I had the opportunity to go to Virginia to visit my awesome aunt and uncle. My aunt had just had surgery, so they thought we should go out to eat, rather than subject us to my uncle’s cooking (or trip to McDonald’s). They suspected (correctly) that I wasn’t going to be interested in any sort of chain restaurant, so they suggested the Peppermill, which had recently reopened in a new location and had been getting good reviews.
The restaurant is in a beautiful old big southern house with a large porch outside and a grand staircase on the inside when you walk in. The place is filled with rich, dark woodwork and is really classy. We were seated right away and got to look at the really eclectic (but tasteful) menu. It wasn’t an easy decision, but I finally went with the stuffed pork loin with pineapple salsa. And since I was given the option of soup or salad, I decided on the soup – potato chowder.
The soup was actually quite good. I’ve had different potato soups and chowders, but this one was one of the best. It had pieces of bacon in it and some cheese and scallions on top. It was really thick stuff and had a nice rich velvety texture. I’m glad I added the fresh ground pepper on the top, as it complemented the smoothness with some spicy bite. I’d order this again, absolutely.
The pork loin was also really fantastic. There were two thick slices of pork loin on a bed of black beans and rice. Then they covered the top with a wonderful sweet and spicy pineapple salsa. The pork was cooked perfectly and matched well with the smokiness of the black beans and rice. The salsa should be bottled and mailed to my house. I would eat this on pretty much anything.
I cleaned my plate, which I’m not sure if it impressed or horrified my aunt and uncle. Hahaha.
The Peppermill sounds like it took a big step up from its previous location. The place is classy and the food is really good. Thanks to my really fun family for such a good night out on the town. I look forward to my next visit. I’ll bring D.Rough next time!