The Crumb on the Beach: a food and excursion review
December 21 found myself and my human biking along the boardwalk at Virginia Beach. With no plans or time constraints in mind, the afternoon, though chilly, was most enjoyable with spontaneous stops along the beach and various shops.
An often overlooked site, the Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum, located in the old DeWitt Cottage, highlights waterfowl art, photography and artifacts. Though a small venue and focused on a subject that is not of particular interest to either of us, it has a charming trading post with unique items crafted by local artists and the staff is welcoming and highly informative in conversations. The highlight perhaps was a seasonal display of beautifully decorated gingerbread houses scattered throughout the exhibit spaces that gave my human no small amount of delight.
As it was approaching the hunger times, we turned our attention to the eateries which lined Atlantic Ave. The girl had a craving for Indian food and knew of one near 8th Street however a sign on the door indicated it was closed (and further research indicates that, sadly, this might be a permanent closure). As it was the off season, finding an open restaurant at that hour proved to be more difficult than convincing Jabba the Hutt to wash under his belly folds and so we settled for what was close by and had an oceanfront view: Chix on the Beach.
The interior was somewhat crowded and noisy with many humans gathered around the bar watching some sort of sport on the holonet screens. Thankfully, we were able to secure seating out on the patio which was more like an enclosed Naboo greenhouse with lush plants and greenery and a view of the water. Our server was kind and attentive and an order of a small Caesar salad with an add on of fried chicken and a side of mac and cheese was placed.
The provisions arrived in good time with the salad being a decent size for a small. While the dressing was flavorful and plentiful, there were certain elements that were less than favorable including numerous pieces of less-than-fresh lettuce, sub-par croutons that tasted like a generic grocery store brand, and rather bland, under-seasoned, dry fried chicken strips that the girl suspected of having come from a frozen freezer bag but was assured otherwise. The chicken was improved when eaten in conjunction with the salad (and also dipped in a side of seemingly homemade and tasty Ranch dressing) but eaten by itself, our consensus was a resounding “meh”.
The mac and cheese, on the other claw, was quite nice with a cheese crust on top and a goodly amount of creamy sauce that pooled into the hollowed out noodles. A bit of extra salt may have improved it but it was still satisfying.
Overall, while we did find pleasure in our dining experience, we cannot say that we would rush to return here, especially considering the price. The small Caesar by itself was $8.49 plus $7.99 for a few chicken strips and $8.99 for the side of mac and cheese which rounded the total before tax and tip to a bit over $25. Rather steep considering the portion and the quality of some of the food. But oceanfront dining while dolphin watching does have value and so we shall still consider it an enjoyable outing and another adventure of The Crumb!
Written 1/3/26
The Adventures of The Crumb 