Trouvaille — Restaurant in Richmond

Went in for the first time on this warm Tuesday evening and was immediately greeted with brisk a/c and a helpful host.

We made our way to the bar for libations and light bites. The happy hour snacks were perfect appeTEASERs. I mean this in a good way. We had the arancini (2pcs) and the duck dumplings (2pc). Both dishes were packed with flavor. Perfectly crisp arancini over a wildly interesting strawberry gochujang sauce, 10/10. The duck dumplings were delicate and savory; the duck broth complemented swimmingly without stealing the show. 10/10. Both dishes jump started our palates. (No time for pictures)

For entrees we decided on the crispy duck leg and the seafood pasta. My partner and I have been craving duck ever since the closing of the oyster society in Petersburg. This dish was not a miss. Nice crunch even after being topped with the tomato pan sauce. The brioche was incredibly intuitive in this plate: I used it to sponge up all of the drippings. 10/10

Seafood Pasta: 5 nice sized pieces of shrimp accompanied by hand pulled crab in a creamy miso sauce. The fettuccine was cooked well, carrying the sauce tightly. Then surprise, there was corn! Awesome, 10/10, will do again.

She needed a box, I needed a nap.

We were gifted a beignet with maple ice cream and a chicken skin topper. Salty, sweet, crunchy. Holy smokes! Something to write home about.

Needless to say this will be a regular spot of ours.

Great service, very cool atmosphere, a staff that just “gets it”.

Parking can be a drag but we learned there’s a deck a block away. We probably should have walked this...

Definitely the best restaurant in town right now. I’m not sure when Trouvaille arrived, but I sincerely hope it’s here to stay. Richmond has plenty of great dining options, but this restaurant proves there’s always room for improvement and fresh ideas.

The cozy decor creates a private and quiet atmosphere, perfect for a romantic dinner or an intimate gathering with close friends. Interestingly, it reminded me of DOM, a two-Michelin-star restaurant in São Paulo, Brazil.

Speaking of Michelin, Trouvaille should have at least started in the Bib Gourmand category, if not with a well-deserved one star.

The menu is concise, with every dish prepared with incredible attention to detail and flavor. From the tableware to the presentation, the plates are a feast for the eyes before delighting the palate. The prices are fair for such a refined and thoughtful experience, and the highlight is the She Crab Soup, which outshines the one at Blue in Virginia Beach.

Kudos to the team! Highly...

This place is brilliant addition to the Richmond food scene! We had dinner on a Saturday, taking advantage of the weekend happy hour. We had all 4 of the HH small plates, doubling up on the duck dumplings. The main course, braised short rib, was an absolute flavor bomb - wow. Everything was delicious, with more highly developed flavors and textures than typically found in RVA restaurants. Service was great but the decor was disappointing. Our biggest complaint is the annoying lighting - overhead spotlights should be reserved for jewelry stores. We returned for my birthday, this time we also tried the salmon (succulent) and the Bourbon Chocolate Chess Pie was amazing. I noted that the spotlights were toned down a bit, much...