Twist Martini & Associates - Va Beach, Town Center

Twist Martini & Associates has a prime, corner location directly across from the Sandler Center, which led me there Sunday evening. We walked directly across the street to Twisted after waiting among others at the hostess stand of McCormick & Schmick’s for about 5 minutes. After waiting a completely flustered hostess announced to no one in particular that the “kitchen was running behind”.  Don’t these places prepare for concert nights?

The clock was ticking so we headed on over, checked out the posted menu and decided to give Twist a try. There were about 3 groups eating outside, and the inside bar was similarly full, but the dining area was empty. It also smelled like smoke. Not food smoke either, cigarette smoke. Usually I would have left at that point, but we were running out of time. A host/waiter showed us to an outside table and gave us menus. 

Once again…we wait. No water, no nothing. Some girl who worked there was decorating the sidewalk tent sign like it was going to go on display at the Chrysler Museum. She was 10 feet away and never budged from the sign. The table next to us was served, and still no recognition for us. Finally, our server arrived and we order everything at once. We are brown liquor lovers, so it was Jack Daniels Manhattans for us both. In my world all bars are judged on their ability to make a good Manhattan. Since Manhattans (and brown liquors) have risen in popularity over the past several years, most bars have improved on this item. Ten years ago, it was a different story. My husband ordered the Baby Spinach Salad from the Apps menu. It is served with strawberries, candied walnut, goat cheese and a Vanilla-Balsamic Vinaigrette.   We both opted for light fare entrée’s. I selected the Petite Fillet with Roasted Potatoes and Vegetables; he selected the Grilled Pork Chop, with Wild Rice, Apple Butter, Fried Onions and Bourbon-Thyme Drizzle. 

The Manhattan’s were excellent. I inquired about the fantastic cherry; one of the servers was very knowledgeable, explaining to us that they were Luxardo brand Maraschino Cherries, imported from Italy.  Additionally they use top shelf vermouth, Contratto Roso. Its details like this that take a drink up a notch or two! My husband said the salad was superior. Or course, this meant I had to taste it. The spinach was very fresh, but I think it was the vinaigrette that put is over the edge. I was excellent. My petite fillet was cooked to perfection, and the small plate is plenty for a meal. 

So, here’s the big miss. My husband’s entrée never arrived. Well, let me correct myself. We got the check, (from which they removed the pork chop), paid, and then the pork chop arrived. It looked awesome too…but we will never know how it tasted. Everyone was very apologetic, and we were offered complimentary drinks after the show for compensation. However, it was a work night, and we decided not to take them up on the offer. 

_Laine

4517 Commerce St
Virginia Beach, VA 23462

(757) 995-7878

Food-5

Service-2

Beverage-5

Restrooms-NA

Ambiance-3

Steinhilber's Restaurant - Virginia Beach, VA

This weekend was time to revisit an old favorite, Steinhilber’s. Boy, did we time it right! Saturday’s weather was unseasonably mild, with low humidity, low temperatures and a nice breeze. That’s the perfect combination for dining al fresco on the water in Virginia Beach! Whenever you dine at Steinhilber’s, make sure you request a table with a water view, available both inside and outside. If the weather is nice, I recommend dining on the patio. I noticed that they have added several gas fueled fire-pit tables to their outside assortment. These would be great on cooler evenings.

After taking drink orders, our delightful server was quick to mention that they had a bounty of fresh vegetables, especially tomatoes, originating from the garden next door. How’s that for local? Two of the salad specials for the evening took full advantage of this bounty. They offered their twist on the classic Caprese and Tomato with Lump Crab. She had me at “Lump Crab”. My husband ordered the Seared Ahi Tuna Appetizer.

For his entrée he ordered the Baked Seafood Combination, which is a 3 oz. lobster tail, 3 scallops, shrimp and lump crab. My husband happens to be a soft shell crab fanatic. If a restaurant has them available, he is going to order one. They had them so he added one on to his order. I selected one of the specials; a bone in pork chop cooked with a peach barbeque glaze, served over a succotash of black eyed peas and corn. We ordered cocktails which we enjoyed while munching on cornbread and enjoying the view.


