The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1951-03-09
A MANTEO MAN
WITH POPULAR
NORFOLK CAFE
Cecil Griffin's Hampton BouI-
: evard Eating Place Fam-
ed for Good Food

taurant business in Norfolk. He
began his career after leaving
Manteo shortly after his marriage
and establishing a home in Nor
folk, becoming manager of the
famed Child's Restaurant.
A few years ago he left his
more-down-town cafe, and estab-
lished a new one that has really
been hitting the stride at 1920
Hampton Boulevard, known as
Grif's Seafood Restaurant, and it
has become famed for just what
it is: the home of finest seafood
eating.
Recently the restaurant was
featured in the Norfolk Virgin
ian-Pilot with Mr.. Griffin pictur-
ed fixing the seafood himself. The
story goes:
C. L. Griffin, of Grif's Seafood
Restaurant, was educated for a
civil engineer. He graduated from
the old A. and M. College, now
N. C. State, in 1909, but when he
left college he left his engineering
behind in so far as professional
intent was concerned. He became
a restaurateur and, except for a
short time when he was in bust
ness with his father, he has work.
ed as such all his adult years.
81 like the business" he said.
81 even liked it when l was scrub
bling floors and washing dishes"
He was abiding to his days as a
bus boy at Child's Restaurant.
His restaurant at 1920 Hamp-
ton Boulevard specializes in sea-
food and he serves some special
ties which he believes are exclus-
ive-his fondue of shrimp, for in
stance. 81 don't believe you'll find
it any place else because origi-
mated it," he said. cit is a combi-
nation of Newburg sauce, eggs,
cheese and diced shrimp, and is
very popular"
Shrimp and Eggs
The dish was suggested by one
of his regular patrons. "He was
always talking about having
shrimp and scrambled eggs at
home. l couldn't think of any
tempting way to put shrimp and
scrambled eggs on the menu so
/ finally concocted the shrimp
fondue. It isn't true fondue, but
it is close to it and people like it. "
Lobster thermidor is another
dish he prepares with a Newburg
sauce. This, he explained, is a
mixture of heavy cream and egg
yolks cooked in double boiler.
To make the thermidor, dice the
lobster. Add to the sauce some
sherry. Combine the sauce and
the lobster in casserole. Put
cheese and buttered crack e r
crumbs on top and brown lightly
in an oven. Griffin uses three oun-
ces of lobster to three ounces of
sauce.
eve have a special cream sauce
here too" he said. It's made with
flour, butter and milk and we add
to it a chicken concentrate, which
imparts delicious flavor"
Griffin serves oysters, Rector
style. The oysters-large fat
Chincoteagues-are opened to or
der and served seven to an order.
They are dipped singly in butter
ed cracker crumbs and fried in
butter.
Just because Grif's specializes
in seafood doesn't mean that 9TH
er foods are not prepared there.
Excellent steaks may be had, and
delicious desserts are prepared by
the restaurant cooks. Among the
specialties are sweet potato pie
and lemon tarts.
The lemon tarts are made by a
Rector's recipe. 81 use a great
many Rector recipes" Griffin
said. 81 consider George Rector
the greatest chef who ever lived.
His father, the founder of the ia
nous Rector's in New York, sent
him to Europe as a boy to study.
He wrote column in the Daily
Mirror, "a Cooks Tour" and sew
eral articles for the Saturday Ev-
ening Post.
Deviled Crabs
"On an occasion when he ate
deviled crabs at the Peacock Grill
in Atlanta, he brought away rec
ipe. "It's the one we use."
Here it is:
Pick over lump crab meat.
Blend two tablespoons of melted
butter and a tablespoon of flour,
stirring constantly to prevent
( Jumping. Add salt, lemon juice,
Worcestershire sauce, mustard,
Cayenne pepper. Pour over the
crab meat and mix thoroughly.
Half fill the shells with crab mix
ture. Cover with grated bread
crumbs. Dot with butter and bake
Is minutes in hot oven.
Griffin's two cooks are uncle
and nephew. He trained his head
cook, Dennis West, Dennis ne
phew, Willoughby West, came to
tho restaurant as a how. He was