Blue Crab

Blue Crab
4521 Pretty Lake Ave.
Norfolk, VA 23518


Phone: [phone]


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On a recent Sunday evening, after enjoying a matinee showing of the opera Carmen, a group of six of us drove to the Ocean View area of Norfolk to enjoy the culinary skills and culinary genius of the chef, Gary Barner. And what a delightful meal we had!

Starting out with a cup of she crab soup, we knew we were in for a treat of a meal. The recipe was unique and one of the best she crab soups I had ever tasted. Ask me to describe it and I'll say try it. There are no words to do the soup justice.

One of the specials that evening was a rack of lamb, blackened. Now, lamb is one of my favorite meats, if it is cooked right, and so far few restaurants know how to do well with lamb. In other restaurants I enjoy, they don't do lamb well. That said, I highly recommend Blue Crab's lamb. It was perfectly done; a unique combination of garlic and other spices complemented the perfectly cooked lamb very well. The flavor of the meat came through deliciously, causing my taste buds to tingle and to sing out joyously. Mashed potatoes and a flavorful gravy-like, au jus-like sauce accompanied the lamb. To say the combination was divine is no exaggeration.

Another member of our party ordered baked pork chop and you should have seen his eyes light up and ours open in surprise at the size of the chop -- at least an inch and a half, if not two inches thick. The report was, as my friend Doug mumbled past the huge and flavorful pork chop, highly complimentary and full of recommendations for us to try the chop.

Another friend, Joe, ordered oyster, shrimp and scallops with an andouille and a fresh herb cream sauce, served on top of fettuccini. He also raved about the taste and highly recommends it to all.

My wife ordered another delightful dish, scallops bianca. That was sea scallops, baked in garlic, butter, white wine, fresh basil, and topped with Parmesan cheese. I was told it, too, was delicious, and it certainly smelled wonderful.

The Blue Crab’s menu includes a varied choice of seafood, including Shrimp Savoy, Linguine de la Mer, some of the best crab cakes you’ll ever taste, pasta encrusted salmon and a shrimp and scallop etouffee. Each menu item sounds as if it would satisfy the most fussy seafood aficionado.

For those who prefer, the menu also includes maple leaf boneless duck breast, smoked with pecan wood and served with ginger plumb sauce. There is also a chicken limone and a filet mignon. Specials are added to the menu as well.

Since it was my wife’s birthday (her 23rd, I believe), she was served a chocolate cheesecake that several of the party tried and went into ecstasy over. I was too full to try any, but can attest to the moans of happiness from those who did.

The Blue Crab is a fine place for fine dining, with a nice wine selection as well as a full bar. They accept major credit cards and are an ideal place to visit for a quality dining experience. You may want to call ahead for reservations.