 All plates arrived in a reasonable time frame. We never felt rushed, and we never felt like we were waiting. The tomato did NOT disappoint, and the lump crab was very generous. The Ahi Tuna was also delicious. A tender cut, with a nice avocado sauce drizzle. The chop and succotash was special. Pork can be a tough meat to time right. It needs to be cooked through, but not over cooked. This chop was perfection. It was tender and juicy. I loved the peach glaze and it paired very well with the succotash. The seafood, including the soft shell crab, was another home run. 

Although I forgot to photograph it, I would be remiss if I neglected to mention dessert. I ordered the pecan pie with vanilla ice cream, noted to be a family recipe. Wow. This is a serious piece of pie people! The crust was very unusual. It reminded me of peanut brittle. It was crunchy with a distinct nut flavor, not at all your standard flour crust. The pie filling was heavenly. An extra spoon was brought out for the Mr., but I’m pretty sure he didn’t get more than a bite. I wasn’t into sharing my pie…which he is used to by now.

_Laine

Food-5

Service-5

Beverage-3

Restrooms-NA

Ambiance-5 - outside on this day!

 

Passion the Restaurant - Chesapeake, VA

Passion is the in corner of a small sized shopping center that has experienced quite a bit of turnover throughout the years. Several restaurants have come and gone, but Passion has persevered. I have been trying to talk my husband into going here for years. Yes, YEARS. Finally, the planets were perfectly in line (and he heard a good review from a friend whom he respects). When I suggested Passion on Saturday, I received a positive response. Game on!

Passion has a modern but cozy feel to it. There is a nice, rather large, open bar at the entrance. We were immediately met with a friendly greeting and seated. Half of the tables are lined up along the wall with one booth seat, and one facing chair. I like to see what’s going on, and grabbed the both seat. The kitchen is open to view, and although it is busy, there is no overwhelming noise or distraction for diners.

The menu has a nice variety of fish, poultry and meat. There is even a Vegan option, so our vegetarian friends don’t have to doctor up an existing entrée by removing the meat and adding something else. We felt obligated to try out their She Crab soup. It is a recent First Place winner in Critics Choice category of the East Coast She Crab Soup Classic. My husband ordered a cup and I promised to limit my intake to a spoonful. Always a sucker for specials, I ordered the "Maytag" Blue Cheese Crusted Filet Mignon for my entrée and my husband ordered the Grilled Porterhouse of Veal. Usually a white wine drinker, I opted for Pennywise Petite Sirah 2009, California to pair up with our meat. I liked it, but believe $11 a glass to be a bit steep. I did a little online "recon" a few days later and discovered 2008, 2009 and 2010 Pennywise Petite Sirah online for about $10 a bottle. I know restaurants mark up wine, but it is silly when the price of a glass equals the price of the entire bottle.

While waiting for our food to arrive, we were served bread with seasoned, dipping olive oil. The bread was slightly sweet in flavor and paired well with the salty, herbed oil. The She Crab soup arrived with the claw tip exposed, as is their signature flair. It really was good! The cream base was rich and a perfect consistency. There was plenty of crab meat. The flavor was excellent. There were nice subtleties to the seasonings. Nothing overpowered the flavor of the cream and crab.

The Veal entrée has a dramatic presentation. It is impressive, served on its side next to a beehive shaped mound of garlic mashed potatoes. It is also accompanied with mushroom Demi Glace, and Sautéed Spinach. He gave his best try, but there was no way my husband could finish it. My Filet was delicious. The meat was very tender and the proportion of Blue Cheese was right on. Blue Cheese can be overpowering. A little bit goes it long way. It was served on top of slices of Cheddar potato Gratin cake with sauteed spinach. I don’t know what was in the sauce that covered the plate, but it was delicious as well.

We finished off the meal with dessert. Alex has really gotten me hooked on bread pudding. They had a white chocolate bread pudding with Frangelica sauce that immediately caught my eye. My husband ordered Key Lime Pie. Again, my husband could not quite finish off his dessert, but the bread pudding was a goner on my side of the table.

