Cotton Southern Bistro

It was my 47th birthday and I was in desperate need of comfort food and I wasn't going to cook it for myself. After a little bit of research I found the Cotton Southern Bistro in Chesapeake. The reviews were mixed but one thing that really impressed me was that with every negative review on Urbanspoon, the owner responded and offered to make the situation right. He seemed to really care about his customer's satisfaction.

Cotton is located in a shopping center on Grassfield Parkway and the ride from Kempsville at dinner time was traffic filled but not unbearable. When we walked in I was surprised at how large the dining area was. There was plenty of seating and I noticed that there was also a separate bar area. We were seated immediately and our drink and appetizer order was taken.

The menu is filled with so many options but I was able to decide on the fried pickles as a starter.

The picture is deceving because there were twice as many pickles in the platter when it was brought to the table. I didn't think to snap the shot until we were almost finished. That's because they were so good. The pickle chips were lightly dusted and fried. Not at all heavy and the creole dipping sauce was a nice compliment but I could have eaten them by themselves.

Cotton serves nightly specials and on Monday we were treated to a pound of steamed shrimp for $7.99.

Seasoned with a generous amount of Old Bay and served with drawn butter and cocktail sauce.

As I said at the beginning of the review, I was in search of comfort food. What is more comforting than fried chicken and macaroni and cheese?

The chicken fried chicken is a breast fried perfectly and topped with country gravy. The chicken was so tender and so juicy and for me, it was the perfect portion size. The mac and cheese was also very good. Not as good as mine ... but still delicious.

The third entree for the evening was the Cotton signature dish, the Kentucky Hot Brown

This is an open-faced grilled turkey sandwich served with fries and smothered with brown gravy. And they aren't kidding when they say "smothered". The turkey was tender and the gravy was tasty but there was just so much of it, that it made the fries soggy and inedible.

The service at Cotton Southern Bistro was friendly. I was a little confused by the uniforms which were black and white striped shirts which made all the waitresses look like referees. I didn't get it but I suppose it's not for me to get. The unform had no bearing on the level of service which I thought was superb and the prices are reasonable as well with the average entree being about $15.

Check Cotton's website for nightly specials and they also advertise live entertainment.

I enjoyed our visit to Cotton Southern Bistro. I love to eat local and the next time I'm craving good comfort food I'll be sure to head back.

648 Grassfield Parkway
Suite 12
Chesapeake, VA 23322
(757) 609-3156
www.cottonsouthernbistro.com

Pulcinella

What's better than authentic Italian food? Authentic Italian food in my neighborhood!

I was so very excited to have discovered Pulcinella in the Kempsville neighborhood of Virginia Beach. I've been a resident for several years and I'm not sure why I didn't stumble upon this place sooner.

Pulcinella is conveniently located in the Kemps River shopping center in between Tropical Smoothie and Outback. It's a cozy, little place and very comfortable. I arrived shortly before 6:00 pm and almost every one of the twelve tables was occupied. Since I was dining alone I had to wait until one of the smaller tables became available. They provide outdoor seating but I was willing to wait for an indoor table. The wait was no more than fifteen minutes.

Once seated I ordered a glass of pinot noir and perused the menu. The menu contains a huge variety of pasta, chicken and veal dishes as well as many appetizers and salads. For such a small place I was surprised at how many different items were on the menu.

I decided on the veal sorrento.

The veal was thinly sliced and extremely tender and prepared with roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes and mushrooms. For me, the portion size was perfect and the flavor was light and delicate. The side dish that I ordered was spinach which was sauteed in olive oil and garlic and dusted with grated parmesan cheese. It complimented the veal perfectly.

Of course, I had to have dessert so I ordered the chocolate mousse.

It was smooth and creamy and the perfect ending to a perfect meal.

The service was outstanding. When I received the check there was a note to leave the tip in cash. I'd never seen that before and it could have been awkward for someone who doesn't normally carry cash. Like myself. However, that day I did have cash with me so it all worked out.

Finding Pulcinella was the highlight of my week. The food was fantastic. I overheard the man at the next table say that he lived in Naples for thirteen years ... in my mind he knows good Italian food and the fact that he was sitting in Pulcinella's speaks volumes.

