VBeatso's Profile
Good seafood market in Norfolk/Virginia Beach?
Also try Bluewater Seafood in the shopping center near Centerville and Kempsville Rds. They also cook it for you. Steamed or fried in a light batter and this is mostly what I have gone here for. Best prices I have seen too.
The seafood shop right by Bubba's is run by Bubba's. If you know how to cut them i am also told you can buy the fish whole right off the boat but you have to call for times.
Norfolk/Virginia Beach Restaurant Week.... where did you go?
Burton's also has a good food during their happy hour. We really liked the stuffed zucchini app.
This year might have been my worst year yet hitting up the restaurant week (RW) specials. We only went to the RW standby Baker's Crust. In VB the menus did not excite me as much - so many soups or salad for first course. Wanted to go to Steinhilber's, but missed it, I love how the chef at Steiny's puts tons of offerings so you can really get a good sampling of what that restaurant has to offer. I see it as a celebration of foods at restaurants and I want to see the diversity and uniqueness. It is surprising how many wedge salads I saw on menus - where's the creativity in that!
What foods feel indulgent but are actually quite healthy?
Salmon, and in the fresh fruit category i think mango and raspberries are the most indulgent.
Seeking recipes for Iranian dishes by home cook
I had an Iranian friend years ago that I long lost touch with. When his mother came to visit we had several meals she made. I never got recipes but I remember how wonderful three items she made were and I would love to recreate these dishes. I can only describe them hoping someone will recognize them since I believe they were standard Iranian home cooking dishes.
1. basmati rice with hot seared potato slices lining the bottom of the pot then the dish would be inverted to show a beautiful potato crusted cake with rice inside.
2. Roasted Eggplant dip, there was tahini in it, it was tangy and green and we ate it on bread as an appetizer. This was an easy recipe and we were shown how to make it but I didn't write anything down. It started with salting the eggplant slices allowing them to sweat and then roasting them.
3. Loose ground beef sauteed and we ate it over rice - I can't remember the spice tastes that it had but it was super tasty.
Thanks for any and help and recipes!
Hampton Roads Happy Hour
Super late on this, but Cogan's has a $5 off all pizza's on Sundays so a simple cheese pizza is only $5 on Sunday.
Best Pizza in Hampton Roads
Love the stuffed 1/2 veggie, 1/2 meat pizza at Pungo Pizza.
Love the stuffed pizza at Primo's as well but very different. I think their regular slices can be too greasy/floppy at times.
Had a pretty tasty thin crust not greasy with a nice crisp bottom pie just recently at Spaghetti Eddie's in Chesapeake, however I was pretty hungry that day! :)
Virginia Beach / Hampton Roads New Restaurants and More Discussion
Don Gallo is near Lynnhaven Mall -2728 North Mall Drive Suite 117. It is the only Peruvian in VB - this alone makes them worth a try. I have only been there once so I can't verify their consistency, but have heard good things from others, some of which are Peruvian descent.
Things are surprising here, when I moved here, I was suprised by the lack of fresh seafood markets! There aren't very many with the amount of water we have around. This is relatively new but I recently found that you can buy fish fresh off the boat at the dock/weighing area near/next to Bubba's seafood, the downside is you have to clean the fish yourself!
Thanks krisrishere I will check out the Chow group, I haven't been to Stove though it has been on my list to try for a while.
Virginia Beach Dinner Recs
Terrapin, Zoes, La Dolce Vita, Il Giardino.
Though I haven't tried them, I heard Eat Bistro and Pacifica are also good.
-----
La Dolce Vita
400 4th St, Sutton, WV 26601
Bahn Mi now available in Columbia MO
Saigon Bistro is the name and I just checked, it is open now, I think it opened in mid-Nov. or early Dec. I have been hearing good things online and I think they have Banh Mi as well. I might have to go try it for myself.
-----
Saigon Bistro
3123 E Pawnee St, Wichita, KS 67211
Bahn Mi now available in Columbia MO
I heard there was a new Vietnemese place in Columbia, have you tried it yet?
Virginia Beach / Hampton Roads New Restaurants and More Discussion
Please list your faves in each category!
NEW RESTAURANTS
I shut my eyes in the restaurant scene for one minute and when I opened them I saw countless frozen yogurt shops opening up, more sushi restaurants than I could count, a couple more mediterranean than before and a host of more unknown finds have cropped up.
