With the cooler fall weather approaching, Richmonders are flocking to outdoor spots to relish the end of a scorching summer.
3325 West Café is Carytown’s newest al fresco option and has arguably one of the best spots for it. Guests can choose between the front balcony to check out passersby on Cary Street or the more intimate side courtyard complete with a fountain and an overhang of stringed lights. The entire layout gives off an inviting European café feel with copper tile floors and comfy bamboo seating.
The menu reflects the breezy decor, consisting mainly of fresh, lighter fare such as cold plates, wraps or thin-crust pizzas.
Only a few months into opening, the service staff is still trying to nail down the new set-up with dining upstairs or downstairs. On a recent Thursday evening, two servers juggled duties between both levels as well as bar service. Our server was friendly, if a bit flustered. He quickly took our drink order, and even though it was a good wait before our food order was taken, you really wanted to give the guy a hug after several dozen trips up and down the front stairs. The staff is pleasant, but it’s clear they need some more help to provide more attentive service.
Leah started off with the signature limeade — it was quite good; it’s definitely sweet, so make sure you have a sweet tooth if you indulge. Off the menu, we ordered a Mediterranean cold plate ($7.75), which consisted of hummus, feta, banana peppers, tabouli, Texas caviar, olives and tomatoes.
The Texas caviar was the star of the plate; the flavors blended well while still offering a unique flavor. Our only complaint was the hummus and accompanying lavash bread lacked a distinctive flavor; the thin tortilla-like bread didn’t hold up quite like the more ubiquitous pita bread. We also made the mistake of not asking for this specifically as an appetizer. It’s not listed as such on the menu, but would have been a better starter than main plate.
3325 West offers a variety of specialty thin-crust pizzas, and the Greek pizza ($7.75) is a winner. Sweet banana peppers offered an especially welcome kick to the traditional cheese and tomatoes. The thin crust allowed the flavorful toppers to shine without distraction, and the size was perfect to either share or save for leftovers.
The crab cakes were the biggest surprise of the night. One of only three house specialties, and priced at only $11, we were expecting two quarter-sized morsels. To our surprise, two good-sized cakes arrived with a drizzle of a tangy red-pepper sauce and a choice of side. The crab cakes were only slightly breaded, which allowed the crab and red pepper of the cakes to shine — they were fantastic. Our chosen side of potato salad was not as successful — overly creamy and lacking flavor, it was not exactly a great accompaniment to the decadent crab cakes.
With the emphasis on small plates on the menu, dessert is not a focus. When we asked our server about two of the four desserts, he admitted to never having tried either, but sold the chocolate peanut butter ice cream swirl pie ($4.50) as "basically just a slice of ice cream cake." We can’t think of a better description — it was chocolate peanut butter ice cream with a chocolate crust. We won’t lie and say it wasn’t tasty, but we wouldn’t characterize it as a "don’t miss" either.
The highlight of 3325 West Café is certainly the outdoor dining and breezy cafe vibe. If you’re looking for a great place to sit back and nosh on some tasty bites with friends, it does not disappoint.
3325 West Café**1/2
3325 W. Cary St.
(804) 353-1145
What’s in the Stars:
0—don’t go
*-average
** above average
*** very good
**** excellent dining experience
Jon and Leah Nelson, like most married couples, can’t agree on how the dishwasher should be loaded, so they eat out a lot so someone else can worry about the dishes. As RVA natives, they have had plenty of practice checking out what the city has to offer.
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