Braise

We came here for the first time on Father’s Day. I have actually been meaning to give this place a try for probably more than a year. We decided to utilize Open Table to secure a reservation for our family of 6 at the 7 PM slot thinking it might be busy. From the outside, being that it’s in a fairly busy shopping center with Harris Teeter and Sam’s Club flanking the restaurant, it looked like it was busy. I didn’t even know that there was more parking and another entrance specifically for Braise if you drive all the way around to the back of the building.
If you are entering from the shopping center side you immediately see the bar that’s of good size and a few small tables along the side as well. It looked small and I thought to myself this is isn’t what I saw in pictures! The host approached us and led us towards the back to what turns out to be the main dining area. We even passed two enclosed sections for private parties and what not. Inside the dining room there was an even bigger private room and a smaller private table elevated and tucked away for privacy in the corner. I also noticed the other main door and another hostess was posted up behind the host stand. There was one other couple finishing up their meal and besides them it was just us 6. I found the dining area to be spacious, clean, and airy although with a darkish ambiance, which I liked anyway. A few people were enjoying Happy Time at the bar when we first entered.
Our server, Asa, was great. He wasn’t overbearing or negligent. He offered the specials of the night and was efficient in taking orders, replenishing drinks, and making sure everyone was good. I took his recommendation on that night’s Chipotle Ribeye with potato salad and corn in the cob cut in halves prepared Mexican style — that part sold me right away and it did not disappoint. I recommend this dish 100%. Two people ordered the Braised Short Ribs and both said they were disappointed with it, two people ordered the Prime Rib (since it’s only served Sundays & Mondays), and the teenager opted for the Shrimp and Scallop Pasta («Mom, it’s sooo GOOD!,» he said!). The prime rib, served on a really huge serving plate was said to be just «good,» and that there’s better out there.
Would I go back? Sure. I believe in 2^nd chances. They do Brunches, too, and that’s what I’m looking forward to trying (oh, and their burgers)! Stay tuned for a follow up. Hopefully sooner than later.

The food was great, the service was pretty good, the location is awesome, and the decorations and ambiance was good as well.
However the place is so huge, it was almost eerie since me and my guest were the only people dining in it the entire time we were there (about 2 hours on a Tuesday evening.) The hostess and waitress were good, but has a sad aura about them (probably because of the apparent lack of business.) After a while of dining, I noticed that I couldn’t really figure out what the theme of the place was, or how the decorations pulled together.
During a discussion with the waiter, he disclosed that they, «Don’t really put too much thought into Unilocal.» Which I feel is a very strange stance for a restaurant to take.
It was a nice dining experience, but like I said, just kind of weird.

Awesome restaurant. I am currently an employee and LOVE working here. Every item on the menu continues to surprise me with some serious flavors. The owner Mei Ling is very very respectful to her employees and is always there to help anyone out. She treats every employee fairly and the pay is quite competitive (been working in food service for years). I recommend giving this place a try anytime of the day, lunch being a lot more affordable than dinner. Our employees always have a smile on their face and are SUPER friendly. I love working with all of these ladies.
P. s. I recommend the barbecue sandwich! and the grilled chicken breast (:

We knew about this place for a while, so we decided to check it out last night for VB restaurant week. First of all, our server was awesome! I was undecided about what to chose on the menu, and her recommendations really helped me narrow down what I really wanted. I chose their Étouffée and it was amazing; full of flavor and lots of heat! Their she crab soup had lots of flavor too; it was a little light on the crabmeat but I still enjoyed it. This place has a very classy and quiet ambience and I notice they had a few private dining areas for larger parties. To sum it up, when you have great tasting food and exquisite service, it’s a recipe for success and we will definitely be regulars here!

