear he included some of the best flavors of Europe.
Also on the menu is Howell's crème brulee, a favorite from his Avenue 805 days. The ingredients are relatively simple to collect, but since the final step in its preparation involves the use of a chef's version of a blow torch, it might be a recipe you'd rather sample from Howell than attempt yourself. A fact, Howell mentioned, wasn't lost on him when selecting a recipe for this month's "Quick Fix."
But what more do you want, the man's not in the business of handing out recipes. He's plenty busy making Richmond tastier one restaurant at a time.
Crème Brulee
INGREDIENTS:
1 quart heavy whipping cream
5 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1 table spoon vanilla (or most any non-citric extract)
pinch of salt
DIRECTIONS:
Mix eggs and sugar until creamed, add rest of ingredients and mix until incorporated but not frothy. Ladle into 6 six-inch ramekins (or 8 four-inchers).
Place in water bath and cook at 325 for an hour or until they don't jiggle anymore (longer with deeper ramekins). Let cool and refrigerate.
Top with a thin layer of granulated sugar and place under the broiler until gurgling brown. Or borrow a friendly plumber's propane torch and wave it carefully 6 inches over the top until desired degree of burn. Repeat the last part if you like a thicker, crunchier crust.
Café Rustica is open for breakfast and lunch Monday though Friday; dinner Tuesday through Saturday and Sunday brunch. 414 E. Main St., 804-225-8811 .