THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 16, 1996 TAG: 9606130062
SECTION: FLAVOR PAGE: F1 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Bill of Fare
TYPE: Restaurant Review
SOURCE: BY DONNA REISS, RESTAURANT CRITIC
LENGTH: 92 lines
THE WARM GOLD and russet hues of Silverado's semicircular room evoke desert sunsets. In contrast, brilliantly colored longhorns, coyotes and cacti encircle the columns that divide the two sections of the dining room. Here, chef James Ornelas serves up contemporary southwestern specialties nightly on the second story of the Clarion Resort in Virginia Beach. The chef has a flair for lively combinations and peppery sauces. Appetizers, side dishes and desserts are especially appealing.
Many of the appetizers are so good that, on more than one occasion, we've made meals of two or three starters each. Shrimp and corn tamale was a tasty cornucopia of pink rings spilling from a corn husk, lightly swathed in garlic cream sauce. Santa Fe spring rolls came crunchy outside and in, bits of mushroom and duck adding a satisfying contemporary touch. Pumpkin chowder dotted with a few crawfish tails was a lush warm-up, with a mildly smoky scent from the chilies. Plump, smoky oysters Silverado came with soft blue-corn hopi bread to soak up the well-balanced light Parmesan tequila cream sauce.
Other options for openers are corn-zucchini quesadilla, tuna sashimi, grilled tuna tostado, chile-crusted sea scallops, duck-roasted corn taco, chile relleno and smoked chicken and white bean chili.
Sizeable salads, large enough to share as a first course, would make satisfying light meals. The Silverado salad consists of layered red onions, tomatoes, kalamata olives and shavings of asiago cheese with chunks of unexceptional smoked chicken. Roasted garlic vinaigrette was light enough not to overwhelm the other ingredients. Fresh Romaine leaves and a light sprinkling of dressing characterized the Caesar-style salad.
Silverado's dinner menu is substantial. Among the options are lamb chop, blue-corn-encrusted crabcake, grilled salmon, fried oysters, grilled shrimp, red-pepper pasta with chicken, black pepper cheese tortellini, chicken breast, pork tenderloin, sea bass and a 23-ounce cowboy steak.
We especially enjoyed the cracked pepper-crusted beef tenderloin, a generous circle of steak balanced on a half-inch thick slice of eggplant and topped with fashionable fried leek threads, recommended by our server. Although the Santa Fe hunter's sauce tasted too much like the bottled steak sauce at its base, the beef was flavorful and exactly medium rare.
Roasted red pepper pasta with chicken and wild mushroom-green chile sauce was easily adapted to a meatless meal for my vegetarian companion, the noodles lightly coated with sauce. Roasted free range chicken breast was flavorful, but disappointingly dry. The menu included several tempting seafood options, but the evening special of tuna with spicy watermelon was too appealing to overlook. The kitchen knew exactly how much to cook this dish to maintain the moistness of the tuna. A lattice of avocado and red pepper coulis added glamor.
Vegetable side dishes of perfectly cooked squashes or broccoli with red pepper garnished our dinners. Although a rice side was undistinguished, the cilantro-pesto mashed potatoes were excellent - chunky and dotted with just enough herbs. Specialty breads of honey-sunflower and spicy black bean were treats. In fact, it was hard to resist eating too much of these little round loaves, served whole with a serrated knife so we could cut the slices extra thick if we wished.
Desserts depart dramatically from the southwestern theme, honoring instead the universal appeal of chocolate. Chocolate Bondage was the tantalizing name of a mousse confection with a chocolate cookie crust and fudgy lattice top. Brownies came with fudge sauce, homemade wafer cookies and amaretto ice cream. Not much lighter was strawberry mousse cake with layers of yellow cake, white chocolate mousse and whipped cream. All were outstanding.
Silverado's attractive inner spaces offer a soothing contrast to the neon glare of Atlantic Avenue through the curved windows. Local designer Mike Bell decorated the interior columns with whimsical southwestern kitsch. Festive dishes and cactus-stemmed margarita glasses continue the motif. Sauces swirled around the edges of plates enhance the visual, as well as gustatory, experience of diners. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by Roy A. Bah.s [Bahls]
Warm desert hues and brillantly colored accents help create a
visually appealing dining experience.
Graphic
BILL OF FARE
Silverado, 501 Atlantic Ave., Virginia Beach, 491-4700.
Cuisine: Contemporary Southwestern meals and lush homemade
desserts.
Atmosphere: Warm Southwestern hues and colorful appointments in a
soft semicircular space; free parking in the Clarion's deck, and
valet parking available.
Prices: Breakfast buffet $4.95, a la carte $4.25-$6.25, dinner
starters $3.95 to $5.95, main dishes $10.95 to $18.95, desserts
$4.50; children's menu $2.25-$3.25.
Hours: Breakfast 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. daily. Dinner Sunday through
Thursday 5 to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 5 to 11 p.m.
Reservations: Accepted but not necessary.
Smoking: Varies from 20 percent to 40 percent of seating. by CNB