" Come out into the evening streets. The green light lessens in the west. The city laughs and liveliest her fervid pulse of pleasure beats."
For a moment, I recall Alan Seeger’s poem, “Paris,” before being transported back to downtown Norfolk. With the character and grace of a Parisian neighborhood eatery, and the food and wine to match, Chartreuse Bistro has solidified its niche in the district. The chic yet cozy restaurant plays European refuge to many carrying the wanderlust, and those who beckon to Chartreuse soon return.
Once inside, service is notably precise yet warm. It’s not uncommon to find owner and manager, Karine, smiling and softly wishing all a wonderful time. Her sparkle goes into every dish served, every drink poured. Karine takes pride in knowing Chartreuse offers quality local, organic ingredients, supporting regional farms and small wineries.
After the work day, many find solace in their “Cocktail and Crudo” hour (4:30-6pm Tues-Fri). The intimate bar is filled with characters of every variety. Karine says, “We have a lot of regulars, and people off the beaten path.” She entertains with a Sparkling Hibiscus Cocktail of Spanish cava infused with hibiscus flower reduction ($5) or their signature Chartreuse Champagne Cocktail – with yellow chartreuse and a lemon twist. A crisp wine like the Soave Classico is offered to accommodate the crudo ($5).
Among the light fare, one might find freshly baked focaccia ($2.50), a roasted red and orange beet canape with feta ($3), or a scallop crudo: raw, soft cuts with a little salt, lime juice, radishes and pickled fennel atop powdered beet root (the fennel propels this dish from excellent to elegant, $5).
Chef, owner, and husband Chris can only be described as a perfectionist. His European-infused menu shifts daily based on what is freshly available but his creative and complex dishes are unmatched – you will literally never find the same elsewhere, or here for that matter. Before you fall in love with one dish, you are involved with the next, and the experience has left you, fulfilled, satiated, infatuated. The couple was inspired after visiting the Burgundy region for two days. “There was this restaurant,” Karine tells it, “and we went both nights because the first night was so great. They changed the menu every day on a chalkboard. That is what you find in France.”
Dinner is often a version of the lunch menu -- slightly smaller and reasonably priced for downtowners on the go. A trustworthy first course selection involves homemade soups, local cheeses, intricate salads, tasty meat, fish, and vegetable platters. Tonight, a dill cucumber tartine with an airy hazelnut, garlic goat cheese ($9). Thin slices of Chris’s hearty organic sunflower seed bread evenly spread and geometrically structured surrounded by equidistant droplets of balsamic reduction -- I swear he triple-checked.
For second course options, we begin with a Beet Risotto of roasted oyster mushrooms, sage, and radicchio salad, garnished with herb vinaigrette ($18). The risotto is buttery soft but sweet, the mushrooms aromatic; a complicated vegan plate meant to confuse the senses. To compliment its depth, a light, oaky 2013 Bourgogne, which highlights the sage ($13). “Here, you want the food to shine,” Karine says, “and the wine for balance.”
A glass of Gamay, from the Savoie region near the Italian border, is best for the featured Gnocchi. Soft pillows of potato gnocchi rest between bits of butternut squash and apricots in a bed of creamed kale. Dusts of parmesan and sunflower seeds give the dish surprising texture. The recipe is sophisticated, rich, but quietly so ($19). The wine is similar to a Beaujolais but brighter, accenting the warmth of the apricots, nuts, and rosemary ($11).
Lastly, a Braised Lambshanks Ragu with house-made fettucine ($25). This savory dish is flawless. The lambshanks from Border Springs Farms in Patrick Springs, Virginia, are braised for four hours in leek, onion, and beef stock, then shredded. The tomato ragu conceals a splash of cream and nutmeg, garnished with parmesan and celery leaves. Every tender bit melts. The wine is bobal deSanjuan 2012, a Spanish grape from Valencia, which competes for attention ($10). “The grape is 100% bobal, which is rare. It has a cult following,” Karine says. Recently, some European followers of the grape tagged Chartreuse on Instagram, amazed by their wine selection. “The bobal has some nice tannins, a little dry, and a good nose.” Together the pair is maddening and addictive.
The courses are undoubtedly distinctive and indulgent, but there is no shame in coming here strictly for dessert and wine. Many do. A businessman from San Francisco, staying at the Sheraton tells me, “I’ve been here two days in a row. Their desserts are no joke.” Crème brulee, chocolate torte, and vegan banana, peanut butter chocolate pie all tease the palate, but tonight, a Cinnamon Apple Meringue Tartlet with Lemon Semi-freddo ($8). Made with cream cheese, lemon, and meringue, the semi-freddo is velvety, not heavy; softer than ice cream, harder than gelato, and drizzled with caramel on a crunchy shell. The meringue is fluffy, and the roasted honeycrisp apples sing between beads of blackberry coulis. This is fine comfort food.
As the evening settles down, some wait at the bar for a chance to praise Chris for his cuisine and Karine for her charm. When asked his favorite food, everyone is still and listens to the tall man of few words: “Quail egg on top of sea urchin,” Chris speaks, sushi. “Very delicious,” and very specific, no surprise. For his wife on the other hand, he laughs, “Guacamole on anything.”
To those who search, this siren will call. And to those to soon return, I dare say your wanderlust will never be satiated, but at least you can find the smoothness of paths to Chartreuse Bistro.
Chartreuse Bistro
205 E. City Hall Ave, Norfolk
Call for Reservations 757.965.2137
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-Alicia DeFonzo is a Lecturer of English at Old Dominion University, freelance food writer, travel enthusiast who leads an annual Study Abroad to London and member of the WHRO Community Advisory Board.