If a magic genie appeared and asked what restaurant you
would select to share a superb seafood dinner with friends, what would you
say?
For me, it would have to be a restaurant with a great
waterfront vista in a quaint seaside village.
And, of course, it would have to have delicious, fresh,
local seafood. In other words, it would be a restaurant like the Island
House, in the Eastern Shore village of Wachapreague.
The Island House was opened six years ago by husband
and wife, Blake and Martha Johnson. �Opening our restaurant was our answer
to getting back to important things in life. We wanted to open a restaurant
that would cater to everyone wearing flip-flops to neckties,� said Martha.
The Island House shows up on a number of superlative
lists of the Best Restaurants in Virginia. I asked Blake how the restaurant
has achieved such recognition in its short existence. He responded that,
�First, it is the quality of local seafood and vegetables, and second is the
dining experience. I try to apply my experience and training I gained in the
Navy, such as the importance of honesty, integrity and promptness.� It�s
obvious that the Island House is run like a well-tuned clock.
The Island House menu offers a bounty of local seafood
delights. One of the great things about sharing dinner with friends is the
opportunity to also share �bites� of food. Dining should be a pleasurable
adventure and I truly enjoy the opportunity to try food prepared in
different ways.
One item from the Light Fare selections that caught my
eye was Oysters Parramore. This dish consists of six Sewansecott oysters
topped with fresh lump crabmeat baked to a golden brown and served with a
signature sauce. For those who love oysters, you already know that Eastern
Shore oysters are a highly prized delight. I am one of those oyster lovers
who enjoys oysters from both the bay side and ocean side of the shore. Both
types of oysters have distinctive tastes and both are delicious.
Our table shared fresh, blackened tuna �bites� with a
swirl of Sriracha sauce. The Light Fare items all sounded great and it would
be a temptation to start at the top of the list and make your way to the
bottom, especially the different oyster items. The Light Fare prices range
from $7.99 to $19.99.
For the main entr�es, our table selected seared
scallops, broiled flounder, and the house signature dish of crab cakes. Let
me assure you, they were all delicious! I particularly liked my selection of
the crab cakes. These crab cakes had very little, if any, filler and were
broiled to bring out the rich natural flavor. The flounder was very thick
and seasoned just right.
Often, side dishes take a back seat to the entr�e
items. However, not at the Island House. In my opinion, one of the things
that sets a good restaurant apart is how well side dishes complement the
main entr�e. I had sides of sweet-potato fries and slaw, all from locally
grown produce. The sweet potatoes were thick and meaty. The slaw was crisp
and served with a light, sweet, white sauce.
I would be remiss if I didn�t mention two other items.
The Island House offers a �Build Your Own Surf �n Turf� where you start with
an 8-ounce sirloin steak and then add either crab cake, shrimp, scallops or
oysters. Also, the Island House has fabulous sweet-potato biscuits. Light
and spread with butter, these are the things of which dreams are made.
Entr�es range from $11.99 to $26.99.
Another treat � dessert! Already content, now I am
really content, but our table decided to split another house specialty,
chocolate bread pudding with a Crown Royal cr�me anglaise. This dessert was
unlike any I have tried. It was creamy, rich and no one wanted to put down
his or her spoon. In the end, there was nothing left!
The entire dining experience was a great success and,
even though it was a six-hour drive over to the Shore and back, I would
gladly do it again and again in order to try other items and enjoy the
superb service.
If you have a place you�ve enjoyed more than once,
please email me and let me know. All the restaurants I visit are suggested
by readers of Cooperative Living magazine. Email: [email protected].
Island House Restaurant & Marina
