Nick R.
Yelp
Okay okay this may not be the most trustworthy review you've ever read because 1) I don't drink 2) I'm a vegetarian and 3) I don't live in Richmond. (No, come back! Please!) but even for one of my boring ilk, Ardent was a great. Experience.
Why? The amount of thought put into the food here is nothing short of prodigious.
I may not drink beer, but I do love everything fermented. So with some trepidation I asked for the kimchi grilled cheese. Little did I know...it was delicious. Nice, sour kimchi without overpowering funk, and a spicy and savory pimento cheese that you really should try in something. My friend had the Mexican hot dog, which again, no expectations, but really hit it out of the park. Lime créma, cotija, pickled serranos, on a wagyu hotdog to boot (nani?). Someone has put effort into this menu, it's not perfunctory bar food.
Next time I'd really go out on a limb and kick it with a vegan banh mi. Oh, also, pro tip for the .0005% of people who come to a brewery and don't drink beer: the Ninja Kombucha is fire. (In a good way. Not like, super strong alcohol content.) I had the golden berry fennel seed flavor, and besides having my mind blown by that combo, it blew my tongue up to heavenly heights too.
Well done, Argent. See you next time I'm in Richmond.