Let me know your new favorite finds and if anyone has tried these I have recently seen and haven't had a chance to try.
Keilbasa (European saw recently at Kempsville near VB Blvd.)
Baladi (Mediterranean near hilltop) (not sure if the new Azar's will witness any less traffic?!)
Jack's Bistro
Yanni's Casual Greek
Pulcinella
RELATIVELY NEWISH AND PROVEN
Pasha Mezze (sad that their chesapeake location is now closed, which I liked better.)
La Dolce Vita (Great New Orleans style food and drinks - try despite its typical Oceanfront tourist resto appearance)
Razzo (everything is better than expected here, even the bread crumb pasta side dish)
Mannino's (green apple salad is delish!)
Aloha Hawaiin BBQ (Cheapo Hawaiian and Thai offerings with big portions)
Don Gallo - (Not completely proven but one of the only Peruvian places and interesting to try! Love the Yuca fries and the green sauce that comes out at the beginning)
CHAINS BUT NEW TO THE AREA
I am typically the last person to recommend a chain however I remember these fondly from the midwest.
Jimmy John's (a once college sandwich splurge)
Papa Murphy's (take and bake pizza - try their gourmet vegetarian and you won't be disapointed! I am also mildy obsessed at the moment with their thin crust with white sauce and any topping)
WHY DON'T WE HAVE?
A place like Chop't Creative Salad Company in D.C. customized salads with your favorite toppings then they chop it all and toss with one of the hundreds of choices of homeade salad dressings.
A place like Pita Pit in Canada - choices of shwarma, falafel all your fave mediterranean choices (and lunchmeats to appease) in a subway/Chipotle like concept slathered with hummus and/or other toppings wrapped in a warm pita.
A great truly southern homecooking place - shrimp and grits, mashed potatoes/gravy and fried chicken type place.
Gourmet food trucks making their way around town.
-----
Razzo
3248 E Ocean View Ave, Norfolk, VA 23518
Best Chinese in Tidewater
I love your question, ordering chinese food is an art - there are often things not on the menu or variations that you have to ask about (point out at others tables or modify to your liking or to go with what else you are ordering). It is never as good to go by yourself vs. with a group where you can get a good variety.
I am always trying things at Jade Villa and the menus are not very descriptive. I would like to hear others favorites, but have a few to share. (Please note: This is the best chinese restaurant I have found in the area and while it doesn't outshine chinese restaurant in bigger cities it does stand out around here and at least gives you a taste of what you might be missing.) Beef Chow Foon, I have only tried "dry" giant thick rice noodles pan fried (a little greasy) there is another style wet? with couple different sauce choices.
Ask what greens they have fresh and if any not on the menu - order one of these, and get sauteed with garlic very simple but super yummy/healthy. I liked their Peking Duck, they serve it with these thicker steamed folded buns which are different than many places. Salted and Spicy Shrimp (with shell - you eat the shell). Fried tofu (not on menu it is soft tofu breaded and deep fried and has lots of fried garlic and jalapenos along side - sooo good although it would benefit from a sweet/spicy sauce to dip into). I am a sucker for the Kung Pao shrimp on the american menu. You can always order off of the Dim Sum menu (however those in red are only offered during weekends during the dim sum cart time). I like the Stuffed eggplant with shrimp and the Pan fried leek dumplings.
On weekends for dim sum I like all the noodle creps, egg custard dessert and the tofu dessert (this one has its own cart). Remember during dim sum you can always order items fresh - if cold or your fave is not out. And it is typical to order a fresh sauteed green and/or others to go with your dim sum offerings. I hope this helps!
Anyone have any faves I should be trying?
-----
Jade Villa
353 Independence Blvd, Virginia Beach, VA 23462
Budget dining on Thanksgiving, somewhere/anywhere!?
I actually started with Open Table and while many options I had to look up reviews on each one that fit my budget and many were mediocre/mixed reviews and it became very time consuming to look up many had little more info than a name/type of a restaurant. Plus nothing on there was really standing out from the rest. It is likely the standouts are already booked at this point...
VA Beach Faves
We tried "La Dolce Vita" thanks to your rec and it was great! Huge portions, plugra butter, homeade dishes. I heard that the chef used to be the chef at the Wine Bar in Norfolk. I don't know if it was a off time - Friday at 10pm in mid November but we were the only ones in the restaurant. I hope this one makes it - I don't think I would have tried it without the Rec, the signage/website/vibe didn't match the food, the fry batter was really flavorful and different and I bet the po' boys would have been scrumptious. It's nice that they are open late!
