Charlie, Author at Virginia Vittles

December 14, 2010January 3, 2017

Still Worldly Eclectic Tapas

An eatery in Portsmouth with true sex appeal, Still brings more to the table that just good looks…

It’s rare that a restaurant gets so many things right without falling on their face. Still manages to pull off good service, tasty and interesting food served in a contemporary and unique dining room.

Entering Still feels like a time warp back to the 1950s, when people cared about how the bar looked and furniture mattered. There is a cozy fireplace in the middle of the room and plenty of comfortable seating. Everything is well appointed, clean and warm.

Although I’m not a huge fan of the tapas movement – I think serving a bunch of small dishes really breaks up the flow of a traditional meal – I have been pleased with everything I’ve sampled. The food is always fresh, hot (and/or spicy, should you choose) and in some cases refreshingly experimental.

Service is good, though not exceptional. There has never been a host when I’ve been, just a bartender or waitress to help you find a table. At times it seems as though they are either under staffed or perhaps under trained. A bit more personal attention wouldn’t hurt, especially considering the pricing. This is one of those restaurants where the staff knows a lot more about the wine and beer selection than anything else, and even though it’s named “Still”, that doesn’t mean they should focus so heavily on that single aspect of the experience.

My only complaint about the seating is that they usually seat you in the back of the restaurant – I’m not sure why – and that means you look right into the kitchen. As you may know, I’m not a fan of this.

Still is one of the top five places to eat in Portsmouth, easily and one of the top 20 in all of Hampton Roads. Nuff said.

Contact Information for Still Wordly Eclectic Tapas:
Still Worldly Eclectic Tapas
450 COURT STREET
PORTSMOUTH, VA 23704
(757) 332-7222

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November 19, 2010January 3, 2017

Stove

Sydney Meers has been in the restaurant game since 1989, but with Stove he makes some serious blunders.

There are a lot of ways you can be greeted when you walk into a restaurant. Sometimes by a host who asks you if you have a reservation, others by the owner themselves. At Stove you are greeted by a room full of dead animal heads and a bartender. The bar/lounge/entrance is where Sydney scares away vegetarians and vegans. I guess he’s trying to create that ever-so-classy hunt club feel. No matter what the reasoning, it only has the effect of making you wish you weren’t in the room anymore, and questioning why you went to Stove in the first place.

Moving past the dead animals, you enter the only other room in Stove – the main dining area. This is a smallish restaurant with only a dozen or so tables, many of which are against a wall with a long bench serving as seating for one side. Behind the bench is a row of sexy artificial grass. Classy. The tables, chairs and serving materials are nice enough and the bathroom exhibits the kind of flair you’d expect from a man with Meers’ reputation. It’s a shame the rest of the joint doesn’t live up to the restroom or the artwork on the walls that the owner created. Meers himself can be seen sitting on one side of the dining room behind a curtain like something from The Wizard of Oz. Sadly there wasn’t really room for his computer here, so he kind of sticks out from behind the little curtain. It’s just weird to walk by him browsing Facebook on the way to the bathroom.

Another issue with Stove relating to its small size is the fact that the kitchen is just a few feet away from the dining area. This means that you can literally hear dishes being tossed about and the dishwasher running – not exactly what you’re looking for in a dining experience.

The food and service were both below par as well. Sydney got a little lazy with the menu, offering less than a dozen items and not bothering to even create first, second or third courses – everything just comes in small or large portions. Our waitress seemed unexcited to be serving us, even though we were one of only two couples present that evening. She didn’t elaborate on any of the menu items and seemed to be in a hurry to go do something else. The food was generally disappointing with no real standouts. We didn’t stay for desert, as we were just uncomfortable and ready to leave.

Stove is a real disappointment given Meer’s reputation and his previous successes. I remember having some very enjoyable meals at Cowboy Syd’s, his venture before Stove. Hopefully with time Sydney will improve his current restaurant but until you hear about it, I’d stay away.

Contact Information for Stove:
Stove
2622 Detroit St
Portsmouth, VA 23707
757-397-0900

December 31, 2008January 3, 2017

Sonoma Wine Bar & Bistro

One can’t help but to feel incredibly stylish while dining at Sonoma. Cool is the only word to describe the atmosphere.

It’s not uncomfortably trendy, nor is it uncomfortably snooty. Tall bistro-like tables and chairs are in the dining area. Candles surround the room creating a nice ambiance. The ladies room is comfy, spotless and equally cool. For those who wish to have drinks and relax, there are cozy couches and chairs.

