Eat It Or Beat It: Broadcloth
I had a baby, did you know?? Not like, recently. Well, I mean, I guess 13 months ago is recently in some books, but this isn’t an announcement. I just don’t know how/where else to work this l’update (life-update) into the conversation? Anyway, don’t expect “moTHeRhOoD” to work its way into my content too much. Or ever. Like, it’s fineeeee if that’s the signifier of your personality, but for me, it’s just another thing about me, not dissimilar to my toxic trait of drinking only half a can of Zevia at a time and throwing out the rest when it’s been sitting out for 6 hours. WHEN ARE THEY GOING TO MAKE MINI CANS???!?!!
I feel this is an important tidbit to share here simply because in order to go to this restaurant, which I’ll get to reviewing shortly, we had to secure a babysitter, and because we don’t get to make reservations with only a few hours notice like we did for many, blissfully unencumbered DINKy years, we really savor these opportunities to get out of the house. Like, we could get a babysitter and just go stare at our phones in a parking lot for two hours eating Taco Bell and — goddamn, that sounds like a great idea!
Radish with truffle butter amuse bouche.
And let me tell you, my mouth…she was amused!
I’m not sure if that context really does much other than to say I may be more easily impressed than I once was. I’ve gone from eating out at Michelin star restaurants a couple times a month to singing “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” a couple times a night. And while I may be more excited about a dining experience than I used to be, I assure you, I’m still as big a judgmental bitch as ever. So with that chaotic and unhinged intro, let me tell you about dinner at Broadcloth.
Pea Shoot salad with lamb ham.
Charlottesville doesn’t have a lot of FINE dining. She’s not short on dining though, and there are even a few incredible special-occasion style restaurants (I’ll be doing a round-up of my favorite wineries and restaurants in a future post as my court-appointed charity work for the Charlottesville Tourism Bureau. THE OLD LADY IS FINE!!!). But when it comes to proper fine dining, there are very few options. That’s why I was excited to book a table at The Wool Factory’s answer to a tasting-menu-style restaurant experience.
So, let’s start with the name. Broadcloth at The Wool Factory. Like…it’s confusing. In a surprise to no one, the Wool Factory is a an old wool mill. In recent years, it’s been revitalized into a gentrification wet dream. It’s part outdoor venue, part food hall. Broadcloth is a weekend/dinner-only restaurant with a menu that changes weekly. It’s called a tasting menu, but unlike traditional tasting menus, you get to pick which dishes you want. You’ll pick either 4 or 6 dishes, or the Chef’s Tasting (8-10). We opted for 6 dishes and holy hell it was a lot of food. Worth it.
Possibly my favorite dish of the night: Koshihikari rice with duck! It was like an elevated version of the Emily Mariko salmon bowl, but…with duck!
We decided to do the wine pairing, which is actually a “beverage” pairing, since it includes wine as well as beer and spirits, per the bartender’s selections that weekend (but mostly wine). Two glasses of wine will set you back about the same as the pairing ($35). The pairing was really nice, but don’t expect me to go into great detail about the drinks cus this isn’t AlcoholOMG. I will say though, the first drink was Vermouth which I would never think to casually sip, but it paired really well with the pea shoot salad with lamb ham. Don’t let the idea of lamb ham confuse you - it’s basically prosciutto! This salad was one of my favorite dishes. The pea shoots with the fresh mint were a beautiful, verdant contrast against the salty lamb. In fact, I’ve since recreated a version at home. We don’t use mint enough as a culture, I think.
The second course was probably my favorite, and it’s not just because it heavily features rice. WHY IS RICE SO FUCKING GOOD?? I’m kinda going through a duck phase. I think it’s because I don’t make it at home, so I’m really seizing the chance to eat it when it comes up. The duck comes thinly sliced and perfectly cooked, set under a blanket of kale chiffonade that’s been crisped up to mimic the airy, crunchy quality of sushi seaweed. I’m sure there’s other stuff going on, but that’s the gist. I would eat this bowl every day for a month and make myself sick on the idea of it and love every.single.minute.
Oysters. I wanted this to be better than it was.
If oysters are on the menu, the only thing stopping me from ordering them would be a case of KNOWN food-borne illness, and even then… I have a stomach of steel! This is my fun way of telling you I got the oysters.
By this course, we realized what a mistake we’d made, and by mistake I mean terrific decision. This isn’t a “two bite” tasting menu serving; it’s a generous portion of 4 oysters swimming in a buttery, foamy broth. Though beautifully plated, it ultimately fell a little flat for me. The flavors were so subtle, it was almost like eating nothing at all. And I eat almost nothing at all every other day of my life. So when I pay for food, I don’t just wanna be punched in the face with flavor; I want to be physically assaulted, like “I’ll see you in court, motherfucker,” with flavor. Anyway, I’m not saying the oysters were bad, they just didn’t do anything for me. But like I said, the menu changes each week, so who’s to say a different preparation wouldn’t make me more litigious?
Confit Pork Coppa
My palette wasn’t bored for long - my next course was Confit Pork Coppa, which is basically pork shoulder cooked in rendered fat, which is basically barbecue, which is basically everyone’s favorite food. I loved this dish: it was fatty and a little sweet from the apple cider glaze, though a little more acidity would have been a welcome reprieve from the heartiness at times. All in, a really great dish.
Before the grand finale, I made my way through one more meat dish - this time sorghum-glazed squab. Squab is pigeon and before you wig out, give it a chance! The first time I had pigeon (and btw, it didn’t get a fancy alias like squab - it was just called “pigeon” on the menu) was in Dublin when Kyle and I first started dating. We ate at a premium French spot called The Pearl (I hear it has a couple Michelin stars now), so it seemed like the right time to have a beak…I mean peak experience. It’s really nice, kind of like cornish game hen, albeit just a teensy gamier. This was a fun take on squab with a really sweet glaze. If I weren’t full from 4 other courses, though, I might take issue with just how little meat was on my dish. But I was legit unbuttoning my pants at this point, so it was just right. Such is a tasting menu!
Sorghum-Glazed Squab. Tastes like chicken.
I finished the meal with the Galette des Roise as well as crippling bloat, but that’s between me and my functional medicine doctor. What a gorgeous little pastry. The dough on these things is the real star, with its light, buttery flakes, but tbh the filling was pretty bitchin'. I know there was supposed to be a rose glaze, but my tastebuds weren’t really picking up on it. Then again, my tongue was pretty much cast in a coating of butter by this point, so who can really say?!
I’d be remiss if I said nothing about the service, which was impressive. There was a misstep about halfway through our meal when the tasting pairing arrived after our dish, but it was a quick enough fix. Each dish was presented at exactly the right time and I always appreciate a quick reminder of each element so I know what I’m supposed to be enjoying. The wait staff was knowledgable and efficient, which is always saying something when you’re talking about an ever-changing menu and paired beverages.
I’m definitely looking forward to going back. And because the menu changes weekly, each experience will be completely unique. So, if you ever find yourself in Charlottesville growing tired of great tacos, amazing pizza, and incredible burgers, Broadcloth is a great way to switch up the culinary experience. Broadcloth at The Wool Factory is a definite EAT IT!
Broadcloth at The Wool Factory
1837 Broadway St.
Charlottesville, VA 22902
(434) 270-0555
Before you go, what to know:
Open Friday & Saturday only
Reservations required
Bar seating is first come, first serve with a limited menu
There are two parking lot areas, but no matter where you park, you will walk a little bit (no curbside drop off)
