DATE: Thursday, April 3, 1997               TAG: 9704010133

SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS         PAGE: 02   EDITION: FINAL 

COLUMN: On the Town 

SOURCE: Sam Martinette 

                                            LENGTH:   72 lines

PARTY A BENEFIT FOR FESTEVENTS

I cover the waterfront, as I've said in past columns, parodying the ballad made famous by the great Billie Holliday. This week, waterfront news includes the 15th anniversary celebration of Festevents - the folks who put fun back on the waterfront - and the ILA's 1248 Cafeteria - which feeds members of the International Longshoreman's Association Local No. 1248, and anyone else who wants to stop by for some down-home cooking.

The Festevents party, officially known as the ``Mayor's Inaugural Celebration of the 15th Anniversary of Festevents and the 1997 Festevents Season,'' will be from 5 to 10 p.m. April 17 at the Town Point Club in the World Trade Center. Tickets are $50 per person, or $40 for members of the Friends of Festevents, and include a lavish food spread, music and dancing. There is a cash bar.

Hosted by Mayor Paul D. Fraim, proceeds will benefit ongoing programs. Contact Festevents by April 8, if you want to reserve tickets. It's a glamorous evening, and the annual fund-raising event for Festevents.

Across town, the 1248 Cafeteria isn't really on the waterfront, but its client base works there. Sisters Joan Parker and Yvonne Booth, who we last visited at the Church Square Cafeteria a few years back, are serving up soul food and Southern cooking in the basement of what was once a Nationsbank branch on East Princess Anne Road. The 2,700-square-foot cafeteria accommodates up to 225 people for weekday breakfast and lunch, or for dinner on Thursday and Friday nights.

Because of its proximity to Norfolk's Industrial Park, the cafeteria delivers to nearby businesses (with a four-order minimum), and does catering in-house and out for church groups, weddings and family reunions, Parker said.

``The ILA bought the building in 1995,'' she explained. ``When we were in Church Square on Church Street, the old union hall was right beside us, so we accumulated a lot of longshoremen as customers. Even after they moved from Church Square we did a lot of catering for them, so when they decided to build this cafeteria they gave us the opportunity to operate it, and so far we've done real well.

``Sometimes longshoremen work two or three days, almost around the clock, and some live in areas as far away as Elizabeth City. This gives them the chance to get a good, hot meal.''

Parker estimated the union has about 600 members, but she emphasized that the cafeteria is open to all.

``A lot of people have their own personal image of longshoremen. I've found them really good people to know.''

Breakfast at the 1248 Cafeteria (3300 E. Princess Anne Road, 857-5309) is served from 5:30 to 10 a.m., Monday through Saturday, while lunch is from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The ILA Hungry Man Special ($4.99) includes an entree, two vegetables, bread, dessert and iced tea. Fried or baked chicken, and fried fish are available daily, with a third entree that could be chicken and dumplings, barbecued ribs, meatloaf or lasagna. A lighter version of the ILA special is available for $3.99.

I stopped by on a Thursday, which happened to be ``soul food day.'' In addition to the fried chicken, greens, macaroni and cheese and cornbread I ordered, the entrees included pig's feet and chitterlings. Both are an acquired taste, judging from the conversations pro and con in the cafeteria line. Baked chicken and fried fish also were offered.

From 4 to 7:30 p.m., Thursday and Friday, the cafeteria offers seafood dinners that include a baked potato or steak fries, slaw or salad, and hush puppies. A crabcake dinner is $5.50, while a combo of crabcake and fried shrimp is $10.90. A fried fish dinner is $4.99, and a large serving of jumbo fried shrimp is $9.90 (or $5.90 for a smaller serving).

Parker says most of the eat-in clientele is drawn from the ILA local and other unions that rent space in the building, but she hopes the cafeteria will be discovered by locals who like the style of food she and her sister offer. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by SAM MARTINETTE

Sisters Yvonne Booth, left and Joan Parker operate the 1248

Cafeteria on East Princess Anne Road.

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