January 2010 Tidewater Women

OUT AND ABOUT
A Dreamy Evening To Remember
by Peggy Sijswerda
full of pieces of shrimp and lump crabmeat. dessert demanded we take our time and
Corn and sugar-snap peas added a sweet enjoy small bites, pausing often to savor
sparkle to the risotto, which was bathed in its intense chocolate ﬂ avor. Kevin said the
a lemony butter sauce. Sugar Plum Bakery down the street, which
My friend ordered the Land & Sea, is staffed by people with disabilities, bakes
which consisted of a certiﬁ ed Angus beef the chocolate tortes for Burtons Grill based
ﬁ let and a choice of either shrimp, scallops, on a recipe from the chef. “It’s a way of
or a pan-seared crab cake. The ﬁ let, cooked connecting with the community,” Kevin
medium rare, pleased us with its ﬂ avor and said.
tenderness, and the crab cake was also a On another visit to Burtons Grill, I
delight, wonderfully rich in crabmeat with sat in the bar area, an inviting space with
a zesty ﬂ avor. The baked potato had a the same relaxing ambiance as the dining
salty, crunchy skin and was ﬂ uffy and light room, and sampled happy-hour offerings.
inside, so we asked Kevin what the secret From 4-7 p.m. Monday through Friday,
was. You simply wet a russet potato, roll you can enjoy $5 cocktails and special beer
it in salt, and then let it sit overnight. “The prices as well as $5 menu items. After my
salt draws the moisture out,” Kevin said, martini arrived, I requested an order of the
which explains the ﬂ uffy interior. Yum. buffalo chicken spring rolls, a surprisingly
Fresh seafood selections offer diners tasty combination of grilled chicken, blue
Burtons Grill in Va. Beach features earthy tones and a calm, relaxing vibe. (Courtesy photo)
the option of ordering a half- or full-sized cheese, and buffalo sauce served in a spring
Welcome to Out and About, a new column years back. “We envisioned a seasonally-
portion of sea scallops, shrimp, and crab roll—practically a meal in itself. My more
about trendy places to go in Tidewater!
inspired, ingredient-driven menu,” Kevin
cakes. Fish entrees, served in hearty eight- health-conscious friend selected the grilled
said. “We also wanted to price our menu
ounce portions, included rockﬁ sh, salmon, stuffed zucchini appetizer, thinly sliced
fter spending an evening at Burtons somewhere between casual and ﬁ ne dining
and ﬂ ounder. Seafood not caught in local zucchini, cooked al dente and rolled into
A
Grill dining with a friend, I was so we could deliver an excellent value for
waters is ﬂ own in daily, our waiter informed a spiral with an herb cheese ﬁ lling. Served
surprised to ﬁ nd we’d lingered our guests.”
us. in a zesty tomato sauce, this appetizer was
nearly three hours there. To me, Indeed the dinner menu offers an
An abundant palette of desserts will also satisfyingly ﬁ lling.
one of the main criteria for a perfect array of price points as low as $10-12 for
please diners with a sweet tooth. Our waiter Whether you choose to eat a quick
dinner out is being encouraged to take your sandwiches and salads. But my friend and
recommended the key lime pie as well as bite in the bar or indulge in the full dining
time. Let’s face it: when you’re spending I were seeking the complete dining experi-
the warmed chocolate torte. The former was experience at Burtons Grill, you’ll ﬁ nd the
hard-earned cash, being rushed is the last ence and began with appetizers. Our waiter
a classic rendition of Florida’s signature food, the atmosphere, and the service deeply
thing you want. Eating out should be a recommended the soup-of-the-day selec-
pie, presented in a round crunchy crust, satisfying. The restaurant’s emphasis on
cumulative experience that’s more than the tion: she crab soup, which was a heavenly
which appeared to be a graham cracker fresh ingredients and creative preparations
sum of its parts (although every component concoction of thick cream with loads of
crust and not the granola crust indicated translates into a meal to remember. ■
of a great meal is important). There should crab and a touch of spice. We also sampled
on the menu, and topped with a dollop
also be a sense of magic to the evening, a the beet salad, gorgeously molded in layers
of whipped cream and a mint leaf. It was Burtons Grill also offers vegan and gluten-
feeling of leaving the real world behind for with goat cheese, delicately sautéed pearl
a perfect balance of ﬂ avors—sweet and free dishes and will be offering a gluten-free
a while and living purely in the moment, so onions, micro greens, and candied walnuts.
tart—and textures—creamy and crunchy. menu with wine pairings on Jan. 31 at 6
that when it’s over, it almost feels almost The beets, chopped ﬁ nely, burst with ﬂ a-
The warmed chocolate torte, served in p.m. For more information: Burtons Grill,
as if you’ve been in a dream. vor, and I ate every bite of this marvelous
a wedge and topped with whipped cream, 741 First Colonial Rd. in Virginia Beach;
That’s what my recent evening at dish.
was also amazing. This rich, ﬂ ourless 757-422-8970 www.burtonsgrill.com
Burtons Grill was like. In case you haven’t Several vegetarian selections were
heard, Burtons Grill is one of Virginia among the featured entrees, including a
Beach’s newest ﬁ ne dining venues. But mushroom ravioli, which Kevin said has a
it’s not stuffy at all. As you enter the dining number of loyal fans. “We have to keep it on
room, you experience a Zen-like transition the menu or they’ll get upset,” he said smil-
New in Town?
from the world of parking lots and neon ing. Other pasta dishes include vegetable
signs to a cozy cocoon-like space where linguini with a house-made tomato sauce
earthy tones and a spa-like interior invite highlighted with cream and reggiano and
you to take a deep breath and relax. You’re asagio cheeses and a lobster and shrimp
in for a treat. pasta, featuring sugar snap peas and fresh
So’s Kim
The Virginia Beach Burtons Grill tomatoes.
is the ﬁ fth location, and the ﬁ rst in our As a risotto fan, I was drawn to try
Read her blog to
area (the others are in Massachusetts and the rockﬁ sh with shrimp and crab risotto,
Connecticut). Kevin Rowell, one of the and as soon as I took my ﬁ rst bite, I knew
ﬁ nd out what it’s
owners, greeted me soon after I arrived I’d picked a winner. Golden bronze rock-
and told me how he and a few friends came ﬁ sh—locally caught, of course—perched
like to be new in
up with the Burtons Grill concept some on top of a nest of creamy risotto chock
town + where to
Coming up
go & what to do.
Sponsored by
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TIDEWATER WOMEN 29
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