Last week I had the pleasure of dining at the Il Giardino Ristorante at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. Il Giardino is a wonderful Italian restaurant that we have recommended to past and future brides for their serene atmosphere, delicious food, and a touch of formality – just across the street from the beach! We arrived for a 7:30 PM reservation on a Friday evening. After finding the restaurant (which faces more towards 10th Street than 9th), we pulled in to the parking lot and to my surprise, they offered complimentary valet! We entered in from the back by the parking lot, walking through the first room, which is a beautiful dining area, with trees in the center adorned in beautiful white lights. What an ambiance this created for us, just walking to our dinner table, as the Italian aroma filled the air.
We were led through another doorway into another dining area, with a nice bar on one wall, and a beautiful grand piano at the head of the room. We happened to be seated directly in front of the piano, and the talented musician behind it filled the room with music adding more to this beautiful ambiance. We were given two gentlemen that waited on our table. The first waiter beamed with personality as he kindly waited for me to get my coat and scarf off, before placing my napkin in my lap, and even picking my scarf up off the floor as it slipped off the chair. He read us a long list of specials and wines, then introduced us to our main waiter who took care of us from there. I really loved the menu selection – there was so much to choose from, whether you liked seafood, chicken or steak, and being a picky eater myself, I was thrilled that there were so many dishes to choose from that seemed so very mouthwatering. I really loved that beneath each entrée is a wine recommendation to go with your meal. After going back and forth between two seemingly delicious chicken entrées, I finally settled with the Filetto di Pollo con Funghi e Piselli, which is Filet of chicken, mushroom, peas, white wine, lemon and butter. A salad came as a side with the entrée, so we found no need for another appetizer. I ordered a glass of Chardonnay, which was recommended to go with my meal, as my guest ordered a glass of the Pinot Noir. While waiting for our food, we sat back, relaxed, and truly enjoyed where we were. The music was a key part to the ambiance of this room. The very talented musician often switched between his keyboard and violin, and sang his own versions of songs, including many classics.
After a short wait, our meals arrived, and it tasted even more heavenly than I had imagined. The chicken was cooked to absolute perfection, in the most delicious sauce I have ever tasted. The mushrooms were perfect as a topping, and everything just melted in your mouth! The wine was very tasty with my meal, and my guest, who was sipping on Pinot Noir for the first time, was delighted by how wonderful it was. I must say, I was very excited to have some chicken left over to bring home, and we even ordered a piece of cheesecake to go. Our waiter was kind enough to box up our leftovers and even put them in the car for us, so when we left a few minutes later, everything was in there waiting for us! What a blissful evening at this wonderful restaurant, and such an excellent way to start off the weekend! The chicken was just as scrumptious the next day for lunch – I wished I had more!
I would highly recommend Il Giardino Ristorante . You can’t beat the incredible food, service, and music. Il Giardino is perfect for a family dinner reception after your wedding, or to take out that special someone for a blissful evening. You can find their menu and additional details on their website: http://www.ilgiardino.com.
