Zeke's Beans & Bowls, Norfolk, Virginia

I had eyed Zeke's Beans & Bowls more than a few times as I drove down Granby Street.  Finally, yesterday I had not one, but two opportunities to give it a whirl.  My husband and I decided to try Zeke's smoothies for lunch.  I went for something lighter, blueberry, strawberry, mango and honey.  Zeke's only adds a tad of soy milk, or almond milk upon request and ice so the smoothie is mostly fruit and nothing artificial.  My husband had the peanut butter, banana and honey smoothie and while I despise bananas or anything with that flavor, I did taste his for the good of the blog.  The banana was not the overpowering flavor as in some of the chain smoothies.  My mind immediately started working on a peanut butter smoothie variation sans banana...
The smoothies are what I would classify as a medium in size and run $8 before tax.  My husband was a tad shocked as our two smoothies plus tax were $19 and change.  I reiterated these are not mass-produced and this is not a chain (thankfully).  And hey, we didn't have to make it, no fancy mixer required!  Think the SNL skit with Sarah Silverman about the $600 mixer.
I had perused Zeke's menu and on my way home, decided I would try one of the bowls...and another smoothie.  Back and forth I went in trying to decide what food item to try first.  Finally, I settled on the Keali's Special Poke but with a great suggestion by Christine, who works there.  I had half tuna and half tofu versus all tuna.  I asked about the sizes, the small looks like a small soup container at a Chinese restaurant and the large looks like the small container at a Thai restaurant.  Being in the clean plate club, I went with the large.  Christine said I would have plenty (does she know how much I eat, I thought).  I also ordered a peanut butter, mango and honey smoothie.  She suggested mango as the best substitute for banana - it was a winner and just might be my favorite smoothie right now.  I have an answer to all of my anti-banana problems when ordering a smoothie. Before I just said 'throw yogurt in there instead of banana'.  Due to a similar consistency, mango works better overall.
I sat at the counter and talked with Christine about the Arts District and Zeke's.  She had a lot of good news to share about both.  Zeke's at the oceanfront has been around for about three years and I think it is a good fit for the Norfolk Arts District.  The decor is funky (vintage typewriter present!) with art, books on art, books on movies and things of that nature (right up my alley).  It is a small-medium sized space and very comfortable.  They have cucumber water 'on tap' at no charge - a real treat.  When my bowl and smoothie came out, I realized I had a ton of food.  The bowl looks deceivingly small but was pretty heavy.  When I sat down to eat, I realized just how much tuna and tofu I had.  That warrants the $16 price tag for the large.  Keali's Special has Sriracha and it is fairly spicy which I prefer but if you are afraid of spice, just ask them to go light on that - they seem very accommodating.  I probably did not need the smoothie but I am not sorry I had it and I was stuffed after the bowl...but not uncomfortable stuffed, more satisfied stuffed.  I did not ask for rice with my bowl but you can include that for $1 and it would be pretty hearty.  I am eager to try another Poke or the Kale Salad I saw come out to another customer.  It looked great with a bunch of avocado sitting on the top.
Zeke's will be seeing me again very soon.

Food - 5

Service - 5

Beverage - 4

Restrooms - N/A

Ambiance - 4

Zeke's Beans & Bowls
800 Granby St, Norfolk, VA 23510
(757) 963-5220
www.facebook.com/zekesnfk 

 

Hokkaido Sushi Bar - Granby Street, Downtown Norfolk

Last time I dined at Sakura in Old Dominion University's Monarch Village, I noticed their chopstick wrappers advertised another restaurant's name, Hokkaido in downtown Norfolk. There is a current sushi battle in downtown right now with at least four open. Laine noticed Hokkaido's hard work on the nice, large outdoor patio. Today's nice weather drew us there to enjoy lunch. We ended up having it to ourselves, even better! The menu mimics Sakura's, so I was pretty certain I would be happy. The lunch special made me even more enthusiastic. The two rolls I typically order at Sakura turned into my lunch special for $7.75. Of course, Laine and I have to upgrade in some way, and like my best friend, I substituted the salad for the Miso soup for $1, not a bad up-charge. We started with the edamame, a healthy appetizer that will not ruin your meal. The salad was standard and I do love the accompanying ginger dressing. The Sweet Potato Roll is one of my favorite rolls. The potato is fried and slightly warm, which is unique for a vegetarian roll. My other mainstay is the Peanut Avocado Roll and I always add cream cheese to this for good measure. Hokkaido charged fifty cents to add cream cheese which is reasonable. Related, the iced tea was $1.75 and that is a great price compared to some restaurants who want to charge $3 or more for tea and soda. That always amazes us. My bill came to just over $12...for two rolls, a salad and tea. Quality food, fast service, nice atmosphere (inside and out) and good prices...Hokkaido will be seeing us again very soon.
~Alex

I watched Hokkaido on Granby evolve over the winter months. I witnessed a lot of work being done inside and out of the building. Instead of tearing down the dilapidated woodwork on the exterior, they invested in the historic character of the building and worked to repair and update it. The building is nicely renovated inside as well, updated from the former Brazilian meat on a stick restaurant. (I was never a fan.)

