Virginia is for Lovers, Richmond is for Love. Part 2

The population of Richmond Region (four counties and the City of Richmond) comes to 1.2 million, served by a healthy number of 900 restaurants in the area. Speaking of numbers, the one that holds an AAA Four Diamond Award for four years in a row starts with a number One. It’s 1 North Belmont Restaurant, modestly named after its street address. However, behind the unpretentious door marked by a tongue-in-cheek crowned frog, a lavish French feast, served in the equally lavishly decorated dining room, is whipped up by a chef-proprietor (pardonne moi, Proprietaire) Frits Huntjens. Of Dutch descent, raised in his parents’ French restaurant in the Netherlands and educated in Belgium, chef Huntjens accomplished quite a lot in Great Britain and mid-America as an outstanding hotelier before he settled down in Richmond, Virginia. Now, in his own restaurant, opened in 2004, the chef extraordinaire is pampering his guests with friendly service, well-selected European wines, and painstakingly prepared food. Just hear him talk about the preparation of sweetbreads served with gin and juniper berry sauce with a side of fried green tomatoes (ah, South). Soaked in milk overnight, tender morsels of the veal thymus are handled with so much care to remove the membranes, preserve the texture, and sear them just to the right doneness… and how about those scallops sautéed in butter, water and juices to come out as perfect coquilles Saint-Jacques, over saffron risotto with a hint of ginger. All the usual suspects of the French gastronomy are, of course, on the menu – foie gras, escargots, confit de canard, fromages (oh, France). Monsieur Huntjens has a strong family backing. His wife, Andrea, is an “Event Goddess” with her own “Sophisticated Soirees” company, and daughter Kim is putting together les desserts in her Dad’s kitchen. So, how about that mousse au chocolat? (aah, Richmond!) To learn more about this destination restaurant, visit www.1northbelmont.com or: One North Belmont Ave., Richmond, VA 23221; 1-804-358-0050. Photography by Yuri Krasov.