I was immediately impressed by the appetizer selection—salads, crab, tuna tartare, and cheeses are just a few of the options. Sonoma lets you build your own cheese board with a variety of cheeses and meats, which is something I rarely find in our area restaurants. Typically if a restaurant offers cheese, it is only on the dessert menu. A cheese and meat selection before the main course is a favorite of mine. The presentation was beautiful. The meats and cheeses were complimented by fruit, candied pecans, olives, pickles, crackers and dried figs. They also offer an extensive selection of wine as well.

The main course menu offers several choices—everything from duck to ahi tuna. The meat for my main course was tasty, but it was not extremely memorable. It wasn’t as juicy as I would have liked it to be. The corn on the cob was succulent and perfect.

Desserts included sorbets, cheeses, and various mouth watering chocolate desserts. However, the cheeses listed on the dessert menu were the same ones listed on the appetizer menu. It would be nice to see additional chesses for dessert. Over all, I enjoyed my experience at Sonoma. The service was good, atmosphere was great, and my dinner was pleasant. I would definitely recommend Sonoma Wine Bar & Bistro.

Sonoma feels a little more like a formal restaurant than a bistro, and that’s fine by me. Perhaps some diners don’t mind forking over a few hundred dollars for a meal in a “bistro” environment, but I do. I feel cheated somehow. Luckily, Sonoma uses the word bistro in name only, and steps up the seating and service making the dining experience on par with their pricing.

The menu at Sonoma has something for everyone, and everything we tried met or exceeded our expectations. I’m a fan of the dual appetizer configuration of their menu, which progresses from first to second and a third plate, the last being the entree. This encourages people to relax, slow down their dining experience and try new things, rather than using that staid appetizer-entree-desert formula.

The decor is modern but not trendy. The venue is flush with warm hardwoods and soft ambiance. The bar is above average and there is some comfortable seating with a fireplace near the bar in case you’re not in the mood for a stool. Sonoma a nice switch from formal dining, but that comes at a cost. Seating in the dining area isn’t as comfortable as it could be and you tend to feel surrounded at times, depending on your table location. Also, there is no coat checking so you’re forced to find a free chair to rest your extra garments and other items on. I believe all quality restaurants should at least have a coat rack.

Service was pretty good, though not anything special. The staff is courteous and knowledgeable – covering the basics well enough. I enjoyed my visit to Sonoma and look forward to returning and sampling some other items from their wonderful seasonal menu.

Contact Information for Sonoma Wine Bar & Bistro:
Sonoma Wine Bar & Bistro
189 Central Park Avenue
Virginia Beach, VA 23462
757-490-WINE
http://www.sonomatowncenter.com

July 26, 2008January 3, 2017

Smithfield Station

You’ll be paying for the location and the history at Smithfield Station – not the food or service, which are both fair at best.

Located on the river in the town from which it derives its name, Smithfield Station is a restaruant that has a long history in the area. It has been an eatery in one form or another for over 20 years, and locals are very fond of it.

It’s hard to be forgiving with a small restaurant when they charge what Smithfield Station does. Meals at the Station are in line with some of the best eateries in the entire state, so I’m going to judge them according to those standards.

The dining areas are very bright and airy, but this also means they are loud. Very loud, at times. The decor is typical seafood restaurant fare, with pictures of boats and wood furniture everywhere. In some places, such as the lobby, Smithfield Station seems to try to be classier than it is. The bar isn’t bad. In the end the most important is the dining area and that is a bit of a let down. It feels rigid and generic, and lacks any kind of inspriration.

Service varies depending on your waiter, but in general it is average. There are no table cleanings between courses, and patrons are often encouraged to keep silverware between servings. I had to ask for a steak knife (as did Geraldine), and the servers seem to have one too many tables each.

The food is easily the worst aspect of the experience at Smithfield Station. Food is overcooked and unimaginative, with a menu that almost never changes and no specials to speak of. This is the kind of place where medium rare comes out burnt and the vegetables have been wilting away under a heat lamp all night. The communal style bread is impossible to cut (not that you get a knife to cut it with), so you’re left to meaty fisted alternatives. If meals were fifteen dollars per person this might be acceptable, but you’re not spending less than double that at Smithfield Station.

