Any time you are in Petersburg, Virginia, do yourself a favor and visit The Brickhouse Run. After all, it’s down a cobbled street and located just below Rafferty’s Poultry Market. The crowds from 6 p.m. on let you know it is the in place in historic Old Towne, so get there early as well.
It was the first place to enjoy a Friday dinner that Claudia, the wonderful owner of the Ragland Mansion B&B, mentioned when I asked for suggestions. Once she said it was an old British Pub, located in a 190-year-old building, I was sold. I knew from the start it would be a great evening and learned 15 minutes after being seated that I was absolutely right for any number of reasons.
Claudia had driven me to the Pub a couple of miles from the Mansion where I was staying. She assured me she would be back to pick me up whenever I called. Public transportation is not so easy to find in this historic city, so an Amtrak rider appreciates the extra help from the innkeeper.
The Brickhouse Run is actually a bar on the street level with lots of happy faces and exciting beers on tap and wine in bottles. There’s even a local cask conditioned ale on a hand pump for those so inclined.
Choosing the small intimate dining room a few steps below, I felt guilty taking a table for four…. there were only eight or nine tables in the entire dining room, four being the smallest. But I settled in easily enough with some hors d’oeuvres and a glass of wine. Glancing around, I saw many of the other tables were already filled as well, when two men entered and took up another table.
That’s when a waitress came over to me and sheepishly asked if she could tell me something. Intrigued, I encouraged her, only to find out the two gentlemen also felt guilty taking a foursome for two seats. One had asked her to inquire of “the young lady in the corner” if they could join me. I laughed, explained I “wasn’t a young lady,” but absolutely was happy to have them join me for dinner.
And that’s how I met and enjoyed a wonderful dinner with Kevin and Dave. I’m not sure if his name is Dave or Dan, or something else beginning with a D. I didn’t hear it clearly and never bothered to check. For the sake of this column, it’s Dave.
Conversation flowed easily among the three of us, the two men explaining they had been friends from childhood and met once a year for GG&S…golf, golf and steak! Kevin, big, quieter than Dave, and good looking with an easy-going smile, was an Army veteran, disabled, and living in Virginia. As a veteran, he had access to all the plush golf courses the Department of Defense provides for our fighting men and women on many installations, so is generally the half of the golfing pair who makes the selection for the annual get together.
Dave, it turns out, is a New Jerseyan from Camden County, in the banking business by profession, and an outgoing, smiling, talkative gent who loves his wife, his children, the Garden State and his friend Kevin…to say nothing of the game of golf!
So over wine and beer…, none of us opted for any of the full range of other spirits the Brickhouse Run offers, we shared stories of what brought us to Petersburg, what we did at home, our families, and their accomplishments, as well as the state of the Union, the museums in Petersburg, the weather and just about anything else you can imagine. By the time dinner arrived, we were fast friends, I had seen photos of Dave’s two beautiful young daughters and learned something of Kevin’s work as an MP in the Army as well as his Iraq tours.
We pored over the menu which sounded English-Pub enough, what with its Bangers and Mash, Shepherd’s Pie, and fish and chips. But there was also a Petersburger and Trout Ploughman, as well as Irish rarebit and the Halibut Catch complete with Eggplant Napoleon.
We admired the photos of other eras on the walls, as well as the antique clock and the porcelain that were here and there around the room, now filled to overflowing. The fireplace and wooden beamed ceiling added to the charm, and our waitress, Christine, easily joined in the fun, laughter and conversation with us.
The evening went so fast, the conversation was so great, the food was delicious, and the evening ended with a lot more laughter, a lot of handshakes and thanks for a great evening, and we all left, to go our separate ways and look forward to new adventures for me, more golf talk, and plans for the next course for them.
And that’s when I learned, gentlemen, that they were, they picked up the tab for my dinner as well!
The Brickhouse Run is closed on Mondays, but I strongly suggest you try it another evening. Hopefully, you too can make new friends like Dave and Kevin.