If you're in the neighborhood you should definitely check it out. Pulcinella is open seven days a week and you can view their entire menu on their website.

1255 Fordham Drive
Virginia Beach, VA 23464
(757) 222-0081
www.pulcinellavb.strategicmarketsites.com/

Classic Diner

You ever wake up craving something specific? That happens to me sometimes too. This morning I got up and ran almost five miles and after showering and shampooing all I wanted was eggs and homefries. I could have easily gone into my kitchen and prepared them and I usually do but today I really wanted to hold a menu and have someone else do the cooking and serving.

My desination was the Broken Egg on Kempsville Road but when I pulled up the line was out the door. If I didn't have another appointment I probably would have waited because their food is really good. But I was starving and not in the mood to wait. I considered a few other places that I knew of but I didn't want to drive all the way to Great Neck for eggs and homefries. There had to be a place in Kempsville that wasn't a chain, where I could get a good breakfast and not wait half an hour to be seated.

Classic Diner.

Classic Diner is conveniently located in the Providence Square Shopping Center and I like the place. The service is always friendly and quick and the owners are just really nice people. This place is nothing fancy. Don't wait to be seated and don't look for a cloth napkin. It's a diner for goodness sake.

When I walked in all the booths were taken and all but two of the tables were filled and there were a few seats at the counter. They were extremely busy so I was glad to get a seat. I looked at the menu briefly even though I knew exactly what I wanted. I ordered a veggie omelette and homefries with wheat toast.

The omelette was loaded with spinach, onion, green pepper, tomato, mushroom and swiss cheese and the potatoes were perfect. It was so good just to come to an unassuming little place and get a good meal at a good price.

The customers never stopped coming in and by the time I left there was a wait to get a table.

Classic Diner is open seven days a week for breakfast and lunch.


1021 Providence Square Shopping Center
Virginia Beach, VA 23464
(757) 467-3000

Cobalt Grille - Monthly Wine Dinner

I have been to many wine tastings over the years. I've visited various vineyards, festivals and tastings hosted by different restaurants. There are generally no real surprises. You go, you taste, you buy. Simple.

What attracted me to the Cobalt Grille wine dinner was that the tasting was centered around a specific wine region and the wines were carefully paired with food. The spotlight is definitely on the wine, but the meal that accompanies is well thought out and executed quite nicely.

The August wine dinner took us to the Napa Valley where I got to sample Sauvingon Blanc, Chardonnay, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvingon and Zinfandel.

The first course was a plate of seared scallops with roasted silver queen corn and tomato salad with a sun dried tomato aioli. This course was served with the 2008 Sawyers Cellars Sauvignon Blanc. Sauvignon Blanc is my favorite white wine and I was delighted when it hit the table. It was light and fruity but not sweet.

The second course was pan fried branzini over spinach salad with a saffron broth. It was served with the 2008 Smith-Madrone Chardonnay. I never order Chardonnay. It is just too acidic for my tastes. I sipped it alone and as expected, I didn't like it. However, when I took a bite of the branzini and then sipped the wine ... perfection! It really was amazing to me how palatable the wine was with the fish.

The third course was a wild mushroom and goat cheese tart, served with an arugula balsamic reduction. It was served with the 2009 Novy Family Winery Syrah. For me, this wine was the star of the evening. It was full and rich and delicious and I enjoyed it with the tart but could also sip it alone.

The main course was a roasted beef filet, apple wood smoked bacon braised cabbage, Provence roasted potatoes, red wine bordelaise sauce. The meal was absolutely fantastic. The filet was cooked to a perfect medium temperature and the cabbage was like nothing I had ever tasted. It was served with the 2004 Smith-Madrone Cabernet Sauvignon. Typically, I am not a fan of cabernet and the Smith-Madrone did nothing to change my mind. It was a huge, robust wine that was just too much for me.

For dessert we were presented with a lovely chocolate cheesecake with local figs and pistachios. It was paired perfectly with the 2009 August Briggs "Old Vines" Zinfandel. The zin was my second favorite of the evening. It was rich and aromatic and not too sweet but was lovely with the dessert.

The Cobalt Grille monthly wine dinner was a delight. The service was wonderful and each course was brought out professionally and efficiently. There was not a lot of waiting and I was lucky enough to be seated with the wine host, so I got plenty of details about the event and about what I was drinking. He was an excellent host.

