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.