THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 2, 1997 TAG: 9612290003
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: On the Town
TYPE: Restaurant Review
SOURCE: Sam Martinette
LENGTH: 88 lines
Bill Booker turned down the location of his new Harry's Famous Bar-B-Que four times before taking a look at the old Burger Chef on Granby Street that had been the Backstage Cafe.
The building Harry's had occupied at Plaza One for five years was torn down to make way for a new fire station, but Booker was concerned about downtown parking.
``Once I got in here and saw it and envisioned what could be done, I was sold on it,'' Booker said.
The result is a 5,600-square-foot restaurant in the style of a 1950s-'60s-era fast-food operation, replete with vintage soda shop accessories, such as glass jar straw dispensers and Coca-Cola napkin holders.
``I consider myself an old rock 'n' roller, and I consciously set out to re-create that kind of look and feeling,'' Booker said. ``We did everything in here, from ceiling to floor.
``We re-laminated the tables and re-upholstered the booths, added stools and counters, and re-covered the walls. I couldn't have enjoyed a meal in here the way it looked before.''
A private dining room in the back holds 30 and is equipped for business gatherings.
Booker, a Portsmouth native, lived in California for 20 years before moving homeward in 1990 ``to retire.'' Having run several businesses on the West Coast, he got involved in the business side of what started back in the 1980s as Famous Harry's Bar-B-Que, then took over management in 1993. A name change resulted.
``I decided to make the barbecue famous instead of Harry,'' he said.
Speaking of the barbecue at Harry's, it is smoked on-premises over hickory wood, according to Booker, and is a Virginia-style, tomato-based barbecue.
`We also have the more vinegar-based North Carolina barbecue for anyone who wants it,'' he said.
He's aware that people can argue all day long over the merits of various barbecue methods.
``I read recently that the reason the chains don't do well with barbecue is that it varies so much from city to city,'' Booker said. ``My brother, George, is a graduate of Johnson and Wales (University), and he's the taste doctor around here.''
Harry's Famous Bar-B-Que opens for breakfast at 7 a.m., which means an hour commute each day for Booker, who now lives in Gloucester. Two eggs with sausage or bacon, grits or hash browns, toast or biscuits, or a pair of pancakes with bacon or sausage, eggs or apple ($2.99) lead the list.
From 10:30 till closing, the lunch and dinner menu is available. Two sizes of sandwiches are offered, including pork barbecue ($2.39/$2.99), beef ($2.79/$3.69) or a pork rib sandwich ($4.99). Dinners include two vegetables and a roll, such as chopped pork or beef barbecue ($7.99), pork or beef ribs ($6.99), fried chicken and pork ribs ($8.95), a four-piece chicken dinner ($5.20), or a whole barbecued chicken ($6.99).
Seafood dinners, such as fresh spot, croaker, or bone-in bass ($4.99), include vegetables, hush puppies or rolls, and a flounder filet is $5.99. A basket of 21 shrimp is $4.99, as is a shrimp and fish combo. Fried chicken is available at $6.99 for eight pieces, on up to $24 for 30 pieces, and is also priced to include vegetables, hush puppies or rolls (eight pieces at $10.29.) Booker said with a half-hour's notice, dinners can be prepared for pickup.
Daily specials include a pork barbecue sandwich, fries and drink ($3.49), a fish sandwich, fries and drink ($2.79), and a trio of fried chicken wings, with a side order and bread ($2.79). The soup of the day ($.99/$1.99) might be navy bean with smoked pork, chicken noodle, or clam chowder, and the bread pudding and sweet potato pie desserts are made by Booker's mother.
As for the clientele, Booker said it's ``a mix of construction workers, lawyers and everyone in between. Some of our old customers are finding their way over to see us.''
As for the location, he didn't even want to look at it, he said:
``I'm extremely pleased with it. We're doing better than we hoped, or thought we would. When the college opens and some of the vacant buildings are filled, we expect to do even better.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by SAM MARTINETTE
Bill Booker, owner of Harry's Famous Bar-B-Que, says he's
``extremely pleased'' with his new location.
Graphic
AT A GLANCE
Harry's Famous Bar-B-Que: 250 Granby St., 625-1355, 625-1360.
Food: barbecue, fish, fried chicken, ribs, soups; salad bar
coming soon; ABC license permits beer only.
Prices: sandwiches $2.39 to $4.99; dinners mostly $4.50 to $8.
Hours: breakfast 7 to 10:30 a.m.; lunch/dinner menu 10:30 a.m. to
9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, till 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday;
closed Sunday.