The price for the dinner is $90 per person and for my money, it was well worth it. You also have the opportunity to purchase any of the wines served that evening. The next dinner is scheduled for September 29th and I would highly recommend it.


1624 Laskin Road
Virginia Beach, VA 23451
(757) 333-3334
www.cobaltgrille.com

Burtons Grill

I love Burtons Grill so I thought it was about time to update my 2009 review.

After a few hours of shopping on Friday I was in the mood for seafood and I thought Burtons would be a good choice. Their menu is quite varied and I'm sure that Burtons can accommodate whatever it is that you are looking for, whether it be a sandwich, burger, steak or seafood.

The atmosphere in Burtons is comfortable and family friendly but it would also be perfect for a special date night. When we arrived without a reservation we were greeted with a smile and seated immediately. One of the things that I love about Burtons' menu is that the specials are listed right inside the menu and they consist of an appetizer, entree, drink and their special 100th wine. I don't have to wait for the server to explain the specials but they are on hand in the event that I have any questions.

I started the meal with the drink special which was an apple martini. The rim was sugar coated and the drink smelled like apple pie. It was wonderful.

As an appetizer I ordered the she-crab soup.

It was warm and delicious and filled with big lumps of crab. It was not overly seasoned and the flavors of the crab and sherry really came through.

As an entree I ordered the shrimp and lobster pasta

Burtons is not stingy when it comes to portion sizes. The shrimp in this dish were huge and they were cooked perfectly. The lobster was plentiful, sweet and tender. The dish also had tomatoes, snap peas -- which added a beautiful pop of color and a very mild sauce.

We also ordered the shrimp and grits

I've had shrimp and grits in quite a few places around town but never like this. There were five jumbo shrimp served atop a grit cake. The sauce included andouille sausage, corn and green peppers. All those flavors combined were fabulous. The grit cake tasted good but it was a little heavy. Next time I'll know not to order an app if I want to finish this dish.

Our server, Adam was very helpful and attentive. He knew the menu and made many good suggestions. The service was great.

Dining at Burtons is always a good choice. Their menu always includes fresh and local items prepared to perfection. The prices are on the high end, but it is so worth it. If you haven't been to Burtons lately you really need to check it out.

741 First Colonial Road

Virginia Beach, VA 23451

(757) 422-8970

www.burtonsgrill.com

Terra Restaurant and Bar

Hold on to your hats.

I actually left the Southside and went to the Peninsula for a meal. Imagine that. It's still a big deal for me to leave the beach and go to Norfolk, so going through the HRBT is a huge deal for me. Why did I do it? My running group scheduled an event and Terra Restaurant and Bar in the new Peninsula Town Center was the location. This was my first visit to the new shopping center and I was looking forward to the visit. Even if it meant stepping out of my comfort zone.

The visit took place on a Thursday evening and I was surprised at the amount of activity that was taking place in the town center. There were people everywhere. Doesn't anyone have to go to work in the morning? Guess not. I did have to go to work the next morning so I planned on making it an early evening.

I arrived at Terra at 7:30 pm and the room was already pretty filled up. Apparently, there were a few private parties going on as well as my small group of nine, not to mention almost all the seats at the bar were filled. Terra also provides outdoor seating which would be perfect if most of our evenings weren't bordering on 90 degrees.

I was the last of my group to arrive and once I was seated the waitress came around to take our dinner orders. Terra touts itself as a tappas and wine bar. It seemed to me that some of the menu items did not scream "tappas" but I decided to go with it anyway. I reviewed the wine list and there were several choices by the glass and the bottle, either white or red. The menu also provided wine recommendations with certain entrees.

Our server was sure to let us know that there may be a bit of a wait because of how backed up they were. I appreciated the head's up. Since we were in such a large group we stayed occupied with conversation and didn't really notice the wait. At least I didn't.

Once the food began to hit the table, my feeling that this wasn't really tappas was reinforced. I saw a lobster roll, a huge plate of oysters




and some regular sized salads. I'm not really complaining because I (unfortunately) enjoy large portions but for someone who is expecting a true small plate, they may be disappointed.

I ordered the crabcakes and the lobster macaroni and cheese.