A warm day prompted us to venture down Granby for a patio seat to check out the food as well. I have heard great reviews from co-workers. As Alex mentions, Sushi restaurants are popping up on every corner. They are NOT all created equal. I consider myself a bit of a sushi snob and wanted to see for myself if Hokkaido measured up to the hype. It did. Here's why:
1. Very reasonable pricing
2. Good quality fish (I had tuna, salmon, yellowtail sashimi)
3. Interesting and creative Rolls
4. Great service. Friendly, timely, accurate.
5. Nice decor
6. No issues, no drama, no errors

_Laine

Food-4
Service-5
Beverage-4
Restrooms-5
Value-4
Ambiance-5

Lunch Special

Lunch Menu

Patio View

Nothing exceptional, just a regular sushi salad

Edamame

Sweet Potato Roll

Peanut Avocado Roll

Yellow Tail Sashimi...nicely sized portion

Wooden sculpture on Patio. Who will win? The Tiger or the Eagle?

Good Value. $7.75 for 3 pieces of sushi or sashimi and one roll (from list provided)

Another Lunch Special - Any 2 Rolls, $7.75

Hokkaido Sushi Bar
233 Granby Street
Norfolk, VA 23510
757.622.2318
http://www.lovehokkaido.com/

Friday Top Five - "Junk Food"

Alex and I really do try to eat healthy. Honestly, we do! But it seems like there are tempting treats and treasures lurking everywhere we go. Today we pay homage to some of our favorite local indulgences.

Best French Fries

1. 219 (sweet potato)
2. AW Shucks
3. Green Onion (pommes frites!)
4. Hell’s Kitchen
5. Press 626




Best Mac n Cheese

1. AW Shucks
2. Todd Jurich's Bistro
3. 219
4. Green Onion
5. Tortilla West





Best Nachos

1. Tortilla West
2. Havana
3. No Frill
4. Croc’s
5. Hell’s Kitchen

Best Pizza

1. Fellini’s
2. YNOT - Colley Ave.
3. Bella
4. Chesapeake Pizza
5. Pizza Vera



Best Dessert

1. Jewish Mother - Granby
2. 219 (tie)
2. No Frill (tie)
3. Nordstrom Cafe
4. Town Point Club
5. Chocolage

The Jewish Mother Backstage - Granby Street - Norfolk, VA

This is one of those reviews I keep putting off and putting off. Ever since I heard back in the fall of 2010 that The Jewish Mother was replacing the horrible Kelly's that previously occupied the backstage locale, I was excited. I have been a Jewish Mother fan since the..., well, let's just say a long time! Favorite sandwich? Mother's Mother! Favorite late night nosh? Crepes!
I was really looking forward to having them within walking distance from work.

We now return to our previously scheduled reality. They are not what they used to be. The Mother's Mother, my former love, no longer has "real avocado". Instead they have replaced it with what I like to call Wholly Quacamole. You know what I mean? That fake avocado spead. Let the sobbing begin. So, I no longer order it. We are offically broken up forever. Time to move on....


On a recent Friday Alex and I ventured out for lunch. We went out of our box by ordering the Jewish Mother Nachos, Latkes, and Hush Puppies (Alex's last minute addition). Our server was very good, and the food arrived rather quickly. As usual we dug in, forgeting about our "job" to photograph the food. We do this frequently, as we have hearty appetites! Intestingly enough,the nachos were hollow. As in, nothing in the middle. I immediately renamed them the Hollow Nacho, which I thought was hilarious. (Alex not so much). They tasted just okay. Cheddar is not a great melting cheese. It becomes oily when cooked and hardens quickly when it cools. A good nacho requirement is melted cheese that separates as you pull apart the tortillas chips. When the cheese is hard, the chips break apart and you cannot get a serving.

I like their Latkes. They are consistently good, and we have order them at least 3 times now. They are crispy on the outside and nicely seasoned, served with applesauce and sour cream. I like mine straight up.

The Hush Puppy is a misnomer at the Jewish Mother. These taste nothing like a traditional cornmeal Hush Puppy. They are large and round, with a soft batter-like inside and a crispy dark outside. The taste is definitely sweet. I realize that Hush Puppies are never considered a "light" menu item, but these sat in my stomach like a rock for the remainder of the day. At 8PM that evening I still regreted eating them.


