We’re excited to be a Living 757 regular contributor, letting folks know about all the good eats and good drinks across Coastal Virginia.
Here’s what we discussed on the June 15, 2021 show. Miss the episode? Check it out on Living 757’s Facebook, www.facebook.com/Living757tv
EATS | SCOTTY QUIXX
Scotty Quixx is a favored fixture in Virginia Beach’s London Bridge neighborhood.
The small-ish pub, located in London Bridge Shoppes, is Cheers-like. Owners Marc and Crystal Ford seem to know most people who wander in, and small groups of friends are often huddled near one of the many televisions usually broadcasting some sporting event.
The restaurant resented added some new menu items, and we wanted to share them with Living 757 viewers.
Here are the two eats we sampled:
+ The Litigator, a big sandwich: a hoagie roll is split in half and filled with avocado spread, provolone cheese, and grilled turkey and garnished with coleslaw and tomato slices. Potato chips come on the side.
+ Shrimp and Crab Fondue, served with blue and white tortilla chips
Here are the two drinks we sampled:
+ Broken Bones Margarita, a combination of Belle Isle Honey Habanero Moonshine ( crafted in Virginia; www.BelleIsleCraftSpirits.com ), tequila, triple sec, and sour mix.
+ Sand to the Beach, a combination of coconut rum, Rumchata, and pineapple juice.
We also showcased Scotty Quixx’s housemade pork rinds, which are sold hot to enjoy at the restaurant, or in bags to take home. A number of flavors are available on the rinds, including the Old Bay seasoning in the segment.
One of our favorite ways to enjoy pork rinds is as a base for our Southern Nachos, which are topped with homemade pimento cheese and other great things. If you’d like the recipe for our Southern Nachos, email Patrick@VirginiaEatsAndDrinks.com with “Southern Nachos” as the subject.
RSVP
Scotty Quixx West
www.facebook.com/ScottyQuixxWest
2404 Virginia Beach Blvd., Virginia Beach
757-965-7711
DRINKS | ROSE’ ALL DAY WITH WINE TASTING TIPS
If summer had an official wine, it would surely be rose’.
Crisp and refreshing, the slight pink hue – which comes from the juice having limited contact with grape skins – sets the mood for lighthearted affairs.
The wine we sampled in the segment was a Domaine La Face Miraflors, hand-selected from super sommelier Marc Sauter, one of the owners at the tony Zoes Steak and Seafood restaurant in Virginia Beach’s ViBe Creative District.
Sauter oversees wine operations at Zoes, which includes a wine shop with countless, quality selections to take home and enjoy.
Miraflors’ winemaker describes the vintage as, “Pale rose, iodine, spicy, mineral nose. Ample minerality as well as a medium-bodied, racy profile on the palate.” The wine, which comes from the Côtes Catalanes region of southern France, is 50% Mourvèdre, 30% Grenache Gris, and 20% Grenache noir.
Make the most of your wine enjoyment with a few simple guidelines:
TOP 10 TIPS ON SWIRLING AND SIPPING
We’ve all seen folks do it; swirl a glass of wine, stick their nose down in it, and take a delicate little sip before declaring it magnifique. Well, you don’t have to be quite that dramatic, but there are ways to swirl and sip to fully enjoy a glass of wine. Here’s how:
1. Hold the wine glass up to light and look at it. Is it clear and clean or cloudy with sediment?
2. Hold the wine glass up against a white background, like a sheet of paper. Is the color typical of that varietal? Start taking notes of the different hues that you see so you’ll recognize if a color is typical for that type.
3. Keep a tasting log – either a notebook or on an app on your smartphone – and include three or four colors you see. Use terms that resonate with you, like “buttery yellow” or “bright lavender.”
4. Swirl the wine glass around just a little bit – not much. Get some air down into the wine. Now bring the glass up to your nose and smell. Like with the color, is the aroma typical of that varietal?
