THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 5, 1996 TAG: 9608310175
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 12 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: 80 lines
It's time again for dancing elephants and human party animals in full-dress shorts, tuxedos and pith helmets. I'm referring to the Zoo To Do, the annual fund-raiser to benefit the Virginia Zoo, which will take place from 7 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. on Sept. 21, on the grounds of the Zoo.
The ``Feeding Frenzy'' begins at 7 p.m. with some 20-plus eateries serving up their specialties till 10 p.m. The $60 per person donation ($50 for Zoological Society members) includes beer, wine and soft drinks, but new this year is a cash bar for mixed drinks.
Also new this year will be the ``Crowned Crane Casino,'' where patrons may gamble special zoo money for prizes. Bill Cabell, a member of the Virginia Zoological Society Board, explained how it works.
``People will donate real money to the zoo in exchange for zoo money, and will then gamble for over 30 prizes, many of which will be dinner for two at the better restaurants,'' Cabell said.
The casino opens at 8 p.m., and there will be continuous music for dancing from 7 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. in the Main Tent, with Fast Forward providing covers of contemporary hits and the Stingrays doing beach music and oldies. Jazz and big-band favorites will be offered in a Jazz Tent by As One. Dessert and coffee will be served at 11 p.m. All proceeds will go toward zoo programs, Cabell said.
Participating restaurants and caterers will include the Boulevard Cafe, Freemason Abbey, West Side Wine Shop, No Frill Grill, Gus' Mariner Restaurant, Green Trees, JP's Waterfront, Bienville Grill, Harbor Club, Johnson & Wales University, Tradewinds, Riverwalk, Reggie's British Pub, Toques Creative Catering, Fellini's, Du Chocolat, Lynnhaven Fish House, Antiquities and Pasta Grande, and Green Streets Eatery at Clarion Pembroke Corporate Center.
For ticket information on the seventh annual Zoo To Do, call 622-WILD.
Music buffs will remember the local band ``States,'' fronted by Jimmy McDonnell in the late '70s and most of the '80s. Three band members were Norfolk Catholic High chums, including Dominic ``Butch'' Germano and Steve Chandler. The idea for the band came when Germano and McDonnell were working for Joe Hoggard at the Ship's Cabin. Germano managed that operation and later Joe's Sea Grill.
Now Butch Germano and his partner Bill Minder have opened an upscale Italian family restaurant in the Chick's Beach area of Virginia Beach. Called Zia Marie, a loose translation of ``Aunt Mary'' from Italian, the restaurant is in the old Black's (later Nikko's), across from longtime landmark Frankie's Restaurant.
With lots of windows, soft pastel colors, blond wood tables and a fireplace visible to both sides of the dining room, Zia Marie seats 76 in that room, with another 18 seats at the bar. The photos matted and framed over the booths and along the walls are original family snapshots of the partners' Italian families.
The recipes are from Minder's family. He grew up in New Jersey, where his father still operates a meat-packing plant, and came south to attend Old Dominion University. He also owns the O'Sullivan's Wharf location at Lynnhaven, where he and Butch Germano met.
``We found we grew up with very much the same kind of Italian food,'' Germano said.
``It's Southern Italian,'' Minder explained. ``All family recipes, which was our whole idea, to stay away from the pignoli nuts and sun-dried tomatoes. It's just classic Italian food, yet in a more modern setting.''
Carrying the family theme even further, Minder's wife, Mary Ellen, bakes the breads and makes the tiramisu, cannoli and cheesecake desserts.
Most entrees are under $10, starting with spaghetti with marinara sauce ($6.95), ravioli or spaghetti with meatball or sausage ($7.95), eggplant or chicken parmesan (8.95), lasagna or linguini with red or white clam sauce ($8.59), shrimp scampi or seafood-stuffed shells ($9.95). Shrimp parmesan is $10.95, while the veal version of that dish is $11.95. Appetizers include Portabella mushrooms ($6.50) and a Gardinaire, which Minder said is a family dish featuring peppers, eggplant, capers and garlic marinated in a wine vinegar ($4.50).
We had some dandy roasted red peppers with fresh mozzarella ($4.95) to start our recent dinner, followed by the seafood-stuffed shells and a delicious eggplant parmesan. The tiramisu ($3.95) was a light and lovely dessert.
Zia Marie (4497 Lookout Road, 460-0715) is open from 5 to 10 p.m., Sunday through Thursday, and 5 to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, with longer hours at the bar. It should be a real winner for the two partners. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by SAM MARTINETTE
Butch Germano, left, and his partner Bill Minder have opened Zia
Marie, an upscale Italian family restaurant. by CNB