THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 2, 1995 TAG: 9510310121
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: On the Scene
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Scott McCaskey
LENGTH: Medium: 81 lines
Like many Norfolk natives I know, the Waterside marketplace isn't one of my frequent destinations.
Parking hassles, crowds and the carnival-like atmosphere tend to keep me on Colley Avenue when looking for fun and good food.
But recently I discovered that Waterside can deliver. Along with other folks who happened to be on the first-floor food court around noon on Oct. 24, I found the visit to be a fresh surprise.
Assembled on the center stage were five chefs stewing and stirring some delicious-smelling dishes. This wasn't a presentation by the in-house eateries. It was the Old Bay Seasoning Neighborhood Challenge Cook-Off.
``After the judges and people's awards are given out, everyone will get a chance to try some of this great food,'' announced Camille Appel, manager of consumer communications for McCormick, Old Bay's parent company.
Some of the better restaurants in South Hampton Roads were putting their reputations on the table. All of the creations had to be chicken items made with plentiful doses of Old Bay Seasoning.
Cafe 21's dish was a boneless chicken breast stuffed with crabmeat, topped with an orange marmalade sauce of Dijon mustard, white wine and olive oil. Blue Pete's Restaurant of Virginia Beach presented chicken and shrimp in a sherry cream sauce.
All the chefs included seafood along with the chicken.
Amory's Wharf of Portsmouth prepared blackened chicken, tautog and soft shell crab over angel hair pasta with a lobster sauce. Bienville Grill offered a chicken, shrimp and sausage jambalaya. Reggie's British Pub featured Chesapeake Bay blackened scallops and chicken.
This was definitely not cheese fries and pizza - items that come to mind when I think of Waterside food.
Old Bay personnel gave away T-shirts, fruit baskets and other promotional items to keep the crowd calm and waiting while the rich aromas circulated through the building.
``When are we going to eat?'' someone yelled from the audience.
Then it was time.
The judges dug in, as did five members of the people's choice panel.
``I've downed a lot of food in my day,'' panel member Daryl Christian said between bites. ``This is all good.''
In the end, the professional nod went to Cafe 21, with Blue Pete's second. The people called it Cafe 21, followed by Amory's.
After the awards, everyone won. The chefs stayed at their posts, cooking fresh batches as the line swelled to more than 100 takers.
``It isn't common that the public gets to sample the food at a cook-off,'' said judge Art Elvins of Johnson & Wales University in Norfolk.
All of the items were very good, but my pick was with the judges: Cafe 21, closely followed by Blue Pete's.
The whole event was part of a goodwill tour. Maryland's Pride of Baltimore II clipper ship and the city's Old Bay Seasoning company were on a six-month, six-city promotional mission.
The cook-off made me take a second look at what goes on at Waterside. Although the gourmet giveaway was a novel event, I realized that the site does more than just tap the tourists. There's a lot of give, along with the take.
Another happening event was last week's annual Halloween costume contest. The grand prize of $1,000, dinner for two at a Waterside restaurant and a limo ride for two to see Andrew Lloyd Webber's ``The Phantom of the Opera'' brought out some outrageous costumes.
Even when there are no special events, nearly every afternoon or evening features free concerts by local musicians and area high school bands, as well as some hot rock shows at the Bait Shack.
``We try to have something going on for the public all the time,'' said Frances Harris, Waterside's assistant marketing director.
Something even skeptics can't quibble with is Waterside's location. Overlooking the Elizabeth River and the heart of downtown Norfolk, the marketplace offers a premier vantage point for checking out such popular events as the upcoming Holidays in the City Grand Illumination and the Lighted Boat Parade.
Maybe it's time for this west-side ``on the scener'' to take a break from Colley Avenue - and more recently Granby Row - to give Waterside another look. by CNB