Amory's Seafood Restaurant, born in 1974 in Portsmouth, doesn't dish up any surprises. It simply offers fish and shellfish cooked (and uncooked) every which way but sushi. For meat eaters, there are a few choices too, from a burger to chicken, ham, veal and a trio of steaks.
The Hampton location is the of a chain more than two decades old and now several restaurants strong. The all-you-can-eat seafood buffet isn't cheap; $24.95 for adults and half-price for children; but it's bountiful and distinguished by a freshness and quality rarely found in such formats. To make it worthwhile, bring a huge appetite, start with the seafood specialties and work back to the salads. The seafood emphasis doesn't preclude either meat-eaters or vegetarians from getting their due. For the truly ravenous, it offers a feast.
Lobster tail and collards, prime rib and rutabagas, baked chicken and hush puppies are all sure signs that The Circle Restaurant is back in business. And the 50-year-old Portsmouth institution isn't just back after a 9-month hiatus; it's once again in the hands of the original owner's family. The seafood includes fresh fish, such as flounder, rockfish, and catfish; otherwise there's an extensive menu of steaks, baby back ribs, chicken livers and country-style vegetables. Different sized and priced portions aim to please the old and young. Lunch buffet.
For the past year, chef Aengus Channon has been implementing the changing menu from a kitchen that's open to occupants of a small, curved bar, but shielded from the more formal of the two dining areas. He evidences a light touch with the summer selection of soups, salads, fish, fowl, kebabs and vegetables. In his tenure in the kitchen, the menu has moved from a quirky, American style toward light interpretations of classical French dishes. The kitchen also puts a premium on color and aesthetic appeal.
The crab legs star at this veteran all-you-can-eat seafood buffet. Other choices include mussels, seafood casseroles, crawfish and clams. Soups, chicken, vegetables, salads and desserts all available in unlimited portions. Nightly specials but no a la carte menu, so patrons should come with a hefty appetite for seafood. Early birds can take advantage of the expansive view over Hampton Roads.
