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Un-Viraled

Todd Manley, who's had his share of hassles with the painfully slow Oregon Hill construction of Pescados China Street, could have used a break last week. In an e-mail marketing campaign gone awry, Manley's Midlothian restaurant, Pescados, inadvertently spewed a spammy virus onto a list of friends and former friends. It's been fixed, but not without annoyance, threats and a bit of online cursing. Manley says someone “did some malicious things in our name,” and Manley made phone calls to 127 people, apologizing for the situation. 

The Caribbean-inspired seafood restaurant feels the pinch in suburban Chesterfield County, noticeably worse on “American Idol” nights. But China Street should open by summer, and Manley's optimism shows up in the food he serves for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday. 13126 Midlothian Turnpike. 379-7121. www.pescadosseafood.com.

Big Tipster
Mother's Day at Cuppa Tea: This charming East-meets-West tearoom at 1 N. Morris St. offers two seatings for May 9 and 10, serving relaxed afternoon tea with sandwiches, scones, petit fours, fruit tartlets and pastries. By reservation. $21 plus tax and gratuity. Or pick up some Mother's Love blend tea in a 3.5-ounce tin. 254-8322 www.cuppateacompany.com. 

Dd33 Asian Bistro: Its patio is now open for dinner Monday-Saturday. Weeknight after-work specials include $5 appetizers and discounted drinks. At lunch: entrAce, soup and spring roll combos are under $10. 3601A Cox Road. 747-8333. www.dd33va.com.

Lucky Buddha: Dinner and a movie night every Thursday. $35 per couple includes two soups or salads, two regular sushi rolls, one specialty sushi roll, a dessert and two movie passes to Bow Tie Cinemas, to be used that night. 1421 E. Cary St. 648-5100. www.theluckybuddha.com.

Lebanese Food Festival: Silver anniversary for this free, highly tasty, rain-or-shine event. Traditional food for picnics or tented table seating. Live music, dancing, Lebanese culture and sweets, May 15-17 at St. Anthony's Maronite Catholic Church, 4611 Sadler Road. See menu, directions and details at www.stanthonymaronitechurch.org or call 346-1161.

Eater Mail
Short Order: Was your magazine's most recent article about Kona Grill (by your best reviewer Don Baker) actually a review? The first five paragraphs of the article are about the history of the owner and the decision to open the restaurant. Then Baker recites the menu to the reader without any kind of critique whatsoever. Any one of your readers could have looked at the menu online and done a better job. However, he did manage to get in that all-important jab on smoking, but thank goodness he was the one writing the so-called review or else we would have read about the TV in the bar as well. Is Style running behind on funds? Because this was not a review. It was the recitation of a menu, and it neither endorsed nor opposed a visit to the reader. Basically, this was free publicity for a corporate chain that can already afford to advertise in your magazine. — Stephen Bury

Have a tip about the Richmond restaurant scene?  Send it to shortorder@styleweekly.com.