The Eclectic Stove in Portsmouth

“Who knew?” may be the theme for this post. First, who knew that Portsmouth Restaurant Week was in its fourth year? I’m pretty observant when it comes to food related celebrations in Hampton Roads but it wasn’t until I stumbled on to Portsmouth Independent Restaurant Association on Facebook that I learned about the celebration taking place March 24 – April 2.

Much like Norfolk and Virginia Beach Restaurant Weeks, the deal is a three-course prix fixe menu at participating restaurants throughout Portsmouth. There are over 20 restaurants participating including: Still Worldly Eclectic Tapas, Montgomery Grill, Brutti’s, and The Stove. For those reluctant to travel to Portsmouth you may be pleased to discover that the city provides a wonderful array of culinary destinations.

I’ve said it before and I will continue to say that these weeks make for ideal opportunities for patrons to sample a place they have never been and in turn, it provides restaurants the opportunity to “woo” new customers so that they will come back for more dish sampling and enjoyment.

I chose to visit The Stove last night having heard great things and having never been. Who knew that place even existed? There is no way you are just going to stumble upon it. The Stove is a destination restaurant located in an old neighborhood on an off street (2622 Detroit Street).

"I don't think you're ready for this,
'cause my body's too bootylicious"

They offered a three-course meal for $35 with an option to add a wine pairing with each course for $15. For the first course I had butternut squash and tart apple bisque with sponge apple strips. This was my favorite part of the meal. The sponge apple strips were super tasty. My love got the local baby lettuce, arugula and romaine hearts with daikon radish, smoked tomato with mustard vinaigrette. I generally hate tomatoes but he prompted me to try the smoked tomato and that bite was pretty bangin’. For my second course I enjoyed the grilled house-made sausage and crisp pork belly bacon on a butternut squash oyster mushroom sauté with stove steak sauce. I was upset that they ran out of my third course selection which was the petite cobbler, tart apples and strawberries in sugar lemon slurry with caramel sauce. Instead I got a chocolate genache dessert with a name that sounded like a track from a Beyoncé album. (Sorry for not remembering.) It was better than the alternate dessert option on the restaurant week menu which was a bittersweet chocolate tart topped with a semi-sweet chocolate genache sprinkled with smoked sea salt sitting on a sweet chocolate sauce.

I enjoyed all of the wines paired with the meal for the exception of the dessert port. I just do not like ultra-sweet wines. It is just a personal preference. The portions were perfect for the ladies but the men left hungry. (That is for both the food and the wine pours.)

I did see two items on the regular menu that I will make a point to go back and sample. “Da Bubby Gump,” Chef Sydney Meers version of shrimp and grits using Virginia stone ground grit made into a cake topped with pimento cheese, his sausage, smoked tomato and the holy trinity with seafood stock finish. The other dish is The Dumbwaiter classic spicy etouffee with jumbo shrimp and smoochie bear ham (no clue what this is, but it is on the menu) with the holy trinity and tomato on jalapeño sticky rice. See you then – you crazy little restaurant.

The Cellar's, Church Point Manor House

It was many months in waiting. A busy schedule, a deployment and a request to skip Virginia Beach Restaurant Week so that it can be experienced together. Finally. Last Friday I stepped into the magnificent walls of The Cellar’s.

The what? Yea, same thing happened to me a few months ago when someone first brought the establishment to my attention. How is it possible for me to have lived in Virginia Beach my entire life and have never heard of the magical little establishment tucked in the Church Point neighborhood?

The romantic establishment is located in Church Point Manor House; an 1860's farmhouse turned bed and breakfast. Our waiter told us the house was first used as a hospital to treat men in the confederate army. It is hard to find much history online (the Manor house website is in need of an overhaul). I did find a website with the following:

Church Point stands on land first bequeathed by Charles II of England and is the site of the First Court and First Old Donation Church founded in 1639 by Adam Thoroughgood. Thoroughgood granted rights to 262 acres to the church so the original pastor could raise crops to defray his costs of living. The farm remained a vegetable producer for the next 350 years.

The Cellar’s is located in the basement of the Manor House. It is small and intimate, serving American regional cuisine. We were told that they still grow items in the garden on-site and when in season use in their culinary delights. I’d recommend a reservation as they only have seating for up forty in the main dining room. While I did feel tall because the ceilings were lower, the space did not feel cramped and was softly lit with beautiful paintings and decorations. Lovely.

We celebrated our arrival to The Cellars by ordering a bottle of my favorite champagne, Veuve Cliquot Yellow Label Brut. I was mildly disappointed that the bottle was not chilled properly. However, we did learn that Madame Clicquot, who was widowed (vueve in French), was responsible for the act of spinning the champagne bottle. While our attempt was to chill the bottle her method was to address the settling of sediment.

We began with the “Melted” appetizer which was essentially a Swiss fondue served with granny smith apples, bread, salami and prosciutto. For my entrée I choose the Catch of the Bay (the location is one mile from the Chesapeake Bay) which was rockfish served with fingerling potato hash and asparagus. For dessert we chose a dense raspberry mousse that was coated with coconut, resting on a white almond cake with a deeply, flavorful raspberry sauce. The food met all my high expectations.

It was an amazing evening and experience. I look forward to other magical evenings at The Cellar’s.

Christmas in March. I Fell for Fried Turkey.

Last night I hosted Christmas in March. Man-love was on deployment and despite my best efforts to mail him a turkey, he was unable to enjoy his most desired fried turkey in December. Being the super sweet girlfriend that I am, I wanted him to have his missed Christmas dinner and thanks to my mom and dad there were even Christmas presents!

The big excitement for me was that I would be trying fried turkey for the first time. I’ve heard nothing but good things so I was anxious to check things out myself. I was so impressed. First, it was so moist and delicious; I didn’t even miss gravy as there wasn’t any need as all the flavor was there in the meat. Second, it was fast. What may have taken four hours in the oven only took one hour in the fryer. Third, using the fryer freed the oven to cook sides so that everything was warm and ready at the same time. (I still dream of a kitchen with a double oven.) Finally, it involved the men. While the women prepared the appetizers, sides and desserts the men gathered around the fryer sipping Maker’s Mark cocktails.

It was such a good experience. I’ve never hosted a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. Granted I had a lot of contributors to last night’s meal but I am happy to tuck a meal like that in my apron. As a group we talked about how much we love Christmas dinners and how we should have them quarterly. Next up, Christmas in July?