Saltine in Norfolk

During/after a drinking event, it is crucial to find food. This past weekend, I attended the Fall Town Point Virginia Wine Festival in Norfolk. The wine festival features unlimited tastings from over 25 wineries, and a few meaderies, in the state. The event blew by as my friend Zoe and I went from table to table trying as many wine varietals as possible (and even finishing a bottle of our favorite My Peach Beach from Mermaid Winery). As we were being ushered out, we realized we desperately needed to eat, so Zoe suggested Saltine.

Saltine is a chic seafood restaurant located in The Main, a Hilton hotel in downtown Norfolk. I’ve tried a couple of The Main’s restaurants including Grain, the rooftop bar and restaurant, and Varia, the hotel’s Italian restaurant and wine bar.

Saltine’s menu honors the Coastal Virginia region’s love and dedication to seafood. The restaurant has partnered with local growers and watermen, as well as the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, to serve fresh, seasonal and locally grown ingredients.

When you walk into the restaurant, you immediately see the sleek bar along with plenty of fish and raw oysters displayed on ice. The bar area was pretty crowded, but it took no time for us to be seated in the dining room, located in the back of the restaurant, even without a reservation.

While I felt totally under dressed, as we were surrounded by diners who were clearly having a night out on the town, we were still seated, and no one said anything about a dress code. Our friendly server Nichole came by and explained a bit more about the restaurant to us.

Saltine is dedicated to serving fine, seasonal seafood along with handcrafted cocktails. While we passed on the cocktails, since we were pretty wined out, we did jump right into the menu to see which high-end seafood dish we wanted to order.

Zoe and I both started with a cup of the Becca’s She Crab Soup. As you may or may not know, I attended the 2018 East Coast She Crab Soup Classic and lowkey consider myself a She Crab Soup aficionado. For me, the hallmarks of a great She Crab Soup are rich flavor, moderate body and plenty of lump crab meat.

Click here to read more about the East Coast She Crab Soup Classic.

The She Crab Soup at Saltine had a simpler body and base flavors. It was good for a cream of crab soup but lacked the bold flavor from the sherry that I enjoy. At the center of the soup was a pile of crab meat sprinkled with crab seasoning. Zoe and I both agreed that the soup could’ve used more crab throughout.

Nevertheless, I spooned out the very last drop of the soup before waiting for our entrée. Saltine offers a signature whole fish from the restaurant’s Fish Room. Diners pass by the Fish Room on their way to the hostess stand in the restaurant. I did see someone order the Salt Baked Rockfish and debated doing the same, but I was in the mood for something different.

Zoe and I both ordered the Seared Diver Scallops. I’d been craving scallops since I nibbled on my mom’s scallop dish from Ouzo Bay in Baltimore. Whenever I do order scallops, I’m concerned about the number I’ll receive and the size. Higher end restaurants serve large bay scallops, so I had high hopes for Saltine.

Click here to read more about Ouzo Bay in Baltimore.

Not only did Saltine reach my mark with their Seared Diver Scallops entrée, they surpassed it. Four of the largest scallops I’ve ever enjoyed came perfectly seasoned and seared on both sides. The scallops were complemented by a creamy Boursin cheese risotto and grilled broccolini, topped with crispy parsnips. The plate got a pop of color and a touch of acidity thanks to the Cheshire beurre rouge sauce (which is fancy speak for a red butter sauce).

One of the coolest features on Saltine’s menu is the ceviche and poké cart. The restaurant’s in-house seafood experts will prepare and serve ceviche or poké tableside on a rolling ice trolley. No seafood restaurant is complete without a raw bar. Saltine boasts a daily selection of oysters on the half shell, along with clams, peel-and-eat shrimp and a jumbo shrimp cocktail. If you aren’t a fan of seafood but have been dragged out by someone who is, no worries. Saltine also has entrees for meat lovers, including chicken, pork, lamb and a filet mignon.

By the end of our meal, we were entirely too full to even contemplate dessert. I certainly plan on returning to Saltine and checking out the restaurant’s week-day Happy Hour specials, Saturday brunch or the Lobster Main-ia on Sundays and Mondays.

Saltine is located at 100 E. Main St., Norfolk.