THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 26, 1995 TAG: 9501240103
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: SAM MARTINETTE
LENGTH: Medium: 80 lines
If you're in need of a cozy place to curl up with a good book and a grilled panini sandwich, you might drop by Prince Books and Coffeehouse on East Main Street in downtown Norfolk.
What's a grilled panini sandwich? Pani is Italian for bread, and the seven sandwiches in the grilled panini section are served on seasoned focaccia bread baked at La Galleria, which by the way, also has bread in a number of area supermarkets.
The coffeehouse section of the bookstore seats 24, and when we were in for lunch last week, customers were waiting for free seats. In the company of some 15,000 books, give or take a few, the sandwiches themselves speak volumes for the efforts of Bill Prince, who returned to his hometown to work with his sister, Sarah Pishko, the owner of Prince Books.
The bookstore, which opened in 1982, is in its third location, having moved last summer from the Selden Arcade in order to stay open later at night and open on Sundays, according to Pishko. ``There's so much activity now, and we like it,'' she said. ``It might be slow in the bookstore and busy in the coffeehouse, or vice versa, but it's bringing in customers.''
Some of them come in every day, according to Bill Prince, who was clearly uncomfortable doing an interview about his food. ``This is an understated thing, and we're still evolving,'' he explained. ``I've worked in a lot of kitchens, but I certainly don't think of myself as a restaurateur.''
Maybe not, but Prince cut his culinary teeth in Courtney's on W. 21st Street back in the late '70s, before a stint in the Army, followed by more restaurant work in Richmond, at places like The Butlery and The Tobacco Company. ``I did everything from cooking to waiting tables.''
Prince is certainly no stranger to words, having worked as editor of a weekly newspaper in Brunswick County, where he was basically a one-man show. ``When Sarah asked me to get the coffeehouse going, I decided to move back here,'' he said. ``But I want to get back into journalism some day.''
Prince has already turned out a ``Bestseller,'' the aptly named panini sandwich of artichoke hearts, muchrooms and provolone cheese on a layer of sun-dried tomato pesto ($3.95), which he said is the most popular sandwich. I'll take his word for it, but it would be hard to beat the tuna pesto sandwich I tried during my visit. Shredded chunk tuna on a layer of black olive pesto, topped with artichoke hearts and provolone cheese, the $3.95 sandwich was so good I was loath to trade half away so that I could sample Julie's Caprese, a traditional Italian offering that speaks of summer, with fresh mozzarella cheese, Roma tomatoes, roasted red peppers and fresh basil ($3.95). But no harm done, it was excellent.
Other panini include a proscuitto with sun-dried tomato pesto, fresh basil and provolone ($4.50); one with smoked turkey, marinated sweet peppers and Cheddar ($4.25); and a three-cheese offering of Havarti, Cheddar and provolone melted on Roma tomatoes and marinated sweet peppers ($3.95). All are served with a side salad, as are other sandwich offerings, including hummus (ground garbanzo beans mixed with tahini, lemon and herbs and served on whole wheat pita with Roma tomatoes and sprouts - $3.75), and tuna salad on multi-grain bread ($3.95).
Prince also offers a tabouli salad ($3.75), and a Mediterranean plate of tabouli, lentil salad, Greek olives and pita wedges ($4.95), as well as soup of the day (black bean or conch chowder for example) with a grilled cheese sandwich for $3.95. Coffees include the likes of espresso, latte, cafe au lait, and a number of flavored coffees, in the $1.10 to $2.90 range. The food is good, clean and uncomplicated. And you can buy a book while you wait.
Taste Tip: Today, at the Green Grocer's GreenTrees Cafe (112 Bank St., 627-8938), from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m., the new Downtown Circle of the Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters will sponsor an ``After Hours Tasting of Micro-Brewery and Imported Beers,'' at $15 per person, including hors d'oeuvres. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by CHRISTOPHER REDDICK
Sarah Pishko, left, is the owner and her brother, Bill Prince, is
the manager of Prince Books and Coffeehouse.
Graphic
AT A GLANCE
[For complete graphic, please see microfilm]
by CNB