Dama Mika

There is something for everyone in their expansive menu - a big vegetarian section, interesting and tempting desserts, every combo plate imaginable. I'm not vegetarian but the jumbo bean burrito sounded good. My companion ordered the Burrito el Michoacan (filled with ground beef, topped with lettuce, tomato, sour cream, shredded cheese, served with rice and beans). While we waited we were served chips and salsa and another thicker, milder velvety dip. My lettuce and tomato were fresh and cool and were inside the hot burrito (covered in sauce and melted cheese) creating a satisfying contrast. my companion found her ground beef exceptional. Our food was quite delicious and the portions were generous (imagine a burrito bigger than your head). We both took home boxes of what we couldn't finish and we will definitely return with more people so we can try more. The restaurant itself is warm, spacious and immaculate. The patio is covered and somewhat enclosed so one could visit in inclement weather.

We were four post-Homecoming humans, though the Poodle did Tailgate too. We had grapefruit Mimosa, The Lil Bloody Mary, coffee and decaf. All were excellent. We also had the Big Pancake Breakfast which is so big, it comes on two plates: one for the eggs (any style), ham, link sausage, bacon and home fries (grits served separately); another for the vast expanse of pancake. And there's more than one of those. Another of our group had the BLT with fries. Somebody in the kitchen has the Midas touch with potatoes. Both home fries and fries were irresistible. The bacon in The BPB and the Bloody Mary was also perfectly cooked. When our lovely server brought a Milk Bone, it had to be saved for later because it was completely upstaged by the glorious backdrop of people food. (She had the Milk Bone the next day, in the sun by the croquet court st The Homestead. )
There are only a few tables and in glorious weather might be filled with people, but it's worth the wait.

Breakfast at the Chickahominy House: everything a person (or Poodle) might want , and then some, served in a Virginia country house. Light, toothsome biscuits,;bacon cooked to order (also eggs of course); sausage,;(Mika was particularly smitten with the Petite Country Ham);are served in a place so friendly staff came out to sit for a quick spell to visit with patrons they knew. If we'd stayed 15 more minutes we could've had lunch, which was tempting., so tempting, we bought a quart of Brunswick Stew.. The gift shop which spills into the lobby/parlour/cashier's counter has a genius buyer and a talented display person. Seasonal and year-round delights abound.

After being greeted warmly at the host/ess stand, our reception at the open air, completely covered bar was so abrupt ('health code violation; the dog has to go on the floor.'), we excused ourselves and went to The Hound's Tale where we enjoyed an excellent Bloody Mary, a great mixologist, the company of a Maltese and some gregarious humans. We did miss the exquisitely garnished Berret's Bloody Mary, the Best She-Crab anywhere and the dog menu. Had our other usual human. companion been with us, it may have gone differently. This was our first time going it solo.