-----
Dolce Vita
10824 Fairfax Blvd, Fairfax, VA 22030
Budget dining on Thanksgiving, somewhere/anywhere!?
No one in our party is from NYC - only one is living there now but they haven't had enough time to know this.
South China Garden might just work -we don' t need fancy. I think I have given up on making reservations! I might just play it by what everyone is feeling like that day and the time we are ready to eat and call some places recommended here to see if we can get in. If all else fails we could probably get into a chinese restaurant that day and I found Amy Ruth's and Charles' in Harlem that don't take reservations that could work also. Thanks!!
A lot of these websites don't feature the thanksgiving meal on their websites. Example, Tony's doesn't.
-----
South China Garden
22 Elizabeth St, New York, NY 10013
Amy Ruth's
113 W 116th St, New York, NY 10026
Budget dining on Thanksgiving, somewhere/anywhere!?
Hmmm I was thinking that if it were a prix fix meal/and or all food together would be $35 max per person so tax/tip wasn't included. We might just skip drinks to save.
Chinatown could work, what is your favorite in this price range and do they take take/honor reservations at any of these restaurants? (It would have to be authentic, clean and not all szechuan/spicy - we have one pregnant and two chinese people attending.)
Budget dining on Thanksgiving, somewhere/anywhere!?
A last minute change of plans have us in NYC on Thanksgiving. I have been searching about what "Thanksgiving esk" specials in the $20-35 and under price range meals are available to make a reservation for 5 on Thanksgiving day. (we have some budget constraints but still want to go where the food is what it is all about)
Came up with these:
Kefi
Ponty Bistro
The Smith
After reading about these on this site they don't sound like solid options.
I have been on several sites to see Thanksgiving specials and checked opentable. All these restaurants are just names to me and getting restaurant rec's on an everyday basis doesn't help because they may not be open or no reservations left. I would prefer to have a reservation set up before the trip. Any neighborhood in Manhattan is fine.
Any help is appreciated! Open to ideas that might be unusual/untraditional.
-----
Kefi
505 Columbus Avenue, New York, NY 10024
Ponty Bistro
218 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10003
Hong Kong Dim Sum and Bubble Tea and other Wow Recommendations
This is my first trip to China but I have married into the Chinese culture so I am not a stranger to authentic chinese food. I love the flavors and do can't wait for the food delights that await in this trip! It is happening very soon so don't delay in writing! I am a budget traveller since I know how expensive Hong Kong meals can get, I would like to keep it no more than $150hkp/p for dinner.(much less if possible) I am traveling with a fluent speaker of Mandarin, though very limited Cantonese if this helps in anyway.
DIM SUM
I have time for only one wonderful Dim Sum experience, the type where carts are running around frequently. There is a lot of variety, it is busy and bustling. Looking for it to be a good value and in either Hong Kong or Kowloon.
I usually go for chrysanthemum tea but please suggest another for me to order/try. Something unusual or interesting?
BUBBLE TEA
Any cool places that go above in beyond when it comes to bubble tea? Hong Kong has got to be the place that has the best bubble tea and flavors, styles textures and tastes.
WOW's
I will be hiking etc.. in Lantau for a day anything interesting in any of the villages of note? (Better to do Seafood restaurant for lunch and then have dinner back in Hong Kong? Or is there a place worthy for a dinner)
Might stop by Peng Chau, worthy snacks etc..
Street Stalls around TST?
Indian Restaurants/Stalls in Chunking Mansions or worth a stop?? Heard that the stalls around Mongkok were pretty great, is this Indian food pretty authentic? (I will be the closest to India I have ever been)
Quick Bite Breakfasts?
Shenzhen - Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner?
Anything worth mentioning I shouldn't miss?
1 night in Virgina Beach, where to eat???
For only one night and first time, I would go with either: One Fish, Two Fish or Bubba's. VB Restaurants compared with other locations have seafood to boast about and these two do it well and have nice water views. Try to go while it is still light to enjoy them. One Fish Two Fish has more creative dishes of the two, while Bubba's if you eat on the deck has the best atmosphere.
Baltimore - Unique food tour of best item at each restaurant??
Sister just moved to Baltimore and I am visiting and at the last minute will be planning her 30th b-day celebration day - which is a Saturday.
