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Easy to see what you want to see--seafood!

January 3, 2010 12:36 am

BY CATHY JETT

Marvin M. Owens of Stafford County loves seafood.

Put a plate of spiced shrimp, fried oysters or king crab legs in front of him, and he's a happy man.

And, Owens said, he believes others feel the same way.

So his list of the businesses that he wishes would come to the Fredericksburg area included not one, not two, but four different seafood restaurants.

And, just as he figured, he certainly wasn't alone.

Seafood restaurants were among the most popular recommendations in The Free Lance-Star's 2009 Wish List of businesses that readers would like to see open or expand their presence here.

Of these, Captain George's Seafood Restaurant was the clear winner. The buffet-style establishment, which currently has five locations in Virginia and on the Outer Banks, came in third place overall with a total of four recommendations out of the 88 that were submitted.

Other contenders included Coastal Flats, part of the Great American Restaurants chain; Wilkerson's Seafood Restaurant, a Colonial Beach landmark; Chesapeake Bay Seafood House, which no longer exists; Red Lobster; Phillips Seafood; and Timbuktu, which, despite its exotic name, is actually a Hanover, Md., restaurant known for its crab cakes.

Owens said he'd also like a Sully's Steak House, a Dale City restaurant with a bounty of seafood on its menu. He's in luck with that one. Mike Sullivan, who started and ran Sully's for 12 years, is opening a Sully's Seafood and Steaks next to the Mailhouse Plus in Southpoint I.

In an interview with The Free Lance-Star last month, Sullivan said he's encouraged because "everybody's eyes light up" when he tells them he's opening a seafood restaurant.

Restaurants of all stripes were by far the biggest single category of businesses readers said they wanted to see this year. Out of the nearly 60 different places readers recommended, more than half were places to eat.

Cheesecake Factory, for example, tied with Stein Mart for second place overall with five votes each. That put the two, which are annually among the top five Wish List favorites, five votes behind Trader Joe's, the all-time champ.

As Marise Allen put it in her e-mail, "#1 will always be TRADER JOE'S because it's the very best in the whole wide world!"

Readers also suggested were a number of Italian restaurants, including Maggiano's Little Italy, Romano's Macaroni Grill, a Pizza Hut on State Route 3 near Harrison Road and an Olive Garden for Stafford. That last one came from Deanna Hoarle, who bemoaned the lack of restaurants and stores along U.S. 17.

"Those of us who live off of Route 17 have to travel north or south on Route 1 or I-95 to find a nice place to dine," she said. "The thousands of travelers that use Route 17 every day and stay at the numerous hotels and motels have to leave the area to find a good restaurant."

Besides Olive Garden, she said she'd like to see a Bob Evans, Mimi's Cafe, Applebee's, Red Lobster and Friendly's open along the busy U.S. 17 corridor.

Tex-Mex restaurants were another favorite with readers, two of whom nominated the same one, Jose Tejas.

"This place, headquartered out of New Jersey, has the absolute best french fries and a New Orleans-style catfish to die for at a price everyone can afford," raved David Greenhalgh of King George County.

Also getting a nod was Uncle Julio's Rio Grande Cafe, a chain that began in Dallas and now has 14 locations in Texas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland and Northern Virginia.

"The portions are enough for two meals," said Cindy Huntley. "Worth the hour drive (or more in traffic) to eat at their restaurants in Reston and Fairfax, but sure would like to avoid the drive. After eating at Rio Grande, other Mexican restaurants cannot compare."

Readers also said they'd like to see a number of upper-end chain stores open locations here so they don't have to drive to Richmond or Northern Virginia.

"I would like to see a Res-toration Hardware, Nordstrom, Crate & Barrel and Pottery Barn," said Sherry Swift. "Perhaps I should be living up north!"

She also asked if Sephora, the country's leading retailer of perfumes and cosmetics, still plans to in The Village at Towne Centre. It's expected to open open May 7, according to the company.

Whole Foods, which is known for its organic produce and products, also ranked high with readers. It tied with P.F. Chang's and Pottery Barn for fourth place with three votes apiece.

Reader Elena Ellis said she especially would like to see a Whole Foods open here since Ukrop's, which carried the Full Circle line of organic cereal, canned goods and other products such as peanut butter, will be closing next year.

"I live in King George and I travel all the way to Ukrop's because it has the best selection of organic and natural foods, including the Full Circle brand," she said. "There's a Whole Foods in Charlottesville, and they carry Full Circle. I would love more than anything if a Whole Foods came to Fredericksburg."

Other things readers said they'd like to see in the area include an ice rink to replace the Fredericksburg Ice Park, which closed earlier this year; a bypass to alleviate the gridlock on State Route 3; and a zoo.

"There's still plenty of open land available in Fredericksburg, or it could be an indoor zoo and be at the Ukrop's store, since they're closing," said Donna Cata-revas, who used to be a docent at the Reid Park Zoo in Tucson.

"And if the economy doesn't dramatically improve, it could probably be anywhere, due to the continual available 'space' when businesses close," she said. "Just think of the increase in the local economy by people coming to Fredericksburg and shopping here if there is a beautiful zoo to enjoy "

Cathy Jett: 540/374-5407
Email: cjett@freelancestar.com