By Jerry Cronin
Correspondent
Small’s Smokehouse and Oyster Bar is not in an obvious place for a restaurant.
Sitting just south of Old Dominion University on Hampton Boulevard, the recently opened restaurant doesn’t share real estate with any similar eateries or businesses that might complement or draw attention toward a trip to Small’s. But that isn’t exactly a bad thing, as the oyster house is easy to get to, has ample parking, and based on our visit, has a satisfying menu.
In fact, the restaurant is housed in a simple but effective space that could easily sit somewhere on the Eastern Shore. Light coral walls, a small bar, oyster house signs, a mural, and photos of Grandpa Small on the Maury High football team give it a homey, local feel.
The menu, mostly seafood and barbecue, has a similarly familiar feeling. Oysters, shrimp and grits sit side by side with brisket and pulled pork. These are rounded out by a few Southern sides, plus local O’Conner’s and Smart-mouth brews on tap.
As Small’s calls itself an oyster house, we began our evening with the area’s favorite bivalve and ordered a half dozen of them steamed ($10). They came out perfectly, with the shells just popped opened from the heat. The oysters were hot and slightly firmed up from steaming in their own shells. The accompanying horseradish butter sauce was subtle, deceptively creeping up as my taste buds kicked into gear. The cocktail sauce also had a nice zing to it.
Another starter, the smoked tuna dip ($6), was also a winner as the tuna was blended with mayo and cheese and served with warm tortilla chips.
Moving onto the main courses, we ordered the Farmhouse Platter ($16) and Small Jr.’s Seafood Platter ($18) for an impromptu surf and turf for the table.
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