More like 3.5 stars. It was VB Restaurant week, so of course it was time to try a new place on my list. We try to hit a new restaurant every time there’s a restaurant week in a city near us and have done so for years, so we have a lot of experience in this department. Believe me when I say this place does it right! First their restaurant week menu was expanded from the one that was published online, featuring almost all of their entrees from the regular menu. What a nice touch! The portions seem to be the same as their regular menu, too. None of this 4 oz. steak special stuff you see at other places. They have truly embraced the week as it intended, to let you check out their food at a decent price so you will want to come back. Nice job!
There were 4 in our party and we were quickly seated at the time of our reservation. This is an absolutely beautiful space! It’s so much larger than it looks from the outside and very tastefully decorated. We started with wedge salads and a tuna tartare appetizer (can’t remember the name) and all was fantastic! My wedge was just the right size, so as not to be overwhelming as they are in some places. It had nice big chunks of blue cheese, fresh cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced wedges of red onion and green grapes (which were quite honestly unnecessary, but still good). I’m not a big tuna eater, but those in our party that ordered it, were impressed.
On to the entrees — prime rib, short rib and another tuna dish. The prime ribs were a great size — 12 oz., cooked perfectly and served with 2 spinach potato cakes, that were really just mashed potatoes. They were a little bland, lacking any kind of spinach flavor. We had to add seasoning at the table. Not a bad dish, but I would have liked to see more au jus. The short rib is off the bone and more like pot roast. It was nice comfort food and came in a well seasoned gravy. It’s served with fried spinach and cheese grits. The spinach, while an interesting touch, lacked flavor and the grits were more the consistency of a risotto, which was a little strange, but not unpleasant. The tuna was wonderful! Cooked perfectly rare and served in an amazing remoulade that had just the right hint of some kind of mustard.
On to dessert, they were out of the mango chile lime sorbet (was hoping to try that as it sounded interesting), so we went with the crème brûlée (duh — I never pass that up if it’s on a menu!) and the chocolate amaretto sin pie. The crème brûlée was pretty standard, but the pie was amazing! It came covered in a berry sauce, which overpowered any amaretto flavor, but the chocolate was definitely rich and sinful!
All in all a nice experience and a fantastic showing for restaurant week. We’d definitely eat here again when in the area!

Absolutely love this place! Beautiful intimate atmosphere, wine room. Eat at the bar or dining area. Great private vip table available. Check out 4 – 630 «Happy Time» bar only, great appetizer menu. Sun & Mon mouthwatering Prime Rib special! Also, my fav dish is the slow braised lamb shank on top of mashed potatoes & carrots. Falls apart with a fork. So good! Yummy authentic local made lumpia.

I came last night for my friend’s sunrise birthday dinner. Sat in the nice Aquarium which is their party room and we were a group of 36 – 40, which I understand it’s a lot. Saw that 3 – 4 different waiters/​waitresses had to tend to us.
The service:
We waited at most an hour before we surprised our friend and then we can order a meal. I figured I’d like a drink but the waitresses would always pass me for getting an order in. Not even «Excuse me would you like a drink». Well, I’d say I’m not assertive enough because I’m waiting for them and observing what they do. I thought I’m suppose to be waited on. My friends immediately surrounding me asked for a wine glass so I can share their bottle of wine. Not til after we ordered food, over an hour of being there, I finally had to stop a waitress and get my bottle of wine in. This is a celebration and I was going to share my selection to my generous friend in sharing his. I’m assuming all of the waitresses thought I was being tended to by one of the others.
Still observed one waitress holding a water pitcher catch sight of my friend sitting in front of me with an empty glass and blatantly kept walking around. Thought she’d come around and pour for her from across the table. Time had passed and my friend finally say she needs water. Where did that waitress go with the water pitcher.
They did what they could and did a great job in carrying out a brilliant surprise for my friend. So that deserves a star.
The food:
For my appetizer, I got the fried oyster. I was happy with that selection and I loved the spicy corn sauce. That led me to giving a star.
I ordered the grilled chicken with the mushroom sauce over a bed of mashed potatoes. Looked as it tasted. Wasn’t too impressed with the chicken and sauce but liked the mashed potatoes and spinach. My chicken was a bit dry and the sauce was a bit tasteless.
My bill:
The wine and food that I finished was understood, the gratuity tip was already expected, but I saw cake service was a charge. I’m thinking this cake service was to hold the cake and supply cake serving utensils. That’s a first I’ve ever seen. Nonetheless, it was $ 1.50 from each person.
The third star was more of me being generous/​piteous to the fact they had to handle a large group like us and later finding out the cake serving utensils were taken. There goes the proceeds of my $ 1.50.

Very nice happy hour today at Braise. The fried oysters and corn relish were great (nice spice), calamari decent although I thought it needed more cook and the marinara was super cold, good she crab soup with chunks of lump crab (it needed sherry) and a lovely pear and arugula salad. The service was okay, the wine only $ 3 a glass and the atmosphere nice. I will def. go back again.

