crudo nudo — Restaurant in Norfolk

I wanted to like this place. I really, really did! The menu looked phenomenal and the decor was beautiful. I love tapas and was excited to try a new place. Unfortunately, I didn't even make it to the first course before we had to leave.

I made reservations here for date night with my husband. We arrived and were sat at a small table against the wall that shares a long bench with other tables. We were sat right underneath the speaker which made it very hard to not only hear our waitress but to also be present and relax before our meal. I understand 6 p.m. on a Friday night can get busy but there were two booths available, the table in the middle with the peacock chairs was available, and so was the table by the window with the swinging chairs.

There was an extensive cocktail and wine list, but I don't drink. None of the non-alcoholic beverages were listed and there weren't any designated mocktail options when I asked. I asked for sparkling water with mint but was told that there wasn't mint available. So I asked for something herbal. What I got was sparkling water, crushed heirloom tomatoe, with a few shreds of cilantro mixed in. I'm sorry, but that's basically just watered down salsa. This experience alone was very hurtful. I was really hoping that a restaurant of this quality would have at least one mocktail option available on the menu. A lot of people don't drink for a lot of reasons. If you can't accommodate that then just say so, but please don't make a joke out of my dietary needs and pretend like you were...

Our waiter was incredibly friendly and went out of his way to accommodate my wife's dietary restrictions due to celiac disease. He provided a gluten-free menu and ensured that the kitchen was aware of her needs. He made excellent wine recommendations and checked in on us throughout the meal to ensure we were enjoying our experience.

As for the food, we were blown away by how delicious and beautifully presented each dish was. The shishito peppers were perfectly cooked and had just the right amount of salt to complement their savory flavor. The calamari was tender and flavorful. The mussels were plump and juicy, and the broth was rich and flavorful. The scallop ceviche was a standout dish, with fresh, bright flavors and delicate textures.

For dessert, we couldn't resist trying the creme de catalan, which was a perfect ending to the meal. We paired it with a scoop of almond and floral ice cream, which was rich and creamy, and a glass of sherry that added a lovely depth of flavor. Despite the restaurant being a bit noisy, it didn't detract from our overall enjoyment of the meal.

The restaurant's cozy and intimate atmosphere made for a memorable dining experience, and we look forward to returning....

We had a long overdue date night at Crudo Nudo last night. Our neighbors recommended the place. Their high praise was spot on. We made a reservation because we heard the place was small. We arrived 30 minutes early for our reservation and were offered a place at the bar while we waited for our table. We found the bar to be the perfect place for us because it was fun to watch drinks being made and to take recommendations from staff and chat with them (we ultimately just stayed at the bar through our dinner). We started with the beef tartare, white asparagus, and calamari and ended with the lumache pasta dish and spanish sliders. We laughed because every time we tried a dish, it became our "favorite" of the night. I thought the calamari was especially interesting though because I'm used to just seeing it fried at restaurants and this was sauteed with olives and tomatoes - perfecto! Our friends told us that the ice cream was amazing but we did not save room. The cocktails were great and finishing off with a glass of sherry was perfect. We asked the bartender to make a recommendation on the sherry and it did not disappoint. Thanks for a lovely night out! We can't wait to come back to try more...