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Dish

Editor's note: Beginning this month, "Dish" will now publish twice a month. This column previously appeared on the second Thursday of the month; it will now appear the second and fourth Thursday of the month. Email restaurant news or rumors to Karri Peifer at karri.peifer@corp.richmond.com .  

It's been more than a year since we heard the first whispers of a new sushi restaurant opening on Robinson in the Fan. The former World Cup (and then Wired) coffeehouse has been under construction for a while, but at long last Sushi Ninja (204 N. Robinson St., 804-864-1962) is here.

It's been open for less than two weeks, but the folks at Sushi Ninja are confident that the quality of its fish and the dining room's intimate setting are enough to ensure that its here to stay. All of the fish is flown in from Hawaii and, once it's all said and done, Sushi Ninja plans to boast the best collection of sakes (both chilled and warm) in the city with at least 20 options. Sushi Ninja is open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday and plans to start lunch service next week.

And speaking of new restaurants, GlobeHopper Coffeehouse & Lounge (2100 E. Main St, 804-523-8083) opened in Shockoe Bottom a few weeks ago. GlobeHopper is more than just a place to stop and grab a cup of joe on your way to work though; it's part coffeehouse and part lounge. Its goal is to be the kind of place where Richmonders can come together as a community and discuss whatever is on their minds … and to munch on some of GlobeHopper's delicious European pastries.

Its menu includes breakfast food, sandwiches, light snacks like cheese and hummus, pastries and poffertjes, ("miniature Dutch puff pastries served hot from the European cast-iron griddle"). GlobeHopper is open seven days a week.

When word got out that Café Gutenberg (700 E. Main St., 804-497-5000), the beloved Shockoe Bottom café, was closing, there was an outcry from Richmond diners -- literally. Letters poured in to local media outlets, fans launched a blog to try and rally support and Richmond.com even ran a special edition of Reader Mailbag due to the sheer volume and passion of the response.

In short, Richmond diners love this little community-oriented café with its European-influenced menu and they weren't giving it up without a fight.

And in the true spirit of power to the people, it worked. Potential investors took notice of Gutenberg's popularity and started making phone calls. New investors haven't been secured yet, but in the meantime, the café decided to stay open and give the people what they want.

But Café Gutenberg isn't the only established restaurant in town that Richomnders love. After almost a decade in Carytown, the award-winning Acacia served its last meal at the end of 2007. The popular eatery outgrew its home in the Old Church Building and decided to look for a better space. And they've finally found it.

Owners Dale and Aline Reitzer announced this week that 2601 West Cary St. will be Acacia's new home. It's going to take the couple a while to renovate the space on the corner of Robinson and Cary as it's never been a restaurant before. But once it's done it's sure to be a sight to see. I, for one, am delighted to see some of the life (and flavor) of Carytown cross the Boulevard.

Acacia isn't the only restaurant reinvigorating a section of the city. Aurora is in the works in the former Cafine's and Matrixx Room (and a couple of other things in between) on the corner of Fourth and Grace streets downtown. The owner, George Gapanovitch, is working his way through city red tape right now, but once he's through he plans to open a bakery/lunch and dinner spot that turns into a lounge at night.

He hopes to have Aurora open by summertime. In the meantime, Gapanovitch has given me a peek at the menu … which I'll highlight in the next bi-weekly "Dish." That's right, Richmond, the restaurant scene is so hot right now we're bumping "Dish" up from monthly to biweekly, so look for it March 27.