THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 24, 1994 TAG: 9407210052
SECTION: FLAVOR PAGE: F3 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: CHAIN REACTION
SOURCE: BROWN CARPENTER
LENGTH: Medium: 80 lines
WELCOME TO the world of comfort food, Southern-style.
Grandma's spirit is alive and well in the kitchen of The Black-eyed Pea, a Dallas-based corporation whose founders figure America needs a break from pasta, goat cheese, roasted garlic and calorie counting.
The Pea has two outlets in Hampton Roads: 675 Phoenix Drive, near Lynnhaven Mall in Virginia Beach, and 1432 Greenbrier Parkway, close to Greenbrier Mall in Chesapeake.
Our party of four adults and two children, one just a year old, dined at the Beach restaurant.
We brought our appetites. Good thing, too. The menu offered stick-to-your-ribs, no-nonsense fare. Grandma's spirit seemed to say, ``Eat, eat, there's more on the stove.''
The menu was a cornucopia of meatloaf, pot roast, chicken fried steak with gravy, catfish, smothered steak and barbecued ribs and chicken.
We started with an old chain restaurant staple from the appetizer list: fried mushrooms with honey mustard sauce for $3.79. The mushrooms were succulent; the sauce zesty; and the appetizer was gone in no time.
The entree vegetables were straight out of Dixie. Green beans (how come they don't call them ``snaps''?) were cooked sufficiently in pork to make them tender and tasty, the squash was mashed (mushed is more descriptive) into a casserole and nicely onionized, and the potatoes, also mashed, and gravy were as filling as traditional Thanksgiving spuds.
Only the fried okra didn't get raves. Too bland.
There was even fried corn-on-the-cob, but that seemed over-reaching. Nobody ordered it.
Black-eyed peas or red beans and rice are a less filling option if you don't want to overeat or wish to avoid fried dishes.
Three of us went for meat dishes. The pot roast was indeed fork-cutting tender and juicy, just as the menu promised. Plenty of rich gravy - not au jus - made this entree a real nostalgia trip.
The barbecue combo - pork ribs and chicken - was spicy without being overly piquant. The tomato-based sauces were different for each meat. The ribs were lean, the chicken sufficiently moist and not overcooked.
We also opted for the daily special. Since this was a Thursday, the entree was Smothered Steak. It wasn't a great cut of meat but was well tenderized and topped with a rich mushroom-onion gravy, all served over rice.
One diner dissented from the non-calorie counters and ordered from the Pea's salads, the chain's offering to those watching their diets. She picked the Southwest Salad, a Tex-Mex concoction featuring a choice of chicken or tuna (a Caesar salad and house salad are also available).
This was a big disappointment. The soggy tortilla chips indicated the salad wasn't freshly prepared. In fairness to the Pea, the same salad was bought during an earlier visit and proved to be very crunchy.
The Pea fills you up without emptying your wallet. The most expensive item we ordered was the pot roast at $7.19, which included two vegetables and a serving of delicious rolls and cornbread.
Nothing is more than $8.
The Sandwiches & Spuds entrees are all less than $5 and are hardly light fare: Mom's Meatloaf Stuffed Potato, Juicy Pot Roast Stuffed Potato, Half-Pound Hamburger Deluxe.
Beer and wine are available, but the ambience of the Pea suggests iced tea. For $1.10, you get a 32-ounce tumbler and free refills.
The restaurant is also kid-friendly. Children are given their own menus and a box of crayons to use on the paper mats.
The 6-year-old enjoyed her burger and snaps. The 1-year-old happily ate from the adult plates.
The staff was well-mannered and helpful.
The desserts are right out of an old-fashioned diner. We enjoyed Chocolate Fudge Bundt Cake ($2.95), lemon pie ($2.35) and strawberry shortcake ($2.35).
We were stuffed when we got the bill.
Oh yes, the Pea takes checks. And all the meals are available as take-out - in large quantities if you have a lot of hungry mouths to feed. MEMO: Chain Reaction is a biweekly review of chain restaurants with stores in
Hampton Roads. Reviews are based on a single, unannounced visit by a
party of two or three, unless otherwise noted. The Virginian-Pilot and
The Ledger-Star pay for the reviewer's meal and those of the guests. by CNB