I expect two things when a business has “bar” in its name: good drinks and delicious wings.
Creek Bar in Chesapeake lived up to my expectations.
It had a grand opening celebration in April by owners Christopher Chenoweth, his wife, Alexandria, Harry Saint Louis and Jennifer Singer.
The place offers plenty of beers, wines and specialty cocktails such as a pomegranate martini, lemon cucumber soda and the Floradora (raspberry liqueur, gin, lemon juice and ginger beer). It also has a nice selection of food items but not too many to overwhelm customers.
Christopher Chenoweth said he started the bar because he got tired of eating the same stuff at bars and wanted a different flair.
“I selected South American-type food because it’s a little healthier,” he said.
I visited Creek Bar in the Las Gaviotas Shopping Center on a cloudy day. The dark windows and reflective glass of the front door made the place look seedy. But entering was like experiencing “The Wizard of Oz” color transition.
Various blue colors swirled on the floor tile. Each table was decorated with abstract wood designs that shined from the epoxy finish. A large stage for the karaoke, open mic and live music it has every week was on the left and stocked with equipment such as a drum, keyboard and guitars. The vertical lights on the ceiling tile gave me a disco vibe.
Friends and retirees gathered around a bar that seats more than 20. Appetizers and burgers seemed popular during lunchtime. Other sandwiches, pizzas and salads were also available. I read on the company’s social media page that it has Sunday brunch too.
I sipped on a creek water while I waited for my food. It was made with blueberry vodka, blue curacao, citrus juices and soda water. The cocktail’s turquoise color reminded me of the Caribbean sea, like capturing a vacation in a glass. I liked its sweet-tart taste. I had asked the server to go light on the alcohol so it wasn’t too strong — perfect and refreshing.
Artwork hung on the walls and I noticed two large screens in the back of the large room. They are used for simulated hunting games. Chenoweth wanted to showcase technology at the new spot: The bar lights up and cell phones can be charged by placing them on the bar top.
It didn’t take long for my starter to arrive, considering the bar wasn’t busy. I selected the arepitas that came with nata butter. The fried cornmeal rounds tasted like cornbread and were crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. The appetizer became exceptional after dipping them into the butter made with sour cream, cream cheese, salt, pepper and a sprinkle of smoked paprika. The condiment added the right amount of salt, smokiness and creaminess to the dish; life couldn’t get any better than this.
The menu listed four entrees — two fish options, a grilled chicken and a skirt steak. I chose wings with garlic parmesan sauce as my main dish; buffalo and barbecue were the other possibilities. My wings were juicy and appetizing and weren’t cooked too hard. I ate four of the eight pieces and saved the rest. I smelled like the perfume of the gods after eating them — garlicky and cheesy.
I paired my wings with a side of sweet plantains. I was surprised to see them topped with pickled red onions and crumbled white cheese. I assumed they were plain since there was no menu description. I wouldn’t have ordered them had I known. However, I’m glad I did; I loved it. The dish had layers of acidity, creaminess, sweetness and caramelized burnt edges that kept the integrity of the traditional dish. I wondered — but not too long — what other toppings would work on the fruit.
The tres leches was my dessert du jour instead of the brownie a la mode or creme brulee. It came on a rectangular plate decorated with beautiful rows of toasted Swiss meringue. The portion size was large enough to share. Moist. Milky. Sweet. Each bite got better. It wasn’t long before I devoured the sponge cake by myself.
The next day, I reheated the arepitas, chicken wings and sweet plantains in the oven. This was a great way to maintain their texture and enjoy the meal again.
Rekaya Gibson, [email protected], 757-295-8809; on Twitter, @gibsonrekaya
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If you go
Where: 1245 Cedar Road, Chesapeake
Hours: 11 to 2 a.m. Monday through Friday; 10 to 2 a.m. Saturday and Sunday
Prices: Drinks $4 to $14; food $6 to $19
Details: 757-500-5522; creekbar.com
