
DATE: Sunday, August 3, 1997                TAG: 9708010340

SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS     PAGE: 05   EDITION: FINAL 

COLUMN: On The Town In Portsmouth 

TYPE: Review 

SOURCE: Sam Martinette 

                                            LENGTH:   82 lines

IF YOU ENJOY GOOD SOUTHERN COOKING TRY CANTY'S

Victor Canty knew early that he wanted to be in the restaurant business. The Prentice Park native took food-service courses in public schools, then studied culinary arts at Johnson & Wales University in Norfolk and TCC in Virginia Beach.

Then followed a decade as head cook at Portsmouth General Hospital, five years as head chef at Portsmouth Naval Hospital, and recently, catering for Global Affairs, the Riverfront and the Ebony Showcase.

The 42-year old father of four has opened his own place on Washington Street, in what was the Colonial Shoppe for years and then a Chinese restaurant. The building was vacant when Victor and Cheryl Canty, and their partner Benjamin Washington, moved in and opened Canty's Restaurant and Catering Service. Besides having family help out, Canty has two cooks, a cook's helper and two cashiers working shifts. His head cook, Robert Cost, has been with him for years, Canty said. ``Everywhere I go, he goes with me.''

Open for breakfast, lunch and early dinner Monday through Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Canty's offers chicken, seafood, sandwiches and salads - even some Chinese-American dinners, such as shrimp fried rice ($4), sausage and rice ($3.50), and chicken or pork yak a mein ($2.50).

Breakfast, served till 11 a.m., includes ``Canty's Big Breakfast'' of two eggs with bacon, sausage or ham, hash browns or grits, toast or biscuits ($3.59); pancakes with sausage or bacon ($1.75); steak, eggs, hash browns, toast or biscuits ($4); ham and egg, or sausage and egg biscuits ($1.25).

The restaurant, with six tables and a few stools at the counter, offers weekday specials: Monday's is baked chicken and dressing ($4.75); Tuesday's, lasagna and garlic bread ($5.75). On Wednesday you'll find meat loaf and mashed potatoes ($5.25); Thursday, chicken and dumplings ($4); and Friday, chicken Parmesan and spaghetti ($5.25).

But the essence of Canty's is Southern cooking, or soul food if you prefer. Dinners include two side orders, including corn bread, hush puppies, collard greens, string beans, candied yams, spinach, corn, macaroni and cheese, potato salad, or fries.

Canty said the most popular dinners are the filet of trout, broiled or fried ($5.50), chitterlings ($5.75), and pig's feet ($4.50). A chicken breast or pork chop dinner is $5.50, as is the barbecued ribs dinner. A fried seafood platter with three shrimp, three scallops and two pieces of fish costs $6.75, and fried chicken wings ($4.50) and hot wings ($5) are also available.

The most popular of ``Canty's Specials,'' which come with a small drink and fries or a side order, is an order of fried wings ($3.25). Others include a pair of hot dogs ($3.35), barbecue ($3), a BLT ($3.25), ham sandwich ($3.75), burger ($3) or cheeseburger ($3.75), tuna salad ($3.75), and a hot sausage sandwich ($2.75). If you just want the sandwich without a drink or side order, a fish sandwich, chicken breast, or pork chop sandwich costs $3. A turkey, BLT, or ham and cheese sandwich is $2.75, while a tuna or chicken salad sandwich is $2.25.

The Joe Canty Burger ($2.50), ``is named after my father, who passed away,'' Canty said, and comes with bacon, cheese, lettuce and tomato.

Family is a key word at Canty's. Cheryl Canty said three of her four children, who range from 24 to 12 years of age, help out at the restaurant. ``The three youngest help, cleaning tables and all. The older one has a job of his own,'' she said. No stranger to food service, Cheryl Canty worked at the Mayfair House Community Retirement Home, and at Portsmouth Psychiatric Center.

But there's nothing like working for yourself, she said. Open only six weeks, things have gone well, Cheryl Canty said, ``The people in the area have been real receptive. The older folks come in and sit down and visit, talk about how things used to be. And the younger ones seem to be glad to be able to get home-cooked food and not have to drive and get it. They like having us within walking distance.''

``Everything's made from scratch,'' Victor Canty added. ``All cakes and pies are made in-house. We just can't really keep enough of it.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo/SAM MARTINETTE

Victor and Cheryl Canty operate Canty's Restaurant and Catering

Service on Washington St.

AT A GLANCE

Canty's Restaurant & Catering Service: 515 Washington Street,

393-3443.

Food: breakfast; Southern-style lunch and dinners; no ABC;

full-service catering.

Prices: dinners $4.50-$6.75.

Hours: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Mon.-Sat.; 8 to 4 on Sunday.