5. As with looking at the wine’s color, take notes so you’ll have a reference as to the aromas produced by different wines. In your tasting log, include three or four notes you pick up, again with terms you understand, like “ripe cherry” or “floral.”
6. Swirl the wine glass around again and take a small sip. Hold it on your tongue a minute. Consider the body of the wine. Is it appropriate for the varietal type?
7. When thinking about body, consider these guidelines: a light bodied wine feels in your mouth a bit like skim milk does – that same weight. Likewise, a medium bodied wine can mimic the body of whole milk, while a full-bodied wine is reminiscent of the weight of heavy cream in the mouth. Take note in your tasting journal as to the wine’s body.
8. Swirl slightly again and take another small sip, breathing in as you do. Notice the flavors, and if the wine is pleasant. Take note in your tasting log, and write down three or four tastes you pick up with words and phrases that mean something to you, like “smoky” or “lemon zest.”
9. After swirling again, have another sip. Think about the taste of the wine after you’ve swallowed it. Did the flavor linger, or taper off? Did the finish end abruptly. Was there any harshness or off flavors? Write down your observations in your tasting log.
10. As you finish the wine, make notes about your overall impressions then, while they are fresh in your mind. Did you enjoy it, or not? And why? How would you serve the wine – with food or perhaps out by the pool on its on? If you poured it with a meal, what dishes do you think would go with it?
If you’d like a free guide on starting your own wine journal, email Patrick@VirginiaEatsAndDrinks.com with “Wine Journal” as the subject.
RSVP
Zoes Steak and Seafood
713 19th St., Virginia Beach
757-437-3636
FOOD NEWS YOU CAN USE
Here’s the latest in Coastal Virginia’s cuisine scene:
+ Rodman’s Bar-B-Que, a favorite for barbecue and other Southern eats since 1929, was recently forced to close their sole Bennett’s Creek location in Suffolk. But ‘q lovers can rejoice: the venerable eatery has found new location in Chesapeake’s Western Branch. The opening date has yet to be announced, but we’ll give you the delish details when we find out more.
For more, visit www.RodmansBarBQ.com
+ Happy Anniversary to Westside Produce & Provisions. Our favorite green grocer, a charming store with a mix of farm fresh produce and quality Made in Virginia items, recently turned 9. Treat yourself to this North Colley/Ghent market soon.
Westside Produce & Provisions is at 5015 Colley Ave., Norfolk. Call 757-962-1961 or visit www.WestsideProduceAndProvisions.com
+ Well Hung Provisions is a new service that offers dockside dishes for boaters at Rudee Inlet in Virginia Beach on the morning of departure. . The business provides freshly-made lunches served in individually insulated bags with a drink, chips, condiments, napkins, utensils and a sandwich of choice. Sandwich options include The Grinder, Turkey & Cheese, Ham & Cheese, and Old School Vegetarian.
For more, visit www.YouFishWeDish.com
+ Master baker Stella Pomianek of her namesake Cafe Stella’s in Norfolk’s Ghent, supplements all the gourmet goodies with a Whoopie Pie of the Month. Now through June 30, stop in for a Blueberry Lemon Whoopie Pie, which is airy and light and reflects the flavors of summer. The cost is $4.50 and proceeds benefit free programming from Virginia Eats + Drinks.
Cafe Stella is at 1907 Colonial Ave., Norfolk. Call 757-625-0461 or visit www.CafeStellaRoasters.com
MORE EATS + DRINKS
Get all the information from today’s Virginia Eats + Drinks on Living 757 segment plus more: giveaways, recipes, tips, and tricks on our website, www.VirginiaEatsAndDrinks.com
And be sure to join the conversation on our Facebook group, www.facebook.com/groups/VirginiaEatsAndDrinks
If you’re a foodie who loves to cook, check out Cooking From the Heart for recipes you’re sure to love.
But if simply eating is your thing, here are the Top 50 Places to Dine to dine in Hampton Roads.
