1 Fish, 2 Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish

Earlier this week I ventured down to Norfolk, VA for my real job as a PR rep for a writer’s seminar. We took our writer’s out to one of our favorite restaurants in Virginia Beach: One Fish Two Fish. This restaurant prides itself as an alternative to formal dining, the “upscale without the uppity,” if you will. This ambience is created by the restaurant’s casual waterfront atmosphere (with boat access) that is centered around a large exhibition kitchen, providing exquisite views of the Bay.

The cuisine is described as a blend of California style with fresh, local seafood and organic produce. Being at a seminar where the goal is to wine and dine our writers, our client spared no expense in what we ate. As we sat down to our table, we were greeted by an artisanal cheese platter filled with assorted cheeses, mustard-tarragon, rosemary crostini and an assortment of fruits. Our palates were also tantalized by the Cajun fried select Virginia oysters accompanied by a Thai-chili aioli and fried calamari and onion rings with a horseradish barley-malt aioli. This could have been a meal in itself. But no, there was more food ahead of us. After the fresh-baked bread and churned butter came the salad course. I enjoyed a chopped Greek salad with cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, feta and an olive tapenade neatly stacked in a square on top of a bed of lettuce. The salty deliciousness of the olive tapenade and feta blended together perfectly with the crisp vegetables. Again, I could have called it a day and went home happily full.

Sauteed Shrimp & Jumbo Lump Crab Scampi

But no, the main course awaited. While most of my table mates ordered the Special of the Day – a pan seared rockfish with guacamole and other accoutrements – I went big. As soon as I saw the words sun-dried tomatoes, beurre blanc and crab I was SOLD. For $27.95, I received a beautiful plate of sautéed shrimp and jumbo lump crab scampi. It came nestled upon a tomato and basil pasta, swirling in a delicious lemon garlic beurre blanc. On top of all of this roughly chopped sun-dried tomatoes were sprinkled about. I know what you’re thinking, sounds delicious, but really…almost $30 for a meal? Let me tell you, while the price might seem high, for the fresh local seafood and exceptionally well cooked pasta and sauce, it was WELL worth it.

My plate looked like a piece of art. A LARGE piece of art. There must have been at least five crabs worth of meat piled on top of my shrimp and pasta. The large chunks of delicate, white crab meat were some of the freshest I’ve tasted since I’ve begun my search. The sweet tartness of the sun-dried tomatoes not only added color to my otherwise neutral plate of food, but provided a lovely contrast to the sweet and mellow flavors of the seafood, pasta and beurre blanc. The shrimp were large, plump, pink and succulent. Perfectly cooked, they absorbed the buttery citrusy goodness of the beurre blanc sauce creating a party in my mouth. I could have drunk a cup of that sauce it was that good.

The perfect bite was achieved by combining a little of everything in one fork full. A hard task to complete considering the various elements of the dish, but when done correctly, it was an explosion of flavors. The tartness of the sun-dried tomatoes, the light lemon garlic buttery goodness of the sauce, the fall to pieces succulence of the crab, the pop of the shrimp in your mouth and the balance of the basil and tomato pasta created a symphony of flavors this critic will soon not forget.

Four Claws Decision

Sautéed Shrimp & Jumbo Lump Crab Scampi
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If you should EVER find yourself fortunate enough to be in Virginia Beach looking for a good crab dish, go to One Fish Two Fish. The view’s not so bad either.

A Taste of Maryland in North Carolina

My parents recently moved from New Hampshire to North Carolina for many of the same reasons that I moved to Maryland. They’ve been dreaming of moving there for 18 years, so I’m glad that they’ve finally made it happen. They chose a small town on the coast by the name of New Bern. For the past two months that they have lived there they have raved about this restaurant called MJ’s Raw Bar and Grille, claiming it’s one of THE best seafood restaurants in town. So, I decided to visit them this past weekend and see if the food really did match the hype. 

