Victoria's Resturant Williamsburg Va

Victoria's

SUZANNE FAIRBANK'S TAKE ON VICTORIA’S: Just because a restaurant’s name changes doesn’t mean its reputation does. Formerly the Courtyard Café, Victoria’s continues to serve well-prepared fare, in a relaxed atmosphere, at affordable prices.

Located in the Williamsburg Crossing Shopping Center, owners Doug and Doris Bryant moved the 14-year-old business across the parking lot into a vacated Burger King building.
The building shape and the drive-through (now used for parking) are the only telltale signs of the former BK. The inside atmosphere has been transformed into a quaint eatery with unique curtains, fresh cut flowers on the tables and hanging greenery in the dining room. My family and I were impressed with the pleasant surroundings.

We were also impressed with our server’s attentiveness and friendly conversation. Sensing it was our first visit since the move, Dorothy filled us in on the specifics and offered plenty of suggestions.

A minimal selection of house and bottled wines is available, as well as bottled beer and a full bar. We chose a bottle of the Lindeman Bin 40 merlot ($5.99 glass/$18.50 bottle).
It was a fine accompaniment to the complimentary cheese spread and crackers delivered for nibbling while we perused the menu. A decent selection of salads, sandwiches, seafood, beef, chicken and Italian entrees are available. A couple of breakfast items, including eggs Benedict and an omelet, are also offered.

Most entrees come with a house salad and two choices of vegetables, coleslaw, potato of the day or french fries. Italian dishes are served with salad and bread. The lunch menu focuses mostly on soups, salads, sandwiches and subs. My sister Deb, who frequented Courtyard Café, swears by the Athens’ Flair Greek salad ($7.99).
We decided to start with the half pound of steamed shrimp (1/2 lb. $9.95/lb. $17.95), on special for $8.95, and the mushroom caps stuffed with crabmeat ($8.75). Served with melted butter and cocktail sauce, the well-seasoned medium shrimp were moist and tender and peeled easily, signifying proper steaming. Individual handiwipes were delivered for easy hand cleanup afterward. Served in a metal dish, five large mushroom caps were stuffed with a generous dollop of crab filling and had a rich flavor.

My sister advised saving room for the delicious desserts, so our foursome decided to share the veal Parmigiana with spaghetti ($13.95) and the seafood trio (broiled or fried, $17.99). I couldn’t resist the she crab soup ($3.99 cup/$4.50 bowl) while we waited for our entrees.
Delivered with four spoons and sherry on the side (which we added), we all sampled the brothy stock. Full of flavor and shredded crab, the soup was not as creamy as I expected. It was a different rendition than I’m used to, but good nevertheless.
Salads soon followed. The simple presentation of greens with tomato slices and Vidalia onion was complemented by the creamy peppercorn ranch and tangy homemade Greek dressings on the side.

Entrée portions are ample, and there was plenty of food for the four of us. We even had spaghetti left to take home. The lightly breaded piece of veal sat atop a hearty serving of thin pasta smothered with a savory tomato sauce and melted mozzarella cheese accompanied by garlic toast. The thick cut was tender and not overpowered by the breading. The pasta was al dente and held up well under the chunky sauce.

The broiled seafood trio consisted of a crab cake, scallops and shrimp with broccoli and hollandaise sauce and red potatoes. Cooking seafood can be tricky, but the shrimp and scallops were tender and had a springy pop when bitten. The crab cake was full of lump crabmeat and not a lot of filler. Crisp broccoli was notched up with flavor by the cheesy hollandaise sauce and the potatoes were soft with good seasoning.

The dessert tray full of cakes and pastries from Carrot Tree and Florimonte’s was enticing, but after dinner I was reaching critical mass. I had a taste of the coconut cake ($4.50) and the éclair ($4.50). Both were rich and delicious, my brother-in-law Tim gushed about the oblong pastry filled with rich cream and topped with chocolate icing. The three-layered coconut cake with white icing didn’t stick around long either.

Since it’s just up the road from my sister’s house, I’m glad we finally had the chance to give Victoria’s a whirl. With commendable service and other interesting menu items to try, I have no doubt we’ll be back.

Victoria’s 5269 John Tyler Highway (Rt. 5 & Rt. 199), Williamsburg 253-2233

Specialty: American fareVegetarian: AvailableHours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; dinner Mon.-Thurs.; 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Fri.-Sat.; closed Sunday Price range: Appetizers $3.75-$17.95; lunch $3.99-$9.99; entrees $6.99-$21.99; desserts $4.50 Payment: Major credit cards accepted, local checks Dress: Casual Alcoholic beverages: Full bar and bar area Smoke-free dining Wheelchair accessible Conversational
Additional information: Children’s menu, reservations accepted
Star rating: Food 4; atmosphere 4; service 4 (out of five stars)

For additional info contact: John Womeldorf
JohnWomeldorf@LizMoore.com
757 254 8136 www.MrWilliamsburg.com