THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 8, 1994 TAG: 9409030224
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 17 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: On the Town
TYPE: Restaurant Review
LENGTH: Medium: 87 lines
Dan Dominisac has no alibis when it comes to the fact that the menu of the new restaurant Skipjacks Raw Bar & Grill is influenced by his heritage. The restaurant's name is drawn from the venerable Chesapeake Bay sailing vessel, a fact that reflects Dominisac having grown up in Norfolk.
The presence of pasta dishes and entrees reminiscent of the South Seas may be traced to his familial heritage, a blend of Filipino and Italian parents. Add kitchen manager Greg Buenviaje, who has cooked at popular Beach restaurants such as the Coyote Cafe and Pasta e Pani, and that accounts for the dash of fusion cuisine to be found in both the menu selections and the tableside presentation, where each dish we sampled recently could well have been photographed for a food magazine.
The best-kept secret in town so far, Skipjacks opened two weeks ago in a location that had a short career as Alibis, but a long history as the Fraternal Order of Elks and later as Le Charlieu. If Dominisac, his wife, Terri, and their staff can keep the quality on the level of what we had last week, the place should be a major new player on the restaurant scene.
The restaurant now has a raw bar in what had been used as a foyer, and potted plants and vintage photos of downtown Norfolk in the main dining room. Even the presence of a pool table in a side room should prove to be unobtrusive, as it is physically distanced from the dining area.
Dan and Terri Dominisac, both 28, worked at the Bienville Grill most recently, he behind the bar and she waiting tables. Dan worked on the opening staffs of the original Spirit of Norfolk, La Galleria and Stormy's during a 13-year career. Buenviaje, at 23, should be a new young star on the culinary scene.
Not knowing what to expect we were surprised at the depth and flexibility of the menu at Skipjacks. Prepared for nachos and raw oysters, both of which are offered, we quickly shifted our gears to a fine dining experience that delivered what it promised.
Our appetizer was the College Place Craze, grilled goat cheese wrapped in romaine and served with roasted peppers, grilled eggplant and a sun-dried tomato salsa ($4.75) that we eagerly downed with roasted garlic toast. Also of interest was the Waterside Delight of sauteed calamari with a marinara diablo sauce served over roasted garlic toast ($4.25), and quesadillas of Applewood bacon and wild mushrooms with a sun-dried tomato salsa and guacamole ($4.25).
Our entrees included Veracruz Seared Tuna, a thick tuna steak seared in spices and served with green chile mashed potatoes, grilled vegetables and a sun-dried tomato salsa ($10.25), which was spicy, as promised, but not overwhelmingly so. The Island Style Pasta with shrimp sauteed with julienne vegetables and served over Chinese noodles with a Polynesian sauce ($9.50) that I ordered can also be prepared with pork ($7.50), and was beautiful and bountiful.
Other pasta entrees include Tuna Provencal (grilled tuna served on fettucine sauteed with fresh garden vegetables, garlic, olive oil and white wine - $9.50); Caribbean Shrimp Scampi in a sweet and spicy banana sauce over linguini ($10.50); a vegetable pasta of the day ($7.50); and rigatoni with clams and a red sauce ($7).
Mesquite-Grilled Chicken ($7.50), a Polynesian Chicken dish ($8.25), and a pair of steaks complete with a seafood list that includes Ginger Almond Tuna - grilled and served with herb-roasted potatoes, rice pilaf and sauteed vegetables topped with toasted almonds ($9.50), the Cast Iron Combo of blackened tuna and a crab cake ($10.50), scallops, crab-stuffed shrimp and more.
Even the sandwich menu is enticing, with a chicken pesto baguette ($4.75), a shrimp po-boy ($5.25), and a Texas crab cake (served with a green chile tarter sauce - $5.25).
Presently open for dinner only, Dominisac said that plans call for lunches to begin sometime later this month. If the folks at Skipjacks can keep up the good work, this one is priced to please and should be a winner. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by SAM MARTINETTE
Dan Dominisac with his wife, Terri, and Greg Buenviaje at
Skipjacks.
AT A GLANCE
Skipjacks Raw Bar & Grill: 112 College Place, 626-3505.
Food: an eclectic mix of fusion cuisine, with a touch of Italian,
Caribbean and Polynesian; ABC.
Prices: most entrees in $7 to $10 range.
Hours: 4 p.m. to midnight, Sunday through Thursday; 4 p.m. to 2
a.m. Friday and Saturday. Late- night menu available after 10 on
weeknights and midnight to 1:30 a.m. weekends.
by CNB