Lastly, the desserts. This is the BEST part of the Jewish Mother menu. Don't bother reading the menu either. Get up out of your seat and walk over to the showcase. These cakes need to be seen to be fully appreciated. Alex and I will stand in awe, like kids in a candy store, trying to decide which one tempts us the most. Typically, we cannot chose just one, and either buy a couple to share, or buy some to take home. No self control! On this day we chose the Lemon Berry cake, and the Four Layer Chocolate. I thought the Lemon Berry was exceptional. After eating all that heavy food, it was light with just the right amount of sweet. Oh yes, Alex and I always have room for dessert!

I would be remiss if I failed to mention that the Jewish Mother is pricey. A lot of folks in my office won't go there because of this. Most sandwich and burger options start at $9.99, which is putting them in the $15+ lunch category when you add a drink, taxes and tip. As Alex also mentions, this is the Backstage for the Norva. I appreciate the ease with which you can get Norva tickets, and it keeps me from having to experience the bureaucracy and price gouging fees of Ticketmaster, LiveNation, etc. Don't get me started on these guys... Lastly, the Jewish Mother recently opened a new Hilltop location which also features live music. I have driven past the brightly painted building, but haven't paid a visit yet. There is some brouhaha over the ownership of The Jewish Mother which has resulted in a lawsuit you can read about here.
_Laine

I remember going to the Jewish Mother at the Oceanfront when I was in high school and during summer college breaks. It was always a fun place that showcased decent bands. The rumor started that the Mother was moving to downtown Norfolk and Laine and I were excited to have a new, old place to add to our lunch list. The Mother did not change much of what used to be Backstage Cafe/Kelly’s, but they did bring their enormous menu, which includes all day breakfast, tons of sandwiches, a few salads, appetizers and a plethora of delicious desserts.

For our first visit, I decided the Mamma Ada Avocado Muenster burger would be great with a veggie burger. I was glad when it came out like it did but the burger was not a veggie burger, but rather a large portabella mushroom, topped with avocado spread and muenster. I love portabellas, but not everyone does and then menu should let customers know that the veggie burger is in fact a big shroom. As I mentioned, the avocado is a spread, not slices, so it was a bit of a slippery sandwich. I did enjoy it, as well as the cole slaw I chose for my side.

For our next visit, I decided I had to try the Pita Pan, peanut butter, honey, bananas and raisins. I swapped the pita for wheat bread and nixed the bananas, being that I despise this fruit more than one can imagine (I cannot even smell a banana without gagging). The sandwich was exactly as described, but the bread was definitely pre-sliced loaf bread, of which I am not a fan. Bread can make or break a sandwich and this bread took the sandwich down a few notches. Jewish Mother’s potato salad is great though, so not all was lost. Our guest ordered Laura’s De”light”ful Wrap, with hummus, lettuce, tomato, sprouts, black olives, cucumbers and cheddar cheese. He was not impressed by the wrap but did like the potato salad. This visit we decided to try some of the homemade desserts that look pretty killer in the cases. One slice each of the Red Velvet and Florida Sunshine cakes. Both were fantastic, particularly the Florida Sunshine. It reminds me of an orange cake Laine’s friend had at a party we attended. Lights, summery and delicious.
On the third visit, I decided to try the Pita Pan again, but give it a go on the actual pita. Thinking this would make the sandwich better, I was dead wrong. The pita was definitely store bought and SMALL and dry. The lame wheat bread was better! A different guest of ours ordered Laura’s De”light”ful Wrap, with hummus, lettuce, tomato, sprouts, black olives, cucumbers and cheddar cheese and she received the wrap better and was pleased. We also ordered Mama Rachel’s Potato Latkes and they were divine. Always a favorite, latkes are potato pancake that is fried and the Mother serves them with applesauce and sour cream. If you have never had a latke, you must try one. Trader Joe’s does sell a version and honestly, they are not too bad for frozen.

On yet another visit, I decided to tempt danger and order a salad. BAD move. The You Asked for It - You Got It! salad with spinach, pecans, sprouts, chopped eggs and marinated vegetables seemed like a good idea, but I just do not think the Mother is a salad kind of place. The marinated vegetables were carrots and who knows what else diced up so small that you could hardly determine the vegetables’ identities and the marinade tasted like plain vinegar. For $11, this was lame at best. I was bugged big time. Boo on bad lunches.


Finally, another Friday arrived and I realized I had an online deal to use at Jewish Mother. Laine and I lost our minds and ordered Hush Puppies, the Latkes and the Jewish Mother Nachos. The puppies were like rocks (improvement needed there), the latkes were good as usual and the nachos were not bad. They had enough cheese but could have used more vegetables (I know you have olives!). If that was not enough (and it wasn’t to use our online deal), we ordered a slice of the Lemon Berry Cake and a slice of the Four Layer Chocolate Cake. The chocolate cake was good (chocolate cake - not a novel idea there), but the berry was superb and our favorite of the two. We clenched our hearts as we left and hoped we would avoid any afternoon cardiac arrest episodes back at the office.