The mini crabcakes were served over sweet corn and topped with a touch of creole remoulade. I was given the choice of ordering a half order (2), full order (4) or large order (6). I chose the half order for $6.75. The crabcakes were flavorful with very little filler and I had to resist the urge to pop them in my mouth like little crab nuggets.





The lobster macaroni and cheese contained chunks of lobster and was blended with several different cheeses. It came to the table steaming hot and I had to wait for it to cool off before I could enjoy it. This plate comes in half and full sizes as well. I thought I ordered the half size but now when I think about the bill and the size of the bowl and the fact that I couldn't finish it, I believe I had the full size for $18.00. The macaroni and cheese was very rich and creamy and the chunks of lobster were plentiful, but paying $18 for a bowl of mac and cheese just doesn't sit well with me.




I really enjoyed the atmosphere in Terra. While we were there a band was setting up to play for the evening and I believe they often have live entertainment.

I was not put off by the service at all. Our server was courteous and helpful with meal suggestions. She may or may not have gotten my mac and cheese order wrong. I can't remember and it's really not an issue. Overall it was a good experience and if someone suggests an outing to the Peninsula Town Center again, I'll probably take them up on it.



2330 McMenamin Street
Hampton, VA 23666
(757) 838-WINE (9463)
www.terrarestaurantandbar.com

Tautog's

The last time I craved seafood, I took some random advice from someone that I didn't know and I ended up extremely disappointed. This time when the craving hit again I did a little more research and found myself at Tautog's on a Saturday night.

As you can see in the above photo, Tautog's is a very unassuming place on 23rd Street at the Virginia Beach oceanfront. You have to know where you're going in order to find it. I didn't know where I was going so it took me a little while.

I don't want to spend a lot of time discussing parking or wait time because I live in a tourist area and it's tourist season, plus it was a beautiful Saturday night at the beach ... so use your imagination.

Once seated, our server, Jessie appeared almost immediately with a smile and prepared to take our drink orders and to let us know the specials for the evening. Tautog's wine list contains many choices of various varietals which are available either by the bottle or the glass.

As an appetizer I decided on 1/2 dozen oysters rockefeller. Jessie suggested that I split the order and try Benny's oysters just to mix things up.

I took her advice. Benny's oysters are oven roasted with sun-dried tomatoes, pesto and melted havarti cheese. The flavor was mild and slightly different than the bacony flavor that comes with the regular oysters rockefeller. Both choices were very tasty.

Next up we ordered a pound of crab legs.

and an order of Tautog's wings.


The portion size of the wings was more than enough and could have been a meal instead of an appetizer. The wings were plump and juicy and mildly seasoned. If you prefer your wings hot, you may want to ask for additional hot sauce.

As an entree, I ordered the stuffed flounder in a bag.

Jessie really helped me out with this dish by reminding me that it is actually served in a bag. She mentioned that some patrons forget that and accidentally eat the bag. I don't know if she was joking or not, but I could see how that would be possible. Especially, after a few cocktails. In any case, I tore open the bag and enjoyed a nice size filet of flounder, generously stuffed with crab meat and shrimp. The fish was moist and flaky with a mild flavor. The dish was served with seasoned potatoes.

I was full and satisfied at the end of the meal but I couldn't leave without having something sweet to end the meal. I decided to try the warm brownie sundae which is dubbed the Chocolate Tautog.

I could only eat a few bites but it was so good. The combination of the warm brownie and the cold ice cream was just what I was looking for.

I enjoyed my meal at Tautog's. The place is extremely busy but they have a really good handle on what's going on. When the hostess told me that it would be a 45 minute wait, she wasn't kidding. It was 45 minutes. Again, this is to be expected on the oceanfront on a Saturday evening. The service was friendly and efficient. Dinner is served on Saturdays until 11:00. I would recommend it.

205 23rd Street
Virginia Beach, VA 23451
(757) 422-0081
www.tautogs.com

Pirate's Cove

Friday night and I'm starving and I find myself at the Pirate's Cove in Chesapeake. I decided to try it based on a random recommendation. When we arrived I could see that the restaurant was packed and there was a steady stream of patrons coming in. We put our names on the list and were told to expect a 10-15 minute wait. No big deal. It was Friday night and any wait time should be expected.

