One of my favorite Chesapeake restaurants got their surprise visit from the Health inspector last Wednesday, the day after I had eaten there with my sister-in-law and daughter.
Score:
0 Critical Violations
Comments:
Good food quality and food storage practices. A clean and well-organized kitchen. PERMIT RENEWAL ISSUED
Thank goodness, because I really love this place. (Had my usual stuffed flounder on this visit.It never fails to please.)
Original Post 12/24/08
Phoenix Rising, The Courthouse Cafe
"Back in the day" there was not a lot of places to eat in Chesapeake. It was with great fear and trepidation that I agreed to move from the land of plenty (Virginia Beach) to the boonies (Chesapeake). The growth I have seen in these four years is really amazing. Dining options have really expanded. Funny thing? None of them have struck a cord with me like the older favorites. One of these is, of course, Courthouse Café.
Like a lot of my friends, I was really upset to hear about the café fire, but relieved to hear that the owners would rebuild. My husband and I were there opening weekend to check it out. Overall, the place looks fantastic. I mean, part of me misses the law books, and the coziness of the former décor, but I honestly prefer the newer, cleaner look. Biggest improvement? The ladies restroom. The old one made you feel like you were in a hobbit house, with its mini sink and extremely narrow stalls. Now it is a nicely tiled, room for one.
We arrived early after a whirlwind shopping afternoon and made a beeline for the bar, telling the hostess that we weren’t really in a rush for a table. About 30 minutes and a couple of martini’s later, we were ready. Local favorites at Courthouse have always been the Prime rib, Stuffed flounder, and She Crab soup. Breaking away from my usual flounder, I ordered the Seafood Combo, getting crab cakes and fried oysters. I also got a cup of soup and a salad. The crab cake was very good, and the fried oysters were good, but not the best I’d ever had. I like them fairly ‘rare’, so sometimes I am hard to please when it comes to oysters. The She Crab soup was a huge let down. I was seriously disappointed. It was tasteless, and lumpy, but not lumpy from crab meat. The broth was way, way, way to thick, there was barely any crab in it, and it was just plain bland. Boo-Hoo! Perhaps their secret soup recipe burned in the fire? I suggest they get a new one and quick! My husband ordered a steak and shrimp which were both excellent. The service was very good.
We will definitely be back at Courthouse. One bad cup of soup can’t keep me away! I love the atmosphere, which is a mixed bag of families, and couples, both young and old. The entrées are always good, and prices are reasonable. If you go, be prepared to wait a bit on weekend nights, because it is popular. Just make yourself at home up by the bar and watch some TV on one of the three sets they have. Oh yeah, and leave your cigarettes at home. The new Courthouse Café is smoke free.
_Laine
350 Battlefield Blvd S
Chesapeake, VA 23322
(757) 482-7077
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