Service on all occasions was always decent. The first time or two, things moved a little slowly, but the last few we were able to get there, eat and get back to work within an hour. I am not in a huge rush to hit the Mother again soon (my heart is still recovering), but I also appreciate that they are in Norfolk and they give downtowners another lunch option. Plus, if you are hitting a show at The Norva, you can grab something beforehand. I could see myself grabbing a dessert here and there from them because the desserts are one of their specialities and have always been worthy. Look at the case when you visit - the size of the eclair will amaze you. A last pro of the Mother is they sell Norva tickets at the bar for the same $2 fee the box office charges. You do not have to try to time when the box office is open (a mystery) and more importantly, you can avoid Ticketmaster and their outrageous fees, which Laine and I are still trying to understand.

~Alex

The Jewish Mother Backstage
320 Granby Street
Norfolk VA 23510
http://www.jewishmother.com/index

The Vineyards Trattoria and Pizzeria - Norfolk, VA

Alex and I have dined here several times now. The food is always good. The wait to get your food is always long. They have fantastic garlic knots that they give you while you wait. They must go through a lot of these.... It is rather small inside, with tables close to each other. There is no buffer from the entrance to tables. You really feel the weather when the door opens, regardless of where you are seated. Today there were monsoon-like winds blowing downtown, and it rippled through the restaurant every time the door opened. I ate lunch without removing my coat.

I choose the Grilled Salmon Salad, and my buddy ordered her favorite sandwich, the Chicken Parmigiani. She says the chicken is so tender it melts in your mouth. I can only attest to the fact that she was a member of the clean plate club and said it was delicious. My salad was an interesting combination of Salmon with walnuts, dried cherries and goat cheese. The salmon was a little on the well done side for me, but tasted fine. Service was okay, but wasn't very soliticous. This has been my experience on most occassions. Their service does not set the world on fire.


Overall I would rate this restaurant as just "okay". I don't mind going there, but it isn't on the top of my list due to variables other than the food.
_Laine

The Vineyards Trattoria and Pizzeria
147 Granby St
Norfolk, VA 23510
(757) 222-0431

Kebab Shack - Granby Street, Norfolk, VA - NOW CLOSED

Another repeat this week. I had the pleasure of revisiting one of my Granby Street favorites, Kebab Shack. I ordered the vegetarian platter again, but noticed a few changes. Tabouli had been switched out for black bean hummus. It resembled gray wallpaper paste, or as a fellow diner said, "It looks like some kind of treatment you put on your face." Undeterred, I gave it a shot and rather liked it. Two thumbs up. Still, it made for quite a bit of hummus on the platter, so I would like to see the return of the Tabouli. A dining companion ordered their Greek Salad, which looked great and was only $5.99. Another ordered the Chicken Tandoori platter. Both received votes of approval. They were also kind enough to make a special order, hot mint tea for someone in the group. I love when places go above and beyond to please versus saying "it's not on the menu". Another great meal at Kebab Shack.
_Laine



Kebab Shack
319 Granby Street
Norfolk, VA 23510
757-533-5665
Mon-Thur 10:30AM-10PM
Fri-Sat 10:30AM-2AM
Sun 12PM-10PM

Famous Uncle Al's - Granby Street, Norfolk

It was National Hot Dog week and Laine and I decided this was the perfect time to review Famous Uncle Al’s Famous Hot Dogs. Tucked in a seemingly small spot on Granby Street, Al’s does a heck of a day business. Office folk are constantly ducking in and coming out with a brown paper bag filled with a breakfast sandwich, one of the many dogs, a sandwich or fries and sometimes a few of those items all at once. I’ve seen many of that brown bag enter our office in the morning hours. Laine and I wanted the full experience so we opted for the dine-in option. I had no idea there were so many tables in the back of Al’s. You enter and immediately order and if you choose to stay, you jockey for a table or wait for a server to seat you. Ordering is easy because the menu is straight forward. I had heard the egg salad was a hit and ordered that on toasted wheat with some cheese fries and a drink. Jumbo sodas are $1.79 with all the refills your heart desires. Music to our ears.

It was pretty packed when Laine and I arrived and upon ordering, we spied an open two-top, which I pounced on it while Laine waited for our food. Our meals came out within five to seven minutes as Al’s staff kept things humming along at a slightly crazed pace. My source had not led me wrong and the egg salad on wheat was just right. Thankfully, Al’s does not make the all too frequent mistake of putting too much mayonnaise in their egg salad (hate that) and it is seasoned perfectly. The cheese fries were decent. I have complained about cheese whiz before but remember, that involved nachos. Nachos should have real cheese, end of story. I have no problem with cheese whiz, or processed cheese product as my childhood friend and I lovingly referred to it, on fries (we used to love to create our radioactive dish or Velveeta and Pace Picante Salsa to eat with our chips (her) and pretzels (me) while watching General Hospital and MTV after school - those were the days). I sampled one of Laine’s onion rings and while the flavor was pretty good, they could have been crispier - fry them babies up! For about $8, my meal was perfect for this Friday. I noticed a few things I would like to try the next visit, the grilled cheese and either Cole slaw or the sweet potato fries. Laine and I will report back, as always.