I was thinking of stopping by many food finds and trying only the best item each restaurant or shop has to offer. Definitely seeking unique experience type places. If you mention things to do in and around the suggested restaurants would be a major bonus as I am not very familiar with Baltimore. Do not want many of sit down(slow service), expensive or really formal restaurants. Some ideas for items, but interested in much more than this!
any ethnic foods
stuffed artichoke
falafel
ice cream sundae or gelato
chinese dumplings
Cupcake
Unique Girly Cocktail
Crab cake
Crab dip
Outer Banks WEdding - HELP!
I attended a wedding by this company. They did a fabulous job decorating and the food was memorable, they used a lot of area favorites like small cups of hatteras chowder and tiny blue crab - crab cakes. They seemed top notch. My only complaint is that they started take down and had bare tables too early for my taste in the night. http://www.kateringbykim.com
Hampton Roads Dives and Deals
Thanks for all of your suggestions. I thought I should divulge a few as well. I like Nat's Sports Bar at the beach. If you can handle the smoke and loud music or get it to go and eat at the beach. They have great burgers with homeade fries. Most of their items are good and fresh seafood and they have daily specials menu that changes monthly with great prices. Everything is homeade down to the salsa and the chunky blue cheese salad dressing -my favorite.
Beach Pub for lunch is always packed, nothing fancy, nothing expensive about this place, stick to seafood and get something off of the specials menu it comes with a tea or lemonade and two sides and ask for a hushpuppies instead of a roll. Where else can you get a tasty seafood lunch for $5. Nick's Restaurant is also worth mentioning at the beach.
Hampton Roads Dives and Deals
Hey all I've got a little challenge for you. We are all aware of the Todd Jurich's, Bobbywoods, Vintage Kitchen's, Terrapin's out where we can get top notch gourmet with a wad out of the wallet. But where do you go when you are hungry and you don't want to sit down an use two forks and look and act presentable? You know the place where you wander back to over and over and leave satisfied with a less guilt that you spent too much. It could be a neighborhood place that always makes their food homeade and doesn't cut corners or a bakery that makes the sweetest rolls or the place that if you moved away you would definitely miss because they had the best ____. Come on don't be shy, we won't judge you, divulge!
Virginia Beach and Norfolk Restaurant Week this week and next!
Bobbywood was great! Restaurant week was a good time to go to get a sampling of the actual menu. They only offered the Rest. Week Special and a wide variety of their menu items were offered. For first course I tried the BBQ Ribs while the spouse tried the calamari. Both good portions. The ribs were organic high quality very little fat, they had a clean taste to them and the sauce/spicing didn't overtake the meat flavor. The calamari was a tender and tasty with a different take than the usual. This part of the meal was my favorite. For the second course we got flounder and seafood étouffée. I had never tried a étouffée and it was very rich. I think I would have like it more if it were a shared appetizer since it was so very flavorful by the fifth bite I couldn't appreciate all of the flavors. Dessert was Crème Brulée(typical yet with kicked up vanilla flavor with bits of vanilla bean) and cheesecake. I enjoyed the meal and while I am sure worth it; with the $80 total bill during a on sale period it will likely stay in the special occasion category for me.
Hampton Roads, VA: Where should we eat next?
I finally tried Taqueria San Jose and El Rey Taqueria.
I especially liked El Rey, thanks for recommending I'm not sure I would even notice it without the rec., I can't believe we have real mexican/central american food in Hampton Roads! I saw someone get Gorditas after I ordered I have been waiting to go back to order those and I want to try their pupusas. There seemed to be several hole in the wall type mexican places in the area, has anyone tried the others there?
We went to the Taqueria San Jose in the strip mall and not the "restaurant" (San Jose's) as they called it, next store. They said they own both, is it the same food? I ordered two tacos and my server was like "is that all you want?!" I realized why she would ask that when they came out in four inch rounds and I was able to eat them in two bites. Tasty but surprisingly small. The sopapillas were more filling. What do you all like to order there?
Virginia Beach and Norfolk Restaurant Week this week and next!
Due to being really busy this year, I made reservations for only one in Norfolk, Bobbywood, I still haven't tried it and they have the most choices on their Restaurant week menu.