Situated on the water, Smithfield Station is a laid back restaurant to dine at while boat watching. They serve both lunch and dinner, offering a variety of seafood, beef, and pork entrees as well as salads and sandwiches. The servers are friendly and eager to please. No single course of mine really stood out. My shrimp appetizer, served with warm butter for dipping, was average. The salad that came with my meal was made with iceberg lettuce and reminded me of a salad you’d get at one of those all you can eat buffet places. I will say that all of the veggies on it were fresh and crunchy.

For the main course I ordered pork. I thought the pork was slightly overcooked but the sauce on top helped. The creamy sauce complimented the pork. My side of mixed veggies were somewhat mushy, but the asparagus underneath my pork was prepared well—buttery with a nice little crunch.

You’re probably not going to be wowed by the food at Smithfield Station. It is not a fine dining establishment, so don’t expect pristine clean bathrooms. Don’t expect to be served from the correct side. Don’t expect new silverware between courses, and don’t expect excellent presentation of the food. It’s the place to go if you like being by the water and want a filling meal that tastes OK.

Contact Information for Smithfield Station:
Smithfield Station
415 S. Church St.
Smithfield, VA 23431
757-357-7700
http://www.smithfieldstation.com

April 22, 2008January 3, 2017

Terrapin Restaurant

It’s nice to see something different in Virginia Beach. Terrapin is classy and offers an excellent and diverse menu without breaking the bank.

There are plenty of easily categorized restaurants in Hampton Roads. Virginia Beach, where Terrapin is located is especially well known for seafood. It’s also trendy to open a fusion restaurant, especially when part of that blend is some sort of Asian cuisine. Terrapin bucks all recent themes and classifies their menu “Contemporary American Cuisine”. That description is a perfect fit, not only for the food offered but also for the atmosphere of the establishment itself.

The seated dining area is fairly well seperated from the well appointed bar, though some tables are a little too close for comfort if the bar gets busy. The seating is comfortable and the large mirror on the far wall really helps to open the place up and make it seem much larger than it is. Service is carried out by a number of different staff members, which means you’ll have beverages and side dishes replenished in a timely fashion. Our waiter was friendly and knowledgeable. Of special note was our host for the evening, who was very courtious and raised the bar on service even higher.

Overall I was very impressed with the staff. It was one of the better experiences I’ve had in recent memory with regards to service. It wasn’t flawless – some assumptions were made by our waiter and they didn’t leave the bottle of sparkling water at our table until we had nearly finished it, which made me wonder if it was being shared with another table – though I doubt it was and it’s possible he just wanted to make sure we had room on our table for other items. Despite this I felt very well taken care of at Terrapin.

Last but never least, the food. You won’t be disappointed by the offerings at Terrapin. With a modern yet varied menu, the chefs delivered on every component – from the bread to the entree. Food was well presented and served in a timely manner. The only disappointment in this area was the desert menu, which though average in choices was short on innovation or variety. A signature desert dish would go a long way towards putting a classy finishing touch on an already excellent dining experience.

I was very impressed with Terrapin and look forward to a return visit. They already have the fundamentals covered and with a bit of fine tuning this could be one of the premier establishments of the region.

If you’re searching for a sleek and intimate dining experience, then search no more—Terrapin should be your next dining destination. It is located just a few streets back from the Virginia Beach oceanfront.

The owner has done wonders with the small space. Although small, it feels very neat and open. Terrapin was moderately busy when we dined, but the atmosphere never felt noisy or stuffy. Comfortable seating and relaxing music made my dining experience all the more pleasant. The servers were prompt, friendly and well mannered. The restrooms were tastefully decorated and well stocked with all the necessities.

Moving on to the menu, there is much to choose from including first and middle courses that offer a variety of salads, seafood and cheese. The vegetables at Terrapin are the freshest I’ve ever had. I would certainly recommend trying one of their salads. The chef prepares all of the vegetables (including sides) in such a way that the natural flavors are accentuated and not masked by heavy seasoning.

Their specialty is seafood but their other main meat courses are equally excellent. Before our first course, we received a tasty lightly breaded shrimp amuse busch, which, was a nice touch. My main course was presented nicely. The greens were perfectly prepared, but the baked caramelized onion potatoes were a little too oniony for my liking. The steak was a nice cut, juicy and seasoned just right. I passed on desert. There were several sweets to choose from, but I would have liked to have seen a cheese selection on the menu as well.

I very much enjoyed my dining experience at Terrapin and can definitely say this is one of my favorites.

Contact Information for Terrapin Restaurant:
Terrapin Restaurant
3102 Holly Road, Pinewood Square, Suite 514
Virginia Beach, VA 23451
757-321-6688

http://terrapinvirginiabeach.com