MJ’s, located at 216 Middle Street in New Bern, NC, was founded by a Maryland native who hailed from Columbia. After 18 years in the coffee bar business, the owner decided it was time for a change and thus MJ’s was born. Their claim to fame is the “touch of Maryland” in all their dishes. 

The Private's Platter

My parents and I walked into the restaurant and decided to sit at the bar. The bartender was prompt and friendly and a bowl of salty, roasted peanuts awaited us. We decided to start our feast off with a couple of appetizers. Up first, the Private’s Platter for $10.95, which comes with three oysters, three clams and a 1/4 lb. of steamed shrimp smothered in Old Bay. Want more of it? Well at MJ’s they’ll let you double or triple the Private’s Platter. While this review is strictly for all things crab, I have to comment on how delicious the platter was. Made fresh behind the bar, you can even see the bartender shuck your oysters and create your platter. You know you’re getting freshness.

MJ's Crab Pretzel

Our second appetizer was MJ’s Crab Pretzel. A jumbo soft pretzel smothered in crab dip, then topped with melted cheddar cheese, the Crab Pretzel is a great deal for $8.95.  Served with MJ’s signature Jamaican Jerk tartar sauce, the Crab Pretzel is an ooey gooey delight. The soft and warm pretzel plays the perfect wing man to the creamy crab dip – as fine as any you would find in Maryland. While the old adage says that cheese and seafood should never mix, here on the Crab Pretzel they create perfect harmony. When digging into the Crab Pretzel, make sure to have an equal balance of pretzel, crab and cheese and don’t forget to dip it in MJ’s special tartar sauce. The Jamaican Jerk tartar sauce is sweet and tangy without being too spicy or overbearing with jerk flavor. It surprisingly plays a great accompaniment to any of their crab dishes, giving them an extra layer of flavor and is sure to set MJ’s apart from their competition. 

Mom's Soft Shell Crab Sandwich

Finally it was time for dinner. My dad had ordered the Lobster Tacos while my mom got the Soft Shell Crab Sandwich. In search of the perfect crab cake and sitting here in NC, I of course had to order MJ’s Signature Crab Cake. A family recipe handed down from the founder’s grandmom, the signature dish is made with all lump crab meat and “just enough breading to hold it together.” It is served with a house salad, smashed potatoes and the vegetable of the day, which just happened to be green beans when I visited. All of this comes in at $19.95. Want the Caesar salad instead? Swap it in for just $1.00 more. How about their special Strawberry Walnut Salad? That’s just $2.00 more. 

MJ's Signature Crab Cake

As the dish was placed before me, I had to do my duty and inspect it. Did it look like a Maryland Crab Cake? Well yes sir, it did. Now it was time for the taste test. As I dipped my fork into the crab cake, it gently fell apart upon my plate. The heaping amount of lump crab meat had been broiled and lightly dusted with Old Bay and had just been holding its shape, waiting for me to break it apart. The meat was fresh and light. Barely any filler, fresh herbs ran throughout and once again, the Jamaican Jerk tartar sauce played the perfect counterpart to the crab cake. It even served as a good dipping sauce for my al dente green beans, of which there seemed to be an abundance of. With my plate overflowing with food, I unfortunately could not finish my meal (perhaps the Private’s Platter and Crab Pretzel had something to do with it), but I enjoyed every bite. The smashed potatoes were creamy and buttery but had just enough lump in them to make them feel home cooked. My leftovers served as a great dinner the next night.

Four Claws Decision:

MJ’s Crab Pretzel
Crab Meat Quality:
Taste:
Texture:
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Overall: 

MJ’s Signature Crab Cake
Crab Meat Quality:
Taste:
Texture:
Value:
Overall: 

So, have I found a taste of Maryland 400 miles south in a small town in North Carolina? I most certainly think I have. The founder of MJ’s has held true to his Maryland roots and has done an exceedingly well  job of spreading the gospel of all things crab to his new NC neighbors. If you find yourself in the town of New Bern and are craving some Maryland style crab cakes, go no further than MJ’s. You won’t be disappointed.