Virginia Beach I was able to get to three that I had never tried; two lunches and one dinner. I was very disapointed with two of three. Casby's Sea Grill we went to for lunch I hadn't heard much about this place but everything we had there was suprisingly tasty. Smaller portions than some restaurants but quality was overall there. I would definitely venture back.
We went to Soya for dinner and I don't plan to go back. It seems like a place that has a good location and may stay afloat for that reason, but of what we tried everything seems poor quality and freshness with inflated pricing. I think in the immediate beach area Osaka is much better.
Lastly we went to Fire and Vine for lunch. Firstly I liked the antipasto bar, there was a lot of variety and they kept it stocked well. The rest of the food was subpar, very little flavor and bad presentation and seemed like those in the back were throwing it all together. Dessert was a cookie which was overcooked and hard as a rock. To my surprise the restaurant was very busy on the bad weather day. I assume it is because of the idea of the restaurant which is good, but they need to figure out new better tasting recipes for their menu items.
Quick Cooking Cookbook Challenge
I take a long time to cook and because of this I am not motivated to cook when I get home late or feel tired. This leads to food going to waste in my fridge and expense of dining out more often. Eating right and well, really does lead to happiness for me. I want to cook quality meals every night I am home and want to get much faster. I wonder if I get a cookbook that promises fast recipes and use it for every meal for a month or more then maybe I can learn more techniques for fast cooking and get into a routine where even if I get home late no problem. Not sure if they make books where an entire week of meal is planned in order to use all of the ingredients that you buy? This could be helpful. I do eat meat (not needed for all meals, and I don't eat big portions of meat), all veggies and like ethnic food. Please help me by recommending the your favorite Quick Cooking cookbook. Or if there is a website that specializes in quick meals and plans out weeks let me know.
Qualities of a great Quick Cooking Cookbook
Not too many ingredients per recipe to cut down on shopping time (once per week)
Not too many expensive ingredients, or hard to find
If use unusual ingredients have several recipes using them so extra doesn't get wasted
Has one dish meals and entire meal of recipes written together or pairing notes
Has fairly healthy recipes on a whole, uses whole ingredients
Fairly consistent winners.
Has tips for making cooking quicker (besides obvious like buy pre-cut etc...)
Lets you know if will freeze well
Has a lot of variety of tastes and ethnic recipes to not become bored.
Well organized and easy to read instructions, pictures a plus.
Doesn't use gadgets that are hard to clean too often
Thank you for any suggestions!
Hampton Roads, VA: Where should we eat next?
Pasta E Pani is back to being a restaurant serving a sit down lunch and dinner, (even though there are only 12 tables) they still have the take out storefront with their fresh mozz. and pasta. I have yet to try it but knowing the quality of their takeout items this has to be a good thing. Let us know how it is was if you have been there. I saw on their website that they will also have cooking classes, no details yet though.
http://www.pastaepanionline.com/
Ideas for a weekend in Hampton Roads (Va)
For a great Sushi Dinner within your budget go to Kyushu's off of Newtown Rd. in Virginia Beach. You can get the pork ramen soup or a shrimp tempura udon soup or a Teriyaki Chicken dinner, or the appetizer of the yakisoba a small plate heaping with chewy noodles and if you want something different a unigiri which is a rice pocket filled with cooked salmon or a different combination of things. She can get the mermaid roll which you can only get there this way, very colorful, or any of their sushi items.
I like Primo Pizza, maybe because I like garlic and their garlic knots are the best I have ever sunk my teeth into. I also really like their italian sausage. Their pie might not be thin enough for you. Most good pizza places in this area are going to cost around $15-20 a pie with a few toppings. People in Norfolk are crazy about Cogan's and if you go on Sunday it is $5 off any pizza, this may not be thin enough for you either but their sauce and mozzerella are very quality and tasty.
I used to work with a bunch of New Yorkers and these were their faves:
Gennarro's, Franks or Franks II same owners all in Chesapeake
Sal's Bella Pizza in Virginia Beach.
Healthy Snack Ideas/Recipes
Thank you all, I do have a microwave and a minifridge available at work. No toaster oven, I wish! Things I bought and made: a trail mix with dried cherries, soynuts, pepitas, raisins and sunflower seeds, carrots with a sweet onion dip, pita chips and homeade hummus, yogurt cup, kashti granola bar, and grapes.
Question: I have only made my own popcorn on the stove, how do you microwave your own corn in a brown bag? Does the bag have to be a certain kind? Do you put the bag on a plate???