I would be remiss if I did not mention the service. Our server was very good. He was very professional in appearance and demeanor. He kept drinks full, the table clear and courses moving along at a leisurely, but not slow, pace. When we were walking out, we received warm thanks from the friendly kitchen staff. Passion was a big hit with me. I will definitely be a repeat customer.

_Laine

Food-5
Service-5
Beverage-5
Restrooms-did not use...
Value-4
Ambiance-4

Passion the Restaurant
1036 Volvo Pkwy #3, Chesapeake, VA 23320
(757) 410-3975
www.passiontherestaurant.com 

Kincaid's Fish, Chop & Steak House - MacArthur Center, Norfolk

Two Saturdays ago after a movie at the Naro, my husband and I stopped in Kincaid's at 4:45PM for cocktails before deciding what we wanted to do for dinner. It was already kind of busy, (something to do with basketball), and the 4 available tables in the bar area were dirty. No biggie, we just took a seat and were quickly waited on, including having the table cleaned. We had great drinks, and enjoyed the Oysters Rockafeller’s so much we ordered 2 rounds.

When the server asked if we were going to have anything else, and we said no, she asked us to make sure no one else sat at the table, because she had already promised it to someone. By now the place was packed. I suggested she get a reserved sign then, as I am not really into barroom altercations, which she did. When she brought us the check, she said "I am sending the people over now." And she did, while we were still seated at the table. We had not even had a chance to TIP her or sign the receipt. Six people came and sat on the empty seats right next to us and stood over our table. We spent $65 on drinks and appetizers, $80 with a tip, only to get our butts kicked to the curb by our waitress.

I so badly want to like Kincaid’s. I constantly torture myself, returning there time and time again, only to be disappointed.

_Laine

First Updated to Review
10/23/09
I have to add an update to this previous review. I had lunch today with 4 co-workers at Kincaid's. It ended up being a series of small errors that added up to a less than satisfactory experience. The food was great. That was not the issue. The service was a mess. It took 50 minutes to get our food. During that time the table next to us got in a tizzy because a credit card was "lost" in-between being given to the server and making it back to the table. Yikes! During the conversation they were having with the server another man who worked there presented the credit card which had been returned by a patron who found it on the floor. Thank goodness for honesty.

The entrees made it to the table with one missing completley and another one missing the sweet potato fries. We were assured that the fries would be right up and the other entree was on the way. The other entree came rather quickly but the fries did not. With a reminder, the fries made their way to the table when we were all wrapping up our meals. The manager offered a free dessert to that diner for her inconvenience. When she ordered, her dessert of choice was not available. She chose another and requested it as "to-go".

A couple of the guys got the wrong checks when they came to the table, and the server had to return with the correct ones. Next, one was missing an item in error. Ah, another honest patron! Back again to correct the check. Finally, gift cards were presented for most of the orders and we were told it would take about 10 minutes to process them because of the computer. Good grief, are they using dial-up?

Upon returning to work, another co-work who we had seen there told us that when his food came out, it was given to th wrong table. After the people checked it out (touched it)and informed the server of the error, she tried to simply pass it over to his table. This would be acceptable if it had not been handled by someone else, but.... He ended up getting a fresh order "to-go" because he had to get back to work.

I honestly don't think that most if the issues were the servers fault. Yes, she was seriously in the weeds, but that seemed more a function of staffing than ability. I could tell she was stressed out about it and trying her best to maintain. I can honestly say that I have never had a meal at Kincaid's that has been a home run. NEVER.
_Laine



Original Review - November 04, 2008
Kincaid's Fumbled, But Recovered the Ball...Sort of...

