THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, May 2, 1996 TAG: 9604300101
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 20 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: On The Town
SOURCE: Sam Martinette
LENGTH: Medium: 82 lines
It's a long way from southern France to China, but you can make the trip by way of Monte Carlo without leaving Norfolk.
In the case of southern France, I'm talking about ``A Sunday in Provence,'' set for 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday at Cafe Rosso in Ghent.
The event is sponsored by the Alliance Francaise, Chapitre de Grasse, which serves all of southeastern Virginia, according to spokesperson Deborah Marquardt.
``The group is open to anyone who has an interest in France, its language, culture, food or people,'' she explained. ``We have a large French mission in NATO, and there are other members who take French language classes through the alliance.''
People who are interested in France usually are interested in food and wine as well, a fact noted by restaurateur Joe Hoggard of Ship's Cabin and Cafe Rosso fame, who spends a great deal of time in France.
Hoggard had designed a menu that starts off with an appetizer of fresh tomatoes, basil and mozzarella in a vinaigrette dressing, followed by mussel soup. The afternoon's entree will be fish baked in the cafe's wood-burning brick oven, served with calamari. A dessert featuring fresh fruit will be served, and all will be accompanied by a selection of wines from southern France.
Wine columnist Jim Raper, whose ``Humble Steward'' column appears in The Virginian-Pilot, will be on hand to discuss the wines of the region, and, presumably, the wines of the day. In addition, the honorary consul of France to Virginia, Nicole Yancey, will be there to provide a simultaneous translation of Raper's lecture. Provencal poetry and music also will be featured.
Tickets for the event are $16 for members, $18 for non-members and $13 for students. Marquardt said last week that limited seating remained, so if you are interested, call her at 622-1312.
After spending a Sunday in Provence you may be ready for Monday night in Monte Carlo. In this case it's Monte Carlo Night at The Harbor Club in the NationsBank Center in downtown Norfolk. The proceeds of the event will benefit The Dwelling Place, a shelter for homeless families.
The bill of fare includes heavy hors d'oeuvres, a cash bar and a cigar room sponsored by Emerson's Fine Tobacco. There will be billiard tables and a demonstration by Barry Behrman of Q-Master, and gaming tables offering craps, blackjack and a roulette wheel. Cocktails begin at 6 p.m., and the games run from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
A silent auction will feature goods and include ODU basketball tickets, tickets to Busch Gardens, Yorktown and Colonial Williamsburg, and some dinners at local restaurants.
Tickets for the event are $35 per person and are available at Emerson's (116 Granby St.) and Novelties Unlimited (410 W. 21st St., or at the door. For information, call 624-9879.
Chinese buffets have become all the rage along the Military Circle Mall corridor. The China Garden has offered a buffet for quite some time and recently has gotten competition from two new eateries, China Bowl (525 N. Military Highway, 461-5588) and China Sea Buffet (5957 E. Virginia Beach Blvd., 461-7799).
China Sea is the largest of the operations and appears to have more items on the buffet, although it's hard to keep count when you're shoveling the beef and broccoli onto a plate. Located in the Military Crossing Shopping Center, across from Janaf, the place is clean, bright and only marginally decorated in a Chinese motif.
There's plenty of Chinese chow, however - some 50 different buffet items - including fresh fruits, appetizers, desserts and non-alcoholic beverages. The lunch buffet ($5.95) is served Monday through Saturday, and the dinner buffet ($7.99), which features more seafood items and specialties, is served evenings and all day Sunday. The regular menu is also available and offers fairly low prices compared to established Chinese restaurants.
The nearby China Bowl Restaurant (on the other side of Military Circle, near the Route 44 interchange), is smaller, more traditionally appointed and offers a similar, slightly less opulent buffet. Lunch ($5.95) is served Monday through Saturday, and the dinner buffet ($8.45) is seven nights a week and all day Sunday. Both restaurants offer reduced prices for children.
I tried both luncheon buffets (on different days, of course), and preferred the food at China Sea but managed to overeat at both. by CNB