Freemason Abbey, 209 West Freemason Street, Norfolk, VA 757.622.3966

Before attending a local theatre production seven of us decided to venture near downtown Norfolk for dinner at the historic Freemason Abbey restaurant.

A bit of history (from their website): The Freemason Abbey building was built, and originally dedicated as a church in 1873 by the congregation of the Second Presbyterian Church. In 1902, the congregation sold the property to the First Church of Christ Scientist, who occupied the building until 1948. From 1948 through 1987, it served as a meeting hall for the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In early 1988, the planning of the Freemason Abbey Restaurant & Tavern began.

The waiter took our drink orders and left us to ponder the menu. It ended up that three of us ordered the Grilled Pork Tenderloin, two of us ordered the Chicken Rockafellar, one ordered the prime rib, and one ordered the chicken alfredo.

Our drinks arrived in short order (the Cranberry Cosmo from the bar was said to be quite top notch). Our dinners, however, were a bit slow in getting to us, as we arrived at 6:15, and it was 7:10 before the food arrived to the table. It should be noted that this wasn’t the server’s fault — he kept the appetizers (curried potato soup) and salads (for those of us who ordered it) and the drinks coming to the table.

The curried potato soup had slight pumpkin overtones, and while creamy, could have used a few more whole pieces of potato to encourage a more satisfying mouth feel. The salads, served with a mile long list of salad dressings, consisted of a slice of iceberg lettuce (versus a wedge, consider running a head of lettuce through a slicer set at about 1/2 inch), two slices of cucumber, a cherry tomato, a log of cheddar cheese, some grated carrot, and a sesame/multi-grain cracker. Dressings were served on the side in a small cup.

When the main courses arrived, the reaction was positive for the most part. The Chicken Rockafellar (Diced chicken tenders sautéed with spinach, wine, garlic, bacon and Alfredo sauce. Tossed with rotini pasta) ($14.95) was plentiful, hot, and satisfying. The only suggestion that could be made is to offer grated Parmesan once served. This dish was a hit.

The grilled pork tenderloin (taken from the “Lighter Fare” section of the menu [referencing smaller portions, not lower calories]) ($8.95) was served in a Balsamic Vinegar reduction and a side of fresh steamed green beans. The pork was tender and plentiful; the reduction was a tangy, tasty addition. The beans, however, hadn’t been steamed quite enough, leaving them “squeaky and overly chewy” according to one of our diners.

The Chicken Alfredo ($8.95) was served in a large bowl with fettuccine, large strips of chicken, and plenty of creamy alfredo. One of those “can’t miss” dishes on a menu.

The Prime Rib ($15.95) was a 10 ounce cut, served with a scoop of redskined mashed potatoes and a side of green beans was the only disappointment of the night. The prime rib was neither tender, nor juicy, and while edible, wasn’t something that would be ordered off the menu again. The diner stated it had the texture of being the final end piece of yesterday’s prime rib.

Our recommendation is to go to the Abbey and enjoy yourself. Plan on taking your time — while we were there, there were at least three large parties going on, which probably slammed the kitchen, delaying our meals.

The pasta dishes are superb, the pork cooked to sheer perfection. Be sure to try their Freemason Abbey Onion Soup, which, for $3.95, runs a close parallel to what I enjoyed in Paris.

Food: (4)
Service: (4.5)
Price: (4.5)
Overall: (4.25)