~Alex

For National Hot Dog Day (7/23/2010) this Al's location ran a $1 hot dog promotion. What better day to give them a try? We arrived minutes before the noon rush and they were already hopping busy. However, we were waited on almost immediately, found an open table quickly and had our food in less than 5 minutes. I have to say the service impressed me. Everyone was very nice, very apologetic about any wait (which we didn't have), and the server checked on our table about 2-3 times. Nice!

I love the snappy dogs and today mine was as good always. The onion rings were not the best I've had here. These were a little squished up when they arrived, but they still tasted good. Alex got egg salad and cheesy fries. The egg salad looked great and she concurred. I've had theirs before and it is one of the best in town in my opinion. The cheesy fries were just okay. They could have been cooked a minute or two longer to get a tad crispier.

Overall we were pleased and would recommend this Al's location without hesitation.

_Laine

Uncle Al’s is located at 155 Granby Street and is open 7am-3pm Monday through Friday. They suggest faxing or calling in larger orders, so if you are having an office breakfast or lunch (recommendation), this might be a better option. You can call in single orders as well, if you do not feel like waiting on location.

www.famousunclealshotdogsofnorfolk.com

Bobbie B's Deli - Granby Street, Norfolk

So many restaurants, so little time. How did we miss this one for so long? Bobbie B's Deli was a wonderful surprise. Located down at the "other end" of Granby Street, it's well worth the walk. They was not an empty table when we arrived last Tuesday at lunch time. A lot of folks get their food to go, and a girl parked at a 4 top while waiting for her order gladly gave it up. Bobbie B's is not fancy. I am pretty sure no one paid a designer to help with the decor. There is a little "shrine" to NASCAR behind the register, and a couple of bobble head figurines on the counter. You order at the register, grab a seat if you can, and they call our your number when it is ready. They use Dietz and Watson meats. All the ingredients from the bread, to the veggies, to the meat are very fresh. Prices in this place are beyond reasonable. And.....drum roll please...cheapest soda in town! (If you have reading us for awhile you know I have a thing about over-priced sodas. We non-coffee drinking people need our caffeine too!) $1.45 for a super-sized large with free unlimited refills while you dine in.

I ordered one of the daily specials, Ranchero Chicken Wrap, and it came with a side. I selected the cucumber salad. The salad was a little different than your typical cuc salad, adding red onion, pimento and chunky cucumber. I liked it very much. The wrap was wonderful. It had a sneaky hot sauce that I didn't really recognize until I was almost through the first half. By the end of the wrap I was really feeling it, but in a good way. I am not really a fan of "hot" spice, but I liked this wrap and didn't leave a crumb. Our Friend Brianna* ordered one of my favorite deli sandwiches, a Reuben, replacing the sauerkraut with Cole Slaw. Of course, this means it really wasn't really a Reuben anymore, but it still looked great. There was a nice, thick layer of corned beef. They didn't grill it either, another Reuben requirement, but toasted it instead. Brianna said it was delicious.

Once again, Alex and I got sucked into buying dessert. Why did they have to put cake, Red Velvet cake at that, right next to the register? I have no idea where they get their cakes, or who baked this but...WOW. Alex and I have been privy to some bad cake recently. It is such a let down. This cake was dynamite! The center layer was not icing, it was cheesecake, then the traditional white icing was on the outside. I couldn't even wait until after taking the picture to take a bite!

So two thumbs up, only because I don't have three thumbs. Print of their online coupon, bring it with you and a friend, and get half off the second meal. I also have to mention the menu typo (intentional perhaps) that lists "Cold Slaw" as one of their salads. It got a few good giggles in the office.

_Laine

I have passed Bobbie B’s without going in more times than I can ever count and now I am sorry I did not investigate sooner. Laine, Brianna* and I were leaving another restaurant in the vicinity and made a point to put this deli on our to review list. A day came when it was under one hundred degrees and we decided to make the journey down Granby Street.

