The Lo-Down: RVA's Best Food Spots from Food Critic Justin Lo
When the opportunity presented itself to chat with one of Richmond’s most recognized names in the foodie world, we naturally jumped at the chance. What follows is a brief peek into the world of Justin Lo— lawyer, LGBTQ advocate, food critic, and dog-lover— and his top spots to grab a bite in Richmond, no matter your mood.
Tell us a bit about yourself…
I live in Church Hill with my husband Luke and our two precious corgis, Kensington and Buckingham (and soon-to-be third corgi, Windsor). I'm a trial lawyer, but for the past five years, I have also written about food as the dining critic for the Richmond Times-Dispatch. We came to Richmond originally for my husband's work. I'd never been to Richmond, let alone lived in the South before. To be honest, I came here somewhat begrudgingly, but it didn’t take long for me to fall in love with this city. In addition to getting involved in my community through food writing, I've also joined the boards of Virginia Humanities, Richmond SPCA, Firehouse Theatre, and Equality Virginia Advocates and previously served as an appointed member and Vice Chair of the Virginia Asian Advisory Board.
How did you get into being a food critic?
I often refer to myself as an "accidental" food critic. I'd done some restaurant reviews and food writing for my college newspaper, but never professionally. I've always loved dining out, and fangirl over restaurants more than the average person. After moving here from Manhattan, I reached out to my then-editor at the RTD, Karri Peifer, and crazily enough, she offered me the critic job on the spot. The rest is history. I do think that there is this mystique surrounding what critics do, which I, for one, want to demystify. We're all consumers of food, some more thoughtful and discerning than others. At the end of the day, the job of the critic is to provide that same perspective. We're consumer advocates. We take the time and spend the money so that the rest of you don't have to waste yours on dining experiences that aren't worthwhile. We scope out the best and relay them back to you.
What has been your experience as a member of the LGBTQ community in Richmond?
One of our most memorable first experiences in Richmond was the Virginia Pride Festival on Brown's Island. Having never been to one of the bigger Pride events in places like New York City, I was really struck by how closely-knitted Richmond's LGBTQ+ community seemed to be. I felt a strong sense of connection and belonging here that, honestly, I'd hadn't really felt elsewhere. We've made so many great friends within that community since then.
As I mentioned before, I also serve on the board of Equality Virginia Advocates, the (c)4 organization for the leading LGBTQ+ advocacy organization in the state, which among other things endorses pro-LGBTQ+, pro-equality candidates for public office.
When you're not enjoying some of the best food around, what do you like to do around town?
We love doing anything with our dogs, whether it's hotel trips around Virginia or local breweries on weekends. Our favorite dog-friendly getaway places include Charlottesville, Staunton, Virginia Beach, and the Northern Neck. We also enjoy taking in the arts and culture, including the Richmond Ballet and Symphony, shows at the Altria and Firehouse theatres, and various museums around town. And while the question had to do with non-food activities, food is always an essential element incorporated into the itinerary.
As a dining critic, it's hard to be a restaurant regular. Once I've reviewed a place, I usually have to move on to the next one. That said, I do have a few places I tend to gravitate back to when I'm off-the-clock:
Solo dining spot - Edo's Squid: If it's just me, I like to pull up a seat at the Edo's bar and order up a wee dram and the hanger steak -- with a side of that ward-off-the-vampires garlic pasta they serve there, of course. (My order is usually different when I dine there with others.) Believe it or not, I'm capable of wiping the plate clean, pasta included, on my own. I was even asked once, by the bartender, if I was a "professional eater." To which I responded, "sort of." It's a badge of honor I still wear around to this day.
Comfort dining spot - Full Kee: Cantonese food is my lifeblood, the stuff that keeps me going. My family is Cantonese, so I was basically sustained by those flavors and dishes growing up. Frankly, without some form of Cantonese food each week, I'm convinced I'd shrivel up and die. So if I'm not cooking it myself at home, you can usually find me at Full Kee. I love doing dim sum there as much as the next guy, but my favorite parts of the menu are the family-style banquet items, like the roast duck, ginger-scallion steamed flounder, black bean clams, spring pea shoots sauteed in garlic oil, and clay-pot casseroles. My remedy, when I'm feeling down, is Hong Kong dry-style noodles and a bowl of suigao (water dumplings).
Neighborhood dining spot - Grisette: Between the monthly wine-club orders from Grisette and the fact that we were dining here so often, my husband and I ended up nicknaming this place our "second mortgage." It doesn't hurt that it's walking distance from our first mortgage either. We occasionally dabble in the specials, but our most-ordered lineup consists of: the smorgasbord of cheese and charcuterie (if the foie gras parfait is on the roster, get it) and steak frites (owner Donnie Glass has it tattooed on his arm for a reason). While you're at it, get an extra order of frites and ask for a side of béarnaise, too. Life's too short for insufficient frites.
Date night dining spot - The Roosevelt: One of our favorite date-night spots is the bar at The Roosevelt which, luckily for us, also happens to be in the neighborhood. Get there early because the competition is fierce. The bar can sometimes fill up within minutes of the restaurant opening. We've been stopping by even more often since chef Leah Branch took over. Apart from the award-worthy Southern food she usually serves up at the restaurant, Branch has also been doing some pretty awesome side-projects in tandem with culinary historian and food editor Deb Freeman, including a Juneteenth dinner and Edna Lewis dinner, both of which we had the honor of attending.
Not-quite-a-spot-yet dining spot - Young Mother/Bad Name: It should come as no surprise that I'm obsessed with Daniel Harthausen's food. I've written several articles about The Big Brunch reality cooking competition winner already. The guy is a genius. I'm game for any version of his Korean-Japanese-inspired popup Young Mother (or its grungier, after-dark alter ego Bad Name). I've even been known to pitch a couple of folding chairs and camp outside an hour early in the cold before the doors open.
So there you have it! Whether you’re looking for a meal that feels like a warm hug in a bowl or want to check out the next up-and-coming spot, this is one spectacular list of must-try restaurants around town straight from the food critic’s mouth.