This place isn’t that bad. I ordered the seafood Mac and cheese and my lady ordered the salmon. My meal was kind of bland, it may have needed salt and her meal was really good. The crust of the salmon was delicious. The bread took a while to come out and they ran out of the soup of the day. Their house bread and butter were good and the desserts were nice as well. I don’t think it appealed to me enough for me to make a second stop. I might have to come back for the crab cake and see what happens next.

I could not longer leave my 5 Star reviews up for Braise and a much needed update is necessary. This is exclusively for «Happy Time», which is the Braise Happy Hour.
I held off on the review on the first time I had an issue and immediately followed it up with a second visit on consecutive nights last week and found close to the same.
First visit at the bar, service was attentive by the female bartender who usually works. Ordered the She Crab soup which has always been delicious. I also attempted to order something somewhat dark on tap and they had no selection. Bottled beer of Porters, or Stouts almost non existent. I did end up ordering a St. George Porter. It was quickly set up with a glass, no issue. Got it out in a timely manner and found it unpalatable and sent it back. Order the BBQ sliders and they came out in a timely manner but were just meh. Closed out, no issue and soup taken off bill.
Second visit at the bar again same bartender and I’m sure she did not expect me again. I really sure she did not expect me to order the She Crab, but that’s exactly what I did. Out in a timely manner only to find it very thin, almost not meat and taste although much better was not what it use to be. I asked for bread to help soak it up and it was delivered quickly to the table warm and delish. However, she gave me no knife to spread the butter and was down at the other end of the bar for long enough I just said forget it. Closed out, no issue.
Although everything on the surface appeared the same the food quality has went down hill. I cannot speak to a change in the kitchen, I’m unaware of one, but I assume there has been a recent change… it’s obvious. Not returning for Happy Time, or any other meal until I see some strong reviews roll in, it’s not worth my time and money with so many other places that earn my business. I’m still hoping they can turn it around.

A warm feeling came over me as I entered Braise. It was like holding a warm brandy. The warm colors are simply beautiful. Beautiful browns, purples, dark green and blue made me feel like royalty. At our table I noticed cloth napkins a salad fork that was actually smaller than the dinner fork and all the salt and pepper shakers on all the tables were full. These things tell me that Braise cares about my dining experience.
Our server, Michael, was exceptional and our meals were also good. My husband was a bit dehydrated and was drinking both water and Arnold Palmers (iced tea/​lemonade) Neither glass was ever empty and he drank like a fish. Our lunch order came out fairly quickly however it was 1:30 so the lunch crowd had dissipated. My Braise BLT was made with hearty grain toast. Iceberg lettuce isn’t my favorite but it’s classic with a BLT. The avocado was perfectly ripe and abundant. However I had a hard time eating the bacon. We all like thick cut succulent bacon but it was as tough as jerky and difficult to eat in a sandwich. I just pulled it off and ate it by itself, very chewy. I also had a side of corn fritters with truffle honey. I found them to be somewhat dry. The honey was scant, more would have helped. My husbands Prime Rib Steak sandwich was extremely tasty. He didn’t care for the sweetness in the onions (sherry?) but his cheddar grits were delicious.
Braise is a very good choice for lunch. Our bill was $ 23.42, includes tax, very affordable.