Without randomly drawing as we usually like to do, Laine and I chose Kincaid's for last week's adventure. Kincaid's is a chain, something that usually scares me, but she and I decided to go for it. We would need to review it eventually and this day was as good a day as any. Plus, it was cold and windy outside. We were not in the mood to stand around deciding. Kincaid's has a more sophisticated feel than, say, California Pizza Kitchen. Located in the MacArthur Mall, Kincaid's is a happening after hours spot for Downtowners. They have a large lunch menu as well as a varied dinner menu. At first, we were both set on salads, but then decided to go for something else. We know our readers eat more than salad. I chose the wild mushroom omelet with smoked Gouda, truffle oil and chives. I was pretty excited as it is hard to find omelets during lunch unless on a brunch menu and that is usually restricted to weekends. Instead of potatoes (not a huge fan), they gave me sautéed broccoli and carrots and mixed greens. I was very pleased. I have had dinner before at Kincaid's and thought it was fine, but nothing exciting. Today's lunch has put Kincaid's on our steady lunch menu and I would go for dinner again - overall, it was a better experience than previously. Service was perfect. Mary, our waitress, was attentive and fast. She even asked if we were under a time restriction and since we were, our food came out fairly quickly. No martini or wine lunch for Laine and I today, unfortunately, but we appreciated Mary asking. We have definitely visited a few restaurants that do not seem to realize that people are trying to eat lunch in an hour, give or take. Kincaid's also has a lunch deal for $10that includes soup, a salad and an entree such as salmon or steak. We might try that the next time.
~Alex

I have been to Kincaid’s numerous times over the years for drinks (they make a mean Manhattan) and/or dinner, but this was a first for lunch. I have had great meals there and some pretty bad ones, so I was curious to see how lunch would pan out. I agree with Alex that the ambiance offered beats most of downtown's loud and rushed lunch vibe. The atmosphere is quieter and calmer, but service was snappy and professional. Alex and I decided to step out of our salad box and consume some calories for lunch. Lately I have had a serious bacon craving. What in the world? I love bacon. I love to smell it cooking. I love it crispy and not crispy and more is better. With this said, they had an interesting sandwich with bacon, turkey and avocado. Sign me up! I even ordered sweet potato fries....out of control! The sandwich arrived, and it was cold. I was expecting toasted, or maybe even grilled, since this was basically a BLT, or club sandwich with avocado added. I was a little disappointed, but soldiered on. I took one bite and it was pretty good. I took a second bite and the bread started to break. I took a third bite and decided to eat it with a fork because the bread was falling apart. Ugh, bad bread? Was this my reward for stepping out of the box?! Mary came to the rescue, swiped my plate and returned in about 5 minutes with a completely new, fresh order. Of course, this was round better and the bread was fine, but to be honest, I had been let down. I took most of it back to work in a carry out container. Geez that reminds me… it is still sitting in the fridge....
_Laine

Kincaid's
300 Monticello Avenue, Suite 147
(in MacArthur Center)
Norfolk, VA 23510
Phone:(757) 622-8000

Lunch Hours:
Mon-Fri 11:30am-4pm
Sat 11:30am-3pm
Sun 11am-4pm

Sunday Brunch Hours:
Sun 11am-3pm

Dinner Hours:
Mon-Sat 5-10pm
Sun 4-8pm

Bar Hours:
Mon-Fri 11:30am-11pm
Sat 11:30am- 12am
Sun 11:30am-9pm

Happy Hour:
Monday-Friday 4:30-6:30pm

Steinhilber's - Virginia Beach

Updated 9/19/11
A rainy Saturday of errands had my husband and me at the VA Beach Town Center. After going to see a movie we decided to eat dinner there too before heading back to Chesapeake.  Steinhilbers was my first and only suggestion. I know it is not really a Town Center restaurant, but it is close enough for me. Off we went. The parking lot was jammed at 6:30, and with no reservations, I feared a wait. However, we were immediately seated in a side room, which is often reserved for parties. It was perfect; quiet and empty! Our meal was excellent as always. The service was on point and unobtrusive. Usually I go for seafood, but Saturday I had a hankering for meat. Here's what we had.

10oz. Prime Rib



Bone in Veal chop, stuffed with spinach, feta, roasted pecans and panchetta. Served over horseradish mashed potatoes.

Flourless Chocolate Cake. The photo does not do it justice!

1/2 Slice of Carnegie Deli Cheesecake. This is about 4" wide by 4" tall. Humongous!

