Omar's Carriage House

Omar's Carriage House
313 W. Bute St.
Norfolk, VA 23510

Phone: [phone]

by Archie R. Whitehill

If heaven has restaurants, Omar’s Carriage House will certainly qualify for a spot, but I hope it stays here in Norfolk for a long, long time.

Omar’s Carriage House is located at the edge of downtown Norfolk, in a quaint neighborhood that also includes a fine used bookstore and a delightful walking environment. But forget that; let’s get to Omar’s food and service!

My Wife and I had one of the specials, New York Strip with what tasted like a bourbon sauce. My veggies were mixed, sautéed vegetables and her choice was asparagus. The mashed potatoes were fantastic. My steak was perfect and delicious, her steak was a bit gristly, but still flavorful.

Our companion and friend, Richard, had a seafood pasta dish, which was supposed to have come with crawfish, but, on Richard’s request the crawfish was omitted and extra shrimp were added.

My salad was fresh and flavorful, and accomplished its duty of whetting my appetite for the main course.

The ambience of Omar’s Carriage House was reminiscent of a country home. Although tables and chairs were close to each other, there was no feeling of being crowded. Except for us, all the other diners seemed to know each other, which indicated to me that Omar’s food and service had garnered a loyal group of guests who return often. It is as if you are at a friend’s home, dining informally, Comfortable even though the setting is formal and perfect.

A full bar and a varied wine list allow one to order a favorite drink, including my favorite single-malt scotch. Service was attentive, professional and friendly. Omar was seen to attend to each person as an old friend and acted the perfect host.

Other menu items include a selection of seafood such as Bronzed Scallops, Teriyaki Grilled Tuna and Fresh Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes. Additional choices, all sounding delicious, were Pepper Encrusted Duck Breast, Grilled Tenderloin of Beef, and Grilled Rack of Lamb.

Appetizer choices include such fare as Pate, Wild Mushroom Bruchetta and Rare-seared Tuna, garnished with ginger lime vinaigrette and wasabi.

Although I managed to evade dessert, my companions tried a chocolate cheesecake and a chocolate cake, which they deemed both sinfully rich and delicious.

Omar’s Carriage House is the place to take a date, a spouse on a special occasion or to visit just about anytime you get the urge to dine in a place offering great service and fantastic, tasty continental dishes in a friendly, semi-formal atmosphere.

We were lucky to get seated the busy Saturday evening we visited, but I would recommend a reservation to ensure you don’t miss out on a fine dining experience.