Went here last night. Not bad! I for apps we got the Tuna Cocktail, Clams, and Lumpia. The Tuna cocktail I don’t think I’d recommend. I’ve just, had better elsewhere. The clams though we’re great! The broth was delicious and the chopped up bacon in it set this dish over the top! The broth was so good we had to ask for more bread to dip it in. And last but NOT least for the appetizers was the Lumpia. Fantastic!!! I would order these again and again. They were good by themselves or with the duck sauce. Either way, get these when you go, unless you’re Filipino. Your lumpia palate might be more sophisticated than mine ;)
We move onto the main course which is the Lamb Shank. I was debating between this and the salmon. I then saw all the pictures of the lamb on Unilocal and had a feeling this was a most popular dish, so I put the salmon on the back burner and went for the lamb. NOT disappointed. The meat seriously just fell off the bone! It was served over a bed of blue cheese mashed potatoes which I thought was different, fun, and delicious and roasted carrots.
We finished the meal with two different desserts. The Bananas Foster Cheesecake and the Chocolate Ravioli. I honestly was not impressed with the cheesecake. It didn’t taste right and the texture was off. Also I wish there was more foster going on in the dish. A LOT more. The Chocolate Ravioli on the other hand… THAT was delicious! It was a fun and different dish and I’m very happy we got it. I would highly recommend getting this because where else would you get chocolate ravioli?! For this dish we got Vanilla Bean gelato instead of Mocha (because we dislike coffee) and it was perfect!
I rated this place a 4 out of 5 only because I wasn’t in love with everything. Also I do wish they had more fun/​creative things on the menu but I understand that might not be the type of clientele they want to cater to. Speciality drink selection was limited. But I got two glasses of wine that were delicious. Huge bottles wine selection.
The atmosphere of the place was a little weird. Lots of rooms off to the side meant for parties or conferences or something? Décor was kind of weird too. BUT I’m not eating the wall art so who really cares.
Will I go back? Yes, I think I will. I’ll try out their lunch or their happy hour sometime so I can try their other dishes. Our server said their étouffée was very delicious and popular so I’m interested in trying that next time.
Anyway, try it out! If anything you will be happy you went for the lamb :)

Dinner with mom, Braise is over to the left of the Sam’s Club in case you’re having trouble finding it. She chose the chicken breast and once we figured out what the menu meant («gardein» is a brand name for a vegetarian turkey breast) got that straight. She enjoyed hers thoroughly.
I went with the seafood mac & cheese. It was more like a cheese sauce poured on top of penne noodles compared to a baked mac & cheese. So that part of it was only «good.» What was really good were the grilled (quite large) shrimps and scallops on top of it. Very tasty, that was.
Nice restaurant with a big bar area in the front and a large dining room in the back. Several interesting private rooms off to the side looked neat if you want to have a more private dining experience.

When I chose to dine in the bar, having never seen the dining room, I hadn’t thought of the fact that it would be considerably cooler out here or that instead of a quite meal I’d be watching football.
For the most part I really like the style of the place mats except that the groove can hold food and I saw some dried up residue in my mat (dark brown) in multiple sections.
I love the construction of the bathroom doors offering considerable privacy. They look a bit countrified to me. Bathroom paint colors don’t match the floor and wall tiles in my opinion. Cool sink. Only thing I would change are the paint colors.
I walked back to the dining room just for a peak and it is large and very nice, great for a date night I bet. There is also a private room to the left of the hallway great for birthday, retirement parties etc. semi-​private in that the wall and door are glass. But the servers can’t forget about you that way.
I like that nothing seems cramped or crowded here. Love the breathing/​maneuvering room.
OMG I just realized there is a peacock feather on the wall in the bar area.
I’ve eaten in the dining room twice and it was very nice. Pretty low key. Very attentive staff.

Awesome place.
It’s very deceiving from the outside and also when you walk in. (I’m sure most people think it’s the small section in the front, including the bar area), but as we were led to the main dining area, I couldn’t help but think,“Wow, this place is nice and pretty spacious!” The décor is nice. There are a few «private» dining areas too, for meetings, parties, etc. I noticed there was one table in an elevated enclosed area as well. Nice for a romantic evening such as an anniversary or something, but it definitely would make me feel claustrophobic. Hehe.
My boyfriend and I dined here for lunch during Va Beach’s Restaurant Week. He had the salad for his starting course, and I had the She Crab Soup. I enjoyed it. We both had the Braised Short Ribs with Cheese Grits topped with Fried Spinach. Great serving size, and the meat was so tender. The grits could have a used a tad more salt, but I was pleased altogether. For dessert, I had the Crème Brûlée. Deeeeelish!
I will definitely return, especially because we found out that during lunch, M-​F, there is always a $ 10 lunch special — 4 courses for $ 10, whaaaat?! Can’t ever beat great food for a great price.
I’m a fan of Braise. Check this place out! ;)
P. S. Their bathrooms are nice too. Check my picture out!