Bobbie B’s is a no frills type of locale but the kind of establishment that has regulars; businessmen and other office folks, police officers and some young adults who live downtown. Bobbie’s has sandwich selections along with a build your own variety. I had previewed the menu online, as I usually do with a new spot. This prevents me from dawdling in my decision making. We approached the counter and I knew I wanted the vegetarian sandwich with avocado, sprouts, tomato, onions, cucumbers and provolone on wheat. Sandwiches come with a side and between the Cole slaw and the cucumber salad, the nice girl at the counter preferred the cucumber salad and I went with her recommendation. As I waited, I contemplated some of the other downtown deli vegetarian sandwiches, which have not always impressed me. I have to say I did not have high expectations and was waiting for something mediocre. Fortunately, I was proven very, very wrong. My number was called and my sandwich looked like a picture, the ones that never match the actual food you receive. The bread was toasted and the vegetables fresh, even the tomatoes. So many times, when I order a sandwich, the tomatoes are so pale and tasteless. I was tickled with the cucumber salad as well. Homemade with just the right level of tang, this side was an excellent choice. All sandwiches come with a pickle as well. For $5.25, that is a steal. The large sodas are $1.45 and you can have all the refills your heart desires. This price is the best yet.

Laine and I saw slice of homemade red velvet cake and decided we must split a piece. I think is the best red velvet cake I have ever had. It had a layer of cheesecake in the middle and then the cream cheese icing. The cake was moist and we both could not believe the price, $3.

I am very excited to have Bobbie B’s as another casual option where prices are more than reasonable and the food is solid. This strikes me as the place where a take-out would be as good as a sit-in meal. They have soups and salads, which we spied on other diners’ tables and which looked like something we will try the next time around. Sandwiches come ‘double-stacked’ for a small fee, if you are ravenous and other sides include potato salad, mac n’ cheese and fruit salad. Desserts are homemade and change daily. While Bobbie B’s does not have servers per se, the staff there is friendly and fast. The gentleman who refilled my drink three times did not seem annoyed at all.

The group having lunch around us included office types, a few police officers and a young couple, who gave us the table they used to wait. Bobbie B’s is small, so you may have a wait a few to grab a seat, but this is the type of place that moves patrons quicker than other establishments. I would imagine they have a lot of to-go and catering business and Bobbie B’s also serves breakfast until 11am.

~Alex

433 Granby Street
Norfolk, VA 23510-1913
(757) 623-7444
(Look for the chef statue out front.)
Breakfast
7:30 AM until 11 AM

www.bobbiebsdeli.com

Havana - Granby Street, Norfolk, VA

During these times when many people are experiencing economic challenges, we have seen a lot of restaurants adapt their menus and offerings. I know many people at work have started packing lunches, if not everyday, then at least 2-3 times a week. An $8 dollar lunch here, a $15 dollar lunch there adds up fast. So, what’s the deal with Havana? When Alex and I visited this week, I thought they gave us the dinner menu by mistake. It turns out there is only one menu, and it is pricey for what you get. Unlike the rest of the world, Havana is a business that does not have a website, or I’d recommend you check out the menu online.

Alex and I stopped in for Nachos and a drink before a Norva show recently. We sat right up front in the window seat. From about 7PM-8:30PM on a Saturday night, they were deserted. Maybe 2-3 other tables were dining. We saw plenty of people stop and peruse the menu in the window and just keep walking. This is not a good sign. Havana used to be hopping back in the day. No more? They are locally famous for their Nachos, which we had that night. They make a decent margarita too.

This week we hit them for lunch. Again, they were deserted. There were three other tables dining. A board out front marked up with $7.99 lunch deals greets you. This must be the new going rate in town. The 219 also offers a $7.99 to-go, brown bag lunch special. (I guess for only $7.99 they won’t let you sit inside and be served?) There were a large number of options on the Havana board, mostly meat and sandwich/wrap options. There were no salad or vegetarian offerings. Since there are no entrées on their menu priced close to $8, these were where I focused my attention.

Our server was accommodating (she was not busy). I asked the price of a soda and was told $2.50, so I got water. I am officially boycotting the purchase of soda anywhere that charges over $2. It’s robbery! I ordered the Jerk Chicken Wrap special with a side salad. The side salad was small, put nicely presented. The produce was very fresh. There is no choice of dressing offered; it arrives tossed in light vinaigrette. They are not heavy handed with the dressing, which I appreciate, but the dressing has a very strong garlic flavor. Lucky for me, I love garlic, but I have to admit this was bit too much even for me.

The entrées arrived quickly. No fancy presentation for $7.99. You get your basic white plate and your wrap. After two or three bites I determined that there was absolutely zero jerk flavoring in my chicken. If you have had it before you know that jerk is a bold flavor, even a mild use would be discernable. The chicken was fresh and tender. Overall the wrap was very good, if I’d ordered a chicken wrap, which I did not.

I had been seated facing the dessert menu board, which is not a strategically good location for someone with a 24 hour sugar jones and weak resolve. Top of the board was bread pudding. Really? How can I say no? Alex and I decided to split one. The board was outdated, but our server told us the new bread pudding was White Chocolate Raspberry. Even better! I love white chocolate. It did not disappoint! The price of the dessert was $6.50, which I find reasonable.

