Richmond’s Fanboy has made Esquire magazine’s “The Best Bars in America” list this year.
Fanboy, a cocktail bar, global small-plate restaurant and listening lounge, opened at 2713 W. Broad St. late last year.
Fanboy has curvy, retro wooden decor and a spotlighted bar. The restaurant/lounge is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4 p.m. to midnight, Fridays from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Here’s the write-up from Esquire:
“Fanboy, a tiny joint not much wider than a garage, is nondescript on the outside, but 100% descript upon entry. Walls glow in swatch card rainbows of orange Pantones in pristine arches that brighten moods like a martini. There’s a DJ spinning vintage vinyl that makes it impossible not to R&B in your seat. And given these close quarters, the loud music provides sonic cover for spilling secrets with dinner mates even as would-be eavesdroppers are close enough to steal shishitos from your plate.”
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Fanboy, a cocktail bar, global small-plate restaurant and listening lounge at 2713 W. Broad St., features a wall of albums and big speakers. It hosts disc jockeys on certain evenings.
Esquire magazine's Summer issue features its "Best Bars in America" list that includes Richmond's Fanboy.
Fanboy is the creation of Brandon Pearson, co-owner of next door’s Sabai, and a partner.
The RTD’s dining writer Megan Marconyak visited the moody hot spot last year and was won over by cocktails like the Porn Star Martini ($14) and dishes such as the Tikka Masala Dip ($15) and Fried Chicken Sandwich ($16).
Esquire’s “The Best Bars in America” list features “42 noteworthy watering holes from coast to coast and everywhere in between.” The annual list is on Esquire.com and in the Summer issue, available everywhere by June 4.
The list was created with Esquire writers, editors and contributors, including Richmond’s own Jason Tesauro.
Best thing I ate this week in Richmond
Vin jaune service at Celladora
Savory dessert lovers, you have a new bucket list dish: the vin jaune service at Celladora (111B N. Lombardy St.).
Two dainty glasses of vin jaune served in vintage glasses arrive, paired with comté cheese, honeycomb and thyme sable cookies made by pastry chef Olivia Wilson for a very special end to the meal. Read the story.
The Strawberry Fields Forever sundae from JiJi’s Frozen Custard
The Strawberry Fields Forever sundae from JiJi’s Frozen Custard food truck. One of my absolute favorite frozen treats has made a triumphant return just in time for scorching hot weather: JiJi Frozen Custard’s strawberry puree. “It tastes exactly like we wanted it to, like custard with strawberries on top,” the owners said. Read the story.
Lobster Tots from Cousins Maine Lobster
The lobster tots at Cousins Maine Lobster are a fun, easy and not too crazy expensive way to live that lobster good life this summer. The sharable side starts simply with classic tater tots fried to perfection. Those are topped with a warmed Maine lobster, cilantro lime sauce and pico de gallo. Read the story.
Country style mushroom paté at The Jasper
The country style mushroom pate at The Jasper is a blend of button, cremini and oyster mushrooms mixed with savory herbs and cream and topped with balsamic onion jam. It’s served with whole grain mustard and a baguette on the side. Shown here with the with Caribbean Kween cocktail. Read the story.
The Gibster cocktail at Trouvaille
Looking for a great, innovative take on a martini? Check out the Gibster at Trouvaille, which arrives with a spoon of caviar pearls. Read the article.
Loaded fries at New York Deli
The loaded fries at New York Deli are beer-battered fries topped wtih cheese, bacon and japalenos. This dish stands out from other dress up fries because each individual ingredient is done right. The French fries themselves are properly grease-free. They are spread on a platter, then broiled with enough cheese to be melty and flavorful, but not too much to create a soggy mess. Read the story.
Fried chicken sandwich at Bar West
The fried chicken sandwich at Bar West. The fried chicken is brined with salt and rosemary, then breaded with a house spice blend featuring lots of barbecue spices.
It’s finished with shredded lettuce for crunch, tomato and a dill pickle aioli that’s tangy, cool and salty without overwhelming:
“I love pickles so much and I just wanted to slather it with an obscene amount of them,” chef and co-owner Brandon MacConnell said. Read the story.
Fried broccoli at Heritage
Get ready, because I’m letting you in on a hidden Richmond best dish: the fried broccoli at Heritage. It’s not breaded, just crisped to perfection, then carefully drained and seasoned with a savory blend of sesame furikake, salt, pepper, garlic and onion. It’s served with a zippy dipping sauce of Duke’s mayonnaise and red yuzu kosho. Read the story.
The Dirt Cup at Odyssey
Odyssey’s dirt cup starts with dense, decadent, fudgy dark chocolate ganache at the bottom. That’s topped with bright and tangy passion fruit mousse, then it gets a layer chocolate mousse and ground up Oreo chunks to finish it all off. If Chef Bobo Catoe’s son hasn’t raided all the gummy worms in the kitchen, it’s finished with those for full nostalgic effect. Read the story.
The Great Wave cocktail at Amuse
The Great Wave cocktail at Amuse at the VMFA combines Roku Gin, kombu vermouth and an umami solution.
Sea-influenced cocktails are growing in popularity, but it can be hard to achieve the right proportion between adding discernable flavor and sipping something that tastes like you wiped out in the ocean and accidentally dragged your tongue along the ocean floor. The Great Wave strikes the perfect stance.
Bar supervisor Molly McCurnin described it as a take on the classic martini inspired by Japan’s intrinsic relationship with the sea. I enjoyed how the salty, saline flavors complemented the citrusy gin in just the right quantities to enhance the flavors. Read the story.
Un Haute Chien at The Wine Whisperer
Un Haute Chien at The Wine Whisperer starts with a classic Nathan’s all beef hotdog served on a lightly toasted bun. Then that’s topped with deviled egg potato salad. Sure, that may sound ballpark fancy.
But then the whole thing is finished with a big heap of Sturia Siberian Premier Caviar — and now we have a haute hot dog. Read the story.
Peanut butter cheesecake at Beaucoup
Peanut butter cheesecake at Beaucoup, at 111 N. Robinson St. in the Fan.
The smooth, dark-chocolate based cheesecake tastes luxurious without being overly sweet or heavy. A rich layer of dark chocolate peanut butter at the bottom leads the way to a crunchy surprise.
Greek nachos at Sidewalk Café
The Greek Nachos at Sidewalk Café, 2101 W. Main St., is a dream meal. Feta, mozzarella, lettuce, tomato, peppers and olives smother a teetering pile of chips, which are served with creamy tzatziki and salsa.
Pork & fennel meatballs at The Stables at Belmont
The pork and fennel meatballs at The Stables at Belmont at 201 N. Belmont Ave.
The meatballs arrived nestled next to a bright, lemony swath of charred citrus yogurt that added a creamy texture and a bright, acidic punch.
Fried catfish at The Roosevelt
The fried catfish from The Roosevelt, located at 623 N. 25th St.
When she came to The Roosevelt, Chef Leah Branch knew she needed honor the Southern staple of fried catfish. As she was experimenting, a kitchen joke of creating a swamp-inspired catfish dish led to genius.
Chorizo breakfast tacos at Sincero
The breakfast tacos from Sincero are filled with eggs, meat, potatoes and served on a flour tortilla. It starts with the chorizo, which is made in-house at Sincero. The chorizo is made from ground pork, beef fat and a traditional chorizo paste featuring Oaxaca, ancho and pasilla peppers, garlic, onions, cumin and chorizo for a flavorful crumble that’s cooked to order. Sincero is located at 404 N. 2nd St. in Jackson Ward. Read the story.
