Review: Lynnhaven Fish House lives up to its name

By Judy Cowling
Correspondent

The Lynnhaven Fish House Restaurant has weathered many a storm in its 32 years.

The bike rack out front indicates its local following. On a recent Tuesday evening, almost all 180 seats were filled in the dining room, where every seat offers a view of the Chesapeake Bay. Upon entering, we were greeted by George, the mechanical waving fisherman. As we waited at the bar for our friends, we snacked on deliciously seasoned potato chips. Chef John Chapman said they use 30 to 40 pounds of Idaho potatoes each day to create these addictive crisps.

When our group was complete, our knowledgeable and effervescent server, Christy, gave us explicit descriptions of the menu items, answered all questions and allowed us adequate time to make our selections.

We began with six Oysters Rockefeller ($9.99), which were plump and topped with the traditional creamy spinach, herbs, crisp bacon and melted Parmesan. We dipped our spoons into a shared cup of the "award-winning" she crab soup ($4.99). Spiced just right, generous on the crab and with a hint of sherry, this soup is a meal in itself.

The wine list boasts an extensive selection to complement just about any palate or purse from the Opus One at $200 to our selection of Montevina zinfandel at $50.

All four of us were pleased with our dishes. All entrees include hush puppies (a little cakey, a little crunchy and a bit dry), and choice of baked potato, baked sweet potato with marshmallows, steak fries, black beans over rice or house salad.

Among the items shared were the fried seafood platter ($28.99), a plethora of fresh shrimp, scallops, calamari, oysters, a crab cake and fish of the day. Its king size guaranteed leftovers. The nutritionist with us opted for the Seafood Kebab ($28.99), a flame-broiled skewer of perfectly cooked lobster, shrimp, scallops, tomatoes, onions, marinated green peppers and mushrooms served with rice pilaf.

The place is called a fish house, and fish is a specialty. Here, you can get your market-priced catch broiled, grilled, steamed, fried or Grecian-style with a choice of sauces at an additional $2 to $4.99. One diner chose the broiled mahi ($16.99) with Cristo sauce ($3.99) and found the fillet moist and flavorful. But the sauce made of fresh tomatoes and mushrooms, artichoke hearts, capers, garlic, spices and white wine arrived 10 minutes after the entree. Christy recommended the chef's special Seafood a la Mornay ($21.99), a small boat of shrimp, scallops and lump crabmeat cooked in a Mornay sauce flavored with dill Havarti. The rich, savory sauce enhanced without overpowering the delicate seafood.

As the sun set and the lights of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel dotted the horizon, we shared a tart slice of Key lime pie ($4.95) and an incredible bowl of raspberry sorbet.

The adjacent Pier Cafe is a more casual, bathing-suit friendly, open-air dining experience open from Memorial Day through Oct. 1.

Lynnhaven Fish House General Manager Chris Kyrus and his father, owner Tommy Kyrus, are celebrating 32 years in business. They are obviously doing something right.