A great understated restaurant. I really enjoyed myself.
I read the reviews and was convinced that I would enjoy my experience. I reviews that were one or two stars were frankly, wrong. I was grateful that when I came in I missed the brunch crunch and it was quiet. It gave me a real chance to enjoy my first visit.
Today I ordered the she-​crab soup to start and my main was braised short ribs with cheese grits.
The soup was thick, rich, and full of tender crab meat. The ribs were tender and fell apart when my fork touched them. The grits were creamy and perfectly cheesy. The gravy was rich and ties the whole meal together. It possibly could have used a little salt and pepper but I couldn’t have asked for a better meal.
My friend started with lumpia and had the étouffée for his main. The lumpia comes ordered per piece. It was some of the best lumpia I’ve had. The étouffée was rich and spicy. It was full of tender seafood.
Having come in for brunch I can’t wait to try it for lunch or dinner. The sandwich menu looked very promising.

What a terrific hangout. I honestly thought that BRAISE is the definition of a classic and stylish restaurant serving a real and sumptous menu. I like the layout and the exclusive setting to the main dining room. Its quite spacious and the entire place has a massive room that caters to customer needs on any occasion. The interior and table set up is very simple yet elegant. The artwork displays hanging on the wall is refreshing and spot on.
I must admit that I truly enjoyed and was satisfied with the superb customer service and whole dining experience. This restaurant is legit and one of they best and unique place I’ve ever visited in Hamptons Road.
For today’s visit, I ordered Emily famous lumpia as a starter served with a duck sauce on the side and followed with Étouffée as main course. The lumpia comes ordered per piece. The filling was seasoned well and served as hot and crispy golden. The duck sauce taste ok and didn’t do much to compliment the main dish, because lumpia alone was super delicious. The main course is definitely the surprising one. Étouffée is typically made with any shellfish such as crab or shrimp with gravy sauce that made from a light or blond roux, seasoned, simmered and served over rice. This version was just absolutely tasted divine. It was super rich, creamy and flavorful.
Indeed, it was a fantastic visit and can’t wait to be back.

Came here for restaurant week, with a hungry rating of 8, and ordered the Braised short rib which comes with dried spinach and cheesy grits. It was delicious! This place is a nice little gem. I drove pass this place daily on my way to the gym, and would’ve never thought a place like this would be tucked away in this shopping center.
The ambiance is very warm and welcoming, and a bar area is in front separated from a dining area in the back. In between both areas is a nice little hallway that has nice little pieces of art for sell and I think the theme looks like the focal point of most of the art is Virginia Beach.
The meal was delicious, and the service was very timely and pleasant. Every server was very attentive, and water was refilled unprompted. I very much enjoyed this place. And the owner was very polite.

Decided to try Braise for Restaurant week dinner. I’ll start off by saying fine dining isn’t usually my thing. Braise is about that life. The interior dining room (s) are very large and comfortable, making you forget you’re in a strip shop. Dinner prices are up there boy! BUT I found our meals to be generous on the parts that matter and the portions are beyond what I can handle. I had a whole second dinner left over. All of our dishes were absolutely delicious and clean. Menu isn’t as exotic as I was expecting. I get a New American/​Southern/​French vibe here. All in all, a nice first date spot or a place to take your parents.
Not to be a Debbie downer but service could have been better. They left me staring at my soup with no spoon. Won’t hold it against them though. I would like to try Braise for lunch (cheaper) and see how it is.

I made my first visit to Braise right after Bobby’s passing. I really didn’t know if the they were going to be open or not, however the plans to visit here had been in place for a couple of weeks ahead of time and it was pure coincidence that other events had happened. I know Bobby wasn’t with Braise any longer however his spirit and dishes were there for sure.
The crowd was sparse and we decided to sit at the bar. It was a Tuesday night after all. We each had an appetizer and I selected the Emily’s Lumpia which comes with a house Duck Sauce while my friend had the She Crab Soup. The lumpia was good, but with the duck sauce it was absolutely delicious.
For our entrée’s I ordered the Seared Tuna with Wasabi Mashers and Baby Bok Choy. My date had one of the evenings specials which was a stuffed Rockfish dish. I think it was stuff with crab. I have to say that my tuna and mashers were excellent. Just absolutely excellent. The rockfish didn’t go over so well though. She thought it was over cooked and while she finished it I don’t think she’ll be trying it again.
All in all it was a good experience for me. Excellent service, excellent food and a nice quiet evening, which god knows is just nice sometimes. I’m definitely going to be back to try out some more of the menu.