Once we were seated, our server Jody greeted us and took our drink orders immediately. She came back and explained the specials and to start I decided to try a cup of she-crab soup.

The soup, at first taste, reminded me more of clam chowder instead of she-crab. The taste was a little bland but once I added salt and pepper it seemed to improve.

Jody came back and took our dinner orders, each came with two sides.

This is the galley salad which served as one of my sides. The vegetables were crisp and fresh. I ordered the raspberry vinaigrette and it was light and very tasty.


As an entree I had the rockfish special stuffed with lump crab meat. As you can see from the picture, the entree is served with three golf ball sized hushpuppies. And tarter sauce. I don't think I have ever received tarter sauce with rockfish. The fish itself was broiled and overdone. It was very dry and I actually felt I had to use the tarter sauce.

We also ordered the half pound of steamed peel-and-eat shrimp. Good portion size. Not a lot of flavor.

The Pirate's Cove appears to be a local's favorite. Like I said, the restaurant was packed and the customers kept coming. I think I may have expected too much from this neighborhood spot. It's a no-frills place and I guess I was looking for the frill. Especially because of the prices.

The service was excellent and that alone is enough to try The Pirate's Cove again. My daughter wants to try the Thursday night special: 1 pound of crab legs for $12.95.

Who knows?

109 J/K Gainsborough Square
Chesapeake, VA 23320
(757) 549-7272
http://www.piratescoveva.com/

Terebinth - A Sweet Retreat

It all began with a picture of an incredible dessert taken on a camera phone. And it ends with a picture of more incredible desserts taken on a camera phone.

A few months ago a friend of mine showed me a picture on her phone of a dessert that she could not stop raving about. She said it was so delicious she had to take a picture of it. I don't recall what the dessert was but I did remember where she had purchased it: Terebinth.

Terebinth is a high end coffee shop in the Towne Place Center of Chesapeake and what you see above are the desserts that I purchased during a recent visit. We have a lemon meringue tart, a chocolate coconut cake topped with a chocolate truffle and two chocolate cannolis. Yes, two chocolate cannolis. I was fortunate enough to have a buy-one-get-one coupon for the desserts so I decided to splurge.

The shop seems very large with plenty of comfortable seating and the decoration is subtle with sporadic pops of color. Upon entering we were greeted cheerfully by the owner. The menu includes sandwiches, salads and soup in addition to the desserts and various coffee drinks.

We ordered two sandwiches which each came with a side salad, we had a choice of either a house salad, ceasar or pasta:

This is the turkey wild panino. It is filled with smoked turkey, smoked gouda, bacon, an apple reduction and sun dried tomato mayo.

I had the caprese and prosciutto sandwich. This one was prepared with lettuce, tomato, baby spinach, fresh mozzarella and basil drizzled with sundried tomato vinaigrette. The sandwich was delicious and I always love the combination of tomato and mozzarella. The addition of the prosciutto and the vinaigrette just pushed it over the edge. It was fantastic. And it may appear to be a "regular" sized sandwich but it was very filling.

The service was very good and the owner did a great job of twisting my arm in order to get me to buy all those desserts. It was well worth it.

Terebinth is elegant. Smooth jazz fills the room and they offer free wi-fi. Food can be eaten in or taken out. Either way you'll be in for a treat. It is a little pricey so it probably won't be my weekly lunch spot but every time I feel like I deserve a "sweet retreat" I'll know exactly where to go.

Terebinth is open Tuesday thru Saturday. Check their website for other services.

717 Eden Way N

Suite 610

Chesapeake, VA 23320

(757) 410-0900

www.theterebinth.com

El Gavilan Pupuseria

I decided to try El Gavilan in Norfolk because of the reviews that I had read. For the most part, the reviews were all positive and the word "authentic" seemed to keep creeping up. I generally do not enjoy Mexican restaurants because the menus are all the same and the food is all the same -- boring.

So on a Sunday afternoon I made the trip to have lunch at El Gavilan. This is not the usual Mexican restaurant that I've been to in the past. It's not a chain and it's definitely not fast food. I'll say this now ... the service is comparitively slow but that is because it takes time to actually cook a meal. Not just throw something in the microwave and splash some unidentifiable sauce over it. I believe that El Gavilan's food is the real deal.

