Chef Ron Eyester's Timone's is one of three other establishments he owns in Virginia Highlands - Rosebud and Family Dog. I previously visited Timone's when it had newly opened and loved the offerings. Definitely thought it was a great place for the neighborhood to hang out. Unknown to most, they had closed for a wee bit in between to relook their menu and strategy for the business. They were not getting the crowds they anticipated and decided to change things up a bit. So now they've gone and revamped the menu with a bunch of new offerings including...wait for it...bagels and sandwiches to accompany the pizzas, meats and cheeses via a deli component to drive in the lunch crowd where you can pick up salads and such. Winning! The angry chef's done a great job breathing new energy into the menu, creating a fun space and keeping Timone's true to his original vision. The restaurant is named after his mother's maiden name and is an ode to the foods of his childhood. He uses traditional pizza making methods, all natural wheat flour and they make their own bagels now. As Chef said, "We are not reinventing the wheel, just carrying on a timeless tradition." (If you were wondering, yes, he is the same guy that was on Top Chef). I will be back to get some more of those breakfast bagels and cookies or coffee! Also PS - he does have a new concept Diner that's launched in the Atlantic Station area. And here I thought handling three restaurants in one area was a bit much. Clearly chef has his game on! Cant wait to check out Diner but meanwhile, here are some highlights from Timone's:

Barely a week since I got back from my vacation to India, and I was invited to this fun wine tasting event which introduced attendees to the flavors of Montepulciano. Presenting at the venue were several wine sellers and the tasting and presentation were quite the experience. I have visited Italy but never the region specifically, so mental note to self to visit these wineries when I get there next. There were some serious oenophiles at the event - the ones that don't swallow their wine but taste it and then spit out - yeah, that serious. I'm thinking - what a waste of wine, but if it weren't for their studied palates, any wine I'd be having would be pretty shitty so I guess I gotta be thankful for their lot. There were 3-4 tables with at least 20 seated at each, and all of us had 6 red wines to taste that afternoon. Each was from a different company and they all had representatives who came up and presented their bottles. I was privileged to try the Casale Daviddi, Cantina Crociani, Fattoria La Braccesca, Lunadoro, Montemercurio, and for the life of me couldn't pick a favorite. They had some great bites and cheeses after as they opened the floor to guests and we could walk around to learn more about all the vendors and their offerings, but the wines presented were certainly the stars of the day. And maybe, just maybe, I had a fondness for the Montemercurio!