The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1866-01-29
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

ID. Bice, on Main street, formerly undor
the management of Mr.. Tuttle. has mn
dergone such thorough Improvement
that its former habitues and friends
would with difficulty recognize II IT,
is now transformed into one of the most
tasteful and elegant places of resort that
we have seen in the South and Faeries
in Paris is not to be compared Ia IL
combining as it does. all the necessary
purposes of a first class restaurant and
confectionery. On entering Mr.. Rice,s
new saloon one is from the first favor.
ably impressed by the air of elegance
and comfort, that at a glance is dis.
covered to prevail. and upon a closer in
spectiOn, the impression Is fully con.
firmed that it is a model of perfection
aad good taste throughout. The visitor
At the first step finds himself in the
midst of a vast assortment of confac.
tons, pastry, and perfumery, arranged
in good order and with a due regard 70
The "proprieties." Here il everything
that the heart can desire in the mattey
of sweatmeats, bon-to ns and Jim cracks.
while all the perfumes Of Arabia lie
scattered about in odorous p~rofusion
Handsome young attendents-wlth Mr..
Bice at their head-and he is neither
old, ugly, nor crabbed-are on the alert to
wait upon their fair customers with the
courteous bearing and winning manners
efoshers at the Court of Louis the
Foartee men .nd Wilde "' as cc Stresit1,,e
liant r. the commands of their patrons
as.Ariel was to Prospero's imperative
5ehcsts. The saloon Is CONSTANTLY
crowded by ladies and children, and Il
has at ,once become the most popular
resort in the city. Passing through the
establishment, on either hand We see
evidences of the enterprise of the new
management displayed in every depart.
ment. The endless piles of bottles.
boxes and baskets of finest champagnes'
clarets and other wines, as also foreign
and domestic ales i'm bottle and on
draught, give an assurance that is COM
forting in the extreme. Cigars direct
from the famed Queen of the Antilles,
dews from Scotia, and poteen from the
Emerald Isle. The eyeis indeed gorged
with life's luxuries and creature com
forts. But the principal attraction
is the fine large dining saloon,
with its soft carpet, superb hang.
ings, chaste white walls, and taste
full furniture. Here dinners gotten
up in the best styles of French or AM
erican cookery, can be procured at all
hours of the day or night, and the larder
Is stored with the best that can be
found in the local markets, or brought
from Baltimore. Mr.. Bice has engaged
the services of an excellent cook and Ca
terer-one whose name is not unknown,
to fame in other cities and other lands
whose knowledge OF the great art of pre-.
pairing a good dinner Is not bounded by
the modern cookery book. Heis a real
artist,-and we have the highest au-
thority for saying that a perfect knowl-
edge of the cuisine is Us much an art as
sculpture or painting-it is the poetry
of the stomach and has always been held
in high esteem. A king has been known
to govern his state without a prime min
ister.-but we never heard of one that
could get along without a chief cook.
The art of preparinga good beefsteak is
not possessed by every One-and cooks
require to be born AZ well as pOets-in
fact there is a singular sympathy be-
tween the two callings,-fOr all poets
unite in praising the triumphs of their
cooks. The majority of the world have
never partaken of u well cooked din
ner-but with the opportunities now OF.
fered by Mr.. Bice, all in Norfolk may at
a very small expense enjoy that greatest
and most inestimable of luxuries. Ii
will be pleasant for our young gentle
men to invite theirlady friends of a cold
evening to bundle their furs around
their delicate forms and take q run down
or up to Bice'S, and spend an hour or so
over one of his appetizing suppers. 1t
will afford a much better opportunity
for the utterance of soft speeches than u
crowded parlor car give, or the contin-
ual Interruptions of q theatre. "A famous
place no doubt will Sice's become
quite as renowned rs Delmonico's in
New York, or Johns in New Orleans
and not to have dined at Delmonico's is
to admit yourself unknown. In . very
short time, to say that you never had
your feet under Mr.. Bice's mahogany,
will be to acknowledge that you are no
body. 1t will be the future test of res
probability. This dining hall is in the
highest degree comfortable and cosy,
and n leaves it with regret. But there
is alsoa private dining, or supper room at
tached to the establishment, where din
ners or suppers can be prepared for par
ties or clubs, and thirty persons comfort
ably bestowed, without any risk OF
reference or interruption. 1t is a nice
little retreat for a small party OF
friends, who wish to have a pleasant
time of it, or for a club or lodge to give
a small and sober "blow-out." But we
are dwelling too long OH Mr.. Bloc. 1T
is scarcely necessary for us TO urge the
public to sustain an enterprising gentle
man who displays so much lIberallty
and energy for the people OF norfolk
are always prompt in theirsupport OF an
enterprises of II progressive nature-ih
proof of which assertion we have only 10
point to the marvellous success OF MI;
Beardsley's Billiard Saloon. A good
thing'' can be appreciated here as highly
as any where else in the world.-and our
people are as ready to encourage those,
who, by their works, show themselves
worthy of patronage, as the people of any
other city in the Union. Let us then
sustain all enterprises ofthis nature that
will tend to make Norfolk not only more
~pleasurable for its resident population,
but more attractive to visitors from
abroad. We wish Mr.. Bice, the full sue
cess in his undertaking which the ener-
CIV he has shown deserves, and hope
that his elegant saloon and restaurant
NAV he constantly thronged with Gus
tom-that he may live long and pros
per.-and still have 'somethlngs' for
tomorrow. Norfolk Is fast awaking to
her true interests,-and the newly In,
fused element begins to tell. The blood
in her arteries is less sluggish than II
was wont to be.
-- -, nxp, Tbroa mon