The menu is in Spanish and contains all sorts of Mexican and El Salvadorian dishes. They also throw in a few American dishes for the less adventurous. These items include: wings, burgers and steak and cheese.

The restaurant is very modestly decorated and over the front counter hung several signs that said "Welcome to Norfolk". For some reason this made me laugh. Probably because when you're in the restaurant you kind of forget that you are even in Norfolk. The music that played sounded like Spanish hip hop and I couldn't help but move to the beat and try to pick up a few words. One television was tuned to a Spanish-speaking station and the other television had on a soccer game.

The menu is filled with different options but I came for one thing: the pupusa.

The pupusa is the El Salvadorian version of the tortilla only thicker. It's usually stuffed with cheese, beans and/or meat. I ordered the Pupusa Loca (Crazy Pupusa) which is made with cheese, herbs, pork, chicken, shrimp, beans and squash. Initially, I thought the squash sounded weird but it worked out well. The portion size was huge and as you can see it more than covered the plate. It was really delicious. The pupusa does not contain big chunks of ingredients but everything is blended perfectly. It is served with a side of cole slaw which is nothing like I've ever tasted. It was vinegar-based and I believe it was made with oregano. Also very good.

We also ordered the chicken and cheese quesadillas:

Again, huge portions that fill the plate. They were served with guacamole, pico de gallo, lettuce an sour cream. Yummy.

El Gavilan is open seven days a week and seems to be a favorite among the local Hispanic community. Which, by the way, is not something I usually see in the "other" Mexican restaurants.

For me, someone who rarely ventures out of the beach, El Gavilan is well worth the drive and deserving of a second trip.

7920 Chesapeake Blvd.

Norfolk, VA 23518

(757) 587-9200

Kincaid's

Okay, so here's the thing: I'm finding more and more that when I end up someplace on a whim, it turns to out to be a better choice than my original plan. Such was the case on Friday night.

It was a long week and I planned to have dinner and drinks at another place in Norfolk (which shall remain nameless) but when we arrived there seemed to be a shortage of premium spirits because of the Thursday night College Night. I was told, "Those kids wiped us out."

Really? Really?

That was how I ended up at Kincaid's located in the MacArthur Center mall in downtown Norfolk.

We walked in the mall entrance door and my heart immediately sunk. The place was packed and there were people waiting to be seated. After the week I had I was not in the mood for this. Luckily, I saw two empty seats at the bar and we grabbed them. If you've been reading me for a while you'll know that in some cases I prefer sitting at the bar because the service is better. I'm never out of the server's line of vision. It's perfect for me.

We ordered cocktails, skipped the appetizers and decided to start with the entrees:

First up, the tableside seafood etoufee

This dish is prepared with jumbo sea scallops, black tiger prawns, fresh mussels, clams and andouille sausage. It includes braised greens and is served atop a serving of cheese grits.

When my plate arrived, the man next to me commented, "I don't know what that is, but it certainly smells good!" I had to agree with him and it tasted even better. It was just spicy enough and the savory sauce that was poured on top was the perfect compliment to the seafood. The only thing that could have made the dish better was if there was more of it. For the price, they could have spared a few more scallops.

Next up:

Oven baked catfish

I am a huge fan of catfish but I normally only eat it fried. For me, it's just more flavorful when it's fried as opposed to baked. The size of the fish was huge and when I tasted it, I thought it was okay. More than okay. It was flaky and seasoned very well and almost had me changing my opinion about my beloved fried catfish. Almost.

Finally, for dessert:

New York style cheesecake with fresh strawberries

The cheesecake was lovely. The slice was big enough to share and the texture was smooth and delicious.

Kincaid's is a cool place to dine. But be forewarned: MacArthur Center is prime real estate and you are paying for that real estate. The meal was delicious but definitely overpriced. Our service was very good. I can't speak for the folks that had to wait for tables but I believe they were waiting for a quite a while. There's quite a bit of activity in the bar area so if you're looking for something a little more intimate than you might prefer waiting for one of the tables. I like the activity. Overall, it was a good experience. I would recommend it and I'll more than likely return.




300 Monticello Avenue
Norfolk, VA 23510
(757) 622-8000
www.kincaids.com