In summary, the pros of Havana’s are great service, good food. The cons are limited options for lighter eating and overpriced selections. The last one is what will keep me from going back.

_Laine

I have no qualms about paying for good food, but when I see $18 for the tuna bite appetizer in Norfolk, Virginia, I have to wonder what the manager was smoking when they priced the selections. As Laine noted, the $7.99 special board did not offer a great variety. I would have thought they would have a daily salad special since the cheapest salad on their menu is $12 and it is not a ‘meal’ salad, but more of an appetizer. In the past, I have had the spinach salad and enjoyed the taste, but I know for a fact it is small...again for $12. There was one fish special, salmon, but everything else had chicken, pork or beef. Norfolk is pretty vegetarian friendly, but Havana has not caught on with their specials, it seems. I would gladly have ordered the Vegetarian Nachos but they are pretty large and heavy and it was lunch time. This was not a day for that kind of meal.

I settled on the Vegetarian Quesadilla...for $11. That seemed pricey. Some of my other favorite haunts have quesadillas for about $8; a wonderful spinach and goat cheese version at Tortilla West runs $7.95 and it is filled heavily with spinach and goat cheese. Back to Havana’s meal. I was a little wary since I was paying $11 for a quesadilla and had pretty big expectations, but fortunately for Havana, I was delightfully surprised. My dish was filled with black beans, red and yellow peppers, red onions and cheddar cheese. A light sour cream was drizzled artfully on the corn tortilla, next to the guacamole, dice tomatoes and shredded lettuce. My dish tasted as good as it looked but I still feel that $11 was high for a lunchtime quesadilla.

I have had a few desserts from Havana and they have always been homemade and delicious. The bread pudding was no exception. The board advertised a Reese’s Cup version and because the servers had not updated it, I was initially let down because I wanted to try the Reese’s, as I have never had that in bread pudding. Lucky for me, the white chocolate raspberry flavor was stellar and my slight disappointment quickly disappeared. $6.50 is about the going rate for a dessert, so that price was right on.
Service was good and our food arrived quickly, but as Laine noted, they were not busy, so this was not a big plus for Havana, rather what was to be expected. I hope they typically drum up better lunch and dinner crowds than Laine and I saw.

The Vegetarian Nachos are indeed my favorite item on the Havana menu. When Laine and I ordered them before the concert, they were fresh and provided enough for the two of us to share (we ordered the larrger size, as there is also a small). I requested extra cheese and they do charge $2 for that, but they did not skimp, so the charge was legitimate. There is nothing worse than paying for extra and receiving the standard amount of anything. The number of people dining that evening was about equal to the number we saw at lunch. That is worrisome.

A few years ago, you had to stand in line at Havana to get in at night. It was packed to capacity, known for great martinis and very, very lively. I hope they see some of that business because they do have good food, fun music and a cute space. As I mentioned above, as did Laine, Havana’s major lunch error is their menu. They need a separate lunch menu with lunch prices. Most people are not jumping to pay $18 for a salad or $15 for a sandwich in Norfolk when they will have to tip on top of prices in that range. Their specials board was priced correctly, but the variety was lacking. These small changes would make Havana a great lunch place and draw a much bigger crowd than Laine and I saw...and we are the experts.

~Alex
255 Granby Street
Norfolk, VA‎ 23510
(757) 627-5800

Monday - Friday 11am-2am
Saturday and Sunday 5pm-2am

Kebab Shack - Granby Street, Norfolk, VA - NOW CLOSED

The Kebab Shack or ‘K Shack’, as I now endearingly refer to it, is a new found treasure for Laine and I. Tucked away in a small spot on the 300 block of Granby, the K Shack is a narrow space that used to be a no frills deli or pizza spot. It reminds me of a small secret that you find in a large city; nothing fancy, but great cuisine.

We arrived a little after noon and the only delay was our deciding what to order. Prior to seeing the menu, I planned on ordering falafel, but after seeing the menu, I rethought my initial decision. A vegetarian sampler caught my eye. Two grape leaves, a side of hummus, babaghanoush, sheperd salad, white bean salad and Mediterranean eggplant served with pita. All sounded great...except grape leaves. To date, I am not a fan. I asked the gal at the front if I could have something else, falafel or tabouli, instead and after checking with one of the cooks, she said yes and tabouli was the replacement. Fine by me. I was excited about my choice which only set me back about $10, and that included my $1.59 soda (deal!). You place your order, pay and then either grab your soda, juice or water from the fridge or for a better deal, grab your cup (plastic dine-in or disposable take-out) and fill your own soda from the fountain. I prefer a fountain soda to canned or bottled most days, especially if you fill it yourself and refills are aplenty.

