THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 3, 1994 TAG: 9411010122
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 18 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: SAM MARTINETTE
LENGTH: Medium: 73 lines
Suppose this happened to you:
You rolled out of bed, looked at the calendar and realized that today is the 10th anniversary of your marriage and you had made no plans.
Where should a guy go with his lovely wife for a romantic evening?
``I'd seat you in a booth overlooking the Bay, or in a corner by the fireplace, also with a view of the Bay,'' says Bobby Huber, executive chef of the Ships Cabin Seafood Restaurant in Ocean View. ``We'd start the evening with a split of Chandon Blanc d'Noir and have a bottle of Talbott Chardonnay with the meal.
``The first course would be Oysters Bingo, with shallots, white wine and lemon, and the Portabella mushrooms, which are sauteed with a little butter, shallots and balsamic vinegar, and served over oven-baked polenta. For the second course, a bibb lettuce salad, which is made with fresh fruit, walnuts and a honey dressing,'' Huber adds, obviously warming to the task.
``I'd recommend splitting a Grilled Tuna Mignon and Clams with Linguini and a Braised Lamb Shank as entrees,'' he further advises. ``Dessert would be our Lace Cookie - crispy chocolate pecan stuffed with white chocolate and strawberries and shaped like a tulip - and a glass of Linden Late Harvest Vidal.''
Or you could try this:
``In Antiquities, the romantics usually like the banquettes, sitting side-by-side facing out,'' explains Bill Kaylor, executive chef at the Norfolk Airport Hilton. ``I'd recommend the Seafood Wild Mushroom Crepe with an avocado butter and the Grilled Arcadian Game Fish Trio of three mignonettes of different fish, grilled and served with a chili barbecue sauce. Our Crab Bisque, with jumbo lump crabmeat, is world famous, so a cup of that, too.
``And we'd have to have (Maitre 'd) Earl Branch do a table-side Caesar salad. Then the Antiquities Fruti di Mare, jumbo scallops, jumbo shrimp and lump crabmeat sauteed with sun-dried tomatoes and shiitake mushrooms and tossed in a lobster sauce over angel hair pasta. A second entree of Veal Veronique would work well - veal roulades stuffed with crab meat and aged provolone cheese - sauteed with toasted almonds, white wine and a veal demi-glace and white seedless grapes.
``The wine would depend on your mood, something dry and white would go with both entrees,'' Kaylor says. ``As for dessert we now have a baker on premises, but for show and tell you might want the Bananas Foster or Strawberries Romanov. Another entree option would be the table-side Chateaubriand for two.''
David Blackstock, chef/owner of the intimate Crackers on 21st Street, presented this option:
``I would start with warm goat cheese with baked shallots, served with grilled bread and olives, which leaves a very pleasant taste in the mouth. It's very sexy stuff. With it a vintage bottle of Moet Champagne, which we'll share with the next course, a Lobster A 'La Americain, with onion, shallots, garlic, parsley, chervil, tarragon and moistened with white wine and a touch of brandy, and thickened with the coral (or roe) of the lobster stirred in. It's very light but very flavorful.
``After that, Venison Au Poivre, a pan-roasted piece of meat - best kept for 10 days or so - that is well-sealed and very underdone. You want the outside very crispy with crushed peppercorns, and with that a simple pan juice, stock, brandy or creme. With that you'll want some scalloped potatoes, very crispy and sliced, and some baby French green beans sauteed with a little garlic.
``With the entrees, I'd recommend a nice Pommard Burgundy, about 10 years old, an '85 Les Epenots if you can find it,'' Blackstock suggests. ``Then for dessert, the traditional Chocolate Decadence served on a bed of raspberries. With that I'd want a glass of Frontenac, a domestic sweet dessert wine.''
All three celebratory meals suggested by the experts I consulted would run in the $90 to $110 range, depending on the wines selected.
Now, can anyone quickly come up with a baby sitter? by CNB