I’ve had an entire year to explore new and existing restaurants, breweries and other establishments as The Pilot’s food writer. It has been a delicious one.
I noticed that some places continued to struggle with staffing shortages and higher supply costs, causing longer waits and higher prices as customers adjust to the “new normal” of dining out. Longtime favorites shut down permanently such as Plaza Del Sol in Norfolk. Other entrepreneurs still took the leap and opened restaurants such as the Blackeyed Peas in Virginia Beach, The Point BBQ (seasonal) in Poquoson, and Yoolks on Us in Portsmouth.
I’ve reflected on my meals and sweets of 2023 and I chose 11 of the tastiest.
Make a resolution to visit them all in the New Year.
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Spoon Stack at The Rustic Spoon
1658 Pleasure House Road, Virginia Beach, 757-937-8930; 2133 Upton Drive, Virginia Beach, 757-301-2329; therusticspoonvb.com
My first food find of the year was the Spoon Stack at The Rustic Spoon. It’s a soufflé-style Japanese pancake that is prepared with egg whites whipped into a meringue and it has less flour than traditional pancake mix. No syrup required. Creamy. Light. Heavenly.
Since my visit, The Rustic Spoon opened a second location in Virginia Beach. The cakes are made-to-order and take a minimum of 25 minutes. They are not available on weekends, holidays or to-go.
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Fried pimento sticks at Zinnia
Chrysler Museum of Art, 1 Memorial Place, Norfolk, zinniava.com
It’s time to ditch those mozzarella sticks and upgrade to fried pimento sticks at Zinnia inside the Chrysler Museum of Art. These sticks have a stringy gooeyness with a Southern flair. Yum. The cafe is worth visiting for the sticks alone. Make it a date and visit the museum, too.
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Biscoff Crepe at Lily’s Crepes
717 S. Battlefield Blvd., Chesapeake, 757-644-4237, lilyscrepes.com
My husband, Curtis, described the Biscoff (Lotus) crepe as a “hug for your mouth.” I agree.
Lotus Biscoffs are those cute biscuits — cookies to Americans— Delta Air Lines gives to traveling customers. The company also makes a spread that Lily’s Crepes owner Hassan Hajama uses.
The caramelized gingersnap-ish spread inside the warm Biscoff crepe along with banana slices took me to paradise without having to catch a flight. It was love at first bite, and I got plenty of hugs. I also ate the biscuit that the crepe was garnished with — a nice finish.
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Jalapeno bacon mac and cheese at Matt’s Smackin Macs
13650 Warwick Blvd., Newport News, 804-250-4656, bit.ly/MattsSmackinMacs
Matt’s Smackin Macs lived up to the name. Its jalapeno bacon mac and cheese was rich and smoky with a hint of spice from the grilled jalapenos — a mouthwatering upgrade from the classic. Both were prepared on the stove as opposed to the oven. I enjoyed every moment of the al dente pasta that was soaked in a yellow cheese blend. The portion was large enough for two; I saved some for later. The mac and cheese reheated well in the microwave and brought me comfort for the second time.
The restaurant was far from fancy and only had three tables at the time of my visit. However, I would go back again to try the other eight mac and cheese options. Two were already hitting.
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Empanadas at The Lab Bistro
2608 Horse Pasture Road, Suite 104, Virginia Beach, 757-718-1832; 3972 Holland Road, Virginia Beach, 757-469-0102; thelabbistro.com
All the empanadas at The Lab Bistro — now with a second location — are delicious but the beef one makes my leg shake with delight after each bite. Don’t even think about sharing this homemade savory pastry that’s packed with juicy, seasoned meat.
Get more than one and make it a meal or pair it with the El Cubano sandwich or the Cuban burrito. Superb.
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Deep-fried Philly at Frank’s Monster Munchies Cantina
2710 N. Armistead Ave., Hampton, 757-527-2898, franksmonstermunchies.com
The only way I want my Philly steak and cheese is deep-fried, thanks to Frank’s Monster Munchies Cantina.
Owner and cook Charlie Timms prepares the burrito like the classic sandwich that’s worth the drive through the tunnel. Crispy. Cheesy. Meaty. Not too greasy. It’s served with hot golden fries. Chef’s kiss.
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White Chocolate, White Coffee Ube Latte at Beach Bum Coffee
1136 Lynnhaven Parkway, Virginia Beach, 253-318-8109; bit.ly/BBCoffeeVA
The white chocolate, white coffee ube latte converted me into a coffee drinker. The sweet, creamy and nutty flavors had me swooning from the taste and caffeine.
Allyson Huff, the owner of Beach Bum Coffee, works her magic from a mobile coffee trailer that now sits in front of Cosmo’s Corner, a doggie day care.
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Katsu chicken sandwich at Chick N Roll
1426 N. Battlefield Blvd., Chesapeake; 5660 Portsmouth Blvd., Portsmouth, 757-956-5536; bit.ly/ChickNRoll
The katsu chicken sandwich at Chick N Roll might be one of the best chicken sandwiches in the 757. The breast meat was plump and tender with a crispy, thin exterior. It came on a kaiser bun with a Japanese-style demi-glace sauce that was slightly sweetened. It was dressed to impress with pickles, cabbage, red onions and American cheese. Stunning.
I’ve gone back to the Chesapeake location a few times; the chicken was still rollin’.
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Pear mousse pastry at Krem Bakery & Cafe
2923 Virginia Beach Blvd., Virginia Beach, 757-663-3488; krembakeryandcafe.com
I sighed with pleasure after trying the pear mousse pastry at Krem Bakery & Cafe, which specializes in European desserts.
The chocolate and pear harmonized perfectly. I would’ve never thought to put them together. The crunchy toasted almonds, velvety mousse and spongy cake produced layers of textures and flavors that teleported me to a Parisian bakery. It was a pleasant treat to end my weekend.
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Dolci Pie at Dolcinea pizzeria
1255 Fordham Drive, Virginia Beach, 757-222-0081; dolcineapizzeria.com
Curtis and I are regular customers at Dolcinea and owners Ernie and Kim Warner know a Dolci Pie is our go-to.
The first visit hooked us. We returned two more times that same week, and a hundred more thereafter — OK 99.
We tasted the pizza’s freshness from the crumbled sausage topping to the slow-simmered tomato sauce to the golden bottom crust with the crispy edges.
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Paella at Tinto Wine & Cheese
2129 General Booth Blvd., Virginia Beach, 757-301-3535; 640 Hilltop West Shopping Center, Virginia Beach, 757-422-1000; 236 Carmichael Way, Chesapeake, 757-204-4647; 707 Mariners Row, Newport News, 757-223-1175; tintowineandcheese.com
My honorable mention is the paella at Tinto Wine & Cheese. The shop hosts Paella Night once a month catered by Chef Daniel Domingo, owner of the Land of Saffron and a native of Spain.
The Spanish rice dish, which included chicken, shrimp and mussels, smelled spicy. It had a magnificent combination of perfectly cooked seafood, seared poultry and slightly charred rice that was unforgettable. It didn’t compare to any paella I had before. I felt like I was eating a piece of history. Some historians date paella back hundreds of years to the region of Valencia where Domingo was born.
Rekaya Gibson, 757-295-8809, rekaya.gibson@virginiamedia.com; on X, @gibsonrekaya