We sat ourselves in a booth and within five to six minutes, our food arrived. We ordered separately, so it came out likewise, but still within a minute or two or one another. My platter was extremely (very, very) generous and everything looked fresh and delightful. Our food was served on real dishware, which was festive and a nice change from plastic baskets, which are popular at casual lunch places. Each plate was different, some Mediterranean themed, some striped and some polka-dotted. I enjoyed the dishes as much as my meal. My hummus was full of taste and I was ecstatic, as some can be bland (another local restaurant that I do not prefer is guilty of this). This hummus had tons of flavor, as did the tabouli, white bean salad and sheperd salad, which consisted of fresh tomatoes, green peppers, red onions and Kirby cucumbers in a light olive oil vinaigrette. The pita pieces were warmed, which was another plus. Every sampling was stocked full of taste and undoubtedly fresh. When I ordered, I could not remember if I liked babaghanoush and upon trying, decided I do not, but that is no fault of the K Shack. I think I will try to substitute something for that when I order the sampler again (if they do not mind, of course). I devoured my meal, but it did not leave me feeling too stuffed, which is good since we had to go back to work. I could not believe my meal for $10! I cannot wait to go back to the K Shack and try another item on the menu, red lentil soup and the falafel pita, possibly. From the sizes of the portions, I think any of the appetizers and soup would easily constitute a meal.

We had time to refill our drinks, sit and chat after eating, which shows how fast our food arrived and how fast, and happily, we consumed it. The folks come to clear your dishes as you finish and I would too, if I were them, to get those pretty dishes back in their hands. I think Laine and I have a new spot to add to our regulars list and of course, we will report back after the next visit.

The Kebab Shack is open daily from ** to **. They will put together take-out meals as well, so grab a menu on your way out the door.

~Alex

On the front of their to-go menu it reads “We owe it to ourselves EAT HEALTHY”. Ah yes, I love guilt free calories. Growing up, I wasn’t served foods with any kind of interesting ethnic background or seasoning. I was raised on straight up, plain Yankee cooking: A meat, a starch, a vegetable. I didn’t have my first taco until I was about 25. I cannot recall my introduction to Mediterranean cuisine, but I have been a fan ever since. I enjoy the seasonings, flavors and combinations. In the Mediterranean lifestyle, meals are not just a time to eat, they are festive gatherings of family and friends. The food is the centerpiece, meant to be shared and savored. In my experience, Mediterraneans are always very proud of what they put on the table. Compliments are welcome (and expected). Complaints or dislikes on the other hand, I have learned are best kept to yourself.

Lucky for me, no complaints on our visit yesterday. First thing I noted was that the staff was very friendly. There is an open counter looking directly into the kitchen. A couple of kitchen staff said hello along with the counter girl. I was hungry and everything looked so good. I settled on a Schawarma pita; a mixture of lamb and beef seasoned with Mediterranean spices and grilled on a rotisserie Skewer. These come topped with lettuce, tomato, onions, shredded red cabbage and a garlic white sauce. In addition, I ordered White Bean Salad, which caught my eye. You might expect them to have a gyro, but don’t look for one on the menu. It isnt’ there. No worries, there are plenty of other options.

The food arrived in a timely manner. Even though you are given a number when ordering, if they aren’t busy, they will carry your food out to you. Nice touch. The food was so delicious. I have already done some research and made notes on how to duplicate the White Bean Salad. It was so good! The Schawarma was very tasty. I was a little disappointed in the quality of the pita used. The flavor was fine, but it didn’t hold up to the different liquids of the sauce and vegetables very well. Not that it fell apart, it didn’t, but it got limp and rather unstable. I notice that the side servings of pita were different, and looked like they would have better served the sandwich too. It came with a little side of something green that I couldn’t quite figure out. It smelled of cilantro to me, so I dumped a dollop on my pita. Why would anyone in their right mind do that? After a big bite I quickly determined it was H-O-T. Note to self: Do not do that again.

Our friend Brianna* joined us again, ordering the same sandwich as me, with a Baba Ghanoush side. I think I ate more of her Baba Ghanoush than she did. I loved it. I agree with Alex that it is a little different that what I have had in the past, but I really enjoyed it. All pitas are $5.99 or you can get them as a wrap for $6.99, adding a dollar to all for Beef Kabab. They don’t have any side accompaniment; fries, side salads, etc. are a la carte, ranging from 2.99 to 3.99. This will make your average sandwich meal around $10, plus a drink. Kebab platters are probably a better “deal” at $7.99 - $8.00 for most, coming with a small salad, rice and pita bread. Considering that everything is fresh and made there, I find the prices very reasonable. Portions are generous. I recommend you check it out! For a limited time, all TCC students receive 10% off with a valid ID.

_Laine

Kebab Shack
319 Granby Street
Norfolk, VA 23510
757-533-5665
Mon-Thur 10:30AM-10PM
Fri-Sat 10:30AM-2AM
Sun 12PM-10PM