The nostalgic, delicious taste of seafood from old Lowery’s Restaurant in Tappahnnock is back as 528 Prime Steak and Seafood. The restaurant has recently opened in the old Lowery’s building with a Chesapeake Bay flavor and an Italian twist.
Chef Vittorio Castiglia immigrated to the United States from Miseno, Italy in 1978 at the age of 16. His nephew Luigi Castiglia is owner of 528 Prime Steak and Seafood and he came to America at the age of 13.
“We know how to prepare seafood,” said Vittorio. “My father and brother are both fishermen in Italy and we grew up eating fresh fish.”
Vittorio said that he is working with area seafood dealers in Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina to provide the freshest and best seafood possible for his tables.
The dinner menu features a seafood platter with fried fish, shrimp, scallops, oysters, hush puppies and fries; or fried oysters with roasted pepper aioli; or pan-seared rockfish with mashed potatoes and a vegetable medley; or two four-ounce crab cakes served with mashed potatoes and a vegetable medley; or flounder stuffed with spinach, mushrooms, bacon and crab topped with a buttery beurre blanc sauce.
Vittorio started out in the business working in the kitchen at his brother’s restaurant in Italy. When he moved to America, he enrolled in a chef program at Lord Fairfax Community College in Middletown and worked for restaurants in Alexandria and Washington, D.C. He has owned, managed and has cooked at restaurants for more than 30 years. He is helping Luigi with the startup of his new business.
Chef Oded Miller Jr. also cooks in the kitchen and operates the smoker that is located in the parking lot. Miller started working with his father who was a chef in Richmond when he was 16 years old. He later went to J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College to take chef classes and has worked in several restaurants in the Richmond area.
“Vittorio and Luigi are working with some of the best seafood dealers around to provide a variety of fresh seafood,” said Miller. “Vittorio grew-up in a fishing culture in Italy and understands that fresh is important!”
Vittorio’s special crab cake recipe
The ingredients include:
- One pound lump Chesapeake Bay crab meat.
- One teaspoon Old Bay spice seafood seasoning.
- One slice white bread with crust removed.
- One tablespoon Worcestershire sauce.
- A half tablespoon Dijon mustard.
- A quarter cup mayonnaise.
Mix it all together.
Coat with crushed saltine crackers.
Fry in chef-made clarified butter on medium heat until crispy on both sides.
