As I was staying at the plantation several weeks ago, I had the chance to visit two local restaurants in the area. If you visit the area, these are some wonderful places to stop and eat.

My first stop was with Brett at Fujiya House, a Japanese Steakhouse. It is located in Fredericksburg in the Central Park area. Just so you know, Central Park is a shopping and dining mecca.  With hundreds of places to shop and eat, you never run out of choices.

If you haven’t figured it out yet, I love Asian Food. So I love trying new places to see how good they are. This Japanese Steakhouse was really good.

The inside is open and inviting with what I have come to expect from a Hibachi style restaurant. Grills and a Sushi Bar with tons of fun watching the chef cook our food.

No sushi for me this night. Brett and I both had a steak entree with Brett adding scallops and I added shrimp. Our meal started with a clear chicken soup and was followed by a salad with a ginger house dressing.

Brett ate his scallops so fast, I couldn’t get a picture of it!

With a colorfully decorated room, this was a fun place to enjoy a dinner out.

You can visit Fujiya House’s website at http://fujiyahouse.com/ to see more of their wonderful restaurant.

Our next stop was in Colonial Beach, Virginia. Colonial Beach is located just 20 miles from Belle Grove and it’s beach is on the Potomac River. There are several restaurants there and some wonderful artists that have shops in the downtown area.

We decided to visit Seaside Thai and French Restaurant. This is a “fusion style” restaurant that combines Thai and French Cuisine. We have eaten here before and loved it so it wasn’t a hard choice to go back.

The restaurant is in an older Dutch style home, but is decorated wonderfully.

We started out with a Thai appetizer called “Satay”. This appetizer is skewered and grilled chicken served with a special Seaside House Peanut Sauce and Cucumber relish. This relish is to die for! I could have eaten it and been just as happy!

Brett and I both ordered the same entree, Bistro Filet Mignon. This wonderful steak was cooked to perfection and was served with Shallot and Red Wine Sauce with a side of Roasted Herb Potatoes and Vegetables.

But we didn’t stop there! We decided to order dessert!

Brett had a bowl of Coconut Ice Cream…

I had a Fried Banana drizzle with sweet honey and sprinkled with sesame seeds and served with Vanilla Ice Cream!

It was all very wonderful! Brett and I agree this is a great place for dinner and will be returning soon!

You can visit Seaside’s website at http://www.seaside-va.com/ to see more of their wonderful food!

To see more places we have visited

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Hurley watching a Christmas Show

With the loss of my mother last month, the one holiday I was dreading most was Christmas. Being that the emotions were still really fresh, I knew that it was going to be really hard getting through it without a lot of tears. So I asked my family if they would help me out this year by not making Christmas a big holiday as we always do. All I can say is I love my family. They sacrificed the decorations, the Christmas cards and the huge meal I always cook each year to help me make it through without being a basket case.

I can’t say I didn’t cry this Christmas Season. One that caught me off guard was when we were visiting the BBQ Exchange in Gordonsville for lunch just before we went to Montpelier for the Candle Light Tour. The weekend had been really nice. It was the first weekend we had gone away since my mother’s death and I was doing pretty well. As we sat talking and enjoying our meal, we could hear Christmas songs in the restaurant. All of a sudden the song, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” came on. I fought really hard. I tried to ignore it. I tried to focus on something funny at the table. I even looked around to see if I could focus on someone else almost in an attempt to draw a smile out of myself. But it wasn’t going to happen. Before I could stop it, tears started flowing. I allowed them to and tried to do it in a way that no one would notice. A few minutes later, Brett looked up and realized that I was crying. It only took a second I think for him to understand why. As I wiped the tears away, I tried to smile and said that I was sorry, the song just got me. The song ended and I was okay again.

But since we didn’t have the huge meal of years past, I wanted to do something special for my family who give up so much for me. So I made reservation at one of our high end restaurants in Virginia Beach. At first, I wanted to go to Ruth’s Chris Steak House, but I was a little late in getting the reservation. So instead we decided to go to McCormick and Schmicks. It was really a wonderful time. We brought my father and my son’s girlfriend along for the evening. If you haven’t tried it, you need to go. The food was out of this world.

But don’t worry, by next Christmas we will be in the plantation and will have lots of wonderful decorations and celebrations. New Years is coming and I have a traditional New Year’s dinner planned at home! It’s a new year and a new chapter that we will be starting soon.

McCormick and Schmick
Virginia Beach, Virginia

McCormick and Schmick
Bar

McCormick and Schmick
Dining Room

Meet the Family

Pawpaw and Tyler

Tyler and Leah, his girlfriend

Alexa and Brett

Brett and Michelle

STOP!

