THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 4, 1996 TAG: 9602020371
SECTION: FLAVOR PAGE: F1 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: BILL OF FARE
SOURCE: BY DONNA REISS, RESTAURANT CRITIC
LENGTH: Long : 102 lines
``SOME DAY I will have my own restaurant,'' said chef Willie Moats in an interview with The Virginian-Pilot.
That was about two years ago, and Moats was chef at Menus (now Blue Moon Cafe) on Holly Road near Laskin in Virginia Beach.
Now, his someday has arrived. Moats and partner Jeannette Scherer run the show at Timbuktu in Virginia Beach.
Don't be deterred by the roadside-motel sound of the Days Inn location. This multi-story Oceanfront hotel boasts an indoor pool and a soothing restaurant with warm woods, pale peachy tones, soft curtain accents and carved masks to remind diners of the exotic locale that inspired the restaurant's name.
Moats did not name the restaurant, which already was part of the motel, though he did update the
decor. His own African-American heritage is incidental and not apparent in the eclectic and sometimes experimental new American dishes that grace his kitchen. His culinary background includes apprenticeships in at least a dozen local restaurants, several of them with Todd Jurich, now chef-owner of Norfolk's eclectic Bistro!
Always eager to see what this talented young chef is up to, we have gladly followed Moats' progress; here in his own kitchen, he can let his imagination loose.
People who prefer straightforward dishes may want to request simpler modifications of the more complex combinations; however, except for an occasional excess of high-quality and chicly flavored oils, this chef's elaborate designs are worth chancing.
For example, a recent menu combined spicy gulf shrimp in black-eyed pea vinaigrette with pancetta and kale in a fresh okra and corn sauce; another option was grilled cumin and chili baby lamb chops and stuffed radicchio salad with couscous, currant and green onions in a cilantro yogurt sauce.
Moats favors eggplant, as do we, so pan-roasted scallops with crispy potato cake and baked eggplant slices in a basil tomato sauce with sour cream and fried leeks gave us an excellent opening for one dinner. At lunch one day, portobello mushroom and eggplant on charred romaine with roasted red pepper vinaigrette was an outstanding light meal; on the dinner menu, it was a hearty starter.
Fragrant roasted garlic soup was a perfect antidote for whatever monsters lurked on a winter night, the artichoke hearts adding an extra dash of perhaps unnecessary texture. Wild mushroom soup with sun-dried tomato and basil pesto also offered warmth and flavor, but a film of oil subverted the subtlety.
The baby lamb chop appetizer was first class. If the main course lamb shares the source and inspiration of the mini-version, it should be a top choice for a dinner. We also enjoyed a fine salmon steak with mushrooms and eggplant and a competent New York steak with onions and mushrooms in red wine sauce, perhaps a little pricey at $17.95. The asparagus on the side of the tuna fillet was pleasing, as were the garnishes of fennel and chard; the scallion oil, alas, was excessive.
Sweets were satisfying. Chocolate truffle pie was more like a basic chocolate cake but topped with a tasty candy. Cheesecake with Bailey's Irish cream and white chocolate was more subtle than it sounds, and bourbon pecan pie with its dark filling and restrained use of sweetener was a nice nod to Southern cooking.
Service was fine at lunch and dinner visits. Of the several dozen wines on the restaurant's list - mostly moderately priced California vintages averaging $18 - 10 come by the glass to tempt tasters, including one sparkling wine. Chardonnays and Cabernets have their own section, other reds and whites are grouped.
We enjoyed the comfortable setting overlooking the ocean, and the promise of patio seating for spring. Moats' talent and imagination are unquestionable. We're looking forward to his continued evolution and will return to Timbuktu for new American cuisine on the Boardwalk.
ILLUSTRATION: Color photos
ROY A. BAHLS
The menu at Timbuktu in Virginia Beach includes such adventurous
items as Crispy Wild Salmon Steak ($15.95).
Graphic
BILL OF FARE
Timbuktu, in Days Inn, 32nd Street and Atlantic Avenue, Virginia
Beach. 491-1800.
Cuisine: inventive new American, emphasizing fresh vegetables and
seafood.
Atmosphere: ocean view, warm woods, pale peachy tones, soft
curtain accents, and carved masks to remind diners of the exotic
locale that inspired the restaurant's name; outdoor dining, weather
permitting.
Prices: breakfast from $2.95 to $4.95; lunch from $4 to $8;
dinner starters, soups and salads from $3.50 to $7.95; main dishes
from $8.95 to $17.95; desserts, $3.95. Children's portions on
request.
Hours: breakfast from 7 to 10:30 a.m. daily; lunch from 12:30 to
2:30 p.m Tuesday through Friday; dinner from 6 to 9 p.m. Sunday
through Thursday and from 6 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Reservations: recommended weekends.
Smoking: 15 percent of seating.
by CNB