Restaurant Spotlight of the Week

Dave's Seafood & Subs

3255 Columbia Pike, Arlington, VA • (703) 553-4020

Hours: Mon-Sat: 10:00 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.; Sun: Closed

Despite the fact that the waistline of this country seems to be adding inches by the minute, and the fact that every TV, radio, and news outlet in this Country seems to be doing in-depth pieces on the destructiveness of fats, carbohydrates, and food in general, it seems less and less obvious that there is quality unhealthy food available.

Oh, there's plenty of crummy food that's bad for you. The snack food aisle in every major supermarket is packed to the gills with trans-fat ridden morsels, sure to do everything their power to make sure that one does not fit into that swimsuit this summer.

So too, are there plenty of fast food restaurants that make no bones about dropping meat and potatoes into boiling vats of vegetable oil, before salting then selling them to customers as part of combo deals featuring sugary drinks.

But there is no personality among these foods. They are the same everywhere you go, from Virginia to Tennessee to Texas, a Big Mac, is a Big Mac, is a Big Mac.

It's not that I like unhealthy food. Generally, I am a lean chicken breast and salad person. But I do feel that when one does eat food that should come with a warning label, the food should be something unique, specific to one restaurant and available in only one place, owned by a person rather than a conglomerate.
Dave's Seafood and Subs Carryout is just that kind of place. It isn't fancy in any way. All it consists of is a counter for placing your order and seats to await your food. The place is clean, and smells fresh, always a good sign for a restaurant selling seafood.

There is something about Dave's that hearkens back to another time. They don't serve any fancy biscuits, just white bread slices to go with the hearty entrees. The French fries aren't gourmet sliced potatoes, just standard ripple cut fries.

It seems to exist outside the fancy world of $10 sandwiches, toasted for optimum taste enhancement, or $20 burgers with garnishes in the place of the pickle. It's like it was placed in Arlington prior to Pilates and never really changed.

While there are a plethora of choices, the theme is generally and unabashedly fried. The appetizers are sinfully tasty and include the ever-popular choices of onion rings, French fries and chicken wings, though the wings are almost too large to be included in the appetizer category. But the choice goes beyond the usual, with fried scallops and crab sticks; beneath the breading, the scallops melt in the mouth like butter.

Entrees consist of a variety of sandwiches and platters. The crab cake sandwich is a good choice for those unsure of what to order. Fried and served in a hamburger bun with lettuce, tomato and tartar sauce, it is crispy on the outside with a rich and creamy center. For a larger option, the crab cake sub, adds just a little bit more. From the wide array of platters, selections include fried boneless catfish and Delmonico steak, both generous and hearty, served with a variety of sides.

Finally, for the hungry, the seafood combination, serves up an enormous selection of fried seafood, easily enough to be shared with a friend.