Expanded Weekly Food Notes: Wong Gonzalez, Groceries Online, Pop-Ups + More

Bigger and Better: Center of the Universe Brewing Co. is expanding — and adding its own canning line in anticipation of widening its distribution to Northern Virginia. Along with the increase in production, COTU’s tasting room and outdoor space will undergo comprehensive renovation.

Closed: Kenn-Tico Cuban Bar & Grill has locked its doors, reports the Times-Dispatch. According to its Facebook page, the owners are “reevaluat[ing] our concept for the restaurant” and it could take up to a year. Its food cart will still be running and the catering side is still operational.

Name Game: Eat Restaurant Partners has been working away on a project at 412 E. Grace St., and co-owner Chris Tsui revealed to the Times-Dispatch that the name of his new place would be Wong Gonzalez and that it would serve Asian-Mexican fare. … And it also reported that Carytown Cupcakes quietly sold to Kevin Liu, co-owner of the Tin Pan and author of “Craft Cocktails at Home,” in January.

Expansion? Big things are afoot with Belle Isle Moonshine. The distillery filed with the SEC to raise a second round of capital — this time, $1.5 million, reports Richmond BizSense.

It’s On, Baby: ClickList, Kroger’s online ordering system, is now available at the Kroger Marketplace at 10800 Iron Bridge Road in Chester.

Kudos:

Mekong Restaurant won USA Today’s best beer bar competition.

Coming Soon: Last week, I noticed a new Twitter follower, @shagbarkrva. Turns out, Shagbark is the new name for a much anticipated spot at Libbie Mill-Midtown, or, as its Twitter profile states: “Walter Bundy’s Up South restaurant celebrating the bounty of Virginia.” And Bundy is hiring. More details at Richmond magazine.

Happenings: Adam Hall of Saison will pay a visit to the Cask Cafe on Thursday, March 10, pairing four Triple Crossing beers, Falcon Smash, Paranoid Aledroid, Liberty or Death and Waxing Poetic, with small plates. … The snow was a big bust, but the best thing about missing out on a snow day is that we can now focus on spring. If you want to jumpstart the change of the seasons, you can sign up for a class to learn how to graft apple trees at Blue Bee Cider on March 13 from noon-1 p.m. You’ll even go home with your own tree. Bench Grafting for Beginners is $30 and you can sign up here. … It’s not lunch but dinner at Lunch on Monday, March 14, starting at 5:30 p.m. The Jackdaw will bring its donburi bowls, mock duck and lapcheong dumplings and a crazy riff on bolognese with oxtails, mala sauce, tofu ricotta, rice cakes and Meyer lemons. … Pheasant’s Tears winemaker Jonathan Wurdeman (profiled in Style here) lost his house in Georgia to a fire and Sub Rosa Bakery, knowing how devastating a fire can be, wants to help out. The bakery will hold a fundraiser serving Georgian flatbread, khachapuri, and Pheasant’s Tears’ portfolio of wine on Sunday, March 20 from 6-9 p.m. … And who doesn’t want to drink beer, eat barbecue and help others at the same time? Q Barbeque will donate a dollar of every beer sold to Comfort Zone Camp, a nonprofit bereavement camp for children, during the month of March for “Crafts for a Cause.”

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