Capt. Chuck-A-Muck's bills itself as a grill and a secret hideaway. Perhaps because it's in Rescue, Virginia, it was destined to be my hideaway during the Noreaster. This is a restaurant open during all weather, so it doesn't disappoint sailors who may have made a long trip especially for it. Customers are welcome to dock right there. Instead of shoveling snow, you could have been luxuriating in Captain Chuck A Muck's smooth "unisex" cream of crab soup. They call it "unisex" because they don't check every crab to say it's "she-crab" soup.
This is a come-as-you-are, Jimmy Buffett-type watermen's restaurant, recently featured on "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives with Guy Fieri". However, don't think for one second that's some sort of shorthand for plain bar food. They pride themselves on gourmet fare that comes out on plastic plates. The lethal but tasty cocktails are generously served in Mason jars.
The owner spent 40 years in the boat biz and has the seafood connections to prove it. Everything is fresh and delectable -- sometimes more than pricey joints in big cities. The rockfish was lightly grilled, firm, and simply presented.
Everything is also homemade: soup, cocktail mixes, greens with Smithfield ham, as well as the fresh fruit cobblers... and don't even think about getting the super-secret recipes. Even Guy Fieri couldn't pull that off and he was in there filming for 14 hours!
Comments
Like others here my first visit was after watching Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives on the Food Network. While our first visit was only so-so, we thought we'd give it another try.
Arriving at 5:15 on August 25, 2010, we were greeted and asked if we'd like to sit outside. Weather in Hampton Roads has been horribly hot this year, but on this particular day it was only 80, perfect to me. Upon going outside we were whisked to a bar-height table. As my wife has a knee replacement and disabilities from a head-on collision last year she doesn't feel stable sitting at these tall tables. With only two other folks on the deck, we asked for a lower-height table. One of the owners (the lady) quickly said that she could not afford to give out one of these tables, as the place would be packed by 6 o'clock. (Keep in mind that the lower tables weren't massive. They'd hold perhaps 4 adults and maybe a couple of small kids if you really packed them in. AND THE DECK WAS PRACTICALLY EMPTY). With that, and feeling a little embarrassed that my wife's request was turned down, we went inside to eat. When we left at 6:02 only two other parties had gone outside and one of those tables that we were not allowed to sit at was still empty.
Upon leaving I commented to my wife that at Captain Chuck Muck’s, "Two in the bush are obviously worth more than one in the hand". That an owner would turn down a paying customer already in the establishment in lieu of customers that "might" be in later, and to deny the request of someone with an obvious disability shows me quite clearly that my business was not appreciated.
Folks, Bennett's Creek Restaurant and Marina recently reopened after being flooded twice last year by Nor'easters. I can attest to the fact that they have wonderful food and perhaps an even better setting. Oh yes, and they WILL appreciate your business.
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