After 32 years, Martha’s  Café on the Corner closed, and the site became Cantina.
FILE PHOTO BY DAVE MCNAIR

Last year, Dish predicted it would be a rough year economically for restaurants, a call you certainly didn’t have to be a psychic to make.

Historically, meals tax revenues have been a cash cow for the city and the county, with the two governments hauling in over $12 million in 2008 amid a 4 to 5 percent annual rise. But as the recession dragged on in 2009, those numbers began to drop for the first time in a decade. In the County, meals tax revenues dropped 12 percent at the end of the fiscal year in July, and in the City they dropped 5 percent.

Not devastating, perhaps, but for restaurateurs accustomed to robust yearly growth, 2009 has been a challenge. Indeed, Dish spoke to dozens of restaurateurs over the course of the year, and when asked how business was going, “We’re hanging in there” was a constant refrain. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing, especially for us foodies.

Folks have been watching their wallets, and they’ve been more discerning about how they spend their restaurant dollars. As a result, restaurants have had to raise their game to keep customers coming back. In 2009, being mediocre was not an option. Moreover, the malaise didn’t stop culinary entrepreneurs from taking the plunge, as 30 new restaurants and eateries opened in 2009, while only 17 places closed.

Indeed, one sign of times was the Hook’s inaugural Restaurant Week in July, a typically slow time for restaurants. Eight restaurants signed up for the event, offering three-course prix fixe menus for just $25.

Not surprisingly, given the typical cost of eating out at a fine restaurant— which can easily cost a couple over $100— participating restaurants (the brave eight were C&O, Fossett’s at Keswick Hall, Horse & Hound, Cassis, l’étoile, Old Mill Room at the Boar’s Head, The Melting Pot, and the Boat House) were slammed. Indeed, many of the restaurants were booked before the week began, prompting Fossett’s and Bel Rio to extend the $25 deal for a second week. And Bel Rio leapt into the fray as an unofficial participant.

So what did we learn? While the $25 deal made (more)

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Frank Winer, owner of Captain Frank’s Seafood Restaurant in Palmyra.
PHOTO BY DAVE MCNAIR

Touring downtown Palmyra recently (which doesn’t take long), Dish spotted a huge yellow Hummer parked outside a barn-like building on the edge of town. As we got closer, we realized it was a restaurant, which was a good thing because we were hungry, and it was the only one we could find.

Dish was expecting a BBQ joint with a dive bar or a family-run place serving up “country-style” cooking, so you can imagine our surprise when we pulled into the parking lot and looked up at the sign: Captain Frank’s Seafood Restaurant. Seafood?

What’s more, there was actually a “Captain” Frank behind the counter inside, burly Frank Winer, who ran charter boats for 11 years in the Carolinas and at one time owned six Captain Frank’s between Virginia and Georgia.

Turns out the woman he recently married lives and owns a business in Palmyra, and so he sold his other Captain Frank’s and opened one in his wife’s home town.

“It’s nothing fancy, just good food,” says Winer, the owner of the yellow Hummer out front. “My oysters are good, I take a lot of pride in those.”

Indeed, Dish orders a fried oyster sandwich that competes with the best he’s ever had. Winer says he gets his oysters from Carolina and Louisiana, but that the rest of his seafood comes direct from his family in North Carolina, who run commercial fishing and crabbing boats.

“We also sell a lot of hamburgers,” says Winer, mentioning his popular one-pound Captain Frank burger.

So far, folks in Palmyra seem to have a hankering for seafood. “There’s no one else around offering it,” Winer says, mentioning that the nearest restaurant is about seven or eight miles away.

Winer says he also has an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet on the weekends, and makes a mean shrimp and grits.

You can’t miss Winer’s yellow Hummer outside Captain Frank’s.
PHOTO BY DAVE MCNAIR

“I’ve thought about serving up something I used to eat as a kid, scrambled eggs with crab meat, but I’m not sure folks around here would go for it,” he says.

While Palmyra may not be close to the sea, the sea remains close to Winer.

“My granddaddy had me eating raw oysters when I was nine years old,” he says.

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Since the Hook’s inaugural Restaurant Week back in July was such a smashing success, another one was planned for January 25 through 31. As you may recall, turnout for the event was so heavy that some restaurants extended the $25 prix fixe menu offer for a second week.

“We have to admit we were a little surprised by the enormity of the turnout,” said Hook sales manager Anna Harrison. “The fact that you had some restaurants extending things for a second week speaks volumes about the event’s popularity.”

“I went to three restaurants during restaurant week this summer; two new to me and one old fav,” writes foodie Emily Lape, who wished that out-of-area restaurants might someday be included, like (more)

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Ash Lawn-Highland.
PHOTO BY Tony the Misfit - Flickr

Adorn your holiday table this season with something unique, yet traditional when Ash Lawn-Highland, home of President James Monroe, offers a special afternoon of culinary creativity. In this workshop, participants make and take home a 21st century hors d’oeuvre inspired by a 19^th century hedge hog dessert. Although hedgehogs were not common in Virginia, in Great Britain finding a hedgehog in your garden was considered a sign of good luck. Martha Bar, Ash Lawn-Highland kitchen interpreter, also demonstrates receipts including syllabub and sugared fruit. Pre-registration required. Fee includes the workshop, all recipes, and a private tour of the beautifully decorated Monroe home. For more information or to register call 293-8000. Space is limited. 1000 James Monroe Parkway.

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