If  you are hungry, don’t go any further! 

You have been warned! 

Shrimp Kisses
Shrimp stuffed with Pepper Jack Cheese and wrapped in Bacon. It is served on a bed of corn with red and green peppers and a touch of cayenne pepper.

Crab Soup

Chicken and Wild Mushroom Cajun Pasta

Shrimp and Andouille Macaroni and Cheese

Parmesan Encrusted Chicken with Lemon Butter and Capers. Served with Linguine Alfredo and Roasted, Marinated Grape Tomatoes

Ultimate Seafood Platter
with Shrimp, Scallops, Salmon and Stuffed Shrimp. Served with Mash Potatoes and Vegetables.

Stuffed Shrimp
Served with Mash Potatoes and Vegetables.

See More Food Pictures on our Facebook Page!

Don’t forget to keep your favorite Cookie Recipe close at hand!

A big announcement coming soon!

Elmwood at Sparks

After we arrived at Holladay House Inn, we knew where we wanted to get dinner. In October we had come to Orange, Virginia to celebrate our anniversary and had eaten at Elmwood at Sparks Restaurant. So we knew how good it was and looked forward to another great meal.

Just as before, we made last minute reservations through our bed and breakfast, Holladay House Inn. With little notice, we were able to get in within minutes, even though they were very busy. We are even able to sit at our original table as we had for our anniversary. We were greeted by the waitress that helped us before and remembering her name I greeted her with it. She was surprised that I remembered. I have to say our last visit had been such a wonderful delight that it wasn’t hard to recall those that made it so good. Kristen got our drinks and allowed us time to read over the menu.

Kristen
Elmwood at Sparks

We quickly knew just want we wanted. I ordered a starter of Shrimp and Parmesan Grits with Shallots, Herbs, Tomatoes and Chardonnay Butter, which I enjoyed the last time I came and a Filet Mignon with Wild Mushroom Risotto and Roasted Vegetables. Brett ordered the Creamy Mushrooms and Penna Pasta Roasted Red Peppers, Parmesan, Belchamel, Basil Pesto and Toasted Pine Nuts which he had the last time as well.

Shrimp and Parmesan Grits with Shallots, Herbs, Tomatoes and Chardonnay Butter

Filet Mignon with Wild Mushroom Risotto and Roasted Vegetables

Creamy Mushrooms and Penna Pasta Roasted Red Peppers, Parmesan, Belchamel, Basil Pesto and Toasted Pine Nuts

As we waited for our starter, the Chef Cooper peeked out from behind the counter which was very close to our table and asked us how our Bed and Breakfast was coming. We were very surprised since we had only been there once before and were not local residence or business. How wonderful that he remembered!

The food was out of this world as it had been before. After we finished we ordered a single dessert of Crepes with Maple Butter Sauce and Pumpkin Ice Cream. As we finished, we spoke to Kristen and enjoyed the very special customer service she offered. We left wishing that they were closer to us so we could enjoy their wonderful food, gracious customer service and warm atmosphere more often.

Crepes with Maple Butter Sauce and Pumpkin Ice Cream

The Sparks Building is a historic two and one half story Federal period commercial and domestic building that was built around 1830 for James Forbes. There has been some exterior alterations with include the construction of modern store front; the Sparks Building still retains much of its original material. The Sparks Butchery & Deli was located on the west side of the building in 1902.

When Chef Randy Cooper opened Elmwood at Sparks, the cafe had formerly offered a deli menu. Executive Chef Randy Cooper was trained in classical French and New American cuisine at Johnson & Wales University. Over the past fourteen years Chef Cooper has worked in many prestigious restaurants including Vista Verde Guest Ranch in Steamboat Springs, Colorado as Chef de Tourant; Boar’s Hear Inn as Chef de Cuisine; Ivy Inn as Sous Chef; Glenmore Country Club as the Fine Dining Chef, and most recently, as the Executive Chef of the Grille at Prince Michel Vineyards, receiving the coveted Four Diamond AAA rating.

Looking for those who are dedicated to natural and sustainable farming and seeking the best of local ingredients, Chef Cooper has quickly made Elmwood at Sparks a local favorite. Using his southern heritage along with his training, Chef Cooper will frequently change his menu to reflect the season and availability. Chef Cooper also showcases his ability to sift from a casual lunch stop to a fine dining restaurant in the evening. It is the evening menu that Chef Cooper culinary skills shine.

www.elmwoodcatering.com

Whether Chef Cooper is offering a lunch menu, dinner menu or a catered event, according to his web site he stands by his philosophy that “It’s all about the food – whether customers want to grab a quick sandwich to take back to the office or dine here. Using the best products, I use my menu to offer quality dishes.”