Steiny's never fails to please. It remains one of my favorite local restaurants!
_Laine


Original Posting 8/10/2009

The story goes that in 1935 restaurateur Robert Steinhilber decided he needed a break from the hustle and bustle of big city life in Norfolk, and decided to move to the country. He didn’t have to go too far from home back then. Exquisite waterfront property was still available in abundance along the shores of the Lynnhaven River. Robert settled on a nice chunk of acreage that was formerly the Lynnhaven Golf and Country Club, bordering the Thurston Branch of the river. I am guessing that he must have been a “Type A” workaholic, because 4 years later he opened the restaurant Steinhilber's on his piece of tranquility.

I know quite a few locals who have never eaten there, and I admit that sometimes I forget about it too. It’s one of those “out of sight, out of mind” places. You don’t see Steinhilber's unless you are going to Steinhilber's. The location is prime real estate. (I think that one of the biggest let downs of this area is that there are so few great restaurants with water views.) Unless you are seated at a window table for two, the view is actually pretty limited from inside the restaurant, but I always like to take a stroll after dinner and go down by the dock and check out the scenery. I love the water. The entrance also has probably the largest Crepe Myrtle trees I have ever seen in my life. They are huge and simply stunning this time of year.

The interior isn’t very exciting. Typical old Va. Beach pine look, with white table cloths. The bar area could use a little renovating to modernize and make it look more inviting. Since there is usually a wait, and most folks end up in there, it would be a worthwhile investment. Same for the restroom. It is very 1970’s Virginia Beach. There is an outside patio for al fresco dining which is nice. There is plenty of anti bug paraphernalia and big fans with built in misting. However, I had taken the time to straighten my mane AND it was about 100 degrees outside, so we opted to wait for a table. The hostess told us there was a 25 minute wait, but we were seated at our two-top with a water view in fewer than 10. **Note-Unless you are a vampire or of similar nature, do NOT sit in the basement. It is dreary and has a faint, lingering aroma of mildew.

Now, for the good part, the food! I really love seafood, and it is usually my top choice when dining out for dinner. As usual, we ordered the Fantail Fried Shrimp appetizer for starters. It’s hard to understand why people would go nuts over fried shrimp, until you try these. They have mastered the technique and the accompanying sauce is the perfect partner. They are a little pricey at $18 for 6, but it’s not like I eat there every week. An occasional culinary splurge is acceptable. No penny pinching at Steiny’s please! They had some fabulous sounding specials Saturday night, especially a stuffed pork chop that had me tempted, but I had a serious yen for lump crab and lots of it. I ordered the Lobster Combination, which is a baby lobster tail, shrimp and lump crab in either butter or cheese sauce. I’m not a big fan of cheese sauces, so bring on the butter! No calorie counting at Steiny’s please! The entrée is accompanied by a choice of side and bread. The dinner salad always comes out with their three signature dressings. You don’t select your dressing of choice. The bread basket will contain cornbread and dinner rolls. The dinner rolls are ho-hum, but the cornbread is yummy. The entrée was very rich and delicious. When they say lump crab meat, you can take them at their word; no fillers, no claws, nothing but pure lump. Decadent! I didn’t have any room for dessert, but ordered one and ate it any way. I indulged in a delicious chocolate pie and tasted their Key Lime pie. The chocolate beat the Key Lime, no contest. It was so smooth, rich and creamy.

I would be remiss if I did not mention their wine list. They have a decent selection of wines, but overall it appears a little outdated and pedestrian. If they were to spruce up the bar area and add some zing to the wine list (especially by the glass selections) I’m sure they would sell more of it. I also need to commend the wait staff. Service at Steinhilber’s is always top notch. Someone is always filling your water glass, clearing your table, restocking bread, etc., however, it is so understated and low key that you barely notice it is occurring.

It appears I will be headed back to Steinhilber’s in the near future as my step daughter has requested it for a family celebration. Even though I was just there, I told her I would have no problem going back. There’s plenty of variety on the menu, interesting nightly specials and the food is always excellent.

