I sat at a table in Todd Jurich’s Bistro in Norfolk, Virginia with zero expectations of the dinner that would come. As part of a group of writers visiting Norfolk to cover some of the restaurants in the city, I was eager to dine in another restaurant to review the food. Previously eating in Saltine, Doumar’s, and on the Virginia Elite private yacht have been great excursions into Norfolk’s culinary scene and I was ready to do the same with the bistro. With a prix fixe menu for our dinner in the award-winning restaurant led by self-taught chef Todd Jurich we would soon explore the restaurant through four courses. The moment we were asked to put the menus down the plates paired with wines began to flow from the kitchen.

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To start the dinner we had the restaurant’s signature Pumpkin and Crab Soup. Having adoration for pumpkin soup, I was excited to see this on the menu. The addition of crab and serving it with a cinnamon toast made it impossible for me to take my time. The idea of having patience in eating was nonexistent and any judgmental looks from my colleagues were the least of my concern. In each spoon was a soup with a delightful consistency that kept the humble flavor of pumpkin mixed with casual seasonings.

To take the place of the soup was the next dish. The Blackened Hatteras Redfish rested on a Carolina sweet shrimp etouffee. Although the fish was small in our serving, it was delicious. It fell apart when cut with the fork and picked up the rice and shrimp so nicely when scooped up. There were parts of it that I wish were a bit more flavorful which would have made it mouthwatering, but what was before me was good for what it was.

As the redfish was removed from the table, the Braised North Dakota Bison Short Rib took its place. The thick short rib sat on a heaping of whipped potatoes and a wild mushroom pan glaze. The glaze was smooth and rich while the potatoes were fluffy as they inhaled the glaze. The short rib itself was prepared and braised just right. It fell apart at the touch, it had the unforgettable taste, and it mixed with the glaze and the potatoes effortlessly. A second serving or a larger portion would have been easily welcome in my book, but dessert was to follow and that was as equally important.

The final plate of the dinner was the Warm Brioche Bread Pudding. I’m not the biggest fan of raisins in general –

let alone in a bread pudding – so I took out each one I found. Removed, the pudding was nice. The pudding itself was as its name leads you to believe, both warm and soft, as it just left the oven and hadn’t even had the chance to cool down. Making it better was the sweet whiskey crème anglaise and the sea salt caramel. I loved the contradictory yet complimentary taste that came from the caramel and the way it blended with the crème. It was a great combination and a trio that (without raisins) was a good way to end the dinner.

I walked into Todd Jurich’s Bistro with no expectations on the dinner that would be placed before me. Each plate came with its own creativity and personality. Whether it was the soup, fish, short rib, or pudding, each dish carried its own individuality. While I wish one or two of them carried more flavor or excitement, those that were strong on their own were memorable. I was glad to have the chance to dine at the bistro and was thankful that it was with good company. It certainly wasn’t the best restaurant in Norfolk, but I can see why it is one that many people enjoy and why it has remained in the city for over thirty years.

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Address: 150 W Main St, Norfolk, VA 23510
Phone: (757) 622-3210
Hours: Monday through Friday – 11:30am to 10:00pm, Saturday – 5:30pm to 10:00pm, and Closed Sunday.
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