It's not the end of the world, but it sure is the end of an era. Sadly, fourth years, before we know it, we too will be making our storied and long-awaited final trek down the historic Lawn during our very own Commencement ceremonies.
And while for most, this surely is not a highlight to look forward to, the "required" post-graduation fancy dinner is something to put on your to-do lists.
Time quickly is running out, and reservations are going fast. If you have not thought about where you are going to spend one of your last meals in Charlottesville, this review is geared toward you.
One of Charlottesville's best spots for graduation dinners, or special occasions of any kind, is the Ivy Inn Restaurant. Located west of the University just past the railroad bridge on Old Ivy Road, the Ivy Inn is a small and charming, rustic house featuring small gardens and a gorgeous white picket fence.
Upon entering the restaurant, guests can choose to eat on the outside patio, decorated with sparkling white lights, or in the cozy 18th century home, a place full of warmth and history. Either way, you can't go wrong.
We decided to eat indoors, as temperatures still lingered in the 40s. We were seated at a nice corner table in a dimly lit room featuring a marble mantle over a fireplace and hand-painted walls of neutral colors. Our table was topped with a crisp, white cloth, cloth napkins and dishes that reminded us of grandmother's fine china. The Ivy Inn does not miss a beat in setting the perfect mood for any meal.
After only being seated for what seemed like a minute, we were warmly greeted, poured ice water and brought an "amuse" from the chef -- a homemade cheese atop a thinly sliced and toasted baguette. And service just like that continued throughout our meal.
We started off our meals with two appetizers: the seafood chowder ($7) and the jumbo gulf shrimp ($9). The New England-style seafood chowder put us on a pier in Nantucket. Filled with smoked bacon, potatoes, scallops, shrimp and peppers in a light cream broth, this rich soup started our meal on a very high note.
The fricasse of jumbo gulf shrimp is served with oyster mushrooms, acorn squash, ginger-vermouth cream, and topped with a puff pastry perfect for soaking up any left over juice. The sauce was of a chowder type, thick and rich, and had a nice kick at the end of each bite.
After our appetizers, our waitress informed us that every entrée came with a house salad -- and by the quality of the meal so far, we were not about to pass this up.
What a refreshing course. A small house salad of mixed baby greens and thinly sliced radish and cucumbers, topped with a zesty lemon vinaigrette, made for the perfect ending to our meal's beginning.
One thing worth noting is how well portioned the servings are and how well paced the food comes out. After these two delicious appetizers and our salads, we were still ready for more.
For our main courses, we selected the Smithfield pork tenderloin ($26) and the pan-seared rockfish ($25) -- both excellent choices that came highly recommended by our waitress.
The tenderloin was served in four individual medallion-sized portions, each one resting on top of thick slices of baked sweet potatoes. Each medallion was seared on the outside, a perfect contrast to the tender pink center.
On the ring of the plate stood bunches of kiln-dried cherries doused with natural pork jus -- a flavorful complement to a very neutral yet tasty pork dish. To finish the dish, a nest of sautéed fresh spinach sat in the center of the plate, completing one of the most aesthetically pleasing dishes we have seen this year.
The rockfish filet came served in a deep dish with fresh clams, scallops, shrimps and potatoes in a light tomato, onion and parsley sauce. The fish was flaky and light, each mouthful a wonderful combination of flavors from the fish and broth it came swimming in.
And after all that, if you can believe it, we even had room for dessert. We chose the warm chocolate banana bread pudding ($8) to finish our meal. Almost as good as our dessert at Zo-Ca-Lo, this dish had beautiful presentation, and the coconut rum cream, macadamia nuts and brandy snap cookies that accompanied the chocolate banana bread were divine. Each bite was moist and full of chocolate morsels that melted in our mouths. Our only complaint was that it was too small.
The service was top notch, the atmosphere was soothing and charming, and the pace of the meal was just right. And even though the price tag was high, for a graduation meal, it's worth every penny.
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