THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 18, 1996 TAG: 9601170040
SECTION: FLAVOR PAGE: F4 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: A LA CARTE
SOURCE: DONNA REISS
LENGTH: Medium: 60 lines
PARROT WINGS and alligator sausage are specialties of the house at the revived Parrot Heads, under new ownership and management at 3656 Shore Drive in Virginia Beach.
The wings are really chicken, but they're a tasty, spicy version, and the sausage, not at all tough, has a peppery bite.
Scott Richard, owner-manager-chef, was trained in Arizona and has cooked in the Southwest, as the menu's Texas and Louisiana dishes suggest. Keeping some of the Caribbean motif from its forerunner, Parrot Heads still offers some tropical touches.
We stopped in a week before the official opening to sample the very nice lobster-papaya quesadilla and the crabcake burger (a good burger with a respectable crabcake on top, a bit rich for me but perfect for my companion). The crawfish in the etouffee dinner were plump and pleasing but the sauce insipid.
Perhaps they'll pare down the extensive menu and concentrate on dishes they do best in the weeks to come. To sample a few items from the dinner menu, stop by after work for a free minibuffet from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Richard hopes to appeal to ``the over-30 genre'' with the two-level setting and bands on weekends. Call 460-8520. A GOOD BET FOR BRUNCH
Blue Water Cafe offers a cozy, casual Oceanfront setting in the Four Sails Resort in Virginia Beach. One of the main attractions is the a la carte brunch from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. It includes a basket of muffins and an assortment of breakfast, lunch, and light dinner offerings priced from $3.25 to $8.
At dinner recently, the chicken, tuna and pork on our mixed grill were a bit overdone, but the servings were abundant and included a salad and bread for $15. Shrimp with roasted red pepper pesto was better, with its angel hair pasta in a light sauce, freshly shredded Parmesan and plenty of jumbo shrimp. Look for frequent coupons and early-bird meals from 4 until 6:30 p.m. Kevin Murphy is chef and Jim Hearn the owner-manager. Call 491-0188. QUICK BITES
The Coyote Cafe, a beach favorite for stylish Southwestern dishes, is moving into larger quarters, joining the team at Animation, which is giving up its name and redecorating for the change. Next week, the new Coyote Cafe will open at 972-A Laskin Road in Virginia Beach. Call 491-3252 or 425-7355. . . . The A Cafe at 1405 Lynnhaven Parkway in Virginia Beach, features Mediterranean specialties, pasta and pizza prepared by owner James Craig. He brings to this venture over 18 years under the tutelage of his partner, Chris Kevatos of Cafe 17, the Street Cook and Anthony's. Sample their varied fare from 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Call 468-2700. . . . Savor the savings. Restaurants will raise prices only 2.5 percent in 1996, says the National Restaurant Association, as reported in USA Today. by CNB