_Laine

Steinhilber's is located at:
653 Thalia Road
Virginia Beach, VA 23452
(757) 340-1156
http://www.steinys.com/

New Belmont - Norfolk

Located in Ghent, New Belmont (formerly Belmont) is owned by the same proprietors of Cogan's Pizza around the corner (see our review on Cogan's). New Belmont is known for its nightlife, DJ's and occasional bands as well as nightly features such as wing specials and all you can eat sushi on Sundays. I am not a huge fan of wings or anything 'all u can eat' so I cannot say I have tried or will try either, but Laine and I decided to check out lunch. I arrived and Laine informed me the place was open but empty, completely empty. Typically, I would run in the other direction, but we knew we would have to buckle down and review New Belmont at some point, so why not on this one-hundred degree hot and steamy day. We were seated quickly and there was, in fact, one lone ranger at the bar watching TV and sipping on an iced tea.

New Belmont's menu has a lot of variety. I mentioned wings and they have a variety of sauces in which to dunk this popular appetizer but there are also salads,burgers, sandwiches, ribs and other entrees. Sides included mac 'n cheese, cole slaw, fries, hushpuppies along with a few others. I opted for the marinated portabella sandwich with goat cheese and roasted red peppers with a side of the seasonal fresh vegetables. The vegetables were great, sautéed zucchini, squash and onions. I was delightfully surprised at the good flavor for a restaurant I have always considered to just have 'bar food'. My sandwich was good. Actually, had the bread been better, it would have received a gold star. The bellas and peppers were marinated and had a fantastic flavor and the portion was fair. The bun was something I would not have picked if it was the last thing in the bakery at a local grocery market...and it was cold. If I eat a sandwich, part of what makes it original is a decent bread.
Service was not terrible, but not good either. At one point, our waitress told us to just shout if we needed anything as she was doing paperwork. What? Prices are reasonable enough and the food came out in a decent amount of time. I would probably not rush back to eat lunch again but I can say the times I have been in the evenings, New Belmont was hopping. Whether a DJ was spinning or a band was playing, people were drinking and dancing and since there are not that many places to dance in this area, that is a plus for New Belmont.

~Alex

The Nicoise Salad, according to Wikipedia was “first made popular in the Montpelier Region in the 1880's….Ripe tomato wedges, halved boiled new potatoes, steamed green bean, wedges of hard-cooked eggs, are topped with canned tuna (tinned in oil), and native Nicoise olives. Finally the salad is garnished with tinned anchovies. The salad is served with traditional Dijon vinaigrette.” Julia Child also had a popular recipe that really only varied by adding capers. There are some interesting opinions about the canned vs. fresh tuna. Keeping in mind that the salad originated in the 1880's, refrigeration was far from commonplace, especially in Europe, so canned would make more sense. I happen to like canned tuna, but of course prefer fresh (really frozen if we are "real" about it) if it is available.

I am not a purest when it comes to the Nicoise. One of my favorites is served at the Café in Nordstrom’s where they use salmon instead of tuna. Those rebels! A friend of Alex's had recommended the Nicoise at New Belmont. Their menu reads, “Seared Ahi Tuna with Nicoise Olives, Green Beans, Potato, Egg over Mustard Vinaigrette dressed Mixed Greens 10.99”. Here’s what I got:
Seared Ahi Tuna
Nicoise Olives
A bean that was green, but not a Green Bean. It was more like a snap pea?
Cold Potato Wedges
Side of Balsamic Vinaigrette
A Plate

It was more like a Tuna dinner, than a salad. The tuna was good, and cooked to order. I liked the olives very much. The beans/peas were good, just unexpected. The potatoes were disgusting. I don't mind cold potatoes, in fact, I love potato salad. But the ones they served were mealy, like a French fry gone cold after sitting out for too long. Perhaps these were leftovers from the previous night? Who the heck knows what happened to the egg, lettuce and Mustard Vinaigrette. The service was fair and the food came out rather quickly (perhaps because they only prepared half of it?) I’ve heard enough good about New Belmont to cut them a little slack. As a rule, I think it is a bad idea to eat in a restaurant that is empty. This was an affirmation of that belief. However, in today’s age of instant information, businesses can’t afford to have a down moment. You just never know when someone is going to walk in and end up telling the blogosphere all about it.

_Laine
New Belmont is located at 2117 Colonial Avenue, Norfolk, VA 23517. Check their website or call for upcoming nightly events.
http://www.newbelmont.com/