A round up of places the last few weeks:

Uliveto: Totally fine, almost exactly the same menu as Gersi. Wouldn’t go out of my way to go again but wouldn’t protest if someone suggested it. Like Gersi, the wine is awful and the food is forgettably OK.

Botanya: Hilariously bad. Price points are insane for what you get. If a restaurant has an entire wall made of fake plants, you’re gonna have a bad time.

Bacchus: I have such a soft spot for this place that I easily forgive the bar service, or lack there of. There are so many things they could do better but I don’t care and don’t want them to change, I love it.

Leja: First time back in a year or so, just as good as it always is. Sonny is a total sweetheart.

Big Chile: Didn’t expect much when we walked in but damn, it’s really as good as people rave about. Had a shrimp burrito the size of my forearm.

The Mill: Went twice after they announced they were closing. Such a bummer, the food was never anything to rave about but it’s such a great neighborhood spot.

Dinamo, Edo’s, Bacchus, 8 1/2. RIP Mama Zu’s, although I’ve heard exciting rumors of plans for that space. Haven’t been to Lost Letter or Sprezza yet but they look worth a try. But they’re good in the context of a small Southern city. Compared against like, the North End or Baltimore’s Little Italy or any other regional Italian powerhouse they’re just not gonna stack up.

Richmond has a small handful of pretty solid Italian spots. Gersi isn’t one of them. Those small handful, dear to my heart as they are, don’t hold a candle to northeastern US Italian food. But then again of course they don’t, why would they?