Sarah Rufka

Okay, confession: It's been years since I went to a Taco Cabana without the aid of a much-needed designated driver. But the bell tolls for all of us, and tonight it's my turn to drunk-sit and someone else's turn to drag me there for tortillas and queso. Walking into the...

When I sit down at the last free seat along the bar at Downing Street, David Mascari wins me over immediately by getting my name and shaking my hand after he takes my drink order. It's obvious he's comfortable behind the bar, and soon I find out why. "I've been...

The suburbs don't have to be all about McMansions, box stores, and soul-crushing conformity, do they? Open your mind and head to the land of Tara Lipinski, Tom DeLay and sugar. 5. Sushi Bistro and Latin Grill, 2168 Texas Dr. Like many so-called fusion places, Japaneiro's falls short by trying...

Tucked in on an unremarkable stretch of Richmond, Velvet Melvin's isn't the kind of bar you hear a lot about. "When I describe this place to people, I say it's a neighborhood bar. It's kind of a hole in the wall. You could see somebody in pajama pants or you...

Finding a parking spot 15 feet from the front door of Brasil is always a good omen. It's Saturday night just after 11, and with no special event or performance, the place is at that serendipitous time when there are enough tables to make the place feel lively, but few...