Photo - Corey Miller. Table linens - August Table.
Berret's Seafood Restaurant and Taphouse Grill's Chilled Gazpacho with Crabmeat
When the pandemic hit, Berret’s Seafood Restaurant and Taphouse Grill was in the fortuitous position of already having an abundance of outdoor seating. With close to 20 tables that can be configured for groups of various sizes, there’s plenty of room on the exterior of the bar area, on the terrace and on the lawn, where tables are raised on low platforms and provide shady ambiance courtesy of umbrellas. It’s the lawn area that also houses the stage where live music is offered seven days a week afternoon or evening, weather permitting, with outdoor lighting strung over the tables to complete the vibe. Menus and tables are sanitized between guests and tables are placed at a minimum of 6’ apart for safety.
Regulars willing to clue you into their favorite place will tell you to remember two things and they’re both kind of a big deal. Berret’s does dollar oyster happy hour every day from 11:30 am to 7 pm, and reservations are not taken for outdoor seating, so it’s first come, first served. Although the cornhole boards for which they’ve long been known have been absent since the pandemic began, they’re back in place for summer with two boards set at regulation distance and one board set closer for budding cornhole practitioners. Who’s in?
Original Recipe
Chilled Gazpacho with Crabmeat
Ingredients:
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- ½ cup finely diced yellow onion
- 1 tsp. pureed fresh garlic
- 3 large cucumbers, peeled, seeded and finely diced (about 3 cups)
- ½ cup finely diced green bell pepper
- 3 cups finely diced Roma tomatoes
- ¾ cup V-8 juice
- ¾ cup tomato juice
- Dash of Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and pepper
- ¼ lb. fresh claw crabmeat, picked free of shells
- 1 cup fried tortilla chips
Directions:
Step 1: Sauté olive oil, onions, and garlic over medium heat until onions begin to brown. Remove from heat and cool.
Step 2: In food processor, blend cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes and cooled onion mixture until smooth. Pour into large mixing bowl.
Step 3: Add juices and Worcestershire sauce and stir till thoroughly combined.
Step 4: Let soup cool.
Step 5: Once cool, taste and add salt and pepper as desired.
Step 6: Stir in crabmeat and place in serving bowl and top with chips.
199 S. Boundary Street, Williamsburg
