If you've ever gone to Europa and thought, "These tapas are great, but man, I'm still hungry," good news: The restaurant is now officially Europa Italian Café and Tapas Bar.
About a month ago, the popular Shockoe eatery added a full Italian menu to its repertoire. Diners can still get their beloved paella or chicken and ham croquettes but can now also order traditional Italian dishes such as pasta with sausage and ricotta ($12), chicken marsala ($16) and zuppa de pesce ($20).
Emily Palley, a line cook and bartender at the restaurant, said many customers who know Europa as only a tapas restaurant still want that as their main meal, but word is spreading. The additions to the menu, she said, were, "to branch out a little and be more accessible to our clientele."
Europa, located at 1409 E. Cary St., stopped serving lunch this spring but opens every night for dinner at 5 p.m.
Check out the new menu at www.europarichmond.com.
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The Grapeleaf in the Village Shopping Center may be gone, but coming in its place is a new location of Cheeburger Cheeburger, home of some amazing onion rings and milkshakes.
This third location of the burger titan (not counting the airport spot) is expected to open in January.
The other Cheeburgers are on Nuckols Road in Glen Allen and on Midlothian Turnpike; the Village Shopping Center is at Patterson Avenue and Three Chopt Road.
Check out the Cheeburger menu at www.cheeburgercheeburger.com.
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The new Chili's in the VCU sprawl (corner of Cary and Belvidere streets) was supposed to open Monday but has changed its arrival to the public to tomorrow.
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Dining deals: Café Rustica is offering a good reason to eat downtown on Sunday nights.
Between 5 and 9 p.m., diners will receive three courses, served family style, for $15 per person.
The main course the first Sunday of the month is roast chicken; the second Sunday is pot roast; the third is the Italian fish stew known as cioppino (shrimp, scallops, mussels, sausage in a fennel tomato broth); and the fourth is roasted salmon.
Appetizers are along the lines of tomato and watermelon salad with queso fresco and white balsamic dressing, while homemade desserts will include "true" strawberry shortcake on the last Sunday of the month, and blueberry custard this Sunday.
Café Rustica is downtown at 414 E. Main St. Call (804) 225-8811 for more info.
Also, through Sept. 30, Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar is offering a $99 meal for two that consists of two 6-ounce filets, two Australian lobster tails, two chopped wedged salads, potatoes, sugar snap peas and chocolate mousse with hazelnut bark
The local Flemings is in Stony Point Fashion Park; its menu can be perused at www.flemingssteakhouse.com.
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The 20th annual Smith Mountain Wine Festival will take place Sept. 27-28 at Lake Watch Plantation.
Advance tickets are available online until 5 p.m. Wednesday at www.visitsmithmountainlake.com.
If you have a tip for Table Talk, call (804) 649-6120 or e-mail tabletalk@timesdispatch.com. The deadline to receive items is noon Thursday one week before publication.


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