May/June 2008

Cowabunga Cuisine

Get stoked about a sweet and savory local surf-ari.

By Patrick Evans-Hylton

Quick—what food do you associate with the culture of Hampton Roads?

Oysters? Crab? Country ham?

If you find yourself in Virginia Beach, in a tiny strip of Oceanfront real estate stretching no more than a few blocks in from the boardwalk, your answer may be fish tacos. Or a fruit salad drizzled in a honey and lime dressing.

There is a small and distinct subculture here—one where the true essence of surfing is celebrated in many ways, including food. Note that we said essence. It doesn't matter if you are a surfer or not, as long as you have the casual, live-and-let-live feeling of community—what Hawaiians refer to as the spirit of aloha—then you understand.

There are two basic types of surf cuisine—island and West Coast. Island style captures the tropical flavors of Hawaii and Polynesia; West Coast style picks up on the tastes of southern and Baja, Calif.

Both are similar, but both are distinct. But the one thing all surf cuisine has in common is its portability, ease of consumption, affordability and maximum use of protein. That is one reason the fish taco is a popular food of choice—hold it in your hand, stuff it in your mouth, pay a little change for it, and get health benefits from the fish, vegetables and fruit that make the dish.

We've researched both the wahine and hodad perspective to find some places in Hampton Roads that hold true to the essence of surf cuisine. Like, we so know you'll find them trippindicular. Totally.

For the rest of this article, see the May/June issue of Hampton Roads Magazine, currently available on newsstands.