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| Freemason Abbey Restaurant (photo courtesy of freemasonabbey.com) |
Who ever thought an 1873 Presbyterian church would one day be a casual fine dining restaurant in downtown Norfolk? With church pew inspired booths, a high vaulted ceiling, and slender detailed stain glass windows, Freemason Abbey Restaurant combines history with today and serves food that can be the best example of casual elegance. Located at the corner of Boush Street and Freemason Street in Norfolk, Freemason Abbey's grey stone facade stands unique amongst the modern buildings that line the street.
This week is Downtown Norfolk Restaurant Week (July 17- July 24). My friend, Pam, and I decided to enjoy the opportunity of once again eating at a participating restaurant that would offer a 3 course meal priced at either 20.00 or 30.00. This time around we decided that Freemason Abbey would be our visit. Our friend, Evan joined us as well as my mom and Pam's mom. The 5 of us definitely took advantage of the offerings from the Restaurant Week menu. I opted to go for the selections of the 30.00 menu. On the menu, the appetizer choices were a cup of she-crab soup, calamari, Autumn greens and spinach salad. Entrees were prime rib, ravioli, or a flat iron steak. For dessert, one can choose from lemon berry marscapone cake, Bailey's Irish Creme cheesecake, or banana chocolate chip cake. So here's how MY night went with the selections I decided on:
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| She-Crab Soup |
For starters, it was a toss up between the she-crab soup and the fried calamari. I love both dishes but I decided to go for the she- crab soup. Being that it was a bit chilly inside the restaurant, it was easy to decide on the soup. And a good decision it was. With fresh crab mixed within the creamy broth, the one thing this soup lacked was a saltiness-- which is a GOOD thing. I can't stand a she-crab soup that has the right amount of sherry and spice and then too much salt. This serving was thick, creamy, and had just the right amount of heat. But most of all, the flavors meld together perfectly. The flavor of the crab didn't get lost in the soup and I enjoyed the peppery flavor in the cream.
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| Flat iron steak w/seasoned broil shrimp, asparagus, goat's cheese smashed potatoes, and a crab cake |
Next up is the second course- the entree. It was easy for me to decide on getting the flat iron steak. I've never eaten a flat iron cut of steak so I was excited to discover it's tenderness, juiciness, and meatiness. There was just the perfect blend of spices and seasoning used as a rub on the steak. There was so much flavor and moisture in the steak that steak sauce wasn't even necessary. Alongside the steak, the entree also included seasoned broiled shrimp, grilled asparagus, goat cheese smashed potatoes, and a crab cake. The broiled shrimp, I have to say, was just a bit salty. Nothing to complain about too much. It was still tasty. There was a harmonious level of seasoning in the entree with the other items. The salty seasoned shrimp just tip the balance of that harmony just a tad. The crab cake was actually filled with CRAB. With very little (if any) fillers, the crab cake had plenty of meat, the right amount of seasoning to wake up that crab flavor, and just the right about of crisp from the pan searing to hold it all together. The goat cheese smashed potatoes was actually the component of this entree that I was really looking forward to eating. I love potatoes and I love goat's cheese. To see these two ingredients combined together created anticipation in my palette.
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| Lemon Berry Marscapone Cake |
Finally, it's dessert time. And we're not talking small helpings. I had a slice of the lemon berry marscapone cake. This slice is comprised of 2 slices of lemon cake filled with raspberries and blueberries. In between the cake layers is a creamy and delicious layer of marscapone cheese. With a nice cake crumb coating on the side, the cake was the perfect ending to a wonderful dinner.
All in all, I like the idea of fine dining with a casual atmosphere. You can relax and enjoy the company of friends and family while at the same time have the pleasure of divulging yourself with food that takes simplicity to an upscale level. What impressed me as well was the fact that this restaurant constantly has excellent specials to offer their patrons. We're talking dinner for two for only 30.00 as well as nightly specials on selected items. For the month of the August, Freemason Abbey will be offering 3 Course dinners for only $22.00 to commemorate their 22nd anniversary. If you've never experienced a meal at Freemason Abbey, August would certainly be the best time to take advantage of that opportunity. I most certainly will eat here again. Although taking advantage of the restaurant week menu allowed me to save some money, I do have to note that the selections on the menu are on the average of 19.00+. But if you check their website and find out what specials they are offering, you can enjoy the lunch or dinner experience at Freemason Abbey and still keep it within a comfortable budget.
Freemason Abbey is located at 209 W. Freemason Street, Norfolk, VA 23510
Website:http://www.freemasonabbey.com
