THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, May 25, 1995 TAG: 9505230122
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 12 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: On The Town
SOURCE: Sam Martinette
LENGTH: Medium: 90 lines
As I sat in a booth at The Downtowner Restaurant last week eating a hot roast beef sandwich with mashed potatoes swimming in beef gravy, I had a flashback to a time long ago when I dined on similar fare at a Hot Shoppes in what is now a First Union Bank office in the nearby SMA building.
In those pre-fast food days I was impressed that a national chain restaurant had come to Norfolk, and every time my parents took me there I ordered a hot turkey sandwich, open-faced, with fries and gravy. Those were simpler times, or so they seemed, and both the food at The Downtowner - which is simple, straightforward and fresh - and the prices are reminiscent of another era.
The Downtowner is operated by the Nagy family, father Joseph, who ran three restaurants in the D.C. area before coming to downtown Norfolk in 1981 to take over what was once the Occidental Restaurant along with his daughter Janet, who runs the front of the house, and her brother Chris, who runs the kitchen. For a time they also operated The Dining Car on 21st Street, but that closed back in '93.
In these adjective-laden times, when a diner needs a copy of the Food Lover's Companion to decipher some menus, it is refreshing to understand at once that chopped steak ($4.95, with two vegetables and a roll) is a half-pound of ground chuck with grilled onion, or that liver and onions ($4.10) is just what it says.
I have no idea, after reading the menu, where the chicken used in a luncheon special such as the Chicken Teriyaki ($4.25 with two vegetables) lived, ranged or played, but I do know that you can order two fried boneless chicken breasts with barbecue sauce on the side and two vegetables (such as whipped potatoes, sauteed mushrooms or rice pilaf) for $4.65.
Hot sandwich specialties include the ``Dallas'' steak and cheese sandwich (thinly sliced rib-eye, topped with mozzarella cheese, shredded lettuce and sliced tomatoes - $2.95), the ``Downtowner'' of grilled ham, melted Swiss, tomato and shredded lettuce ($2.95), or the ``Norfolk'' crabcake sandwich (whole crab meat with no fillers, served on a bun, with tartar sauce and slaw - $3.35).
The hot roast beef sandwich ($4.50) that I mentioned earlier is one of a half-dozen sandwich specials offered daily. Others include the French Dip, with slices of roast beef on French bread, served warm au jus for dipping and steak fries ($4.25); the ``Frisco,'' a marinated, grilled, boneless chicken breast topped with sauteed mushrooms and melted mozzarella cheese and served with fries ($4.50); and the ``Bayou'' a boneless chicken breast spiced and blackened and on a cast-iron skillet, then topped with mozzarella ($4.50, with fries).
There are burgers ($2.75 for a 6-ounce burger) and sandwiches such as a BLT ($2.45) or a Club ($4.45), and you can make any sandwich a platter by adding fries and slaw or potato salad for an additional $1.75.
Fresh salads include a Julienne ($4.45) or a spinach salad ($4.15), and there are Italian dishes on the menu, such as veal parmigiana ($4.65, with a side of spaghetti), or spaghetti with meat sauce ($3.95).
The Downtowner also faxes a list of daily specials to nearby offices, with the soup of the day, the waitress' special (such as Wednesday's navy bean soup and a Virginia ham sandwich for $3.85) and the fresh fish special (grilled or blackened tuna served with two vegetables and rolls - $5.50 - for example). Janet tells me that they will even deliver a mid-afternoon dessert for tea time.
When the family took over the restaurant, Granby Mall was still around. Business improved dramatically once automobile traffic returned to Granby Street, Janet recalled.
``When we moved in, there were three department stores, a Woolworth's and a movie theater still operating,'' she said. ``but we're looking forward to TCC's additions.''
The Downtowner took over the typewriter shop next door a decade back, adding a room for meeting space and private parties, as well as for overflow breakfast or lunch business. With 176 seats, good food and some of the lowest prices in town, The Downtowner Restaurant is a valuable asset to the downtown business community. ILLUSTRATION: Janet Nagy
AT A GLANCE
The Downtowner Restaurant: 209 Granby St.; 627-9469; fax,
622-0532.
Food: breakfast; traditional American fare, steaks, seafood,
salads, etc.; beer and wine.
Prices: most sandwiches $2-$3 range; luncheons and lunch specials
$4 to $6.
Hours: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday; free delivery to
nearby areas.
by CNB