Table 9
Located at 2001 Park Avenue in Richmond, Table 9 offers informal food in a cozy, neighborhood atmosphere. As I sat there waiting for my dining partner, I felt as if I could be watching myself in a movie… set at an angle, the restaurant looks out to the real world like an L.A. diner; the menu is a tad eclectic, as if some screenwriter had concocted the combination of ruebens, perogies, and chicken salad all together. The menus were simple, as were the dishes. But I just had to go my friend told me…
“Did you see it? Style Weekly reviewed Table 9!” Did they like it, I wondered? (They did.) So this is what we ordered:
- Perogies with Onions and some interesting red sauce
- Sausage Pizza
- Turkey Rueben Sandwich with Pasta Salad
- Red Velvet Cake
- Chocolate Ravioli Dessert
While service wasn’t a prompt affair, the waitstaff were all friendly. And you only anticipated what might appear on your plate as you saw it coming. The restaurant isn’t so named for 9 tables, but there are in fact nine dining surfaces. Instead, it was named for an old hangout in a former restaurant where the employees would gather during slow times. The scene here was busy—their nine “surfaces” kept them filled with customers throughout my 2-hour stay.
I shared the mini-perogie appetizer. I am not convinced they are homemade. Yet, with the sauce and onions, they were a tasty start to dinner. We’d make them (from the Ukrainian kitchen) with more onions, but there’s nothing to complain about here: simple potato filled perogies are delicious. The best part here was the red sauce.
I can’t say much for the pizza. It was a dinner special. But my sandwich was good; not fantastic, but good. It was a bit saucy with Russian dressing pouring out from the second half. I’ve had better ruebens, but this one wasn’t bad. I would have preferred a steak fry over pasta salad, but they do offer chips and mashed potatoes as alternatives.
The red cake looked scrumptious. I had the small chocolate-filled ravioli. This dessert gave me my chocolate fix without a lot of guilt. It was small. But tasty.
Table 9 likely won’t be a destination for many Richmonders; but if you live in or around the Fan, it’s worth your time to explore. It’s a one-of-a-kind place that others have been talking about. The food is made with care and there are signs of flare among an otherwise benign-sounding menu. Surprises may await!
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